Freud Wouldn't Even Waste His Time

I had a dream Friday night that I was in a beautiful park like setting with ivy covered stone buildings and green lawns. I was minding my own business, taking a picture of an old wooden door with a cool handle (of all things) when two nuns came running up to me. They were frantic and insisted that one of my children was in trouble and I must come quickly with them to the corner of (blah, blah & I don’t remember). So off we ran across those lush green lawns. The two Sisters were kicking my butt running because I was in sandals and they were wearing tennis shoes under their habits. I was panicked to know what had happened; which child? Is she okay? I kept asking and then one of the nuns said, “Someone heard your child say a curse word!” In my dream I remember instantly slowing down and thinking, “Oooooh…. Wow. I guess I need to act as upset as they are.” My kids know they would be punished for swearing but I just felt thankful knowing they weren’t hurt or worse. That’s when I woke up.

It didn’t take much for me to figure out the message my subconscious was sending. I feel like I am not as strict as other parents (the nuns) may be and I don’t want to be viewed as passive. I have my own way of dealing with issues and it is helpful for me to think through a situation first before confronting. I think this may give the appearance of being passive but both of my kids can attest to the fact that I am the polar opposite and they can expect a thorough ass-chewing just as soon as I’m clear the grounds for the chewing.

It figures my subconscious would insert athletic, Nike wearing catholic nuns into my dreams to create the ultimate guilt trip. Well played.

I was forced to learn a difficult parenting lesson this past weekend and it has taken me four days to figure out how to deal with my revised role as a parent/evil dictator. To my friends with smaller children; listen up because your time is coming. No matter how much you love and trust your child, discount nothing. The older they get the sneaker they get and they will play you. I am all for using the fear of God if it keeps my kids from making a bad decision.

•  Make it clear to your child that they are always being watched and their actions will get back to you. By the time they discover this is a half-truth it won’t be a big deal.
• Make a point to occasionally drive by to check up on them when they say they are going to the park or wherever to meet friends. Make sure they are where and with who they say they are.

I am such a Facebook-hater that my first instinct is to advocate for telling them Facebook is the devil. If you have the balls to do that, DO IT! You'll end up getting a lot more of your kid's time and you won't have to worry about online freaks and bad influence friends.

• Don't let them have a facebook page without you as the “gate keeper” and make sure that you have the password to their email address. On the flip side, make a point of checking these things on a regular basis, especially their “deleted” file otherwise it’s a moot point.

For a couple years now my kids have had cell phones. My logic was when their activities are over they need a way to let me know they need picked up. It is also a way for me to check up on them. The mistake I made was letting them have privacy.

• Never give your child complete privacy!

I never checked their messages, never had a reason to. BIG mistake people! Let me tell you that I am now getting into the habit of not only checking to see who they are texting, and what they are texting but they are no longer allowed to just carry the phone at all times. It is a utensil, not an accessory. At night all phones are docked in a central location to charge and not in their rooms. I can’t emphasize enough how beneficial you will find this habit. I made this suggestion last year and was met with such angry opposition that I dropped it. I should have just played the bad guy and did it anyway.


The lesson I learned this past week is this; I am my children’s guardian and protector first and their friend second; not the other way around.

Snappin Pics While Stuck In Traffic

Industrial Art

Gen and I had some fun in the car driving back from Liberty. We were attempting to capture "Industrial Art." Only one of these shots is mine, well... cause I was driving but that was fine because Gen did an awesome job all on her own.

Crossing the  Missouri River bridge

Leaving downtown KC at dusk

10U Phenix Take First!

Syd's softball team earned their first tournament championship trophy this weekend in Liberty Missouri.

It was a LOT of hard work...

The Pop Tart Twins - Halloween 2011

Gentry and one of her friends decided they wanted to be a chocolate and a strawberry pop tart for a Halloween party. I found a costume guide online and here are the finished products. They are made out of a queen size egg-crate mattress topper, cut in half and held together with a half ton of hot glue.

 

"Oh noooo.....

... Cannibal!!!"

It's been a long time since I posted a video and I admit I don't listen to links like these on the blogs I follow. Plain and simple; this song gives me chills and if just one other person feels the same affect then it's worth the space on this page.

The Death Trap 2011

We pondered for weeks wondering how we were going to paint the two remaining areas on the second story since the pitch of my roof will not allow us to stand on it. The result was "The Death Trap" that Dan built and it fastened over the top of the ladder to provide a platform landing.

I made sure I knew where his medical insurance card was before he went up.

Comments like, "Is that a vulture circling? You know they can sense death, right?" were not overly appreciated.

Lunchroom Drama

Syd came home from school yesterday and told me a heartbreaking story. A girl in her class who she described as a ‘goodie-goodie’ who, as far as Syd knows, has NEVER gotten in trouble for anything .. had her luck run out yesterday in of all places, the lunchroom. *Key the music of doom - dum, dum, duuuum.* This little girl got accused of kicking another girl in the shin. The lunchroom teacher got involved and without asking for witnesses (which there weren’t) or any kind of warning, she embarrassed the child by moving her to a table all by herself.  Syd said the girl set her tray beside her, didn’t eat another bite and proceeded to cry. Meanwhile, the accuser is known for being a mean little liar. Just sayin’. The drama carried over into the classroom where the girl proceeded to cry and had to be taken out into the hallway for a chat. I’m thinking this is another Knox story and this girl was wrongly accused and now has been traumatized. It broke my heart. I hope her parents rip somebody a new one! 

I don’t know how or why lunchrooms have evolved into places where power hungry tyrants impersonating teachers linger in the hopes of crushing the spirit of elementary students simply trying to choke down their packaged cardboard food and chatting with friends, but it has. At least it has at my kid’s school. Assigned seats, no talking, no laughing, and if your table is quiet you get a table trophy but OH MY GAWD don’t touch the trophy or it is given to another table and now you run the risk of losing your recess as well! What the hell is this nonsense? Lunchroom nazis; that’s what they are. I can’t believe I’m saying this but I cannot wait until Syd moves up to Junior High next year. The first semester isn’t even over and I can’t count how many times these kids have had their recess taken away, the one thing that gives them an outlet to burn off energy. “They talk too much” is the explanation. “Well I have news for you genius’, they are 10 year old kids; they are going to talk no matter what you do.” Maybe they should run laps. That always shuts me up. (See why I'm so happy I found Erin's blog?)

No Accident

This week I stumbled across a website that instantly has become like crack in the form of words. The cool thing is I came very close to never discovering it which convinces me I was meant to find it. The link to this blog was mentioned in another blog newsletter I routinely get via email. I’ve been so swamped at work with my co-worker on a two week vacation that I nearly deleted it without reading, figuring I wouldn’t have time. Instead I MADE time and found a true jewel.

The writer, Erin Pavlina reminded me how long it has been since I took the time for myself. I realized how much I’ve missed meditating and how enlightening and refreshing it feels. I read a couple articles on interpreting your dreams and raising your vibration and something clicked. I’m obsessed with learning more. I have cut out meat and alcohol in order to help cleanse my system of unhealthy toxins and I started meditating again. Maybe I’ll even get to the point where I don’t fall asleep in the middle except Erin says if you meditate before going to bed you will sleep better without the weight of the world on your mind. The last thing I remember was standing under a waterfall, the water spilling over my head washing away all the negativity of the day. Boy did I sleep gooood last night.  

I was also reminded to look for little signs from the universe. Last night for no reason what-so-ever our internet would not connect. Gen was frantic but after tinkering with it for a while I said, “Sis, the universe is trying to tell you to do something more constructive with your time tonight.” So she did. For the first time in a LONG time she spent time with her sister and then read a book. It was nice. 

Not everyone is open to this type of thing but if you are interested, curious, or simply desperate for some sort of release, her blog in listed in my favs.