No ink on my skin, just so you know. Tattoos are interesting and have a great history. Tattoos fascinate me. Tweety Bird or other Looney Tune characters always make me look at the person twice. Personally, the importance or connection to one specific character is odd. Why not the entire cast or a funny scene depicted instead? Why people choose the tats they do could be an endless research project for someone other than me. For me, there isn’t a picture or symbol that is meaningful enough that stand the test of time, forever. Words, however, are more powerful to me. Though not enough to brand into my skin. The Inspector Gadget digital display hat band is more my style. Or if rotating tattoos were possible, my forehead would be the location of choice. Today’s digital display would read: Persevere.
My youngest said when he started kindergarten, “Why do we go to school 5 days but only have 2 days off? That’s not fair”. No son, it isn’t fair, welcome to the world. If sports have Hell Week, this is our Butt Dragging Week. Coming off a busy weekend and late nights, we are definitely in prime butt dragging mode. My house, me included, did not want to get out of bed this morning. There are 10 days left until school is out, this is the last week of “work”. Sixth grade has final tests all week (as if they have any brain power left), second and third grade have tests and plays to perform. Homework all week as well. The kids are mentally checked out.
Then there is the other part of life. For me, we have the pending move which is motivating me to get stuff done. For the kids, who are struggling with their emotions with the move, each day closer to the actual move is more and more difficult. “We must persevere” is not what they want to hear, nor what anyone wants to hear, in times of struggle. For me, compassionately parenting the woeful is my challenge.
What we need is a rally cry. Where is William Wallace when you need him? Maybe we just need face paint and kilts? (Armor, battle axes, shields, or other battle gear intentionally excluded). That would definitely change things up around here. Oh wait, that’s a battle cry. No battles against tyranny allowed in my house where we could mistakenly (in our opinion) be viewed as tyrannical parents. You must move, you must go to school, you must take tests, you must do homework. Yep, that us.
We need a cheer! And cheerleaders! Go Team Go! Give me a P.E.S.E.V.E.R.E. Yeah! Persevere! Woo!
Or maybe something in between. Taking each day as it comes, each obstacle/hurdle/emotion along with it, and doing our best to persevere.
multi-hyphenated-me 