While watching President Barak Obama's State of the Union Address, I was pleased that he and his administration are aware of the painful reality which is the state of the United States' educational system. Specifically, the need to improve the quality and level of interest in the fields of math and science. Many of President Obama's statements reminded me of an article that I wrote in April of 2008 which discussed the fact that parents need to take the time to teach their children math and science skills as well and not just those found on the sports field. Because last night's speech stated this continuing need, I feel it only relevant to post the before mentioned article here...
"Add Science to Your Recipe for Summer Fun", by Bectoria Stafford, April, 2008
Alarming reports over the past several years indicating poor science performance by students in the United States have left many Americans wondering who will become future leaders in science related professions. Report findings of studies like Lessons Learned from U.S. International Science Performance from the U.S. Department of Education and the American Institutes for Research in 2007 have given parents further cause for concern. This study found that “U.S. science performance exhibits successively lower rankings across assessments” when comparing the performance of U.S. students to those of other industrialized countries. Additional findings of this study “show that the U.S. ranking decline begins in middle school and that reform efforts should not wait until secondary school science” (Ginsburg, et al.). While lawmakers and educators continue to work toward reversing this trend with the No Child Left Behind and other reform measures, parents should also become actively involved in improving their children’s performance in science. By taking an early interest in their children’s education, parents will lay a solid groundwork for their children’s scholastic careers.
The winter 2006/2007 research brief Family Involvement in Elementary School Children’s Education, by the Harvard Family Research Project, highlights “the importance of family involvement for children's outcomes”. Indicated in this brief are findings that “substantial research supports the importance of family involvement in the elementary school years”. Also included are two concepts that parents should adapt as principles when considering their involvement in their children’s education…
•“Home–school relationships are the formal and informal connections between the family and educational setting.
•Responsibility for learning is the aspect of parenting that places emphasis on activities in the home and community that promote learning skills in the young child” (Caspe et al.).
As a foster parent, I spent much of my time helping children catch up to their peers in preparation for better school success. I quickly learned the simple rule that the more fun the children had the more interested in learning they would be. Included in this article are examples of activities from a mom who knows how to turn a child’s world into a classroom of surprising wonderment. By adding science related experiments and activities to their recipe for summertime fun, parents will take the dryness out of science and show that it can be infused with excitement and adventure.
Parents can teach children how this whole “science thing works” by capitalizing on their natural curiosity and having them think of questions about their world that they want to have answered. Webster’s defines a hypothesis as “an unproved theory, proposition, etc. tentatively accepted to explain certain facts or to provide a basis for further investigation…” Basically, parents can teach children that they can use what they know about the world to guess what will happen during a given exercise. Children can then make observations which are, as Webster’s states, “…a noting and recording of facts…” for added interest during the activity. Learning about science does not have to strictly include conducting a handful of structured experiments. On the contrary, families should take advantage of the learning opportunities that they have in their area, on the internet (with supervision) and their local library to answer any number of science related questions. These experiences will also give children valuable study skills and tools for research that they can use throughout their scholastic career. Parents can peak children’s enthusiasm in science by showing their own interest in what their children are learning. Below are some science-based activities that have proven to be interesting to children of varying ages. By sharing these activities with their children in the coming summer months, parents spark their children’s interest in the fascinating world of science.
Good Vibrations
Learning about sound and other types of vibration can be an eye (and ear) opening lesson for students of any age. To prepare for this topic, parents can visit www.teachersdomain.org for definitions and further information. A simple demonstration can show children that vibrations are caused when objects and other “mediums”, as discussed by Webster’s, are affected by forces. When a rock is dropped into water, rings will appear. This demonstration can show children what vibration waves look like when a medium, in this case the water, is disturbed by the rock being thrown into it. To compare how sound in the air is similar to vibrations in the water, parents can straighten a wire hanger and then, with everyone maintaining a safe distance, hit the side of a table or tree with the hanger. Children will be able to see vibrations by watching the straightened hanger wobble. They will also be able to hear vibrations by (safely) holding the center of the vibrating hanger close to an ear. For older children, Acoustic Vibration and Animations, by Dan Russell, Associate Professor of Applied Physics at www.kettering.edu provides interesting information and animated examples of what vibrations look like.
Glues and Goo’s
While some parents may be tempted to skip this section, they should remind themselves that it is sometimes the gooiest messes that provide the best learning opportunities! The following “goo” (playdough) recipes from Stephanie Brown can be found at www.about.com. “These playdoughs are for children aged 2 years or older and require adult supervision at all times.
Kool-Aid Play Dough
Materials:
•2 1/2 to 3 cups flour
•2 cups boiling water with 1 package Kool-aid (any flavor)
•3 tablespoons corn oil
•1/2 cup salt
•1 tablespoon alum
Directions:
1.Mix ingredients and knead with flour (may take up to 1 extra cup). Use more if the dough draws moisture in high humidity. Keeps well, has a nice fragrance and is very colorful and very flexible” (Brown).
Parents will be the coolest adults on the block when they show their children how to make slime! The following is a homemade slime recipe provided by www.madsci.org. Homemade Slime
Materials:
•Borax
•White Glue
•Food Coloring (optional)
•Ziploc bags
Directions:
1.“Borax is available in the laundry section of your local grocery store. Take a cup of water and add to it 1 Tbs. of borax (approx 4% solution). Stir until completely dissolved.
2.Make a 50% water 50% white glue solution. Take 1/4 cup of each and mix thoroughly.
3.In a ziploc bag, add equal parts of the borax solution to equal parts of the glue solution. 1/2 cup of each will make a cup of slime.
4. Add a couple drops of food coloring.
5. Seal bag and knead the mixture.
6. Dig in and have fun. Remember to wash your hands after playing.
7. Keep your slime in the sealed bag in the refrigerator when not playing with it to keep it longer. Unfortunately it may eventually dry out or grow mold. Just throw it out and start again!” (Lee).
Just as goo’s do not have to be messy, learning about polymers, or glues, does not have to be a boring chemistry lesson. Parents can get a head start in teaching about polymers by visiting www.hometrainingtools.com. Children can also “ask a scientist” about polymers at Cornell University by visiting www.ccmr.cornell.edu/education/ask. Below are other hands-on projects that will help children discover the fun side of adding properties together to create a completely different product.
The Gooiest Goo There Ever Was!
Materials:
•Bowl
•1/2 cup flour
•¼ cup oatmeal
•¾ cup water
•1 tsp. salt
•3-4 drops food coloring
Directions:
1.In bowl, mix flour and oatmeal together.
2.Add salt.
3.In a separate, smaller bowl mix food coloring to water together.
4.Add liquid mixture to dry ingredients and stir until you have goo (add more water if necessary).
Too Hot to Handle: Volcanoes
Okay moms and dads! Time for a little bravery! Many parents will remember making homemade volcanoes for school projects when they were students. Now it’s the kids’ turn! It’s fun when the light bulb pops on and the connection is made between heat, pressure, time and eventual volcanic eruptions. After learning about lava flows and all of the marvelous natural phenomena related to volcanoes, children will be excited to simulate their own volcanic eruption.
Homemade Volcano
Materials:
•Papier Mache Paste
•Disposable cup
•Newspaper
•Wire mesh (optional)
•Masking tape
•Wooden board (at least 24” square)
Directions:
1.On top of the wooden board, sculpt the shape of a volcano using crumpled newspaper and wire mesh (optional), securing each piece of the structure with masking tape.
2.Place the disposable cup in the mouth of the volcano.
3.Paper mache the structure. Let dry.
4.Paint the volcano. Let dry.
At www.sciencebob.com, parents can find the following instructions in how to conduct their own volcanic demonstration…
“To make an erupting volcano you will need:
Materials:
•A volcano - Talk to an art teacher about making a volcano out of paper mache or plaster. If you're in a hurry to make your volcano, use a mound of dirt outside.
•A container that 35mm film comes in.
•Red and yellow food coloring (optional)
•Vinegar
•Liquid dish washing soap
Directions:
1.Go outside
2.Put the film canister into the volcano at the top
3.Add two spoonfuls of baking soda
4.Add about a spoonful of soap
5.Add about 3 drops of the red and yellow food coloring
Now for the eruption!
6.Add about an ounce of the vinegar into the container and watch what happens”. (Pflugfelder).
What’s Up?
Parents often joke about the question “what makes the sky blue” but few take the time to explore this question with their children. Younger children will be pleased to discover the answer to this age old question by learning that the Sun sends many colors to the Earth and that parts of our air (nitrogen and oxygen) allow the strongest (or dominant) light, blue, color the sky. Building on this knowledge, older children can learn about the gases that compose the Earth’s atmosphere and about how light interacts with these gases and other properties.
Many children and parents alike enjoy looking at the clouds on a warm summer day. Parents can build on this fascination by helping their children understand that water is constantly transforming. They can demonstrate this concept with the following activity. For safety, children should keep a safe distance and only observe this activity.
Materials:
•4 cups water
•Small saucepan with lid
•Stove top
•Clear glass
Directions:
1.Pour water into saucepan, cover with the lid and place onto the stove top.
2.Bring to a boil over medium heat.
3.Keeping a safe distance to avoid burning, remove the lid and observe the steam that rises from the saucepan.
4.Cover the saucepan once more with the lid and allow steam to build up on the lid.
5.Remove the lid and allow the built up steam condensation drip into the glass.
6.Observe that the ice turned to water then “water vapor” and then returned to the form of water (ww2010.atmos.uiuc.edu).
Out of this World!
A visit to a planetarium can be fascinating to children of any age. Younger children will enjoy looking at the shapes of different constellation while older children might be interested in learning about what stars are made of. Children can easily create their own starry sky with the following recipe for fun.
Homemade Starry Sky
Materials:
•Paper bowl or square tissue box
•Scissors
•Tap light
•Marking pens or crayons
Directions:
1.Draw constellations on the bowl or tissue box and have a parent cut them out w/scissors.
2.In a dark room, turn on a tap light and place the bowl or tissue box on top of it.
3.Observe the star patterns that are projected onto the walls.
When studying the sky, many children will learn that some of the lights that they see are not actually stars at all but planets. Learning about planets will launch children into their own fascinating exploration of space. By building a scale model, children will learn how each planet circles the Sun beginning with “Mercury, then Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and ending with Neptune which precedes Pluto, a dwarf planet”. Parents can guide children in the scaling of their model by teaching them that “the largest planet is Jupiter. It is followed by Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Earth, Venus, Mars, Mercury, and finally, tiny Pluto” (Col). Families can also design a fun trivia game to test each family member’s knowledge about the planets.
Planet Trivia
Materials:
•Note Cards
•Pens or pencils
Directions:
1.Have each player choose their own favorite planet.
2.Write questions about different planets on separate note cards. (e.g. “what is the atmosphere like on your planet?” or “is your planet cold or warm?”).
3.Have each player take turns answering the questions.
4.Players can guess the planet in question at any time, but they can only have one guess per question. If the guess is correct, it is now that person’s turn.
How Did They Do That?
Many children have a fascination with discovering what makes things work. Parents can steer these interests toward the field of science with activities that will help their children explore these interests further. Operating with the understanding that “electricity is a major physics topic”, many science centers have child-friendly exhibits that explain how electricity works and how it is used in the 21st century (Ginsburg et al.). Activities at home and during other planned outings can also help to teach children about electricity. Parents can share with school aged children the sources of electricity in nature and how electrical currents travel on wires into the home. Beginning with a battery powered flashlight, older children can be taught that while lower voltages can power small things, like light bulbs, far more electricity is required to power larger objects like the family refrigerator.
Parents can continue this exploration of how things work in any number of ways. The doors to scientific discovery can be flung open when parents customize lessons about science to include their children’s unique interests. To learn more about basic mechanics, children need only look as far as their own home. By turning a bicycle upside-down, children can observe how gears of a bicycle work. They can then take this knowledge with them to a local science museum or the local library to learn how that concept relates to machine technology. Parents can go online to show children where an interest in mechanics can be combined with science by visiting www.dspace.mit.edu .
When Ideas Take Flight
Hot air balloons can teach children about the use of air currents in navigation and flight direction as well as how hot air balloons use air temperature to fly. If available, visiting a hot air balloon exhibit, event or seeing one at a fair can be described as nothing less than spectacular. Learning about hot air balloons does not have to be restricted to observation only as homemade hot air balloons are relatively easy to make.
Homemade Hot Air Balloon
Materials:
•Garbage bags
•Pipe cleaners
•Hole punch
•Hair dryer
•String
•Tape
Directions:
1.Create a balloon using garbage bags and tape.
2.Punch small holes around the opening of the balloon and thread the pipe cleaner through the holes around the opening.
3.Join the two ends of the pipe cleaner to create a ring at the opening.
4.Tie one end of the string to the bag. Hold the string out of the until it is filled with hot air.
5.Release the balloon once it has been filled with hot air; anchor it with the string.
6.Observe the bag as the warm air pushes it up into the sky.
After learning about hot air balloons, children may want to learn about airplanes. Parents can help children learn about the science involved with these beautifully engineered machines by doing research online or at a local library or by visiting an aeronautical museum. For a hands-on approach, children can become little aeronautical engineers by designing their own paper air planes with wing structures and designs that will maximize lift and minimize drag. They can then test and record which designs worked the best and compare their findings with one another.
By no means are the ideas included in this article meant to bombard children with science or to burn them out. Because the science based experiences that can be provided to children are only limited to ones own imagination, parents can use the above activities to launch their children into a world where science can be a fun and fascinating adventure!
-End of Article-
I realize that the above article was written for the summertime. With a little imagination, any of the referenced activities can be adapted for any time of the year. The idea is for parents to realize the importance of emphasizing math and science in their homes so that children can realize the satisfaction found in eccelling in these areas as well. I challenge each reader to make competence in math and science a fun and lasting adventure at home today and throughout the year. Have fun!
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
A Little Holiday Humor
Since my last post, I have been told by some readers that they still have difficulty getting out of the hustle and bustle and into the true spirit of this holiday season. After telling them that it isn’t too late to find some holiday cheer, these holiday hold-outs ask me how I do it. Because I am a realist, I begin every holiday season with a quick self reminder (my own holiday chill-pill, if you will) that I have a houseful of small children (three under the age of five) and that mishaps will happen. Past experiences from parenting my biological children and also our foster children has taught me that… a) the gingerbread house will be torn to smithereens by Christmas Eve, b) the stockings that I have hung by the chimney with care will be yanked down repeatedly for the sole purpose of “just checking”, c) wrapping paper and tape will be used to make forts throughout the house and d) artfully coordinated ornaments will be used as toys. The most important lesson that I gained from repeated experiences much like those listed above is to ALWAYS expect ANYTHING to go wrong at ANY time throughout this season of joy and togetherness.
How do I get through the season while remaining sane and my house in one piece? By taking my own advice from my previous post and “enjoying the magic of the season through the eyes of a child”. By so doing, I am able to embrace the spirit by which my children dismantle my carefully arranged Nativity scene or unwrap presents once so ornately decorated that even Martha Stewart would be envious. Don’t be mistaken, however. I am not condoning a holiday free-for-all. I am simply recommending that parents give up the need for controlled perfection and accept the reality of mistakes and messes brought on by the curiosity that the holidays inspire.
The above statement again begs the question… How do I do it? By savoring the humor that accompanies these unfortunate and unforeseen moments. Instead of getting upset that “someone” broke all of the candy canes, I choose to laugh at the fact that that same “someone” tried to jam three of them up my two-year-olds nose. It’s surprising how quickly vacuuming up peppermint bits goes when done with a chuckle. Rather than waste my time and energy insisting that home videos be cinematic masterpieces, I allow my children to be themselves and I try not to crack up when the little one picks her nose while her sister sings an energetic rendition of “Rudolph the Red- Nosed Reindeer”. I don’t even bother getting grinchy and grumpy when "somehow" all of the chocolate from the advent calendar finds its way up the stairs and melts itself to my child’s bedspread. I find that stain lifter always works better when applied with a grin.
While it may take practice, choosing to pick out funny moments among the chaos is a prescription anyone can follow. To help out, the following are a few fun memories from my family’s 2010 Christmas season…
Our family embraces “the Elf on the Shelf” tradition. For those who don’t know, this elf visits children in their homes each day throughout the Christmas season. He then flies back to the North Pole each night to report their actions to Santa. Many parents appreciate having an extra set of eyes around the house to ensure that everyone is acting "nice" and not "naughty". Because the elf leaves each night, he returns each morning to a different location in the house. This adds to the fun as many children look forward to finding where their elf has hidden each new day. One day, our family’s elf had run out of places to hide, so, for some reason, rather than hiding in a previous location, he opted to hide in our bathroom. This unfortunately was the same day our children were writing their Christmas letters to Santa. Had I known our elf’s current location having run out of options, I never would have suggested that our children give their letters to the elf to deliver to Santa. When I did make the suggestion, my four-year-old let me know just how ridiculous and inappropriate that idea was. Wow. What were we thinking? I am glad that she made this so clear. Now I am sure that neither the elf nor I will ever make a mistake like that again!
It was neat to learn that our daughter’s preschool teacher still believes in Santa too. Santa thinks that she is so special, in fact, that this year, she even received a letter from the big guy. Included in this letter were the names of each of her students who would be receiving a special gift under the tree. Our daughter was thrilled to hear the names of each of her classmates as her teacher read them off of Santa’s list. That was until the teacher finished reading the list, not realizing that Santa had left out the name of one classmate who was presently on vacation. Our little one came home distraught that her classmate would not receive a Santa gift because he wouldn’t be home in time for Christmas. Despite our attempts to reassure her, our daughter was so concerned for little Daniel that this became the main topic of our dinner discussion during that and the next couple of nights. Everyone was relieved when we attended the school’s Christmas program and saw for ourselves that Daniel had returned from vacation and therefore would be receiving a gift from Santa. Phew! Talk about a close one!
Another holiday tradition that our family has is a special Christmas Eve bedtime recitation of Clement Clarke Moore’s “The Night Before Christmas”. One would think that I would have this rhyme well rehearsed by now, being that I began this tradition during my own childhood. Alas, this is not the case, but I have a compelling reason as to why! Each year we opt to have my father continue the tradition in his beautiful baritone voice. When it came to be bedtime this Christmas Eve we unfortunately were unable to reach him by phone. Rather than keep our children up too late my husband and I attempted to recite the poem ourselves. With even our best tag-team efforts, we were only able to get to the point of “hearing such a clatter” and then “running” to the “window to see what was the matter”. We were at a loss for where to go after “flying” to the window like a “flash”, tearing open the shutters and throwing up the “sash”. Rather than making up a happy ending, the thoughtful parents that we are, my husband and I unwittingly struck fear into the hearts of our small children by abruptly ending the story with “Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night”. This incident would soon become known among our friends and extended family as the Crandall family “Nightmare before Christmas”. No relation to the movie, of course, but with an experience like that, what small child needs a movie to scare the wits out of them?
This list of humorous Christmas stories can go on and on, but my point is to help each reader identify those funny experiences that make each family’s holiday season uniquely memorable and special. As each household concludes the holiday season by preparing for New Year’s celebrations it is my hope that this post has done just that.
How do I get through the season while remaining sane and my house in one piece? By taking my own advice from my previous post and “enjoying the magic of the season through the eyes of a child”. By so doing, I am able to embrace the spirit by which my children dismantle my carefully arranged Nativity scene or unwrap presents once so ornately decorated that even Martha Stewart would be envious. Don’t be mistaken, however. I am not condoning a holiday free-for-all. I am simply recommending that parents give up the need for controlled perfection and accept the reality of mistakes and messes brought on by the curiosity that the holidays inspire.
The above statement again begs the question… How do I do it? By savoring the humor that accompanies these unfortunate and unforeseen moments. Instead of getting upset that “someone” broke all of the candy canes, I choose to laugh at the fact that that same “someone” tried to jam three of them up my two-year-olds nose. It’s surprising how quickly vacuuming up peppermint bits goes when done with a chuckle. Rather than waste my time and energy insisting that home videos be cinematic masterpieces, I allow my children to be themselves and I try not to crack up when the little one picks her nose while her sister sings an energetic rendition of “Rudolph the Red- Nosed Reindeer”. I don’t even bother getting grinchy and grumpy when "somehow" all of the chocolate from the advent calendar finds its way up the stairs and melts itself to my child’s bedspread. I find that stain lifter always works better when applied with a grin.
While it may take practice, choosing to pick out funny moments among the chaos is a prescription anyone can follow. To help out, the following are a few fun memories from my family’s 2010 Christmas season…
Our family embraces “the Elf on the Shelf” tradition. For those who don’t know, this elf visits children in their homes each day throughout the Christmas season. He then flies back to the North Pole each night to report their actions to Santa. Many parents appreciate having an extra set of eyes around the house to ensure that everyone is acting "nice" and not "naughty". Because the elf leaves each night, he returns each morning to a different location in the house. This adds to the fun as many children look forward to finding where their elf has hidden each new day. One day, our family’s elf had run out of places to hide, so, for some reason, rather than hiding in a previous location, he opted to hide in our bathroom. This unfortunately was the same day our children were writing their Christmas letters to Santa. Had I known our elf’s current location having run out of options, I never would have suggested that our children give their letters to the elf to deliver to Santa. When I did make the suggestion, my four-year-old let me know just how ridiculous and inappropriate that idea was. Wow. What were we thinking? I am glad that she made this so clear. Now I am sure that neither the elf nor I will ever make a mistake like that again!
It was neat to learn that our daughter’s preschool teacher still believes in Santa too. Santa thinks that she is so special, in fact, that this year, she even received a letter from the big guy. Included in this letter were the names of each of her students who would be receiving a special gift under the tree. Our daughter was thrilled to hear the names of each of her classmates as her teacher read them off of Santa’s list. That was until the teacher finished reading the list, not realizing that Santa had left out the name of one classmate who was presently on vacation. Our little one came home distraught that her classmate would not receive a Santa gift because he wouldn’t be home in time for Christmas. Despite our attempts to reassure her, our daughter was so concerned for little Daniel that this became the main topic of our dinner discussion during that and the next couple of nights. Everyone was relieved when we attended the school’s Christmas program and saw for ourselves that Daniel had returned from vacation and therefore would be receiving a gift from Santa. Phew! Talk about a close one!
Another holiday tradition that our family has is a special Christmas Eve bedtime recitation of Clement Clarke Moore’s “The Night Before Christmas”. One would think that I would have this rhyme well rehearsed by now, being that I began this tradition during my own childhood. Alas, this is not the case, but I have a compelling reason as to why! Each year we opt to have my father continue the tradition in his beautiful baritone voice. When it came to be bedtime this Christmas Eve we unfortunately were unable to reach him by phone. Rather than keep our children up too late my husband and I attempted to recite the poem ourselves. With even our best tag-team efforts, we were only able to get to the point of “hearing such a clatter” and then “running” to the “window to see what was the matter”. We were at a loss for where to go after “flying” to the window like a “flash”, tearing open the shutters and throwing up the “sash”. Rather than making up a happy ending, the thoughtful parents that we are, my husband and I unwittingly struck fear into the hearts of our small children by abruptly ending the story with “Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night”. This incident would soon become known among our friends and extended family as the Crandall family “Nightmare before Christmas”. No relation to the movie, of course, but with an experience like that, what small child needs a movie to scare the wits out of them?
This list of humorous Christmas stories can go on and on, but my point is to help each reader identify those funny experiences that make each family’s holiday season uniquely memorable and special. As each household concludes the holiday season by preparing for New Year’s celebrations it is my hope that this post has done just that.
Monday, December 27, 2010
Who Stole Christmas?
Now that the presents have been opened and Santa has made his yearly debut, it is my hope that everyone can reflect on the Christmas season with fond memories of merry celebrations and all of the joy that the season creates. For all of those who worry that they didn’t jam their schedules full of enough Christmas activities or fear they may have hurt junior’s feelings by having not purchased all fifty items on his “wish” list, allow me to officially let you off the hook! Too often parents get so caught up in providing a “perfect Christmas” and spend the new year with feelings of buyer’s remorse for having splurged on the “must have toy” –remember the Tickle-Me-Elmo doll from the nineties? Others are overwhelmed with feelings of grief from having spent too much time working to make the perfect memory and not enough time being a part of it. It is often these same individuals who get angry at their spouses for not sharing a zeal for going (dare I say) “over-the-top” with festive flare. For these reasons and more, many parents put so much pressure on themselves this time of year it is easy to see how many forget to enjoy the true meaning of the season.
For all those described above (myself included!), I have written the following adaptation from one of my favorite Christmas classics “The Night Before Christmas” by Clement Clarke Moore. This adaptation is a couple of years old and may be recognized by some readers, but I feel it remains relevant for many of us.
(Adapted by Bectoria L. Stafford-Crandall from “The Night Before Christmas” by Clement Clarke Moore)
T’was the night before Christmas and all through the house
Mom’s fed everyone amply so that no one could grouse
The handmade stockings were hung by the chimney with care
So that St. Nick would notice their decorative flare
The In-laws were nestled all snug in their beds
While visions of their return flights home danced in Mom’s head
With Mama in the kitchen
Dad took a nap
When he sees all the gifts he’ll ask “how much was this crap?”
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter
Dad sprang from the couch to see what was the matter
Outside a plastic Santa exploded in a flash
While tearing down shutters and lights with one crash
The torn down ornaments as they rest on the new fallen snow
Made Mom flustered as she looked out the adjacent window
When what to her horrified eyes should appear but a small flaming sleigh and eight incinerated reindeer
With their little old driver now melted to brick,
She knew in a moment they came with the plastic St. Nick
More rapid than eagles Dad extinguished the flames
While Mom bristled and shouted and called Dad some names
That Dasher! That Dancer! That Prancer! That Vixon!
That Comet! That Cupid! That Donder! That Blitzen!
"I didn’t want them on the porch! I told you that at the mall!
Now throw the lawn ornaments away! Melted plastic and all!"
As dry leaves before a wild hurricane fly Dad’s temper met with an obstacle, mount to the sky,
So out of the house as coursers he flew
Throwing out all his burnt toys, and St. Nicholas too.
And then in a twinkling, she heard on the roof
The grunting and struggling from that stubborn old goof
As she drew in her head and was turning around
Down the chimney her Christmas lights came in a bound
This caused her to stir from her head to her foot
As she looked at her once twinkling lights now tarnished with ashes and soot
A bundle of burnt toys Dad had flung on his back
As he came in like a peddler to open his garbage sack
His eyes- how they twinkled! His dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow
And poor Mama’s face was as white as the snow
She stomped to the door and clenched tightly her teeth
She turned around and encircled Dad’s head with the wreath
She pulled it past his broad face and then patted his belly
It shook when he flinched like a bowlful of jelly
He called her chubby and plump, like a jolly old elf
He had to laugh when he said this in spite of himself
A wink of her eye and a twist of her head
Soon gave him to know he had something to dread
She spoke not a word, but went straight to her work
Threw out his golf clubs, then called him a jerk,
He exclaimed “I’m so sorry” as she went for his fishing poles
And then giving a nod, she quickly froze
As he completed her Christmas Eve“honey-do” list, her anger did fizzle
When he was done, to bed he flew like the down of a thistle
And she lovingly whispered as she turned out the light
Happy Christmas to all and y’all better sleep tight!
Sometimes all a well-meaning parent needs is to take a step back and reflect on what is truly important. It is healthy for parents to remind themselves that children probably don’t want their parents to be stressed out and overburdened with details and tasks, especially at such a magical time of year as Christmas. Children who are shuttled all over and forced to partake in every single “Christmassy” activity available by well-meaning but frenzied parents may reflect back and ask “who stole Christmas”? Instead, families just may benefit from parents prescribing themselves a yuletide “chill pill” and putting emphasis on small but special memories rather than jamming as much forced cheer into the holiday season as is humanly possible. Perhaps taking a moment to enjoy the magic of the season through the eyes of a child will spark an appreciation for those simpler things that make the season so great and time with family feel that much more special.
For all those described above (myself included!), I have written the following adaptation from one of my favorite Christmas classics “The Night Before Christmas” by Clement Clarke Moore. This adaptation is a couple of years old and may be recognized by some readers, but I feel it remains relevant for many of us.
(Adapted by Bectoria L. Stafford-Crandall from “The Night Before Christmas” by Clement Clarke Moore)
T’was the night before Christmas and all through the house
Mom’s fed everyone amply so that no one could grouse
The handmade stockings were hung by the chimney with care
So that St. Nick would notice their decorative flare
The In-laws were nestled all snug in their beds
While visions of their return flights home danced in Mom’s head
With Mama in the kitchen
Dad took a nap
When he sees all the gifts he’ll ask “how much was this crap?”
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter
Dad sprang from the couch to see what was the matter
Outside a plastic Santa exploded in a flash
While tearing down shutters and lights with one crash
The torn down ornaments as they rest on the new fallen snow
Made Mom flustered as she looked out the adjacent window
When what to her horrified eyes should appear but a small flaming sleigh and eight incinerated reindeer
With their little old driver now melted to brick,
She knew in a moment they came with the plastic St. Nick
More rapid than eagles Dad extinguished the flames
While Mom bristled and shouted and called Dad some names
That Dasher! That Dancer! That Prancer! That Vixon!
That Comet! That Cupid! That Donder! That Blitzen!
"I didn’t want them on the porch! I told you that at the mall!
Now throw the lawn ornaments away! Melted plastic and all!"
As dry leaves before a wild hurricane fly Dad’s temper met with an obstacle, mount to the sky,
So out of the house as coursers he flew
Throwing out all his burnt toys, and St. Nicholas too.
And then in a twinkling, she heard on the roof
The grunting and struggling from that stubborn old goof
As she drew in her head and was turning around
Down the chimney her Christmas lights came in a bound
This caused her to stir from her head to her foot
As she looked at her once twinkling lights now tarnished with ashes and soot
A bundle of burnt toys Dad had flung on his back
As he came in like a peddler to open his garbage sack
His eyes- how they twinkled! His dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow
And poor Mama’s face was as white as the snow
She stomped to the door and clenched tightly her teeth
She turned around and encircled Dad’s head with the wreath
She pulled it past his broad face and then patted his belly
It shook when he flinched like a bowlful of jelly
He called her chubby and plump, like a jolly old elf
He had to laugh when he said this in spite of himself
A wink of her eye and a twist of her head
Soon gave him to know he had something to dread
She spoke not a word, but went straight to her work
Threw out his golf clubs, then called him a jerk,
He exclaimed “I’m so sorry” as she went for his fishing poles
And then giving a nod, she quickly froze
As he completed her Christmas Eve“honey-do” list, her anger did fizzle
When he was done, to bed he flew like the down of a thistle
And she lovingly whispered as she turned out the light
Happy Christmas to all and y’all better sleep tight!
Sometimes all a well-meaning parent needs is to take a step back and reflect on what is truly important. It is healthy for parents to remind themselves that children probably don’t want their parents to be stressed out and overburdened with details and tasks, especially at such a magical time of year as Christmas. Children who are shuttled all over and forced to partake in every single “Christmassy” activity available by well-meaning but frenzied parents may reflect back and ask “who stole Christmas”? Instead, families just may benefit from parents prescribing themselves a yuletide “chill pill” and putting emphasis on small but special memories rather than jamming as much forced cheer into the holiday season as is humanly possible. Perhaps taking a moment to enjoy the magic of the season through the eyes of a child will spark an appreciation for those simpler things that make the season so great and time with family feel that much more special.
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Advocating for Cultural Sensitivity: Something to be Thankful For!
As the festivities of the Thanksgiving holiday draw to a close and our household shifts to the feelings and thoughts of the Christmas season, I find myself in an overwhelming state of relief. Many find relief at this time of year in realizing the completion of endless meal planning, food prep or simply by no longer having to clean their homes to the point that it looks like no one lives there. Rather, my relief comes from knowing that the endless, awkward dialogue between me and my daughter’s educators can, for now, be laid to rest.
Having spent many of my growing up years in the Pacific Northwest I am acutely aware of how privileged I was to have been exposed to so many different traditions of the indigenous people of that area. Now that I live in Ohio, where there remains a devastating lack of indigenous people, I knew when sending my daughter to school that cultural sensitivity to North America’s indigenous cultures within the school system may be a challenge. Having parented foster children who attended public school, I knew that this issue would be at its most challenging during lessons planned in preparation of the Thanksgiving holiday. Knowing this, I requested a meeting with my daughter’s school teacher to discuss her curriculum for the month of November. My daughter’s teacher thoughtfully obliged by immediately scheduling a formal meeting which also included the school’s headmistress.
As the day of the meeting approached, my husband and I engaged in long discussions about our value systems regarding cultural sensitivity toward the variety of indigenous cultures of North America. Included in these discussions was the understanding that not all individuals put so much importance on being sensitive to this diverse group. I also had to acknowledge that, during my discussion with the teacher, I may find myself in a position wherein there would be little to no room for compromise with regard to her lesson plans. To prepare for this, we developed an informal list of “non-negotiable” items or values that we did not want compromised by the teacher’s lesson plans. Included in this list of non-negotiable items was any learning activity that projected a negative or unrealistic stereotype of the indigenous people of North America, the use of derogatory song lyrics, images or story content or any subject matter that would make any member of any indigenous group appear less than the cultural majority. While this list of non-negotiable items may seem obvious and simplistic, one might be surprised.
In addition to our list of non-negotiable items, it was also my hope that my daughter’s teacher include into her lesson planning the understanding that indigenous people are by no means extinct, that they are not all the same, specifically that they do not all wear “buckskins”, live in “tipi’s” and that they do not all ride horse. Perhaps my hopes were too high.
When the day of the meeting arrived, I entered into what would become a very uncomfortable dialogue, with an open mind and a heart set on mutual understanding. Soon after the meeting began, my concerns for cultural sensitivity were, unfortunately, validated. After making the statement that she couldn’t promise not to use the term “Indian” during her lessons, my daughter’s teacher, along with the school’s headmistress continually asked me throughout the meeting what was culturally inappropriate about having the children engage in activities like making paper tipi’s for their Thanksgiving table, or coloring pictures of children in buckskins pictured with “pilgrims”. While they were obviously being as painstakingly respectful as they could, when they asked why I had a problem with each of these learning activities, it became clear to me that the two were merely trying to placate a concerned parent rather than trying to reach further cultural understanding through open dialogue.
Finally, when I was asked why I had a problem with counting the “little Indian” heads going into a tipi or reading a story about a “little Indian chief” I had to use what little tact I had to say that such activities are dehumanizing. What soon became overwhelmingly clear to me during this meeting was that I was seen as oversensitive, at best. Knowing that I didn’t want my daughter to suffer from what ill regard her teacher may develop for me as a result of this meeting, I struggled throughout the meeting to remain positive and work toward an understanding. Eventually, I found it necessary to declare a cease fire by stating that it was clear that we had different perspectives on the issue. From there, we went over each activity and piece of curriculum planned for the month while they had me point out which items I had a problem with. The teacher then decided to have the class engage in those learning activities on a given day while I opted to have my child stay home. One of the learning activities that my daughter would miss out on was a craft project during which the children would make a paper head band with feathers sticking out of it after which time they would cut a paper sack to look like a buckskin vest. Because these items would be worn during a class pow wow celebration, and because I did not want my daughter to feel excluded in any way, I opted, instead, to have my daughter wear to this celebration a piece of authentic regalia that would actually be worn to a pow wow.
To say that the month of November proceeded without a hitch would be farfetched. However, when issues would arise, like for instance when my daughter would come home with a tipi or other inappropriate item, I would respond quickly with my daughter by educating her as best I could about the given item and as respectfully as I could with the teacher by maintaining an open dialogue about my concerns. The fact that I did have to remain so vigilant did surprise me, however. As I had stated during my meeting with the teacher and headmistress, it would occur to me that an educational institution would want to continue to learn and always seek new knowledge to pass on to its students. Unfortunately, my experiences over the past month have given me all evidence to the contrary. What I found almost as disheartening as the inappropriate curriculum content itself was the realization that a teacher wouldn’t want to change curriculum over the course of a thirty year career even after having concerns raised by parents.
I don’t claim to have any more than a basic knowledge of the vast number of indigenous groups within this country nor do I think myself qualified to set the standard of cultural sensitivity in any way. To have a conversation with such a person would be, without a doubt, enlightening. Rather, I am simply sharing the real-life experience of a mom trying to ensure that my child receive the most culturally appropriate education possible. I am sure that I am not alone and that other parents have faced similar challenges. It is my hope that sharing my experience offers some sense of camaraderie and encouragement to all those facing similar issues in taking an active role in educating their children.
Having spent many of my growing up years in the Pacific Northwest I am acutely aware of how privileged I was to have been exposed to so many different traditions of the indigenous people of that area. Now that I live in Ohio, where there remains a devastating lack of indigenous people, I knew when sending my daughter to school that cultural sensitivity to North America’s indigenous cultures within the school system may be a challenge. Having parented foster children who attended public school, I knew that this issue would be at its most challenging during lessons planned in preparation of the Thanksgiving holiday. Knowing this, I requested a meeting with my daughter’s school teacher to discuss her curriculum for the month of November. My daughter’s teacher thoughtfully obliged by immediately scheduling a formal meeting which also included the school’s headmistress.
As the day of the meeting approached, my husband and I engaged in long discussions about our value systems regarding cultural sensitivity toward the variety of indigenous cultures of North America. Included in these discussions was the understanding that not all individuals put so much importance on being sensitive to this diverse group. I also had to acknowledge that, during my discussion with the teacher, I may find myself in a position wherein there would be little to no room for compromise with regard to her lesson plans. To prepare for this, we developed an informal list of “non-negotiable” items or values that we did not want compromised by the teacher’s lesson plans. Included in this list of non-negotiable items was any learning activity that projected a negative or unrealistic stereotype of the indigenous people of North America, the use of derogatory song lyrics, images or story content or any subject matter that would make any member of any indigenous group appear less than the cultural majority. While this list of non-negotiable items may seem obvious and simplistic, one might be surprised.
In addition to our list of non-negotiable items, it was also my hope that my daughter’s teacher include into her lesson planning the understanding that indigenous people are by no means extinct, that they are not all the same, specifically that they do not all wear “buckskins”, live in “tipi’s” and that they do not all ride horse. Perhaps my hopes were too high.
When the day of the meeting arrived, I entered into what would become a very uncomfortable dialogue, with an open mind and a heart set on mutual understanding. Soon after the meeting began, my concerns for cultural sensitivity were, unfortunately, validated. After making the statement that she couldn’t promise not to use the term “Indian” during her lessons, my daughter’s teacher, along with the school’s headmistress continually asked me throughout the meeting what was culturally inappropriate about having the children engage in activities like making paper tipi’s for their Thanksgiving table, or coloring pictures of children in buckskins pictured with “pilgrims”. While they were obviously being as painstakingly respectful as they could, when they asked why I had a problem with each of these learning activities, it became clear to me that the two were merely trying to placate a concerned parent rather than trying to reach further cultural understanding through open dialogue.
Finally, when I was asked why I had a problem with counting the “little Indian” heads going into a tipi or reading a story about a “little Indian chief” I had to use what little tact I had to say that such activities are dehumanizing. What soon became overwhelmingly clear to me during this meeting was that I was seen as oversensitive, at best. Knowing that I didn’t want my daughter to suffer from what ill regard her teacher may develop for me as a result of this meeting, I struggled throughout the meeting to remain positive and work toward an understanding. Eventually, I found it necessary to declare a cease fire by stating that it was clear that we had different perspectives on the issue. From there, we went over each activity and piece of curriculum planned for the month while they had me point out which items I had a problem with. The teacher then decided to have the class engage in those learning activities on a given day while I opted to have my child stay home. One of the learning activities that my daughter would miss out on was a craft project during which the children would make a paper head band with feathers sticking out of it after which time they would cut a paper sack to look like a buckskin vest. Because these items would be worn during a class pow wow celebration, and because I did not want my daughter to feel excluded in any way, I opted, instead, to have my daughter wear to this celebration a piece of authentic regalia that would actually be worn to a pow wow.
To say that the month of November proceeded without a hitch would be farfetched. However, when issues would arise, like for instance when my daughter would come home with a tipi or other inappropriate item, I would respond quickly with my daughter by educating her as best I could about the given item and as respectfully as I could with the teacher by maintaining an open dialogue about my concerns. The fact that I did have to remain so vigilant did surprise me, however. As I had stated during my meeting with the teacher and headmistress, it would occur to me that an educational institution would want to continue to learn and always seek new knowledge to pass on to its students. Unfortunately, my experiences over the past month have given me all evidence to the contrary. What I found almost as disheartening as the inappropriate curriculum content itself was the realization that a teacher wouldn’t want to change curriculum over the course of a thirty year career even after having concerns raised by parents.
I don’t claim to have any more than a basic knowledge of the vast number of indigenous groups within this country nor do I think myself qualified to set the standard of cultural sensitivity in any way. To have a conversation with such a person would be, without a doubt, enlightening. Rather, I am simply sharing the real-life experience of a mom trying to ensure that my child receive the most culturally appropriate education possible. I am sure that I am not alone and that other parents have faced similar challenges. It is my hope that sharing my experience offers some sense of camaraderie and encouragement to all those facing similar issues in taking an active role in educating their children.
Friday, October 29, 2010
Cutting Out the Costume Craziness
Let me start this entry with a confession. I am one of those parents who tend to get a little particular about what my children wear for Halloween. Make no mistake, however. Over the years, I have learned to reel myself in and remind myself that Halloween is about the kids and not about how absurdly creative I can be. I know that I am not alone in this as I have seen other parents lose their heads when it comes to kids in costume. I guess confession number two would be that I justify my obsessing over the perfect Halloween garb by telling myself that “at least I’m not as bad as some.” Realizing the error in this thinking, I have decided this year to set aside this poor excuse for justification and write down some helpful suggestions.
Many parents think that they need to purchase the latest and greatest costumes available online or in stores in order properly capture the Halloween spirit. There is nothing wrong with this. I have certainly been known to scour the net and the greater Seattle area for the perfect frock for my little ones. One of the lessons I learned as a foster parent was that whatever I perceived as the cutest “must have” costume may not be along the same lines as what my children wanted to wear. For this reason, I changed my tactics a bit and still use these simple self-imposed rules today with my biological children. Now that my eldest is old enough to choose for herself, I always consult her first and then, without fail, make my first stop our dress-up boxes which hold dozens of costumes ready for the picking. I am always surprised at the time and money that I save in altering something that we already own. My daughter gets a thrill out of helping me create her one-of-a-kind costume and shows a certain pride in wearing it for Halloween.
Okay. So here comes confession number three… I am one of those parents to look for a theme in dressing my kids for Halloween. I’m sure this will be something they roll their eyes at later, but for now, I indulge. Because my youngest is still too young to have an opinion, I try to avoid making her an accessory while trying to match her costume to whatever theme my eldest thinks up. Last year, my eldest wanted to be Sleeping Beauty. We were lucky in that we already had the costume leftover from a recent family vacation. I was then able to use my limited hand-stitching skills to convert a pea costume and matching hat from a mermaid tail that had been handed down from an older cousin. This year, my daughter has chosen to be “Awice-in-Wondawand”. Naturally, I was able to make some additions to a bunny costume we already owned and have our youngest go as the “White Rabbit” from that story.
Once the perfect costume has been selected, many parents lose their minds and become anxious about actually letting their children enjoy their costumes. I have seen some parents make their children take off their costumes before enjoying certain Halloween treats, or even scold them for getting messy during Halloween events. I know that it is fun to keep costumes for dress-up later, but I do wonder what the problem would be with a little spillage or even a stain if the costume is just intended for play anyway. To avoid the worry, I recommend setting aside a time to get the cute, keepsake pictures done ahead of time. Some parents opt to get professional shots but pictures taken at a park, a local garden center with fall color or even at events with cute Halloween scenes can be just as perfect for capturing the memories. Once the perfect pictures are taken, parents should let their children enjoy their costumes, messes and all. Chances are it is those memories and not the costumes themselves that they will cherish.
Many parents think that they need to purchase the latest and greatest costumes available online or in stores in order properly capture the Halloween spirit. There is nothing wrong with this. I have certainly been known to scour the net and the greater Seattle area for the perfect frock for my little ones. One of the lessons I learned as a foster parent was that whatever I perceived as the cutest “must have” costume may not be along the same lines as what my children wanted to wear. For this reason, I changed my tactics a bit and still use these simple self-imposed rules today with my biological children. Now that my eldest is old enough to choose for herself, I always consult her first and then, without fail, make my first stop our dress-up boxes which hold dozens of costumes ready for the picking. I am always surprised at the time and money that I save in altering something that we already own. My daughter gets a thrill out of helping me create her one-of-a-kind costume and shows a certain pride in wearing it for Halloween.
Okay. So here comes confession number three… I am one of those parents to look for a theme in dressing my kids for Halloween. I’m sure this will be something they roll their eyes at later, but for now, I indulge. Because my youngest is still too young to have an opinion, I try to avoid making her an accessory while trying to match her costume to whatever theme my eldest thinks up. Last year, my eldest wanted to be Sleeping Beauty. We were lucky in that we already had the costume leftover from a recent family vacation. I was then able to use my limited hand-stitching skills to convert a pea costume and matching hat from a mermaid tail that had been handed down from an older cousin. This year, my daughter has chosen to be “Awice-in-Wondawand”. Naturally, I was able to make some additions to a bunny costume we already owned and have our youngest go as the “White Rabbit” from that story.
Once the perfect costume has been selected, many parents lose their minds and become anxious about actually letting their children enjoy their costumes. I have seen some parents make their children take off their costumes before enjoying certain Halloween treats, or even scold them for getting messy during Halloween events. I know that it is fun to keep costumes for dress-up later, but I do wonder what the problem would be with a little spillage or even a stain if the costume is just intended for play anyway. To avoid the worry, I recommend setting aside a time to get the cute, keepsake pictures done ahead of time. Some parents opt to get professional shots but pictures taken at a park, a local garden center with fall color or even at events with cute Halloween scenes can be just as perfect for capturing the memories. Once the perfect pictures are taken, parents should let their children enjoy their costumes, messes and all. Chances are it is those memories and not the costumes themselves that they will cherish.
Monday, October 18, 2010
Pumpkin Carving - A Halloween MUST DO!
By no small miracle, my little family made it, once more, through an exhaustive and fun-filled summer! My eldest child and I survived her first day of preschool and all of the enthusiasm and bitter-sweetness brought on by that milestone-the latter only experienced by me, of course. I am now keeping my family busy through the changing of seasons in preparing my household for upcoming fall festivities. While the stores in this country insist on marketing Christmas items in September, I encourage parents not to miss all of the fun that the current season makes available. In addition to spur-of-the-moment fun that can be had by taking a nature walk, making a homemade wreath of leaves or stomping in some puddles planning to attend events around Halloween can bring some fall excitement as well. You never know, some events may be so fun they may quickly become fun family traditions.
When parents think of Halloween, they immediately think of pumpkin carving. To little kids, pumpkins are a very big deal and I encourage all parents to get as creative and goopy as is physically possible! Visiting a pumpkin patch to pick just the right jewel is a fun tradition shared by many families. Many pumpkin patches go to great lengths to attract the crowds, so a quick online search to see what different activities pumpkin patches have to offer could prove beneficial. Once at the pumpkin patch parents can have just as much fun as their kids if they enter into this venture with the understanding that yes. They will be wet and dirty by the end of the activity and no. Their children are not going to choose the pumpkin that they themselves would have picked. Sticking to these rules can help parents maintain their sense of sanity during this outing. Many parents can find a lot of joy in standing back and letting the photo ops happen.
Once at home, carving the pumpkin can be fun as a family activity or as one shared with others. For many years, our family made pumpkin carving an annual party. To create their unique work of art, many think that they need to purchase a pre-packaged kit, but I have found that cutlery and large utensils from home work even better. A friend even taught me the trick of using coloring pages as templates to satisfy the perfectionist within. Always reminding myself to keep the activity child-centered, I have the child pick the pumpkin theme and then stand back and let the guts fly and the magic happen being careful to only step in when cutting is needed or interest has been momentarily lost. This allows the child to have ownership in the little orange creation and takes all the seriousness out of what should be a fun activity.
What I enjoy the most about the entire pumpkin carving tradition is allowing my children to take pride in what they have created. We always have them proudly display their pumpkins and then take pictures galore of them with their new treasures. While the days get shorter and the to-do lists get longer I encourage all parents to be sure not to overlook this very simple but very fun opportunity. Whether they are spooky or silly, sassy or sweet pumpkin carving is its own special treat!
When parents think of Halloween, they immediately think of pumpkin carving. To little kids, pumpkins are a very big deal and I encourage all parents to get as creative and goopy as is physically possible! Visiting a pumpkin patch to pick just the right jewel is a fun tradition shared by many families. Many pumpkin patches go to great lengths to attract the crowds, so a quick online search to see what different activities pumpkin patches have to offer could prove beneficial. Once at the pumpkin patch parents can have just as much fun as their kids if they enter into this venture with the understanding that yes. They will be wet and dirty by the end of the activity and no. Their children are not going to choose the pumpkin that they themselves would have picked. Sticking to these rules can help parents maintain their sense of sanity during this outing. Many parents can find a lot of joy in standing back and letting the photo ops happen.
Once at home, carving the pumpkin can be fun as a family activity or as one shared with others. For many years, our family made pumpkin carving an annual party. To create their unique work of art, many think that they need to purchase a pre-packaged kit, but I have found that cutlery and large utensils from home work even better. A friend even taught me the trick of using coloring pages as templates to satisfy the perfectionist within. Always reminding myself to keep the activity child-centered, I have the child pick the pumpkin theme and then stand back and let the guts fly and the magic happen being careful to only step in when cutting is needed or interest has been momentarily lost. This allows the child to have ownership in the little orange creation and takes all the seriousness out of what should be a fun activity.
What I enjoy the most about the entire pumpkin carving tradition is allowing my children to take pride in what they have created. We always have them proudly display their pumpkins and then take pictures galore of them with their new treasures. While the days get shorter and the to-do lists get longer I encourage all parents to be sure not to overlook this very simple but very fun opportunity. Whether they are spooky or silly, sassy or sweet pumpkin carving is its own special treat!
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Back and Ready to Report all the Action!
Coming back from an extended hiatus, I find myself full of the same enthusiasm that I had when I began this blog months ago. Although my interest in pursuing this venture remained, quickly after I began blogging I found myself in a situation shared, I am sure, by many parents who stay at home. Because my family needed more time from me, I was happy to put their needs first and save my blogging for another day.
Part of this time was spent conducting an arduous job search in a very unfriendly economic climate. If I am to be at all candid I must divulge that as hard as I tried it was almost impossible to put my heart into this venture. I am sure that other parents faced with the same issues can relate. While trying to be as selective in finding the perfect fit as the market would allow, I faced an ongoing inner struggle. This struggle came from knowing that while working outside the home would provide my family with greater financial freedoms, I would be leaving my children to be left in the care and influence of someone other than myself.
Shortly after being offered a position, I learned that I am now expecting my third child. This solidified in my mind the need to continue to stay at home with my family and be a resource to them here. Following a great deal of support from my loving friends, I declined the job offer and chose to focus for the time being on my children and my current pregnancy. I feel fortunate that I am in the position that affords me the privilege to stay at home. I also feel a great deal of relief that instantly came with the realization that I am able to continue being a stay-at-home mom which has always been a lifelong dream.
Accompanying my decision not to rejoin the workforce at this time came some very real budgeting efforts to provide boundaries necessary during these economic times. I am sure that these efforts will be reflected in fun stories and helpful hints in later posts.
For now I am happy to be back as a naptime blogger and look forward to all that the future has to offer myself, my family and my readers as my life’s always interesting, never routine journey as a stay-at-home mom continues.
Part of this time was spent conducting an arduous job search in a very unfriendly economic climate. If I am to be at all candid I must divulge that as hard as I tried it was almost impossible to put my heart into this venture. I am sure that other parents faced with the same issues can relate. While trying to be as selective in finding the perfect fit as the market would allow, I faced an ongoing inner struggle. This struggle came from knowing that while working outside the home would provide my family with greater financial freedoms, I would be leaving my children to be left in the care and influence of someone other than myself.
Shortly after being offered a position, I learned that I am now expecting my third child. This solidified in my mind the need to continue to stay at home with my family and be a resource to them here. Following a great deal of support from my loving friends, I declined the job offer and chose to focus for the time being on my children and my current pregnancy. I feel fortunate that I am in the position that affords me the privilege to stay at home. I also feel a great deal of relief that instantly came with the realization that I am able to continue being a stay-at-home mom which has always been a lifelong dream.
Accompanying my decision not to rejoin the workforce at this time came some very real budgeting efforts to provide boundaries necessary during these economic times. I am sure that these efforts will be reflected in fun stories and helpful hints in later posts.
For now I am happy to be back as a naptime blogger and look forward to all that the future has to offer myself, my family and my readers as my life’s always interesting, never routine journey as a stay-at-home mom continues.
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