Orland Park Mom

As a parent I am guilty of it, and I admit it.  I tend to go on and on about my children, their accomplishments, cute little things they do and say and so on and so forth.  I catch myself ten minutes into a conversation and all I have done is brag about my babies.  I brag to my family, friends, neighbors, the check out lady at Jewel and well, you get the picture.  My friends and family respectfully put up with it.  My husband thinks it is wonderful. 

Then there are the people who do not enjoy it as much.  Sure, they smile and try their hardest to seem interested (bless their hearts) but the natural tendencies to breathe a sigh that translates to “Oh my gosh let this woman shut the heck up already!” or the subtle eye roll that squeaks by speaks volumes.  I get it, I mean I was many a times on the receiving end of the longer than normal conversations of how someone’s precious angel said the darndest thing or looked so darling in their school recital.  Before I was a mother I just didn’t get it.  How in the world could these people take so much pride in the first poopy in the potty accomplishment of their son?  What was so interesting about your daughter saying something cute?  Have I really become one of those people who find these things so entertaining and actually believe people want to hear about them? 

Yes, I have.  And I apologize to the people who have been subjected to my endless hours of bragging about my children.  I see it this way though….I am a Mom.  That is my job.  It is what I do, day in, day out.  I do not work on projects in an office where I am given annual reviews of my work or raises in salary for my dedication.  My accomplishments ARE the actions and behavior of my children.  How many times have I sat and listened to a professional talk about the great account they landed or the house they sold last week?  Many, many times.  I enjoyed it too.  I enjoyed it because when they spoke of it, it made their eyes light up and they were passionate about it.  Is it wrong for me to expect the same enjoyment of my stories of what I am passionate about? 

Who knows, but I will try my best to curb my need to brag so much to those who I can tell do not enjoy hearing about it.  I understand that it may not be interesting to everyone.  Thank you to all that have listened and a special thank you to those who actually enjoyed hearing it.

Oh, did I mention what my son did……uh….nevermind.

I do not know about the rest of you, but at my house around report card time, things get a little tense. My children know that it is not acceptable to come home with a report card that has any grade lower than a B.  Now that may seem harsh, but I will explain my reasoning.  I sit with each of my children individually and make sure they understand all content being taught in all of their subjects. I quiz them on upcoming tests, make sure homework is handed in on time and keep active open communication with all of their teachers.

I openly welcome their requests for help, and assist them in preparing projects when needed.  This leaves no room for “I just didn’t get it.” or “I didn’t understand!”.   

After all of this dedication and hard work (mine and theirs), I expect an A on each of those lines on the report cards.  B’s will also be accepted because people make mistakes, and I get that.  The only reason a C would be given, in my opinion, is if the student is not trying.

Luckily, here in Orland Park we are blessed to have excellent teachers and an amazing school district.  They are doing their part to teach my children and I do my part to help from home.  My children are expected to do theirs.  Plain and simple.

I have taken a  lot of slack for the following, but it works for us and I plan to keep the practice in place.  When the kids come home with great marks, I reward them.  Whether it be a new video game or a trip to the salon for a pedicure (for the girls, of course), they are rewarded for their hard work.  Yes, I have even handed out cash.  I usually ask them what they feel they deserve as a reward for their grades.  They usually have something in mind, go figure.  It is not always what you may expect though.  After the last report cards were sent home they requested a day off of school.  They must have collaborated in private because it seemed to be unanimous.  So we did just that.  We all slept in (except for the hubby, of course) and had a nice relaxing day at home.

At the same time, punishments are put into place for not-so-great marks.  Loss of television privileges, video games and grounding are some of mine.  I also have been known to nag, scream and complain until the grades are brought up. 

Just when the kids thought I could not get my nose further into their schoolwork, lo and behold……….Orland School District 135 sent me a letter stating that I would be now be able to *gasp* have open access to my children’s ongoing grades and attendance online.  Imagine what joy this control freak felt at that moment.  The program is called Powerschool  Parent Portal and it allows parents to log in with a secure password and user name and have access to test/quiz, classwork and homework grades as well as attendance and even lets you know when your child was tardy for class.  The horror in my child’s face the first time he came home and I inquired about why he was late to his science class that very afternoon was priceless.  Now this is only available (at the present time) to children in Jr. High and above, but I am hoping that soon the elementary levels will incorporate it into their systems as well. 

So let the report card season commence……….(fingers crossed!)

According to a lawsuit filed recently against Taco Bell, the “beef” served there is not 100% beef.  Well, one only has to look at a Taco Bell taco to figure that out.  The meat has a creamy texture that cannot be achieved with beef alone.  I laughed when I first heard this story on the news just because it seemed like another frivolous lawsuit that we have all grown accustomed to hearing about.  As long as they are forthcoming with all of the ingredients that are added to their beef so that those who have food allergies can be aware, I do not see what the big deal is. 

Taco Bell president Greg Creed rejected the claims that they are not using 100% pure beef.  He said they plan to take legal action against those making the allegations. 

“At Taco Bell, we buy our beef from the same trusted brands you find in the supermarket,” Creed said. “We start with 100 percent USDA-inspected beef. Then we simmer it in our proprietary blend of seasonings and spices to give our seasoned beef its signature Taco Bell taste and texture.”

This story may have affected me more back in the day when Taco Bell was a regular staple in my diet.  Now, not so much. 

In other local beef news……Fatburger on Lagrange here in Orland Park has closed its doors.  I for one am not surprised.  When they first opened their doors in August of 2008 there was initial interest because Kanye West was opening a burger joint here in town.  Then that interest was replaced with sticker shock when you ordered a burger “value meal” that consisted of a burger, fries and a drink and your total was an astounding $9.  Now, if this burger was superb in any way to justify the price…but no, it wasn’t. 

For those of you who are mourning the loss of our local Fatburger, fear not, there is another location in the Beverly area and according to Fatburger Corp. CEO Andy Widerhorn, they are looking for a replacement site right here in Orland Park.

Today, as I looked around the web for a site and/or blog for us moms here in Orland Park, I came across a lot of nothing.  So why not create one?!?!  SO here we have it.  A blog just for us about things going on in and around town, with our children, local issues, shopping and well, just about anything and everything.  I am new to blogging, so until I learn to navigate around this thing, please excuse any newbie errors.  That being said, if you have any recommendations for topics, discussions or anything for that matter, please feel free to leave a comment.  All are welcome!!