Provident Mom

I think it’s safe to say that school lunches are a tiny bit healthier now than they were when we were kids. At least, there are fewer calories, but I’m beginning to think this feat is achieved only by giving the kids miniscule portions.

My daughter told me the other day that she feels sorry for the kids who get hot lunch every day because they must be hungry. When I was a kid, I thought the kids who got hot lunch every day were the cool kids.

These days, I tell my kids they can get hot lunch once a week (admittedly, this is for financial reasons even more than health reasons). The kids look over the menu and decide which day looks best for you. My daughter, who at eleven years old hasn’t hit 60 pounds, usually chooses the day when they get deli wraps “because it’s the biggest lunch they have.” My son usually picks Domino’s Pizza day. The other days of the week they get sack lunch, which usually consists of a sandwich, a fruit, a granola bar or some other snack-type item, and a drink.

I was thinking that this year it might be nice to spruce up the variety a little. But then I thought about dinnertime every night, which goes like this.

“What’s this green stuff?”

“It’s lettuce.”

“Do I have to eat it?”

“Yes.”

“Can I get dessert if I eat a carrot instead?”

“No. You have to try the lettuce.”

“But, please can I have a carrot instead?”

“No.”

And on and on. And I’m thinking that giving the kids the same boring lunch every day is as much a treat for them as it would be for me to go out for sushi on Mondays, Mexican on Tuesdays, Olive Garden on Wednesdays, etc. They love boring!

This is a wonderful revelation for me. I’m not going to stress about coming up with creative lunches, cucumber sandwiches cut into star shapes with cookie cutters, garbanzo bean spread with sun-dried tomatoes. Are you kidding? They wouldn’t be able to trade it to anyone in the cafeteria.

That’s right. It’s PBJ from here to eternity. I’m saving the sushi for myself.

It’s back-to-school time again, and this year things are a little different at our house. Two children are going to our neighborhood elementary school, but one of them is going to COVA (Colorado Online Virtual Academy). In other words, she isn’t going anywhere. She’ll be schooled at home by online teachers and me.

 We’ve never tried anything like this before, but it’s shaping up for some excitement. For example, late on Friday afternoon two giant boxes showed up on our porch. In them were a brand new computer, a printer, headphones, and other computer-type accessories. Did we have to pay for this? No. That’s the beauty of online charter schools.

 Sometime this week (hopefully, because school starts in exactly 6 days), some more boxes will be transported by big brown UPS truck to our door containing books, software, and other educational supplies.

 So what are the issues for provident homeschooling moms? I’m not sure yet. But maybe some of you have some advice. Here are the potential issues I’ve thought of:

 1.       Envy. The school-bound kids may be envious of the homeschooled child’s perceived freedom. The homeschooled child may envy the school-bound kids’ social lives and parties at school.

2.       Discipline. When the kids are home in the summer, our schedule goes kaput. Can I keep up a productive educational schedule all school-year long?

3.       Free time. This would have been the first year all the kids would be in school all day. How much time will I have to myself during the day? Probably next to none. How will this affect personal pursuits like writing?

4.       Relationships. Although I won’t be the sole teacher, how will being my daughter’s teacher affect my relationship with her?

5.       Friends. Will there be extra scheduling considerations to “socialize” the homeschooled child? Will she feel the need for more social time after having been home all day?

 I have a feeling that soon I’ll have some answers to these questions. In the meantime, if you have the benefit of experience, please share. And to all provident moms during back-to-school month, good luck!

Extracurricular activities can be a great way for kids to make new friends, learn new skills, and gain confidence. However, when extracurricular activities fill up too much of a kids’ free time, they can cause stress, strain your budget, disrupt family life, and affect grades.

Our family has found that one activity per child provides enough enrichment without making them feel that they don’t have any free time. Even so, there are days when they don’t want to go to their activity because they just want to play.

When deciding on an extracurricular activity for your child, take a hard look at the costs associated with it. A soccer program, for example, may advertise a one-time cost of $250 for the entire season. This might seem reasonable to you, but don’t fool yourself into believing that it will only cost $250. You will probably also have to buy uniforms, shoes, shin guards, and a duffle bag. You may have to buy snacks for the team occasionally, and if they have games far away, you’ll be spending a lot on gas. These costs can easily double the cost of the program, so investigate it thoroughly ahead of time if you want to protect your budget.