A Case of the Mondays [No, I Don’t Hate Mondays]

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It’s Monday night at 9:30 and I am just now sitting down with time for myself.  Mondays can be hectic.

On Mondays, I prep my client’s analytics and deliver the good (or bad) news to them.  I also record my SEO Hackerz Podcast.  I attempt to edit and upload it the same day.  The transcription takes me at least a few days so I don’t worry about that on Mondays.

I have to watch Power from the night before, one of my guilty pleasures.  I don’t watch a lot of television but this I watch.  I will create a blog post with my favorite TV shows soon.

Mondays are also spent trying to recover from whatever social media I missed, SEO news, blog updates and tech issues.  I do still help some people with computer issues.  Gotta keep the lights on.

Did I forget to send any invoices?  Yes, I do occasionally forget to send an invoice.  Did I complete this months work for client ABC?  This I track very carefully but if I am not happy with the results then chances are they won’t be happy either.

Then there are the kids…and it’s raining…AGAIN.

Seriously, when did we relocate to Seattle?

Izzy (my 4-year-old daughter) had a rough morning.  Any little thing was setting her off all morning until she decided to take a nap.  Naps are becoming very rare for her so I suspect she either wasn’t feeling well or just did not sleep well last night.  I know I didn’t.

After the nap, she came down to my office and apologized.  I could tell it was heartfelt and sincere.  She reacted the same way I would have if I was sincerely sorry for my behavior.  A tight hug, a few tears, and things are back to normal..for now.

Daddy’s Girl.

I have two daughters.  One is an adult and just had a child of her own.  The other is Izzy. By most accounts, she is a diva.  She is easily the toughest of my 3 children.  She does not take crap from anyone but she sure can dish it out.

She is my twin in almost every way.  Whenever people see us together the first thing that is said is she is my twin.  Her attitude is the same, her appetite is the same.  Almost everything about her is the same.  The only difference is her hair is on her head and mine is on my chin.

Hey, I used to have hair.

I don’t want to raise a stereotypical girl.  I know this school of thought is fading but there are still many people who believe women should not do certain things and that men should take care of them.

I want to raise a woman who can take care of herself and does not need people to do things for her.  I want her to play sports..not just sports that were traditionally for women.  I want her to love science and math. I want her to be a fortune 500 CEO or something that shows how powerful a woman can be. No, I don’t want her to be a politician.

I want her to know she has options.  I want her to be happy and successful at whatever she wants to do.  I want her to know she can do it.

It’s such a delicate balance because I also believe in showing your kids as much love as possible.  I believe that children should know that they’re loved, even when they’re doing things you do not like.

So I tell her often that I love her.  I give her hugs and kisses often.  And when she wants to dance I dance.  And I cannot dance.

If she does get in trouble I do punish her and scold her but I also let her know I love her.

Why Do I Tell You This?

I can be tough on her.  What I mean is she often asks me, her brother or her grandfather to do things for her.  Look for something, get something, help her with something.  Things that she is capable of doing.  I almost always tell her no because I want her to do things herself.  I know she is capable.  She knows she is capable.  She just does not want to do them.

I told you she is tough.

I believe this is an important lesson.  It’s important for two reasons.

Kids need to hear “No”.  I see a lot of parents say “Yes” simply to avoid a conflict, especially in public.  This does not fly in my house.  No means no.  It does not always go smoothly but eventually, it will sink in.  There are consequences to the public (or private) displays of conflict.  Tantrums are corrected.

The life lesson is you will not always get your way.  In fact, most of the time you will not get your way.  You have to accept that and move on.  The only thing worse than a child throwing a tantrum in public is a 20 something-year-old who thinks they’re entitled to anything and everything just because.

Back to Izzy.  She does not really throw tantrums in public but at home, she will put up a fight.  I will hold my ground because I want her to learn that she is more than capable of doing anything for herself.  I want her to be able to accept no for an answer.

She needs to know she can succeed at whatever task she is challenged with, no matter how minor or major.  She also needs to know that we have her back so I will tell her it is OK to ask for help.  I still will not do it for her but I will help.

Today, she had a case of the Mondays.

Back to School is Almost Here

My kids go back to school two weeks from today.  Why do parents get excited for back to school?

I don’t like it.  I feel as though Summer vacation was longer when I was a kid.  My son had exactly two months this year.  It was over almost as soon as it started.

I like having the kids around to play with, to watch Voltron or Power Rangers or Paw Patrol with, to practice baseball or just talk.  I like saying let’s go hiking in the middle of the day on Wednesday.

I don’t like making sure we get to the bus stop on time.  I don’t like dragging my kids out of bed.  Isaiah is an early bird anyway but Izzy..I told you Izzy is my twin.  I was a night owl most of my life.  If it was not double digits on the clock chances are I was still sleeping.

These days I am lucky if I get to sleep until 7:30 am.

The house is too quiet when they’re not here.  It’s eerie.  I like the noise (not the fighting).  The highlight of my day during the school year is when they get home from school.

I secretly like snow days, especially the fake snow days.  We seem to have a lot of those fake snow days lately.  They predict a lot of snow, the school systems panic and close, and nothing happens.  No school for the kids and no shoveling for me.

But then the following Summer shrinks.

I just don’t understand why parents cannot wait for back to school.  I count the days til the next vacation or even the long weekends.  Thankfully the first one is Labor Day weekend.

Well, I guess I better make the best of the next two weeks.

And the Yankees just lost to the Mets.  I guess they have a case of the Mondays too.

I’d love to hear your thoughts.  Do you like or dislike back to school?