Peace To All - UPDATE

Today I woke up in a rush to get 2 of my 3 children off to school on time. Once they were dropped off, I breathed a sigh of relief to have a short break from the crying and yelling and whining. However, throughout the morning and early afternoon, my feelings have changed. I want nothing more to go and pick both of them up and hug them tight. What caused this change you may ask? The continued coverage on the news networks on the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, CT.

I live on the other side of the state where this occurred. I cannot possibly imagine what would possess a person to open fire at an elementary school housing children ages 5-10. My daughter recently started Kindergarten and other than here at home, school is another supposed "safe haven" I thought my child could spend her days. I was nearly brought to tears imagining being called to my daughter's school and having to wait an hour, maybe two to find out if she is OK and to hold her again.

As is being reported, the gunman is the son of one of the teachers at the school and one can only wonder, being that he became a victim himself, what his thought processes were to do this in the environment filled with innocent children. Apparently the motive was targeted toward his parents (the 24-year-old gunman's father was also found dead in his home in Hoboken, NJ). No judgment toward the deceased parents, but one has to wonder what the shooter's background was, his childhood, etc. More importantly, this reminds us as parents to hug our children and tell them we love them every day, to teach them to respect others and to be careful of their surroundings.

(I want to note that you please excuse any scatter-brained thoughts here as I have one ear on the television keeping up with the breaking news of this event).

Some facts that the news has reported so far:
- The gunman was a 24 year old male targeting his mother, who opened fire in the front office and continued on to his mother's classroom at approximately 9:30 this morning. The gunman turned out to be a 20 year old male who did indeed kill his mother though she was not in fact linked to the school in any way. It is still unknown why the shooter went to the school.
- 18 of the 26 victims were in fact children, only 3 made it to the hospital (no word on their conditions at the moment) 2 of the 3 that ended up in the hospital did not make it. They were also young students of Sandy Hook Elementary.
- The gunman's father was also found dead in his Hoboken, NJ home. This statement is untrue. Not sure what the connection between the body found in Hoboken and the Lanza gunman.

My heart and prayers go out to the family and friends of the victims of this tragedy so close to one of the happiest times of the year. I appreciate all of the efforts the teachers made to shield as many of the students as possible. They seemed very well trained in this situation. It could have been a lot worse seeing as one person recalled that the shooter intended to kill all that was present at the school. I pray those children find peace with the loss of their friends and administrators. I pray they are held tight by their parents tonight and every night.

Love and hug your children each and every day. Cherish them always. Listen to all that they have to say, no matter how minute it is to you, as it is not minute to them.

Peace to all.

I believe myself to be sensitive to the mentally disabled, which is what Adam Lanza was said to have suffered from. In elementary school, I spent a lot of time with a mentally disabled peer who often through fits more suitable to children 2-3 or more years younger than we were and was not able to speak. I enjoyed being her "helper." However, I am also naïve to many situations and unfamiliar with the different aspects of, types of mental disorders, etc. I was pretty upset with this whole situation and have been keeping up with the news. I was also very upset with the individual who started this and in some way probably blamed his parents. However, I came across an article that a friend posted on Facebook. And I must say that my eyes have been opened and unfortunately there is not always anything that can be done and no real reason for the actions that these individuals may take. I pray that some day we find a cure or some way to better help these individuals and their families. I do believe that there ought to be strict laws on gun control, but also believe that guns are not the ones that kill people - people do. Nonetheless, full background checks, home searches, etc should be taken as a precaution to putting these types of weapons and others in people hands and homes. I grew up in a home with a gun and my parents did well to keep it hidden. I was not aware of its whereabouts for the most part. I was also educated to stay far, far, far away from it.

Anyway, I just wanted to clarify all of the "facts" that had originally come out and that I have posted. There is still a ton of unknown out there and I hope to learn more in the coming days as the investigation continues if not for my own sanity and education, but to help better prepare my own children for scary, sad, unfortunate situations.

Thanks for lending an ear.

Peace To All

Today I woke up in a rush to get 2 of my 3 children off to school on time. Once they were dropped off, I breathed a sigh of relief to have a short break from the crying and yelling and whining. However, throughout the morning and early afternoon, my feelings have changed. I want nothing more to go and pick both of them up and hug them tight. What caused this change you may ask? The continued coverage on the news networks on the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, CT.

I live on the other side of the state where this occurred. I cannot possibly imagine what would possess a person to open fire at an elementary school housing children ages 5-10. My daughter recently started Kindergarten and other than here at home, school is another supposed "safe haven" I thought my child could spend her days. I was nearly brought to tears imagining being called to my daughter's school and having to wait an hour, maybe two to find out if she is OK and to hold her again.

As is being reported, the gunman is the son of one of the teachers at the school and one can only wonder, being that he became a victim himself, what his thought processes were to do this in the environment filled with innocent children. Apparently the motive was targeted toward his parents (the 24-year-old gunman's father was also found dead in his home in Hoboken, NJ). No judgment toward the deceased parents, but one has to wonder what the shooter's background was, his childhood, etc. More importantly, this reminds us as parents to hug our children and tell them we love them every day, to teach them to respect others and to be careful of their surroundings.

(I want to note that you please excuse any scatter-brained thoughts here as I have one ear on the television keeping up with the breaking news of this event).

Some facts that the news has reported so far:
- The gunman was a 24 year old male targeting his mother, who opened fire in the front office and continued on to his mother's classroom at approximately 9:30 this morning.
- 18 of the 26 victims were in fact children, only 3 made it to the hospital (no word on their conditions at the moment)
- The gunman's father was also found dead in his Hoboken, NJ home.

My heart and prayers go out to the family and friends of the victims of this tragedy so close to one of the happiest times of the year. I appreciate all of the efforts the teachers made to shield as many of the students as possible. They seemed very well trained in this situation. It could have been a lot worse seeing as one person recalled that the shooter intended to kill all that was present at the school. I pray those children find peace with the loss of their friends and administrators. I pray they are held tight by their parents tonight and every night.

Love and hug your children each and every day. Cherish them always. Listen to all that they have to say, no matter how minute it is to you, as it is not minute to them.

Peace to all.

Fabulosity On A Dime

Hope everyone is having a great morning so far. My littlest lil' man and I are hanging out with one eye on the Today Show as we do every morning. Yesterday, I caught a segment talking about a new trend in shopping for baby clothes...borrowing or renting children's clothes. They estimate that we spend $13,000 a year on kids' supplies and this is one way to save a little bit of that. Our children grow out of their clothes so quickly that it seems we are constantly having to buy them new socks or new jeans or new shoes. Well, as I saw on TV yesterday morning, there are sites online that you can rent children's clothes from.

Borrow Baby Couture offers the opportunity to rent high end brand name clothes like Dior and Versace for children 9 months to 4 years for a small weekly fee. Shop online and the kiddie couture gets sent right to your door. Once returned, the company themselves have each item professionally cleaned so you don't have to worry about small accidents. Most items are special occasion items, but can also be outfitted for slightly less fancy moments. BBC was started by a couple who realized their son would never use the suit they purchased for a wedding a second time and figured there were other parents out there who could benefit from borrowing these one-time-use outfits for a fraction of the retail prices.

The segment also mentioned an online consignment website called Moxiejean.com. Here you can buy and sell gently used clothing for minimal cost. They offer clothes for Preemies up to 8 years old. Click here to get $10 off of $20 and share the site with your friends in order to save even more.

I had heard about consignment before, though I wasn't clear on the details of how it worked until I had my 2nd child 2 years ago and came across a couple of consignment stores in my area. You can find some really cute and unique items at these types of shops, but you can also find your everyday play clothes made by Carter's and other well known child clothing companies. The closest consignment boutique to me doesn't always have the types of clothes that appeal to me so I'm pretty excited to have found an online option as well.

I am not going to sugar coat it. I am a self-proclaimed "Brand Whore," but I am also a "Discount Diva." "Full price" is almost considered a swear word while the word "Sale" is kind of a turn on. Hahaha. I would prefer an item that is brand new that no other person has ever worn, but quite frankly kids are kids. They grow out of their clothes way too fast for me to keep buying brand new...especially now that we have 3 little youngins and I'm looking to close up my Mary Kay business by the end of the year. There is a new invention out there called a washing machine and laundry detergent, so I think I can manage a few not so brand new pieces without having a cow, but I will be picky about the things that I purchase from these types of stores. And besides, you can make a little money back on those clothes your child has outgrown to purchase bigger sizes they will need.

I might also point out that you can do a search on Facebook for sites that recycle children's clothes and toys, etc in your area. I know of several groups I am a member of on FB where I've bought gently used toys and sold gently used clothes to other local moms. It's like an online yard sale.

These are all great ways to save money and help save the planet. Don't forget that you can also donate your items to places like Goodwill and the Red Cross for those who have been affected by natural disasters. Hope you'll think about it. You can still be fabulous. Items may not be brand new but you can make them brand new to you!

Have a great day!

Christmas Shopping Countdown!!!

Oh my goodness!!!! I am still scurrying around for costumes for the 3 kiddies and the hubby with Halloween a week away. Yet, despite the almost complete focus on my mission, I still notice that there are stinkin' Christmas trees up in the department stores already!!! Don't get me wrong, I'm no grinch!!! I absolutely LOOOOOVE Christmas! But I am so not ready for them this year. I'm usually counting down the weeks and days, but it seems that this year it just kind of snuck up on us. How in the world did that happen? Just in case it has snuck up on you, too, Christmas is exactly 9 WEEKS AWAY!!!!

Even if Christmas is not your thing, are you ready for those insane Black Friday deals?! That's part of the fun for me, going out the day after Thanksgiving to wait in line in the middle of the night for some awesome deal I've been waiting and researching for. But according to the local news, they are saying that Black Friday isn't that big of a deal anymore. Gasp! You can get just as good of deals right NOW!! From the news segment I saw, I've come to understand that certain retailers like Wal-Mart will be price matching even prices you find on the internet instead of just local competitors. So, if you find the exact same item on Amazon.com, show them the price offered online and they will give you the item for that amount. Pretty sweet, huh. But there are some pretty sweet deals to be found on deep discount sites that are becoming a huge trend these days. I'm keeping my eyes peeled for Christmas gifts now. I will list off a few of the ones that I frequent!

- 1saleaday.com - Here you will find electronics and jewelry for super cheap! Every day they have a Flash sale, as well.I have found a couple of items off of here that I've enjoyed. I haven't come across any significant issues with any of the products so far and they sometimes even offer Free Shipping which always works in my favor!!!

- nomorerack.com - This site has seriously grown since the first time I started shopping on it. They used to have such a small list of items and now they offer tons! The products range from electronics, toys, clothes, handbags, shoes, jewelry and so much more. Shipping is only $2 per product and you can receive a $10 credit for every friend you refer that purchases from the site. I have bought several items off of here and have yet to be disappointed. Most items are at least 50% off, but usually a lot more!!!

- zulily.com - This site is great for keeping up with trends for the whole family and innovative home wares that are fun and modern yet practical. The shipping is slightly delayed because they do not order the items from their retailers until they have a buyer count. And some of the items can be a bit pricey, but this is because we are talking boutique quality...not mass produced and generic...and they constantly have new items every day. They also offer a credit for referring friends so please go ahead and click the link and check out what they have to offer. :)

There are also sites out there that offer discounts in other ways! Go to Mrrebates.com for small rebates on purchases made from huge retailers. And go to retailmenot.com for discount codes that you can apply to your online purchases as well. There are so many ways to save online.

However, if these sites are not for you...you're the type that likes to touch and smell and flip an item over and over before purchasing it...there are ways to save in your local mall as well. With your smartphone, download the free "Coupons App," which locates your position by GPS if you allow it to and up will pop coupons for stores and restaurants in your area. You can also plug in your location or search a specific store. This app even allows you to locate the cheapest gas in your area. I always check this app when I'm out!!! You can also sign up for mobile deals from Target. In doing this, they will text you mobile coupons straight to your phone and you can have it scanned at the register. Worth noting: You need to have access to the internet to use the coupons, though.

Now, back to my online browsing. :) Shop your little hearts out in the mall, online or at my Etsy shop.

Have a great night!

Splitting Chores or Heading to Splitzville

Earlier in the week, or maybe it was late last week (who knows these days), there was a lot of attention in the news media surrounding a foreign study that claimed that couples who share chores more equally are more likely to divorce. The conclusion was based on the correlation between couples who share chores and having a more modernized POV on marriage. They claimed that modern couples who no longer deem household chores as women's work don't put as much emphasis on the sanctity of marriage and are more open to the idea of divorce. It is also significant to note that within those couples who share household chores, women are more financially independent as well as they are working outside the home and rely less on their husbands as breadwinners. I can see where they are coming from. There is definitely a link among these ideas.

Now, in my own personal relationship, my husband and I do share the chores. Whether or not they are equally distributed is another argument. :p However, I do rely on my husband to help more with the children and at times to make a meal for the family and even to help pick up around the house. Yes, I do have a modern idea of marriage, but we each have different standards of the way we want things done within the household. And in those situations, we take a more prominent role in fulfilling them. For example, I like a clean house, but with 3 kids I am not going to trail 2 feet behind each one of them picking up every crumb and toy. My husband on the other hand does not understand why he comes home to a house where toys are flown about and crayons on the wall and open containers of food sitting on the counters. So, he is often hollering at them to pick up after themselves or cleaning (also known as tossing) these displaced objects. And I do well to pick out the cutest outfits for the kids and myself and therefore I am in charge of laundry, otherwise we would all have pink tie dyed wardrobes. On the other hand, we typically stick to the general rule of 1 person cooks the meal while the other cleans the kitchen.

Don't get me wrong, the divide between household chores is cause for many arguments in our house. In fact, it's probably the number one fight between my husband and I. Otherwise, we don't have much to argue about. But most of it is still learning to live and accept each other's way of living and adjusting to make it work for everyone. We have been together for a nice chunk of time, but are still in the toddler stages of wedded bliss.

Despite the split in chores and the arguments that arise from it I do not see our relationship heading for Splitzville any time soon. In fact, I think we have a better relationship than many couples we know. That's not to say we are perfect, but we work together raising our family and we work together on our relationship and therefore I believe we will last. And we also have a little bit of those good ol' fashion values that put marriage on a pedestal. Fighting over chores is the least of my worries within my family. The most important factors in our lasting relationship is supporting each other and allowing each other to dream big and having the same goals for our children and being each other's best friend seeing as we are stuck together from here on out.

A correlation in studies does not result in cause and effect. It's called a coincidence.

On another note there are chores I don't mind and chores I despise. Bleh. Here's my list of Not-so-bad to Shoot-me-now.

1. Organizing
2. Washing laundry
3. Folding laundry
4. Cooking
5. Loading the dishwasher
6. Helping the kids with their homework and picking up their toys
7. Cleaning the kitchen
8. Bathing the children
9. Putting away the laundry
10. Putting away the dishes

Color Me Wonderful

I've been mentioning several projects that I've been wanting to work on lately. I have a whole list of things I want to do, try, finish. Well, last night I got out my sewing machine and got to work. It's been a minute since I've actually used it, but luckily it's kind of like riding a bike - once you get started it all comes back to you. I threaded the machine with the color I intended to use and got right down to it.

On a recent visit to a nearby flea market-esque shop, I found a couple of scarves that caught my eye. They were a pair of vintage Vera silk-blend scarves. They were very vibrant in color and in pretty good condition. Ever since I saw a particular episode of The Nate Berkus Show, I've been wanting to make a pillow of scarves. So here these two pieces of fragile material were and I just had to take it home with me. I'm pretty excited about this project seeing as we just bought a new couch. The living room is looking a little blah to me so in order to add some color as well as some character, I thought this would be just the right time to get started. Once I did, I realized that these are unique and awesome and that I needed to share it with others. So, I looked online and bought a couple more vintage scarves off of Etsy and have turned them all into pillows. :) I am keeping a couple for myself, but am also planning on selling some on my own Etsy page that has not yet been posted, but I will definitely be putting up a link once I do.

Here are the results of my recent sewing adventure.

Materials: scarves, white fabric, pins, and thread. Simplicity :)

The purple and pink pillows will be up for sale once I open my shop on Etsy. The black and white pillow to the far right is actually a pillow cover that I made for a toss pillow we already had and was getting tired of. :)

Another project I crossed of my list of projects to do are melty bead bowls. These are made from perler beads placed inside an oven-safe bowl and melted to take on its shape. Once cool it is its own little bowl. I am making my creations available on Etsy as well. They are fun and abstract and everyone needs some color in their homes. Color makes people happy.

Aren't these fun?! You can do them on your own or with your kids as well! Just take a bunch of perler beads you can find at your local craft store, spray some cooking spray in your oven-safe bowl and bake for 10-15 minutes at 400 degrees. Once it cools, they just fall right out.

Have a great night!

Simplicity

Unless you've been living under a rock, you know that the ombre look is everywhere. It's a trend people are applying to their hair color, furniture and nail color. Ombre is basically a term for one shade of color that fades. Well, I'm not really on the bandwagon for the ombre nails or hair...at least I haven't seen a particular look that would persuade me to pay the chunk of money it would take to color my length and thickness of hair. And I would love to do an ombre furniture piece but the house is currently not in need of any extra furniture...for now. So, seeing as I have yet to do a piece of art for my youngest child (which I have been meaning to do since before he was born) I decided why not throw some ombre on a canvas.

My daughter has painted wooden letters spelling out one of her names (all my kids have 4...I know, I know...I apologize to them now!) up on her wall and my older son has a canvas with his name and animals painted around them. I had previously purchased a pack of canvases and I have a stash of painting supplies. So I pulled out a paint brush and my acrylic paints. And this is what came of my trendy idea...it started out with the color shading. I put to canvases side by side so as to be consistent with the size of the shades and the shade of the color. I started out with the original teal-ish color and added a drop or so of white for each new shade.

Once it dried I added my son's given Japanese name in kanji.

I'm pretty pleased with the way it turned out. I was not trained in Japanese writing or calligraphy or anything so I do not necessarily know how to write, or in this case paint, the characters that great, but it is what it is.

Painting and these other projects have become a fun outlet for me. I don't claim to be super awesome and artistic and what have you, but if it's fun why not. It's the simple things in life. :)

Have a great Wednesday!

Minor Details

Ever since the Android Market released the Pinterest App, I have been going crazy pinning - mostly Fall looks, easy recipes, and birthday party ideas for kids. And I have been trying a few of them out as well and wanted to share how it worked for me here, but of course, the internet decided to check itself out and we're having issues getting any real help from the cable company...grrrrr! Nonetheless here I am amidst this issue borrowing internet from the nearby community center because I just couldn't wait any longer.

For me multi-use clothing is essential for this penny pinching momma. Don't get me wrong, I'm often a brand (excuse my language) whore, but I will also look for the best price on the item or work in some kind of discount to my advantage. So finding a look that could transition from Summer to Fall on Pinterest got me all kinds of hot and bothered! Hahaha. This look takes the bright colors of the warm weather months to comfy cozy chic of the briskier temperatures approaching. And I'll even share my secret to where I got my mock-up look. But first, here is the original pin:

Pinned from here.

And here is my version (please excuse the smudge on the mirror as my mini diva enjoys looking at herself as well):

Pocket Maxi Dress from a boutique I love here (used a $25 gift card promotion from Facebook)

Express cardigan - old and found on clearance, but cardis are currently everywhere so find one you love

Leopard infinity scarf here (used my 10% military discount and if you took the survey on the receipt after your last purchase, you can stack that on there too)

Black wedges here.

Enjoy!

Ketchup

Wow! Hello 'ol friend! It has been such a long time...I guess I have been on kind of a blogging hiatus. But not to worry...that's coming to an end. Our month long vacation to Hawaii was fun, but now we are home and have gotten back into the swing of our day to day life as well as preparing for school to start up again!

To start off...traveling with 3 under 5 was challenging to say the least. We had lots of stuff that we stuffed into a minimal amount of bags and suitcases. We brought along our bulky double stroller and 2 car seats. Our oldest has been a frequent flyer since she was a month young so other than her repeated "Are we there yet?" every half hour or so she did pretty well. And of course, our youngest wasn't particularly difficult. The biggest challenge was that his feeding times happened to coincide with the times we had to check in and board, etc. The number 2 child, on the other hand, was a ball of energy who could not and would not be confined to a stroller or mommy's or daddy's laps. He really wanted nothing to do with sharing the computer tablet with sissy to watch movies or to read or to color. No, he wanted to run around or play musical parents. Nonetheless no passengers were hurt in the process and we all survived in tact.

That long flight across the country is pretty brutal. It's a surprise the hubby and I didn't strangle each other. Even had we been sans kids, the longevity of the flight and discomfort of those confined seats were enough to drive us mad. And with the 6 hour time difference and lack of sleep on the flights, it took a good week or so for us to get back to normal. The kids were going to bed anywhere between 9pm and midnight. The hubby started back to work after a couple of days. It was a task, but here we are, trying to enjoy what remains of the summer before the kids head off to school and the air gets a bit more chilly and brisk.

Because we were away for a good majority of the summer, we had some catching up to do (Ketchup).  We took a tour of my daughter's new school where she will be entering Kindergarten, scheduled screenings and doctor's appointments, and had to shop for back-to-school essentials like reusable thermoses, a minimal amount of school supplies and most important of all...clothes! The kids got a few things they needed...and well didn't need...and Mommy got a few things to spruce up her closet for the upcoming Fall. That brings me to the topic of the day. I found several looks on Pinterest that will definitely take its' place in my Fall wardrobe. I found many affordable pieces that you can find at a store near you in order to stay on trend with the Pinterest and real world just like me! :)

The first trend is Animal Print. This can be kind of intimidating or over the top, but done right, you can pull it off in a minimal and conservative yet glamorous way as well.

Everyday buys: Xhiliration Faux Leather Moto Jacket ($39.99, Target), Mossimo Pocket Tee ($8.00, Target), Leopard Infinity Scarf ($14.94 Old Navy), Black classic skinny jeans ($10.80, Forever 21), Tassled Zipper Tote ($34.80, Forever 21), Square Sunglasses ($5.80, Forever 21).

Everyday buys: Straight Jean ($29.99, American Eagle Outfitters), Fitted Stretch Shirt ($19.95, H&M), Square Sunglasses ($5.80, Forever 21), Zip-Pocket Blazer ($39.99, Charlotte Russe), Chelsea Flat ($16.99, Payless Shoes), Chocolate New York Satchel ($44.99, Target), Leather Belt ($12.95, H&M), Shimmering Rhinestoned Ring ($5.80, Forever 21).

The next couple of looks are Classic. They won't go out of style. The first is your typical Fall colors: black and brown while the second look includes a pop of color that will transition from the bright looks of summer.

Everyday buys: V-neck Dress ($29.95, H&M), Studded Crisscross Lace Belt ($6.80, Forever 21), Wayfarer Readers ($5.80, Forever 21), Lace Back Wedge Boot ($42.50, Charlotte Russe), Fold-over Quilted Evening Bag ($19.50, Charlotte Russe)

Everyday buys: Striped Drop Shoulder Sweater ($19.80, Forever 21), Aviator Sunglasses ($5.80, Forever 21), Lock & Key Necklace ($5.80, Forever 21), Structured Bag ($24.95, H&M), Metal Trim Hip Belt ($4.80, Forever 21), Life in Progress Destroyed Skinnies ($27.80, Forever 21), Layered Flower Studs ($3.80, Forever 21), Lacquered Zigzag Bangle Set ($12.80, Forever 21), Mother of Pearl Gold Bracelet Watch ($19.99, Target), Almond Toe Wedges ($24.80, Forever 21)

I totally hate when I click on a pin and it takes me nowhere because it's spam or I have to go hunting for the source or better yet, it's just a gallery of pictures and there is no source for where you can find those fabulous fashion finds you've been pinning and pinning and pinning to your boards. So, I've taken it upon myself to find a few of my own and on sites I frequent and are reasonably priced. :) Yay! Hope its helpful to you, too!

Enjoy!

R-E-S-P-E-C-T!!

The Today Show is the on every weekday morning in my household. It is the primary source of my national "news" information seeing as I'm home with just the boys and the rest of the afternoon the TV is either on Nick Jr. or ESPN. This morning I found it particularly disturbing to see a segment regarding bullying of an elderly school bus monitor by a handful of middle schoolers! Oh my goodness!!!! I realize at the preteen age, kids are still finding their place amongst their peers and it's a difficult time. I remember getting in some trouble at that age, but never to this extent.

If you haven't seen anything about it, basically a 68-year-old woman was harassed and insulted by middle school students on a bus in upstate New York to the point of tears. They called her nasty names, made fun of her weight and even threatened her. The language these children used was horrific! I refuse to give examples of some of the things that were said toward this woman.

First of all, there are 3 things that scare the bejesus out of me when it comes to my children. One. Maintaining a positive relationship with my children - knowing how to create a balance between being their friend and their parent. Two. I am afraid of the ease of access my kids will have to drugs. And three. Bullying has become such a front and center issue with kids speaking way more harshly toward one another and the lack of respect kids have for authority, each other, and elders. I will not allow my children to become bullies nor will I stand for them being bullied. 


This topic obviously deals with my third fear. I don't see any warning signs at the moment of my children becoming bullies at this point. They are all still rather young and maintain their innocence. But they will grow up to learn to respect other people. I get that growing up is difficult. There's peer pressure everywhere. But there is a time and place for joking around and there's also a point at which joking around and teasing becomes more than just innocent fun. I was also brought up to respect my elders. I may not have agreed to everything someone did or said. I may not have liked someone. But I was always respectful and bit my tongue when I was amongst people older than me. An elder is an elder no matter what. Respect seems to have gone by the wayside these days. I would never think to say such terrible things to someone that way...and really I wouldn't say that to anyone elder or not.


It also didn't look like any of the other children on the bus stepped in and tried to stop the verbal bashing. Of course, I would like to think that I would have and that I would like my child to step in when they see someone being bullied. But I can also understand the fear that the children may have experienced witnessing what they did and seeing how they hurt an adult, let alone one of their classmates. 


These leads to how the children involved should be punished. This was a debatable topic on the Today Show. They discussed having the children expelled and apologizing and even punishing the parents of these children. The idea of expelling kids from school raises questions. Will this allow children to do as they please and roam the world with no sense of structure and education? Or will removing children and cutting them off from those they aim to please help alleviate the peer pressure and open their eyes to what they have actually done? I think it could go either way. I do blame the parents for the way that their children behave - kids are a direct reflection of the people who raise them. But does that mean that their parents should be punished and how? Of course each and every child ought to apologize face to face with the woman that they hurt. And I do believe that they should experience the same level of shame and hurt that they placed upon her, but of course I would never wish on anyone the kind of treatment that they showed their victim. So how does one go about teaching these children a lesson and teaching them to empathize with the bus monitor. 


I know I'm not a perfect mother and I know that there are many things that I have yet to teach my children and have yet to experience with them. I can tell you that being a mom is the most rewarding, the most difficult and the most scary thing that I've ever encountered. How do I know that I'm teaching my children the right tools to deal with life? This has all got me thinking about how I'm teaching my children. I do not know how I, myself, would handle it if one of my children turned out to be like one of those mean-spirited children. I do not stand here judging those parents, but somewhere, somehow they learned it was OK to treat others that way.

These are all thoughts to ponder. I would love to know how other moms out there feel on this topic.

On a lighter note, the Northeastern area of the US is experiencing record high temperatures. I am currently indoors with the a/c on, but would love to take my children to the splash pad in a nearby neighborhood to burn some energy and get their cool on. But I'm afraid of how to keep my infant cool on this hot summer day. He's too young for me to want to take him into the water...especially water spraying in all different directions. But I don't want him burning up in his car seat either. Even under the shade the temperatures are scorching with the humidity in the air. I've made some fudgesicles for the family to eat and at school, my daughters' teachers had her drinking water while at the playground. How is everyone else keeping cool?

Stay cool and enjoy summer!