Since Jason is getting ready to leave he’s decided to take each of the kids out on a Daddy Date Night. This is part of our new family movement (inspired in a moment of sheer desperation) to make sure everyone has enough love to give everyone else. We call it the Love Canteen. I’m pretty sure I’ve stolen this idea from some therapist or well-known self-help person so feel free to google it and give them credit.
In our family this means that when Harrison asks for permission to “punch June in the face” I intervene and ask him to take a breath and evaluate his love canteen. He usually needs a hug and some sister space and super soothing, non-patrionizing words. I’d say so far we’ve had at least a 12% success rate with this method.
It has taken me 11 years of parenting to figure out that if I want to get a particular result, I should probably try giving it first. I’m trying to practice less screaming and more hugging. That should be in vinyl on my kitchen wall somewhere.
On Friday Jason took June out on her Daddy date. June is in need of some super special attention right now. She’s kicking at the pricks this summer and doing the old love-me-when-I’m-naughty song and dance I’ve so enjoyed over the past six years.
This girl loves her daddy. She got totally dolled up for her date with clip on earrings and Allison’s red lipstick and enjoyed an evening of dress shopping at The Gap followed by dinner at her favorite chickaurant, Zupas.
This is also her father’s favorite chickaurant.
I took the kids to the dollar movie and by the time we got home June had Jason totally entrenched in watching “A Christmas Kiss” on Netflix. This might be the worst Hallmark movie ever made. She was in Heaven, he was in…her clutches. I should probably add that she had commandeered my bathrobe to wear over her jammies. This was mostly hilarious and slightly alarming.
Tonight he’s taking Rex out and then Harrison and then, much to her total dismay, Georgia. Georgia has already asked if she can please do a Mommy Date instead–no offense intended. I think the move has made her the most insecure of all my kids. She’s panicky when she isn’t with me. We’re working on it.
I have three goals when Jason is gone and the first is to throw myself totally and completely into the throes of my children. Not only do I have everyone ready to get busy with after school clubs but I’ve decided to once again tackle the piano at home. Finding a teacher is such a pain, especially for Rex.
I googled teaching kids piano and found the most amazing dude ever, *Joseph Hoffman. He’s got online video lessons that are totally free with a super cheap download packet that accompanies them. I watched through a few of his tutorials and I think my kids are going to love him, especially Rexy.
And then I thought, man that name sounds so familiar. I wonder if he’s the dude who arranges my dad’s choral music? So I called the folks and…
He totally is. Small world. He’s now the guy helping both my Rex’s with their music.
So we’re finding our way. I’ve got football covered, dance lessons ready to start on Wednesday, two Karate places to check out and an online piano genius that’s going to save me some serious cash. In a nutshell, today is a better day. Today I can live in Las Vegas.
*Joseph Hoffman has absolutely no idea I am posting this about him, no one is paying me for anything.