We've got the Best of Both Worlds...
I got a call from school yesterday. The school nurse informed me that Rebecca had been in to see her twice, both times complaining of a sore throat. Rebecca did not have a fever but felt like she should go home. It struck me as a little odd as Rebecca was just fine in the morning. I urged her to try to stay at school for a few more hours, but she said she had to come home. My intuition told me that she really wasn't sick, but I did not want to risk of being wrong and went out in the monsoon like sorm (Alexander in tow) to school.
She really did seem fine. I wondered if something happened at school that made her want to come home; I tried to find out but got no answer. A few minutes after we came home my sister in law called to ask if Rebecca would like to go see the Hannah Montanna movie -- the one that will only be in theaters for 1 week. Now, if you have or know any Tweens or pre-Tweens you know that this is a really big deal. I said no flat out. I thanked Jennifer profusely for thinking about us, but there was no way I was going to allow my daughter, sick or not, to go to a movie-slash-concert when she left school early. I had to do the right thing and play the role of responsible parent. It really broke me up because I knew how sad Rebecca would be when she learned what she couldn't go to... She was sitting right next to me and there was just no way I could have pretended the conversation did not exist. I don't think I would have anyway. Not to be mean, insensitive or callous, but I think it is important children learn the consequences of their mistakes. Now Rebecca, I do want to add, is one of the top students in her class, and has never asked to not go to school or leave early... I think there was a reason, perhaps a social one. Still, Hannah Montanna was not going to happen. My mother would have done the same thing.
Rebecca, as expected, was not happy and ran upstairs in a fit of rage, screaming, crying, telling me in her Tween angst that she hated me and I was the worst Mommy in the world. I would have said and done the same exact thing at her age.
Despite my Tween's recent attitude and conflicts with her brother and family she is really a very sweet kid. I know I can count on her to be well behaved when she is out of the house. I also know that when her dad travels so much it really affects her and she falls apart at the seems a little... so I decided I would do something my mother would not do, and try to locate tickets, if possible, for another showing. I was lucky and booked 2 tickets for tomorrow, at 5pm, Super Bowl Sunday! (And we'll still be back for the game!) I didn't tell her. She didn't need to know. It was important for her to think about her not so bright decision to leave school and suffer the consequences. I had thought about buying 3 tickets so we could bring a friend, but thought we really need more Mother-Daughter time; she really needs my undivided attention every once in a while.
About an hour after her little tantrum, outburst, whatever you want to call it, she came down to appologize to me. She was sorry she was so mean to me, sorry she reacted the way she did and sorry she left school... but she really did have a sore throat! I was so proud that she appologized on her own and owned up to her mistakes that I told her about the two tickets. And do you know what? She actually seemed more pleased that she was going with me than with her cousin!
She really did seem fine. I wondered if something happened at school that made her want to come home; I tried to find out but got no answer. A few minutes after we came home my sister in law called to ask if Rebecca would like to go see the Hannah Montanna movie -- the one that will only be in theaters for 1 week. Now, if you have or know any Tweens or pre-Tweens you know that this is a really big deal. I said no flat out. I thanked Jennifer profusely for thinking about us, but there was no way I was going to allow my daughter, sick or not, to go to a movie-slash-concert when she left school early. I had to do the right thing and play the role of responsible parent. It really broke me up because I knew how sad Rebecca would be when she learned what she couldn't go to... She was sitting right next to me and there was just no way I could have pretended the conversation did not exist. I don't think I would have anyway. Not to be mean, insensitive or callous, but I think it is important children learn the consequences of their mistakes. Now Rebecca, I do want to add, is one of the top students in her class, and has never asked to not go to school or leave early... I think there was a reason, perhaps a social one. Still, Hannah Montanna was not going to happen. My mother would have done the same thing.
Rebecca, as expected, was not happy and ran upstairs in a fit of rage, screaming, crying, telling me in her Tween angst that she hated me and I was the worst Mommy in the world. I would have said and done the same exact thing at her age.
Despite my Tween's recent attitude and conflicts with her brother and family she is really a very sweet kid. I know I can count on her to be well behaved when she is out of the house. I also know that when her dad travels so much it really affects her and she falls apart at the seems a little... so I decided I would do something my mother would not do, and try to locate tickets, if possible, for another showing. I was lucky and booked 2 tickets for tomorrow, at 5pm, Super Bowl Sunday! (And we'll still be back for the game!) I didn't tell her. She didn't need to know. It was important for her to think about her not so bright decision to leave school and suffer the consequences. I had thought about buying 3 tickets so we could bring a friend, but thought we really need more Mother-Daughter time; she really needs my undivided attention every once in a while.
About an hour after her little tantrum, outburst, whatever you want to call it, she came down to appologize to me. She was sorry she was so mean to me, sorry she reacted the way she did and sorry she left school... but she really did have a sore throat! I was so proud that she appologized on her own and owned up to her mistakes that I told her about the two tickets. And do you know what? She actually seemed more pleased that she was going with me than with her cousin!