You Choose.

When I was young I was fortunate to have the perfect baby.  I had a little girl and she was perfect!!!(she still is)  She was the type of child who would fold up into a little ball of sorrow if she was ever told no or had to be corrected. It was like she was so ashamed of herself for not being good.  I only remember having to tell her no once and that was it.  The sad little face and cry. She would sit and look at books, sing to herself, and just be content.  I never had to worry about her getting into anything. If I ever asked her to do anything she would do it right away.  I was thinking hey, this motherhood is not to bad.  THEN IT HAPPENED!!!!!!  He came roaring into the world and did not stop.  Everything became his and he let us all know it. Touch, throw, drop, eat, and  rule his kingdom. I think I spent the first year of his life sitting in a rocking chair singing to him and trying to soothe him so he would go to sleep.  He wanted it all and let us know.  Shortly after his 2nd birthday little brother came into our home and then the fun really began.  Where the first was a vocal commander the second was a climber.  He was climbing before he could even walk.  One day I found him on top of the table in the cookie jar.  He didn't even know how to walk yet. Then number 3 joined the party. Just 11 short months after number 2 came into the "wild" house.  I had two babies under 1, plus the tornado, and the princess.  I look back and wonder how I did it. I had a lot of help from my husband.  He would walk in from work and his shift would begin.  BUT,  to add to this mix!!!! Money was tight....really tight... so I decided to tend the neighbor kids.  Their mom's had to work and I was at home. So along came 2 boys from next door.  A 5 year old and a 4 month old.  Then along came the three from around the corner. Six, Four, and 16 months.  I had nine kids all day everyday.  It sounds crazy but it really worked well.  They had all day friends and I was able to monitor what they were doing.  The little ones would all have naps. (they loved to do anything as long as together.) We had a menu and would all sit down together for our lunch.  I was able to bake, tend, and keep them all happy. They all knew that discipline was missing play time with others as they would have to sit in a chair doing time-out in a room by themselves.  I think listening to all their friends have fun was a great punishment.  I didn't have to do much of that.  Each day before their mom's got there they were required to clean up all their toys and the house was probably the cleanest I ever had it. I was able to potty train four of them in the same week. They would each take a turn on the potty then everyone would cheer and clap and they would get a sticker.  They loved it.  Once a week when the babies were a little older we would go on a field trip. I had a van that we would go in and went all kinds of places. (My husband use to call it "the rolling playpen.")  I had three strollers and the two oldest being girls loved to push the babies. I would push one too.  It just worked.. In my  tending I realized something that I use today. I taught them to choose.  You choose to mind or sit in the chair. You choose to nap or you don't get a snack after. You choose to clean up or you don't get to play with the toys again today.  I still use that very often with my grand's. I have several that have pretty strong attitudes about listening and minding.  At my house they get to make the choice and live with the consequences.  So far it has worked well.  It just gives them that little boost of self esteem that they need when they know I will let them "choose." Even if its not quite what they wanted to do. I think it helped all of my children to know that there were choices and consequences in life in all we do. I hope it helped.
      We all have choices we make in our lives. Things that we do or don't do that we should.  I have to make many choices each day to continue on my healthy journey. I have to choose the things I eat and if I exercise  and even what type of exercise.  I have to live with the choices I make. Sometimes when I eat stuff that contains a lot of sugar I do feel it the next day.  My Fibromyalgia seems to bother me a little more and I ache. I have learned (over and over) that I don't like  to feel like that so most days I do pretty good with eating healthy foods.  It is not an easy thing to make the right choices but I know that if I do them I like the consequences. One of the best choices I made was to begin on my journey to a more healthy life and to enjoy the miracles I have been given. I encourage you each to choose to begin or continue on your own healthy journey and don't spend one more day of your life sitting in a time-out watching and hearing the others around you playing and enjoying life.

Summer flyby.

Where did this summer go? It seems like a whirlwind blew and scattered all the days.  This week  I began my joyful time of driving to my son's home  early in the morning to get two of my grand's off to school.  I have to say that first day back was a great morning. The one grand has started 6th grade and going to a big school.  Riding on the bus and class changes are a big adventure. He headed out the door at 6:45 excited and looking forward to going next door and "picking up" his friend to walk to the bus stop together. As I stood out in the front yard and watch them they were walking up the street, heads leaning into each other, and giggling as they walked.  They seemed to be so happy. The childhood joys of a best friend. It is so fun to watch this boy grow into a man. Then the younger. The second grade King of Riverside.  He is a little lost without his big brother walking with him to school. He had a plan already worked out. He was going to ride his bike. (I use to walk with the two of them but he would not have any of that walking stuff today.) He was riding his bike. His orange Mongoose. I told him he couldn't ride it today because he didn't know how to do his combination lock.  Well after he showed me 5 times he could do it he won that challenge. The next was he couldn't ride unless he wore a helmet. He promptly showed me that he could wear his brothers and it fit fine. Then the argument if brother's get taken during the day then he would have to buy him a new one.  No problem there are he ran and showed me the money he had been saving for allowance. After that we had to call dad and ask permission. That was reluctantly given with instructions to stay on the one side of road, walk the bike across the busy intersection, and to be careful.  So off we went, he on his bike and me following in the car some distance behind(I think we have all done that with a child or grand.)  He did great! One time he even turned to look at me following him and gave me the thumbs up. There were at least 15 other children riding bikes and scooters down that street with mom's and dad's following!!! So our new year has began. It will be challenging and exciting. One of the greatest joys my son and I have enjoyed is watching those two boys blossom into kind, friendly, happy, competent, content little people. I am glad I get to share this time with them.

Recommending a video series.

I try to not post or promote things but I think this one is important.  I received a magazine from the Southwest Utah Public Health Foundation and in it was a Film Review. In reading the review I realized that I had seen this series before.  I watched it in 2008 when I believe it was released. I remember at that time I was horrified and terrified because of the problems I had with my health and my weight. I watch it and cried and swore to myself that I was going to change and lose the weight. Well it must have not scared me enough because by 2010 I was at least 50 pounds heavier and in worse physical shape.  As I watched it again I was again horrified and terrified but not for myself.  I thought of family and friends that struggle with both health and weight issues. I am sad that I cannot do for them what they have to do themselves.  I wonder about what we as a society are doing to our young children. How can we teach and help them when it is such a struggle ourselves.  My mind has been whirling with so many emotions and sadness. I recommend you watch this. It probably will horrify and terrify some of you. My hope is that it will also inspire, challenge, educate, and encourage you to take that first step and then continue on moving into a healthy journey.   WARNING: The videos are graphic and have some Renaissance paintings that contain nudity. It is not something to watch with children. Autopsy and diseased organs are also shown. It is free to view online at: https://theweightofthenation.hbo.com/films.