Raising Bubba

"I want a drink of water with ice in it!" yells my young son from his position on the couch. His favorite show is on, and he doesn't want to miss a moment of it. He needs only to learn to substitute "Bring me a beer" and he's set for life. Okay, just joking, but seriously, you can see where the last precious baby son of the family could easily become spoiled.

Some days, I am happy to serve almost 4 yo Bubba's breakfast and chocolate milk (warmed but not hot) in front of "Go, Diego, Go" just to give me a moment to drink that first cup of coffee and check my email. "You're not setting a good example for him," my husband said, after telling Bubba one Saturday morning to get his own darn water. He's right, but it's a hard habit to break. Ah, peace and quiet for a few moments in the morning! Is it too high a price to pay?

Homeschooling young teens with a preschooler in tow can be quite challenging. Oh, I think of those cute craft things and tactile things for him to do. "Now, here's some playdough, you sit here and play." Ten minutes later, the playdough is everywhere, jammed into toy cars, on the floor, in the dogs' hair and he's done. Next activity? Painting: two minutes tops. I will say though that yesterday, he questioned me several times about what color two different colors will produce when mixed. Interesting mental development. I asked Bubba what was his favorite color? "Pink," he responded. Well, maybe he won't be a Bubba after all.