Showing posts with label kids. Show all posts
Showing posts with label kids. Show all posts

Friday, February 19, 2021

Snowed In Means - SCIENCE!

Texas has been in a state of emergency. We have been seeing single digits over most, if not all, of the state. Icy roads have ended school temporarily, meaning we had a whole week at home with the kids. Also shut down the need to go to work for many people. My husband stocks shelves at the grocery store and even he was told no shifts - which I was grateful for. The roads are finally thawing and we are just getting above freezing. The windows in our old house are all single pane. Every single one of them had frozen shut inside and out.

We have ice inside! 

So I thought 'It will be a fun time'. At first, it wasn't. Firewood was sold out in the stores when we went to looking for it. So I pulled out the heavy blankets, was keeping all the shades and curtains drawn, and we were bundling up as much as possible. They are still telling people to not use much electricity as the state grid isn't strong enough to handle all this. But then their "rolling blackouts" plan failed leaving most of our town in particular freezing in the dark anyhow. 

So how were we to pass the time? 

Four kids, shut inside, for the next "several" days, according to our governor. I needed to get creative so we could avoid our version of cabin fever. It would be one heck of a time. With below freezing temperatures dropping to single digits, and then in the negatives, we saw lots of snow again. Ice is still everywhere. And that gave me some ideas! 

She blinded me with science!

Mama just happened to remember that Pinterest posted picture of frozen water balloons. Inside, there was food coloring. You put them outside to freeze. The next day (or in our case, a few hours) you remove the balloon and you have beautiful colored ice orbs! 

Before the storm, we went to the Dollar Tree and I picked up some balloons. The kids helped me get the food coloring into them and I filled them with water. My husband laid each one in turn outside on the already frozen ground. We had a light layer of ice, with snow falling. 

Didn't take long for the snow to fall heavier and faster. Until there was easily an 3+ inches there. Icicles hung from every edge - doors, windows and eaves. By the time it stopped, we had 6 inches.

It is beautiful! But SOOOO cold! We couldn't take very long outside. Every step outside had to be done with several layers, good gripping shoes - the works! But so worth it to bring fun to the kids. I even saw where you could make these orbs glow with very small glow sticks! 

Sadly, our power went out. For 3 days. We abandoned trying to wait for it to come on and went to stay with my in-laws. They still had power and we were grateful to finally get warm again. Before we left, however, we learned how to make a fire with wet wood! The kids helped us drag sticks in from the branch that my husband cut down. They enjoyed helping out. They also ripped up the cardboard boxes we used to feed the flames. I considered this a valuable life lesson. Should they ever have need of starting a wet wood fire, they know how to do so!

Back to the balloons. I found that though we laid them out the night of the big storm, the part resting on the ground didn't freeze! This was lesson one for us. About the snow providing a protective layer that prevented the under side from freezing. The part exposed to the falling snow did. The kids loved when I showed them that. So I moved them up and flipped them over to freeze fully.  

After getting word that power was turned back on, my husband and I went to check it out. We wanted to make sure it was and check that the pipes hadn't burst, despite taking the recommended precautions. We also needed to wash the children's pants. They have been outgrowing their jeans rapidly during these cold months. One of my sons rips the knees of his athletic pants like paper all the time. While at the in-laws home, the gas line froze to the washing machine. We learned lessons on using a hand crank version. Definitely need a wringer with one of those! Perhaps Nona shall be getting one for her Mother's Day gift this year... We had a discussion on severe weather prepping. It is amazing what things you find yourself in need of!

While checking out the house, I checked on the orbs. Each one was covered in a thick layer of slick ice. Under the ice, you could see that the balloons were starting to split from the expanding ice. But they were pretty underneath. I took photos to show the kiddos until we could bring them home. It was fun to watch the progress. Both with the weather and the orbs. They also helped their aunt start building an igloo in the yard. I couldn't handle being out in the cold much. Made me hurt so much.

 Another way I love to pass the time is by working puzzles. This is a favorite pasttime for me. I find it calming. A way to clearly process my thoughts and find peaceful focus. Especially with this Nene Thomas fairy one!

Wherever you are, whatever your situation is, I hope you are able to find little fun ways to get through the days. As well as stay healthy and warm.

Wednesday, November 7, 2018

Turning an Everyday Outing Into an Adventure! (+ giveaway)

Sparking a child's imagination is very important to me. I think all children need creativity and free thinking to be a part of their daily lives. To hold fast to the wonder of everything around them. And best of all is when something simple triggers it. Which is exactly where Kidorable comes to mind. 
*Disclaimer: I was sent this product in exchange for my honest review. I was not otherwise paid or endorsed and most definitely not told what to say. All opinions are my own.*

I have the greatest pleasure in showcasing one of Kidorable's amazing products. And at the end of the review, I encourage you to sign up for the giveaway they are hosting through me! You will have the chance to win your own awesome kids umbrella! Cool, right?? So let's get to it! 
What makes them so wonderful? 

Kidorable brings everyday products with a magical twist to spark creative thinking and let the imagination run wild. Be it while a child holds an umbrella in the rain or wearing their favorite character set of winter gear, there is something out there for every child to enjoy. As I was looking over their website, my daughter happened to see the Mermaid Umbrella and she loved it!
Of course, when I was checking it out, it was sold out. But that just goes to show how popular it is among the little ladies out there! It has such a cute underwater design that goes all the way around. The mermaid princess is in the center, with her tail topping the umbrella. There will be no mistaking my little dreamer, no matter how many other umbrella-covered kiddos are around. Hers will always stand out! 
Unique designs to be distinguished!

One thing I love about these? The uncommon designs! Not just the part that covers her head, but all the way to the handle. This one has such a cute little sea horse for her little hands to grip. It fits perfectly in her grasp. 
Down here in Texas, we have been battling rain every week for the past couple months. We have a giant umbrella, but the little lady often gets stuck outside its reach since the boys and I take longer strides. This way, she can keep covered without having to run to keep up!  

But the rain isn't the only thing she needs the cover for. The sun can be brutal as well. Blinding rays that freckle the skin and heat you up. This umbrella protects her from it all! 

But that is not all they offer! 

Umbrellas may be the main draw, but they don't stop there. They have full rain gear sets that include galoshes and rain coats. Your child can be covered from head to toe as they venture outside. They also have winter sets which come with gloves, hats and scarves. The backpacks are absolutely adorable too! And then the towels - to bring fun and imagination after the bath! Wherever possible, I think we should spark that creativity in their minds. And it can very easily start with something as simple as these everyday items.

Where can you get one? 

Besides their website, they also sell on Amazon! I love this option since they are Prime eligible. Which is perfect since Christmas is right around the corner and they make fantastic gifts! Especially the winter sets. Here in Texas, it doesn't get truly cold enough until December and January anyhow. 

Would you like to try to win one?

Kidorable would like to give one lucky winner their own kids umbrella! So I have set up a giveaway below. Remember to let me know what style you want to win! And "May the odds be ever in your favor!"   
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Monday, October 29, 2018

FunBites Make Every Bite Fun!

Have you ever noticed that there are some kids who just refuse to eat something if it does not look appealing to them? Doesn't matter what it tastes like, because it is all about presentation. Food often needs to be beautiful for children. Food needs to be fun. Otherwise they turn up their noses and cringe in their seats. FunBites is here to rescue meals! 
*Disclaimer: I received these products free of charge in exchange for my honest review. I was not otherwise paid or endorsed. All opinions expressed are my own.*

I've been through the stages with my kids. Those days of making sandwiches for the kids, but having them beg me to cut it up into halves or triangles. Does it change the sandwich? No. But as soon as I do as they ask, they devour it without hesitation. Why? Kids taste is often initiated by their eyes. If it looks appealing, they are more likely to enjoy it. I actually think a lot of their judgement starts with the eyes. 

But that is not the only reason to love FunBites. These are kid safe. Designed to be safe enough for them to use without cutting themselves. You can get them to help prepare their own food, which makes eating without fussing much more likely. Put everything into bite sizes. Little fingers go to little mouths, so let's make it easier for them eat and less likely they will be cramming too much in at once. Plus, this way they can try many other things in just the right size.

These are BPA free and dishwasher safe (top rack).

How does it work? 
Slide the cutter over the food and shake a little, then slide the popper top over that to push the food out and serve!

Where can you get yours? 

These are available at your local Walmart and via Amazon! Super convenient ways to pick yours up. You can double check to see all the places that have them HERE.

Why do I think you should check them out? 

Whether it is to get your kiddos or grandkids to eat better at home, or to help another parent out, these are super helpful. They make wonderful gifts too. Many colors and styles to choose from. As I showed you, there are Paw Patrol ones for girls and boys, but there are also plain versions that can go either way. They make party trays simple as well! 

Friday, October 5, 2018

Let's All Spread a Little More Joy These Holidays - One Card At a Time!

Encouraging a child daily grows their self esteem, shows them how much you love them and can shine a light on a dull, dreary day when they need it most. I don't know about your kids, but mine start dragging about the time they have lunch at school. Which is where Lunchbox Love cards come in handy! 


*Disclaimer: I received these cards for free in exchange for my honest review. I was not paid or otherwise compensated. The opinions shared are strictly my own.* 

These cards are made by Say Please. They come in cute, little, plastic boxes that make for easy storage. Which is a huge plus for someone who tries to stay organized. As a Mom who has had quite enough of negativity in the world, I am proud to use these to spread positive words one card at a time. 

Why positive messages are so important.

Kids might have it easy in our eyes, but that doesn't mean they don't face pressure and stresses in their daily life. They need positive reinforcement to battle the negativity that we adults understand so well. We get so busy, we often just go through the motions and forget to check into what they are facing. These cards give us a conversation opener. Let the kiddos know we are thinking of them. Say Please says it best, "Words are important, especially positive words. Their energy lifts spirits and makes the world a better place the moment they are shared." Just think about the last time you heard something positive shared with you. Made you feel great, even when the day might not have been going so well, right? This is what I feel these cards can accomplish even when I'm not there.

Each card has an encouraging note on the front and trivia on the back. Plus there are 2 cards that are blank for you to write your own personalized messages on. There are 12 cards to a pack. I was sent volume 25. I absolutely love the variety! For kids, teens and loved ones. And the trivia is so much fun too. I think they make for great ways to get kids interested in researching more about topics. Like this one, "During a 24-hour period, the average adult will breathe around 23,000 times." These make great topics for our table discussions. We love talking about things that most people don't think about. 


What else do they have to offer? 

You can purchase a variety of sizes and options when it comes to the cards. You can also check out the great free printables they offer. For various occasions! 


Need a great holiday gift? 

I'm not just referring to Christmas gifts, though I would highly suggest it! They have Elf Jokes cards if you like to play with the Elf of the Shelf (something my husband and I would love to do one day)! Let your elf not only pose, but get these cards to print and set up with your Elf. Add humor in a way you never thought to before. They have cards geared for many holidays: Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and Valentine's Day. 
Let us spread some happy moments, one card at a time with the people we love and care about. Think of this as another way to Pay it Forward. When we share joy with one, they are more likely to share it with someone else. Help make the world a happier place, despite the darkness we face daily. It starts with us! 
I did! I sent one to work with my husband to surprise him on his lunch break. Just a little moment to make him smile and add some pep to his step while he works. Who knows who else will benefit from his smile tonight? 

Saturday, February 17, 2018

When Did Schools Start Failing?

The more I know about the public school system, the less inclined I feel to have my children enrolled. My two boys are struggling and my kindergartner is going through the same torture that myself and others who were considered "gifted and talented" went through. Sad to say, but in the past 22 years, the school system still has not changed in that regard. 
My oldest son has a teacher who pretends she has it all together. Lady can't be on time to her class. But complains that my son isn't taking advantage of coming to class early when she is "always there at 7 to help with homework". She doesn't truly listen to the parents who are trying to get their kids the best education available to them. She doesn't know how to communicate effectively with parents on misconduct acts. Although lets face it, neither of my kids second grade teachers are able to use proper grammar or spelling in their emails to me. Even some of the homework sheets they send home are full of errors. Both in the English and in the math. She expects every child in her class to be honest when they are being bad. She doesn't show that she bothers checking homework assignments outside of simple reading projects. She gets an attitude when her assumptions of what should happen don't (i.e. - parent calls instead of arriving for a face-to-face meeting). And here is my favorite ill conceived idea of hers - kids have to earn the right to have their snack in class. These are second graders being forced to go from breakfast at 7 AM (or earlier if they are eating at home) to 12:19 without their snacks. And on some days, while having PE class in between. My kids have hyperactive digestion systems. They burn through what energy they get from eating pretty quick. And they get hungry. But in her class, you have to earn the right to eat. Otherwise, you can sit there and watch others eat. And if your snack doesn't meet her idea of "healthy", you also won't get to eat. Granted, when I was in their grade level over 20 years ago (yes, I'm dating myself now), we didn't have snack time. That is something newer in the schools. Then again, we didn't hear much about how many American kids are starving and only eat at school either. Another problem I am butting heads with this teacher on is how she thinks (or is the normal guidelines in schools now) that it is more important for a 9 year old to know how to get the answer rather than get the answer. What do I mean by this? My son can do the math in his head, but struggles when he has to show his work or label the strategy that is used. She makes the kids label each part of the problem and then solve it. He knows the answer, but that is not important to her. How is he getting the answer? My cousin was a math genius who couldn't show the work, but could solve any problem in his head. Got accused of cheating no matter how he proved that he wasn't. Remember, this was before cell phones and calculators were being carried by everyone. She says she is treating the kids as though they are in the third grade already. Lady, you are forcing them to grow up before they are there yet! Why?! She also had the balls to make the statement that I need to help my son be more independent because she knows that I have "other kids" and my "focus is divided". Followed by other statements leaning towards the idea that because I have 4 kids (which is a lot to a woman like her), I can't devote as much time to each one as is needed. Sweetheart... be glad we were talking on the phone or you might have needed to take a sick day. So help me... Who does she think she is? As another mother, who removed her child from this teachers class, pointed out - we Mothers have different levels of what we can handle. Some Moms can only have one. It is all they can take. Some Moms have 2, 3, or 4 kids and that is their limit. My Mother has 10. We all have different thresholds of where we can balance ourselves. I hold to the belief that God gives us what we can handle. 4 is my limit. But I'll be darned if I don't give them my all and give them the attention they need as they need it. I might be poor. I might not have a college degree. But I have a heart full of love. A love that overflows for my kids. So tread lightly when you make out that I'm not fully able to be there for any one of them. 
My other son excels at math, but he's not confident in reading because he isn't as good at it. I feel his pain. It is the same that I had when it came to math. I'm not sure I qualify for even average. But I excelled in reading to the point that I was "gifted" you might say. But because of this deficiency in one subject, she doesn't feel he is truly ready to pass and is, instead, "placing" him in third grade next year to be "watched and assessed". When did it stop being a pass or fail? When did they introduce the "placing" method for the grey liners? Not in the red (failing), but not in the black (passing). So we put in this middle category and hope you make it. GAH! 
Then we have my kindergartner. This girl is already reading nearly as well as her older brothers. She sounds out words that I wouldn't have seen her reading yet. She attempts math that is ahead of her. So her teacher, seeing her long strides, sends home an assessment to see where we think she stands and if we think she is worthy of being tested for the gifted program. I'm all for it. I think that just maybe the system has changed and maybe they will later advance her if they see her pulling far enough ahead of her own level. Challenge her and see where she lands! What do they do? Start sending home packets of worksheets. Enough that she has to do 5-7 pages a night, Monday to Thursday and hand them all in on Friday morning. Where have I seen this before... Ah, yes! My cousin. Same grade level work or slightly ahead, but not advancing him. It was just to keep him busy and to make him feel better about being smarter than everyone else. My daughter gets so fed up after the 3rd page that she just starts whining and begging to be let go. She can't play games with her brothers who have maybe half of the workload she does now. She can't have play time with neighborhood friends all the time during the week either. No time. Just enough to eat dinner, shower and get to bed. 

That's another thing. My kids have to sleep early. They wake up at 6 AM to eat, dress and be ready to walk to the bus stop every morning. They don't have much time between getting off the bus and bed time. Especially not when they keep getting new bus drivers who don't know where they are going. They dropped some kid off at the wrong stop recently. Poor kid had to walk home a ways. Bus driver didn't realize the mistake until the next stop, where that kid should have been let off, when no one came forward to get off the bus. They just call a name from the list and say, "Get off here". Some days, we stand at the bus stop worrying that something bad has happened. At which point, we are all dialing the school and get the phone picked up by stressed out admin staff that say the bus will arrive "soon". 
This system is too broken. You are facing kids so bogged down instead of promoted up that they want to quit school as soon as possible. I have said it before and I say it again - public schools are like prisons. You have teachers that are not getting proper support from the administrative roles above them. You have admin that are blaming teachers for student not passing, no matter what the teacher does. Every couple of weeks, it seems like I'm getting requests for money or supplies. Some fundraiser is happening or something else is missing in the classroom. They send home pictures of my kids that I did not authorize them taking and say I can buy them or send them back. Just don't send them at all! Then there are holidays every month. If not a national holiday, there are student holiday/staff training days. I don't remember having so much time out of school when I was incarcerated in the public system. How about the fact that they are not teaching real life lessons as much as teaching what will be on the next test? It is all about getting kids to pass a test and make the passing grades higher for the schools rating. My second graders still are not being taught cursive in school. They aren't retaining some of this other fluff stuff though either. They spent a single day practicing how to write a letter. Still don't do it right. I'm having to show them that art as well. But they have to learn about Kwanzaa and Ramadan at Christmas time. Because that will be helpful in their lives. 
My husband and I have agreed. Either next year or some time before they reach 5th grade, they will be home schooled. I'm done putting up with this crap. I want my kids to succeed at life. I want them to learn real skills. And I'm going to have to show them how. Because I just don't see it happening in the public school system anymore. And with the latest school shooting... I don't see them being safe anymore either.

Thursday, February 1, 2018

Putting it All Together!

My Party Pack arrived from House Party! Super happy to finally have all the fun gear together for the Sweetest Game Day party.
Tying that in with my sons parties. Time to get it all together and ready. They sent me a Snickers football, a mini Foosball table game and some bottle cozies!
I decorated the cozies and picked up some cream soda...I also got some Skittles and made little Rainbow Seed packs to send home with the kids.

It turned into so much fun! 
I also had fun piecing together my table decoration - the Pea Shooter. What do you think of it? 
I had to add beans inside the bottom of the cup as it would fall over otherwise. 
And then I made little candy goodie bags for him to take to class and give away, using mini Snickers, Milky Way and Musketeers bars. I think he will have a great birthday this year. There is more than one way to celebrate with such great snacks as Snickers, Skittles and M&M's! 
I also used some on his cake. Had trouble getting it out the pans. Lesson learned - white chocolate chips in a strawberry cake taste great, but stick to non-stick, greased pans like white on rice... So I went from this: 
To this:
Then this:
And finished with this!
Woo! I feel quite accomplished.

Friday, October 20, 2017

Can We Finally Close This Chapter?

I've been writing multiple posts about the bully situation my kids are facing at school and on the bus. I have to say, part of me is hopeful... part of me is still simmering. 

So what happened today?
I waited until 9AM this morning for a phone call from the school. The night before, I had decided that by 9, I'd be heading to the school to have an in-person chat with the vice principal. I was done. DONE! I wanted results. I wanted answers. While heading over there, the vice principal actually called me. I told her I was headed her way and would talk to her soon. Must have been a shocker. I can imagine the "Oh no" moment she must have had. But this needed to be settled. So I went in. And the talk we had, while friendly and professional, was most definitely laced with your classic customer service rhetoric. I should know. I worked retail for too many years. 

Basically, I learned that the lead bully, the little girl I mentioned before, was still pouncing on my children on the school grounds. She was being "sneaky" about it according the vice principal. And even this morning, she had been called to the office for her misconduct. Suffice it to say, she is a known deviant that they have had to deal with quite a bit. So it was no surprise that the information I laid out led the vice principal to admit that she too thought the little girl was a ring leader for the bully team. She was instigating the problem. 
In addition, while the buses have cameras on them, they are not all strategically placed. Some are on the front, some are in the backs above the doors, and some are in the middle and often obscured. What good does it do anyone if the cameras are not in a prime position?! Likewise, the vice principal does not have immediate access to the footage they record. Why it is her job, but she can't get the footage without going through a process, leaves me baffled. She has to contact the technology department of the transportation department to review and pull necessary footage and they have to then send her a copy of it. This is antiquated technology! It defeats the purpose of a speedy matter. While waiting for that, she has to make decisions that are required immediately. It's a sad thought. These kids are not all from the same class, same grade, same neighborhood. My son didn't even know his attackers name until I got on the bus after school yesterday and threatened every one of those kids to leave my kids alone! Yes, I told the vice principal that I did that. You know what response I got? A "Good for you!" *insert shocked look here* Wait, you are glad I got on that bus, confronted all those kids, and scared the pants off the boy who hurt my son?! Yes, yes she was. Why? According to her, those kids turn into animals when they get on the bus going home.And there is no one to stop them. 

So what came to be the conclusions of our discussions? Well, for starters, the little girl will now be restricted to the seat directly behind the bus driver. She will be forbidden to threaten, touch or otherwise have ill-conceived dealings with any other student, but especially my own. Her parents were to receive a phone call and a warning. If anything else happens involving her, she will be expelled for a time from using the bus at all. The boy who attacked my son, would be given a stern talking to and a warning since this was his first offense. His parents would also receive a phone call of his actions and the disciplinary actions taken. 

Hopefully that will clear up the bullying problems and all the kids can now rest a little easier when they board that bus to come home. I, however, still have a job to do. According the vice principal, she has been pushing the superintendents office to have an adult stationed on the buses to monitor and control the kids. The morning ride, they are docile creatures as they have not fully awakened or for most, even eaten yet. So that is typically not when an extra adult would be needed. But that ride home... that is when they are excited. They are awake. They go crazy. After all, they have been given freedom! They are going home. Time to play and be loose, right? Wrong. They are still under school supervision. There are no restraints. No seat belts. So what are they doing, besides picking on each other? How about jumping across the seats? How about throwing things? How about running up and down the aisle? And you cannot expect the bus driver to control them. They need to be focused on the street they are traversing. I'd rather they don't take their eyes from in front of them. Especially when we have drivers like this one in our own city! 
So why don't we have that extra adult supervising their trip home? The funding was cut. And until parents band together and demand it be reinstated, they see no need for it. Not until someone is seriously injured and sues the school... Which will happen eventually if those kids aren't controlled. 

So my task this weekend is to put together a petition. I plan to pass it around. To rally parents to this cause. We need safety that can only be afforded by someone keeping a watchful eye. Someone to keep dangerous acts from taking place. I understand that schools are strapped. But I can think of some things they don't need that could go to make money for what is truly needed. Especially for a school that has a serious bully issue running rampant. 

My plea to all of you parents out there is this, don't sit idly by. Know what is happening. I'm not saying you have to attend all the events or be a part of the PTA. I won't even go that far. But truly take the time to talk to and listen to your child. Know what they are facing. And make sure they are not afraid to speak out against the one who might be harming them. I will never forget the fear that the little boy had in his eyes when he tried to tell me he was fine after being in a choke-hold. Fear of the bully or fear of speaking up and not knowing what would happen. We tell our kids not to be tattle-tales, but do they know the difference between speaking up and tattling? We need to make sure they know.

Thursday, October 19, 2017

When All Else Fails

Gotta say, I'm disappointed. Bullying has become so common place. Sadly though, the adults we tell our children to turn to, are just as bad as the kids. Because of my involvement and the lack of true support from the school, the situation has escalated. Now, I'm going to have to go in person and truly lay down the law with the Vice Principal herself. 
My kids have been banned from having any contact with three kids. These kids are known to me as liars, vandals, manner-less, and just downright mean. I've seen them in action and know what they are capable of. Their parents on the other hand are completely clueless. They think of their kids as great. But it has come to my attention that the girl in this group is the worst. Since being banned (reinforced by her father after I refused to bend to his attitude), she decided to torment my kids and any others who associate with them, in a roundabout way. In essence, she is having other kids do her dirty work so that she can continue to dominate the bus. Since when are second graders so devious?! 

My kids have been told to act like she is no more than a fly buzzing in their ears. You wouldn't talk to a fly, so why bother with answering her or telling her to go away? Just pretend to wave her away and continue with what you are doing. I thought that would solve the problem. But no. She got other kids involved. Got them to listen to her rumors. They accused my son of using a word he doesn't know exists. The N word. She told her dad that my son called her that and stuck up his middle finger. Know what I heard from students who witnessed it? She's the one sticking up that middle finger and saying nasty things to my kids. It was when her dad confronted me that I told him his daughter was a liar and I warned her to stay away from my kids. Guess who wasn't happy with that? You know he had the gall to bring his "gang" of family to stand around the bus stop and yell at the kids? Wonder where his daughter gets her thuggish attitude from. 

So yesterday, my son was hit by another student, in the leg, with a cellphone. Today I called the school back, because I hadn't heard from them about the incident. I was told that my son couldn't identify the kid from 2 pictures presented to him. Hmm.... Then why didn't you check the security camera from the bus? Oh yes, things are so bad, they have to have cameras on the buses now. They had two adults on that bus, and neither of them paid any attention to what was happening behind them. I get that the driver has to focus on the road, but why can't the other one monitor the students? 

So today, I did what needed to be done. Before all the kids could climb off the bus, I climbed on. I demanded they point out the kids who attacked my son. Then I announced to them all, "The next kid who lays a hand against my children will answer to me." I had half a dozen kids pointing to the brat that hurt my son. I told him I'm going to the principal tomorrow. And that he better stay away from my children. 

Then came the truly scary part. One student followed me off the bus and announced that the girl (who hasn't left my kids alone after all), was choking another student. He demonstrated the arm hook technique. She had had a little boy in a choke hold. That boy also came forward and with a scared look in his eyes told me he was fine. He didn't want trouble. I told him to tell his mother. This behavior is unacceptable. Since when are 2nd graders so dangerous?! What is wrong with this girl?? Then another mother comes up and asks if the child who hurt my son was a girl. She went on to explain that she knew my son from hearing about him from her son. They are buddies. And because they are buddies, this little girl has been "nasty" to her son. She sneers at this little guy and tells him to "go sit with your crybaby buddy" while pointing at my son. 

I cannot tell you just how strong the surge of emotions have been since then. This child is evil. And she is manipulating the other students to get her way. That is, until now. Heaven help her, because now its my turn. And the school better hope they have a better answer besides, "We don't know what's going on." Guess what, I do. And I know what you need to do before this escalates. 

My children are my everything. No one hurts them and gets away with it. I didn't let their father, I'm certainly not letting some bratty stranger. 
My mother pointed out something in a comment she left on my other post. It takes a bigger, meaner bully to battle a bully. And I'm inclined to agree. It seems like they are getting worse with the times. I think back to the days when I was physically attacked. How often I was sent to the nurses often and my mother called. Looking back, I feel pathetic about it. Then I learned to break people mentally. Third grade was hard. Until I learned to use the one thing you hate about yourself to tear you apart. While I don't feel proud of what I did, it protected me from being hurt more. I won't teach my kids that technique. Yet. However, I'm going to teach my kids self defense. No more will I let them be hurt. They will learn to fight back. To prevail. The schools need to fear the bullies created by those that go unpunished. A slap on the wrist does nothing to those who are not taught at home. After all, they are already in prison. School is just that these days. And if they are not getting proper guidance at home or being disciplined, then it doesn't matter what is said. 

Where have we gone wrong, that such monsters are loose among our children?

Wednesday, October 11, 2017

Colortime Crafts and Markers - Glow in the Dark Halloween Tote Review

*Disclaimer: I was sent these products free of charge to write a review. All opinions are my own.* 
Halloween is less than two weeks from now! Where has this year gone?! Right before Halloween, I have my oldest sons 9th, yes, NINE YEARS OLD, birthday! Since it is so close to Halloween, we often use it as an excuse to get dressed up. Anything to wear our costumes! 

My son wanted a Star Wars themed party. We will have it with my husbands family. And then, that weekend is when my mother-in-laws neighborhood was planning a block party. Food, fun and I'm pretty sure there will be candy! Which means that kids will need a bag to collect their haul in. Normally, we use whatever we have around the house for this. However, this year, US Family Guide teamed up with Colortime Crafts and Markers to get the word out on these awesome glow in the dark designed canvas bags and the fabric markers. I think having glow in dark items is best when you are planning for a night time event. And this makes such even cuter. With the added benefit of being a fun activity for the kids to do in preparation.  
The canvas bag alone is great. I love reusable bags. The fact that we got to decorate it as a family, was even better.
We took turns coloring in parts of the design.
They can't wait to see it glowing in the dark. It didn't glow well at first, so I put it in a window to get some sunlight. It showed nicely after that. There is also a paper that came with it, explaining proper care, washing and how to make coloring easier.
Colortime has so many other great products to choose from. If you want something personal to give as a gift, I would suggest checking them out. Click on this Link for the latest online special offers and promo codes to Colortime Crafts and Markers. I would love to hear what you think about their products and what you would find to be the most interesting. So leave me a comment below!

Thursday, October 5, 2017

Are my kids trying to have me arrested??

In these days, more so than before, parents can easily be accused of child abuse. Broken bones, bruises, neglected head lice, even! Society has laid out what kids should be like. Being in the digital age, we except kids to docile and zoned out. Not mine...

My son got off the bus with two marks he didn't have when he left for school.
He had a roundish mark on his forehead that looked like a bruise. And then he had a red mark on his arm that looked to be a mix of a bruise and a bite. Yes, I was quite concerned. And then I got this answer to my query, "I did it to myself." WHAT?! WHY?? "I wanted to."

*Mental face palm*

Fast forward to later that afternoon. Homework was done. Showers had just been wrapped up. They were playing a little Minecraft while I completed dinner preparations. I hear thudding down the stairs from that same son and then CRASH! He had tripped at the last steps and planted his side into the stained concrete floor. He hit the side of his head at the ear, so that his ear was smashed on his glasses. Now he has a huge, swollen, ugly, purple bruise.
His knee had connected to the floor, giving him an ugly red swelling point there too.

*Mentally banging my head against the wall now*

Out comes an ice pack and admonishment to not run down the stairs. Again. I also informed him that if people saw him right now, they might have 1 of 2 thoughts go through their minds.
1. This kid was in quite the fight.
2. This kid gets beaten by his parents. 

My older daughter is also one I worry about for this reason. She is naturally clumsy. Falling, tripping and hitting herself happen regularly.If I had a dollar for every band-aid we have needed for her... And that brings me to child number 4. 10 1/2 months old, this girl can't stay still. I can be holding her and she's trying to do back flips from my arms. Or turning the furniture into her own personal jungle gym.
I had a picture I sent to her father one day when she got mad that I put her down when she was sleepy, and she had headbutted my computer desk. Looked like she had a black eye. 

As parents, we try to protect them from danger. However, we also want them to be strong and be able to handle some pain. Scratches, light bruises, scraped knees. You can't protect them from everything. Not unless they develop some kind of special bubble wrap we can encase them in. One day, right? Until then, we have to do everything we can to keep them alive and avoid Child Protective Services when they take being a kid to another level. 
Bubble wrap... Reminds me of the Chuckee Cheese ad....