Friday, February 28, 2014

Smiles, Glorious Smiles

It’s time again for a musical production at the kids’ elementary school. This year they’re putting on “Oliver!” and both Milo and Willa are participating. Willa, who’s in Gr. 4, is in the ensemble dance numbers but because Milo is in Gr. 6, he had the option of having a speaking part. Because the school is small, no auditions are held – students only had to sign up for the part they wanted. So Milo will be one of two narrators.

Rehearsals have gone into full swing now, one week before the show. And today a photographer was in after lunch to take head shots of the lead roles. I am at the school every day to do lunch hour supervision so when I brought the students down to the gym for photos, I enjoyed watching some of the kids posing for the camera.

The first few girls I watched looked only vaguely uncomfortable taking directions from the photographer. Certainly Willa would have been more than happy to strike a pose had she been there! But as I looked at the group of kids waiting their turn, horsing around and being silly, I wondered how that photographer was going to get all those 11- and 12-year-old boys to do anything but “awkward” for the camera. I can’t remember the last time Milo didn’t make a goofy face in a picture. So I left the gym, unable to handle the pressure of watching my kid – wonderful and beautiful as he is – pull one of his beaming but forced ear-to-ear, bug-eyed grins. And I will have to consider bringing an extra 5x7 glossy of one of his less crazy faces when I go to the show next week. Just in case a replacement photo is needed!

Happy Sweeping,

Kathleen Gunther
Editor, ContestHound.com

Thursday, February 20, 2014

One Flu Over the Cuckoo's Nest

The flu has hit the Gunther family. We're not quarantined certainly and nobody's confined to bed rest or subsisting on NeoCitran and Tylenol. Thankfully (I think) it seems to be getting us only one at a time, first with a day of "blah" followed by a day or two of fever, sore throat, headache and coughing, then several days of hacking up a lung.

We certainly learn a lot about one's character when one is sick, though, don't we? No, not moral character, but that of physical fortitude. Milo was the first to be hit but he suffers so quietly and solitarily, I didn't even know he had a sore throat until he told me that's why he hadn't been eating. For two days! Good thing too, I guess, since he's the kid who refuses anything that is outside his rather limited repertoire of acceptable edibles, even if it might make him feel better. Not even good old fashioned chicken soup.

Willa, on the other hand, began complaining about not feeling well on the first day of feeling "blah". She is somewhat more needy than her brother and certainly is more vocal about how miserable she is feeling. I don't blame her, of course. Nobody enjoys being sick. Even when you're 10 years old and it means missing school, getting out of chores and staying in bed with books and your iPod all day.

Neva, the oldest, hasn't come down with anything - and hopefully won't. But I know that she's like her sister and requires more attention.

What I've noticed, however, is no matter how different each kid's need for comfort is during the day, it's a level playing field when the lights go out. Each one wants my company at bed time. Whether it's to hold a cool cloth to their forehead, or to lie down with them or to simply "stay here a little", they just want Mom. I might fuss and complain about how little work I get done during the day with all the extra requests and interruptions, but night time is different. I feel I need to be with them as much as they need me. So I’ll be there. And I will be there when they're 20 years old and still just need a little TLC.

I just hope by then Milo will finally eat some chicken soup!

Happy Comping,

Kathleen Gunther
Editor, ContestHound.com

Canada: Land of Snow and Ice and Bribes

I might not be the kind of Canadian that plays hockey or spends weekends snowmobiling or skiing, but I am a true Canadian who loves the beauty of the snow and, occasionally, loves to play in it. Not always, however, in particular after I've had a tiring day. Unless the stakes are high enough apparently...

Last night on the drive back from karate, almost-10-year-old Willa asked if I would play outside with her when we got home. Although I knew I would likely enjoy myself, I had had a busy day and I still had things to do before I was done.

"Maybe Milo will play with you," I suggested, looking to her older brother beside her in the backseat.

"No," he responded, "when I get home I have to practise my clarinet."

Knowing exactly how to work this to her advantage, Willa said: "See Mom? Now you'll really want to come outside with me!"

Happy Comping,

Kathleen Gunther
Editor, ContestHound.com