Thoughts and other stuff

Amelea is quitting napping. There goes my mommy time, time to do all those things that your kids always want to "help" you with. So, no more blogging, decorating, sewing, paying bills, making vinyl lettering, talking on the phone, or even reading. And heaven forbid I try to watch an adult show. So, remembering back on when Ava quit daytime naps, we're in for rough patch, but it will get better. I am going to try to institute a "quiet" time during the day. I guess you could say we already kind of do that with movies. You would not believe how much my kids love movies! Lately I've been kicking them out of the house so they enjoy a few hours of nice weather.

Speaking of kicking kids out of the house, I just read a short piece on the mother who gave her 11 year old $20, a map and some coins to call home with and let him navigate his way home in NYC, on the subway. She couldn't believe how shocked people all over the world were that she allowed him to do that. Well, she has a point that we try to shield our children from all things that might incur pain, danger, trouble, and anything else like that. And heaven forbid, what would the neighbors think of her parenting if something bad happened to her child! Holy Crap. I've decided this is a pretty screw-ball land we live in and we can't really expect our kids to grow up into functioning, thinking people if they've never had a scratched knee or had to figure something out on their own. So, here's to kicking the kids out more often and watching less TV, allowing them to scratch some knees.

Another thought along that vein: Do we really have to kiss every "boo-boo" and try to make them feel better about every little sad thing that happens to them? Does that make these kids think that anything bad that might befall them is truly worthy of attention; make them think that they have to loudly bring attention to all their ills? Am I saying this right? My dad would laugh at us and tease us when we came loudly into the house with another one of our woes. It often brought perspective and hilarity to the situation, maybe teaching us that not everything had to be met with complaint. I think my kids whine an awful lot and wonder if this might be the cause: all the "oh, poor babies" and not enough perspective teaching.