THINK

Well, the Summer has officially started for the Martin family.  Friday and yesterday were spent at parties and promotions, as the school year finally ended.  I must say though, I wish Zoe's dance recital was complete because then we would be free as birds.  But alas, only one more week.  I should be saying, "I think I can!"

I plan on having the ladybugs work on reading, writing and math this summer.  However, I told them they have two weeks to decompress from school.  This week we have 3 doctor appointments: orthodontist for Zoe, allergist and well visits for both.  I promised that we could incorporate other activities around the doctor visits: Jungle Java (I have two free passes), Greenfield Village, and the library.  The second week the ladybugs will attend VBS at the church attached to their school.  Even though the program is in the mornings, I will continue with the "time off" for our brains - we truly all need it (probably me most of all)!

With a Summer full of fun times ahead, I am not without concern.  The attitudes of my ladybugs have become quite challenging.  Zoe has become quite the mouthy child, and oftentimes gets in more trouble for her verbal reaction to a consequence than her initial behavior/action.  Swear words to her are: stupid, dumb and anus.*  However it isn't the words she uses but her snotty attitude that accompanies her language.  I have been dreading the summer for this reason.  However, earlier I ran across a kind of acrostic poem.  I printed it for free, and I am going to hang it and hopefully get the ladybugs to understand the importance of it.

Before You Speak Think

*One Sunday Zoe came home and proceeded to state that she learned there was an "a" word that meant butt.  Apparently an older student her her class (we have a one room Sunday School) told her and the other younger children that "butt" was not a swear word, but there was an "a" word that was a swear.  Now reader, my girls go to a school that reprimands the students for all potty words (butt included), so this was news to Zoe.  However, I immediately responded with, "Oh!  Yes, anus is the technical term for a butt hole and that must be what he meant."  Thank God for that one, because it truly made the situation a lot simpler.