HOUSEWORK-- CALORIES BURNED

Doing laundry
73
Making the bed
68
Cooking
85
Washing the dishes
78
Ironing
78
Dusting
85
Sweeping
112
Vacuuming
119
Scrubbing the floors
129
Rearranging furniture
204
Yard work
170
Washing windows
102
Washing the car
102
Gardening
136
Mowing the lawn
187
Raking
146
Shoveling snow
204
Carrying a small child (up to 15 lbs.) up and down stairs
289

TO DO LIST

We are cleaning house for the family members that have such an orderly home. EEEEEK. While we love to see them, it is ALWAYS a stress to have them come, because my house, while generally neat, is not particularly clean and now I must ACTUALLY DO all the work that I haven't yet done for a while. I keep putting it off because it is off-putting. And yet, I will be so glad and proud when it's done. If only housework really did burn calories. Then I might be more excited to do it.

SURVIVAL PARENTING

I have facebook friends who are trying out cloth diapers, homemade baby food, etc. etc. If these friends knew what kinds of things I let slide in lieu of insanity, they might turn me in. For example: my kids sleep in their clothes sometimes-- not because I like it, but because I don't check. I send them to bed and am just super grateful they're there, that I don't ask questions. Looking a gift horse in the mouth, you know


We sometimes have cereal for dinner.
The year before they go to kindergarten usually spend LOTS of time in front of media.
I am, at this moment, CRINGING at these confessions.
I buy bread from the store-- and like it.
I don't often shower before --5 pm
The Wendy's drive up people totally know me.
I once paid my kid NOT to enter the science fair.

The mother who takes pains to endow her children with good habits secures for herself smooth and easy days. On the other hand, she who lets habits take care of themselves has a weary life of endless friction. The mother needs to acquire her own habit of training her children so that, by and by, it is not troublesome to her, but a pleasure......(Charlotte Mason)

I could probably take a lesson or two from Madame Mason about consistency and order. But I guess you just do what you can do and hope, in the end, they become the people you wish for them to be despite their dirty clothes, messy rooms, and rumpled tresses. Because they also have tickle spiders, inside jokes, trampoline games, and good memories. Hopefully, too, they'll learn the pleasure of order, the thrill of learning, the satisfaction of work, and the hope of a better tomorrow that They are in charge of creating.

OBSERVATION

I just read a guest editorial in a newspaper. It was extremely well-written, logical, intelligent. It was just what I would expect from this person-- the guy in my senior class voted "most likely to succeed" He had scholarships begging for him, colleges wining and dining him. He finally settled on Stanford-- of him we would expect nothing less. At the end of this editorial was the tagline: "-..,so and so is a lifelong Alaskan resident and works in a local motel."

UMMMMMM! what happened. I certainly expected this person to be a doctor (I think that's what he wanted to do). It's just extremely interesting to me how some people fail to live up to their potential. And how sometimes I feel as if I am failing to live up to my potential. And interesting also, and sad, that some people seemed to have peaked in High school. Now that I've written this very judgmental paragraph I realize the same could be said about me by people who don't use my same measuring stick-- Legal education ends up wiping noses and bottoms. But as I look at my children--in the most objective way possible, of course--I see beautiful people, inside and out, intelligent, compassionate, and (for the most part) sweet. Definitely time NOT WASTED. But if I ever write a great editorial, evidencing my intelligence, the tagline better be: Gail Jensen spends her time managing her extensive dispute resolution practice-- Jensen, Jensen, Jensen, Jensen, Jensen, Jensen, Jensen, and Jensen as well as numerous other executive and administrational duties. Instead of -- she wipes noses and bottoms.

Gail on Education

I have a couple of readers whom I highly respect that have chosen a different educational path for their children than I have. I respect that decision like you wouldn't believe and regularly mention that I don't have the patience or the discipline to be a home educator. That being said, I feel that my children have really benefited from being educated in a public setting. This debate is widespread among people I know. I am quite good friends with a number of people who have chosen a philosophy of homeschooling. Because of my friendship with these homeschoolers, and their genuine desire to seek learning for themselves, I have often found myself attending their classes, symposia, etc. They are genuine in their desire to provide the best for their children. AND, they often disapprove of my choice to educate my children in the public schools as if I don't care as much about my children as they do about theirs. One time I had a father tell me after seeing me at a program "I didn't know you home-schooled" in a truly condescending way. This particular person was continually getting on my nerves and I snapped back: "Do I have children in my home? Then I guess I am a home educator" ZING!!! but not terribly nice.
HERE GOES GAIL'S PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION:

I don't homeschool. I actually think my kids have benefitted from the creativity, discipline, intelligence and insight of the over 25+ adults that have mentored them in the last 8 years. They are incredible readers, compassionate citizens and have friends of innumerable backgrounds, and philosophies. I am involved in my child's classrooms and I keep their education from being "conveyor belt" by choosing their teachers (when possible) volunteering extensively in the schools, and knowing what they're learning. I salute those friends of mine who choose to homeschool. In many situations it is the best thing for the child.

I cannot.

I think my kids will be OK. True, they may have to deal with unpleasant temperaments-- both on the playground an in the classroom. They have to at home, too, and they'll have to when they become adults and are employed. They may also be exposed to people that have different values-- yep. I hope so. If I teach them well enough, they might even be a light to the world. Finally, their education may have holes-- that's why I'm here. To teach them what I know, what I've seen and how I think life should be lived-- to be responsible adults. Oh, yeah!! Because I'm their parent and really love them.

Even if I do send them to public school.