Spoiled...

I love fireworks. Independence Day has always been one of my favorite holidays because of the fireworks. Because of this, my children have also come to love fireworks.

As of late, we have become quite a spoiled bunch with awesome firework displays for our viewing pleasure, about twice a month. It has been incredible! We are talkin' REAL firework displays, on par with any I have ever seen.

After last night's display, I did express concern that 4th of July way be a let down this year and that the fireworks would not hold the same level of excitement for me, but that feeling was gone once I started making plans for our firework viewing next weekend;-)

How lucky we are to be spoiled by fireworks!

Uncharted Waters

I need a nautical map, I have a feeling we are headed straight for the rocks! I am just going to admit it, I am not having an easy-go at it with this whole parenting thing. I feel like we take two steps forward and three back! I am frustrated and confused. I am at the point of asking my husband for parenting advice and assistance, for the first time.

Nothing seems to be working. I push, they push harder, why do they not pull anymore? What happened? I am not sure who thought it was a good idea to let them have opinions of their own and three different thoughts at that! This is insane! I want to change my parenting style now...I want to go with the philosophy that children should be seen and not heard! What was I thinking trying to raise vocal independent thinkers? Being open and honest is starting to haunt me now! How was I to know that at 8,7 & 5 they would have learned to speak up and out! Okay, I admit it, it was me! I did this! I made my bed!!! Now I want them out of it!LOL!

Well, tomorrow I will have to work on braking their spirit, once I get done with that maybe I can build them up again as little robots, brain-washed little followers;-)

Marg...

My darling 5 year old decided to share with me today that her daddy loves me only alittle, her brother not at all and her sister hates me, but that is all okay because SHE loves me...ALOT!LOL!

What am I going to do with her:)

Opening Your Eyes

As any parent knows, one of the most difficult things to do is see things that are wrong with your own child(ren). Amazingly, we can spot a child with "issues" miles away unless it is our own:) That always make me laugh;-)

With my three kids growing-up, what I am noticing is that the scale of "normal" is extremely varied(mostly from parent to parent:) For the most part, two are my three monsters are "normal", but really they are not. Declan is 8 going on 75, he doesn't always get along with his peers, as most of them are not into reciting US History. Margaret, my other "normal" child is 5 going on 16. She is too smart for her own good and has common-sense that spans far beyond her 5 years on this earth. Then I have Killi, who is does not fit the mold. She has some LD and is sweet and kind to the point of allowing others to walk all over her.

There you have it, three kids and not one of them fits into "the box". Declan and Maggie can, when they want to jump in the box, but Killi would rather use the box to make a car, plane or boat to take her away:) It has taken me some time to see that Killi is not near the box, she is in her own circle, and I love her for that. I have known for most of her life that she was a little "different" but I was not sure how. Now I know and I am happy that I know. I want other parents to know. To feel that calmness you get when you stop trying to force your child into the "box". Sure, it is nice when your child can do the "box" when they need or want to, but it is just as okay for your child to never hop inside.

Take a look at your kids, are they in the "box", a "circle" or maybe something else. Just see it. Recognize it. I know it is hard, but it is harder to be the child forced into a box that you cannot fit in. And next time you spot that kid that is "different" think about what others see when they look at your kids.

Mothers Day

As far as days as a mother go, today was a good one. The monsters slept in, there was little fighting and things were pretty quiet and that made for a pleasant day. Chocolate Chip pancakes for breakfast, cleaned bedrooms and a flag football game that was my day.

There is nothing I would rather be doing than spending the day with my family, there are never enough of those days!

8:15am is too early...

That is when, on our way to school, my son decided to ask me what "gay" meant. Since I believe in letting my children drive their knowledge on most issues, I respond with "What do you mean" in order to better understand his question so that I could give a good answer. So, he repeated "what does gay mean" and I answered that it originally meant merry & happy, but that not it is also used to describe people who like people of the same sex , I thin gave an example of a man that wants to marry another man or a woman that wants to marry another woman, not like mommy and daddy marrying each other. He said, okay and that he understood. He told me that at school some kids call other kids "gay" when they do stupid or mean things and I said that now he knows that the word does not mean stupid or mean. He said yep, then turned to me and said, "So, is that even legal? A man marrying a man or a girl marrying a girl?" I answered some place they can get married some not. He asked about where we lived, I said no. Then he kissed me an walked into school. I wonder how much time he is going to spend on that today:)

I am glad he asked though and now uses the word correctly and helps his friends do so too:) I wonder how many phone calls I will get over this one!LOL!