Face it - Our Kids are Stupid

No, this is not a knock on the education system. I think our teachers are doing an amazing job with the limited resources that they have.

They are brilliant when it comes to Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) - which has now become the focus in curriculum's across the nation. They rely too heavily on technology to ensure their spelling and grammar is correct - frankly, we all do, our smart technology has numbed our skills. It is much easier to slap the keys on your laptop or tablet, look for the red squiggly line then to actually think.

My ten year old son asked me just the other day what the yellow pages were, why I bought them and asked me to clarify again what they were used for. We were at my Dad's one afternoon and he stumbled upon an old rotary phone - he was amazed that you had to dial each number. Technology has made his life easy, everything is accessible at his fingertips, 24/7

I keep seeing these posts on facebook to demonstrate the difference between you're, your, their, there, they're, etc. Why are these words being misused? To make matters worse, the one I saw last night - had a statement following each word, each statement closed by a period (which was incorrect). Oh and the texting, if you are not typing LOL or LMBO, please take an extra second to spell out the word you (that is unless you have an antiquated phone without a qwerty keypad).

Card Catalog System

Card Catalog

In eighth grade, I had to write a research paper utilizing the resources within our school and public library - we had very limited technology. One of the purposes of this project was to learn our way around the library, understand the
card catalog and dewey decimal systems, retrieve reference materials, and learn proper citations.

Dewey Decimal System

We did not have computer access or internet in the mid-80's. Without access to computers, we had to write our papers in draft form, edit, revise and type them.

I think it is time that our children let go of the technology crutch. It is time that they actually rely on their brain to guide them. They need to thumb through a card catalog and find the answer - possibly even getting a paper cut along the way. They need to not only meet Dewey, but become good friends with him. They need to do a complete research project, with hand-written index cards and drafts written in longhand,

Writing in longhand - contributes to cognitive thinking

edited the old fashion way. Simply put, they need to turn technology off and learn how easy they actually have it. I propose that every school use your library and resources in a different way - The Card Catalog Project.

 

THAT's Not a Question I am Ready For

Tonight, driving back from getting gas and picking up a few items from the store - my almost ten year old blurts out 

Why don't our cats have balls?

I am driving in rush hour traffic, trying to get us home safely, and then I am saddled with answering this question...seriously?!? I then told him "so they don't have babies..." he responds "that is just silly - they are boys". I know this is going nowhere.

I suddenly remember when he was five, and was in kindergarten. I was getting him ready for bath, he was standing facing the tub in front of me buck naked. Suddenly, he says "Momma, do I have eggs down there..."

Another time, a few years later, he comes running in and tells me "it is broken...it won't fold back up!"

And yes, in both situations, I had to first hold my laughter back, take a deep breath, and figure out what exactly I was going to say...

My only advice to Mom's of boys, refrain from laughing your butt off and maintain composure -- at any cost.

Adult Proof Packaging on Children's Toys

**I originally wrote this blog while a sports yes, sports blogger at cbssports on April 20, 2008, but I felt it was worthy of a re-post (as I am consolidating my random musings for your entertainment)**


This afternoon, I threw small fry his party for his 5th birthday. We had it at a local park, and the kids played, then used clay to make random things, and boy do I mean random. Grandpa grilled up some hotdogs. We had a pinata, which surprisingly with a bunch of 5'ish year olds whacking at it with a stick, it's still in tact. The kids rode the old train and carousel had a decent time. I gave them their goody bags and pumped them full of sugar from the cake.
My frustration stems from the great toys my son received as gifts. For those of you who have kids, you know where I am going...the same frustration arises Christmas morning, while your child is impatiently awaiting for you to open the package, that apparently is more secure than Fort Knox...and the frustration that you find while opening these packages is rather similar to that of going on a quest for the Holy Grail, and bumping into the French, who are taunting you -- all the while saying that they have a Grail...
Okay, so we get home this afternoon, I am putting things up, and he comes into the kitchen, Mommy, can you open this PULEEEZE??? to which I did two things, first I looked at how complex the packaging was, and then I said, sweetie, Mommy is busy, can you play with this....

A few moments later, I found myself in the foyer surrounded by cool, but inexpensive toys...and I begin digging into the packages. The tape they use on these things to secure the box, could seal the Space Shuttle for it's entire voyage....for a million years. Once you get the package open, you encounter these plastic coated wires, with a plastic anchor...you must twist these little wires - which by the way are usually under the toy or on the back...very hard to maneuver and undo them. Then some of these little toys have clear rubberbands twisted around said item...it takes me a good while to get through all his toys, and then I look up to my Mom, and say, some poor person in a third-world country probably got paid 25¢ in a month to twist these stupid things...not to mention all this crap is bad for the environment.
Here's a suggestion for your next round of toy opening with a child...scissors or pocket knife handy, as well as wire cutters, they work amazingly well.
Shoot, the wire cutters were just there in the cabinet...why did I make myself work so blasted hard...

Yes - I am THAT Mom

Has your child ever thrown a tantrum in the store? I WANT THIS! I MUST HAVE?!? We have all been through it. There have been moments that we simply wanted to ditch the cart, grab the keys, and head for the nearest exit - wait, you haven't? Oh but I have. But I would politely hand the cart back to the nearest clerk -- sheepishly apologizing that I could not restock my items, making sure I showed them there were perishables.

My son is now approaching the wonderful age of ten. I recall a very vivid moment in Target when he was three - just like it was yesterday. The toy section was packed, it was a weekend -- everyone was in the toy section. We were looking in the toy section for a birthday present, he started with the "Mommy, I want this...I want that..." to which I responded lovingly, "no sweetie, not today, we are shopping for a birthday present for your friend..." his sweet little voice began to whimper, his face turned red, there were tears - big crocodile tears and then he started to kick his feet against the cart and the whimper was in that three year old scream -- you know when you hear it and it is not your child you are like thank the stars above...

I knew rationalizing with him was not going to work, I needed to parent by example. I looked at him and sat my behind on the floor and started kicking and screaming (imitating him) "but I want a million dollars, and a huge house, and not to have to work a gazillion hours..."(and whatever other irrational thing I could think of) and he just looked at me and stopped his tantrum. He did not know how to respond to his mother kicking and acting a fool on the floor, neither did some of the people shopping in the toy section -- some looked at me like I needed to be in a straight jacket and the rest, they applauded.

And you know what? He's never thrown a tantrum quite like that since. I can walk into a store, any store, if he wants to look at toys - fine but we aren't buying anything - that is NOT what we are here for.

For the Love of Pinterest - I Don't Have THAT Much Time!

I have spent countless days and nights thumbing through Pinterest. As a Photographer, I have found some amazing ideas that have actually boosted my creativity -- but that was before everybody and their brother, sister, and Aunt Mabel were Pinteresting too. Remember when you had to have an invite to join the site, there was a sense of exclusivity (hey I was part of something unique and special) -- not so much anymore.

I have pinned a lot of ideas that I wanted to go back and do, for the home or for clean eating - but have not even done. I have glanced over them again with a second thought - oh yeah...that intrigued me, and I really should do that.

I saw these really adorable rainbow in a jar ideas for St. Patrick's Day. ADORABLE. I thought, that looks easy, inexpensive, etc, etc... My mistake, I did not pin the really adorable idea several weeks prior to St. Patty's Day and the idea eventually transferred as a rainbow in a ziploc bag so not only was it adorable but THRIFTY! This is what it was supposed to LOOK like, how did my little mind transfer this to ziploc bags? How did I forget that I also needed marshmallows or BLUE skittles?

This is how they were supposed to look....

Last Friday, I venture to the candy store, and buy six half dollar sized chocolate gold coins and 3 small bags of skittles in my mind, this has to be enough for two right? I get home and pull out two snack size bags and start placing the coins, then the purple skittles...my rainbow is dancing around and acting like Mexican jumping beans instead of skittles. I am stumped, so I go onto Pinterest and search for my little idea I had remembered from several weeks ago. Then I realize that I am a forgetful IDIOT and that the rainbow was in a jar, I was lacking several gold coins, marshmallows and mason jars. OY VEH!!!

Saturday, I trekked to Target (knowing full well, I could get EVERYTHING I need at the Mart, but I have to be difficult and go to my favorite store). I find a 41 ounce bag of skittles (daggone, talk about tasting the rainbow - I've been snacking on them for almost a week now, my tastebuds are numb!) but then find the dark side skittles, and they have BLUE skittles and all kind of wicked flavors. I locate marshmallows, and then search for Mason Jars (which I could not find). I walked by them six times, to only find them on a very low shelf, and all they had were short squatty ones -- but they were going to work - I was going to make these stupid adorable rainbows in the jar work.

I get home and my son informs me, there should be a black pot bottom (are you frigging kidding me?) I have no black paper, so I start coloring white paper with a sharpie (I think I was high from the fumes) and then realize, that was not going to work - the skittles would get high too! So to his disappointment, we skipped the black pot err kettle.

Then we started sorting skittles. We had bowls of skittles everywhere. Purple. Blue. Green. Yellow. Orange. Red. Then came the layering process, which was the easiest part...much easier than a plastic bag (what the heck was I thinking...idiot).

This is what we ended up with, not bad - I guess I personalized it and made it my own!

But all in all, the rainbows in a jar were an über success, the kids loved them. In hindsight, Pinterest is Evil, and a huge time suck of things I want to do, but will never ever likely do...but folks, keeping pinning, on my sleepless nights it gives me something to do.

 

I am left to really wonder, "WHY"

Just over two weeks ago, I encountered a family of three. There was nothing abnormal about this family, two middle-aged parents and their teen daughter (who was trying to be cool - still not sure if she was successful).
The mother was one of those run of the mill indecisive types, that I encounter all the time, over the years, I have simply learned to deal with this type of personality. The father is an entirely different story.

He wore a red sweater and gray sweatpants with salt and pepper hair. He catered to his spouse's indecisiveness, "whatever you want dear..." As if the gray sweatpants and the red sweater weren't jumping out at me (these things should never be worn together), the man turned his head and spoke to his daughter...that is when I saw it, creeping over his shoulder. A salt and pepper colored rattail. I stopped what I was doing for a moment, cocking my head to the side and looked, furrowing my brow for a closer glance, as if I needed to really confirm what I was seeing -- were my eyes deceiving me? Then I realized I was staring at this thing on the back of his head, while I was waiting for the mother to come to a decision, I started to think, wow, that is the worst rattail I've ever seen....it isn't shaped well at all...

As the family and I wrapped up our business, I was left to wonder, REALLY, WHY!?!?! Why would someone think that was something attractive to leave on their head?? I felt like I was singing the time warp or something... But yet, this isn't attractive either or this "grey tail" as wiki refers to it...