The little red Rodeo is gone. Hooray!! We sold it a few weeks ago... just a couple of hours after putting a sign on it... signed, sealed, delivered, it's theirs! No sellers remorse here. I thought it was long overdue to get rid of it. It was already 10 years old when we bought it. Each of my three boys drove it. Matt drove it until he left for college in Hawaii. Jon drove it to work every day one summer with the air conditioning broken and never complained. It was getting pretty beat up by the time Josh got it. I asked him one day if he wanted a newer car and he said "No way, I love the Rodeo. Who cares if it's old! I'm happy to drive it!" Wow...
I realized then that my children are much wiser and more insightful than I am. Yes, my kids learned some great life lessons because of that Rodeo. They didn't care if most of their friends were given new cars when they turned 16. Their self-image wasn't tied to what kind of car they drove. They didn't have feelings of entitlement as so many of their generation do. (And I personally believe it is fueled by their parents giving them too much.) They learned how to take care of a car, to do the maintenance on it, and to work on the engine and all the other moving parts. With the help of a kind home teacher, they rebuilt and fixed the air conditioning system. And boy did they appreciate the flow of cold air on their faces after driving it for months without!!
And now Jon has bought his first truck. It's almost new and nothing fancy. A part of me just wanted to hand him the money and say "We'll pay for it... you deserve it!" But, no, we held back as we watched him work and struggle to pay for it with his hard earned money. His pride of ownership shows with the big smile on his face! He knows the value of a dollar. And the accomplished feeling of hard work. He says it was worth the wait!
It really is true that if you make your children's life a little harder, they will have a much better life! In a world of everything being so instant it is so hard to teach them to wait. And I find myself saying the same thing my parents said to me when I was a kid: "Wait until you grow up, then you'll appreciate it more." Child psychologists claim we need to teach our children this theory of delayed gratification for them to have happy and successful lives.
I agree... let them grow up and still have things to dream about...
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Monday, June 8, 2009
A College Degree?
Matt is in the home stretch... one more semester until he graduates with his BS in Computer Science. He would have been finished by now but the disadvantage of a small college (BYU-H) is they don't offer a lot of senior level classes during the spring and summer terms. And the advantage? More time for sun and surf. Rough life, I say. His house is walking distance to some of the most beautiful beaches in the world! But, to his credit, a Computer Science Degree is no cake walk! Physics and more physics and lots of tough classes. A couple of months ago when he told me he wanted to change his major I stopped breathing for a moment. "Oh, no! You're soooo close to being done," I gasped! Yeah, I admit early on I hoped he'd be a doctor (or lawyer--he likes to argue a lot!). But, as parents, you have to let them explore and figure it out themselves. I mean when he was 18 he wanted to be a rock star! So, I'm thinking, Computer Science is good! Really good! And a VERY MARKETABLE degree to have even in this economy! And with his affinity for computers he will do just fine.
Now, Jon is home from his mission and trying to figure out his path of college travel. I'm just trying to bite my tongue. And Josh has 2 years to just concentrate on serving the Lord and not think about college.
When I was in college my parents insisted that I take classes that would give me marketable skills, too. I preferred more artsy stuff like interior design, creative writing, and flat pattern design (sewing). And, as a hopefully soon-to-be wife and mother, sprinkle in a little CDFR (Child Development/Family Relations) as it was called back then. So after 2 years of the "fun stuff" I switched over and dutifully took the shorthand (Now THAT's a real marketable skill nowadays! HA!) and business and accounting classes. And I sort of lost my focus and interest in college.
But, alas, I got my MRS Degree and not my BA or BS degree. And I've regretted it ever since. (Not the MRS part!) Yeah, sorry to admit, but my young adult social circle was more concerned about finding a husband than getting a college education. (Oh, the stories my roommates could tell you!) I'm so glad that this generation of young women seem to be more focused on getting their education while looking for a man. Good for them!
The years filled up with childbirth and children, church callings and service, keeping house and just keeping up, and not fun to mention, but several major surgeries and illnesses along the way. And I kept wondering when will it be MY time to go back and finish what I started at BYU over 25+ years ago? The guilt pricks me a little when I see those BYU TV commercials showing middle-aged women like me who've gone back and got their General Studies Degree through their online program. And I think to myself, "General Studies... too "generic" for me!" But it's better than no degree! So with the house a little quieter and emptier I probably could squeeze in some time for classes... That is after I help Katelyn with her schoolwork and stuff, fulfill my church calling and service, do the cooking and cleaning, laundry and ironing, and errands, and keep up the house...
I think I'm just too darn tired now.
Now, Jon is home from his mission and trying to figure out his path of college travel. I'm just trying to bite my tongue. And Josh has 2 years to just concentrate on serving the Lord and not think about college.
When I was in college my parents insisted that I take classes that would give me marketable skills, too. I preferred more artsy stuff like interior design, creative writing, and flat pattern design (sewing). And, as a hopefully soon-to-be wife and mother, sprinkle in a little CDFR (Child Development/Family Relations) as it was called back then. So after 2 years of the "fun stuff" I switched over and dutifully took the shorthand (Now THAT's a real marketable skill nowadays! HA!) and business and accounting classes. And I sort of lost my focus and interest in college.
But, alas, I got my MRS Degree and not my BA or BS degree. And I've regretted it ever since. (Not the MRS part!) Yeah, sorry to admit, but my young adult social circle was more concerned about finding a husband than getting a college education. (Oh, the stories my roommates could tell you!) I'm so glad that this generation of young women seem to be more focused on getting their education while looking for a man. Good for them!
The years filled up with childbirth and children, church callings and service, keeping house and just keeping up, and not fun to mention, but several major surgeries and illnesses along the way. And I kept wondering when will it be MY time to go back and finish what I started at BYU over 25+ years ago? The guilt pricks me a little when I see those BYU TV commercials showing middle-aged women like me who've gone back and got their General Studies Degree through their online program. And I think to myself, "General Studies... too "generic" for me!" But it's better than no degree! So with the house a little quieter and emptier I probably could squeeze in some time for classes... That is after I help Katelyn with her schoolwork and stuff, fulfill my church calling and service, do the cooking and cleaning, laundry and ironing, and errands, and keep up the house...
I think I'm just too darn tired now.
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Cocoons and Butterflies
Science was never my favorite subject. But, nonetheless, I do remember learning (probably in 5th grade) about the amazing life cycle of butterflies. And ever since we dropped Josh off at the MTC I've been thinking about this metamorphosis analogy: Female butterflies (moms) lay eggs which grow into caterpillars. Caterpillars spend most of their time eating. (Like teenage boys!) A protective casing (family, the gospel) forms around the caterpillar during the stage that they are undergoing a transformation (from a teenager into a young missionary/elder of the church). A caterpillar enters the cocoon so that they will be protected from a harsh or unfriendly environment. Once they have grown strong enough, they emerge from the cocoon (home, or in this analogy, the MTC) to the outside world. A silk worm (or caterpiller) metamorphosis's into a beautiful butterfly. It has often been said that the most beautiful butterflies usually emerge from the ugliest cocoons. For this reason, many people consider the process of the cocoon to be a miracle of nature. (Many miracles happen in the MTC!) Josh has completed his metamorphosis and has now emerged from the MTC "cocoon", spread his wings, and flown to the Georgia Macon Mission to share the awesome message of the gospel! Wonderful new adventures await him there!
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