Friday, March 22, 2013

Plans for my son

Well, I feel I don't get to talk enough about my baby, my son, or anything, so I am gonna put all my thoughts out here in the open. This post may be a little random.
First off, I write in a journal. I usually set some sort of rule on this and write like everyday, but in trying to stay as stress free as possible I write when the mood strikes me. Normally I write when there is some thing I want to share with my son, Aries, or when some major changes or events go on. Like I write when ever I have a doctors appointment to tell him how it went and how well he is doing. Then I also wrote recently to tell him I finally got a new van to be my mommy van to drive him around in. I originally only planned to write in this while pregnant, but I think I will just keep writing him until the book is full. I am not sure yet when I plan to give the book to him to read, most likely when he is a teenager, or out of high school. Also this way if anything ever happens to me, he will always have this book and know he is so loved.
These aren't the cars I have for my son, but a good example. One thing I really want is for him to have a butt ton of hot wheels or match box cars. When I was a kid it was just me and my brother until I was 13 and my other brother was born, and I have really fond memories of spending hours playing little made up games or stories with my brothers toy cars. We didn't get along much, and when we did this was one really good memory I have, and I would love to see my little guy fall in love with these cars too. I already have a ton, and pick them up where ever I can find them cheap.

Another big thing I wanted before he was born was a good mommy van. I have spent half or more of my driving life driving vans, and I knew that is what I wanted to haul my son around in. Not only that is I wanted something newer, and nicer to rely on and see to it he was safe. I was able to get a 2002 Ford Windstar. I drove a 1998 Ford Windstar until March of 2012, when a drunk driver totaled it while it was parked on the side of the road. It was always a good van, and I have found this one to be very reliable too. It has the dual sliding doors so it will be easy to get a car seat out either side, and fit people and stuff in and around a car seat too. It needs a little work, but with a little TLC it will be a good van for many years to come. As long as no one wrecks it while parked, like my last one.

Speaking of cars, I grew up in a house hold that never encouraged me to learn how to drive, would not pay for drivers ED and never allowed me to drive their vehicles. I don't want the same for my son. I have already figured out that if I save so much per year, my son can buy a decent starter car on his 15th birthday to learn to drive in. It roughly comes to $67 a year, and if we put it some where it will earn any interest then he can get something even nicer. Now, nothing was ever handed to me, and this car won't be handed to him either. In the year he is learning how to drive, it won't cost him anything to drive it. No joy riding, but he will learn about maintenance, cleaning, and car care. Once he turns 16 though, he can get his licence, but if he wants to drive he has to pay for it. Get a part time job that makes enough to pay for part of the cost of insurance, and cover all his gas. As well as regular maintenance, like if it needs a oil change, he would pay for that. If it needs new tires, he would pay some, but I don't mind paying for most of it if he is responsible. I also have no problem taking the car away if he can't take care of it, or if he wrecks it, he is basically out of luck there. Then he has a choice, when he moves out he can either buy his own car, or buy the one he has been driving off me for a fraction of the cost that was paid for it. I strongly believe everything must be earned. Otherwise how would he appreciate anything he has?

When it comes to preschool, from my experiences, I am not really interested in glorified daycare. None of the children in my family went to preschool and I have met a lot of dumb people (and kids sadly) who have. So I feel it doesn't give my son any advantage to be there when I can teach him at home. Now the year before he starts school, I was considering like 2 or 3 days a week of half day preschool, just to get him used to the idea of going to school everyday. Nothing full time though. At this point in time I am all for public schools and think the social interaction is very important. I don't think I would consider home schooling, but if I did I would really only be interested in community home schooling where you get together with other home schooled kids and families several times a week and do activities and lessons. I would hate to cut my child off from the world. I don't really know much about Ohio schools, I can only hope they are good.

When it comes to activities, clubs, hobbies, I want to encourage my son to do everything he can. Justin never did anything in school, nothing. I was involved in tons of art related things, color guard, key club, drama, and others and I am glad I did them. Although most of them were cut short due to my parents would not fund them or would not drive me to them. I really do not want to be one of those moms that drives their kids to 50 different activities a week, but if he found a few things he really enjoyed and was passionate about I would do anything to support him.

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