Wednesday, August 21, 2013

It matters...

OK...

Just saying, time spent with your kids, no matter what age, matters.

That's it.

Pam


Tuesday, August 20, 2013

Joyful celebration....

Hi!

Ok, my thought for today is that school is starting.  All kids go back to school soon, if they haven't already.

As you send them back, be joyful and celebrate.  Celebrate all that you have helped them achieve and be to this point!  Then, go out and celebrate yourself.

I am in Cleveland doing just that.  My 30 year old started her first day back at school today.  Of course, she is the teacher now.  How did that happen???


Until next time,

Pam

Friday, August 16, 2013

just saying...WOMEN

OK....

proof reading...still a challenge!

Going out there....

Hello!


As  I sit here Friday morning, I am thinking about a conversation I have been having with a friend of mine. It is about how we woman define ourselves.  I bet men get caught up in this too, yet I am sure they do not talk about it as much. It must go along with that Men are from Mars and woman are from Venus thing....

So here goes....

I think woman and men should define themselves with integrity, intelligence, bravery and curiosity. And, if we have children, I think our primary job should be to figure out how to be real and evolving and a role model.  A role model that is not afraid to show our kids all the parts of life that are out there, the good, the hard and the sad, and how to deal with, manage and change as needed.  Because if we do that, we will give our kids a pretty good road map to help guide them along the way, kind of like parent GPS.

 "How to Be" is the name of a great children's book by Lisa Brown.   You should get a copy even if you don't have small children.  It could be the life guide for everyone.  I especially like the short chapter on "How to be a Person" here it is:

"Be brave, curious, patient, charming, creative, and friendly...Be yourself."

I would also add, dare greatly....

Now, if we could all actually do that and model that for our kids it could be great.  I am continually working on it!


Until next time...

Just Be....Pam

Wednesday, August 14, 2013

Question....

OK...

Question....  Blog title good? Bad? Too Angry?? ... or as it is meant to be, tongue in cheek?

Comments welcomed!

Pam

Monday, August 5, 2013

On the Road to Hell.....

Hello!


Last week, as you know, I was in Madison with my daughter and her baby son.
While we were there we got to meet a whole bunch of people, and THAT kid.


We have all met THAT kid.  Sometimes it is while we are out and about in the world at large, sometimes it is within the school community our kids are part of, sometimes it, as has happened in my life, is a child in your class, and sometimes it can even be a member of your extended family. If THAT kid is part of your extended fam....YIKES, cause there is no escape.

This time, however, THAT kid was someone I met out and about in the world at large, through shared experience and shared social contacts.....

As I watched and listened to the interaction between said kid and his parents, it was hard not to want to offer advice.  We all know that kids become what they learn and live, and that part of the biggest responsibility of being a parent is setting clear and cohesive limits and boundaries, without that kids become free range children.  By free range children, I mean all of those kids we have met whose parents work hard at letting them "be" asking them if they are happy and if they are making 'good choices", when they are toddlers.  I am sorry, but the only choices young children should have are maybe what they want to wear, when it is appropriate, and what they may want to have as a snack, if you are up for that.  Beyond that, we do our kids a disservice if we don't set up clear and precise boundaries for them.  No one learns without trial and error.  Kids need to know what they can and can not do, what is and is not appropriate and how to be out in the world without causing terror!

I have spoken to this point before. Beyond unconditional love, the most important part of a parents job is to set clear limits and boundaries for your kids during every stage of their development.  What is necessary is to know what those limits are and how the boundaries look.   Help your kids become competent people.  In order to do that, you have to show up and be willing to do the dirty work and that work requires you being the bad guy from time to time and using that scary word "NO"!

I was relaying my experience today with my Mother in Law, and I have to credit her with the title of this post... She said "Wow Honey, if those parents don't start setting limits and boundaries for their child, they are on the road to hell!"

And....there we have it!

Choose to be the parent.  Do your job with love and deep responsibility.  Free Range is for chickens, eggs, and turkeys, not kids, unless they are baby goats!

Until next thought....

Pam


Thursday, August 1, 2013

Quick thought

Hi!

Just sharing the thought that life is like a speeding bullet train...

How did I get from attending the University of Wisconsin Madison to caring for my grandson while my  grown daughter attends The American Cheese Society Conference??

Sue...you know who you are....can you believe that I am in Madison....as a Gramma?? :)

Until next time,
Pam