organized chaos

As a new homeschooler when my gremlins were really young and didn’t have many playmates, I worried. I fretted. It consumed my thoughts and filled me with guilt that I should be filling my gremlins week with quality playtime interacting with other gremlins, under heavy supervision. After all they are gremlins.

And then, like now, I was short of the cash it took to participate in Mommy’s Day Out or other such nonsensical programs. I’m not bitter. Part of me really wanted to be part of the cool mom’s club that these groups promote. As for neighbor gremlins, we rarely had little gremlin neighbors in the big city. So that option was out.

Then there were the church gremlins. For some reason, there weren’t a whole lot of options there either. At least not for everyday, last minute get-togethers. Because I am a very spur of the moment kind of gal.

And apparently most of the people I know with gremlins are let’s-plan-your-life-five-years-in-advance kind of people.

Now we live in a ‘hood with plenty-o-neighbor-gremlins. Not all exactly the same ages as mine. In fact, most of them are closer to the age of Socrates the almost 10 yr old. So now, that we’ve had some peer exposure, I’m not sure I like it.

Not only have they come home with some sour attitudes, but now they can’t seem to find anything else to do.

If another gremlin isn’t available to play, or their sour attitudes have granted them sweet blessed time alone for the week, then all other options that used to occupy their time have apparently vanished.

Poof! Legos are boring.

Poof! Drawing is for sissies.

Poof! Playing with my sibling gremlins is poison to my veins.

Poof! Using my imagination outside is too hard to even consider.

What is this madness? I’ll tell you what it is.

Torment for the mother.

The whining levels since my gremlins have had exposure to “socialization” have skyrocketed to the point of insanity. And I’m not good at balance. My only reprieve will come when public school starts. And then the socialization will only take place between 3:30 and 6.