General discussion - Mom and Dad Esq.

[taxwonk]

Originally posted by Atticus Grinch
Thanks. Last question on this, I swear. Would it have been illegal for him to have picked up the fucking check for lunch?

I've heard of insurance agent pulling some crazy shit, but you're joking, right?

[taxwonk]

Originally posted by Atticus Grinch
Jesus H. Christ -- not having sex with your wife is not an effective form of birth control and never has been.

Yeah, well then how come I haven't gotten pregnant, eh, Monsieur Assclam?

[Atticus Grinch]

Originally posted by taxwonk
Yeah, well then how come I haven't gotten pregnant, eh, Monsieur Assclam?

Because capon fat and bacon grease are abortifacients?

[Hank Chinaski]

Originally posted by Atticus Grinch
Because capon fat and bacon grease are abortifacients?

i was going to guess that his partners don't orgasm.

[Tyrone Slothrop]

The Swiss Family Robinson -- a good book to read with a seven-year-old?

[Greedy,Greedy,Greedy]

Originally posted by Tyrone Slothrop
The Swiss Family Robinson -- a good book to read with a seven-year-old?

Sure, but why not just go for the real deal with Gulliver?

[tmdiva]

Originally posted by Tyrone Slothrop
The Swiss Family Robinson -- a good book to read with a seven-year-old?

I dunno (been too long since I read it), but let me know what you end up deciding.

I think our next read-aloud for our seven-year-old will be A Christmas Carol, and then after the holidays we'll start Goblet of Fire (we've taken a 6-month break since finishing Prisoner of Azkaban). Granted, our seven-year-old is not typical of most, but I figure yours might not be either.

tm

[Paisley]

Originally posted by tmdiva
I dunno (been too long since I read it), but let me know what you end up deciding.

I think our next read-aloud for our seven-year-old will be A Christmas Carol, and then after the holidays we'll start Goblet of Fire (we've taken a 6-month break since finishing Prisoner of Azkaban). Granted, our seven-year-old is not typical of most, but I figure yours might not be either.

tm

I am currently reading Goblet of Fire to my 6 year old. He is loving it.

(This is actually my first pass through the HP series. I am loving this at least as much as he is.)

[andViolins]

Has anyone ever dealt with a child diagnosed with PANDAS?

aV

[Gattigap]

I know everyone has been waiting to hear me brag about my kid, and it's been about a year, so I can restrain myself no longer.

Yes, folks, it's the Holiday Show time of year again, which means that Gaplet is working on his Actor's Equity credits. He's been cast in another Civic Light Opera production:



.. in an Ensemble role. Difference between this and Oliver! is that he's one of about 4 kids, instead of one of about 30.

As an aside, Gaplet seems to have a knack for winning roles in end-of-year plays. It'll be interesting to see if he's successful next year, when the CLO presents in its 2008 holiday season:



As the theater's producer put it, "Why? Because NOTHING says "Christmas" like Fiddler on the Roof. Let's paint the tree blue and sing Dreidel, Dreidel, Dreidel, because it's their turn."

*****

Anyway, last night was Opening Night. We got Gaplet the Thespian to the theater in time, hung around the lobby for much longer than God intended, and as the lights went down I settled in my seat secretly and fully prepared to hate it.

Let me unpack that a little bit.

I don't mean to suggest that I was going to hate seeing my kid, not at all. I fully knew that he would be fantastic and I would love seeing him there. It's just that -- well -- the material for this particular play is a bit dated. It's Cinderella, for heaven's sake. It's not as if the plot would contain any surprises. And while I've never watched the Rodgers and Hammerstein version of the play, I've listened to the soundtrack over the last few weeks. Interminably. It's nice, but it's not really filled with songs that have become standards in the decades since. It also has Julie Andrews and many other people singing in the style of 1957, and sounding much like this cover would suggest it would.



So, I was prepared to suffer a bit. To watch and listen and wait for my boy to appear on the stage with the rest of the ensemble, to come see what I really wanted to see.




I don't know what the hell I was thinking. It was awesome.

I had forgotten that people don't have to sing in the overly formal way of 50 years ago, and that a live show invariably is a better experience than a recorded soundtrack. The set was whimsical (they even used a friggin' 20-foot-tall book as a transitional piece for a couple of scenes.) The techniques to deal with the transformation of the pumpkin, the dress, etc. were clever. Cinderella and the Prince (and for that matter the rest of the cast) were immensely talented, and made otherwise tired material seem fresh.

And my kid killed.

I think I mentioned last time around that the house holds about 1400 people. It was just about full, and by my estimate about 350 seats were filled with 5-6 year old girls dressed in little gowns. Small parts of the cast go out to the lobby after the show, in costume, for a meet-and-greet with the audience, and the Gaplet was mobbed. ("Dad, I went out there after the show? And there were ALL these little girls there. And some wanted to take their picture with me!")

So, for the next 3 weeks, I'll either be watching the show or be waiting in the theater parking lot waiting for the show to end to pick up my kid. If y'all could hang around late at night and post interesting things for me to read while waiting in my car those nights, that'd be great.

Gattigap

[tmdiva]

Originally posted by Gattigap
So, for the next 3 weeks, I'll either be watching the show or be waiting in the theater parking lot waiting for the show to end to pick up my kid. If y'all could hang around late at night and post interesting things for me to read while waiting in my car those nights, that'd be great.

Gattigap

Hmm. Have you had a vasectomy?

tm

[Flinty_McFlint]

Originally posted by tmdiva
Hmm. Have you had a vasectomy?

tm

I think he's had considerably more work than just that.

[Paisley]

Originally posted by Gattigap
I know everyone has been waiting to hear me brag about my kid, and it's been about a year, so I can restrain myself no longer.

Yes, folks, it's the Holiday Show time of year again, which means that Gaplet is working on his Actor's Equity credits. He's been cast in another Civic Light Opera production:



.. in an Ensemble role. Difference between this and Oliver! is that he's one of about 4 kids, instead of one of about 30.

As an aside, Gaplet seems to have a knack for winning roles in end-of-year plays. It'll be interesting to see if he's successful next year, when the CLO presents in its 2008 holiday season:



As the theater's producer put it, "Why? Because NOTHING says "Christmas" like Fiddler on the Roof. Let's paint the tree blue and sing Dreidel, Dreidel, Dreidel, because it's their turn."

*****

Anyway, last night was Opening Night. We got Gaplet the Thespian to the theater in time, hung around the lobby for much longer than God intended, and as the lights went down I settled in my seat secretly and fully prepared to hate it.

Let me unpack that a little bit.

I don't mean to suggest that I was going to hate seeing my kid, not at all. I fully knew that he would be fantastic and I would love seeing him there. It's just that -- well -- the material for this particular play is a bit dated. It's Cinderella, for heaven's sake. It's not as if the plot would contain any surprises. And while I've never watched the Rodgers and Hammerstein version of the play, I've listened to the soundtrack over the last few weeks. Interminably. It's nice, but it's not really filled with songs that have become standards in the decades since. It also has Julie Andrews and many other people singing in the style of 1957, and sounding much like this cover would suggest it would.



So, I was prepared to suffer a bit. To watch and listen and wait for my boy to appear on the stage with the rest of the ensemble, to come see what I really wanted to see.




I don't know what the hell I was thinking. It was awesome.

I had forgotten that people don't have to sing in the overly formal way of 50 years ago, and that a live show invariably is a better experience than a recorded soundtrack. The set was whimsical (they even used a friggin' 20-foot-tall book as a transitional piece for a couple of scenes.) The techniques to deal with the transformation of the pumpkin, the dress, etc. were clever. Cinderella and the Prince (and for that matter the rest of the cast) were immensely talented, and made otherwise tired material seem fresh.

And my kid killed.

I think I mentioned last time around that the house holds about 1400 people. It was just about full, and by my estimate about 350 seats were filled with 5-6 year old girls dressed in little gowns. Small parts of the cast go out to the lobby after the show, in costume, for a meet-and-greet with the audience, and the Gaplet was mobbed. ("Dad, I went out there after the show? And there were ALL these little girls there. And some wanted to take their picture with me!")

So, for the next 3 weeks, I'll either be watching the show or be waiting in the theater parking lot waiting for the show to end to pick up my kid. If y'all could hang around late at night and post interesting things for me to read while waiting in my car those nights, that'd be great.

Gattigap

So when do you give up the day job and become a stage mom?

[Gattigap]

Originally posted by Paisley
So when do you give up the day job and become a stage mom?

Got it all planned out. Soon as the kid gets his fist 3 picture deal, then I figure it's time to put down the pen, pick up the speedball and start hittin' the town with Lindsay's mom.

[viet_mom]

Yesterday we got report cards and last night was parent-teacher conference.

1. Vietbabe -Sept. b'day (young compared to most in class but 2 other Sept. b'days in class and they are doing fine academically).

2. Catholic kindergarten with 18 kids in her class.

3. Although she is tired b/c no nap anymore, I have always gotten her to do her homework and we haven't missed any school. We read every night and do normal things but not like that character in Parenthood with the flashcards.

4. Report card: highest marks in Self Confidence, Happy, Friendly, Plays Well With Others, Polite (you name it). The only comment is that she's a bit too much of a social butterfly and may be talking while directions are being given by teacher.

5. Conference: teacher showed me her classwork. Not picking up as quickly on phonetics, "math" concepts and such. The teacher seems good. And I always make sure Vietbabe does homework, gets enough sleep, ready for school, all that. So, I think it's not something that can be changed. Teacher thinks she will probably recommend that Vietbabe repeat K and that she really is "that behind" and that 1st grade at that school is particularly challenging. I asked what are the chances that increased help outside school (flash cards and work on weekends with her) would change that but she says it is not likely.

I am so grateful my child is "Happy" and "Self Confident" and "Plays Well With Others." But this morning, I'm upset and teary-eyed even though I know it's "just Kindergarten". Anyone have input? Thank you.