Why Did I Open My Big Mouth?
I was going to go to New York City tomorrow. But I changed my mind. In an effort to be open and communicative with all parties involved (my mom who is going back to NY and would get a ride, and my daughters who would be affected by my after school absence) I had somewhat of a monologue about the pros and cons of driving to the city and mused out loud, in fact just loud enough for Nicole to hear, that maybe she would make a decent travel companion. What on earth was I thinking?
She jumped all over that one, imagining a field trip to the American Girl Doll store. Does that count as an educationally excused absence? I am taking my daughter out of school for a day because it is easier than lining up after school rides and it can be counted as an excused absence. A bit of a stretch...I agree. So just as quickly as I mused about the possibility of taking her with me, I decided, also out loud that it wouldn't be a good idea, but it was too late. She had made up her mind she was coming along, even though I had decided I wasn't going.
There were a couple of reasons I had entertained driving to the city. One is my mom is ready to go home (I hate to say this, but I am also ready for her to go home) and a neighbor is part of a group art show that is opening tomorrow and her mentor is a friend of my dad's. So my dad said, "Why don't you come in?" and in a moment of advance spontaneity I agreed. Why do these decisions that involve several hours in the car, a late night drive home, $$ gas and then the added insistence of a road trip to the American Girl doll store always sound better weeks ahead of time? When will I learn?
We just got back from VA at about two this morning and about the last thing I want to do is drive another six hours tomorrow. All of a sudden it didn't seem like such a good idea. Not to mention the fact that it would be dark and late returning home. My mom agreed to take the bus and all of a sudden I was several hour and dollars in the plus.
Then there was the Nicole factor. Her persistence in talking about the NYC road trip and not dropping it earned her an early ticket to bed. Boy when she wants something, she wants it NOW! But I explained the sagging economy and the fact that if we were going to really enjoy NYC then we needed more than three hours. I think it finally registered. Now she's only asking if we can go this weekend...to which I also said "no" but I did promise that we would go sometime...and have a good time. On a day there isn't school and when gas has gone down maybe another 50 cents a gallon.
She jumped all over that one, imagining a field trip to the American Girl Doll store. Does that count as an educationally excused absence? I am taking my daughter out of school for a day because it is easier than lining up after school rides and it can be counted as an excused absence. A bit of a stretch...I agree. So just as quickly as I mused about the possibility of taking her with me, I decided, also out loud that it wouldn't be a good idea, but it was too late. She had made up her mind she was coming along, even though I had decided I wasn't going.
There were a couple of reasons I had entertained driving to the city. One is my mom is ready to go home (I hate to say this, but I am also ready for her to go home) and a neighbor is part of a group art show that is opening tomorrow and her mentor is a friend of my dad's. So my dad said, "Why don't you come in?" and in a moment of advance spontaneity I agreed. Why do these decisions that involve several hours in the car, a late night drive home, $$ gas and then the added insistence of a road trip to the American Girl doll store always sound better weeks ahead of time? When will I learn?
We just got back from VA at about two this morning and about the last thing I want to do is drive another six hours tomorrow. All of a sudden it didn't seem like such a good idea. Not to mention the fact that it would be dark and late returning home. My mom agreed to take the bus and all of a sudden I was several hour and dollars in the plus.
Then there was the Nicole factor. Her persistence in talking about the NYC road trip and not dropping it earned her an early ticket to bed. Boy when she wants something, she wants it NOW! But I explained the sagging economy and the fact that if we were going to really enjoy NYC then we needed more than three hours. I think it finally registered. Now she's only asking if we can go this weekend...to which I also said "no" but I did promise that we would go sometime...and have a good time. On a day there isn't school and when gas has gone down maybe another 50 cents a gallon.
Labels: American Girl Doll Store, New York City, road trip
posted by www.kathypride.com at
11:10 PM
4 Comments:
Good for you for sticking to your guns AND for putting Nicole to bed early for not dropping it. Kids need to learn that situations and parent's minds can change. When we were taking Gregory to see a shrink (around age 7 and 8), I learned that to Gregory, yes meant yes, no meant yes, but maybe meant yes too. He couldn't deal with maybe at all. After his growing up experiences, he actually learned that from us, maybe usually meant no; he became a pessimist.
Enjoy your time NOT driving hither and yon.
Love,
Katy
I think our daughter would tell you that for us "maybe" usually meant no, especially if you pushed the issue.
She would also tell you that "Would you take out the garbage?" and "Would you like to help me clean the kitchen?" are not really questions, but commands. My literal son, however, does not get this, and so I have learned to say, "Take out the garbage, please." and "Come help me clean the kitchen."
oops! Upon re-reading my own comment, I realized I made a typo. I said re Gregory, that he understood yes to mean yes and no to mean yes. I meant he understood no to mean no, which makes much more sense, doesn't it?
Katy
OK, this is sad. My Yes's and No's Not to mention Maybe's seemed to all be Yes, so unfortunately I didn't skip too much of a beat reading your initial comment...but they say recoginizing you have a problem is the first step of recovery, so I am forming my own chapter of wimpie maybe's anonymous...
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