Do you know that I am constantly having those dreams where I think I am late for an exam, or realize I haven?t studied for a really important test?  I wake up so relieved that I am not in school.  I hear these are just anxiety dreams, which I guess we can explore in another post, but the reality is, I still have pop quizzes in my life all the time.

Didn?t you always hate pop quizzes?  Why did the teachers get so much joy from springing them on us?  If we only got a heads up, we could have gotten such a better grade.

And that?s how I feel about parenting.  My kids are always giving me pop quizzes.  Take my daughter.  She had sleep issues before she left for a seven-week camp.  Had the best time there, counselors told me she slept great.  Comes back, and the girl will not sleep.  She freaks out!  I am not prepared!  I haven?t studied.  The only notes I have down are ?rub her back? and ?hold her hand?.  I need to study sleep anxiety!!!

I have failed the sleep pop quiz.

Or my son, I say goodnight to a wonderful happy teen, in the morning, he is cranky and moody.  How about a little warning?  ?Mom, just so you know, I am going to not talk to you in morning, not want breakfast, and not tell you why. Please read up on moody teens tonight.?

My other son has decided that knuckle biting is going to be his new habit.  So now I have to study nervousness in kids.  Cause right now I am just thinking I will fill in Scantron bubble ?c?  ?socks with scotch tape around his wrists.?

Truth is, I am inclined to follow what my kids say to me.  ?I know it mom, it?s easy, I don?t need to study!?   Maybe they are right. I didn?t really start studying hard in school till my junior year in high school when colleges really pay attention.  And my kids are still young enough that I can get a few more F?s and not completely mess them up for life.

So for now, I will try to be prepared by really listening to and observing my kids, and asking ?Will this be on the quiz?? I will do my best to pass, and continue with my Sommelier courses.  That will help!!!

(If you missed it, check out my post Parenting the Unsolvable Puzzle . I could just keep writing and writing about this.  I really don?t get it!!!)