Anyway. I just want to say that my poor ten-year-old had a sad realization the other night. My boys love to go all deep at bedtime. That is normal, right? You pester them all day about what happened at school, scouts, b-ball practice, etc. and you get detailed answers full of enlightenment like "I don't know" and "I'm not sure" and "fine". But then, when you're just so excited to put them to bed and have your own freedom, they want to talk about all their issues.
So Ike's 'issue' the other night was that he will never get to be free. He was just doing the math that he will be in school and college, go on a mission, come home and get his doctorate (OK, I added that part) and have a job and he will never be 'FREE'. Summer breaks don't count because they are too short and then most jobs don't give you a summer break.....So it was kindof sad because he is right! His life is mostly planned out and nowhere in our goals is where he gets to be a bum. I tried to tell him that he wouldn't really want to be free for more than a couple of days at a time but he wasn't convinced. BTW, his idea of what freedom is involves playing computer games, football, basketball and eating when you want. Without ever having anyone tell you to stop or making you clean your room. (Probably not exactly the freedom some of our ancestors fought for, but you never know!) I had no more words of solace because then I realized I was never going to be free either! I'll always be worrying about my kids and my husband and my family and friends and my bank account and my stained carpet and the plight of those who text and walk at the same time...Dangit, why did he have to go so deep on me??
7 comments:
now I am depressed. Thanks a lot Isaac!
Pretty deep thoughts for a 10- year old.
So true that bedtime turns into chattertime.
Ike really gave us something to think about.
Of course, I can't help thinking lately that everyone I know is going to die eventually. Weird.
Hopefully those night time worries will be cured by a good night's sleep. Life always seems brighter in the morning.Or like that conference talk said..., "Spring will come" That would be "Spring Break" for Isaac:)
Are we ever really free? Even at birth we have people poking and prodding us. Even when we go to heaven we don't get to choose what to do with our time. Bummer.
well...he could aspire to be a BUM after high school?!?! but you're right, after a couple of days of bumming he'd be on his way to bigger and better things...
maybe his focus should be on becoming a professional ball player, we know he has the skills : ) they seem to have the life, right!?!?
The problem here: we need to redefine "free". Maybe free can mean doing all those things, and restriction can be having to do nothing, or not being instructed in anything. Just tell Ike to focus on how he can choose how many meals to eat at McD's with all the money he's makin' and how he can eat ramen and mac n' cheese whilst schooling for 8 years.
I think it's great how Ike is looking years ahead. All my girls care about right now is getting to be a grown-up so they can eat treats whenever they want.
He wants the same kind of freedom that Connor is always pining for! I'm always having to tell him that I can't let him just stop going to school and scouts and stuff so that he can play his favorite video game and read. He can choose to like his life or hate it. I keep hoping that Connor will opt for liking it -- even Pow Wows. My kids get all chatty at night time too -- but mostly it's Dan desperately trying to make things up so he can stay awake longer. If he can't think of anything after saying "Mom" for the tenth time he just says "I love you" again. I growl "I love you too" for the hundredth time and leave the room so that he can come out to give me "one more hug". It's less complicated when they're 4.
pffffft - "freedom" sounds pretty rotten if you use that definition!
shoot, and now I've got to interrupt my freedom and run kids to different friends' houses...
Post a Comment