Growing Up

We're all home and attempting to get back on our time zone schedules.  Brian and I took and extra 2 days off work to do this and the last two days at work for difficult, but tolerable.  But, you come home dog tired!  The kids are having issues staying awake all day, but we keep reminding them that they need to so they can sleep at night and get their time clocks reset.  Jaemin did really well adjusting to Korean time, but is having a more difficult time adjusting back to our time.  He wants to get up REALLY early and he's in a great mood and ready to go!

Cole had an orthodontist appointment as soon as we got home, so he and Brian went to that and then went around for him to apply for jobs.  He hasn't applied much since it's all online now, or the bulk of it anyways.  He has a possibility at one place, but we keep reminding him he needs to continue to get out there unless that is a for sure.  He knows someone there, isn't necessarily friends, but thinks it will work to work there.  We'll see.  Tonight, I got out the Discover Card I'd ordered him awhile back.  I have it in my name since he's under age and can't, but they issued one in his name on my account.  I got it all activated and then had him bring me his checkbook so we could sit together and set up the online portion of the credit card and link it to his account....yes, HIS checking account, not mine.  It will send me the bill via email and him a text message that he needs to pay his bill and his limit is the lowest at $500, which is just enough to get gas, etc., but not get into massive trouble.  Still a good learning tool for him to gain responsibility.  I told him that as soon as it comes due, he should make sure there's enough in checking and pay it, but set it to pay at the last date possible, so he can retain his money for interest (even as low as it is) for as long as possible.  I told him that if we owe him gas money for errands, I'll just transfer money directly to his checking account for him.

That should work....he's off and running in the land of young adulthood.  Of course, he thinks he's much more grown up than he is.  Yesterday morning he had gotten up early to go to a friend's to go hunting.  I was dropping Jaemin at grandma's when I heard sirens.  It was in the area he was in, so I called as soon as I dropped Jaemin off to make sure it wasn't him.  He said he was fine and kind of scoffed at me for being a worrier.  I told him he should be happier that I care than if I didn't care at all.  I told him I still did it to M (my sister who's almost 30) from time to time if I think it could be her area, but it's only because I love them that I worry like that and I just need to know they're okay.  I think he sort of got it then. He just said 'okay, I'm fine' and I let him go and went to work.

Hopefully, one day he realizes how precious kids are to their parents.