william tell Overature

The William Tell Overture is running through my mind daily. It is the theme song to the Lone Ranger. The music starts as soon as I hit the floor. Time races through the day and I am on the journey of here and there and everywhere. As  teacher and a parent of young kids - age five or under, my season of life at this time is about serving well the needs of kids and squeezing in some refreshment in life. While it races on, it is with the "If you give a mouse a cookie" flare. If I ask kids to help me fold laundry, they will want me to bury them in the clothes. It will remind them of taking a little rest. So they will bring all their books and snuggle up in the clean clothes. When they are rested, they will want a snack ... so they will ask for some crackers and milk. It will remind them of a gingerbread house... etc...

I am not a children's writer reviewer but I never did like those "If you give a mouse, moose, dog, cat, pig, etc books. " ( Though many are out there and author is making money on them right and left so I know nothing...) Those stories have events unfolding that never seemed related. Yet, I guess it reminds me that the unexpected does happen with kids and unrelated things happen because each child has their own ideas, make their own connections-- leading you sometimes on a crazy William Tell Overture paced goose chase. If I make pretzels with my kids, they will get flour on the floor. They will want to slip and slide in it. Slipping and sliding will remind them of ice skating in the winter. They will want to build a snowman - ( even though there is no snow) So you give them some cotton balls. ... etc...

I just celebrated 44 years of life. Not very old.. but still feeling like time has really flown. Time is so eaten up by so many things. I've been challenged to use each minute wisely. I don't want to miss out on quality of life because I've wasted time. I have a mile long list of things I want to do that take up time but there are so many things that take priority over those. Even those without kids face the same challenge. Are we all ADD or do we all have the William Tell Overture drive?

With two young kids and teaching young kids, I am finding out that the holidays beginning in October are running together. And yet there is time each month to celebrate each... thirty days - longer for Christmas. I don't want them to run together into confusion and a "what happened ?" state. So I am striving for ways to slow time down - with quality and not quantity. Reduce my agenda and pick what's most special and do it to the fullest- give it the depth and breadth- ( and this is even required of us teachers as we take on the common core) . Do the play scheme to the fullest and invent new things to do with the toys already in possession. Enjoy the wait when it is time to be patient. A real challenge- I need/want it now - is my son's favorite sentence.  But why and No that's not fair is my daughter's favorite. I am just as bad- But I want my husband home from work now! I want to wave my magic wand and have the dinner made, laundry put away, and have time for ....... something else.  Enjoy the wait- talk, pray, sing, do a quick game... It is time to brainstorm that one closely.

I am older each year as you are too. 20 years older than my hair dresser. 15 years older than a good neighbor. Old enough to say I lived years without cell phones, computers, ipads, microwaves, and color television. Time has flown and I sometimes wish it were yesterday.  That sounds too much like my grandma who lived to be 100 so I am not nearly that old. Time still flies. But in the meantime, if a different song could run through my head.. than it is a start at least.