Reckons of Crass Construction

School is almost over and our 10th grader still hasn't solidified her summer vacation plans. I say it's the perfect time for an SAT Review course or drivers ed while she insists on sleeping in every day and working part-time at a local pizza shop.

She also wants to travel to the Middle East, take a cruise to the Bahamas, and "go downy oshun." My only question is, "Who's gonna pay for all this?"

Sure, squander our hard-earned money on worthless pursuits for momentary pleasure. Don't concern yourself about college requirements or getting your drivers license any time soon. That trivial stuff will magically work out fine on its own.

You in your infinite wisdom know best, dear.



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Children. They are both a tremendous joy and occasional disappointment. Joy for all the things they accomplish, excel at and do right. Disappointment for all the things they mess up, can't be bothered with and deftly ignore.

My husband and I don't insist on very much from our children. Maybe that's why they sometimes fall short on my expectation meter. No one is perfect, I know, most of all not moi, but couldn't my kids at least pretend to be model offspring? Is it wrong to want children to do better and achieve more while exhibiting enviably character? I sometimes wonder whether, if I went back in time, would I parent any differently. A worthless pursuit, I know, but no less guilt-inducing.

Today is one of those days when I feel like I'm letting one of our children off the hook too easily. The plan was to pick up mattresses ordered weeks ago and this particular child agreed to join me. Two weeks later, the mattresses remain in storage. I'm not sure how long the store will warehouse back-ordered merchandise, but testing the limits of professional courtesy is never a good idea. Any day now, I expect the manager to call, yet again, saying get the damn things already or lose them to another customer.