POSTS TAGGED : parenting

Time Out

 I love timeouts. Not for my daughter, but for me, and not in the context of getting punished or anything like that. Just a good old time out for relaxing. Which, by the way, needs to happen more often I’ve decided. Easy you say. Wrong I say. But that’s what weekends are for, you say. Not always, I say. That’s what extra days off are for, I say. I finally had one that wasn’t taken over by a “to do” list. The only thing “to do” was to go to the beach. Mission Accomplished.

  It may sound dumb, but the beach day was just what I needed. I packed up my daughter and all our paraphernalia and off we were. I used to go to the beach with just a chair and one bag. Now there’s a chair, a beach bag, a diaper bag, a bag of beach toys, and a cooler for those GoGurts. That may not sound relaxing, but I’m getting there.
  Once we got everything settled and met up with our friends, my daughter and I were in our glory. She played with those sand toys for nearly four hours! She didn’t even know I existed, until she wanted to walk to the water. I really couldn’t believe it. Usually she gets bored with a toy in no time. Her obession with the sand allowed me to get some sun, chat it up, and just relax. There were no dishes in the sink calling my name or crumbs whispering to get picked up. There was just the sound of ocean and the breeze. I definetly like those sounds so much better.
  Listening to the those sounds and pretty much doing nothing took up most of the day. My daughter didn’t want to go home and neither did I. But when we did leave, my head felt a lot clearer on the ride home. I felt refreshed, My daughter felt tired, she fell asleep in two-point-two seconds! I wasn’t agitated and didn’t feel like I was going to scream like a raging female dog (which is usually the case these days, but I’m blaming the pregnancy hormones!). I simply felt calm. Time for another time out!

Hey, Your Baby Can Read… Really?

 
   Okay, I’m coming clean. I became so mesmerized with the “Your Baby Can Read” commercial that I actually ordered the reading system that promises to help your child learn to read. But, it wasn’t just the commercial that made me run to jot down the number and grab my phone and MasterCard. During my daughter’s last well visit, the pediatrician asked how many words were in her vocabulary. My husband and I looked at each other, trying not to laugh. Vocabulary? Um, she was 15 months at the time. She doesn’t really have a vocabulary. Then it got me thinking. Is she behind? Is she a slow learner? What’s the deal? Maybe I need some help.
   We read together constantly and she really seems to enjoy it. So, I thought “Your Baby Can Read” would be the perfect next step to help move things along. In case you’re not familiar, the set comes with several DVDs, books, and flashcards all aimed at teaching words and promoting reading. I guess you’re supposed to start when the kids are younger, but the guy over the phone said it was o-k if I started now, and gullible me said o-k.
   I should have known something was up when I called and they said the $14.95 price advertised was just for the 30 day trial. If I decided to keep it, they were going to charge my credit card three monthly payments of 60-something-dollars. Again, I said o-k. I really believed this was the key to my child becoming the next Einstein.
So, the huge box arrives. There were so many DVDs and books, it looked like I robbed the library. I started reading the parents’ instructions and off we were with the the first DVD.
   Problem one…I couldn’t get my daughter to sit still to watch two minutes of the dumb DVD. So, I watched it and thought how does this stuff really work? Hmmm. Next were the flashcards. Attention span…5 minutes. We tried this routine for the next four days. Then, I finally decided I’m wasting my time and hers. She’s not buying this, and now I’m not either. (At least she’s the smart one!).
   When I called the company to get information to return it, the rep asked me if I wanted more time. I said no, my daughter is clearly not interested in it. She won’t sit and watch the DVDs. Then the lady said, “Well, are you watching them with her?” Really lady? I bit my tongue and simply said yes, but told her I still wanted to return the stuff.
   Days after sending it back, I heard on the news that the FTC is questioning the company’s reading promises and has filed a complaint claiming “Your Baby Can Read” uses deceptive advertising. I could have told you that one. My baby may not be able to read yet, but she sure knows a scam when she sees one.
Just curious, has anyone had success with this program?

Our Most Precious Gift

   Children are our most precious gift. Seems like a “duh” statement, but how many times do we forget that? Whether they’re an infant, a toddler, or a teen…kids are a challenge and quite bluntly, can be a pain at times. They can cry, they can whine, they can scream at you, but what would you do if they suddenly vanished? It’s safe to say you would be lost. Even when my daughter has a one-night sleepover at Grandma or Nonna’s house, our house just isn’t the same when we wake up the next morning. It feels empty. Something is missing. Funny, before she came along, it would feel normal…it would feel complete. But, now it’s simply not. Children have a way of grabbing onto our hearts, making us vulnerable, but at the same time tough as nails because we would do anything to defend them and keep them out of harms’ way. But what happens when you can’t protect them?
   I have to say, I had a totally different topic chosen to blog about this week, but the recent story about a missing girl made me change my mind. As a news producer, I often glaze pass stories because they become just another accident, just another fire. But some stories pull you in, tug on your human side…and this is one of them. The outpouring of emotion from people from all walks of life when it comes to this story is really amazing. I think it’s because we all know how innocent children are. Children should be untouchable. They shouldn’t have to experience pain or sorrow. But too many times they do and it’s heartbreaking. Fortunately, this story had a happy ending. The little girl was found safe. It turns out she ran away and luckily didn’t get into any trouble. But often times, we hear stories where that is not the case.
   When you hear stories involving kids getting hurt it really makes you hold on to yours a little tighter. It really makes you think. What would you do if you woke up tomorrow morning and your child was suddenly gone and you had no clue where he or she could be?
   I freak out when my daughter hides in the bathroom for a minute. I can’t imagine her out there in the world by herself or worse with someone who could harm her. That’s why you have to treasure every moment you have with your children, even when they drive you nuts. Simply put, you just never know what can happen. So tonight, give your child an extra hug and kiss…why? Just because. That’s reason enough.