Tuesday, April 7, 2009

Growing Up Is Hard To Do

Remember these sweet, angelic little beings?

Yes, they are still sweet and can be angelic on occasion but mostly,they are eleven
 years older and wiser.

Older and wiser has meant many different things over the years.

When they were two, they left diapers behind and moved on to underwear / panties.
When they were five, they left tricycles behind and moved on to two-wheelers.
Somewhere along the way they left Clifford the Big Red Dog in favor of Sponge Bob Square Pants, velcro fastened shoes turned into laces and baby teeth were replaced by the permanent kind.

I reluctantly go along with this growing up business because I really don't have much choice. I have tried stomping my feet, shaking my fists and demanding that they stop growing.   As much as I would love to halt time cold, in its very tracks, I can't.  

Well, tomorrow is another one of those momentous occasions that has the potential to put me ever so close to the edge of irrationality and mental unsoundness.

One word:  SNOWBALL

The 5th grade is taking a fieldtrip to a skating rink wherein at some point the DJ will play a slow song.  He will also announce that it is for couples only.  Boys and girls will then pair up, HOLD HANDS, and skate.  This process is also referred to as the Snowball.

WHAAAAT? 

I have tried to remain calm and free of emotional agitation as we have discussed  this whole concept over the last couple of days.

I clenched my teeth together when Rachie admitted that yes, there is a certain boy who she would like to skate with.  I felt a rush of relief when she then said, "If he doesn't ask me, no big deal."   I didn't slump over dead from heart failure and thus felt that I handled that portion quite well.

Part two of the set required a little more sensitivity and decorum as girls just barely stopped having fleas in the last few months.  After some serious discussion over a piece of carrot cake, Lincoln and I had a very sweet and top secret conversation.  Sigh, whew, deep breath, prayer of thanks... 
He is not planning to hold hands and skate with anyone.

Last night at dinner Lincoln proposed an idea to Rachel, "Maybe we should just skate together."   I wanted to cheer and applaud!  But Rachel very sweetly reminded Lincoln that she would like to keep her options open.

So, we'll see what tomorrow holds.  
Snowball.  I don't like it. In fact, it is a term I now regard with disdain. 

Oh Clifford, velcro shoes with the little lights in them, baby teeth and tricycles...
I miss you.

Letting kids grow up, it's hard to do.

3 comments:

Meredith said...

OK, now you've got me in tears, and we are still years away from any kind of Snowball.

Melissa said...

Hear! Hear! What can we do? I'd sign a petition if it would help....unfortunately I think it's going to happen before our very eyes! UGH!

Angela said...

What?! Aren't they only in 5th grade? Sounds crazy to me. Let me know what happened. I assume most kids didn't hold hands because they felt silly or are like Lincoln and don't care. I wouldn't have cared back then. The fact that I think this is madness in the 5th grade for heavens sake says that it definitely is. Everyone knows I'm the crazy one in the Barlow family who thinks just about everything is ok- so if I think it's weird it most likely is. :-)