Animania!

I am the mother of two...animaniacs!  There - I said it!  Actually, it's not that difficult for me.  I am not embarrassed or ashamed....  I mean, there are many much worse things they could be into besides anime, manga or anything Japanese.

It all started very innocently.  When my son was very young, he got into Pokemon, as a number of little boys have.  On every trip to the store, he would beg for more Pokemon cards.  He had the toys, the t-shirts, and watched the series on TV.  I watched with him sometimes - actually, I kind of enjoyed it, and I pretty much understood it.

When my daughter was old enough, she got into Pokemon, too - I think mainly to keep up with her big brother.  From there it was onto Yu Gi Oh, Naruto, Bleach, Death Note, etc., etc.  More cards, toys, t-shirts, posters, and videos.  They would get together with friends to play with the cards or to act out the programs.

Then, a few years ago, my kids discovered the anime conventions - or "cons" as they are known.  They aren't quite the same as the sci-fi conventions - you won't see any Trekkies at these!  But you will see so many other characters!  So far, my kids have just attended the conventions in Louisiana.  But they are consumed by them.  They order wigs and cosplays (as the costumes are known); they scour thrift and consignment stores looking for clothing that will fit the look they are going for.  Everything must be precise - almost just isn't good enough for them.  They experimented with makeup and hairstyles.  As I have already said, I do not really sew, but I have had to try to pull together last minute items such as a hat and a tunic - without a pattern.

Lord knows, I never thought that I would buy, much less help put in, red contact lenses for my son.  Nor did I think I would ever dye his hair black, buy him eyeliner (aka "guyliner"), or paint his fingernails.  Again, it could be worse - no new piercings or tattoos!

I have fretted with my kids, worrying that a custom made cosplay would not arrive from China in time - which happened this past weekend.  I have turned the house upside down looking for props or accessories.  I have cleaned up scraps of fabric and thrown away towels with paint spots.

During the con, I have driven back & forth to the hotel numerous times over the course of the weekend with changes of clothes, forgotten items, and food.  This past weekend, my husband and I got a room in the hotel where the con was held - every 5 minutes, there was a knock on the door.  It was always one of our kids, along with several of their friends.  They needed a place to change or a snack.  That room was quite full of various costumed characters at times!

My son met his girlfriend at a con last year.  Good news - she can sew!  And she does it very well!  And she puts up with him when he gets crazed about getting his hair or nails or whatever perfect!  If she can teach my two to sew, she will be perfect in my eyes!

Overall, the cosplayers are a good bunch of kids.  Most of them have above average intelligence.  I'm sure that this group is like so many others - kids that hadn't found a place to fit in elsewhere.  I know parents who have curtailed or even forbidden their kids when it comes to all things Japanese.  I would just like to find a way to cash in since so many of these kids seem to buy anything and everything at the cons. 

I guess it all comes down to the parental golden rule - pick your battles.  I don't want this to be one.  I enjoy sitting back and watching the parade of interesting outfits go by, while driving my kids crazy by asking repeatedly, "Who is he dressed as?  Who is she?  What show is that one from?"

"Domo Arigato, Mr. Roboto!"

 

The Title Says It All

It does.  I am far from the perfect parent!  But I do think that - most of the time - I get an "A" in effort!  

My mother was the ultimate Super Mom.  She could sew beautifully - she made clothes for herself, for me, and for my dolls.  She could crochet and knit, too.  My mother was a very good cook - nothing fancy, but always delicious.  There was always containers of homemade soups and gumbos in the freezer.  She also canned vegetables and made jellies.  Of course, she was a Depression-era child and the oldest of ten.

Because my father became disabled when I was a toddler, my mother worked full-time.  She had retired from the U.S. Navy when - surprise! - she became pregnant with me.  That was during a time when women had to leave the military when they were "with child."  She was one of the first WAVES stationed in New Orleans.  

Anyway, my mother worked at the Naval Hospital in New Orleans from 8:30 to 5 Monday through Friday.  She came home and cooked supper every night.  She made me lunch to bring to school every morning.  She did all of the shopping, yard work, cleaning, ironing, dishes (no dishwasher!) and laundry.  She paid the bills and took me everywhere I needed to go.  She was a member of the PTA - other than that, she was home with my father and me every night.  She typed all of my term papers for me and quizzed me for tests.  I didn't understand then why she would fall asleep in front of the TV most nights.  I do now!  I fall asleep in front of the TV a lot of nights.

I am definitely not the same kind of mother that my mom was.  I can barely sew on a button.  I can cook fairly well, but do as little as possible, though I do love to bake.  I do just enough ironing and cleaning to get by.  Our bank accounts look so much better since my husband took over the bill paying.  My freezer has nothing homemade in it.  I can't crochet - and I can only knit if someone gets me started.  I love counted cross-stitching but have zero time for it.  


Now don't get me wrong!  I am far from lazy!  I work full-time.  I do most of the shopping, all of the laundry, and just about all of the cleaning and dishes (but I do have a dishwasher).  I am one of the leaders of my daughter's Girl Scout troop and I'm an officer with the Band Boosters at my son's high school, plus I will soon be a Colorguard Mom when my daughter starts high school in the fall.  I help with my daughter's 4-H projects, take my son to private music lessons and accompany him to Louisiana Youth Orchestra rehearsals.  I never miss either of their school concerts or honor roll programs (if they tell me about them in advance!)  I have been on a number of field trips.  When my ADHD daughter was younger, I would read her summer reading books aloud to her since she retained it better that way.  I go to almost every doctor's appointment - though I have let my husband take over the dentist and orthodontist.  I worry more about my kids' grades and homework than they do.  And I try to make sure that our cats and dogs are healthy and fed.

I have a "to-do" list a mile long.  Someday, I hope that my house will be organized and clean, that my yard and garden will be a showplace, and that my kids will have grown into happy, healthy, productive adults.  Someday, I want to have time to cross-stitch again...to catch up on all the books I want to read...and to finish the novel I started.  I want to be able to stay at home all weekend - no trips to the mall, the movie theater, etc.  I want to know what it's like to have a lazy day - without feeling guilty about it!  I want to be able to cook a meal of things my husband and I would like to eat without hearing grumbling and whining.


Don't get me wrong - I adore my children.  I think it's obvious that they come first...above my needs and wants.  And I think that will be evident in my next entry - animania!