Delaying Gratification

When I was a new parent, I remember reading a lot about how to teach a child to delay gratification. Mind you, I was in teacher training at the time, and my daughter Gret got to be a guinea pig for many of the classroom skills I was learning to use. Ed used to laugh at me and state that "she will either end up very smart or hopelessly confused!" I think she's done pretty well as she's now working as a University Vice-President and raising two very lovely girls of her own! (brag moment there, sorry!)

Anyways, the gist of the above is that I am presently reflecting on this very vital life/school skill and actually putting some of it into practice in my personal life. As a few of you know, we recently found the "house of our dreams" for retirement in my husband's hometown of St. Joseph, Michigan. We went up this summer with only intent to "start looking" and literally stumbled upon the house that fit ALL our wishlist requirements. So what do you do? Well, you buy it, of course; because when you are ready to retire, you don't want the house that fits you perfectly belonging to someone else! So we did just that. And now, the itch to retire has become a very present and much more obvious reality. One that I will have to learn to control, since at present I am only 62 and not yet eligible for Medicare. However, we will get to use our "house of dreams" in the summers and on holidays for the next few years, and should grace or gainful employment allow us to relocate in advance of our retirement ages, that would be an added blessing. It's really exciting and awesome to think about a place sort of waiting for you. Decisions about the future are never easy, so having the "where" of this figured out makes figuring out the "when" of it a little less stressful.

Now to thinking about school. I am forcing myself to physically work in my classroom this week... since we go back to meetings next week and start classes the week following. I am making myself get up, do my a.m. routine, and everything. Had fun cleaning and puttering in the classroom today and am sitting at my desk there as I write this. How will I teach my students patience and delay of gratification this year. Will they be willing to trust themselves to wait for good results as they work through their writing and thinking with me this term. I have a large bunch of sophomores this year for a change. I love their puppy-like energy and enthusiasm. They are so focused on the "Big thing" (driving) that looms on their horizon in this year of their lives. They make me smile since I can still recall the first time I stepped on an accelerator with my dad beside me in the front seat bravely believing I would not, in fact, kill him! Patience is a virtue... and we can all use more; myself included! Have a great day!

Lions and Taxes and Bears.... Oh MY! (or why I wish we just had a flat tax!)

I am going out on a limb tonight, but the mood I am in is solely responsible. Tonight I finished the tax prep for our 2011 taxes. That is not to say my taxes are finished, but the data is now assembled and I will drop them off at my friendly accountant (I love you guys at Bredensteiner and Associates!) and they will magically be transformed into the forms that I send Uncle Sam each year.

So it's finished... and I am tired... and each year I think, "There HAS to be an easier way to do this!" Couldn't I just be asked to GIVE the government a chunk out of each paycheck and NOT have to file all the blasted paperwork? It seems to me that all the info about what I make is readily accessible via my filed W2's - why can't we just pay the feds a flat specified amount and be DONE with it? I would dearly LOVE never to fill out a tax form again. I am certain there are a myriad of reasons for why this isn't feasible... but each year when I complete the 3-5 day process of sorting, tabulating, calculating, and spread-sheeting all the expenses, deductions, etc etc. I just want to run screaming into the nearest IRS office and say, "Just take 15% and LET ME BE!"

I am willing to bet there are more people out there who feel like I do than who don't.... sigh... But at least I am finished for this year!

The Things I Wish for Them

These are just a few of the really neat people I get to spend time with everyday. They are a little over one week from graduation, and I always find myself feeling reflective about the students I have spent time with during this last week of school. Some will leave our school on May 23rd never to be seen again. Others will return to visit or touch base occasionally so that we will know what has become of them. All of them have big dreams for their futures and are excited (and somewhat scared) about the next adventure, college. The photo above was taken on "college T-shirt day" - a special dress day on which seniors could be out of uniform and "advertise" their loyalty to their next school. All in all a really fun day.

So what would I wish for them if I could control the future? There are several things - sounds like a list coming!
1. I would wish that they would hold on to their faith both in God and in their ability to make a difference in the world as Christians.
2. I would wish that they would be able to see beyond the surface of people and problems so that they can look deeply, think deeply, and really be able to love others and solve big issues in our world.
3. I wish that they will be committed to caring about the planet and ALL the people on it.
4. I wish that they will never EVER stop learning and loving to learn.
5. I wish that they will become caring, considerate adults who love their parents and become good parents themselves.
6. I wish that they will always value people and principles more than money and the "stuff" it buys.
7. I wish that they leave America in better shape than their parents' generation did.
8. I wish that they will be leaders in their churches, whatever the denomination may be or become.
9. I wish them joyful homes with loving and committed spouses.
10. I wish them many reasons to smile and fewer reasons to cry.

There... wishes made... and prayers promised to continue for the Class of 2010!