Alison Hodgson

Expert on the etiquette of perilous times.

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The scene:  a large and echoey gymnasium
The Players:

Eden H. – perennial Kindergarten dropout candidate

Christopher H. – her escort,  a friendly lad, though prone to impetuous acts
Alison H. – a kindly lady, put in the position of grilling scared Kindergartners in reading Chinese whilst their parents crowded around recording them and her, which precluded  supervising the players named above.
Did anyone think this was going to be a success?
Anyone?
It wasn’t.

https://alisonhodgson.com/2009/01/326/

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Kids, I’ve been taken out by a terrible cold, at least that’s what I thought for a couple of days as I gulped immunity drinks and took my vitamins.  Then I woke up with intense sinus pain and thought, “Oh it’s my allergies!”  and began to take something for that.  After a  couple days of pain and exhaustion it occurred to me that last year when my allergies flared within a couple hours of taking my anti-histamine I felt fine.  The next morning I went to the doctor who diagnosed me with a sinus infection exacerbated by allergies. 

I was barely on the mend when Torey came down with a plague, so I brought her and the girls to my house.  I’d rather not write about that as Willa has been engaging in some sort of scream fest generally, combine that with hours without her mama and it was ugly, my friends.  I was being pulled in so many directions it was comical.  Fortunately I just kept dealing with things (read: the other children) as they came up, “I know you want to swim, but have you noticed this small person?  Yes, this one with the red face, who is shrieking, I’m a wee bit involved with her right now, but I will certainly attend to your needs as soon as I meet hers.” 
I never met hers.
Repeat the above conversation, adding different outrages, atrocities and needs about a thousand times, throw in several trips across town (lessons, classes, parties!) and you have my experience last Wednesday.
The summer is a flying.  It’s been fairly low key and that has been good.
We are alive and well and, most days, having a lovely relaxed summer.
I’ll keep you posted…eventually.

https://alisonhodgson.com/2008/07/420/

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It’s been a busy few days since we last spoke: terrible storms, a power outage and it’s attending chaos,  (note: do NOT bring a breast feeding infant prone to screaming when separated from her mother into your home at the precise moment you realize that the generator you were relying on to keep hundreds of dollars worth of food frozen and that sounds like a lawn mower in your kitchen whilst belching headache inducing fumes, is not actually keeping anything frozen because it’s not working.  Just don’t.  Trust me.) a national holiday and it’s fun and – let’s face it – chaos,  home renovations and a birthday – Torey’s 33rd.  

Mine is Tuesday.  I will be 38.  Please send presents.

In the coming days you will be able to witness the glory and pageantry that was the Second Annual Dad and Christopher Fireworks Extravaganza as well as pictures from the Fourth of July parade, the carnival and Torey’s birthday dinner.  It’s all a feast for the eyes.

https://alisonhodgson.com/2008/07/424/

There are surprises and then there are SURPRISES…

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We have established a new chore system inspired by my good friend, Sherry.  It’s brilliant.  Work is completely voluntary and the payment is in poker chips which can be exchanged for money or screen time.  There is immediate feedback as well as positive peer pressure.  Since it is voluntary there is no coercion and since any computer, video or T.V. viewing depends on it, there is motivation.  One of my favorite aspects is that the kids can earn one chip a day just for keeping their rooms clean.  How brilliant that they are learning that a little work, every single day, pays off royally.  

Christopher is living paycheck to paycheck, but his room is neater than it has been in years with nary a nagging from me nor a bit of help.   Lydia’s room is always clean and now she is reaping the reward for that as well as her innate industry.  Most wonderful of all is that I am getting my house cleaned as my kids are developing a good work ethic.  The big kids have lots of options but it’s been a little harder finding jobs for Eden.  There are a couple that we reserve for her like picking up all of Jack’s toys at night and using the hand vacuum on the floors, but that’s about it.  Because of this, and frankly for my own sake, I’m not holding her to the limitations on screen time.  The other day I was exhausted and allowed her to watch a couple videos.  Again, there’s a payoff: normally the big kids would be fussing about her selections, but this time they were just thrilled that the viewing was free.
Despite her exemption from the general system, Eden is throwing herself right into it.  Last night I noticed her hustling off with the Swiffer but didn’t really think about it.  Later I heard her banging around near her bedroom and ignored that as well.  It was only when I heard a gush of water hitting a floor that I paid attention.  She was in the half bath with the door shut.  I opened it and quickly took in the sight of her shoving the Swiffer around – just the rubber, no pad – the floor swimming in puddles of water, dust and Jack’s fur.  Oh the humanity!
“I’m cleaning the bathroom,” she announced with pride, “to earn a chip!”
“Honey, you need to check with me before you start a job.”
“But I wanted to SURPRISE you!”
I sighed.  What do you say to that?  I grabbed a towel and told her to dry the floor.  As she lay down in a puddle to reach, I shuddered and checked out the rest of her work.  The sink looked very clean and tidy.  Her toothbrush and paste were carefully set on one side and on the other she had neatly arranged a bar of hand soap and some flossers on a floral plate.  Soon the towel and the mopper were sopping.  As I delivered it to the laundry room, Eden stretched out on my bed for a rest and soaked it down to the mattress. 
Not so cheerfully, I shooed her off to get fresh pajamas then fetched fresh sheets and the hair dryer.