tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-62912997973048830602024-03-07T20:06:46.914-08:00Mama on the Micmamaonthemichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13596893752276650698noreply@blogger.comBlogger78125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6291299797304883060.post-87422632542551891962013-10-30T13:14:00.000-07:002013-10-30T13:14:20.012-07:00Is twerking the best you've got?So a Southern California high school is banning twerking at its school dances. <br />
<br />
They say it is too sexually-suggestive, so it is being added to the banned-dance list that already includes freaking and grinding.<br />
<br />
I have to admit, this story gives me flash backs of my high school days. <br />
<br />
Back then, freaking and grinding weren't allowed, although kids still did it. And I went to a Catholic school all my life!<br />
<br />
And while I understand that hormone-filled teenagers are looking for any reason to rub up against each other, I also think the problem is there just aren't enough new dance moves created anymore.<br />
<br />
Yes, there is the "Dougie" and the "Cupid Shuffle". But really? That's it???<br />
<br />
The imagination of this generation is boundless, but all people can come up with is to "bounce your booty?"<br />
<br />
What do you think? And am I missing some dance moves that better define this generation than twerking?mamaonthemichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13596893752276650698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6291299797304883060.post-47544772110901144262013-04-05T08:13:00.000-07:002013-04-05T08:13:12.549-07:00Thanks, but no thanks Mr. President.<span style="font-family: inherit;">There is nothing better than being paid to do what you love.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I have that, thankfully. The "microphone bug" I developed in college stayed with me and now I get paid to talk. To talk!! How absolutely fitting for someone like me.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
But I have to admit, there are times when people ask me why I'm in radio.<br />
<br />
"You're good-looking. Why aren't you on TV?", they'd asked me.<br />
<br />
And I'd give the answer I always do about how I love radio and its immediacy. Which is true.<br />
<br />
But it's also because I know how much "looks"can play into the length of a career in television.<br />
<br />
And that is something I do not want to be a factor in my life. I do not want to worry that some smile lines or aging skin is going to put me out of a job.<br />
<br />
I also hope that when my daughter is all grown up, HER looks won't matter either.<br />
<br />
I am thinking all this as I reflect on the President's comments about California District Attorney Kamala Harris.<br />
<br />
At a fundraiser, he said she was brilliant, dedicated and tough. But then he added that she also happens to be the "best-looking attorney general in the country."<br />
<br />
Thanks, but no thanks Mr. President.<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
Was the comment REALLY necessary?<br />
<br />
While I am not MAD like some people are, I AM disappointed in the kind of knee-jerk reaction that men, including the President, still have toward women.<br />
<br />
That they can praise us in one breath and then still feel the need to talk about our looks. <br />
<br />
As if we are holding our breath through all the accolades hoping, just hoping, that he will also think we are beautiful.<br />
<br />
We don't need it and we don't want it.<br />
<br />
Praise us for our jobs.<br />
<br />
Praise us for our accomplishments.<br />
<br />
But save the comments about looks for your wife.<br />
mamaonthemichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13596893752276650698noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6291299797304883060.post-82940282534892122512013-03-25T13:19:00.002-07:002013-03-25T13:19:27.719-07:00Let's not be so quick to criticize.<br />
It happens ALL THE TIME.<br />
<br />
I put both the kids in the car and then realize I forgot (fill in the blank).<br />
<br />
I get out of the car, take my keys (to open the house) and lock the car before going inside.<br />
<br />
But today, a mother did not take those steps.<br />
<br />
She put her baby in her running vehicle and went back inside the house. When she came out, her car and baby were gone!<br />
<br />
Can you imagine??<br />
<br />
Her mind instantly racing. Trying to catch a description of the person who snatched her baby. Calling police and having to tell them HOW this happened. The story plastered all over the media! Her license plate number on highway signs.<br />
<br />
And praying that a momentary mistake won't cost her her child.<br />
<br />
Thankfully, the baby was found unharmed.<br />
<br />
So of course, the trolls come out.<br />
<br />
"She shouldn't have left her baby alone!"<br />
<br />
Well, that is NOT always possible. Take for instance removing groceries from the car when it is just you and a baby. At some point, the baby MAY have to be left alone either in the car or in the house.<br />
<br />
"She shouldn't have left the keys in the car!"<br />
<br />
No, she shouldn't have. And I'm sure she never will again.<br />
<br />
We need to stop being so quick to demonize the woman and use her ordeal as a learning lesson.<br />
<br />
None of us are perfect parents. We all make mistakes.<br />
<br />
And luckily for this mother and little girl, they will be able to remember this lesson together.<br />
mamaonthemichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13596893752276650698noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6291299797304883060.post-50972067603741365952013-03-21T13:40:00.001-07:002013-03-21T13:40:52.354-07:00Avoiding violence by removing love.<br />
Is this really what the world has become? <br />
<br />
I have never heard of such a stupid idea as the one happening at St. Mary's County school district in Maryland.<br />
<br />
They are banning....hugs.<br />
<br />
If you're a parent and it's YOUR child, hug them all you want. But if it's another child...maybe your kid's best friend...HANDS OFF!<br />
<br />
You can't push another kid on the swing, you can't put a band aid on their knee. NO TOUCHING OTHER KIDS!!<br />
<br />
And this idea is in response to the massacre at Newtown.<br />
<br />
Give me a break.<br />
<br />
Kids need hugs. They need love. And they need to know the difference between what is the "right" kind of touching and the "wrong" type of touching.<br />
<br />
But this HANDS OFF policy is actually just going to hurt kids.<br />
<br />
I can't imagine my child crying at school and a teacher not being able to console her because she is not her child.<br />
<br />
It is wrong. <br />
<br />
The world needs more love, not less of it.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
mamaonthemichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13596893752276650698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6291299797304883060.post-73004880731418391932013-03-07T17:38:00.001-08:002013-03-07T17:38:28.719-08:00Nothing wrong with Daddy's (or Mommy's) money<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The newest outrage among mom bloggers is these new shoes from Sketchers called Daddy's Money.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">These writers are apparently upset that </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">1) They portray young ladies as just spoil brats that get anything they want from daddy. Or (gasp!) their sugar daddy.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">2) The two inch wedge hidden in the heel of the sneaker is bad for a developing young girl.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Whatever. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">It's funny how people aren't up in arms over those license plates that read "daddy bought it but I got it". It's the same message right?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">And the two inch wedge is all of a sudden a problem? Are these mothers making their daughters wear flats to the prom? Give me a break.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">My dad was the first person to really teach me the value of a dollar. He got me into the habit of having separate envelopes in my dresser drawer for things like rent and gas and bills. And that really came in handy during those waitressing years.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">But he was also the one who in high school gave me five, ten, twenty bucks every time I asked right before going out with my friends. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Did it make me spoiled? Maybe if I wasn't also getting the financial education. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I wanted a new car. He made me pay him 300 bucks for almost a year before he would co-sign. Just so he could see that I could make the payments.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">It's called balance. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">There is nothing wrong with buying your kids what you can afford. But at the same time, there needs to be a lesson in the value of money.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">As for those shoes, at the worst, calling them Daddy's Money is an insult to all mothers out there.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Mommy's Money actually has a nice ring to it.</span><br />
<div>
<br /></div>
mamaonthemichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13596893752276650698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6291299797304883060.post-58067109539429492542013-02-26T12:42:00.000-08:002013-02-26T12:42:09.227-08:00A parent's idea of "perfection"<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Perfection. A single word loaded with expectations. </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px;">What is perfect to one may have flaws to another.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px; outline: none;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px; outline: none;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px;">And this is especially true for parents. </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px;">Oh they may say they just want their child to try their best. But for many parents, when push comes to shove, they step in to make their child's idea of perfection more like their own.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px; outline: none;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px; outline: none;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px;">You see it at science fairs, on art projects and in college essays. Parents claim they are "just helping", but in reality they are doing what they think will make their child's effort just a bit more "perfect".</span><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px; outline: none;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px; outline: none;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px;">I've watched friends guide their child's paintbrush so the picture will be more like what the parent had in mind. I've seen kid signatures that looked awfully good...for a three old. </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px;">"Just helping", they'd say. "Just helping".</span><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px; outline: none;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px; outline: none;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px;">But are they really? </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px;">Or are they actually just blatantly showing their child that what she or he did was good, but not good enough?</span><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px; outline: none;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px; outline: none;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px;">This thought popped into my head as I took my daughter to an art studio to celebrate her 4th birthday.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px; outline: none;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px; outline: none;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px;">We picked out a ceramic purse with flowers on it. Then she picked out all different colors of paint and set to work.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px; outline: none;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px; outline: none;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px;">At first, it looked pretty good. It was pink. But then she wanted to mix all the colors and it started to turn a unique shade of...brown.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px; outline: none;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px; outline: none;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px;">The ceramic flowers in MY head could have been red with a bright yellow center. But they ended up being the same color as the rest of the purse, which was brown.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px; outline: none;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px; outline: none;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px;">When she began to pour a little water on the wet paint, I told her that would dilute the color.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px; outline: none;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px;">Then she just looked at me square in the face and said, "Mama, can't you just let me do what I'm going to do?"</span><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px; outline: none;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px; outline: none;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px;">I sat back, smirked and said "Of course. Do what you want". </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px;">Because in the end, that little brown purse will be a memory of when she was four. </span><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px; outline: none;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px; outline: none;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px;">NOT a memory of her mother trying to force perfection into what was already perfect.</span></span>mamaonthemichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13596893752276650698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6291299797304883060.post-30489421152964775062013-02-21T20:46:00.001-08:002013-02-21T20:46:31.809-08:00Lessons learned by a (temporary) mother of four<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I asked the husband and best friend to do a major home improvement project at the house this weekend.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sounds awesome, right? </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px; outline: none;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px;">It was. Except that meant I had to watch four kids all day long by myself.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px; outline: none;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px;">I know there are people that have four, if not more kids. </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But I don't. </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So when all was said in done, I learned several things.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px; outline: none;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px;">1: Shower early. Kids don't care if you stink and there is no way four kids are going to sit quietly and play with their toys while you clean up.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px; outline: none;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px;"><br /></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px;">2: Buy lots of food. Just because they are under the age of 5 does not mean they don't eat like grown men. I seriously went through an entire container of strawberries, bunch of bananas, hot dogs, milk, crackers and a brick of cheese.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px; outline: none;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px;"><br /></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px;">3: Kids forget to flush. </span><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px; outline: none;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px;"><br /></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px;">4: Boys are gross. And they like to play in toilet water. See number 3.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px; outline: none;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px;"><br /></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px;">5: Bath goo sounds fun. But skip the bath part and just put that goo in a bowl and head outside.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px; outline: none;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px;"><br /></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px;">6: Fingerpainting is fun. But don't turn your back. Ever.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px; outline: none;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px;"><br /></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">7: All that food you bought and they ate has to go somewhere. When checking diapers, don't stick your finger in too deep.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px; outline: none;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px;">8: Even the best of friends, get tired of each other after a full day together. Come up with some solo activities, even if they last only a short time.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px; outline: none;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px;"><br /></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">9: Join in the fun. I had four ghosts making scary sounds all around me while I tried to cook dinner. It was easier to play along then to get them to play elsewhere.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px; outline: none;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px;">10: Buy lots of beer. The men will be demanding it for their hard work and you'll probably want to tip one back when the little ones finally go to bed.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px; outline: none;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px;"><br /></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Whew.</span></span>mamaonthemichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13596893752276650698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6291299797304883060.post-75969750665322295642013-02-21T20:42:00.003-08:002013-02-21T20:42:52.016-08:00R-E-S-P-E-C-T<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px;">By now, most of you have probably heard, if not seen the video of the young woman in a Miami court, who gets smart with the judge by laughing and saying "adios" that he increases her bond, which leads her to flip him off, so he sentences her to 30 days in jail.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px; outline: none;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px; outline: none;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px;">Oh how things can quickly snowball.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px; outline: none;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px; outline: none;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px;">We now have learned she had a pill-popping addiction in addition to that attitude problem. </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px;">She tearfully apologized to the judge who then reversed her 30 day sentence.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px; outline: none;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px; outline: none;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px;">All while her parents sat in court in what I can only assume is a state of total embarrassment.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px; outline: none;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px; outline: none;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px;">But maybe they weren't ashamed. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px;">Maybe this is exactly where they knew she be because she is a smart-alack kid who thinks she is too cool for school.</span></span><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px; outline: none;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px; outline: none;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px;">When I saw that video, all I thought to myself is "that is one girl who never learned about respect."</span><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px; outline: none;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px; outline: none;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px;">I don't want to speak in absolutes and say that all 18 year olds act the same way.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px; outline: none;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px; outline: none;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px;">But I also know that 18 is old enough to know better. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px;">Could this woman not look down at her orange jail jumpsuit and realize the trouble she was in?</span><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px; outline: none;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px; outline: none;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px;">Could she not shut her trap long enough to not add to the problems she was facing?</span><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px; outline: none;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px; outline: none;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px;">No. Her mouth kept running, her hands kept stroking her long hair as though it was a genie lamp that she could use to wish this all away.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px; outline: none;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px; outline: none;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px;">But eventually, she apologized with tears in her eyes and the judge reversed her 30 day contempt sentence.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px; outline: none;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px; outline: none;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px;">Which I think is a shame. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px;">Because I'm sure this wasn't the first time she turned on the waterworks to get out of trouble and now it definitely won't be the last.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px; outline: none;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px; outline: none;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px;">A month in jail would have done her some good by teaching her about the true consequences of her actions.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px; outline: none;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px; outline: none;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px;">A lesson she obviously hasn't been getting the past 18 years of her life.</span></span>mamaonthemichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13596893752276650698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6291299797304883060.post-22704952828462401532013-02-21T20:38:00.003-08:002013-02-21T20:38:46.805-08:00Beating the one who knows you best<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">When the 49ers won their way into the Super Bowl on Sunday and after the hugging, hive-fiving and dancing, my dad told me I HAD to blog about our team making it to the big game. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px;">I told him in no uncertain terms that there was no angle that would make the Super Bowl an appropriate topic for my blog.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px; outline: none;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px; outline: none;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px;">That's because I was SURE we were going to face the Patriots.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px; outline: none;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px; outline: none;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px;">But no, for the next two weeks, we will constantly be hearing the term Har-bowl. </span><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px; outline: none;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px; outline: none;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px;">Brother against brother, the upcoming game will have more significance because the person in their lives that should be their support, will instead be their adversary.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px; outline: none;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px; outline: none;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px;">Oh sure, we'll hear soundbites of them congratulating each other, talking about the other being a great coach with a great team and it will be a great game.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px; outline: none;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px; outline: none;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px;">But come on. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px;">Your sibling is your first friend, but also your first competitor. </span><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px; outline: none;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px; outline: none;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.796875px;">And there is nothing like beating the one who knows you best. </span></span>mamaonthemichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13596893752276650698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6291299797304883060.post-8577964763161417642013-01-14T12:45:00.003-08:002013-01-14T12:45:38.143-08:00When technology and toilets mix it up<br />
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If you have children in your life, then there is no doubt you remember the absolute hellish experience of potty training. <br />
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Sitting next to tiny toilets, pull up diapers, lots of stickers on reward charts, guzzling liquids, wet floors and messy baths.<br />
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But the experience is about to get sooo much easier because in this day and age when we can not do ANYTHING without bringing a piece of technology with us comes the iPotty.<br />
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Yes, for about 40 dollars you can buy a special toilet where there is an attachment for your iPad. Might as well start them early. I'm mean what do people do when they are doing number two? Just sit there and THINK?<br />
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There are some that would say it is no different than reading a book or playing a game on our phone. <br />
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But really? Seriously? <br />
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Do we really need to hand two year olds, who have little to no control over their bodily fluids, an expensive electronic device so that they can play games for so long that they finally go to the bathroom?<br />
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Do we need potty apps and special iPad attachments to toilets? <br />
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I don't know. It seems weird to me.<br />
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And can you imagine the germs on that iPad?<br />
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mamaonthemichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13596893752276650698noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6291299797304883060.post-26019370582046109752013-01-14T12:44:00.000-08:002013-01-14T12:44:08.491-08:00Losing the ability to THINK<br />
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So a friend from high school announced on the last day of 2012 that she would be quitting Facebook.<br />
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Her reason? She realized that even when she was physically with her family, she was on the phone or on the computer learning what was going on in OTHER people's lives instead of noticing what was happening right in front of her face.<br />
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I'd even take it a step further.<br />
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Social media and the internet have become so pervasive that when big moments in life happen, they are often seen through the lens of a smart phone, which is taking the picture or video.<br />
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And then the moment almost don't seem real unless you post about it online.<br />
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Social media leads to connection, but also a kind of self-imposed separation between you and what is happening right in front of you.<br />
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There is something to be said for just being in the moment. No phone, no Facebook...just you and the moment.<br />
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Because that is when AMAZING things can just pop into your head.<br />
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So when my daughter wants to play a game on my phone even when we are just taking a quick trip to the store...I tell her no, be present, be in your own mind.<br />
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<b><i>Because how can we have our own unique ideas when we spend so much time reading the daily thoughts of others?</i></b><br />
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mamaonthemichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13596893752276650698noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6291299797304883060.post-70536430514912769492013-01-14T12:42:00.002-08:002013-01-14T12:42:32.104-08:00New Year parenting resolutions<br />
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It's a new year and a time for reflection and resolutions.<br />
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And looking back at 2012, there are things I, and many parents I talk to, would like to improve.<br />
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Top of the list...patience. <br />
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This is a resolution I will probably have to make every day. A parent's day is full of all kinds of emotions and stresses. But in 2013, I want to breathe more, count to ten...do whatever it takes to remember life is short and we should all cherish those minutes we seem to rush through.<br />
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I'd also like to mind my tone of voice. Just because I'm not yelling, doesn't mean my kids don't know I'm upset or impatient.<br />
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Sometimes not saying anything is better that the sharp knife of a stern voice.<br />
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Then there's understanding the old saying that it is not quantity, but quality. I only really have a handful of hours a day when both me and the kids are awake and together. So maybe fewer TV shows and computer games, and more wrestling on the couch and cuddling up with a book.<br />
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And finally, showing more love. I kiss and hug my kids so much, but is it ever really enough? Maybe instead of losing my patience or busying myself with another task, I could just kneel down, open my arms and give them a good squeeze.<br />
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Because if there is anything this past year has taught me as a parent...it's that you never know what can happen. <br />
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And the one thing I want my kids to always know, til the end of days, is that I love them.<br />
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mamaonthemichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13596893752276650698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6291299797304883060.post-58813486678774208212013-01-14T12:41:00.001-08:002013-01-14T12:41:08.325-08:00Go ahead. Blame the media. We can handle it.<br />
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It's so easy to blame the media. Really it is. <br />
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If you cover something too much, you're criticized and if you don't report on something, then you're not paying attention to the important stuff.<br />
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And unless you are part of the media, it can be hard to understand the juggling act many of us endure. especially when things like what happened at Sandy Hook occur.<br />
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I am not making excuses. The interview with children, the round-the-clock reporting, the images...they are at times hard to justify if you can at all.<br />
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But as a parent AND a member of the media, I hope people can understand that the voices you hear on the radio, the faces you see on TV and the pictures online are done by people who do have families.<br />
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We are parents, we are brothers, sisters, aunts and uncles.<br />
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When something like this happens, we also see the faces of their own children and those we love.<br />
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We cry, we scream, we pray.<br />
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And remember, while you can complain about the coverage, you CAN also turn off the radio, TV and shut down the internet. <br />
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We in turn have to still our voice, dry our eyes and do our job.<br />
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mamaonthemichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13596893752276650698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6291299797304883060.post-2291469468609808362012-12-12T11:01:00.001-08:002012-12-12T11:03:46.928-08:00It's not just for girls...or boys.<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px;">This Christmas, family is flying in from all over and one of the things my mother can't wait to do is get all her grandkids in the kitchen to bake.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px; outline: none;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px; outline: none;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px;">Half a dozen kids and one grandmother covered in cookie dough should be quite a sight!</span><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px; outline: none;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px; outline: none;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px;">Of course my son and nephew will be baking right alongside all the girls. And it is THAT image that stuck in my mind when I read about a New Jersey teen who wrote Hasbro all upset about their Easy Bake Oven. </span><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px; outline: none;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px; outline: none;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px;">She said her four year old brother wants one for Christmas, but since it is purple, the teen felt it was only being marketed toward girls.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px; outline: none;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px; outline: none;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px;">She wants a gender-neutral one made so her brother doesn't feel embarrassed when his friends come over to play with it.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px; outline: none;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px; outline: none;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px;">I think this teen is missing her own point. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px;">She is upset because an easy bake oven is made in colors she associates with girls and yet she wants to change Hasbro's thinking that baking is just for girls.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px; outline: none;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px; outline: none;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px;">How about believing that NONE of that matters?</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Colors are JUST colors and if baking shouldn't just be for girls, then why do certain colors have to be? </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px;">Especially purple. Kings wear purple, right?</span><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px; outline: none;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px; outline: none;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px;">To the teen I say buy the oven. And if it makes you feel better, put Spiderman stickers all over it. </span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yes, if the oven was white, it may not instantly evoke images of girls, but I'm sure the smell of something delicious baking inside will overpower any concern about the color.</span></span>mamaonthemichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13596893752276650698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6291299797304883060.post-18401280001291880282012-12-05T19:51:00.000-08:002012-12-05T19:51:07.878-08:00Warning: First reactions COUNT!<span lang="EN"><div align="LEFT">
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You have to love kids.</div>
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Besides my own, the kid I'm really loving on is Kenton Koos. You've probably heard about him. Nice clean-cut kid who decided to dye his hair green, paint a Mike Tyson-like tattoo on his face and put an oversized ring in his nose for his yearbook picture.</div>
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Why? </div>
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Because he said he did it to push the envelope. </div>
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The school's first reaction was to say no, but after some thought and pressing by the ACLU, is now allowing him to submit the picture because it doesn't want to violate Koos free speech rights.</div>
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But here's the icing on the cake.</div>
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Koos says he will need time to THINK about whether he really wants the picture in the yearbook.</div>
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You really gotta love kids. </div>
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They make a big stink over something and then when they finally get it, they decide they aren't sure they really want it in the first place.</div>
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They just wanted to see how YOU would react. </div>
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And that's parenting in a nutshell. Children pushing the limits to see their parents' reactions. </div>
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And a lot of it has to do with those FIRST reactions.</div>
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So you have to be careful. Because if you react badly about an outrageous yearbook photo, your child may think twice before coming to you about a real tattoo, or sex or drugs. </div>
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In my opinion, the best bet is to take a deep breath, have the child look in the mirror and ask themselves if the person looking back at them is who they really want to be.</div>
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Because in the end, we all have to live with our own decisions.</div>
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And hopefully those don't include a tattoo on their face.</div>
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</span><span style="font-family: Arial;"></span>mamaonthemichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13596893752276650698noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6291299797304883060.post-17000434383660106132012-12-05T19:42:00.001-08:002012-12-05T19:42:40.478-08:00Being a kid again<br />I did it! I didn't think it could be done, but I pretty much finished my
Christmas shopping and it's not even December yet.<br /><br />No I did not go on
Thanksgiving or Black Friday because that would be insane. But I did go that weekend, got to the mall right when it opened and six hours later, I was
done.<br /><br />And it was interesting. When I was buying presents for the adults
in my life, I felt fine. Kind of like shopping feels any other time of the year.
<br /><br />But then I started shopping for the kids in my life. <br />
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And as I perused
toy aisle after toy aisle, I found I was having a blast. Not only are toys
nowadays absolutely awesome, but it was so much fun imagining the child playing
with it. <br /><br />I picked out dress up clothes and saw my daughter and niece
dancing around in them. I picked out a cool puzzle and saw my kids putting it
together. It was like I was having Christmas morning all by myself inside my
head. <br /><br />I vividly remember being young and opening up the toy catalog. You remember, the mammoth one the store BEST used to send? And I remember not
wanting toys any more. I was getting too old. Clothes and music became more my
style and the dolls and games were not.<br /><br />But now I get to have that thrill
again. Opening up the toy catalog and walking down the toy aisle has meaning
again. <br />
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And I guess that is one of the great things about having kids in your
life. You get to be one again too.mamaonthemichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13596893752276650698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6291299797304883060.post-84579110493659491902012-11-19T17:50:00.000-08:002012-11-19T17:50:01.271-08:00Teaching by humiliationIf your child came home with his or her face covered in marker...from chin to
hairline...and told you the students in class did it, how would you
feel?<br />
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Now how would you feel if you learned it was done with the
permission of the teacher?<br />
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That is exactly what happened in an Idaho
classroom. Students had Accelerated Reading goals. Those who were not able to
read a certain number of books in time were punished. <br />
<br />
One of the
punishments was to miss recess and the other was to have their faces scribbled
on by other students.<br />
<br />
Talk about humiliation.<br />
<br />
This is a classic
case of the punishment not fitting the crime. What lesson do the children who
failed to meet the reading goal get by having to sit there while their
classmates color their faces? <br />
<br />
I'm sure there was plenty of laughing and
teasing while it was happening and even more throughout the school day.
<br />
<br />
And I'm even more positive there were kids that felt bad about doing it,
but were caught up in the group behavior.<br />
<br />
What this teacher did was show
one group of students that it is okay to bully those who are slower or different
from them, while teaching other students that if you don't measure up, you will
be punished and humiliated.<br />
<br />
And I have to wonder if any of the students
will be better readers because of it.mamaonthemichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13596893752276650698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6291299797304883060.post-34082947042281735462012-11-19T17:48:00.000-08:002012-11-19T17:48:23.209-08:00Yawning through it allI never realized I wasn't a morning person until I had kids. My day starts
around six...maybe six thirty, with the face of my 3 year old demanding
chocolate milk and cartoons.<br />
<br />
And since I hit the pillow after midnight
each night, I am always pleading for just a few extra minutes. <br />
<br />
But of course, I
never get them. <br />
<br />
Then a friend posted an article about parents and sleep
depravation. It stated that fifty percent of parents get less than six hours of
sleep a night and nearly 30 percent can't remember the last time they slept
eight straight hours. <br />
<br />
And we're not talking about newborns. These are
toddlers and schoolkids.<br />
<br />
But here's the most concerning thing. A lack
sleep (not surprisingly) makes a parent cranky, irritable and cuts reaction and
judgement time down to that of a drunk driver. <br />
<br />
<div align="left">
And these sleepy parents are supposed to keep their cool with
their kids and drive them around. And unfortunately if you add in anger or
mental issues, these moments can even escalate into abusive situations.
<br />
<div align="left">
<br />
For me though, on those mornings when I can't shake the foul
mood of a sleep deprived night, I know the tone of voice is sharper, I'm not as
patient and when I finally do get a moment to ponder how the day started, I'm
filled with guilt. <br />
<br />
All my daughter did was jump out of bed with one
thought on her mind. To see me. And instead of greeting her with a smile, I
sometimes throw her a scowl.<br />
<br />
There is no easy answer and for parents of
young children, these sleepless nights will hopefully end in the near future.
That's when WE will be begging THEM to get out of bed and they'll be pleading
for a few more minutes. <br />
</div>
<div align="left">
</div>
<div align="left">
And nope, they probably won't get them. </div>
</div>
mamaonthemichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13596893752276650698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6291299797304883060.post-11932770479791750662012-10-24T16:43:00.001-07:002012-10-24T16:43:26.755-07:00Just say OMHave you heard about these Southern California parents who are considering suing
their school because...wait for it...the children are getting FREE yoga
lessons!!<br /><br />Oh the humanity!<br /><br />According to the Chronicle, these
parents believe the tax-payer funded yoga classes are indoctrinating their
children into Hinduism and is thus unconstitutional. <br /><br />These parents are
ridiculous.<br /><br />Yoga is no more indoctrinating these children into Hinduism
as eating sushi is turning me Japanese. The benefits these children are likely
gaining from learning to still themselves, breathe and stretch surely outweigh
any possibility that they may want to learn more about the Hindu
religion.<br /><br />I think these parents should embrace the lessons learned from
this alternative form of exercise, which hopefully will stay with these kids
throughout their lives.<br /><br />And maybe they can teach their parents to just
take a deep breath and relax.mamaonthemichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13596893752276650698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6291299797304883060.post-52696738284182359582012-10-17T17:30:00.001-07:002012-10-17T17:30:53.920-07:00Would you want to know?<span lang="EN"><br />
In an amazing twist, the remains of one of the victims of the Speed Freak serial Killers also contained a tiny bone fragment. And tests are being done to see if the tiny bone is that of missing Hayward nine year old Michaela Garecht. The little girl disappeared back on November 19, 1988. I remember her disappearance because she was about my age at the time. <br />
<br />
Someone asked me if I was Michaela's parent, would I want that bone fragment to be hers? And without missing a beat, I said yes.<br />
<br />
Because finally, the question about what happened to my little girl would finally be answered. <br />
<br />
Of course I would have to let go of the hope. The hope that was reinforced with stories like Jaycee Lee Dugard, who was found alive 18 years after being kidnapped. <br />
<br />
But what would also end would be the uncertainty and the frightening images created in my mind of what could be happening to my child if she was still alive. Was she being tortured? Raped?<br />
<br />
I'm sure the dream all parents of kidnapped children have is just to wrap their arms around them, look into their eyes and see a light...a recollection of what life was like before a monster tore them apart.<br />
<br />
But if that is not possible, I have to believe that an answer to what happened to my child and the ability to bury whatever small part is left in this world is a small consolation to the tragedy I hope never to experience.</span>mamaonthemichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13596893752276650698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6291299797304883060.post-43826470498351184872012-10-09T17:26:00.001-07:002012-10-09T17:37:33.358-07:00A parent's worst nightmare<span style="font-family: inherit;">I don't think there are news stories I hate more than when children are killed.
And it is worse when the death is an accident and the actual parent plays a
role. <br /><br />Like the father that thinks he is shooting an intruder who turns
out to be his son, the three year old who accidentally shoots himself after
finding his father's gun or the child left to die in a hot car after a parent
forgets to drop her off at daycare.<br /><br />These are horrible mistakes that
have tragic consequences. <br /><br />So what kind of punishment should these
parents receive for being responsible for their child's death? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I say
nothing.<br /><br />No jail time, no prison, no death sentence. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Because there is NO
punishment worse than knowing you had a hand in your child's death.
That is a nightmare these parents have to live with for the rest of their lives.
And a guilt I believe no one can imagine.<br /><br />Sadly, these parents can also
not fully escape the judgement of the often cruel public who can stare with eyes
of blame and constant questions of "how could you?" <br /><br />And I'm sure these
parents see and hear the same thing every time they look in the mirror.</span> mamaonthemichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13596893752276650698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6291299797304883060.post-91811531568204779742012-10-03T11:49:00.001-07:002012-10-03T11:50:07.857-07:00The father-daughter tradition<br />
<div id="mailContent" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">
<div class="undoreset clearfix" id="message1870402770" role="main" style="clear: none; color: black; height: auto; line-height: 1.22em; margin: 1em 0pt; outline: none; overflow: visible; padding: 0.8em 0pt; position: relative; visibility: visible; zoom: 1;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Have you heard about this Rhode Island school district that banned father daughter dances after a single mother complained? The woman says holding the dance discriminates against her daughter because she doesn't have a father figure to take her.<br style="line-height: 1.2em; outline: none;" /><br style="line-height: 1.2em; outline: none;" />Then the ACLU apparently jumped in saying in the 21st century, schools should not have father daughter dances or mother son baseball games because that is playing into stereotypical gender roles.<br style="line-height: 1.2em; outline: none;" /><br style="line-height: 1.2em; outline: none;" />Give me a break.<br style="line-height: 1.2em; outline: none;" /><br style="line-height: 1.2em; outline: none;" />This all started because the father daughter dance is a physical example for the mother of what went wrong with the man who fathered her child. I'm not saying it is her fault. Maybe he died, maybe he lives far away...whatever the case, it is a sad situation made worse when things like father daughter dances come around.<br style="line-height: 1.2em; outline: none;" /><br style="line-height: 1.2em; outline: none;" />But that doesn't mean that the tradition should be eliminated. <br style="line-height: 1.2em; outline: none;" /><br style="line-height: 1.2em; outline: none;" />I had a blast at my father daughter dance with my dad. One year, we even won a trophy. He still tells the story of how I wore combat boots with my dress and kept flipping my hair around as I danced. It's something neither of us will forget. <br style="line-height: 1.2em; outline: none;" /><br style="line-height: 1.2em; outline: none;" />And what about girls who look forward to possibly the one night all year they have their dad all to themselves? One night where maybe a significant conversation could be had about how a man should treat a woman or that she can be anything in this world?<br style="line-height: 1.2em; outline: none;" /><br style="line-height: 1.2em; outline: none;" />The father daughter relationship is one not to be taken lightly. How a woman allows herself to be treated can be influenced by the first man in her life. I feel sorry for those that don't know what that is like. But I also don't believe special moments should be sacrificed for the few that unfortunately and for whatever reason can't participate.</span></div>
</div>
</div>
mamaonthemichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13596893752276650698noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6291299797304883060.post-23259831950809681632012-09-18T17:35:00.000-07:002012-09-18T17:35:53.834-07:00One IS enoughThere are several conversations parents have with each other when you have to skate on thin ice. Discipline styles, school choices, vaccinations...they can all stir up emotions that can turn a talk between the best of friends into an awkward moment.<br />
<br />
I was stuck in one of these this past weekend. <br />
<br />
It had to do with having a second child. One of my really close friends has a daughter who is one and a half. And I asked when she was having a second. She told me she'd like to, but didn't see how she could afford it or where she would find the room in her and her husband's tiny home.<br />
<br />
I told her you can never budget for kids, you just make ends meet somehow and that she could always move. Nice and neat, I solved her problem, right? WRONG!<br />
<br />
It wasn't that easy and this wasn't the only time she'd had the conversation. The pressure to have one baby and then another was not just coming from friends, but from family. After another friend started in on how she should give her daughter a sibling, it became to much and drove this mother of one to tears.<br />
<br />
Nobody meant to upset her, but what we failed to remember is that the choice to have ANY children is never cut and dry. While the desire might be there, the realities of life can not be swept aside as simply as a pile of toys left on the floor.<br />
<br />
And pressure from friends and family only makes things worse. The endless questions about expanding the family can make a parent feel like they are either missing out or somehow doing their one child an injustice by not providing a sibling.<br />
<br />
There are a lot of people who cannot even have ONE child of their own. So if a couple chooses to only have and adore one child, it isn't something that should be questioned. They shouldn't be made to feel inadequate. Instead they should be praised for raising an amazing kid who is fortunate to live in a loving home.mamaonthemichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13596893752276650698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6291299797304883060.post-56693693437538232042012-09-18T17:31:00.000-07:002012-09-18T17:31:42.649-07:00Time to buy or time to think?Since it is September, that means parents are apparently supposed to be Christmas shopping. I know this because the giant toy catalog arrived a few days ago. So I grabbed my daughter and we looked through it to see what she likes. <br />
<br />
And she proceeded to tell me that she wanted EVERYTHING. She even SANG that statement. I want everything! I want everything!<br />
<br />
And while it is typical for children her age to WANT EVERYTHING, I stopped her each time she pointed to something and asked her WHY she wanted it. <br />
<br />
What was it about it that she liked so much? Somethings were pretty, other things looked cool and other things she wanted just because she wanted it. It really was quite insightful!<br />
<br />
And while I'm all for buying what you want when you can afford it, I also want her when she is older to be an educated consumer. Make sure you really want something before spending the cash on it.<br />
<br />
I remember one time when I was a kid I was shopping with my mom and saw these sneakers I really wanted. They were something like 90 dollars. They were multi-colored and reminded me of something Punky Brewster would wear. And I just LOVED Punky.<br />
<br />
My mom said I had to do chores to help pay for them and if after that time I still wanted them, we would get them. I never ended up buying them.<br />
<br />
Sometimes when you have an entire toy catalog at your fingertips, it can seem like you want EVERYTHING. But when you think about it, take time to ponder it over, the shine on that purchase begins to fade.<br />
<br />
Let's hope I remember that when the new iPhone comes out.mamaonthemichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13596893752276650698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6291299797304883060.post-76235620514301958832012-08-29T15:34:00.000-07:002012-08-29T15:34:31.669-07:00The "party" life<div>My family and some friends went camping over the weekend. It was six adults and four kids. We went to Tahoe...this place called Zephyr Cove. </div><div> </div><div>When I say this is a party beach...I mean a PAR-TAY beach. There was a bachelorette party happening, a girl who apparently couldn't drink without the use of a beer bong and the average age of the people there had to be 25. </div><br />
<div>And then there was us. A couple of mid-30s parents with their two preschool girls, a toddler and a ten month old boy.</div><br />
<div>We even had a pack and play with us. We were that cool.</div><br />
<div>And as I was sitting there doing some excellent people watching, my friend turned to me and asked if I could imaging NOT having the kids there. </div><div> </div><div>And I couldn't. </div><br />
<div>I mean, yes I remember a time before kids when we went to this beach. But now, if my kids aren't with me, it's not the same. I'm thinking about them, talking about them, finding moments that they would really love if they were there. </div><br />
<div>Basically, I did 25. I did that age really good. I went out after the sun went down and didn't come back home until it was up. I did the no worries about tomorrow and the who cares about yesterday.</div><br />
<div>And now that part of my life is over. </div><div> </div><div> And that is perfectly fine. </div><div> </div><div>So for those thinking about having kids really young, I say wait. Go have fun. So someday when there is HUGE party happening right in front of your face, you won't feel like you are missing out.</div><div> </div><div>But instead you'll know you're having an even better time...with your kid.</div>mamaonthemichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13596893752276650698noreply@blogger.com1