Anyways, the first lesson of the night to prepare us for Inauguration Day was taught when David put together a car from a kit that runs on fuel cells and distilled water. This started a conversation about fossil fuels, pollution, alternative energy, and wars. I kidded Ray (my future Paleontologist) that dinosaurs are the cause of the pollution. The kids had fun watching the car plod along.
The next lesson was on terrorism. Lou was dancing around the living room with Pamela when Ray said "Kill POE!" This usually starts Lou's screaming and I decided I'd had enough of the kill poe stuff. Ray happened to be holding his newest bear named Teds so I grabbed it out of his hands and decided to play Big Bully to give him a taste of his own medicine. Big Bully consisted of me holding Teds out of reach, threatening to "Kill Teds!", sitting on him (Teds), calling him names, and then tossing Teds to Dave right when Ray tried to grab him. (This was not my finest teaching moment.) I told Ray he could have Teds back after he wrote up and signed a contract stating he would no longer torment Lou's Pamela. I also threw in a few "Now you know how Lou feels every time you tease her." (Definitely not my finest moment.)
Ray was in tears for a while before he pulled himself together and wrote the following: "I'm sorry that I hurt Lou's dolls and my toys will be pursacuted if I dont respect them. I'm so sorry. May I have back my Teddy" and he signed it. The picture he drew made me feel that I had earned the Lamest Mom in the World award. I guess we'll have to wait and see what permanent damage was done to the poor boy.
After the peace was restored in our home, David started talking about Martin Luther King Jr. and why it is so neat that Obama was becoming President the next day. The kids kept asking questions like "Well, why didn't black people used to have rights?" and "Why would people treat blacks like that?" and "Why was there slavery anyway?" It was hard for them to understand. We took it a bit further back in history to help explain how crazy things happen by mentioning that the Israelites used to be slaves in Egypt to Pharaoh until Moses came along. That is a story they know well. Slavery is one of those ugly things that is hard to explain to kids and yourself and you wish it never had been.
Next we sang My Country,'Tis of Thee and had a mini lesson on citizenship. Dave's van recently was egged and we used it as a chance to teach what it means to be a good citizen.
Is egging someone's car being a good citizen?
Noooo.
Then we had ice cream.
4 comments:
what an eventful FHE. I love it! Poor Ray though...ha (although I'm imbarrassed to admit that I was laughing at the story) but that's great your educating your children on Martin Luther King. I was especially greatful to not have school on that day. :)
I LOVE Ray's drawing and peace accord. He has the basics of international diplomacy down.
That sounds like the best FHE ever. You are a great mom. Most essential element for a good FHE: ice cream.
I already received the lamest mom in the world award when I told my oldest daughter that we were going to send her to boot camp. i was only kidding, but she believed me and cried for hours.
And we had our mailbox stolen today.......kind of burst my hope in all of humanity bubble that had been forming all week.
That picture is awesome. Tell Ray, that deserves a roller coaster ride!!
To be honest, if you and Dave told me you never had problems with the kids, and everything was perfect...then I would think that was lame.
We all have issues.
Someone told me that the Hinkley boys always went with the Bishop on Father and Son outings, because he didn't like them.
Marty
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