Street Rules for Skateboards

This past Friday, my son turned eleven.  We temporarily suspended our over protective natures and bought him a coming of age present, a skateboard.  It's pretty cool. It's red and steel and sparks when you lift up the front.  We'd souped him up with elbow, knee and wrist pads and a helmet and I'd given strict rules about not being unafraid to fall, to not go near the street and to take it easy.

After an hour of willingly wilting in the heat,  I felt I'd chaperoned enough and allowed him to continue sans my presence.  Within fifteen minutes, my four year old came in and announced, "My brother is going to die."  I asked why.   "He's on a skateboard, it's dangerous true but I don't think..."  She shook her head, "He's going to fly down into the street and be hit by a car." I looked out and saw my son, his face glowing with pleasure, skating around the flat safe part of our driveway.  "It's really nice that you're so concerned about your brother." I started.

"If he goes to the hospital, we won't get cake." 

"Well, we'd bring him cake if he got hurt but I don't think you need to worry about that." My son came into the house and poured himself some ice water, his eyes were alight with the triumph of being the boy with the birthday having received his heart's desire.  "You know what's really fun Mom?"

"No, what?"  I was enjoying this experience of a happy eleven year old child.
"Riding down the hill face first."
...
Okay, so maybe my four year old wasn't exaggerating after all. I made a mental note to give her an extra big slice of cake.

Now I know rules often get drowned out so I employed the Socratic method.  "If you had to stop, what would hit the street first?" I asked. 

"My face?"
I nodded.

I told him I'd get him a mouth guard tomorrow and he added a new skateboarding rule. No Skeleton runs.

7 Quick Takes

1.  Yep.  They're related to me.

When you spend the evening convincing one child not to wear part of their Halloween costume as regular attire and you know your mother had to do the same thing and for the same reason you have to acknowledge your genetic relationship is more than mere eye color and body frame, it's personality as well. The reward: you are proclaimed "No fun."  Memo to Mom:  I'm very sorry.  Thank you for being willing to take that label when I wanted to wear a pink bathrobe sash as a headband.  

2.  On My Knees

A while back, it was suggested that I stop multi-tasking prayer as my sole means of fulfilling my daily prayer obligations and just get on my knees and do it alone for the five to ten minutes it would take. 

I have admittedly been resisting that advice just as surely as the person told to exercise resists starting a program that will bring about better health.  Yesterday I did it.  Finally.  It was enormously difficult because I wanted to be distracted.  I could hear the TV in the other room.  I could hear the sounds of the world outside.  I thought of all I could be doing.  But the resulting reserve allowed me to manage through the evening which went into extra innings.

3.  Any Day at the ER is a Not Exactly a Good Day

We made a trip last night for a middle child because of stomach cramps that had lasted two hours.  Having to drive after midnight out in the world only to find out we just need to eat more apples and carrots is Fun times.  Nuff said.

4.  At Cross Purposes

My son is lobbying for a skateboard.  So far he is leveraging having made honor roll and the fact that he is working extra chores to earn the money.  I am running out of reasons other than I'm scared to death for his teeth, his face, for more visits to the place I left only seven hours ago.   May have to start having counter bribes but what would have more allure or coolness than a skateboard for an eleven year old?  And no, I don't want a dog.

5.  Other People Reveal You to You

This week, people have been saying things to me that have really resonated; things that echoed in my brain and struck deeper than the words themselves might have been intended at least as far as the speakers were concerned.  To me, this is the Holy Spirit at work, pushing, pulling, inspiring, encouraging, calling our souls to be ever more what they are supposed to be.   Here's hoping my normally stubborn self pays attention better.

6.  Date Night

We went to see Iron Man II last weekend.  Granted, it's a comic hero movie and one I never read as a kid but it was an enjoyable film and breezy way to spend some time in that other world called adult time.   For those who saw the flaws...it's Iron Man. II.

A rich guy flies around in a metal suit and blows up things and gets beat up and somehow, the metal doesn't knock him unconscious in the process and never gives splinters or cuts him.  One has to suspend one's critical thinking part of the brain to enjoy it to begin with; ergo if you were looking for high brow, Iron Man isn't going to be in the running in the first place.  If you just wanted a fun evening out; it's a good fit. 

7.  When You are Asked to Dance

This week was the School Spring Musical and with a kid in every other act, the youngest three had plenty to clap about as they watched in wonder.  They loved it!  Sitting on the floor in the gym with my son dancing in my lap, my daughter clutching my arm and the third making a new friend and talking rather loudly, I have to say it was a fun time to be a parent. 

At the end, they sang "I've Had the Time of My Life."  Now I've never really liked this song since I was forced to learn how to sign it for a test in college --but seeing my daughter sing the altered lyrics, "I'd Like to Thank My Mom and Dad For All the times in my life you've stood by Me."  I got blinky.  

Then the class came down into the audience and my daughter came to dance with me.  It was brief but ever so awesome. It's what you hope for in the end.