Karate chop to the wallet.
November 21st 2006 05:26
We're not poor by any means. We have two cars (one older and both paid off) a motorcycle (not paid off) we have insurance on all things that need to be insured, we have food, and we have decent clothes. Looking at us, you'd see a normal, lower middle class family. We get all our clothes from Target, Wal-Mart and wherever else there is a sale.
One of the hardest things to find the money for is extra curricular activities for our children. We do not make a lot of trips to Chuck E Cheese, we don't take them on big outings. This is the first year my daughter has done anything sport related, which she hated. She has shown some interest in martial arts. I'm sure the interest comes fromm equal parts of Dad (used to be a 3rd degree brown belt) SpongeBob and his Ka Rah Tay! and Xioalin Showdown. Tony has always said he'd like for his kids to do martial arts. Also, let's face it, anything that can make Aislinn focus, and show some control is a good thing.
There has been a local Tae Kwon Do place advertising hard core in the area. I guess it's a local branch of a National chain. www.worldtaekwondo.com It's a good starter deal, $29 for two weeks, and she can go to class whenever she wants, even six days a week and it comes with a free uniform. We went today for our tour, and we were met by a jovial older gentleman of the Anglo persuasion. His belly swelled ever so slightly over his black belt. He immediatly got into teasing Aislinn, calling her George and all that. Typical grandfatherly type. He put us at ease, but I was still nervous and careful. I didn't want to get suckered into his sales pitch. I brought Tony along so he could be my buffer.
We go to sit down in the little room, and he gives us the little folder with the rules etc. He teases Aislinn some more, and we have a good time. Aislinn tells him with pride that she is a quarter korean, that her mom is 1/2 and her Mimi is full. He oohs and ahhs appropriately and then he takes her into a little room, and shows her some moves. Aislinn did them ok, but with a lot of hip wiggling. The whole time he is coaching her, teaching her to say "Yes sir" and "No sir" and to pay attention to him. Aislinn is really an antsy kid, and she really tried hard, but he had to help her. Finally, she got to break a board. The look on her face when she did it was awesome. Then I glanced over at Tony, my buffer mind you, and I could see it. Pride. He was hooked. My buffer was no more.
I just knew this wasn't going well. WE get in the room, and the guy is pretty much acting like we're part of the family. I explained to him that Aislinn was very antsy, and he assured me he knew how to handle it. I explained that her soccer coach was gung ho about her too, but halfway through the season, basically gave up on her. It broke my heart to see the coach being super sweet to the other girls, and either ignore or snap at my child. Then we get to the price (after prompting from me of course) and it's $95 a month.
Eep.
Double Eep.
The Master was very nice. He is retired military, so he and T of course start swapping stories. He assured us that he would be honest about Aislinn after the 2 week trial period. If he didn't think she could do it, or it was a wrong fit, he'd tell us.
This is when it gets tough being a less than rich parent. You want to give your children want they want, but you also want to be able to buy like food and stuff.
I am just so confused. Tony would tell me I'm jumping the gun. Getting the horse before the cart so to speak. She may not even LIKE it. Although she is ready to start tomorrow.
Whatever shall I do?
All I know is that Aislinn was giving me trouble at bedtime, and when I got a little short with her, she said "yes ma'am" and went to bed.
We don't need food do we?
One of the hardest things to find the money for is extra curricular activities for our children. We do not make a lot of trips to Chuck E Cheese, we don't take them on big outings. This is the first year my daughter has done anything sport related, which she hated. She has shown some interest in martial arts. I'm sure the interest comes fromm equal parts of Dad (used to be a 3rd degree brown belt) SpongeBob and his Ka Rah Tay! and Xioalin Showdown. Tony has always said he'd like for his kids to do martial arts. Also, let's face it, anything that can make Aislinn focus, and show some control is a good thing.
There has been a local Tae Kwon Do place advertising hard core in the area. I guess it's a local branch of a National chain. www.worldtaekwondo.com It's a good starter deal, $29 for two weeks, and she can go to class whenever she wants, even six days a week and it comes with a free uniform. We went today for our tour, and we were met by a jovial older gentleman of the Anglo persuasion. His belly swelled ever so slightly over his black belt. He immediatly got into teasing Aislinn, calling her George and all that. Typical grandfatherly type. He put us at ease, but I was still nervous and careful. I didn't want to get suckered into his sales pitch. I brought Tony along so he could be my buffer.
We go to sit down in the little room, and he gives us the little folder with the rules etc. He teases Aislinn some more, and we have a good time. Aislinn tells him with pride that she is a quarter korean, that her mom is 1/2 and her Mimi is full. He oohs and ahhs appropriately and then he takes her into a little room, and shows her some moves. Aislinn did them ok, but with a lot of hip wiggling. The whole time he is coaching her, teaching her to say "Yes sir" and "No sir" and to pay attention to him. Aislinn is really an antsy kid, and she really tried hard, but he had to help her. Finally, she got to break a board. The look on her face when she did it was awesome. Then I glanced over at Tony, my buffer mind you, and I could see it. Pride. He was hooked. My buffer was no more.
I just knew this wasn't going well. WE get in the room, and the guy is pretty much acting like we're part of the family. I explained to him that Aislinn was very antsy, and he assured me he knew how to handle it. I explained that her soccer coach was gung ho about her too, but halfway through the season, basically gave up on her. It broke my heart to see the coach being super sweet to the other girls, and either ignore or snap at my child. Then we get to the price (after prompting from me of course) and it's $95 a month.
Eep.
Double Eep.
The Master was very nice. He is retired military, so he and T of course start swapping stories. He assured us that he would be honest about Aislinn after the 2 week trial period. If he didn't think she could do it, or it was a wrong fit, he'd tell us.
This is when it gets tough being a less than rich parent. You want to give your children want they want, but you also want to be able to buy like food and stuff.
I am just so confused. Tony would tell me I'm jumping the gun. Getting the horse before the cart so to speak. She may not even LIKE it. Although she is ready to start tomorrow.
Whatever shall I do?
All I know is that Aislinn was giving me trouble at bedtime, and when I got a little short with her, she said "yes ma'am" and went to bed.
We don't need food do we?
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Summer Banks
Romance Writers
Comment by Anonymous
I hear you on the expensive activities. You'll have to give an update later if you all decide to do it. I'd love to know how it goes. Maybe it would give me a shove in the direction of handing out my money to the "children's activities money suckers".
Keep on blogging girl! You have the gift of getting the thought just right on the screen.
KT
Comment by Anonymous
Brooke