Bears vs Chiefs: Honestly, I'm not sure what to say about the Bears this season. Maybe they just started off slow or maybe they had a couple of barely lucky games. It's no secret that I am just NOT a fan of Jay Cutler and it has more to do with his attitude than his skill level. Cutler is a cry baby who blames everyone else when he doesn't do well. He has no ability to take responsibility and commit to doing better. Instead it's a finger-pointing whine fest. Long term there's no telling if they'll end up with a winning season but I'd be surprised if they make it to the playoffs. That said, great play, Bears. Hopefully the Chiefs aren't going to buckle quite so badly with Charles out now.
Seahawks vs Bengals: I loathe the Seahawks so any loss is a good one for me...even if it was an OT loss. The Bengals are proving their worth times 100 so far. Dalton is kicking ass and, frankly, they've just been on it as a team.
Patriots vs Cowboys: Ouch! That's all I can say. Honestly, the Cowboys have been doing so so up until now and a loss to the Patriots is an understandable one. I mean, it's Tom Brady. The guy's incredible. The Cowboys offense just isn't delivering without Romo and the defense is only sort of coming up. The Patriots weren't looking so hot to begin with and then BAM...done.
Packers vs Rams: The big news is that Aaron Rodgers threw his first pick at home in three years. Well whoop de doo, they still won and he's still Aaron Rodgers. This game was actually a great one, in my opinion. The Packers once again proved their worth (well their defense anyhow) and Rodgers, once again, delivered a great performance despite a pick.
Broncos vs Raiders: My boys' defense came through again. Thank you, Chris Harris Jr, for an amazing interception run back for a touchdown. Thank you defense for holding it together when our offense was only performing sub par. Thank you Janikowski for missing two field goals...okay so one was blocked but you straight shanked the other one. There's quite a debate, and even a hashtag trending, to start Osweiler. My personal opinion is that one of the great things about Peyton Manning is that he knows when he needs to be taken out. Bearing in mind that we have an entirely new coaching team that is working with an entirely new approach, of course we're having some iffy games. We're starting off a little bit slow but that doesn't mean we are not contenders. Don't write us off just yet.
On a side note, let me be the first to say that the officiating this year overall has just blown ass. I have not been impressed at all and I'm trying hard to give a learning curve with some of the new rules but come on now. Nearly every game I've watched, I've found myself being a couch quarterback screaming at the refs for shitty calls and I know I'm not the only one. Step it up boys!
Monday, October 12, 2015
Friday, October 9, 2015
Micromanaging Our Kids
I saw an article this morning about a school who hired a "playground consultant" to make recess more inclusive. Honestly, it makes me cringe. Great, no scratch that..AMAZING, intention but awful awful execution. Here's the thing: we need to stop micromanaging our kids. Why? Here goes....
Back in the day, kids were allowed to just be kids. They were allowed to like or dislike other kids. They were allowed to fail if they didn't do their homework. They were allowed to be reprimanded by teachers. They were allowed to get a whooping or stand in a corner if they misbehaved. They were allowed to have their mouths washed out with soap. They were allowed to learn from their mistakes without their parents stepping in to prevent them from experiencing the hard stuff. Am I suggesting that life was perfect back then? Of course not. What I am definitely pointing out is that kids were learning to be productive adults back then. They were learning how to cope with their feelings and that life isn't always fair or fun.
Flash forward to the current generation. Now kids are told that they have to like everyone and include everyone all of the time. Kids are reprimanded for having people that they prefer. The irony? We're told that we shouldn't push our kids to hug, smile or respect adults without the adults jumping through hoops because it tramples a kid's rights. Now kids are told that there's always an opportunity to turn in late assignments that they decide that they don't want to do. Now, kids are told that teachers and school staff aren't allowed to punish them. Parents step in if a teacher tells a child that they aren't making good decisions and teachers are treated like villians. Now, it's more difficult to give a kid consequences because everything either "hurts their spirit" or is considered illegal. And we wonder why we have a generation of entitled, bratty kids coming up.
Notice the difference between the old generation and the current one? Let me spell it out....life experience. When you constantly micromanage someone, you are preventing them from learning from life experience. If they aren't allowed to experience negative consequence, they will never learn why they shouldn't do something. They also miss out on the rewards, though. They never get a chance to truly feel like they earned something if someone is constantly telling them every single rule that needs to be made.
So why does the playground committee make me cringe? Well, it's simple. Yes, I understand that bullying is a big deal. I am a HUGE supporter of options like "buddy benches." Why? Because it teaches kids that they need to take the initiative to speak for themselves. If you're feeling left out, sit on the bench. If you see someone on the bench, go talk to them. It gives kids the power to do something to help themselves. It teaches them not to rely on a teacher to force someone to socialize with them. However, when you start treating playgrounds as if they're tiny jail yards, you start creating a bunch of tiny convicts. You can't force kids to like someone else. Maybe they don't share interests or maybe their personalities just don't mesh. When you force them to play with these kids and teach them that they have to like everyone and treat every single person the same, you teach them that their preferences no longer matter. Should we be teaching them compassion and just plain friendliness? Of course. Should we force feed them stories of why they need to invite everyone to their party? No.
Here is my other issue with this: If kids are forced into liking everyone, they don't learn the lessons from being excluded. Yes, it's painful to be excluded. I totally agree. With that being said, you don't get the same treatment as an adult. Your boss doesn't travel around the office singing folk songs and explaining why you should invite everyone to happy hour. As an adult, you're expected to take initiative yourself. You're expected to find someone who shares common interests and that you get along with. If you never let your kids experience rejection, they never learn to take initiative for yourself. Maybe if more kids were allowed to experience a little bit of heartache (with a support system of family/friends to console them and help THEM take initiative to fix it), there would be less kids going on rampages or committing suicide. Just food for thought. Instead of teaching kids that others are cruel if they don't include them, maybe we should be teaching them that not every other peer's opinion matters and that they should find friends that have similar interests. God forbid we HELP them instead of doing it for them.
What this all comes down to is that we are hindering this generation by micromanaging them. We are teaching them that they need to rely on us to think (and in the same breath, teaching them why they don't have to respect adults). We're teaching them that their preferences don't matter and then, with our actions, teaching them that they should express themselves freely. Letting your kids succeed and fail while you support them will do them much more good, in the long run, than forcing them into a path that you've forged.
Back in the day, kids were allowed to just be kids. They were allowed to like or dislike other kids. They were allowed to fail if they didn't do their homework. They were allowed to be reprimanded by teachers. They were allowed to get a whooping or stand in a corner if they misbehaved. They were allowed to have their mouths washed out with soap. They were allowed to learn from their mistakes without their parents stepping in to prevent them from experiencing the hard stuff. Am I suggesting that life was perfect back then? Of course not. What I am definitely pointing out is that kids were learning to be productive adults back then. They were learning how to cope with their feelings and that life isn't always fair or fun.
Flash forward to the current generation. Now kids are told that they have to like everyone and include everyone all of the time. Kids are reprimanded for having people that they prefer. The irony? We're told that we shouldn't push our kids to hug, smile or respect adults without the adults jumping through hoops because it tramples a kid's rights. Now kids are told that there's always an opportunity to turn in late assignments that they decide that they don't want to do. Now, kids are told that teachers and school staff aren't allowed to punish them. Parents step in if a teacher tells a child that they aren't making good decisions and teachers are treated like villians. Now, it's more difficult to give a kid consequences because everything either "hurts their spirit" or is considered illegal. And we wonder why we have a generation of entitled, bratty kids coming up.
Notice the difference between the old generation and the current one? Let me spell it out....life experience. When you constantly micromanage someone, you are preventing them from learning from life experience. If they aren't allowed to experience negative consequence, they will never learn why they shouldn't do something. They also miss out on the rewards, though. They never get a chance to truly feel like they earned something if someone is constantly telling them every single rule that needs to be made.
So why does the playground committee make me cringe? Well, it's simple. Yes, I understand that bullying is a big deal. I am a HUGE supporter of options like "buddy benches." Why? Because it teaches kids that they need to take the initiative to speak for themselves. If you're feeling left out, sit on the bench. If you see someone on the bench, go talk to them. It gives kids the power to do something to help themselves. It teaches them not to rely on a teacher to force someone to socialize with them. However, when you start treating playgrounds as if they're tiny jail yards, you start creating a bunch of tiny convicts. You can't force kids to like someone else. Maybe they don't share interests or maybe their personalities just don't mesh. When you force them to play with these kids and teach them that they have to like everyone and treat every single person the same, you teach them that their preferences no longer matter. Should we be teaching them compassion and just plain friendliness? Of course. Should we force feed them stories of why they need to invite everyone to their party? No.
Here is my other issue with this: If kids are forced into liking everyone, they don't learn the lessons from being excluded. Yes, it's painful to be excluded. I totally agree. With that being said, you don't get the same treatment as an adult. Your boss doesn't travel around the office singing folk songs and explaining why you should invite everyone to happy hour. As an adult, you're expected to take initiative yourself. You're expected to find someone who shares common interests and that you get along with. If you never let your kids experience rejection, they never learn to take initiative for yourself. Maybe if more kids were allowed to experience a little bit of heartache (with a support system of family/friends to console them and help THEM take initiative to fix it), there would be less kids going on rampages or committing suicide. Just food for thought. Instead of teaching kids that others are cruel if they don't include them, maybe we should be teaching them that not every other peer's opinion matters and that they should find friends that have similar interests. God forbid we HELP them instead of doing it for them.
What this all comes down to is that we are hindering this generation by micromanaging them. We are teaching them that they need to rely on us to think (and in the same breath, teaching them why they don't have to respect adults). We're teaching them that their preferences don't matter and then, with our actions, teaching them that they should express themselves freely. Letting your kids succeed and fail while you support them will do them much more good, in the long run, than forcing them into a path that you've forged.
Thursday, October 8, 2015
People Magazine's BS
People magazine has released the names and numbers of Congressional members telling people to call and push their anti-gun agenda. It's no secret that the media is largely owned and operated by liberals. People is published by Time Inc which is a part of Time Warner. But that part of the post is a whole different discussion.
The real discussion today is two parts. Number one is the media using fear mongering to get people's attention. The only way that this will work is when people stop educating themselves. Fear and shame are used in an argument for one big reason: your argument isn't strong enough with the facts alone. The media and liberals use fear and shame to make you feel like you're a bad person if you don't agree with them. I'm not asking that you agree with my opinions. I'm only asking that you educate yourself. Read from both sides of the argument. Read real facts and statistics. Read everything you can on the topic. Educate yourself. I don't want to tell you WHAT to think but HOW to think....more than that, how to think for yourself! Don't just blindly believe and follow what you see in a magazine or on TV or, even worse, on the internet. Don't think that these celebrities that are pushing this down your throat to scare you are looking out for you. Most of these celebrities pushing anti-gun agendas have body guards who are, you guessed it, ARMED. When a stalker gets onto their property, they call the police who are, you guessed it, ARMED. Many have security at any major venue they go to and the security is...well you get the point.
The second part of the discussion is the idea that guns are the problem. The argument with so many that aren't reading up is that the people pushing this only want stricter gun laws. Here's the problem with that: they "only" wanted to give everyone access to health care and look how many things got pushed through with that having NOTHING to do with access to health care. This is all a distraction and a fear tactic to get you to believe that these maniacs that commit crimes are doing so only because they have access to legal guns. How many millions of people own and have owned firearms for hundreds of years? What percentage of these people have gone on a shooting spree? Yes, I understand that one maniac doing this is too many but their access to a gun isn't the problem. The terrorists on 9-11 didn't use guns, they used box cutters. Guns don't kill people, PEOPLE kill people.
Please take the time to read as much as possible on this issue before you make a decision on how you feel about this. Knowledge is power, folks.
The real discussion today is two parts. Number one is the media using fear mongering to get people's attention. The only way that this will work is when people stop educating themselves. Fear and shame are used in an argument for one big reason: your argument isn't strong enough with the facts alone. The media and liberals use fear and shame to make you feel like you're a bad person if you don't agree with them. I'm not asking that you agree with my opinions. I'm only asking that you educate yourself. Read from both sides of the argument. Read real facts and statistics. Read everything you can on the topic. Educate yourself. I don't want to tell you WHAT to think but HOW to think....more than that, how to think for yourself! Don't just blindly believe and follow what you see in a magazine or on TV or, even worse, on the internet. Don't think that these celebrities that are pushing this down your throat to scare you are looking out for you. Most of these celebrities pushing anti-gun agendas have body guards who are, you guessed it, ARMED. When a stalker gets onto their property, they call the police who are, you guessed it, ARMED. Many have security at any major venue they go to and the security is...well you get the point.
The second part of the discussion is the idea that guns are the problem. The argument with so many that aren't reading up is that the people pushing this only want stricter gun laws. Here's the problem with that: they "only" wanted to give everyone access to health care and look how many things got pushed through with that having NOTHING to do with access to health care. This is all a distraction and a fear tactic to get you to believe that these maniacs that commit crimes are doing so only because they have access to legal guns. How many millions of people own and have owned firearms for hundreds of years? What percentage of these people have gone on a shooting spree? Yes, I understand that one maniac doing this is too many but their access to a gun isn't the problem. The terrorists on 9-11 didn't use guns, they used box cutters. Guns don't kill people, PEOPLE kill people.
Please take the time to read as much as possible on this issue before you make a decision on how you feel about this. Knowledge is power, folks.
Wednesday, October 7, 2015
Some Relationship Tidbits
I'm a people watcher. I love to just sit and watch and absorb things. If I'm out in a large crowd, you'll often find me at the outskirts keeping an eye on what everyone else is doing. I'm also fascinated by the psychology of people's personalities and interactions. I can stand on the outside and watch and observe, in a whole lot of cases, why people aren't meshing well. I'm definitely not an expert but here are a few observations that have led to advice, of late.
You can't tease ALL the time. It seems that men, in particular, struggle with this one. In an effort to amuse their significant other, they razz them. It's all in good fun but it can go too far. If that's all you do, the love of your life will start to feel like that's all you think of them. You shouldn't change your dynamic completely....you can still tease and have fun. However, throw some sincere compliments in here and there to let them know they are still the one.
Stop micromanaging. Yes you ladies (most of the time). If you give him a task, stop micromanaging how it gets done. Tell him what you need done and when you need it done and then leave it alone! Seriously focus on the end result and not whether it's done the exact way you need it done or on your timeline. Have a little faith.
Stroke his ego. While we're on the topic of micromanaging and projects, maybe stroke his ego sometimes. No it's not some huge deal in the grand scheme of things that he got the kids all up and off to school without you having to lift a finger but guess what...it's still something worth thanking him for. Try to think of it this way: if you would thank a guest in your house for doing it, you should probably thank him too. I'm not suggesting you blow smoke up his ass but a little bit of appreciation and praise goes a long way.
Tell her she's beautiful. I keep observing men saying, "Well she just stopped trying." While this is a whole different topic that I see happening with both genders but particularly women, her lack of effort doesn't mean you should stop trying to make her feel pretty. I can honestly say that when I've advised friends to make an extra effort to compliment their lady (who they claim wasn't trying), their lady went the extra mile for them. Make it a point to tell her she's beautiful, especially when she's not necessarily feeling that way.
There's a line with flirting and gawking. The line differs from person to person but everyone has some sort of line. For instance, I'm fine with an observation that a girl is hot but flirt with someone else when I'm out with you and I'm done. Some people can't even stand for their significant other to look. Some are fine with flirting if there's no touching. Just remember that there is always a line for it. Find it and don't flirt with the line. You'll save yourself a whole lot of hassle.
and finally....
Use positive language. Guys, she is not your ball and chain or your "old lady." Ladies, stop nagging! I understand that it's a hard habit to break but use positive language. If you need to "nag", sub in two positives for every one negative you need to say. I guarantee you, it will pay off if you put in the effort.
Like I said, I'm not an expert but it never hurts to try something new.
You can't tease ALL the time. It seems that men, in particular, struggle with this one. In an effort to amuse their significant other, they razz them. It's all in good fun but it can go too far. If that's all you do, the love of your life will start to feel like that's all you think of them. You shouldn't change your dynamic completely....you can still tease and have fun. However, throw some sincere compliments in here and there to let them know they are still the one.
Stop micromanaging. Yes you ladies (most of the time). If you give him a task, stop micromanaging how it gets done. Tell him what you need done and when you need it done and then leave it alone! Seriously focus on the end result and not whether it's done the exact way you need it done or on your timeline. Have a little faith.
Stroke his ego. While we're on the topic of micromanaging and projects, maybe stroke his ego sometimes. No it's not some huge deal in the grand scheme of things that he got the kids all up and off to school without you having to lift a finger but guess what...it's still something worth thanking him for. Try to think of it this way: if you would thank a guest in your house for doing it, you should probably thank him too. I'm not suggesting you blow smoke up his ass but a little bit of appreciation and praise goes a long way.
Tell her she's beautiful. I keep observing men saying, "Well she just stopped trying." While this is a whole different topic that I see happening with both genders but particularly women, her lack of effort doesn't mean you should stop trying to make her feel pretty. I can honestly say that when I've advised friends to make an extra effort to compliment their lady (who they claim wasn't trying), their lady went the extra mile for them. Make it a point to tell her she's beautiful, especially when she's not necessarily feeling that way.
There's a line with flirting and gawking. The line differs from person to person but everyone has some sort of line. For instance, I'm fine with an observation that a girl is hot but flirt with someone else when I'm out with you and I'm done. Some people can't even stand for their significant other to look. Some are fine with flirting if there's no touching. Just remember that there is always a line for it. Find it and don't flirt with the line. You'll save yourself a whole lot of hassle.
and finally....
Use positive language. Guys, she is not your ball and chain or your "old lady." Ladies, stop nagging! I understand that it's a hard habit to break but use positive language. If you need to "nag", sub in two positives for every one negative you need to say. I guarantee you, it will pay off if you put in the effort.
Like I said, I'm not an expert but it never hurts to try something new.
Tuesday, October 6, 2015
NFL Week 4
Lions vs Seahawks on MNF: Okay, let's be fair. The Lions are having a rough year....again. I'm not a Lions fan and, frankly, never really have been one to root for them. However, I loathe the Seahawks. So Lions fans, chin up that you guys held it to 13-10. That's huge. The Seahawks D is brutal and scoring even one touchdown is a feat of engineering for some teams. Your D was obviously doing its job since they only got one as well. The bullshit call at the end of the game that the refs completely missed cost you the game. No, you shouldn't rely on the ref's calls to win the game but that call (or lack thereof) was a giant flaming piece of horse manure. It honestly sucks. Now move on and rally next week for a win.
Bears vs Raiders: The Bears finally got a win....vs the Raiders. I'm happy for them that they finally stopped riding the suck train...except they didn't. It's the Raiders. I mean, really. Get rid of Cutler and his whiny cronies and you might do better. Just sayin.
Jets vs Dolphins: The Jets played a helluva game against Miami and, frankly, I was impressed. Go Jets!
Green Bay vs San Francisco: Did you honestly see this going any other way? As much as I'm not a fan of Green Bay, let's be realistic: they're an amazing team. The 49ers didn't stand a chance.
Broncos vs Vikings: Okay so we eeked that one out and it was mostly defense again. To the haters giving Manning shit, lay off. He's working with a new offensive coordinator and they're working out what works. They're finally, at least, letting the pistol have a chance and it's improving. Manning is still Manning. Seriously. Give it a rest or jump off the damn bandwagon you jumped on and stop being a damn baby. To the Broncos D...one word....amazing. You guys rock!
In other news....
The Cubs are in the playoffs. Seriously, can you believe it? I'm not a Cubs fan at all but having grown up near Chicago, I'm floored. On this particular occasion, I'm gonna say Go Cubs :)
Bears vs Raiders: The Bears finally got a win....vs the Raiders. I'm happy for them that they finally stopped riding the suck train...except they didn't. It's the Raiders. I mean, really. Get rid of Cutler and his whiny cronies and you might do better. Just sayin.
Jets vs Dolphins: The Jets played a helluva game against Miami and, frankly, I was impressed. Go Jets!
Green Bay vs San Francisco: Did you honestly see this going any other way? As much as I'm not a fan of Green Bay, let's be realistic: they're an amazing team. The 49ers didn't stand a chance.
Broncos vs Vikings: Okay so we eeked that one out and it was mostly defense again. To the haters giving Manning shit, lay off. He's working with a new offensive coordinator and they're working out what works. They're finally, at least, letting the pistol have a chance and it's improving. Manning is still Manning. Seriously. Give it a rest or jump off the damn bandwagon you jumped on and stop being a damn baby. To the Broncos D...one word....amazing. You guys rock!
In other news....
The Cubs are in the playoffs. Seriously, can you believe it? I'm not a Cubs fan at all but having grown up near Chicago, I'm floored. On this particular occasion, I'm gonna say Go Cubs :)
Monday, October 5, 2015
A Morsel of Advice
I sometimes feel like people misconstrue age-old parenting advice to fit their parenting style. That's not to say that the advice is right or wrong; honestly, every parent has the right to their own style. With that being said, twisting words to fit your needs is defeating the purpose of advice to begin with. Having been on both sides of the fence as a stay at home mom and working mom, I can honestly say that I get both sides of the struggle. Here are a few pieces of advice that I can offer up if you care to listen.....
Socialize your kids. Let me be clear on what I mean by this: YOU take the time to take YOUR kids places and YOU teach them how to interact with others. I do NOT mean that you should put your kids in classes starting at six months old just so they can interact with other babies. If you want to introduce them to classroom structure, fine. If you are looking to socialize your child, the best thing you can do for them is to actually spend the time with them and show them how to interact. Show them what to do if someone steals their toy or cuts in line. Show them how to have compassion when someone is hurting or how to handle a disagreement. Show them to share in others' joy. Teach them to be excited for their friends' achievements. Teach them how to socialize.
Make your kids work for it. Here's the catch: you shouldn't make them work for basic needs. In terms of things that are NOT necessary, however, it's important that kids learn the value of a dollar. I don't care what the current society likes to say about "taking inflation into consideration." Your child does not need, nor will it teach them anything, to give them $20 for a lost tooth. Let's be realistic...you'll raise an entitled kiddo with rewards like that. Kids are capable of doing chores or helpful tasks from a very young age. Your three year old can make their bed. Will it be perfectly straight? Probably not. Can they still try? YES! There are some chores I believe should be part of every family's life anyway to teach kids how to be part of a team. There are others that are fine to pay them for IF they do them. Don't pay your kids for chores they didn't do and don't think that giving them money is teaching them anything.
Manners matter. It seems that our society is taking a nose dive. We're all expected to be "politically correct" so as not to offend people but we forget to teach our kids about REAL manners. Teach them to say "yes ma'am" and "no sir." Teach them about how to close their mouth when they chew and elbows off the table. Teach them to say "please" and "thank you." Kids need to learn that manners do still matter.
and finally....
Teach your ladies to be a lady and your gentlemen to be a gentleman. It sounds redundant but teach them how to be a lady or a gentleman. Am I suggesting that they need to turn back the clock and forget any progress we've made? No. I'm not suggesting women need to be submissive twits that can't speak for themselves. What I am suggesting is that women learn to act like young ladies instead of bossy, bitchy jerks that seem to be common anymore. You can be confident without being crude. I'll say that again: You can be confident without being crude. Men need to learn how to be men. Teach them how to treat a lady like a lady. Teach them how to be strong without being cocky jerks.
Take my advice with a grain of salt, if you will. Some of it is just observation and everyone's entitled to make their own decisions. Just take a moment to think about how jerky a whole lot of this generation is. A whole lot of moms and dads stopped taking old advice in lieu of a new generation of thinking. Just a thought to ponder....what if not ALL of it was wrong. What if your parents weren't completely off? Maybe there's a nice compromise.
Socialize your kids. Let me be clear on what I mean by this: YOU take the time to take YOUR kids places and YOU teach them how to interact with others. I do NOT mean that you should put your kids in classes starting at six months old just so they can interact with other babies. If you want to introduce them to classroom structure, fine. If you are looking to socialize your child, the best thing you can do for them is to actually spend the time with them and show them how to interact. Show them what to do if someone steals their toy or cuts in line. Show them how to have compassion when someone is hurting or how to handle a disagreement. Show them to share in others' joy. Teach them to be excited for their friends' achievements. Teach them how to socialize.
Make your kids work for it. Here's the catch: you shouldn't make them work for basic needs. In terms of things that are NOT necessary, however, it's important that kids learn the value of a dollar. I don't care what the current society likes to say about "taking inflation into consideration." Your child does not need, nor will it teach them anything, to give them $20 for a lost tooth. Let's be realistic...you'll raise an entitled kiddo with rewards like that. Kids are capable of doing chores or helpful tasks from a very young age. Your three year old can make their bed. Will it be perfectly straight? Probably not. Can they still try? YES! There are some chores I believe should be part of every family's life anyway to teach kids how to be part of a team. There are others that are fine to pay them for IF they do them. Don't pay your kids for chores they didn't do and don't think that giving them money is teaching them anything.
Manners matter. It seems that our society is taking a nose dive. We're all expected to be "politically correct" so as not to offend people but we forget to teach our kids about REAL manners. Teach them to say "yes ma'am" and "no sir." Teach them about how to close their mouth when they chew and elbows off the table. Teach them to say "please" and "thank you." Kids need to learn that manners do still matter.
and finally....
Teach your ladies to be a lady and your gentlemen to be a gentleman. It sounds redundant but teach them how to be a lady or a gentleman. Am I suggesting that they need to turn back the clock and forget any progress we've made? No. I'm not suggesting women need to be submissive twits that can't speak for themselves. What I am suggesting is that women learn to act like young ladies instead of bossy, bitchy jerks that seem to be common anymore. You can be confident without being crude. I'll say that again: You can be confident without being crude. Men need to learn how to be men. Teach them how to treat a lady like a lady. Teach them how to be strong without being cocky jerks.
Take my advice with a grain of salt, if you will. Some of it is just observation and everyone's entitled to make their own decisions. Just take a moment to think about how jerky a whole lot of this generation is. A whole lot of moms and dads stopped taking old advice in lieu of a new generation of thinking. Just a thought to ponder....what if not ALL of it was wrong. What if your parents weren't completely off? Maybe there's a nice compromise.
Friday, October 2, 2015
My Reason for Opposing Abortions
I read an amazing story of a little boy born with anacephaly (meaning his skull didn't fully form) who just celebrated his first birthday. Doctors told his parents to abort. They told them, when he was born, that he would never walk or talk. They told him that if he survived, he'd never have a real life. Jaxon continues to defy the odds. He's is a miracle...a miracle that would have never had a chance to experience life if his parents hadn't passed on the abortion.
There are stories like this all over that are often hidden from the public eye. There are babies that survive abortions. There are babies who survive against all odds. Beyond that, as we start the second day of Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month, there are mothers that have lost their little ones that would give the world to have them back in their arms. Those that have suffered miscarriage would give anything to have met their babies. Then there are those with stillborn infants who met their precious bundles, knowing they have a brief moment with them. These are the stories behind why so many people oppose abortion. These are the passionate pleas of mothers who wish they could tell others their stories.
My story is much more simple. The face of my youngest daughter is my reason. She was the most unplanned pregnancy ever. "Final" measures had been taken to prevent pregnancy and yet I still got pregnant with her. I bawled at the prospect of another pregnancy, especially one so unplanned, but I went through with it and I couldn't be more grateful to God for her. I can't imagine my life without her. I can't imagine a single moment where I don't thank God for her and what she brings to my life. You see, SHE is my reason why abortion is not always the answer.
I suffered miscarriages (multiple) throughout my child bearing years (I have had a hysterectomy). I have suffered the grief and loss of my child disappearing from my womb with no fault of my own. I have cried a million tears over these babies and I believe that I will meet them someday in Heaven. I do believe that life begins at conception. I do believe that life is precious. I believe that abortions are killing a person. You can argue the anatomy. You can argue the science with me. I know the science. I know the justifications people give. I just don't agree.
Look, I'm not going to tell you that you shouldn't have a choice. I wouldn't take away someone else's freedom to what to do with their body. The only thing I can tell you is that sometimes the most unplanned things in life turn out to be the greatest. Sometimes the most wonderful blessings in life come from things that you prayed against and that you said you'd never do. Sometimes it just takes a little faith in whatever you believe in to be given a great blessing. What you want to get rid of, another mother is begging to have. I plead with you to consider adoption instead of abortion. I plead with you to consider what the long term consequences might be on your emotions. Your body is your choice but I beg you to think it through.
My precious little girl is my reason that I couldn't ever have an abortion. What is yours?
There are stories like this all over that are often hidden from the public eye. There are babies that survive abortions. There are babies who survive against all odds. Beyond that, as we start the second day of Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month, there are mothers that have lost their little ones that would give the world to have them back in their arms. Those that have suffered miscarriage would give anything to have met their babies. Then there are those with stillborn infants who met their precious bundles, knowing they have a brief moment with them. These are the stories behind why so many people oppose abortion. These are the passionate pleas of mothers who wish they could tell others their stories.
My story is much more simple. The face of my youngest daughter is my reason. She was the most unplanned pregnancy ever. "Final" measures had been taken to prevent pregnancy and yet I still got pregnant with her. I bawled at the prospect of another pregnancy, especially one so unplanned, but I went through with it and I couldn't be more grateful to God for her. I can't imagine my life without her. I can't imagine a single moment where I don't thank God for her and what she brings to my life. You see, SHE is my reason why abortion is not always the answer.
I suffered miscarriages (multiple) throughout my child bearing years (I have had a hysterectomy). I have suffered the grief and loss of my child disappearing from my womb with no fault of my own. I have cried a million tears over these babies and I believe that I will meet them someday in Heaven. I do believe that life begins at conception. I do believe that life is precious. I believe that abortions are killing a person. You can argue the anatomy. You can argue the science with me. I know the science. I know the justifications people give. I just don't agree.
Look, I'm not going to tell you that you shouldn't have a choice. I wouldn't take away someone else's freedom to what to do with their body. The only thing I can tell you is that sometimes the most unplanned things in life turn out to be the greatest. Sometimes the most wonderful blessings in life come from things that you prayed against and that you said you'd never do. Sometimes it just takes a little faith in whatever you believe in to be given a great blessing. What you want to get rid of, another mother is begging to have. I plead with you to consider adoption instead of abortion. I plead with you to consider what the long term consequences might be on your emotions. Your body is your choice but I beg you to think it through.
My precious little girl is my reason that I couldn't ever have an abortion. What is yours?
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