School Lunches

We recently found this link:

http://kidshealth.org/parent/nutrition_fit/nutrition/lunch.html

It really doesn't affect our little family but it does most other families we know. Unhealthy menu choices and soda machines and fast-food-franchises in cafeterias equals temptations too strong for kids to make healthy choices.

The above site had some good ideas, but try to take it further. Petition your school board to eliminate all fast food, soda machines, sugary drinks, and non-nutritive food choices. Request a salad bar, fresh fruit, baked/not fried foods, juice/water/milk.

Also, the place to begin change is at home. Discuss nutrition and health at the dinner table. Calories versus quickness. So much to talk about - pick a topic for every meal. Perhaps if you help them plan healthy dinner menus and grocery trips, you can help them better choose healthy options at school.

Give it a try.

Kids: tell your parents to read this! There's nothing more important in your life than YOU !!!

Family Fun Time Stopped Cold

Son had finished his lighter-than-usual schoolwork just fine yesterday so we were determined to do another Family Fun Time after dinner. Unfortunately, his Mama nearly choked to death. Literally.

Did you know that choking causes a huge headache, and pain in the neck, collarbones and other assorted areas? And, did you know that not everyone remembers to do the international sign for choking when they ARE choking?

Maybe we'll have fun tonight.

Family Fun Time: Uno

We had so much fun last night. Son has a light week this week: math and doing his Christmas project for relatives, so he was well ready for Hubby to come home from work and errands. I fixed shrimp and sashimi and rice, and after we ate, game time began!

Well, kinda. While we played Uno (the card game), I folded laundry. Well, a woman's work...

We played six games of Uno, and we each won two! Funny how that worked out. We had so much fun laughing and playing, that Son almost peed his pants from his huge cracked-voice guffaws.

Family Fun Time was a good idea. Have you started your own yet? You really should!

Family Fun Time: Battleship

We continued our Family Fun Time last night. Son got his schoolwork done within the new time frame, so he chose Christmas Karoake and after that, the game Battleship that we just bought.


It gave us a chance to be together and have fun. Had a few arguments, but hey, can't change the world overnight!

Family Fun Time Begins

Remember the problem we'd been having with Son, who didn't want to do schoolwork, and would procrastinate an unbelievable amount? Turns out Son has been having a hard time because he was lonely. He wanted to spend more time with us Parents, rather, more quality time. Even though we would hug and kiss and play, he wanted more time specifically devoted to having Family Time.

We made a deal. He agreed to do his schoolwork and chores by 3:00 p.m. each day, and if he did, we (Parents) would spend 2-3 hours that night having Family Fun Time. Board games. Karoake. Walks with the Dog. Tug-a-Rope with Dog. Puzzles. Go out and do something fun but cheap.

We counted our board games, puzzles, cards, karoke music disks, etc. We have enough to do a "new" thing each night for 2 months without repeats.

Today was our first day of this Agreement. He was finished with his schoolwork by 12:30, so we left the house by 12:45 to get some more karoke music, looked at books, etc. Came home, took a walk, ate dinner, and sang Elvis tunes with the karoke machine. Yes, we had fun.

Day 1: Successful.

Posting Delayed

Vee-Mama usually plans what to post but she came down with a viral-something. Waiting for test results. She might not be able to post daily.

Meanwhile, please send her your thoughts and good wishes.

A Growing Boy

My baby's birthday celebration is finally over. We overdid his b-day this year - not with gifts but with time. Hubby took off from work Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, so we spent those three days doing fun family things. Saturday and today were filled with chores and watching movies.

But my regular Sunday phone call to a family friend helped me re-realize: my baby is almost a man. His voice has stopped squeaking and is quite deep. His chest is filling out and his feet are bigger than mine. He's also nearly as tall as I am.

We had a little talk this morning. Now that he's growing older, he needs to be able to better control the little sounds he makes and his pacing. He needs to help more with chores (although he is really helpful in the house, he needs to help more with yardwork and gardening), and concentrate more on schoolwork and learning. We have a lot to accomplish this year.

I think I'll have my boy resume writing a paragraph a day about anything (for the writing portion of his schoolwork), and will post his musings here. Need to go see if I can work it into his schedule.

Happy Birthday, Baby

My baby has a birthday today.

I woke up this morning, and began to cry. Over a decade ago (has it been that long?), contractions started at one minute after midnight. It was his due-date but he was huge, and all amount of persuasion from doctors and drugs went ignored by him. The pains felt intense but I handled it as long as they were spread out. I labored in silence, alone. Feeling my baby move within me, spreading out for his journey. Kicking and punching. Hiccup. A brief rest.

My birth coach picked me up around 5 a.m., pre-arranged for another induction-attempt. By the time we got to the hospital, the contractions had closed together. But my baby suffered. The cord had wrapped around his neck.

The doctors rushed me into a C-Section. Needle in my spine. Tears on my face. Hand held tightly. Background surgery noise. Then laughter. As the medical team lifted my baby out of my belly, he had let go a stream of urine that a horse could be proud of. They "vaccuumed" me out and sewed me up.

My swaddled baby in my arms. Strawberry red tufts of hair. Dimple in the chin. Beautiful eyes.

Happy Birthday, Baby Boy.

Mom

Positive Thoughts: Experiment

Attention Families:

I was looking this morning at a Montessori School's blog (http://riverstonemontessori.blogspot.com/) and learned one critical thing that would have helped me years ago with my son:

Say at least 9 POSITIVE comments for every negative.

How about:
- Great job taking out the trash.
- You combed your hair very nicely today.
- Thank you for such a sweet smile.

Have to remember that adding a "but" at the end of the positive actually negates the comment. Don't say "thanks for taking out the trash, but you dragged it." We've been "taught" that it's easier to say negatives things than to say positive, but let's all try it.

Experiment: for one day, or even one hour, say only positive comments. Nothing negative. Can you do it? Will you do it?

My boy is 12 years old this week. I hope it's not too late.

Vee-Mama
http://www.newviewgroupllc.com/

More Reading!

We finally got to the Thrift Store last night. Double-EE brought home about 25 books. Some were fiction like "The Secret Garden" or "The Connecticut Yankee In King Arthur's Court" and some were about animals of the world, the planets, sharks, rivers, and more.

I love that he loves to read!

Now, as the picture shows, he's up in his room, reading. Chances are I won't see or hear from him for a couple of days unless it's time to eat.

Since we're a family of book fanatics, that's ok with us.

Vee-Mama

http://www.newviewgroupllc.com/

Reading: A Favorite Pastime

Double-EE loves to read. He begs to stop at every yardsale we pass. He spend his extra money on books, spending money as fast as he saves it. He can barely contain himself when I say it's time to go to the thrift store.

Our local "ARC" thrift store holds many treasure, not least of these is books. Non-fiction about dogs, the solar system, or science. The children's section with chapter books and fun stuff. He loves it, and when he brings home a big bag of books for less than $20, he drags them up to his room and is quiet for hours.

He has almost a photographic memory, but only when it comes to something that interests him. Math puzzles him completely, but give him a book about the solar system or dinosaurs and he can spout off facts and figures non-stop.


I'm not worried about his schooling or career aspirations right now. I know that as long as he loves to read about a variety of topics, he'll be just fine. (However, we ARE still doing schoolwork!)

Is it because I allow him to read read read? And does he read because I didn't push him to learn, so when he felt like reading at 7 years old, he was reading books in one month? And does he love reading because I'm a book-hound myself?

Vee-Mama
http://www.newviewgroupllc.com/

Labels like "indigo child", "starseed", "crystal child" and more.

To the right: a picture of Double-EE when he was around 6 years old. Don't you just want to hug him?


Indigo child, as defined at http://www.indigochild.com/ is as follows:

= = = = = =

As a summary, here are the ten attributes that best describe this new kind of child, the Indigo Child:

• They come into the world with a feeling of royalty (and often act like it)
• They have a feeling of "deserving to be here," and are surprised when others don't share that.
• Self-worth is not a big issue. They often tell the parents "who they are."
• They have difficulty with absolute authority (authority without explanation or choice).
• They simply will not do certain things; for example, waiting in line is difficult for them.
• They get frustrated with systems that are ritually oriented and don't require creative thought.
• They often see better ways of doing things, both at home and in school, which makes them seem like "system busters" (nonconforming to any system).
• They seem antisocial unless they are with their own kind. If there are no others of like consciousness around them, they often turn inward, feeling like no other human understands them. School is often extremely difficult for them socially.
• They will not respond to "guilt" discipline ("Wait till your father gets home and finds out what you did").
• They are not shy in letting you know what they need.

= = = = = =
When my now 12-yr-old son was just an infant, I was told he was an indigo child. That his aura had a lot of indigo. That he needed more energy input than other kids. That he needed special parenting. That other families would be jealous.

I got sucked into believing that this special label of "indigo child" meant he was a "super child", with gifts and special abilities beyond adult human comprehension. Luckily, I wised up and realized he was "a kid"!

Lots of time has passed. We've been through major problems, ups and downs, and upheavels in every aspect of our lives. He is very loving and beautiful-spirited. As soon as he could walk, he would approach anyone and everyone with a big hug. Amazing that even the scariest meanest biker-dude would melt at the site of this little red-head offering his arms in innocent love.

But I've learned this: EVERY child and EVERY person is special. We could put a label on this child and that child, but in the end, every person is unique and divinely special in this world.

Many of the children today are labeled with "ADD", "ADHD", "Hyperactive", and "Spoiled" to name a few. Many are put on Ritalin, anti-depressants, stimulants and more. Stop it! We could choose to be better parents, and listen to what our kids need. Stop doing what's most convenient and do what best for them. Now don't get angry; some kids legitimately need outside assistance, but maybe we should be more discriminating and listen to our inner selves and our kids, as opposed to listening the media and mainstream Western-Medicine doctors.

And let's stop labeling our children. Each has a gift for this generation, and for this Earth. Let's learn from them all.

Vee-Mama

http://www.newviewgroupllc.com/

Halloween at our House

To the right: Hubby making a silly face, Double-EE trying to be funny, and Spirit probably thinking "get this costume off of me!".


It's almost 9 p.m. on October 31 2008 - Halloween. This was our first in our very own home, and we were prepared. We had two big bags of various candies (bought at Sam's), a skeleton hanging on our green-bean trellis, and electric pumpkins in our window.

I dressed our dog in a pumpkin costume - that lasted all of 10 minutes, or her first "shake". Hubby dressed as a hippie with a tie-die t-shirt, fringe vest, headband and peace-symbol necklace. Double-EE dressed as Superman, but trick-or-treating didn't last long with his poor post-surgery foot. And I dressed all in black, added a witch's hat, a peace symbol necklace and cackled as a hippie-witch.

Our candy is almost gone, so I'm on my way upstairs to take care of Double-EE's foot.

Meanwhile - think about this.... what an odd tradition... one night a year, it's okay to go from door to door, asking for free candies and goodies. Did we forget the background of All Hallow's Eve?

Vee-Mama
http://www.newviewgroupllc.com/

Introduction to "Kid Whispers"

The new kids of today feel misunderstood. They can't sit still. Can't articulate their feelings. Feel bored with rote learning and schoolwork. Need constant attention.

What do we do? We try to control them, and can't. Often, we fail miserably, and feel the need to resort to therapy or medication (i.e. Ritalin).

I know I did. While I was a single parent struggling to make a living and spend time with my child, there were often-times I just couldn't do it. My little boy sucked my energy. He couldn't stop from blurting out answers in kindergarten. He fixated on his interests, blocking out all else.

When the kindergarten called me for a special meeting with a psychiatrist, the teacher, administrator and another person, I felt overwhelmed. "Put him on Ritalin or leave," they told me.

We left.

He's almost 12 years old now. Life continues to be a struggle, finding a balance between helping him develop his own interests and making time for myself. It helped to find a good partner.

Now, we're starting this blog (and soon, a monthly e-newsletter) for other people involved with helping the new kids of today (sometimes called "indigo children", "starseed", "rainbow children" and so forth. We hope to also discuss special camps, peer pressure, friends, family time, education/alternate schools, career paths, and more, including special interests and gifts.

Kids: feel free to comment on our postings. And if anyone has a suggestion for an e-book or other information you'd like researched and provided, or if you have something to contribute, please e-mail us. Thanks!

Vee-Mama
http://www.newviewgroupllc.com/