Co-ed sleepovers or camping trips

Tessa's best friend is a little boy who is a grade ahead of her in school. I am very good friends with his mom. In fact, I now consider her one of my best friends. They live in the neighborhood, and we see them every single day.

This friend, who I will call E, is the one who is going camping with Brian and Tessa. Some of my family members, and a few of my friends, have expressed concern about the two of them sleeping in the same tent. I think this is crazy. They are seven and eight, for goodness sakes.

Tessa has spent the night at his house, and he has here, too. They are together just about every single day, but definitely every day after school. They ride the bus home together and play until dark. He calls my mom "Nana." They are actually more like cousins than best friends.

People have expressed concern about this. They said kids know more today than they did years ago, so they shouldn't be having sleepovers together. I think it's a bit sad and maybe even a little sick to give sexual connotations to innocent children's fun.

Maybe I am the crazy one though. Would you let your seven year old have a sleepover with someone of the opposite sex? If they were 12 or 13, I would definitely not allow it, but I don't have any problem with it at this age.

Time...You ain't no friend of mine

I need more hours in the day. Twenty-four just isn't enough. Between 16 hours of classes, homework, housework, taking care of two girls...I feel like I never have enough time for anything.

Brian is taking Tessa and a friend camping this weekend. I have two Power Point presentations due to Monday night plus a major test Monday, too, so Ella and I are at home while they camp. I hope I can get it all done.

I know it's just for two more semesters and then I will be done with my bachelor's degree. I can handle it for that long.

Parking is getting better now that some have dropped classes or are skipping. I love the classes I'm taking, too. I just wish I had more time.

Speaking of time, I can't believe how fast it's going by. Ella turned 10 months old yesterday. In two more months, my baby will be one. I know I will be bawling my eyes out that day.

Back to school

Saturday was my first time in a classroom as a student in 12 years. I was excited and nervous. That class was great. It was Foundations of Mental Health Counseling, and it is actually a undergraduate/graduate class, which means it has some students who are undergraduates and some who are graduate students. We learned what we will have to do in order to become counselors and a brief history of the field. I had no trouble parking.

I was more nervous about Monday. In fact, I was so nervous I was sick to my stomach all weekend. I was afraid of not finding parking and not finding my way to class, but I left the house at 7:30 a.m., found parking in the first lot I went to and was early for my class. It is Sociology of Families. I had this teacher last semester, and I loved that class. It was online though so I had never met her in person. My night class was at 6 p.m., and of course, I had no problem finding parking. That class was behavioral modification, and I know it's going to be interesting.

Today, I left at the same time but had to stop for gas. This put me a little behind, and I had to go to three parking lots before I found a space. It wasn't that much farther away than my first choice, so it was ok. I made it in plenty of time and was able to re-read some of the article assignments for the class. I absolutely love this one. This teacher is fabulous, and I can't wait to dissect societal norms for what makes a family.

I have just gotten started the last few days with my online classes, and I think they will be interesting, too. I still hate parking, but I am glad I took some on campus classes this fall. I think I'm going to like interacting with the students and the teacher.