Distracted - again.

Distracted...did I tell you about how I forgot all about my 3yo on co-op day? The day starts out with everyone in the main room for announcements, a song and basically time for all of the late mommies to show up...which I am often very thankful for. For the record, I was on time in May. I did have some class fees to pay...I thought I paid them but I really didn't. Sigh. So Edmund, being a 3 yo, keeps asking, "Can I sit with L? Can I Mom? Can I play with L? And on and on until I realize that the easy solution is to ask L's mom if he can join them. Now I can focus and take care of some stuff. Anyhow, after this "beginning time", we go to our first classes. Some child didn't know where to go so I help her, then I see someone who I had to give something too and then someone asks me a Homeschool Law question and so we wander out to the Fire Engine that was there for Science class. It's all good because I have first period free so I can answer questions, listen to the fire fighters and continue to sip on the latte my best buddy brought me. My dh turns up because he is a fire fighter and in case the guys on duty get a call, there will still be some fire fighters I guess. The bell rings and we move on to second period. Normally I have that period free too but another mom had to be gone so I'm subbing in the nursery. Not too bad of a job because you sit around holding babies and talking with the other mommies in there. We're all having a good time until the light bulb goes off and I realize that my 3yo would normally be in this room with me. I don't know what my problem was...well, other than how easily distracted I can be. Edmund gets bored in that room so he never goes there unless I'm there. He always tags along with me and "helps" me teach class when necessary. And now I'm here and he is not. Panic ensues (in my head) although I act like it's no big deal. I cruise on downstairs to find L's mom in hopes that she still has him. Someone stops me in the hall to discuss something important (I'm sure) and I have to inform them I'm a terrible mom and have no idea where my son is and therefore can not take the time to talk just then. Okay, this is getting long winded and even I am getting bored so the short end of the story is that Edmund was in fact with L's mom. The funny thing is, about the time I show up a little light bulb goes off in L's mom's head. Apparently she was beginning to worry about the fact she just brought my kid along with her's without consulting me. YEH! HEY! I can't believe she would DO such a thing! Oh wait, I'm thankful she did that. I hope she does it again when I'm brainless. It's moms like her who save moms like me. Thanks L's mom!

Oh, that's why.

So our co-op is over for the year. It's interesting how every third Thursday of the month I'm going crazy and practically swearing about how ridiculous it is that I am in this situation again (see yesterday's post called "I Win") and every third Friday about 12:30pm I'm thinking what a great opportunity this co-oppy thing is for my kids. In case you don't get that, the co-op ends about noon.

Another mom was telling me how co-ops just don't do it for her. She figures that she can do the education thing with the kids and then just let time with other kids be play time. That's okay. I respect her opinion. It got me thinking though. Are there any benefits to having your children in a co-op? Hmmmm. I was mulling this over when I thought about the times I get together with my friends. I thought about what I learn when we bounce ideas off of each other. Someone might throw out an idea that I never thought of. There are times I learn more because I'm learning with this group of gals. Can I learn without this group? Sure, but I have a lot of fun when I'm learning with my friends too. After all, it was a conversation with my friend that got me thinking about this in the first place. Can there be disadvantages to learning together. Sure, sometimes some of the people in the group can drive me crazy. Those are learning experiences too. Learning how to "play nice" (or not), learning self-control, how to take turns and the list goes on. It's the same for my kids. They don't need a co-op to learn all these things but they do enjoy the co-op. This is just a once a month thing. Surely I can handle that (just don't mention that on the third Thursday).

It was so much fun seeing how proud the children were as they demonstrated the different skills they had learned in their elective classes. The little ballerina girls in their adorable skirts. The karate kids, some with confidence, some with reservation. The high stepping dance class...that is what you call it, right? You know, the Lord of the Dance stuff. Cool. I had to sub for the music class teacher (usually I'm just the helper). Well that was a bit of chaos. Everyone's kazoos where in two ziploc bags and trying to find the right kazoo for the right kid...geesh. Sorry. But once we performed and it was all said and done, the moms loved it! The kids were proud too! A grand time was had by all! Oh, that's why I keep going to this co-op.

Co-ops

Every third Thursday I wonder why in the world I even sign up for this co-op (we meet the third Friday). It is an extremely rare occasion that the children have done their book reports before the third Thursday even though every co-op day I swear we are going to do all of our stuff the following week so that we are ready three weeks in advance. I think that once this year, we actually had the reports done the week before. If I'm teaching a class, I'm always preparing the night before too. Maybe I'm just not cut out for this. Yet every year, we sign up again. Whenever we sign up, I have such good intentions. Well, you know what they say about good intentions. Apparently I'm going to burn. It's just the idea of a new year, a new beginning, a fresh start...well, it holds such promise! My kids really love this co-op too. They get to be with their friends. They get to learn Science. Science...there is another "good intention". Then enjoy sharing their book reports with their friends although I'm fairly certain they don't like their crazed mother's attitude at 9pm on the third Thursday of every month. They also get to participate in some pretty fun extra curricular type classes (I want to make jewelry too!). The whole idea is wonderful, it's just the effort involved. If I was only organized...well, that is a whole other post.