Mini-me, or not a mini-me?

It's often been said that my daughter is a mini-me...just a smaller version of me in attitude and personality. Then why do we always butt heads so much?

Well, now I know why. A friend of mine recommended the book "Nurture by Nature" that allows you to find out your child's personality type. I have known mine for several years. I am an ISTJ. For those who aren't geeks like me and love to analyze things like this, it means that I am Introverted-Sensing-Thinking-Judging. The opposite of that is Extroverted-Intuitive-Feeling-Perceiving (ENFP). Myers-Briggs and other temperament tests are available if you want to find yours out as well.

So this morning I crack open the book and start delving into it to pinpoint where my daughter is. Some of them are difficult to ascertain, as she has a lot of different traits in the various categories. So when I think I have determined her temperament and then go to the page that gives an overview of that temperament, it is spot on. My daughter is an ESFP. The exact temperament of my husband! (No wonder we butt heads so much when I now have TWO of them in the house!)

My daughter and I do share a lot of similar qualities, mostly just because she has taken on some of my more, um, not so endearing traits, like the eye-rolling and the snarky attitude. But she truly is an energetic, happy-go-lucky, sensitive and caring child. An ESFP to the core.

While not too surprising to me, I do hope that now that I understand her personality, and knowing that it is just like my husband, I can find ways to help balance out that extra energy and sensitivity in the house. I'm thinking a nice, dark cave...

Calls of love

As Maya is staying home this summer, I am trying to add structure to her day by assigning her tasks, or limiting how much TV she watches, or having her get outside and playing. Of course, I'm not the one who is home with her so it's hard to ensure that she's getting the structure she needs when I'm not home. But the one thing I thought I could control is letting her call me at work if she needed to talk to me or ask questions.

Hmmmmm...giving a 6-year-old the authority to pick up the phone and call you is like, well, a kid in a candy store. They just don't know when enough is enough. The first day I gave her this authority (and wrote down my direct work number on the bulletin board), she called me six times. Yes, six times throughout an 8-hour day. About three of those ended up as voicemails as I wasn't at my desk the entire time. This week, she's called me about 4-5 times a day. The conversations all go something like this.

Maya: Hi Mommy!
Me: Hi sweetie! How are you?
Maya: Good. How's your day?
Me: Just fine.
Maya: What are you doing?
Me: Working
Maya: Are you having a good day.
Me: Yes sweetie. Did you need something?
Maya: I just wanted to call and say I love you. When are you coming home?
Me: In a few hours.
SILENCE
Me: Is there anything else sweetie?
Maya: I love you and Daddy loves you and I can't wait until you get home and I hope you're having a good day at work.

While the multiple distractions can be a bit, well, distracting, it's nice to hear that sweet voice on the other end of the phone. For occasions when I'm not having such a good day, those voicemails are still on my phone to listen to whenever I need a bit of love!

Yellow Dragon Productions is here!

Our production company is up and running! We have a logo, a name, a P.O. Box, a checking account, a website, and money starting to come in from summer theatre camps for students. If you're interested, visit http://www.yellowdragonproductions.com/. While I am a marketer, I am NOT a graphic designer. The website needs some work, but it came free with our domain name, so I'll work with it.

My husband and I have been talking about this for several years. Due to his unemployment situation (from his full-time job - he still has his two contract jobs), we thought that there was no time better than the present. I think we can do a lot of really great stuff. But now trying to run a business along with working full-time, being a wife and mother, and trying to fit in other shows along the way? Yes, I am insane.

Speaking of shows, there are some really intriguing ones coming up next season at the various theatres that I want to take a look at. One theatre is doing one of my all-time favorites - "Godspell". I did this show at a church several years ago. LOVE the music. Two productions around the holidays look interesting, but on various ends of the spectrum. "Drood", which is a humorous and audience interactive murder mystery, complete with the main character portrayed by a female actor in male drag, OR "White Christmas", a feel-good, happy-go-lucky musical. Both have interesting roles in them. Later in the season, "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels" or "Jesus Christ Superstar" look possible. BUT it all depends on what hubby and I decide to produce.

Let's see if I can make it through the year with all of the things I continue to pile on my plate!