"KIDS" ... What Can You REALLY Do Besides Worry ?

I got me a "BROOD" at my house.

I have three kids and they are all so different that it makes me wonder how they are all three mine.

My oldest, who has always been my hope for an early retirement...netted from his HUGE income of being "something" great, has dropped out of college for a break (I hope it is a short break).

My second in line is my sixteen year old son...who is a "freakin" genius that refuses to use any of his capabilities in any type of school work , homework or anything that may represent the fact that he is indeed smart. He can tell you how the Air Bus works, how to build an atom bomb, ANYTHING about history or culture...but can't seem to get a progress report signed or a project turned in by it's due date.

My third is my daughter...sweet and mature for her age, but blinded by the horrible heart wrenching debacle of "MIDDLE SCHOOL" and the fact that she has to struggle for the grades that she makes and most of her friends are seemingly "Breezing" through with all "A"'s. (At least she picks really smart friends). After being exposed to girls in their "tweens"... I have to salute her. Girls at her age are a vicious and conniving sort, and I would rather have my "average" scoring girl than some of the snotty little "priss pots" that I have encountered at the middle school she attends.

My point being...

I am in my late forties.

I thought by now one of my kids would have received the Nobel Peace Prize or at least would have discovered the cure for cancer.

But as a parent you have to take it all in stride. You have to unfortunately take everything into perspective...At least I HAVE them.

At least they are all healthy and happy (I guess that my constant cooking, cleaning and doing laundry pretty much make up the "happy" part) but I am OK with that.

I just want for them the absolute best and most.

It is easy for me at 48 to know what they need to do, but it is a totally different thing to get them to see my point.

I only want them to see that I am trying to save them years and years of wasted time and effort.

I want them to see their life from my view point..and to save them from wasted years, and to show them the short cut to success.

But as I type...I know it won't happen.

Life has to happen at it's own pace, with all of the the interruptions, pitfalls and mistakes.

I wish I could save all three of my kids from having to experience them, but I can't.

The only thing that I can do is to love them, pray for them and be there for them when they need to be picked up...reprimanded and sent back into the world to hopefully find not only themselves but find their way.

I envision great things for all three of my kids. I think that all three are extremely talented, gifted and destined for greatness.

It just worries me that they may get side tracked on the way. It worries me that they may get a menial job that seems like great pay to them, and forget their potential. It worries me that they may think they don't need to further their education...Hell..it worries me that they might get killed by a bus crossing the street.

IT JUST WORRIES ME, HAVING KIDS!!!

If I had known that having sex with my husband would cause me thirty years of constant worry and concern...would it have made me change my mind?

Unfortunately, or maybe should I say gratefully it would not.

I love my kids, I desire the best for them and have tried to give them the best advantages that I could.

I truly believe that all three of them will be just fine. They will ultimately find their way to success...it is just a HARD, HARD road to have kids and have them find their own way...and to let them find it in their own time.

Let's just hope that "OLE" mom is up to the challenge.

Till next time...........COTTON