An open letter to the parents of the world...

Dear Parents of school age children.

If you disagree with your child's teacher, please attempt to do so civilly.
If you MUST get forceful, do so with the full understanding that you may be harming your child.

A good teacher will not dislike your child. They will give the child several chances.   However you, the parent, will never get a second chance to be liked. The teacher will never willingly call you again and therefore you will not receive the notice you'd really like about your child.  Heaven forbid you get a teacher who is not so good...  a teacher who's already iffy... you've just put your kid on the permanent hit list.

Thank you!
Educators everywhere

**I origionally wrote this months ago and stuck it in "Drafts" so I could cool down.  It is no less true now than it was 6 months ago!

** See also this article which I didn't write but I completely agree with!

I need to DO something

A while ago, I posted about all the people in my life who seem to be having such a hard time of it... one of those was a co-worker who's son turned 1 in May.  That precious little child has been fighting leukemia since about 6 months old.  They thought they had turned the corner... they had their little fighter home again and his counts were going the right direction....

This week they found out the leukemia is back.  Most devastatingly, they are out of options.  This adorable child has been given only months of life.

I know it is not my child, but it just as easily could have been.  What happened to these young parents was a fluke, one of life twists that you can never anticipate.  I have been crying on and off all day.  Then I cry because if it makes me this sad, I can't imagine the crippling grief of the family.

I keep hugging my kids, they are starting to think I'm nuts!  I can't tell them, they don't have any idea about this family or that little kids can die too young.  I don't want them to know.

I don't know what else to do.  So far I've spread the word, asked strangers for their prayers, and eaten too much chocolate.  I know there must be a better solution... I hope I think of it soon.  I'm running out of chocolate!

Random

I am so awful about updating my blog these days. When I'm working (during the school year) I can't post because Blogger is blocked. When I'm at home, I'm dealing with the 3 children (and one large child aka husband) or I am sucked in to the Facebook vortex!

Notes:

July went wonderfully despite the broken arm. The visit from the cousins was great and we did so much fun stuff. It seems that the addition of 2 additional children forced us off our butts and out into the world where we did things we never would have done to entertain our 3.

Brianna is growing so fast. Not literally, she's 8 and can still wear a 6/6x when need be. But in other ways, some days I see the teenager she'll be and I am equally terrified and over joyed with her wonderful little mind. She's still the kid that scares me the most. She has all these fears and minor ticks and double the stubbornness than any one person should be allowed to have.

Grant is starting Kindergarten in less than a month and loves to learn so much. He tries to read all the signs and things at stores, and gets them right sometimes! He is always asking us to give him math problems to do, and they are nothing amazing, but the kid can add and subtract all the single digits and some of the double digits.... in his mind! He loves to eat cereal, would eat it every meal if I let him. He like to mix 2 cereals together since he can't decide between them. He is also a little mean. He hits/kicks Brianna daily (never Chase) but his teachers say he doesn't do it at school so I try not to be too concerned.

Chase is my troublemaker. I know, I know, he's almost 2 and his testing his limits. I get that... but the kid does exactly what we tell him not to do ALL of the time. And reverse psychology doesn't work on him. If we tell him NOT to do what we actually WANT him to do, he still knows what we mean and does the wrong thing anyway. He learns everything from Brianna and Grant and is so smart in that way. He is talking up a storm and wants to do everything physical that we let him. My baby is no longer a baby.

The hubs and I are fine. Hubs is so excited for the new school year. I love that after 12 years of teaching, he can still be so excited about his job. It's really his calling. I wish I felt the same. I still like teaching, like Social Studies, like the students. I just can't seem to find the same excitement that used to make things like getting my classroom and starting the year so much fun. I'm going to keep trying to get involved in as many other things as I can. The challenge of adding new responsibilities is what what keeps me feeling... challenged. I do like a good challenge.

August will no doubt fly by and before I know it, or maybe before I post again, school will have started, Chase will be 2, and another summer will have gone before I could truly appreciate it.

Sigh.

OMG!

I broke my niece....

Backing up- We have my niece and nephew staying with us for 11 days (but who's counting?) while thier parents are in Hawaii. They were dropped off late Thursday.

Friday afternoon, my niece fell off her bike and broke her arm. It's not a bad break but THAT was not a fun phone call!!! Sure, it could have happened anywhere, but it happened on my watch. I hate that part.

Me, Confirmed!

As an adult we all have to face certain truths about ourselves. For instance, I like being in charge and HATE feeling "left out".

This week we lost power for 30 hours after a major storm. Being without power, in the heat, made me face, or reconfirmed, some truths about myself.

1. I can NOT stand inconsiderate people. I dedicate this revelation to the single woman who sat in Panera, for the full hour we were eating, with 3 electronic devices plugged in, playing solitaire on your computer, at a 4 person table with out so much as a drink in front of her.

2. I am creature of comfort. I LOVE my air conditioning. I don't like humidity. I am an indoor cat.

3. Technology is addictive. Throughout our time with out power, I mentally changed my facebook status about every hour. I really wanted to vent my frustrations and see what was happening with other friends. I couldn't... It was actually tougher than I though it would be.

4. I will never have a clean home. Hours and Hours with no distractions... no tv, internet, radio, nothing. I could have done lots of the cleaning things I always put off. Showers, kitchen floor, shake out the rugs, clean the leather couch. I did none of those. I read a book.

5. I am a lucky girl and need to work on being grateful more often. So many people near us had severe damage and some are still without power more than 3 days later. We didn't lose a single tree branch or roof shingle. My family, immediate and extended, are all safe and sound. Amen!

And then...

I typed my "Waiting...." post last night, and then this morning.... BANG.

A former student, a young lady with a beautiful heart and tons of promise, died in a tragic car accident. She was driving around, distraught, because her beloved dog had cancer and needed to be put down. She put his needs ahead of her own... He died with her in the accident.

Even faith fails sometimes.

Waiting...

This time, I'm not waiting for the end of school (which has happened and is wonderful!)...

or waiting for some big event (although there are several in the works...)

I'm waiting for something to go wrong.

I have 3 healthy, although sometimes quirky, children. I have a husband who works out for fun! (He's so strange! ;-D) I am generally healthy and happy too! We seem to be in the minority.

• I have one friend battling breast cancer at the young age of 34.
• A co-worker whose son was diagnosed at 6 months old with Lukemia. They battle every day; he has just had a stem cell transplant and he's barely 1.
• A friend from high school has a son, only 7, who just had a cancerous brain tumor removed and is waiting to see if he'll be ok with therapy and radiation.
• A former co-worker had her uterus burst and she gave birth to her twins months before they were ready. (They are home now and I am so happy she has them safe.)
• Another friend has had more miscarriages than I can count, and she is a great mom to her first, she deserves another.
• Another co-worker was working out one day and thought she pulled a muscle... turns out she had lung cancer and had to have part of her lung removed immediately. She never smoked.

I find myself awake in the middle of the night wondering when it will be my turn. Things are too perfect, too easy, too wonderful. How long can it last before the fates turn on me? None of these people woke up knowing that life wold never be the same for them; that life would change in a blink.

I'm afraid to blink.

And the kids think THEY have spring fever!

We have 27 days of school remaining... 27 more "wake-ups" in which I have to drag my tired tush to work.
I can subtract 4 of those days for Field Day, the Last Day, and Yearbook signing/clean-up days.
I can subtract another 2 on which I will be giving tests (no mental effort for me those days).
And I can subtract 2 MORE on which I will have substitutes for personal/professional reasons.

Drum Roll Please.... 19 "teaching" days!

Somehow, that makes it all easier! However, I feel obliged to confess that even with in those days, I put teaching in quotations because it is impossible to actively teach for more than half-a-class this time a year. The kids need activity or distraction part of every period. None of us, myself included, can listen/talk for a full period. SOOO, planning from here on out is based around the following question:

How can I impart information in a successful manner AND make it interesting AND break it up with movies so I don't go insane with discipline??????

I have a love/hate relationship with the end of the year. I want to keep being a good teacher but the kids are so *done* and I am so *done* pushing/fighting them! I'm walking the fine line between staying sane and staying a teacher!

My Review of Leachco Wrap Strap Shopping Cart Safety Strap

Originally submitted at One Step Ahead

No more broken, stiff, icky shopping cart belts - give baby a clean, cushy harness that's hers alone! It feels so good; the harness is made of luxurious minky plush fabric, with a soft foam core and Velcro(R) back closures. Adjusts to fit all shopping carts, restaurant high chairs, and other ...

Leachco Wrap Strap Shopping Cart Safety Strap

Love, Love, LOVE!!!!

By mom2bgc from Chicago, IL on 4/14/2011

 

5out of 5

Pros: Convenient, Easy To Setup, Portable, Comfortable, Durable, Easy Use, Lightweight

Best Uses: Travel, Daily Use, Infants

Describe Yourself: Parent of Two or More Children

This product is great! It not only safely keeps my 19 month old in the shopping cart, but I've also used it on kitchen chairs in a pinch while at friends homes. The fabric is soft and appealing but the best part about it is that the velcro tabs don't stick to the fabric and damage it when I fold this and stick it in my purse!

(legalese)

I don't know WHAT to think!

My daycare lost my 14 month old child on Friday.... and didn't tell me!

To be fair, it was only for seconds, and they told me today.

One of the teachers opened the outside/emergency door to empty a waste bin or something, and my son ran out. He is a runner, and he loves being outside, but somehow she didn't notice. She closed the door and then realized he wasn't where she left him. She opened the door again and he was right outside. They are launching a formal investigation.

I don't know what to think....

• I've always loved my sons teachers, they love him and are kind and gentle... but this was a hell of a first mistake to make!
• I know how quickly he can move when motivated, he's gotten away from me at a store once... but this door opens on the parking lot side and who knows what could have happened!
• I know that one of his teacher may be fired over this, and I would hate for that to happen to such a nice, friendly, lady.... but my baby was outside alone!

I guess it's good that it's out of my hands. I have no say in what happens, I could leave the center but it is only one mistake... am I under-reacting? I am at such a loss.... I think I'll go watch him sleep for a little while.

not enough words...

(This post was originally written Thursday, October 21 but I just couldn't hit "post" right away...)

As a parent, we know that time can pass so quickly! Most children think that everything takes "forever". If only they knew...

3 years ago today, I had a student in my class, A. She loved to talk to me in homeroom and tell me all about her life, her friends, and choir... she loved to sing! I tried not to let her see but as much as I liked hearing about A's life, I had other things I needed to get done and she always wanted to talk!

2 years ago today, A had moved on to 7th grade. She was moving on, growing up, doing all those 7th grade things. I had a new group of students but anytime I saw A in the hall, she was so excited to see her "old" teacher.

1 year ago today, A had started 8th grade. I never saw her anymore... the schedules just don't work out that way. I do know she was still singing in the choir and telling her current teachers all about her life! She just loved talking to the teachers!

Today, A was unrecognizable in her coffin. Leukemia and all it's nasty effects had changed her face, her body, her hands. If I had walked by her in the halls of school, I would never have known it was the gregarious young lady of 3 years before. But I wasn't walking by her in the halls at school. I was walking through the line at her wake. It was a devastating day.

Early this year, A's parents noticed that she'd been weak, tired, and was bruising easily. She was quickly diagnosed with a form of Childhood Leukemia. From that point forward, I don't know much. I do know that when she passed away last week, it was too soon. 8 short months of fighting the cancer in her body. I had no words when I tried to speak to her mother and father. I had no words to explain how my short time with their daughter had been memorable or special. I hope they knew.

I have been crying, a lot. I am a mom first and a teacher second. The teacher part of me just watched another mom say good bye to her only child. I can't help but be SO sad for her and at the same time, I feel SOOO lucky to be able to come home, hug my kids, be annoyed by them, know that they are safe, and healthy. So many parents are out there now, their children aren't healthy or safe. So many parents whose children right this minute are battling Leukemia and other forms of cancer. They don't know where they will be a year from now.

Hug your children. Be kind to those you don't know. Tell the people around you that you love or appreciate them. Today is a gift, tomorrow is a wish. Cherish the NOW in all it's ups and downs.

If you are able, help support a stranger who might not have until tomorrow.

Babies should just talk already!

I had a very scary moment a little while ago. The daycare called, and when I didn't pick up my cell phone, they called the school secretary to come find me. THAT, is never good.

I called right back and they told me that Chase had been crying for the better part of an hour. He didn't want his pacifier, wouldn't drink his milk, and only picked at his foods. AND, the clincher, he was pulling on his ears. SO, I found someone to cover my last class of the day and raced over to pick him up.

In the 30-35 minutes that took me, they had taken him on a buggy ride, which calmed him a little, and taken him outside to play, which he loves. Now we are at home together and he is eating, drinking, and happy.

We are still going to the 1:00 doctors appt. since I made hem squeeze him in based only on what the daycare center reported. They will think I am some kind of crazy but we're off....

Grrrr....

It is late, and I am tired, so I will give the short version...

I composed several posts this week and when I tried to post them, I found that Blogger is now blocked at work! Our new filter labels it "social networking"!

UGH! I'm not re-writing them from home!

Good night!

Ugh! and Wow!

I am pretty careful not to discuss work on here too much. Lately, I can't think about much else... Work just seems to be over powering my life right now!

I have been back at school for a mere 2 weeks and I have never felt like this before....

In more important news....

Chase had the most wonderful birthday! I can't believe my final baby is one, walking, eating, using sippy cups, working on words.... He doesn't really cuddle any more. He does give vampire kisses! (He goes in for a big sloppy baby kiss but then bites down with his newly found teeth!) He thinks this is VERY funny! Such an amazing little boy... so different than his brother and sister. He's bigger than they were, blond instead of red headed, prone to ear infections, and FAR more curious. We never had to secure the cabinets and drawers for the big kids, one or two warnings and they just left things alone. Chase heads straight for the pantry or the pots and pans and just looks at us with this little face that says.... are you going to come and get me! HA! I'm opening the cabinets now!!!!!! He's a challenge, and an adventure, and a treasure!

Don't blink!

Or things will change! Since last post;

- Chase walks EVERY minute he can... loves it! (FYI- he also climbs stairs faster than anyone else in the family!)

- Our computer crashed! Dead... something, something, motherboard, blah, blah... but the hard drive "appears" fine and 5 years of documents/pictures can be restored to new computer for a mere $100!

- Bought new computer... LOVE IT! Apple MacBook Pro... more expensive but we use these at school too so we know people who can fix it or help us when we screw it up!

- Been having a great summer... I can't believe July is half over and the new school year is actually closer than the old one. Ick... and OK too.

Still kickin...

After nearly a month, I feel obliged to tell you that I am in fact- still alive!

For a couple of you who have had the misfortune to know me in real life and/or have been following for a while realize that when summer hits, I don't blog much. It's not that I am more or less busy.... or have less to say, merely that I am lazy and that this doesn't provide the relief it seems to give me during the school year.

During the June hiatus:
- Brianna turned 7 and finished 1st grade. Be still my heart, my baby is not a baby!
- Chase has decided his favorite thing in the world is to stand up. Not quite walk yet but we are helping him in that direction.
- Grant has not taken to the "relaxed pace" of summer very well. We're learning that he does best with a schedule and the free-style of some of our summer days results in tantrums, pouting, and hitting. He's 4.... what can you do when he's tantruming one minute and ridiculously adorable the next. I love him like crazy, that's what!
- I have taken on working out as my summer "job". I have set goals, am actively working toward them, and seeing progress. I am even consulting with a personal trainer/friend who is helping me out.

In less happy news I feel at a loss some days. Perhaps if I were 4 I could have a tantrum and get over it quickly. Sadly, I am more than 8x4 and the tantrum can be thrown but it just doesn't seem to work anymore. I love summer and relaxing but find that I am missing my schedule and my social contacts at work. Other days I want nothing more than to be alone and suddenly find that I can't seem to get away from the 3 children and husband who is also home all summer!

My balance is gone. Some days it seems to have taken my sanity with it. Other days I think I was never sane but was too busy to notice. Now I notice.

I am old!

Last week at school, I showed the kids a movie called, "A Kid in King Arthur's Court". It is a great Disney flick and goes VERY well with our last topic of the year, the Middle Ages. I love that it is an entertaining fiction film but also close to historically accurate in the areas of clothing, homes, foods, customs, entertainment.

It is a little cheesy as it gets older, it was released in 1995. While I associate with so many of the jokes and background props, it is starting to get dated for my students.

• Some of them had never seen a personal CD player/Walkman and REALLY didn't understand why it has a little red laser/light inside it.
  
• These kids didn't recognize a Swiss-army knife.
• They didn't laugh at the "valley-speak" language when the main character tries to explain that "bad" and "cool"mean good.
• They kids have no idea why the main character explains something as a "Kill you for your Reebok's street life".

I wasn't a little kid when this movie was new, I was in college for Pete's sake! But I get it, and apparently that makes me old!

Surprising but True!

The voices in cartoons are sometimes so familiar to me! So I looked a few up...

- The lead sheep in "Jakers, The Adventures of Piggly Winks!".... Mel Brooks!
- Bob, in "Bob the Builder"... Greg Proops (also of "Whose Line?")
- Handy Manny.... Wilmer Valderrama
- Mermaid Man in "Sponge Bob"... Ernest Borgnine!
- Barnacle Boy in "Sponge Bob"... Tim Conway!
- Thomas the Tank Engine has been narrated by the likes of... Alec Baldwin, Ringo Star, and George Carlin

Anyone know of any more????
and is it strange that I think this is cool?

The bell of truth...

You know your a mom, and it's not funny anymore, if....

- You've sat in the bathroom to read/snack/rest/think not because you have to "go" but just because you can be alone!

- You hide the expensive or best tasting snacks at the back of the cabinet where the little eyes can't see them and ask for them.

- You say, "Yes, we're there." even though your not... just to get 2 minutes of stunned silence from the back seat.

- You can sing every episode/song of one of these: Dora, The Wiggles, Blues Clues, The Backyardigans, The Wonder Pets.

- You know the complete line-up and schedule of either Sprout, Nick Jr, or your local On Demand options.

- You have wasted precious alone minutes looking up the actor who does the voices on a cartoon because, Darn, that voice is SO familiar! (more on this tomorrow!)

.... Or is this just me?

It goes by so fast...

I was cleaning out some shelves at school, shelves I haven't used in about a year. I found a scrap of paper on which I'd written some of the important milestones of my children. It was written long before Chase was a glimmer of hope in my heart. I am amazed by some of the similarities and differences...

First Tooth:
Brianna- 10 mo.
Grant- 11 mo.
Chase 8 mo.

Out of the Infant/portable Car Seat:
B- 18 mo (such a tiny peanut!)
G- 9 mo
C- 9 mo

Forward Facing in the car:
B- 18 mo (still wasn't 20 lbs but I gave up!)
G- 12 mo
C- not yet- probably at 12 mo

Running:
B- 10 mo
G- 15 mo
C- we'll see!

First huge goose egg on head!:
B- 10 mo (see also running... in the driveway!)
G- 15 mo
C- a first I'm glad not to have seen yet!

Children are such an adventure!