#AskListenLearn and Trust Your Kid

Source: Responsibility.org

Gomer is going into seventh grade in a couple weeks. Seventh. Grade. When did my sweet, cuddly, mild-mannered preschooler get replaced with a perpetually bored, eye-rolling, snarky man-boy?

Last year was his first year of middle school and we talked with him a lot about how that was his year to mess up and figure stuff out on his own. Of course, we'd be there for him if he had something major going on, but he could no longer count on Mommy and Daddy to bring forgotten homework to the school or talk to a teacher about a grade he didn't agree with. We weren't going to pester him about homework or tests. If he wanted us to help him, we would, but we weren't going to micromanage him the way we did in elementary school. It was time for the baby bird to stand up a little bit on his own.

Potty Parties

No, no, no, no, no!!  You can have a birthday party, a graduation party (even from preschool and Kindergarten if you must), a Halloween party, a baptism party, a Christmas party, a Hanukkah party, a Valentine's Day party, a Bar Mitzvah or Bat Mitzvah, a first communion party, even a tea party, but I must draw the line at a potty party.

Thank God my kids are no longer in diapers and I've left that stinky road long ago so I doubt I'll ever be invited to one, but if I am, I will REFUSE to go to such an asinine event.

This is absolute madness.  No one should ever eat a cupcake with adorable icing underwear on it (I hope it didn't have a fudgy center).  Or eat candy out of a toilet mug.  I will never be able look at a Tootsie Roll again without thinking of it as a reward for going "Number 2" wink, wink (barf).

The Dads at Science City on Saturday

Saturday was a great day around here.  We had beautiful weather and the Hubs didn't have to show houses so we were looking for something fun to do.

Luckily, I have good friends that I can call at a moment's notice and say, "What are YOU doing today and can we come too?"  That's pretty much what I did to my friend.

She told me that she and her family were going to go downtown and visit the new Kansas City Ballet studio that just opened.  It was a supposed to be a big party with lots of fun (free) stuff for the kids to do.  She is a ballerina and her daughters are ballerinas, so they were pretty excited.

Yes Day - I Really Did It

At the beginning of the summer I wrote about Yes Day.

My sister in law had planned a day for her kids where she'd say "Yes" to everything (within reason).  My sister in law is a planner.  She sat down the night before and made a list of things the kids would like to do the next day that she would say "Yes" to.  At the time, I thought that was crazy.  I thought my kids would go bananas if they knew I'd say "Yes" all day.

Several readers suggested I not tell my kids it's Yes Day and just try to say "Yes" as often as possible in one day.  I thought that sounded better to me.  Ha.

So Friday night after we put the kids to bed, I said to the Hubs:  "FYI, I think tomorrow is Yes Day."

Is This a Bridesmaid Dress You'd Really Wear Again?

A few weeks ago children's book author Tammi Sauer, who is a friend of my sister-in-law, Heidi, commented on Facebook that it was her 22nd wedding anniversary. She posted a picture of the bridal party and as an aside apologized to the bridesmaids for the dresses she made them wear.

Excuse me? A bride should NEVER apologize for the dresses she chose. Because we all know a bride always chooses elegant, timeless gowns that are flattering on all body types and can easily be repurposed for other events. On her wedding day every bride thinks her bridesmaid dresses are ah-may-zing. She's always like, "You can totally wear that again, Suzie!" Meanwhile, Suzie's thinking, "Except it's lime green, strapless, and made of satin, lace, and tulle, but other than that, it's super versatile!"

What's there to apologize for, Tammi? At least you didn't pick lime green!

The A-String for Men (Probably NSFW)

Once I received my new adorable headband slash underwear (i.e., a c-string) and looked so good in it, I noticed that the Hubs was getting jealous. He was overheated too and he wanted his own cool and breezy underwear! He didn't think it was fair that the ladies get to call dibs on all of the great tiny topper undies out there.

Lucky for him there are some choices this summer.

Like the asymmetrical man thong.

From what I gather, you sort of stuff the twig and berries in the tiniest nut sack I've ever seen and then stick the other part of it between the ass cheeks and clench like a motherfucker.

I love the Hubs. I do. But my God, I would laugh my ass off from seeing him in one of these things. Also, I value my eyesight too much. My eyes are still burning from seeing the hot model types who are trying to sell these sling shots.