One Step Up...

It's Friday night and I am sleepy. Not tired but really sleepy. Juan and the kids are too.

We, like most families, are cramming so much into every day and our nights are getting later and later. The lack of sleep is catching up with all of us. Last night I had to instill a new rule: You have 1 hour to finish your homework-if it isn't completed by then (barring any true stumbling blocks), you take it to school incomplete. They both said, "What?!", and Lauren said, "But, I'm tired and I don't want to read this other chapter." I looked at her and said, "Okay, but you've been dawdling and if you don't do well tmrw on your test, there will be consequences." She looked at me and said, "Mrs. H said today, "A "B" with an "E" is a good grade, but if there wasn't any "E"ffort in that "B" than it isn't a good grade. Is that what you mean?" I said, "Exactly." She smiled and said, "Okay, I'll go read."

The thing is, this year, they CAN do this. One cool thing about having twins is, they can quiz each other for tests. They learn as students and then as teachers. It's very cool. It has literally lifted the memorization part of school completely off my shoulders. My time is important too, and they are beginning to get that. I really value the moments of connecting they share as brother and sister, and usually let them coast at their own pace. They go into each others room and have the nicest talks about friends, tests, funny things. But during homework I have been so hands on, I needed them to focus now, talk later, ya know? They are diligent students, especially Niko, and they are both now getting things in a One Step Up kinda way. I rarely have to worry either may have missed something or needs further instruction--

as long as the distractions don't take over.

This reminded me of a conversation I had about 7 years ago, where at the car wash, a nice woman inquired of my kids ages. I told her they were three and she said, "Twins. Wow! You look tired. Don't worry though, ten is the age you start to feel like your old self again." I laughed and said, "I look like a mom. As you know, Mom's work HARD. My kids have 7 years to go yet. Not sure if I'll make it!" She smiled and said, "Something tells me you will."

Yes, tonight, I am sleepy, but not tired like I get when I'm stressed. It's a good kind of sleepy, that makes one look forward to a snuggly night of sleep under a heavy comforter. Also, with this new "step up", with the kids taking on more of their studies in a responsible, productive way, theyhave achieved two very nice Presidents Awards displayed proudly on our kitchen wall! The truly nice thing is, they earned straight A's before, but this time it was with so few grumpys. Instead, there was a nice, relative ease, a confidence, that comes with them doing it themselves, and I know they are feeling it too. I hope it continues.

There is a great comfort knowing your children are growing and inching towards self-reliance. Who knows, if we keep getting the sleepy nights vs the tired, that nice lady at the car wash may be right after all. Of course, then I'll be feeling my young and vibrant self again and wish they were three year old once more!