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Teresa DeGagne
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Nice post, Sarah. The fact that you are wondering, I think, shows that you are a good mom.
Am I a Good Enough Mom?
I often wonder, like my friend Jessica, whether I am a good enough mom, and often I find myself lacking. I wish I could start over a couple times a day – giving my kids more love from the start, maybe never having introduced television into their world, never raising my voice, serving super h...
Laura, you're doing a fine job and keep it up. I still have to remind my ten and seven year old. Many times they remember with other people, just not with me. I remember both my kids taking a breather from politeness during their third years. I think they were testing their limits (and mine). Good luck!
Where Did My Miss Manners Go?
Are 3-year-old children supposed to have manners, let alone good ones? Ever since my daughter first started speaking, my husband and I have been encouraging her to say "Please," "Thank you" and "May I ..." Of course it's taken a while -- I mean, heck, she had to learn English first -- but she...
Tales of a Fourth Grader’s Mother Revisited
Posted May 30, 2010 at LA Moms Blog
Comment
3
Great post, Florinda. I like to vary my volunteering. Sometimes I'm in charge of something and sometimes I volunteer to be a worker bee. Both positions give me perspective and ideas. I honestly don't know if all my volunteering will help me get a job when and if I re-enter the work force, but I feel enriched by doing it and my kids love when they get to see me at school. If I ever feel put upon be a certain position, I can step back or ask for help. I'm glad you helped out on this project. It's more beneficial to you and the group when you volunteer for something you are actually interested in. Thanks for the link by the way.
The Controlling Volunteer
"If you want something done, do it yourself." Unlike my sister, I've never been much of a traditional volunteer (although I have been the mother of a Tennessee Volunteer). I've spent most of my adult life as a commuting work-outside-the-home mother whose workplaces have often been a significa...
Excellent post, Kim! I often find my anger buttons pushed more easily when I am sleep deprived. Thank you for this. It's a nice reminder. May you always have unblemished walls in your new home.
The Telltale Hole
My child made me angry. So angry I put him in a time out. He wouldn't go willingly, choosing to stomp out of his room while making a face of extreme displeasure, kind of like the Incredible Hulk during his transformation. He was just as angry as I was. I put him back into his room several t...
Rock On!
Posted May 24, 2010 at LA Moms Blog
Comment
2
April,
You are teaching your children well. It's too bad that the counselor did not think of the long term consequences, but wonderful that you do, everyday, in your active parenting. It's exhausting on all levels, but so well worth it. Great post.
What my daughter and I learned
In the heat of the moment, I fired off a post here about a situation involving a clique of Mean Girls with a touch of bullying behavior, and how my daughter's middle school counselor let us down. A thoughtful discussion took place in the comments section, and it's time for an update of what h...
Ciaran -
Nice, honest post. I consider myself an optimist. I am East Coast born and bred. I had a hard time saying "no" long before I stepped forth on California soil (20 years ago). It's just part of my personality. I also make it a point to honor my commitments. Again, part of my personality. I have been the victim of a California "flake off" on occasion, though and I definitely see the value of kvetching. It's like little earthquakes. We need them to stave off a big one from occurring.
Cult of Positivity
A few months ago, I was in a situation that required some plain speaking and immediate corrective action. You know what I mean. Some situations just can't be sugar coated. You step in a pile of shit, you have to stop what you're doing, take a moment, and scrape it off your shoe. It's likely t...
Nice post, Florinda.
Mother's Day without Mother? Meh.
I hope you had a lovely Mother's Day. It was pretty much an ordinary Sunday for me. Due to certain oddities of the calendar and the custody schedule, it seems that more often than not, my husband's kids have been with him on Father's Day...and on Mother's Day. I feel a little strange about tha...
Thanks, Karen.
It was fun to write.
A Time to Rhyme
April (among other things) is National Poetry Month. While I can’t do an entire post in verse since I believe that is a rule, I can’t help but hope that I can slip a couple of rhyming couplets in here or there. You see, words are my sand box --- and when I have the time, I like to rhyme. Poe...
As a mother of a ten year-old boy, I get where you are coming from on this. I don't think the ability to judge character is quite "there" at this age and parental guiding, if not steering, is par for the course. If our children understand our values and what we hope (not necessarily want) for them, they will consider them as they age and make their choices. My mom never came out and told me she disliked a friend of mine, but she definitely gave off a vibe. That vibe certainly helped me assess character as I grew up. Nice post, Melissa.
"No, my son cannot come out to play!"
There are a group of boys who show up at our door, asking for my 10 year-old son to come out to play. At first, I liked the fact that he had friends who came by, requesting his company. He could go outside, run around, be rambunctious, and just be a boy. But lately my joy has started to w...
Great post, Kim. So true and a good reminder.
The Blackberry Mom
In this essay, the part of "Blackberry" will be played by "iPhone." The reason I am weighing in to beat this long-dead horse is this: my 3-year-old recently discovered that if he shuts my laptop while I am in the middle of working, he will get me to pay attention to him. I know this has hap...
Laura,
You've articulated so well on paper what I've felt in my heart and thought in my head. Thank you. Great post.
Catholic Church in Los Angeles vows to Keep Kids Safe, Mine Included
April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month, and the Los Angeles Archdiocese has also highlighted the month with its "Keep Kids Safe" campaign. My first thought, when I heard those words at Mass on Sunday, was: Finally. In recent weeks, the Catholic Church has come under harsh -- that is no...
Thank you Alexandra.
Choosing Happiness
We decided to go on an over-nighter to lovely Santa Barbara over Spring Break. My youngest couldn’t wait to leave our house and start our adventure. Yet, his mood seemed dour and sour on the roughly one hour ride. I don’t know if he was hungry or tired or not happy with the music selection p...
Hey I could have written this post...I was a paragraph in when I realized I was the sister you referred to in the second sentence. I feel fortunate that I can see the television from the kitchen and can monitor what is being watched fairly easily. I'm lucky that my kids gravitate toward the funny rather than the violence (even if it is cartoon violence, it's still violence). The whole Tom & Jerry attraction thing is strange to me however. I just don't get it.
Parental Guidance Suggested
Tween-hood is a tricky place. My sister and I both have ten-year-olds at home, and she was recently talking to me about how her older son's tastes in entertainment are changing, and shows he loved just a few months ago are "for babies" now. But he has a seven-year-old brother, and he still lik...
Thanks so much, Lori.
Choosing Happiness
We decided to go on an over-nighter to lovely Santa Barbara over Spring Break. My youngest couldn’t wait to leave our house and start our adventure. Yet, his mood seemed dour and sour on the roughly one hour ride. I don’t know if he was hungry or tired or not happy with the music selection p...
So true, Laura. Santa Barbara is definitely one of my favorite California cities.
Choosing Happiness
We decided to go on an over-nighter to lovely Santa Barbara over Spring Break. My youngest couldn’t wait to leave our house and start our adventure. Yet, his mood seemed dour and sour on the roughly one hour ride. I don’t know if he was hungry or tired or not happy with the music selection p...
Great post, Stacy!
California Public Schools Are Dead! Long Live California Public Schools!
Proposition 13, the People's Initiative to Limit Property Taxation, was enacted in 1978. As a public school student, my world changed almost overnight. We had to start bringing our own pencils and paper to school. We had to start paying for after school activities. We went on fewer field trips...
Me too, Erin.
Food For Thought or Can I Buy a Homemade Cupcake, Please?
Jamie Oliver is on a quest to teach us how to live longer and healthier lives. So are some of the school systems around the country including New York City and LAUSD. Jamie Oliver is a celebrity chef as well as a private citizen. His career was jump-started by showing how cooking could be si...
April,
Our school has a read-a-thon which is an awesome fundraiser. The PTA also provides a buy-out option on the Sees Candy Fundraiser since some families just want to donate. They also have held a very successful Family-Fun Night which includes a silent auction, carnival games, cake walk, basket raffle, and a bail your teacher out of jail event. It was a lot of fun...but also a lot of work. Thanks for the comment.
Teresa
Food For Thought or Can I Buy a Homemade Cupcake, Please?
Jamie Oliver is on a quest to teach us how to live longer and healthier lives. So are some of the school systems around the country including New York City and LAUSD. Jamie Oliver is a celebrity chef as well as a private citizen. His career was jump-started by showing how cooking could be si...
Well said, Carrie!
Food For Thought or Can I Buy a Homemade Cupcake, Please?
Jamie Oliver is on a quest to teach us how to live longer and healthier lives. So are some of the school systems around the country including New York City and LAUSD. Jamie Oliver is a celebrity chef as well as a private citizen. His career was jump-started by showing how cooking could be si...
I think that you are running a vegetable garden at the school is fantastic, Melissa. Thanks for your thoughts.
Food For Thought or Can I Buy a Homemade Cupcake, Please?
Jamie Oliver is on a quest to teach us how to live longer and healthier lives. So are some of the school systems around the country including New York City and LAUSD. Jamie Oliver is a celebrity chef as well as a private citizen. His career was jump-started by showing how cooking could be si...
Thanks, Florinda.
Food For Thought or Can I Buy a Homemade Cupcake, Please?
Jamie Oliver is on a quest to teach us how to live longer and healthier lives. So are some of the school systems around the country including New York City and LAUSD. Jamie Oliver is a celebrity chef as well as a private citizen. His career was jump-started by showing how cooking could be si...
I read your link Deborah and your post is excellent. The banning is just such a bone of contention to me for several different reasons. I also agree that there are plenty of alternatives to get the kids more active AT school.
Food For Thought or Can I Buy a Homemade Cupcake, Please?
Jamie Oliver is on a quest to teach us how to live longer and healthier lives. So are some of the school systems around the country including New York City and LAUSD. Jamie Oliver is a celebrity chef as well as a private citizen. His career was jump-started by showing how cooking could be si...
Erin, I took over as library chair of our PTA last year when it was announced that our district librarians would be let go...because a school library IS essential. I was prepared to give up a lot to run it as a volunteer. Luckily, I was only a bench warmer and our librarian was hired back for most of her original hours three weeks into the school year. I hope that they won't get laid off again this year. Great post.
Public School Libraries Are Not "Extras"
I know our public school district is trying its darndest to cut back on all the "fat" in the system and I am trying to keep an open mind. But last week, when it was announced that ALL library aides in LAUSD might be cut (which also meant that their libraries would be closed if proper district...
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