Category: My Family

Blurred lines

So as we grow older, much time is spent in wondering have we accomplished anything?  Will anyone miss me when I am gone?  Kind of morbid I guess but true.  I can not answer if people will miss me or not, but to the question have I accomplished anything, I think I have or at least I am trying to.  My legacy will hopefully be in my children growing into respectful, productive members of society. More and more today, I think we are way off course.  There is such a blurred line between right and wrong, good and bad.  Between the fight over religion and political correctness gone mad, I feel like we are loosing our moral compass.

I was not put here to be friends with my children.  I think many people have a differing opinion than I do on that statement. I figure that at some point in their lives they will hate my husband and I and that is to be expected if we are doing our job correctly. I am not afraid to say “No” and I really do not care what the other kids are doing.  We are not deeply religious people.  Although raised Catholic, I am totally none practicing but still steer my life along a strict code of moral and value based decision-making.  It is through this lens that we attempt to raise our children.

There was an attack in Chester PA the other day.  Six high school age girls walking down the street come across a mentally challenged woman sitting on her front stoop.  These girls proceeded to take out their camera phones and take turns beating the woman and filming the beating.  They cheered and took close up face shots of themselves high fiving.  They immediately posted the videos to Facebook and with in a day 4 of the six were arrested, the other two were by last night.  They are being charged as adults for several felony counts.  What did we see next?  You know it..the families of these “poor” girls saying how wrong it was to charge them so strongly and that they were just kids.  What in the hell?  Yes families, thankfully the woman is alright.  No, No don’t worry your animalistic girls thankfully did not kill her.

There is another video that has gone viral of a woman explaining that she is voting for Obama because he gave her a phone.  She proceeds to say that Romney sucks.  Well..there we go.  A well thought out rationale to take into the voting booth.  I am not going political here and hope everyone votes regardless on who it is for.  I would just hope that people would actually educate themselves on some issues and make an informed choice one way or the other, over 350 million people’s lives and futures depend on it.

Recently, In my opinion, it seems everyone wants someone else to make the though decisions.  People want the school to raise the children.  We want government to take care of us.  It just seems that everyone wants something. Lots of finger pointing and excuses but no self reflection.  What will our next generation become if we can not take charge of our own?

Reading is fundamental

School, it was the bain of my existence as a child.  Having children made me have to come face to face with my scholastic under achievement.

From the day the girls were born I have been vigilant about reading to them.  I so hoped they would grow to love reading, to be able to imagine the words.  My mother was an avid reader as is my sister.  Me, not so much, to say the least.  I am a lover of the television.  From the time Megan was born we read to her .  As she got older she would bring a stack of books that she would want to read before bed.  She now reads several books a week and is more than happy to curl up on the sofa with a good book.

Today, Megan got the invitation for the Talented and Gifted program at school.  I was inclined to not allow it because the feedback I have received is that it is a ton of extra homework and in-depth projects.  But, she really wants to try it.  I emailed her teacher and received a wonderful response.  It seems they just test her again and she is reading on an 8th grade level.  They are very concerned that she will grow bored in the classroom and are already working to develop a plan to keep that from happening. What am I to do, the parent who hated and struggled in school needs to let the child who excels and loves it to make this decision.  If things get to be too much I can always pull her out I guess.  I am so proud of her!  Not just that she is one of ony a few invited to the program but because of her well thought out, mature pitch to her father and I to allow her to do it.  My baby is growing up!

Madison and Megan are as different as night and day.  I did the same with Madi as a baby but would have to almost force her to sit and listen.  I did not want reading to be a chore so I would not push too much.  We have tried many different things to try to make it fun.I know you are not supposed to compare children but it is hard.  Megan was reading fluently before Kindergarten.  Right now the best I can get from Madison is the  practice of a few sight words to humor me but then she is off to some pretend world that requires her undivided attention.

That is until recently.  She started Kindergarten this year.  She is loving everything about the experience!  Just this week she brought me a first reader that until now has been used for a million other things except a book and asked if we could read together.  Each night we have sat with a pre-level one reader and she reads to me then I read it her.  After, we have agreed that I will  read one chapter of a bigger book. This week was Freckle Juice by Judy Blume.  I am so proud of her!  She did a great job!  She is actually reading very well!

I guess they are right, you can not compare your kids, they are different people with different personalities, thoughts, interests and in time carve their own path.

Doctors, and Dentists and blood work oh my!

As I was recovering from my surgery and the bills were coming in, I wrote a post that we all needed to get to the doctors since we had reached our out-of-pocket maximums.  Last night I was “refocused” by my daughters pediatrician to get back on track on this goal.  Years ago, I was  on meds for high triglycerides, another trait passed on from my mother.  When Frank and I decided to have another child I went off of the medication.  I also have made dietary and lifestyle changes.

Last year both of my daughters had blood work done and both came back with elevated levels of triglycerides.  I was so upset.  We reduced their fat and carb intake, went to skim milks and low-fat cheeses, and made sure to increase their physical activity.   Last night was Megan’s yearly well visit.  The doctor suggested that we had her checked to see if there has been improvement.  She then asked me if I was currently on medications.  So, here I am so proud of myself for having a Bilateral Prophylactic MAstectomy to hopefully avoid cancer and I had to look this doctor in the eye and admit that I had not even had my levels checked in a few years.  Sounds stupid right?  I am like a stroke risk just wandering through the day.

I took Megan for her blood work this morning and came right home and scheduled myself an appointment for next week.  I will have my blood work completed before the end of the week!

I have an appointment with the Gyn the second week of October, one day after my follow-up with Dr. Liu (my plastic surgeon). I am getting a cavity filled tomorrow.  Madison is scheduled for her yearly well visit in November and Frank had already been.

So back on track.  I am tired of doctors offices!