It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice.

We went to Smith Memorial Playground in Philadelphia this weekend.  If you are local and haven't been, it's worth the drive--even on a Sunday when there is a Beagles home football game.  All in all, we had a nice time--met the cousins and grandpa, played, picnicked and played some more before heading home.  One of the coolest features of this playground is an old-fashioned wooden slide--you know, the ones you ride down on a burlap sack?  Well, Nathan decided he wanted to go down so I walked up the ramp with him, reminding him that I wouldn't be going down the slide with him, but that I would be meeting him at the bottom.  While patiently waiting his turn, two older girls came running up the ramp and pushed past him.  He said, "Hey!  You can't push in front--you have to wait your turn!"  [I am silently cheering because taking turns and waiting is something he has really working on, and he did it just right!]  However, the dad of one (or both, I couldn't tell) hears Nathan doing the right thing and promptly says "you can't tell my girls what to do," INSTEAD of reminding the girls to wait their turns.  WHAT THE !@(#$*Y)#*@Y%!!!  To Nathan's credit, he didn't argue, get physical with the girls or anything.  He looked at me with the saddest eyes and said, "but mom, they aren't following the rules, and I am."  I know, baby.  I wanted to punch that guy in the face so hard that he would be pooping teeth for a week.  I know violence isn't the answer, but really?  My kid has a hard time socially, and when he does the right thing I want to scream it from the mountain tops!  Dang if it doesn't make me mad when adults, especially those lucky enough to be parents, act like children.

While having our picnic yesterday, Nathan grabbed a handful of pretzel sticks and said--I used to hold my crayons like this, but now I know the right way.  Cousin J. says, yeah, I know how to hold pens and pencils and write--it's easy.  Awkward moment--one of Nathan's biggest physical struggles is with writing and with holding tools and utensils properly.  I said, Cousin J., it's not easy for everyone.  After lunch, the kids were running around having "races."  Cousin J. wins the first race, not realizing that Nathan had fallen down.  Next race, Nathan wins and goes back to make sure Cousin J. is okay, to make sure he didn't fall or anything.  There was a bit of a discussion related to competition/winning.  Yeah, it's nice to win, but it's more important that you finish the race/game/task you have started. NICE guys (or gals) finish first. 

I don't expect other people to raise their kids the same way I raise mine.  I wouldn't want someone to tell me the "right" way to raise my kids. Regardless of the hows, whys, and wherefores, we must teach our children to be nice--to each other and to themselves (I still have a bit of a problem with that last part). A friend of mine posted this on Facebook last week.  

4 Tips for Living a Better Life 

Live without pretending.

Love without depending.

Listen without defending

Speak without offending.

Certainly, these 4 ideas won't make for a perfect life, likely not even a great one.  But let's just try for a while to all be honest, caring, sincere and NICE to each other.  If my 5 year-old with social/behavioral issues can do, so can we.  Please be nice to me.  Please be nice to each other.  Please be nice to yourself.



Last night I slept with Nathan. In his twin-sized bed.  All night.  With cats meandering in and out.  Sleep is not exactly the right word, considering I was kicked, elbowed, and whacked many times during the night.  When Nathan heard Joe's alarm clock the night was over.  At 6:25.  I got out of bed, feeling abused and more tired than when I first attempted bed last night. 
Keira has been going to bed around 7 or 7:30 in the evening, and sleeping nearly around the clock.  She is limited to a strict 2 1/2 hour nap during the week.  Not because I don't want her to sleep more, but I have to go to this thing called a job. Today, my little songbird of happiness was awake around 7:15.  When we got home at noon, it was nap time.  Or not.  She fussed, whined and sobbed for nearly an hour (moms have to take a shower sometime!).  I checked her diaper (clean) and put her back in the bed.  She had eaten well this morning so I didn't count on hunger being an issue.  Twenty minutes later I found myself going back up the stairs to retrieve the little miss.  She picked at her food, but did drink all of her milk.  Afterwards, I take her up the stairs, change her diaper, and put her to bed.  I am not even down the hallway when I hear her screaming again.  What is going on?!  Anyway, she finally fell asleep about 1:45.  We leave here for school/work at 2:40. 
In an ideal world, I would put both children down for a nap (or at least mandatory rest/quiet time) and I would then crawl into my bed for a nap as well.  But alas, I live in reality and this just isn't going to happen.  Guess it will be early to bed for me tonight!

I like to shop--for clothes, toys, and even grocery shopping.  I really enjoy seeing what's out there to inspire some new meal for my family.  But I get irritated and annoyed by the people in and around the stores.  Here is a list, though not all-inclusive, of my shopping peeves:

1. When entering a parking lot, please note which way traffic is going; i.e. if the sign says incoming traffic has right of way, DO NOT STOP!  Please do not drive the wrong way up an aisle just because you are in a hurry--your rush may cause an accident, and then you really will be late!
2. While I like that many stores now have Mom/Parent of Young Child parking spaces, I hate that you still have to go a ways to return your carts.  And really, wouldn't it be easier if at least a couple of the cart return areas were near the entrance to the store?
3. Which brings me to my next gripe.  Put your dang cart away!  How hard is it to go just a few more feet to put your cart in the return?  Heaven knows we could all use the extra steps!
4. If you are in a store with self-scan or U-scan lanes, please don't use these if you have 137 items--let's try and keep it to around 25.  
5. When a store puts things on sale, why must it be "select varieties" of a product?  I understand that different sizes or fancier versions of things might not be at the same price, but if the only difference is flavor it's just stupid.  If you are trying to get rid of a surplus of a flavor, do a closeout on it.  Make it easy for people to shop.
6. Another creation I love to hate is the kid carts with the cars on the front, or the even larger ones at Target or Walmart. While I love it, because it allows me to grocery shop with both of my kids (without having to chase Nathan all over creation), it really is a beast to push. 
7.   Dear Mary Q. Shopper, you are not the only person in the store: get out of the way!  Do not stand in the middle of an aisle pretending that no one else needs to get anything off of the shelf, or just needs to get by.  Come on, if I can still be polite and say excuse me if my behemoth cart comes within 5 feet of you, you can do the same.   
8. And for goodness sake, PLEASE don't assume it's okay to touch my children.  If you do, I take no responsibility if the little one starts screaming or if the big one says, "Hey, lady, move along!"

Anne

Rain, Rain, Go Away

I know that all living things, like plants and people, need water to survive.  Seriously, the grass in my yard is nearly ankle-high.  It needs to be cut desperately, but with the rain not ENDing until sometime this weekend (a.k.a. prime mowing time) it likely won't be done til some point next week.  And I can live with that.

What I can't live with is my children (both my own and the ones I care for at work) being stuck inside for days on end due to weather.  They need to run and around and be silly.  I need them less wacky and goofy.  They need the sunshine (or even just clouds) and fresh air.  Sidenote: did anyone else know that playing outside actually BOOSTS the immune system?  

I am also having a hard time being grateful for Mother Nature's showers.  In some areas, all of the rain has led to massive floods and damage.  In other places, namely Texas, they can't buy a drop.  There are fires there burning out of control.  Farmers are literally selling livestock for $25 each.  They are desperate for the rain, and I wish I could send it to them.

Anne