Thank God for Starbucks

Starbucks has been many things to many people over the years; a wake -me-up, a pick-me-up, a meet-up spot, a hook-up spot, a relaxation location, an office for "work-at-home" folks, and more. But Starbucks has become for me something I bet it has not been for anyone before. Starbucks can add "family moderator" "family saviour" "insanity suppressor" and "neutralizer" to its list of accomplishments. I will explain. I am so like my son, Jack, that it is ridiculous. I recall my homework fits from childhood. Fits where I would want to pull my hair out, fits where I would procrastinate to no end just to not have to work on my homework, or read an assigned book. My mother was amazing with me. I only now realize this. After doing homework with my son tonight I started recalling my own childhood, and so much rushed into my mind. I recall my mom really patiently helping me with my homework. My mother read almost the entirety of Ben Hur to me when I was 14 yrs old. 14! I would read a page of it, and reread the page and reread the page and just get soooooooo frustrated, frustrated to tears, because I couldn't bring myself to stay awake, or even stay focused enough on the book to read a chapter and know what I had read. My mom would sit on my bed and read it to me, and eventually would rent me the movie (which I don't actually recommend since I found out the hard way that there are a number of differences in the 2). In any case, she was really good with me. In order for me to be that good with my son (who to my defense may be a bit more difficult at homework time than even I was) I have discovered, decided, that we need to leave the house. Being in a public location keeps me from reacting to his outbursts, and keeps his outbursts much more subdued. He can't storm off, he wouldn't cry in public, and I wouldn't yell in public either. I may not have a super amount of self control, but I am smart enough to figure out a way to make this whole homework thing work for us. Get out in public. Tonight was not easy. Starbucks was waiting for us again this week (Thursday nights are our homework nights, the other 3 homework nights he spends with our 15 yr old babysitter at the library, she as homework helper and he as infatuated boy wanting to impress her with his studious knowledge - another fabulous idea I had). So, Starbucks was waiting for us with its calming aromas, its sweet muffins and warm coffee. Once settled in, there is no telling what can happen. Tonight, a math assignment and preparation for a test happened. Next week, who knows, perhaps I will be reading Ben Hur...I will try not to cry so much this time through. I thank God for the chance to have this luxurious Starbucks date. Without my babysitter at home getting little ones to bed while my husband coaches volleyball, I would not be able to leave the house. And right now, leaving is saving, supporting and enhancing my relationship with my kid. Also I don't want to forget: -Charlie has decided his favorite thing to say is "No Way!" He says it really to almost anything I or anyone says to him. Sometimes it sounds defiant, other times sarcastic, but each time it is hilarious. -When I change Charlie's diaper lately he puts his hands down by his goods and sort of protects them and looks at me out of the corner of his eye and says, "Hey, hey, hey mom. No no." Cracks me up. I try to explain that I am helping him out, but he always looks very skeptical of my motives of washing and changing his soiled pants. -I'm working out "Every Rose Has its Thorn" on the guitar for Jack and the piano for Scotty so they can play as a duo. We all 3 spent some quality time singing and playing this afternoon and evening. Very fun. Need to keep this up.