Monday was a particularly challenging day. We managed to get off to school okay but he came with more bad marks yet again. This is day five now. I lost my mind.

When I went to pick him up from the sitter, he didn’t have his shoes on and he was completely ignoring the grandparents’ request to get them on. I finally pulled out the Mom Voice. You know that. We’ve all heard it. And I’d had enough of his fooling around. Especially when I saw the marks in his folder were “not following directions and not finishing work”. Yeah. It made me insane.

So the Mom Voice came out and I told him to knock it off and we were going home. On the way home, I gave him the Mom Voice. All the way home. And I told him he was grounded for a week from the Wii and the computer. That’s like a fate worse than death for the kiddo. But I’ve had enough nonsense. He’s going to buckle down and get his stuff done.

We got home and I made him go straight to doing homework while I got dinner on. I have him one hour to finish his homework. Of course, I had to hover over him the entire time, but he did get it done finally.

I also told him if I had to repeat myself, he would be getting a visit from the Wooden Spoon. Now, I’ve never actually used it. But it’s a great deterrent, that’s for sure. When I pull that thing out, it gets results. Maybe it’s the sound of the wood smacking against my hand that makes him hop to. hehe

Anyway, it was a very frustrating evening for me. I was trying to visit with a friend and he kept insisting on reading his I Spy book or putting rubber creatures on her. Or just generally being a pest. Parenting is one the hardest jobs I think I’ve ever had.

As for the writing. Well…it’s suffering big time. I sometimes feel like a hamster one a wheel - just running and running and not getting anywhere. Except I can’t get off. And I can’t make any headway. This week, I’m trying to get myself back on track, though. Hopefully I can do it. I have two more contest entries to read and then I’m DONE.

And I need a pedicure. And an eyebrow wax. And a manicure. And about three days off in at the Four Seasons Spa. Is that so much to ask? hehe

Okay that’s enough self pity.

I’ve been reading a lot lately about the changes in the publishing world. Harper Collins has decided to stop giving advances. I’ve also read some bookstores just don’t have the manpower to get the new releases on the shelves. These are at the Big Three Bookstores, too. Which is disturbing. As a writer who is struggling to get published and stay published, it can really be discouraging. So what makes you keep writing when you hear this news? I think the love of the craft and the wish to tell stories is really the only thing that keeps you going. At least for me. I love writing books and stores. I love getting the words down. I may never be published again (I certainly hope not) but somehow I know if I keep going, eventually I will be.

So I guess that’s all I know about. Happy Tuesday. I think.