Parenting Part Deux

I try to ride my exercise bike for 30 minutes most days.
It's really hard because I seem to do my best thinking during this time. I am constantly wanting to get off and do some of the things I am thinking about. This drives me crazy and makes the 30 minutes last F O R E V E R.

So yesterday while riding the bike, I started thinking about my son, whom many of you know is off at college, and his latest goings on, and that prompted the whole thought process on raising children. I'm tellin' ya it's amazing what can go through my head in those 30 minutes!

I don't mean to discourage any mothers of young children out there, really, because as we all know, with every challenge they may present to us, the rewards are so much greater and long-lasting. It's just that as your children are growing you constantly find yourself saying something like, "If I can just make it through this stage or phase, it's going to get easier." Am I right? And then it seems the next phase really ends up being even more challenging!

We made it through the sleepless nights when baby cries and you're not really sure how to help. We survived baby learning to walk, say "no", and exhaust us both mentally AND physically! And now I can say that the simplist stage is the early school years. Yes, those are great. Especially say 3rd grade through maybe 6th, in some cases 7th grade. They are independent enough to do their work on their own, and peer pressure is still pretty much nonexistent. High school can be a bit of a challenge. You have to make sure they are motivated since every year of high school will determine their college acceptances these days. And I'm not even going to go into parties, driving, drinking underage.....

And then comes the time when you must let them go. You can only hope that most of what you taught them got through, even though it didn't seem like it at the time. I got a call the other night, at 10:15 PM (is he crazy, does he not know that just him calling me instead of texting is enough of a cause for alarm, but at 10:15 PM!??). He was purchasing a ticket for a concert in a few weeks 200 miles away from his campus. I asked him a few pertinent questions like who was driving, did he realize he would also need money for food and a place to stay, etc..... and as I expressed my concern and doubt, he let me know: "Mom, I'm getting ready to click the button (you know, the one where the money automatically appears to pay for said concert), and just wanted to let you know."

THIS IS HARD LADIES, THIS IS HARD!

Phew, why is it that it takes much longer to get stuff like this out of my head than it does to pop into my head!

later gators!