It's been a while since Kathleen and I have accompanied young kids to the movies -- Grace and Anna prefer their friends, shockingly -- but we are off to see "Minions, the r\Rise of Gru" this afternoon. Good day to do it, with highs in the mid-90s.
I wouldn't normally pay to see a "kids" movie, preferring to stream such flicks if needed, but it's a nice way to establish some connections with the young guys (they are 11 and 9). We have hit the pool for an hour the last two mornings and they enjoy that for a while... until they have had enough of that and are on to the next experience.
One nice thing we have been experimenting with is extending their bedtime to 10 or even 10:30. They tell me that their normal bedtime is 8:30, which seems quite early for summer and which seems to necessitate a lot of reading prior to turning in.
At our house they each get their own bedroom, which is not what they are used to. But they seem to be enjoying that tiny bit of extra freedom. Maybe Max (the elder) more than Jack. And they are sleeping until past 7 a.m., which is late for them.
It's good to be reminded that kids don't change all that much, despite the 61-year gap between me and Max. They love games, but now they are mostly Roblox versions on an iPad. They are constantly on the go, until they collapse. They are constantly hungry. They want to try a lot of things.
I am inclined to pace myself in terms of, well, almost anything. I find it tough to eat even two meals per day (besides half a muffin at breakfast). And "new things" need some serious thought from me before any attempts are made.
Grace and Anna (17 and 15) dropped by yesterday afternoon for a few hours, which was a nice surprise. The boys have always worshipped them -- the cool older cousins. I'm not sure the girls are quite so enamored of the boys, but they are very nice to them.
In two weeks, Grace will begin her senior year of high school, and that is a fact that I can't quite get my head around. I guess she will always be a girl to me, much as her mom and aunt and uncle are, despite them all being in their 40s.
I tend to think of former students in much the same way. My oldest ex-students must be about 63 at this point (yikes!) but they are frozen in time in my memories. Always 18. Always at the start of the journey. Always young and healthy and vibrant.
Like the grandchildren.
And fall semester for CSU and Metro begins three weeks from yesterday. That will always be my "new year" celebration.
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