Everybody is just so darn busy. There are so many options in this life. Fun things. Things that we feel obligated to do. Things that we feel like our kids must do to best prepare them for their futures.
The plan at the beginning of the year was to coordinate a "party" (playdate... flashmob) every month with favorite friends from school. Well... we're seven months into it and today was our third party. It hasn't been from lack of desire, just lack of time. Not even actual time, but advance time. So much of our existence is just living through the day, so it's too overwhelming to project ahead two weeks to plan something that requires a dozen other families to also project ahead. Anyway, we couldn't let the ever-festive St. Patrick's Day pass without a celebration.
Every feasible pre-St. Paddy's day was already packed with plans, so we had to decide to piggy-back activities, and just hustle to get all the fun cleaned up in time to decorate for Part II (an annual program I chaired for the teenage girls at our church). Our invitees also had a million things going on (it was endearing to consider the efforts that were made -- by both those that made it, and those that were with us in spirit), and yet, for all the squished-in-ness that the party was for us and others, it was still very sweet.
Since the gym at the church was being used for a different function, we knew that the party had to have some kind of low-key element that could be contained in a Sunday school room. We came up with Bingo -- the perfect opportunity to test one's luck! Placing round pieces of plastic on numbers is not nearly as fun as galloping and yelping, but it was at least an opportunity to socialize (which is by far and away the number one thing random people always ask me about when they hear that we're homeschooling. I want to say: Newsflash -- one kid will be quirky no matter how much school happens, and one kid will be able to navigate easily no matter how much school happens. If school was the great social-equalizer we wouldn't have so many wackos still in existence. If going to school made us all sane and stable and fulfilled there wouldn't be so many hours billed by therapists... but then I would appear sans social-filter myself... though, that would prove my point since I went to public school for my thirteen years...).
We taped brown kraft paper to the tables and scattered some "gold," and let the kids who arrived early draw on the tables and munch on the chocolate. Then the game began. The Boy was the caller and took his job seriously. When kids won they got to pick an item from the prize basket (items that have been left over from playdates, valentines, craft projects, etc.).
For snacks we had Rice Krispies treats... but with Lucky Charms, vegetables made into pathetic rainbows, chips, and Shamrock Shakes (The Sister whipped up vanilla milkshakes, added mint extract and green food coloring and squirting some whipped cream on top).
While Friend A and The Sister monitored the kid-antics, prepared the food, and in the end got down on hands and knees and picked up crumbs, I chatted with friends. I heard about the stress in the 4th grade with the big state test looming... the families that are investing heavily in tutors... the things that the kids are telling each other (i.e. "You HAVE to have a tutor to do well."). Yipes. It's a hard world out there for these nine-year olds. And for the parents who love the nine-year olds, and are trying so hard to provide for them, and help them, and buoy them.
There is only so much time in a day. It's hard to know how to spend it. I feel very lucky that we got to visit with friends today. I'm not idealistic (or wise?) enough to write that in the end that will be all that matters, but I will posit that as we sift through, and try to determine what it is that matters, it's awfully nice to be with people that you like.
