Saturday, November 22, 2008

Back up to level 3

Well, things are going, if not as well as I'd like, they are at least going. Katie is back up to level three as of yesterday. She is still smoking unfortunately, but there isn't much I can do there. There is still a lot of conflict going on between her and her brothers - and both sides are guilty of instigating it.

Katie is starting to learn some of the harsh realities of economics in the real world. With her job, she needed bank accounts. Yep, she already bounced some. First she ordered some CD's online (at Amazon) and had it come from her savings - the first mistake. Then she didn't have enough to cover it, so had to deal with the bank charges, and then the vendor charges as well. Of course she didn't have that kind of money - so now her allowance goes to me until it is taken care of. I said that I would help her this once, and have also started doing a check on her accounts to make sure she is actually writing EVERYTHING down in her register - or she earns a Cat 2.

It is very frustrating as a parent to watch your children insist on making the same stupid mistakes, and not listening when we tell them how to avoid them. I just think it would be nice, if, for once, they would listen and not have to do all the stupid things for themselves.

But hey, we all have our fantasies.

Tuesday, November 04, 2008

Questioning the church

The day to day things seem to be going ok for now.

Katie is smoking again, unfortunately, but as an adult I can't stop her.

She has decided to 'take a break' from her church for a bit - she is struggling to find herself and just isn't liking some of the answers she is getting there for her questions. She doesn't like to admit that I might ever have a point before the world hits her over the head with it. I tried to explain to her months ago that she did not know most of what the Mormon church is about, and would just be starting to investigate it.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not against the LDS church any more than I am any other - I respect their beliefs even if I don't agree with them, and I respect their right to have them without judging them (i.e. I don't consider their beliefs wrong - they just aren't what I believe).

Katie is just struggling with the role of women in their society (i.e. as wives, taking care of the family - generally not the breadwinners nor having careers) as well as the strong family orientation - specifically how it excludes those who aren't in the church. She is upset that her family is not part of the church - doesn't like the idea of going to heaven without her family. Fairly admirable in some ways when you look at it.

I never forced her to go to church, and supported her exploring and questioning them.

The only regret I have if she does leave it is the good people in the church, and the positive influence there. She really needs that support.