Adulthood

I am not particularly loving adulthood at the moment. I think this revelation is a result of my recent return to graduate studies via online courses. I enjoy my studies -- evidently I enjoy studying more than my job.

In adulthood, I need to have a real job. I need benefits, the whole 9-5 (or 7-4 in my case) thing, Monday - Friday life. I guess grad school has just become an enjoyable hobby at the moment. Grad school as a hobby. What a bleak thought.

My favorite things about adulthood: Driving and Lexie.

I love driving. I wish I had a longer commute to
and from

work -- I love to drive. I will drive cross-country at any excuse. I will volunteer to do the driving in a carpool (although I like driving alone better than with others). In my car is about the only place I sing anymore, and that is a great combination for me - driving and singing.

Lexie is my cat and she is definitely the best thing about adulthood. She is mine and I take care of her. I love her because she IS - not because of what she does or does not do. She is my cat, she is my dependent (as much as any cat is dependent) and I absolutely love her! From the moment so meowed her way into my life, I choose to love her and she is one of the best things in my life.

My least favorite things about adulthood: Decisions. I hate decisions.

With children, as an educator, I have learned that I need to give children a choice I can live with -- that way whatever they choose, they can get and they feel like they have control, but really I make the choices.

For example, throughout a given day, I will say to children the following:
"Would you like to wash your hands and then get your lunchbox or get your lunchbox and then wash your hands?"
"Running around is not a choice right now. Would you like to play with blocks or do a puzzle?" "Would you like to sit on the circle or the square?" (Our "circle time" rug has shapes on it)
"Are you going to come brush your teeth or do you need me to help you come brush your teeth?"

In all of these cases, either choice is do-able. It really doesn't matter to me which the child chooses - but those are the choices (period). This way the child learns a sense of control over their life and environment but their choices are still within healthy and productive early childhood preschool activities and routines.


So if children learn a sense of control and security from making their own decisions, why are decisions my least favorite part of adulthood? I don't really know the answer. Personal or professional, I don't like decisions. I don't like having to make decisions. I don't like the fact that my decisions affect other people. I'm tired of living amongst the humans.