Parents: Please, Do Yourself, Your Children, and Society a Big Favour

Approximately 15 years ago I started to notice a new trend in parenting:

Some parents decided it would be 'easier' and more 'fun' to be a friend to their children rather than a parent.
This 'friending' involves things such as encouraging children to get adult-like hairstyles, and allowing them to choose clothing and footwear that is not age-appropriate. 

I see this parenting style as leading to the following:

1. Kids being viewed as older than they are and therefore being thrown into situations that their brains and bodies are not ready for.

2. Kids being quite confused and upset when, on occasion, their 'friend' (parent) comes out with a parental admonition or punishment.

3.  Kids being under-disciplined and not being taught that choices have consequences because, after all, real friends don't punish friends, right?

4.  Kids being over-indulged and therefore not respecting or valuing things as they should which results in them having an attitude that the world owes them.

5.  Kids being confused about you or themselves or adult/child roles because to be their friend you either have to regress some to be closer to their level of behaviour etc. or, you behave as an adult and expect them to rise to your level.

The plus of actually parenting your children means that they will know right from wrong, respect others and themselves, and you.  There will be less confusion about who is who in your relationship with them and which one of you is in charge.   You will also save their teachers a lot of grief which will allow for more teaching time in the classroom and less instructional time will be consumed by conflict and disciplinary action.

Fact: Children's brains are not developed enough to make adult decisions. 

If you don't teach your children well, the law of this country will have to attempt to do so and that could get ugly for both you and them. 

Please, be a parent rather than a peer to your children until they are grown, law-abiding citizens.  Their peers are their friends.  You are the ONLY ONE who can be their parent. It is a great privilege that is YOURS!

This is one big way that you can make the world a better place.

Thank-You

Trying to do the Math with Mercury

There are guidelines and regulations regarding how to safely clean up and dispose of mercury because it is recognized as a toxic substance.

Although mercury is toxic and known to be hazardous to human health, it continues to be used in the manufacturing of household items such as light bulbs.

Mercury can cause serious health problems including damage to the nervous system, coma, and even death. It is particularly toxic to the unborn baby.  It's not ok to put it in your waste bin to be taken to the landfill site, but it's OK for your dentist to put it in your teeth??

Happy Valentines Day to All!!

Here's a selection of songs for your enjoyment today........I'm hoping there's one here that suits your auditory preference! : )

500 Miles

To Whom It May Concern

You're Beautiful

Ice Cream

Is This Love

You Are Loved

 True Colours

More Than Words

If Time Is All I Have

Give Me One Reason

I'm Yours

Only Love Can Break Your Heart

Song For A Winter's Night

In The Still of The Night

Silhouettes On The Shade

Dimming Of The Day

Gift Ideas for Your Valentine

Are you feeling stuck, totally void of gift ideas for Valentine's Day??  Let me help you out!  : )


A collection of gift ideas on Etsy:

http://www.etsy.com/treasury/MjA0OTA2OTZ8MjcyMzg3NzYzMg/sweets-for-my-sweet?ref=pr_treasury

http://www.etsy.com/treasury/MjA0OTA2OTZ8MjcyMzk1MTI0MA/my-heart-is-full-of-joy?ref=pr_treasury

One of the items listed in the treasury above is an air plant on a piece of painted wood.
Wondering what an air plant is and how to take care of it?   Here's a link with answers:
http://www.airplantcity.com/care.htm


If you're looking for a larger item......say......a unique, rustic wine rack, check out the Livingstone Wood Company:

http://www.livingstonewood.co/#!barn-beam-wine-racks/c27p


Happy shopping!!

Strawberry Delight: A 5 Minute Snack

Menu sampling at the Homestead:

12 fresh strawberries
2 bananas
3tbsp liquid honey
1/3 cup yogurt
A handful of frozen wild blueberries

Blend together and VOILA!

Today's Lunch: A 10 minute meal

Sliced yellow pepper.
Brown beans from a tin.
Iceberg lettuce decorated with radicchio and topped with homemade mayonnaise (previously made).

Canada Post Ultra Fail

This week has been a rough one for me.  I had quite a scare at the beginning of it and have spent the rest of the week trying to recover from it AND the flu.  One of the brighter moments of my week was the arrival of mail from overseas....for ME!! Have I mentioned before that I REALLY like to receive old-fashioned letters of the hand-written variety?  Well, I do.  Very much. I get excited about any kind of personal mail for that matter.  And this mail wasn't just ANY mail....it was REGISTERED mail.

Unfortunately, the envelope arrived in one of these.........

It's a plastic envelope which reads like this:

When I removed the plastic, I found this:

A very ripped envelope that someone tried to patch up with tape.   The customs sticker says that the envelope contains a calendar.  This is what I found:

It was what appeared to be a dog-eared, water-damaged cardboard backing of a calendar....that is all.