Nestof3 Posted March 30, 2008 Share Posted March 30, 2008 I started homeschooling Aaron in the 4th grade -- the school year following the year I married his Dad. He will turn 18 next month. I finally decided I really needed to just purge all of these old papers. I did find some keepers -- treasures, though. Some were writing assignments where he wrote very kind things about me -- things he admired about me. Things I'm sure I didn't derserve considering I was pretty slow at learning how to be a good mom. Others were pictures he had drawn. One was a cursive handwriting sheet. There was a pix of him when he played Felicity's father in a little colonial drama camp play. I told my husband today that I wish we could have the first child (who wasn't really real afterall), make all our mistakes and learn from them -- then have real children. I know that probably sounds really stupid, but I cannot explain it any better than that. So, it was very touching to go through all of those old memories, those lesson plans I toiled over, the curricula choices I flip-flopped between, the worksheets I created. Just feeling kind of sad right now at the thought of my boys growing up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet in WA Posted March 30, 2008 Share Posted March 30, 2008 I told my husband today that I wish we could have the first child (who wasn't really real afterall), make all our mistakes and learn from them -- then have real children. I know that probably sounds really stupid, but I cannot explain it any better than that. Well, if that's stupid, then I am too. Because I understand exacly what you mean. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lollie010 Posted March 30, 2008 Share Posted March 30, 2008 Ok...I am crying now, too. My oldest is only 4 and I can already understand how difficult that would be. Great Job! Laurel T. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gamom3 Posted March 30, 2008 Share Posted March 30, 2008 Our oldest is 18 and boy I wish we could have had that wasn't really real child first too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unicorn. Posted March 30, 2008 Share Posted March 30, 2008 Oh I soooo understand. I wish for do-overs all the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Remudamom Posted March 30, 2008 Share Posted March 30, 2008 Oh man, my oldest is almost 20. I still get goofy when I see his baby pictures. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ravin Posted March 30, 2008 Share Posted March 30, 2008 Okay, it was just a year and a half ago that I purged all the school stuff I'd kept from MY elementary and high school years. DD's? They're probably gonna have to clean it all out of my attic after I die. :tongue_smilie: h :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kate CA Posted March 30, 2008 Share Posted March 30, 2008 I told my husband today that I wish we could have the first child (who wasn't really real afterall), make all our mistakes and learn from them -- then have real children. I know that probably sounds really stupid, but I cannot explain it any better than that. So, it was very touching to go through all of those old memories, those lesson plans I toiled over, the curricula choices I flip-flopped between, the worksheets I created. Just feeling kind of sad right now at the thought of my boys growing up. Oh, I don't think it is stupid at all. My smallest is now 5 and my oldest at 13 is very grown up. Where does the time go? I know exactly what you are talking about. Hugs to you - it is bittersweet to see them grow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colleen Posted March 30, 2008 Share Posted March 30, 2008 Are we supposed to keep all those papers?;) I toss things pretty quickly, but I do make small, comb-bound books of each child's work at the end of the school year. And of course I keep various and sundry cards and pictures that are particularly dear to me. If I held on to things, I'd have trouble ever getting rid of them. I can imagine how the memories came flooding back to you as you went through all that! I wish we could have the first child (who wasn't really real afterall), make all our mistakes and learn from them -- then have real children. Yep, I can identify with that sentiment! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparrowsNest Posted March 30, 2008 Share Posted March 30, 2008 How beautiful, and yet how bittersweet! Hugs to you, and admiration for a job well done. And, regarding the first child thing, I can so identify. My husband and I were saying how yesterday we are 'teething' on our oldest, working out the kinks, figuring things out. I wish I had the wisdom of an experienced parent to give him. And yet, in God's providence, this is where He put him, so that must be part of my son's particular journey. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quiver0f10 Posted March 30, 2008 Share Posted March 30, 2008 Oh, I understand! My oldest is 19 and I still have her papers from pre-school LOL. One of these days I will have to purge too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcconnellboys Posted March 30, 2008 Share Posted March 30, 2008 I'm right there with you. I have each year in big 'ol plastic bins. When they both go off to college and bigger things, I figure I'll go through all those and pull things and create memory books and scrapbooks to keep forever - and cry and cry and cry..... I don't know that I'll ever get to be anything remotely resembling a "good mom", but I surely hope that they'll know somehow that I really, REALLY love them in all my imperfection.... Regena Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asher Posted March 30, 2008 Share Posted March 30, 2008 (((hugs))), Dawn. I do understand what you mean by the first child & I don't think that's stupid at all. I can totally relate & I see a lot of what you went with Aaron in what we're going through w. ds. I wish I could push rewind and do a redo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nestof3 Posted March 30, 2008 Author Share Posted March 30, 2008 I don't know that I'll ever get to be anything remotely resembling a "good mom", but I surely hope that they'll know somehow that I really, REALLY love them in all my imperfection.... I'd bet your children have a different view of you. I don't consider myself to arrived anything yet either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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