Child #3: Summer School Draws to a Close

Hurray! Today is the 2nd last day of summer school for Child #3 (15 year-old son). You may recall this ambitious child of mine wanted to get a Spanish class out of the way and ended up enrolling at a swanky private school in La Jolla.

I don't think I've ever mentioned that this same child designs t-shirts.

This is his most recent design. He wore it to summer school today.

After dinner tonight, he whipped up a couple more for fellow classmates who are PAYING HIM FOR THE T-SHIRTS! (Not much. Only $5. But still...his mother thinks these t-shirts should be gifts. Child #2 thinks his brother should charge more. Child #3 is standing firm at $5.)

To make a template, he cuts the picture out of a file folder. For a while he was using some old signs Home Depot gave him, but I guess he ran out. Then he stretches the t-shirt over a swimming kickboard, affixes the template to the t-shirt and spray paints.

Last week, Child #3 convinced his classmates to split the cost of an entire pizza pie instead of ordering individual slices. This saved $1 per student per day. (Perhaps the pizza savings are going toward the cost of the t-shirts. ;) )

I predict this creative, quick-thinking kid will go far!

Random Conversaton with Child #3

Child #3 is my 9th grader son. (In case you've forgotten. ;) )

Child #3 (spoken offhandedly): I saw a guy at school reading one of your books.

Me (excited): Really? Wow! Which one?

Child #3: The pink one.

Me: Wow! A high school guy reading I SO DON'T DO SPOOKY! Wow!

Child #3: Yeah. I said to him, "Hey, my mom wrote that."

Me: Really! You said that to him! What did he say?

Child #3: He said, "Yeah, right."

Me: "Yeah, right"???? He didn't believe you??!! Did you tell him you're a suspect in the 3rd book? Did you tell him that???

Child #3 (says nonchalantly over his shoulder as he leaves the kitchen): Nah. I went to lunch.

Keep in mind this is the same kid who, a couple of years ago, after doing a book talk on I SO DON'T DO MYSTERIES, informed me he'd told the class he couldn't remember the name of the author!!!

And the countdown is on...

I SO DON'T DO MAKEUP comes out in paperback in just 12 days (April 5)!

(Every family needs a dozen or so. :) )

On motherhood...

So, I'm sitting in the living room with a box of Kleenex (I still can't believe I have a cold), a decent cup of tea and a warm slice of homemade banana bread.

On the kitchen counter lies a good portion of Child #3's homework. It's completed. He's very good at that. But, somehow, this little stack didn't make it into his backpack. I don't think he realizes yet. He did remember to take his math, and that's what they'll be correcting now. But in an hour or so, he'll go to pull out his Language Arts papers and have a little panicky moment while he digs through all his stuff. Then, a little light bulb will go on, and he'll think of the counter and know what happened.

There's a part of me that wants to jump up and rush to the school and give him his homework before his name goes on the board for missing assignments.

I want to save him. Because he's 12. And I can still save him. Because he's 12, and he'll still let me save him.

Motherhood is not for sissies...