Kelsey is back from JBA and my home seems a little more normal again. She had the time of her life, of course, and is now trying to adjust to living with her Mom again. I think it was enlightening for her to see other kids like her, who get it. Hopefully it gives her something to look forward to in college besides keg stands. She is already begging to go back next year and I am pretty motivated to get her there everytime I can so I am brainstorming for fundraising ideas. Ideally Kelsey would be able to raise the money herself, learning that all important money lesson. (insert 13-year old eye-roll here)
Lately it seems like I am noticing more and more that most people I run into are rude and unaware of anything around them except what their particular mission is in whatever place I am. I am tired of parents allowing their children to push and shove their way to the front of the line. It is up to us as parents to teach our children how to be polite and considerate. I am disenchanted with going in public. It seems to me that it is getting worse and worse and I don't know what to tell my kids when they say, "well all those kids are doing it." Except, "well, they are rude and their parents are even more rude for allowing such bad behavior." Somehow I don't think it is satisfying to my 6 and a half year old. My thirteen year old is showing signs she understands although they are fleeting. One of the nice things about JBA...all the kids and parents were polite. Everyone said, "excuse me" when they needed to pass by, people held doors for each other. If someone saw you struggling to get a cup off the top of the stack because your hands were full, they helped you. It was really refreshing to be around a mass of polite people. Do you ever look behind you to find a person fuming, rolling their eyes, tapping their toe etc.? I always wonder how long have they been standing there mad at me when they could have just said, "excuse me," and I would have noticed them and moved out of their way...I don't get it. Why do people choose to be mad? It is a choice.
