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Monday, October 4, 2010

Black Magpie Theory: Better


Do you know what a drum line sounds like at 5:30 a.m.?

I do.

So I survived the Friday night Lock-In at Sophie's middle school.  To be  honest with you, except for the mind-numbing effects of being awake for more than 24 hours straight, it wasn't bad.  I spent a lot of time just standing around making sure that the kids didn't get hurt.  I must hand it to the organizers of the event.  They did a great job and made the volunteer role pretty dang easy.  The event had a schedule including free play time, contests, games, lots of food and a talent show.  The thing flowed.

Sophie had a blast.  I kept my distance, letting her come to me if she needed something. It was kind of nice to see her in that new setting, running coltishly with her friends from one thing to the next.  They're all limbs at this  stage, aren't they?

During the evening, I did have the opportunity to do something specific.  You can read more about it here.

So I guess I take it back, Middle Schoolers.  You weren't so bad.  You weren't bad at all.  I witnessed genuine kindness passing between them.  Taking turns, helping each other out, not Eddie Haskell polite, but polite enough.  I held plenty of eyeglasses for kids who were doing something physical and every single one of them thanked me.

The downside is that my tail is still dragging a bit.  Instead of sleeping all day Saturday, I tried to stay on a more normal schedule.  I slept some, but my sleep deficit remains significant.  I had to drive to town to run some errands and had one of the moments where you think "Man, I don't remember driving that last stretch of road...."

Lack of sleep turned out to be a small price to pay to get back some of my hope for the future, though. I'm glad I volunteered.

How was your weekend?

14 comments:

  1. excellent. glad it was a good experience - but you knew it would be!

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  2. That's something she'll remember fondly for the rest of her life. Well done you for doing it with her.

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  3. I remember the all limbs stage. It goes by fast.

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  4. You are a good mommy :)

    I'm at work now but getting ready to leave and go home. Hubby is at work but I have 3 dogs and 9 cats waiting for me to come home. These animals are our kids who never grow up and love us unconditionally.

    Hope you get caught up on the ZZZ's soon!

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  5. remember drum line at 5:30 am????
    STUFF! I have been a friend of beer since .... along time. of course I do.

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  6. My weekend was a lot less intense than yours. It was birthday weekend--mine and my Aunt Mary--so my brother made a fabulous meal and I got gifts. Glad you had fun.

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  7. Now that is love- being willing to chaperone an all-nighter. Bless your heart.

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  8. I'm sure that you and the kids were all the better due to the fact that you wanted to participate. As for bullying--there is no more room in this society for that crap! We must evolve; or be lost for eternaty.

    We are all diamonds, and we just need each other shine.

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  9. I'm really glad it wasn't that painful! YAY for kids being nice to each other! I'm still glad it was you and not me, though... I am sleep deprived enough as it is.

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  10. Kids these days get such bad press -- and maybe some of them deserve it -- but my experience has been like yours. Most of them are peaches. The bad eggs just stink louder.

    And Deb and I were just saying how dearly we now pay for those missed sleep bouts!

    B

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  11. What a terrible American you are, you're supposed to spend your parental time helping to shape the future cubicle jockeys of our great nation. Hmph.

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  12. so glad everything went well. nice to know that the kids were repsectful as well. i guess you always here the bad things, and not so much of the good things anymore. so happy to read a 'good thing'. now you need your rest. ;)

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  13. congrats. I totally tip my hat to you.

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