This title could mean a lot of things for a lot of mothers. Today my guilt has a specific meaning. Sitting on my desk in front of me is a "mission card". This "mission card" is for a program at my son's school called Rocket Readers and every month when this "mission card" comes home a wave of guilt comes over me. On this card I am to record 16 different books that I read to my kindergartner over the month. Then 5 of these books Zack should name a character in the story and name their favorite part of the story. If they turn it in they get their name and picture on the wall outside of the library and if they do it all year that get to be a part of a special breakfast. Doesn't that sound wonderful??? Hmmm.
I have never turned one in. I tried the first month, but then it got accidentally thrown away. You might think I am against participating because I don't want to read to my children, but if you know me you know that I read to my children almost EVERY night. They love story time and now that Zack is reading he takes part in it too. So what is the problem you ask? That is just ONE more thing for me to do. Zack is too young to take care of this himself. That might be the ONE thing to throw me over the edge!!!!
So yesterday at a PTA event I was talking to some other mom's and they were astonished that we don't do Rocket Readers. They went on and on about how it is so important for us to do this...blah blah blah. I hate it when other people make me feel like an inferior parent. Try dealing with going to school full time, being a mommy to two little ones, taking care of the house, have a husband that works long hours, is unavailable to help during the week, taking care of a crazy yellow lab and reading and keeping up with this blog and others!!!! That one piece of paper may be the one thing that is keeping me from being committed!!! MOVE OVER BRITNEY!!!
Okay, I'm okay, I'm really okay. So it's okay that I don't do Rocket Readers, right??
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Guilt
Posted by Michelle at 4:18 PM
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4 comments:
OH Michelle! Please don't beat yourself up over "Rocket Readers". Guess What? I have never participated in the 6 hours for Six Flags reading program that the schools do. My boys always come home and say that they announced over the PA system who gets to go to Six Flags because they read for so many hours. I just tell them that I know they read more than 6 hours and if it works out during the summer, we will take them to Six Flags. It is just too much for me to keep up with writing down what they read, for how long and not to mention having to keep up with that paper for 2 or 3 months! UGHHHH! Plus, like you, I have too much else on my plate with working full time, taking care of my family and home, baseball, regular homework and church. It is just one thing that I don't do and I try really hard not to feel guilty about it.
You know what you can handle and what will send you over the edge. You just keep being a great mother to those boys and don't let anyone make you feel guilty about it!!
Thanks Angie!!! Your words of encouragement mean a lot!!!
We don't do our pizza for reading program either Michelle (and we do read). I also didn't ever take that long list of summer reading books to the library so Alexia could get her name on the board (of couse she still asks if I can turn it in!) Maybe next summer - don't beat yourself up, you have an incredible amount on your plate.
One of the things I've struggled with throughout my 13 years of motherhood (yikes!) is learning to not "sweat the small stuff." When your boys are grown and out on their own, they won't be on a therapist's couch saying, "Gosh--if Mom had only filled out my Rocket Reader form..." They are going to look back fondly on their childhood and remember all the stuff you and Michael did for them. So don't sweat it, girl; you're doing a GREAT job!! Rocket Reader be darned!!
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