House of Prince

Punished

By Kim Tracy Prince on March 11th, 2013

Twice in two weeks I have forgotten to bring Brady’s scooter and helmet home after we got to school. Usually Kyle and I walk and Brady scoots, sailing down the hill, arriving long before us. We leave the scooter and helmet with the crossing guard or in the “cage” where all the kids keep their wheels, and I grab them on my way back home.

Friday was the second time I forgot. The scooter and helmet stayed in the cage all weekend, thank goodness, and I collected two scooters and two helmets today.

The first time, we were on our way home after school in the car when Brady gasped and shouted “MY SCOOTER!” He was shocked that I forgot it. Then disappointed. He said “You’re punished!” and then he thought about it.

“No more working,” he declared.

“Why?”

“Because you love to work, and you’re punished, so no more working today.”

That was my punishment. I stuck to it, chastised. If he saw me glance at my phone, he gave me the stink eye. “No working, remember!”

And so it is today, too.

Technically, this isn’t working, is it? It’s more like journaling, really. It helps my brain slow down. I’ve been reading a lot about parenting lately – not on purpose, it’s just what I’ve been picking up or clicking – and last night I made a conscious choice to be more conscious when I am present with my family. To be truly present. To not get distracted by what’s next, or what should be next, or what I wish wasn’t next. It’s a resolution that deserves repeating, often.

I took the boys to the dentist today. They got entries in The Cavity Free Club. So that’s something.

Music, Seriously 2 comments

Songs That Stab Me in the Heart: “In My Life” by The Beatles

By Kim Tracy Prince on March 7th, 2013

Okay, The Beatles. We are born, we grow up, we die, and there is always The Beatles. Their music is just there, like air, or water. For my parents, they were a Super Big Deal. For me, they just were. They were a 45 RPM record with an apple in the middle, a scratchy B-side called “Revolution.” They were songs played on the radio. They were cover songs and tribute bands and tragic, world-mourned deaths.

And then when Robin’s mother died of an apparent suicide, her friend Hayden sang “In My Life” at the memorial service. It was touching and terribly sad.

And then when Robin died of suicide, Hayden said “In My Life” at her memorial service.

But of all these friends and lovers
There is no one compares with you

At that was it for me. I cannot listen to this song. Ever. Opening chords – change the station or click off the box or find a different channel. And yet, I did it here, to share it with you.

What’s your Beatles song?

*When I looked for just the right YouTube video to share with you, I found this. It’s the only version of this song that made me smile. Go watch it RIGHT NOW.

More about Robin: My Tortured Beacon

“Robin was dramatic in a way that I had never experienced in a friend, but since she was also generous, and brilliant, and loyal, and steadfast, and incredibly imaginative, I forgave her drama every time but one.”

Help a Mother Out 3 comments

Wordless Wednesday: Happy Baby

By Kim Tracy Prince on March 6th, 2013

If you think this baby is cute, come join his mom on Facebook, talking about parenthood, shopping, and helping babies TODAY AT 11 AM PACIFIC! It’s a live chat, yo.

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General 2 comments

Schedule Fail

By Kim Tracy Prince on March 5th, 2013

February is over and done with and hoo-boy. I looked up and realized that I basically missed that whole month.

So on Sunday night I smugly sat down to schedule out my week so that I wouldn’t miss any bill-paying deadlines or forget a kid’s Library Book Day and also still get lots of work done. I noted all of my existing commitments and wrote down pickup times and activities and such even though I know them by heart, all in effort to lay out a visual picture of the week so I could assess the “free” time and plug in my Things To Do accordingly. I used my paper planner, my Google calendar, my wall calendar, and my notebook. And my phone. I was all in.

The problem is I think I forgot that I’m getting old and I can’t stay up late anymore. Or that I had double-booked my Wednesday night. Or that some of my Things To Do actually take more research and/or thinking to actually DO. I mean, you can’t rush art.

So here I am 1.5 days into the week and already I’m behind – a lot. I have no choice but to stick to my pre-scheduled commitments but the ongoing projects that I thought I could weasel into the days are taking a lot longer than I expected.

at least I’m not as behind as she is

I just wrote a post that appeared on Agoura Hills Mom and BlogHer called “Lower Your Expectations: Tips For a Family Road Trip.” I think I’m going to have to apply that mantra to my entire life, at least my own productivity.

The good news is that I am not freaking out about this. One of my commitments was a Thai massage – I took a few hours out of my day to drive, experience, and return from this massage and I must say it was a wonderful boost for my attitude. In other times my head would be spinning, but today I am able to say “I cannot accomplish this today – I will need to push my self-appointed deadline forward. And that’s okay.”

Wake me when my Kindergartener starts first grade, please.