Teaching the Kids about Green

We went to the park the other day and Kylie met a new friend. No surprise there. She is by far the friendliest of us all. She brought the girl over to meet her brother and then started expounding on the benefits of cloth diapers. A couple of my friends were in ear shot and started laughing. I'm raisin' her up right. :) She is a big advocate of recycling and reusing. She is concerned for the earth and I support and encourage that. I would love to do more encourage her and my new interest in living more simply, more organic. I would LOVE to move to Foy's parents land soon so we can build our house but most of all because of all the land and space. I want a chicken coop so bad I can taste it, lol. I want fresh eggs and I want to learn how to kill and cut up a chicken for dinner. I want to raise a few cows so I can eat my own meat..that I know what they've eaten and how they've been treated. I want Kylie to be in 4-H so we can foster her love of animals even more and she can raise any animal she would like. I have promised her a pet on her next birthday....a pet of some kind that is. She has went between fish and a rodent. She is a good girl and I think she deserves it. Maybe we'll surprise the kids on this vaca and get them a pet before we come home...that's an idea. I'm a big fan of not just doing special things on special days but sprinkling your life generously with days like this. Life is short.

I have gone completely crunchy. I don't even recognize myself. I have gone no 'poo. Not loving it yet but they assure me I will. I am buying aluminum free deodorant and looking for organic soaps. I am trying to cook healthier and buy organic fruits and veggies. It's an ongoing process. I have also started getting rid of all plastic in the house. Especially old plastic that may contain BPA. Foy thinks I'm fairly nuts but that's not anything new.

Kittens Come From Holes :)

I try to always be as honest with my children as possible, for example:

Kylie asked me if Santa was real. Apparently there was some talk at school. I told her that Santa could be real if she wanted him to be. She can believe in him if she wants. I think of him more like being the spirit of Christmas..of love, laughter, family, giving, friends...all those lovely things have a mascot, Santa. Of course, we've talked about WHY we have Easter and Christmas. I don't take my children to church on a regular basis (which I regret) but I give them the information that I can. BUT I was honest, that's my point here. I try to be honest with them. Another example:

She asked me where kittens come out of on a cat? She's asked me similar questions about humans but I told her one way was to cut it out and there was another way I would tell her about later. I told her that it hurts alot both ways but when your old enough to decide you want a baby then your old enough to accept that what comes from labor and pain is joyous and wonderful and you accept it. I spent more time talking about how it's BEST if there is a Mom and a Dad and  you are married. That it is POSSIBLE to have a baby and not be married but it's not the best way. And I told her that a Mommy and Daddy make the baby together with God's help. That's about the gist of what was said. BUT when she asked about the cat I told her a hole..lol. Well, it is a hole..in both cases. She accepted my answer readily. We then talked about how some animals have eggs and some have live babies. I didn't think it was inappropriate or wrong and it was enough info to satisfy her. There were no more questions.

Anyways, like I said, honesty. I don't offer up more info than is necessary or prod her to ask more questions. I think every kid is different when you get down to it and though there is a general timeline for things you have to know your kid and be ready to give them appropriate information.

I don't want to ever think I have lied to her. And I don't mean telling her the truth as I see it (or at least if I do acknowledging that it is MY truth) but good honest real info.

I don't know if it's the right time to approach religion with her. I don't want her to be confused. I want her to make her choice about what she believes and to accept others for what they believe and to not feel bad if her choices and belief's change. I don't expect her to be a cookie cutter model of me. I hope and pray that whatever decisions she makes (including religious ones) that I can accept them for good ones..different ones than me perhaps but her own. That's all I ask is that my children make up their own minds and don't let others (including myself) make it up for them. I hope they approach everything scientifically. Willing to listen to all sides equally and keep an open mind before they make decisions. Right now I present my belief's to them ..within reason..but I expect them to question them and me and come to their own conclusions eventually...when the time is right.

I'm a stubborn woman and I'd be lying to you blog if I said differently and I will balk at their decisions if I believe them bad but (other than putting their bodies in harms way) I will TRY to accept them. I will try to still my tongue and be the best Mom I can be.

Childhood: Seize it!

Kylie has failed two hearing test at school and we have an appt. with an audiologist on Tuesday.

Sometimes I think I may be the meanest person in the world and other times I feel like a tiny bit of putty or a rubber ball being kicked around or like a leaf being blown by the wind...I feel delicate and soft and like I will break. I mostly feel this way when it comes to my children.

It started me thinking (the phone call from the nurse) about diseases and cancers that effect children....how very VERY awful is that. One of the most beautiful gifts we've ever been given and how must that feel as a parent. When something is WRONG with my child I want it to be something I can fix..something I can medicate, give her my lung, heck I'd give her my heart but what about those times when you cant DO anything. That's got to be the God awfulest feeling in the whole wide world. I can imagine at times like that is when I would hold solid to my belief in God because what else could you do...as I write this I say a prayer for all the children out there...for the lost, the lonely, the ones going to bed on an empty tummy or with a need of any kind...NO CHILD should have anything but the happiest childhood full of wonderful memories. Childhood (as I am fond of saying) is for laughter and light and fun and hugs and candy...childhood is fleeting and we must seize it and make the most of it..for them.