Thoughts, Ponderings, and Pics

Our weather in Michigan has been a parallel to our nation’s news this week.  It was sunny and 70 for a day, but in the blink of an eye it turned menacing.  Since then it’s been cold(even spitting snow), stormy, unpredictable, and so much precipitation at once it collected in puddles threatening to swallow you and your car whole. 

The Boston bombings really struck a chord with me.  I’ve said several times this week, “I’m disgusted with humanity”.  I’m not really, I’m just frustrated with the lack of standards we seem to have in this country.  I’m sure many would counter me saying that in times like these it’s actually easiest to see the loving, generous, and good spirit of the human soul.  I agree, but what about the rest of the time?  Call it a hazard of the job, but being a teacher(and a mom) I am continually frustrated with the lack of responsibility we place on parental units.  We are always eager to blame failing schools, teachers, lack of resources, or anything else we can think of for why children aren’t thriving.  From my experience, the biggest factor in how children perform in school, academically, emotionally, and socially, is on the ball parents.  Parents that know what their kids are doing, talk to them, do homework with them, expose them to life, and most of all create boundaries for their behavior. 

I’m not naïve.  I know I can’t control everything.  I can only lay the ground work.  Good kids will sometimes make bad choices. 

    I want to my kids to know that every day you choose the path you will take to become you.  Every friendship choice, test, homework assignment, act of kindness, or meanness will eventually culminate in the kind of adult you are becoming.  Will you be a productive contributing member of our society?  Will you have the self control to walk the harder path because it’s the right one?  Or will you be inclined to take the easy way out, looking for instant gratification? 

 So maybe I took the easy way out Friday.  I suppose I could have cooked an organic well balanced meal for my family. 

I will always sing my children’s praises, when they earn them.  I will not fill them with false confidence.  We keep it real here.  If you’re being annoying you will be told so.  If you are acting a fool you will be told so.  You will also be told when you have done a job well, contributed to the family, or made me proud.  It’s unbelievable to me the amount of parents that do not speak the truth to their children for fear of hurting their feelings.  How do children learn what desirable and undesirable behavior looks like if we don’t point out both? 

 

The bombers’ father said his son was an angel.  Outstanding students and people.  That may have been true, but is he so blind to not see the possibility of evil lurking in them?  His older son spent 6 months overseas assumingly learning how to carry out terrorist activity.  You do not know where your son is for 6 months?  You think he’s just on vacation?  Shame on you.  Open your eyes and take responsibility for the children you are charged with, even after they’ve become adults. 

I could go on about this forever.  It is definitely my soap box subject, my hot button.  All I’m saying is good parenting can make such an impact on society.

 

This week I tried to be conscious of the blessings in my life, even when they are challenging.

 Why does this always happen just 2 hours after the cleaning lady was here?

We had a quick overnight visit from our Grand Rapids friends. We always want more time with them, but that’s the beauty of it.  No matter how short or far between our visits are, we always pick up right where we left off. 

 

We’ve been super busy with dance and it continues next weekend.  I love being a dance mom, so it’s not a chore:)  We had a great competition last weekend.  One of Adrienne’s dances got a perfect score, and was the top scoring dance overall for the whole weekend.  I hadn’t seen it since the fall when it was in it’s rough form.  It brought tears to my eyes it was so good!  Adrienne was amazing! 

The cousins came to support, because we keep our people close:)

We had dinner with our dance peeps after, and everyone was feeling celebratory!

In support of all those who lost a life, limb, or sense of security in Boston, we will find our gifts and use them to make this world a better place.  We need more responsibility, self control, empathy, and most of all love.  Go out spreading it this week people…