What I’m thinking about today…

A good Monday morning to all of you, dear readers! Here’s hoping that everyone survived Hurricane Irene without too much damage, and that power outages are short-lived!

Here is a quick list of what I am thinking about these days:

1) Homework: Quite honestly, I’m struggling to see the point of homework for a 2nd-grader who has just spent 7 hours of his day at school. Shouldn’t he be able to accomplish what he needs to accomplish in the course of those 7 hours? Does he really need to come home at 4 p.m. to do more writing, reading, and arithmetic? I understand that there are some benefits, but we’re still settling in to the school year and I’m thinking out loud (in writing) a bit.

2) Crying: Why does my 18-month old put up such a fight every night at bedtime? We have a normal routine, we read stories and sing songs, and she is so tired that she is rubbing her eyes and practically falling asleep on my shoulder. But as soon as I lay her down in her crib, she becomes very upset. I turn on a soothing sound machine, leave the room, close the door, and do not re-enter, which is what I have done since she was a baby, but every night she cries for about 20 minutes before falling asleep. Is there something that I could be doing differently?

3) Friends: I am always amazed by how much children’s personalities and behaviors can change in relatively short periods of time. My son has some friends that started out as great buddies, then went through a rough patch with lots of conflict every time they played, and now they are good buddies again. This teaches me that all children go through phases, and that while some friendships just aren’t meant to be, many will ebb and flow over the course of time. Temporary conflicts should be dealt with, but not necessarily taken too seriously.

4) The Mass: I love the fact that every time we celebrate Mass, we are surrounded by the communion of saints. For those of us who have lost a loved one, holy Mass is the closest that we can be to that person until we meet again in heaven. Amazing!

That’s it for now! God bless all of you as you begin your week!