HOW TO PLANT THE SEED OF AMBITION IN A CHILD

Contributed by Sandra Cobb [ http://circa1954.qondio.com/ ]

By Sandra Cobb

Society is full of those who are more than willing to live contently with
the status quo. Initiative, drive and ambition seem to have taken a back
seat on the list of priorities, if they even make the list.

Many people today, especially our children, seem to lack the self
confidence to try anything new. It is simpler to just go with the flow and
allow life to happen, watching others win awards and make the honor roll.

How can we turn the tide and begin (again) to raise children with a healthy
view of themselves, ready and anxious to make their mark in the world?

One of the ways to change a person's attitude towards life, is to treat
them as if they are the person you want them to be.

For instance, if your child is struggling with authority, rebelling against
his/her parents, teachers and others, seemingly oblivious to punishment,
then it is time to put another teaching tactic into play.

The first step is to imagine that child as being the person you know they
can be. This may take some work on the part of the parents because of past
experiences.

Think of it as a meditation or an experiment with visualization. Imagine
the child behaving as perfectly as you would like... without losing their
sense of individuality. In other words, imagine them as having healthy
emotions, desires and needs. You don't want to imagine them as little
robots, dutifully performing their chores, although that would be nice. You
want to imagine them more like little birds, getting ready to leave the
nest and fly on their own.

The second step is to start treating the child as if they already are that
person you have visualized. This means you must ignore the reality, and
react to the imaginary. Treat your child as if he/she is the best thing
since sliced bread. When done consistently and with the appropriate
affirmations of love, pride and joy, the results will amaze you.

Show the child how happy you are to have been blessed with the gift of
their life.

Treat a person as if you expect the worse from them, and that is what you
will get.

Likewise, treat them with respect and show them that you have confidence in
their abilities, and you will see a new person that has been hiding inside
of them.

Everyone wants to be accepted for who they are. The problem is that many
people today have decided that they can only be good at one subject in
school, or only good in sports, or music, or whatever their favorite
activity is. They have lost the desire to excel at many things because they
see so many others already being successful in their favorite activity. The
typical response is, "Johnny does it better than me, so why try?"

It is up to us to teach the children well. Self confidence and ambition
should be high on the list of priorities when teaching our children well.

I Know

"I overheard this conversation while the girls were taking a shower," says their Mom.


Mia:       "Bella, I know something about people in the world."
Bella:     "What?"
Mia:       "God gives us to the world and we go back to God
                when we die."
Bella:     "Yeah."

A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words

 

My new 5 month old granddaughter Tori

Great Rice Mom!

                                                       

                                                        

 

My 5 year old granddaughter said,

"Mommy, can you make some more

of that yummy rice cereal? 

I'll have to eat the bowl if you don't."

I Have A New Granddaughter!

She is so precious.  She will be 5 months old on February 17.  I haven't seen her in over a month!  I can hardly wait to see her this week.  The last time I saw her she was smiling and laughing out loud and just

becoming aware that she had control of her hands. 

A 3 Year Old's Personalized Version of "B-I-N-G-O"

 

My daughter is three and a half years old and is in Pre-school so her imagination is growing each day.

She has an Uncle Gino whom she loves very much and expresses it in a special way by singing new lyrics to a popular kid song:

B...I....N.....Gino; B...I...N...Gino....B I N Gino...and Bingo was is name oh!

Her sweet voice combined with her confidence that these were the true lyrics was precious.

She was able to perform this version for her Uncle at Thanksgiving this year, melting his heart and generating lots of smiles.

Hope you enjoy! Happy Holidays!!!  Thank you! Monica

How God Makes Us

I just wanted to share my conversation with Mia today. Here is what she asked and then answered herself:

"How does God make us? He paints us and paints everything, then in the morning the people and the things he painted are alive. He even painted me and I'm alive. (Not the houses and the bricks, just the people and the animals). Did you know God is a magician? He is. He's an artist."

I received this in an e-mail from my son, Justin, today.

Family Vacations

Memorial Day is right around the corner, kicking off summer vacation. And whether local or out of state, family vacations are top of mind for parents. However, despite the economic downturn, family travel is still going strong. Parents across the country are getting ready to pack for their next trip with the kids. Whether a day trip or weeklong vacation, moms and dads are searching for ways to manage travel costs through this recession without skimping on fun. Trekaroo, the first review site dedicated to family travel, is helping families build memories and save money, by enabling parents to connect, share resources, and offer tips on how to plan family travel in a recession. A fun way to get the inside scoop on traveling with children, Trekaroo is quickly becoming the go-to destination for parents to find reviews, tips, ask questions, and connect with like-minded family travelers. In honor of summer travel, Trekaroo has compiled the top five tips most commonly shared among parents around summer travel. As someone that writes about topics related to parenting, thought I’d share these tips with you.  

1. Ride Don’t Fly – Between the staggering cost of airfare and car rentals, ride, don’t fly.  When planning your family vacation, pick cities or destinations that are close to home and close to the beach, a lake, the mountains, or a river.  Whether high in the mountains, or lying low at the beach, chose destinations where you can take advantage of what Mother Nature has given you.  Trekaroo makes it easy to find places both on and off the beaten path that are just a gas tank or two away.

2. Maximize the Fun – So, you’ve cut down on travel costs. But the next question is what family attraction will make the most of budget and memory making. Trekaroo’s database of 6,000 activities has thousands of reviews on kid friendly and family worthy attractions. On Trekaroo, families share the honest truth on what attractions and activities are best for your kids at a certain age. 

3. Stay in Budget, Mix and Match Activities - Whether heading to the city or the mountains, there are plenty of ways for a family of four to spend less than $100 per day. If there are too many attractions and too many admission prices to consider, it’s easy to cut costs by doing something together that’s free (or close to it), such as a day at the beach or visiting a candy factory. Trekaroo can help parents find activities -- popular destinations include San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York City, and Orlando -- by price, age, and type. 

4. Sleep in Style – Make the recession work for you. With business travel down significantly, hotels are offering low cost deals on high cost rooms and suites.  Suites are perfect for families in many ways, including multiple beds, living space, and in some cases, small or full kitchens, which can help save money on eating out and even accommodate special meal needs. Trekaroo is partnered with Hotels.com to provide the lowest prices for more than 33,000 hotels – guaranteed.

5. Sign Up for Alerts, Deals – Many airlines offer “deals of the week” specials, or affordable one way fares, but it’s not easy to stay on top of them all. Through partnerships with Expedia and others, Trekaroo will announce deals through Twitter (@Trekaroo), as well as a monthly newsletter. To sign up for the newsletter, visit Join.

Cheers,

Danielle on behalf of Trekaroo

Delight Your Kids With These

During the summer months I watch my grandchildren
while my son and daughter-in-law are at work.  I love
to see their little faces light up as they literally jump up
and down with joy when I announce that I am making
them Silver Dollar Blueberry Pancakes with Smucker's
Blueberry Syrup for breakfast.

What a simple way to bring a moment's happiness to a
child's life. I use Aunt Jamima Complete. Just add enough
water to the pancake mix to get the right consistency; then
add as many fresh blueberries as you like. Put just enough
oil in the skillet to cover the bottom of the pan and no more.
For each silver dollar pancake use an ice cream scoop to scoop
up the batter and put in the pan. When a pancake has bubbles
covering the top of it, flip it over. Flip it back over in a few
minutes to make sure it has browned enough and remove
from pan. Melt a little butter in the microwave and pour that
and Smucker's blueberry syrup over them. Mmmm mmmm
mmmmm what a treat!

Originally posted on 8-19-08

Moose and Squirrel

Being a grandparent is so much fun but being a great granny is even more fun. With 7 grandchildren and now one great grandchild, I am collecting memories and stories of just that fun we have had over the years.

I have always had a little gimmick to get those 7 out of the sulking process with a thing I call Moose and Squirrel.

It's where I put my thumbs in my ears, hands extended, flapping and sing to whatever tune comes out, "Moose and Squirrel, Moose and Squirrel." Works every time to get the sulk off and a smile on.

(It doesn't matter how old they are either, it always works!)

Lyn Snellgrove

http://www.200blueprint.com/r/las120251/freereport

originally posted on 6-25-08

The Apple Of My Eye

My son just bought his first Apple computer.

What a set-up. Everything is built into the ultra

thin monitor including the processor and a

camera. One day I was in the back of the house

doing some cleaning and when I came back up

front I discovered my 8 year old grand daughter,

Bella, filming a video of herself dancing to

music in her bikini on top of the breakfast table.

It was all very innocent, but thank God she

doesn't have an email account!...Or a website.

originally posted on 6-25-08

"So He Won't Get Sunburned, Mimi"

My 3 year old grand daughter Mia, (well, you all

know her by now), was playing in the backyard

one day and I was inside watching her through

the window. I looked out and saw her putting

sunscreen on Pounce, the cat. I opened the door

and asked her, "Mia, what are you doing? She

replied, "I'm putting sunscreen on Pounce so

that he doesn't get sunburned." "Oh," I replied,

"Well, that's enough now, O.K.?" "O.K. Mimi,"

she said.

originally posted on 6-25-08

"Right Mimi?"

One day driving home from day care Mia was

talking to me but my mind was somewhere else

and all I heard her say was "Right Mimi?" When

I didn't respond she said, "Mimi when I say

'Right' to my friends they always say 'Right Mia."

originally posted on 6-29-08

"I Have A Hurricane In My Head?!"

My nephew is four and becoming aware of the hurricanes we sometimes have here in South Florida. In fact, he’s terrified of them and even has nightmares. I didn’t know this, however, when I went to babysit him one evening. He wanted to stand on a piece of furniture and press on a particularly flimsy window in his living room, so he could wave good-bye to his mom. When I explained that he shouldn’t push on the window because it could weaken it and cause a problem if there was a hurricane, he freaked out. That began at least a half-hour of discussion about hurricanes. No matter how I tried to answer his questions and comfort him, he became more frightened. He was terrified that a hurricane was approaching, in spite of my telling him that wasn’t the case. Finally, out of desperation, I told him that his fear of an approaching hurricane was just in his head; he didn’t need to worry. His response was a terrified,

“I have a hurricane in my head?!”

It took me 15 minutes to calm him down after that one!


Carla Chadwick
WordPlayBlog.com
VintageHolidayCrafts.com

originally posted on 6-30-08

"Hey, What's Up?"

Once a 2 year old boy said to me, "Hey, what's up," and gave me his hand to shake. I was a little amazed. Normally 2 year old boys don't even talk. It was funny.

Another time my sister's 5 year old told me to "Think before talking." I am a philosophy student, so I was a little surprised by that.

Big Hugs,

Nuveto

http://www.photographyandre.blogspot.com/

originally posted on 7-1-08

"...And I Want To Be A Mommy"

My 3 year old grand daughter, Mia, was playing with her friend Mason who is about the same age. I watched in delight as they chased each other around the tree in the front yard. After Mason's Dad told him it was time to come inside Mia told me,

"Mimi, Mason wants to be a Dad when he grows up and when I grow up I want to be a Mommy."

originally posted on 7-3-08

"You Should Be Glad That You Are Not Me"

"My ballet teacher said you use to be in her ballet class Ariel."

"I had to drop out because my Mom wants me to take piano,"
replied Ariel

"Aaah!" responded Bella, "I take ballet two times a week and
piano lessons and I have to take piano lessons at 4:30 on
Tuesdays."

I thought she was bragging about her ability to handle such a
heavy load, but then she said,

"You should be glad that you are not me!"

Poor kid. I worry sometimes about her being on overload.
Her life is so structured that she hardly has time to be a kid.

Sometimes she complains about it, but when I ask her if
she would like to give up piano or ballet she adamantly says

"No!"

.

oiginally posted on 7-6-08

"I'm Moving This Plant Over Here"

My son just recently had some landscaping done. My 3 year old grand daughter Mia helped her mom plant some flowers in the new flower beds. A couple of days later I was watching her from the kitchen window playing in the backyard. I looked up from the computer and she was bringing a freshly planted shrub from the other side of the backyard to right under the kitchen window. I opened the back door and asked,

"Mia,what are you doing?"

"I'm moving this plant over here because Pounce keeps hitting it with his tail," she said. (Pounce is the cat.)

"Oh, well don't move any more, o.k.?" I replied.

"O.K. Mimi," she said.                               

                      

originally posted on 7-8-08

Read Children's Books On-line at the International Children's Digital Library
http://www.icdlbooks.org/

Storyboarding: Using Pictures to Teach Words
http://www.education.com

"Can I Have Some More Of That White Broccoli Mimi?"

When my 8 year old grand daughter Bella was about 1 1/2 years old she was over for dinner one night. She loves vegetables being that she, her sister, Mia and my son and daughter-in-law are all vegetarians. When I asked her if she would like anything else to eat she said,

"Mimi, can I have some more of that white broccoli?"

She was, of course, talking about cauliflower. I said, "That's cauliflower Bella. Can you say cauliflower?" To my surprise, due to her age and the size of the word, she repeated,


"Cauliflower"

originally posted on 7-12-08

Just Like My Papa's Car

When my grand daughter Bella was about 2 she was playing with her 2 year old friend at my house. Her friend had brought a bright red car over to play with. When Bella got ready to go home she picked up the car and was going to take it home with her. Of course her friend, Rena, had a fit. That was her car.

"No, it's my car; my Papa has one just like it." said Bella

originally posted on 7-12-08

"Can We Stop At The ATM?"

When my friend’s daughter was three years old, she was sitting in the back of her mom’s mini-van, playing with the little purse she carried with her everywhere. As they were driving around doing errands, from out of nowhere her daughter said,

“Oh shoot, Mom; I’m out of cash. Can we stop at an ATM?”

Carla Chadwick
WordPlayBlog.com
VintageHolidayCrafts.com

originally posted on 7-13-08

"I'm Off To Work Mom"

 

My three year old daughter slept in the other

day and I got busy cleaning the house. So when

she woke up she came to find me, but she had

gone into my bedroom, striped naked and then

put on my high heeled shoes, came out and

asked for a cup of chocolate milk like it was

coffee then said, "I am going to work," and

promptly went outside in her high heels

drinking her milk and started jumping on the

trampoline.

http://www.lynnsaysgarden.com/

http://www.saferisbetter.com/lynnsay

originally posted on 7-13-08

"Mimi, Can I Sit On Dad's Car?"

What I find most amazing about children is

their sense of wonder and adventure.
I was sitting out front watching Mia and Mason
walking backwards in pure joy.
When Mia tired of that she asks,

"Mimi, can I sit on Daddy's car?"

Before I could answer she had climbed on top
of the hood...

"Come on Mason. Let's sit on my Dad's car."

Mason was having a little bit of a problem getting up
there so Mia slid down and attempted to give him a boost.
That didn't work so she climbed back up on top of the car.
Mason soon figured out how to get up there by himself.

"Look Mason," says Mia, as she slid off the hood of the car.
Dad's car had been transformed into a slide.

That adventure lasted about 10 minutes when Mom and Dad
pulled up int he SUV. Mia asks,

 "Mom, can I sit on top of the Durango?"

Despite Mom's protests Mia climbs on top of the hood and
was just about to take a 4 to 5 foot slide off of it when

Mom stopped her.

"Mia, that's a much bigger drop than the one off Dad's car,"
I told her. Somehow I don't think that thought would

have deterred her.

originally posted on 7-15-08

The Children's Library

Your children will love the books in the International Children's Digital Library. They are categorized by age, language and type. Book pages can be enlarged with the + button and turned with the arrow buttons. The artwork is beautiful and the stories are wonderful. Now you can go to the library in the comfort of your own home.

http://www.childrenslibrary.org/

originally posted on 7-16-08

Is Your Child Being Bullied At School?

Education.com is an information packed site and covers so many issues. Here is their "Reference Desk": Is My Child On Track?, Kindergarten Readiness, Learning to Read, Types of Schools, Learning Personalities, Standards and Testing, Gifted Children, Parent School Connection, Your Parenting Style, Keeping Your Kids Healthy,Extracurricular Activities, Life Skills, Thinking About College, and Special Needs Learning Disabilities

You can also browse by age and by grade and they offer the following "Academic Services": Early Reading, Educational Games, Math Programs and Tutoring Services.

Today I am commenting on "The Teen Years" and the subject "Bullying" under "Visit Our Teen Years Information Centers."

In the article, "What Makes a Bully?" by Julie Williams, Dr. Miriam Hirschstein, Ph.D., (a research scientist with the Committee for Children), dispels the myth that children who bully have a low self-esteem and claims that they actually have average or high self-esteem and do it to get social mileage out of it.

In their article, "The Buzz on Bullying", by Rita and John Sommers-Flanagan, the two encourage parents to:

"Teach your children anti-bullying strategies. These might include methods for getting the bully on their side, assertiveness skills, humor and conflict-management skills."

"Help your children build a social safety network and encourage them to travel via the buddy system."

"Help your child's school use a clear, effective limit-setting system for bullies; bullies need to know exactly what consequences they will suffer if they engage in bullying behavior."

This is just a small sampling of the enormous amount of information this website has on the subject of bullying. If your child is having this problem you really should check it out.

http://www.education.com/

originally posted on 7-16-08

A Car On Top Of A Car

Kids sometimes have the oddest and funniest ways of putting things. The other day when I picked up my, now almost 4 year old, granddaughter Mia she said,

"Look Mimi, a car on top of a car."

"What? I asked as I looked around for this anomaly.

Ah, I found it. She was talking about a car on top of a flat bed tow truck. Of course then I had to explain to her what a tow truck was and a million questions followed.

"Every 5 seconds a child dies from hunger somewhere in the world – the equivalent of thirty-seven 747 planes filled with children crashing every day (18,000 children). Hunger kills more people than war, AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis, and with today’s soaring commodity prices, climate changes, increased conflicts and war, and demographic trends, the problem is worse than ever before."

-FromHungerToHope.com


originally posted on 7-18-08


Feed 4 children for $1; 20 children for $5;

40 children for $10; 100 children for $25

Scattered French Fries

I took my 3 year old grand daughther, Mia, to the park to fly her kite one day after picking her up from day care. She held on tight to the kite string holder with one hand and knelt down and picked up a french fry off the ground.

"Don't eat that!" I told her.

In exasperation she said, "But Mimi, I'm hungry!"

If you would like to get a banner for your website for Free Rice: End World Hunger, click on the bowl of rice in the middle of the green rectangle. Once you are at the site scroll to the bottom of the page and in the rice field you will see the word "banners". Click on that and get the code for the banner you would like to display on your site. Don't forget to bookmark The Cute Things Kids Say And Do before you go. Together we can end world hunger and the senseless deaths of children starving throughout the world.

originally posted on 7-19-08

The Reading Site

The Reading Site is a resource for parents and educators who are seeking to share their love of reading with the next generation. The site features children's book reviews, links to free online activities and resources about literacy, as well as a large directory of discount book sellers. A Book Finder service provides book lists for children grouped by Subject and Special Interest. Subscribers to the newsletter receive timely notifications about children's book specials from a variety of online bookstores and invitations to enter drawings for free books each season. The Reading Site encourages schools to choose non-commercial book fairs to promote literacy, and will soon feature a resource center just for teachers. It is supported solely by purchases made through the links featured on the site.


Well, we can go have a cappuccino at...; well, I won't say; or we can get all these great services AND great prices at

The Reading Site.

What do you think folks?

Synopsis by Allison Diehl

Comments by Memphis Mimi

originally posted on 7-19-08

Summer Fun That Won't Break The Bank

For kids, summer is a time of fun- playing in the sun, running through sprinklers, riding bikes with friends...; but for busy parents, it can be stressful wondering how to fill your child’s days while you are at work and how to pay for it all. Just when it looks like the weekly worry of carpool, school lunches, and homework assignments are over for the summer, a new worry hits – “What are the kids going to do when I am at work?” Not to mention, many summer hobbies can really hit the pocketbook, leading today’s parents to think about not only how to help their kids have a fun summer, but also, how to make it fit in with all of the other budgeted expenses.


How do we do it?

A recent survey by BlogTalkRadios FlyLady found “the single biggest problem parents say they're facing this summer in terms of the kids being home from school isn't the fact that families don't have enough money for travel and other fun activities (25.5%), it’s that the kids have too much time on their hands and are bored (32%).”

I work with Education.com and have some great ideas to share with parents of kids who are bored and have too much time on their hands.

• Promote summer reading – I was a HUGE fan of summer book clubs. From the time I was six, I was constantly entering book reading contests during the summer. And, many studies show that children are ready to learn to read anywhere between ages four and eight. Here’s some great tips for promoting summer reading.

• Embrace the next great American writer – Developing good writing skills takes practice, but it can be fun. Here’s 10 tips for summer writing that can help children embrace their inner Shel Silverstein.

• Science projects – What would the school year be without a science experiment. But, don’t wait for class to try to build a working volcano. Summer vacation is also the perfect time to get your child interested in hands-on science experiments, from playing with water and flowers in the younger grades, to causing chemical reactions and solving scientific mysteries in the upper grades. Here’s some awesome summer science activities to try with your kids.

And, for the 25% of parents that don't have enough money for fun activities?

• Don’t wait for the big top to roll into town – plan a backyard circus.
• Make memories to remember – build a time capsule.

Hope these ideas help. I’ve passed them along to the moms I know that are planning summers on a budget and thought it may help some other moms (and dads too!)

Cheers,

Danielle Simmons



originally posted on 7-22-08

Teachers, Students, Test Scores & More

As an expectant mom – due 5 weeks and counting! – my husband and I are already wondering what daycare to send our baby boy to when it's that time. He's not even here yet and I am already obsessing about how to evaluate and compare schools in our area. I know I'm not alone. It's estimated approximately 3.5 million parents search for information about schools online every month. That’s more than 40 million parents looking for answers to questions they have about their child’s current or new school every year!


There are some local tools that help evaluate daycare in the Bay Area, including safety records and curriculum. But nothing that gets to what I really want to know. So, it looks like we're going to be scheduling some meetings in the next few weeks. And, I hear we're on the late end of this process. Some parents in the Bay Area start evaluating day care options at preconception. Is it like this everywhere around the country?

Education.com's SchoolFinder is a great, free online resource that gives parents access to information on all public and charter K-12 schools across the 50 U.S. states. I will use it when he's closer to playing in the school yard and as parents, focused on making sure his school is the best option to making sure he gets to Harvard. Until then, I am sharing this great resource with other moms and dads who have already braved the daycare dilemma and are now on to bigger fish, including elementary and middle school. Thinking this is perfect for parents looking for a new school, moving to a new area, or simply want to see how other schools are comparing to their child's school. The resource provides comprehensive information that evaluates schools based on academic performance, student demographics, teacher statistics and parent reviews.

Gone are the days of parent teacher conferences and after school events to stay informed about our children’s schools. We’re in the age of the internet, where it’s the norm to use online sites and resources to help us make decisions about our children’s futures. Heck, we’re baring our souls online during our pregnancy journey for women around the world to read and share in the journey with us.

SchoolFinder is a tool I trust and have sent to all my friends. Send it around to all of yours as well. And in the meantime, if you find a resource that compares and evaluates daycares in the Bay Area, let me know. I am in need of some easy comparison shopping for that.

Cheers,

Danielle Simmons

Originally posted 7-25-08

New Found Websites For Kids

Here are some great fun websites for kids. I will be reviewing each one in the coming weeks.


http://www.kidsites.com/sites-fun/online-games.htm

http://www.suite101.com/welcome.cfm/kids

http://www.kidsknowit.com/

http://pbskids.org/

http://www.kids.gov/


Originally posterd on 7-26-08

A Catalog of Sites For Kids

kidsites.com is a virtual catalog of sites for children that include educational sites about animals, art , dinosaurs, history, math, music, science and space. Kidsites.com also has links to fun sites featuring activities, coloring, comics, crafts, girl's interests, online games, sports, story books, television and video games; and, of course, Kidsites.com has sites for parents and teachers as well.


Originally posted on 7-29-08

The Amazing Brenda Watson

I was watching PBS, the Public Broadcasting Channel, on TV the other day when a truly informative program came on as a part of the channel's fund raising effort. A woman named Brenda Watson was talking about the importance of having a healthy digestive system and how that reduced the instances of other chronic health problems. Her program is called H.O.P.E.

On the PBS program Brenda toured the digestive system explaining exactly how it worked. Digestion of starches begin in our mouths when we first start thinking about food and when we chew our food. As our food travels down our throat and esophagus it enters the stomach where hydrochloric acid is produced to break down and digest our food . If we do not produce enough hydrochloric acid a muscle in the esophagus does not close and the churning of the food and acid in our stomach is thrown back up into the esophagus causing symptoms that we call acid reflux and heartburn. The problem is that we treat these symptoms with antacids and if we do this over a long period of time we will create an alkaline stomach incapable of breaking down foods. Instead of treating the symptoms we can correct the problem, Brenda says, by eating some acidic foods like Sauer kraut or pickles or taking a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar a day to increase our production of hydrochloric acid. We can even take hydrochloric acid supplements.

After our food has been in our stomachs for several hours it goes into the small intestine. The small intestine has a mucous lining. The tiniest particles of digested food get through this lining and into our blood stream. Larger particles of food that are not broken down enough in the small intestine to enter the blood stream then go into the large intestine to be eliminated eventually as a bowel movement.

She said so much more about the importance of the health of the mucous lining in the small intestine and the importance of probiotics in keeping the good bacteria in the intestines a majority over the bad bacteria. Please go to amazon.com and get her book. Amazon has an in house search at the top of their page. Click on Health, Mind and Body and type in Brenda Watson and all of her books will come up.

As mentioned earlier, her program is called H.O.P.E.

H is for high fiber
O is for omega 3 fatty acids
P is for probiotics
E is for digestive enzymes

Here are some excerpts from her website:

On the importance of a high fiber diet:

"Because the majority of Americans consume less than half of the doctor-recommended 25 to 35 grams of fiber each day, taking a dietary fiber supplement is often incredibly beneficial. In addition to its role in disease prevention and healthy weight management, fiber can also help support healthy bowel elimination. To understand how, let’s look at the two different types of fiber. Soluble fiber (found in fruits, vegetables, legumes and grains) dissolves and breaks down in water, acting like a sponge and soaking up toxins as it passes through your gastrointestinal tract. Insoluble fiber (found in dried beans, whole grains and seeds) is not water soluble. Instead, it passes through your gastrointestinal tract almost intact, sweeping away toxins in the bowel as it encounters them. For these reasons, you should look for a supplement that contains a blend of both soluble and insoluble fiber. Fiber is also a powerful weight loss tool. Consumed daily, fiber can help manage your hunger and slow down the rate at which your body converts carbohydrates into sugar. In addition, fiber helps eliminate calories from the foods you eat by blocking the absorption of calories and leading those calories out of the body."

On the importance of omega 3 fatty acids in our diet:
"A daily oil supplement may also promote healthy bowel function. Essential fatty acids such as Omega-3 and Omega-6 fats help keep the mucous membranes in the digestive tract moist and lubricated, which in turn helps ease elimination. Though not considered essential (as the body can produce limited amounts on its own) Omega-9 fats are also beneficial.

Indeed, recent studies have shown that in addition to their anti-inflammatory properties, Omega-3 oils help nourish the active tissues in the body, including those in the brain, heart, eyes and kidneys. Such oils—found predominantly in cold-water fish such as mackerel, herring, sardines and salmon—have been shown also to support healthy immune, circulatory and nervous system function, as well as a healthy metabolism and hormone balance. Yet, despite a growing database of evidence confirming their countless benefits, conventional medicine is still quick to dismiss the use of Omega-3s as a reliable treatment.

This is what Brenda had to say about probiotics:

Probiotics are the beneficial bacteria that live in your intestines, and only recently have scientists begun to discover their incredible benefits. Among the many functions they perform, these helpful bacteria support healthy immune function by effectively crowding out harmful pathogens (disease-causing organisms) in the digestive tract. Probiotics also help maintain healthy colon cells and promote bowel regularity.

Probiotics Help You To:

• Maintain healthy colon cells*

• Promote healthy immunity*

• Promote regularity*

• Promote detoxification of intestinal toxins*

• Manufacture digestive enzymes which help you digest food*
• Make use of nutrients, such as fiber, that would otherwise pass through the body undigested*
• Create an unfriendly environment for potentially harmful bacteria and yeast* "

On the importance of digestive enzymes in our diet:

"What are Enzymes? Enzymes are protein-based substances that are essential for every function in the human body including good digestion. In the digestive system, enzymes are the key to breaking down the foods we eat into the nutrients that feed our bodies. Enzymes break down foods by breaking apart the bonds that hold the nutrients together. Once the bonds are broken, tiny molecules can pass into the bloodstream where they are used as energy. If you do not have enough enzymes, the digestion of your food suffers, along with your digestive and overall health. Getting enough enzymes is one of the most important parts of the H.O.P.E. Formula.

Where do I Get Enzymes? Your body produces enzymes and, normally, enzymes are present in raw foods to assist with digestion. However, many foods are depleted of their natural enzymes through cooking and processing and, as we age, our enzyme production decreases. Without the essential enzymes needed for proper digestion, the body may not be able to efficiently break down those foods into the absorbable nutrients we all need to receive the benefit of the food we eat.

Plant enzymes are the best choice for indigestion or as a preventive measure to ensure complete digestion. It is important to get a supplement that has the 3 different enzymes that break down starches, dairy products and protein."

I would truly like to see all our cute kids and their parents have maximum health and I implore you to go to Brenda's website and to do a google search on Brenda Watson and read everything she has written about the digestive system and its importance in maintaining our over all health and avoiding chronic disease. A good place to get started is her pdf Getting Started Guide.

Originally posted on 8-6-08

A Simple Nutritious Soup Your Kids Will Love

Potato Broccoli Cheese Soup


Chop up 3 medium potatoes and boil until done. Chop up 1 head of broccoli and steam until done. Mix one bag of dry cheddar cheese and broccoli soup mix with water according to the directions on the package. When the soup begins to boil turn the heat down on medium to low and add potatoes and broccoli. Cook for 10 minutes. Yum Yum! Your kids will love it I promise.

Originally posted on 8-19-08

I'm Dancing Mimi

My granddaughter Mia turned 4 years old Friday, August 22. For her birthday dinner, I took her and her sister Bella to El Mezcal, their favorite Mexican restaurant and then to Walmart where they each picked out a game.


Today, Sunday, her Mom and Dad gave her a birthday party at Chucky Cheese. All the kids had a great time moving from one activity to the next-playing the games and winning tickets that would eventually be traded for prizes; eating pizza; singing Happy Birthday with Chucky and his gang for Mia and the other birthday kids; dancing the Chicken Dance with Chucky and his gang; opening their treat bags; watching Mia blow out her candles and open her presents and of course the grand finale-turning in those invaluable tickets for awesome prizes that rivaled the ones we use to get in a box of cracker jacks when we were kids. Remember?

"Mimi, I put the candles on my birthday cake all by myself," said Mia.

"I see," I replied

She had about 20 candles all bunched up on one side of a pink iced confetti birthday cake.

Later Mia told her Dad that she had to go potty. He told her to tell Mom. She tried but Mom was involved in a conversation and wasn't paying attention. She ran to me and said,

"Mimi, I'm dancing!"

 I grabbed her hand and immediately took her to the restroom. She said, "Thanks Mimi for taking me to the restroom."

I knew immediately that it was urgent because when she has to go really bad she'll dance. I'll ask her,

"Mia, do you need to go potty?" She usually says, "No Mimi."

And I reply, "Are you sure? You're dancing."

"No, I don't have to go potty Mimi," she'll assure me. Then in less than 2 minutes she's running, not walking, to the bathroom.

Originally posted on 8-24-08

It's My Mom!

When my 8 year old granddaughter Bella was 3. she and her friend Rena were sitting in their car seats in the back as I was driving them to my home. Bella's Mom was on a business trip in San Francisco, California. My cell phone rang and it was Jamal, her Mom, calling to talk to her. I said, "Bella, it's for you," and handed her the phone. I had never seen her talk on the phone before and wondered how she would handle the cell phone. As I watched in the rear view mirror, Bella covered the phone with one hand and turned to her friend Rena and excitedly, but very grown up said,

"It's my Mom!"

Originally published on 8-24-08

Are You Ready For Halloween?

What are the ingredients for a great Halloween? Well, to start, I would say great music, great costumes, great food, great decorations and great games and activities.


For music itunes has over 100 different songs for Halloween. Just go here and download the store. Once you have done that put the word "Halloween" into the website search engine in the top right hand corner. You can purchase any song for 99 cents. Here is another great site with scarry sounds like the boogie man, a woman screaming, a wolf howling, the wind, thunder, etc.

Parents has some great costume ideas as well as Kids Turn Central

I'm still working on the food, decorations and activities, but Kids Turn Central is a great site to get you started on decorations and activities.  You may want to go ahead and do a google search on some of these things yourself. I suggest putting in the search terms Halloween decorations, Halloween games and Halloween food.

I hope you all have a ghoulish time this Halloween!

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Originally Posted 8-28-08

If You Were A Monster Mimi

I had just picked Mia up from daycare, strapped her into her car seat in the back and was headed home when she said, "Sarah painted my fingernails Mimi; see." "I'll look when we get home babe. Right now I'm driving and I don't have eyes in the back of my head." I guess she thought about that for a couple of minutes then she said,

"If you were a monster Mimi you would have a lot of eyes."

Originally posted 8-28-08

No Way!

My 4 year old grand daughter Mia, my 8 year old grand daughter Bella and I were playing a Hannah Montana board game. The game came to an abrupt halt when Bella was totally humiliated and mortified by the very idea that she would have to do everything Mia told her to do until it was Mia's turn again and that Mia would get 10 points for that, adding insult to injury. When Mia piped up and said, "Bella, go get me my princess finger nail polish-all of them and my princess ring." Bella replied, "Huh? No way!" Mimi can I watch TV?"

Originally posted on 8-28-08

I Have Homework Mimi!

It's amazing how a 4 year old's perspective can be so different from an 8 year old's. When I picked Mia up from daycare yesterday, she exclaimed,  "Look Mimi, I have homework!"  

Bella's reaction to me telling her to do her homework is often a disappointed

"Aaaaaah."

Originally posted 9-6-08

"I Still Love You Mimi"

"I love you Mimi. Even when you're not happy with me, I still love you," my 4 year old granddaughter Mia says.



Originally  posted on 9-10-08

Can A Grandparent Be Both Responsible And Popular?

There was a time when I had the joy and privilege of visiting my grandchildren once a week bearing gifts, playing games with them and bragging on their ability to perform a perfect pirouette all to their great delight. Each week they met me at the front door with screams of joy and excitement that "Mimi is here!"

That had all changed until recently. I have not been as popular since for about a year now I have been responsible for seeing that homework and chores are done, setting limits on the amount of TV they can watch, deciding whether or not they can go to visit their friends and the dreaded task of having to dole out consequences when rules were broken and admonishments were not followed. Sadly, I was lucky to even hear a "Bye Mimi" coming from the back of the house when I left to go home once their parents arrived.

I credit the change to bringing my own Mom with me. Mom has Alzheimer's and stays in a nursing home. I hate the fact that she has to be there so I go get her 3 times a week. Sitting around the table with the girls and Mom I make comments to Mom like:
"Don't I have beautiful grand kids Mom?" "Bella makes straight As and is going to be a great leader one day Mom." "Mia loves her friends." "Pounce has loved Mia since she was a baby and Mia loves Pounce."

As it turns out I have rediscovered that a little praise goes a long way and have not only heard "Bye Mimi" daily, but have also began to get daily hugs at the door as I leave to go home.  Raising children is a big
responsibility and sometimes there are just so many "Nos" to say that we forget the most important ingredient: praise.

Originally posted on 9-12-08

"Just A Minute Mimi"

One day when picking up my then 3 year old granddaughter
Mia from daycare I found her with all the other children in
her class playing outside. When I said, "Let's go Mia," a line
of little girls formed each waiting to give Mia a hug before she
left to go home.

Mia loves her friends. Even though she has been with children
from 5 to 8 hours a day the first thing she says as we head toward
the car is "Mimi, can I have friends over?"

She is such a diplomat and problem solver with the other children.
One day when I picked her up from daycare her teacher giggled
and told me,  "She helps me with the other kids."


Every time I take her to the park as we leave she tells me,

"Mimi, I made a new friend."

Maybe it's just a grandmother's musings, but I think she may
be another Shirley Temple Black and may, like her, become a
United Nations representative or diplomat in some way.  She
certainly has her personality and she even looks a little like her;
only her curls are jet black. She's beautiful inside and out.

Originally posted 9-12-08

Will I Get Lead Poisoning?

My 8 year old grand daughter Bella came home from school yesterday upset that she had accidentally stabbed herself in the leg with her pencil and said that she was afraid that she would get lead poisoning.

Originally posted 10-3-08

Was He A Boy?

A couple of years ago I moved into an apartment where I could not have pets. This posed a huge problem for me because I had a cat for 3 years that I loved dearly.
Seeing my dilemma and distress my son and his family announced that they would adopt
Pounce.

I'm always telling my grandchildren stories about the cute things Pounce did when he was my cat. Today Mia, my 4 year old granddaughter, asked me if Pounce was a boy when I got him.

                                                    Originally posted on 10-06-08

Yogrit?

My son was standing in the front yard talking to a neighbor when the neighbor's son, 4 year old Mason, walked up to him and asked, "Dad, can I have some yogrit?"

Original post 10-09-08

You Are My Best Friend Mimi

I had a wonderful day yesterday. Even though I wasn't feeling well I decided not to let that mess up my day with my grand daughters. I took them to TCBY for 99 cent
Wednesday. To my delight and surprise my 8 year old grand daughter Bella leaned over and whispered in my ear, "Mimi you are my best friend." Priceless!

                                                     Original post 10-23-08 

It's Waffle Cone Wednesday Again At TCBY

"Mimi can we go to McDonald's," Mia asked when I picked her up from daycare today.
"No, we're going to TCBY Mia," says Bella, her older sister. "I want ice cream Mimi," says Mia. "No, we're having frozen yogurt Mia," says Bella. "Well I ate ice cream at TCBY and I want ice cream." "That was frozen yogurt Mia," I tell her. "No, it was ice cream," she replies.

"Mia you're about to drop your ice cream out of your cone. Watch what you're doing and eat your ice cream."

"Mia hold your ice cream cone over the table so that it doesn't drip all over you."

"And I wonder why she insists on calling frozen yogurt ice cream," I say to Bella.

Original post 10-30-08

3 O'clock already?

A cute story about my daughter's playmate. My daughter 3, and her little friend who is three weeks younger were playing in our living room. They were chatting between themselves, half words half baby jibber on and on. I walked in and asked if they were having fun; my daughter's playment turns around, looks up at the clock and says ' Oh my gosh its 3:00 already, I have to get home!!" I just about fell over, apparently her mom or dad has exlcaimed this before. Too funny.

Thanks for your blog, it always lifts the spirit.

Lynnsay Jacobs
Lynnsay's Garden is
Stayin Home and Lovin It
541-475-0404
http://www.lynnsaysgarden.com/
http://www.melaleuca.com/ -Take the Guided Tour

Child Safe, Earth Safe
Save Time, Save Money

originally posted 2-19-09

Bella's Stuff

You all remember Mason, Mia's little friend next door?
One day he came over when the girls were not here and
when I told him they were not here he tried to slip by me
and come into the house anyway. I asked, "Where are you
going Mason?"

He replied with a mischievous gleam in his eye,

"I just want to mess with Bella's stuff."

"Oh, we can't do that," I told him, "you'll get us both in
trouble."

originally posted on 6-22-09

"I Think My Dad's An Expert"

One afternoon the girls and I were going somewhere
and Mia said she had a booboo.  I told her that I would
put some Neosporin on it when we got back home. She said,

"Oh, that's good stuff Mimi. My Dad puts that on my booboos
all the time. He'sreally good at making booboos heal. I think
he's an expert."

originally posted 7-14-09

"You Can Have Your Cat Back Mimi"

About five years ago my son and his family adopted
my cat because I could not have a pet where I lived at
the time. A few months ago my, now almost 5 year old
granddaughter, Mia, told me,

"Mimi, you can have your cat back. I want a puppy."

originally posted 6-22-0-09