I am looking for information on the use of Omega-3 for helping symptoms of ADHD and Apraxia. If you have firsthand knowledge of positive results, please let me know here. It's really important that I find out all I can on this. Thanks!!
Some information I have read about managing ADHD without medications I've listed here. Though, I do have a bunch more info. that I will post soon.
Research, research, research!
Am I the only parent who has a hint of dread (ok, maybe MORE than dread at times) that summer break is almost here? I love my kids more than anything but all four of them, all day long, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, for almost three months straight - - can we say STRAITJACKET FOR MOM? It won't be so bad for the first few weeks (ok, maybe days) until they start arguing and the house is in a total state of mess. I am really going to have to start thinking up some type of structure/routine (aka "chores") so that the summer can be enjoyed instead of it becoming chaotic and messy (not that I am a neat freak by any means...I'm a slob...but with all four of them home...oh the mess).
The countdown as of today is seven more "school days" remaining.
GRRRR...it is so aggravating! The bm wants to take ss for a re-evaluation (he was diagnosed with ADHD, ODD, and possibly Tourette's a few years ago). This was after more than a summer of a comprehensive evaluation (occupational therapist, speech therapist, child psychologist, parent evaluations, teacher evaluations, and a developmental pediatrician who specializes for this). I'm not sure what she is looking for. DH says he thinks the bm thinks ss has something wrong with his brain and I guess it isn't what he was diagnosed with. I don't know what that "something" is and I don't know why she feels that way as we don't get updates from her on how ss behaves while with her. She doesn't tell dh this stuff. She just gives orders/directions without full information. We have kept in contact with his teachers though as it is the only way we get info. on his behavior. So, here are my aggravations (yes, plural):
Oh yeah, another aggravation - she sends emails with all this information because she won't call dh. However, whenever he tries to email her (even if it is to email her back), she insists he call her. What the heck! Double standard snot. So that aggravates me and it aggravates me that dh will do that at her "order". He tries to keep the peace against her insanity but sometimes...it gets on my nerves.
Five more years, five more years, five more years!!
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My darling "baby" turned three yesterday. We celebrated her birthday at her grandparents house while we were on vacation. She had a great birthday with lots of presents and her Ma-Moo & PaPa giving her money in all $1 bills which she got a huge kick out of. Being three and thinking she was holding a huge wad of cash was just fantastic to her.
If there is one thing we are trying to instill in our children, that wasn't instilled in me as a child, is how to save money. All of our children have savings accounts. We do this so they learn the value of a dollar. When they ask us for something (video game, etc.), it is easy to turn it around on them to pay for it themselves out of their own savings (or pay half and we pay half). Whatever object they were just whining for no longer seems as important when it comes out of their own pocket so they pass up toys that would otherwise lose their interest too quickly.
I don't want my kids living check to check with no savings to cushion them when they need it or wracking up too much credit card debt, which I did in my early adult years. If they know how to save, I am hoping they'll have more financially stable futures than they would have if they didn't.
I'm not sure if this will work or help them manage their money better as adults but I am hopeful it will.
Does anybody else worry excessively when taking long trips by car? I do! Our family vacation this past week was no exception. I worry through too much of the ride about getting into an accident - white knuckle worries. I worry about car accidents and my kids getting hurt or them losing both of their parents. It's a good thing we have life insurance but I would really prefer we never have to use it!
On the expressway, I see all the cars coming to a sudden stop and cars rear ending each other and the ones going too fast slamming into backends and going over cars. Once we get off of the expressway in northern Michigan, I worry about hitting a deer. I had visions of us smacking right into a deer (there were some dead ones off to the side of the road here and there that other motorists hadn't missed so it wasn't like this was an impossible worry). When our toddler got sick when we had almost reached our destination, my husband and I were trying to console her, grab a plastic bag to catch the rest, and handing baby wipes back to try to clean her up. I had my head down looking through the diaper bag for more wipes (I wasn't driving). I looked back up right as a deer zipped across the road right in front of us. We JUST missed catching its back end! I screeched like a wienie when I saw that deer. I guess my imagination wasn't too far off with that worry because that animal almost met its maker on that day.
So, we were driving to northern Michigan for our family vacation Wednesday with four kids in the car. We are coming up on a construction zone around Flint, MI where they have about 6-8 of those bright orange cables stretched across the expressway (like the rumble strips on the side of some roads) that make a noise when you drive over them. We drive over them not thinking anything of it until we hear:
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We went to northern Michigan to spend time with family for an extended holiday weekend. We had a lot of fun. Our kids love it up there. They play outside every day. We took walks through the woods and went for a boat ride (well, most everybody did...I stayed behind with our toddler who was terrified of the boat). We played bocce ball (I lost) and my husband and I got away for the first time together in over a year without kids and went on a trail ride on horseback through the national forest.
One thing we didn't count on was the sunburn. Being northern Michigan in May, it was still cool up there compared to where we live. I don't think it ever got over maybe 62-63 degrees. We forgot that even though it wasn't "hot" outside, the sun still causes damage. We all ended up with sunburn.
It's important to use sunscreen if you are going to be outside even if it doesn't feel "hot" as my sunburned nose (and other parts of me) can attest to. My son's poor ears got it bad as he was out kayaking with dad on the lake.
Remember the sunscreen!
Read more...We're back from vacation. Traveling six hours with four kids in a car meant I needed another vacation when we arrived home, lol.
I'm just trying to get caught up now. There is so much to do with jobs online as well as the house. I cleaned it before we left but it's a total mess now. Off to work!
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After today's experience with my doctor and pharmacy, I wanted to remind everybody to check their medical and pharmacy records to make sure your medication allergies are noted. My doctor prescribed an antibiotic for me today that I didn't realize was in the family of meds that I am allergic to. I found out after I had taken the first double dose. My pharmacy didn't catch it because when my records were transferred when we moved here (same pharmacy chain, different location), for some reason my allergies didn't transfer. I KNOW I wrote this down in my initial paperwork when I started seeing this doctor and I KNOW when we had a problem with the pharmacy before with records that I had mentioned this to them. I don't go to the doctors that often so this sticks out clearly in my mind. I can remember clearly even what the nurse looks like who was updating my records on her computer as I talked. She went through a whole slew of questions for me and I know I made them aware of my allergies.
I've had problems with doctors prescribing meds for me or the kids before that we (they) were allergic to and I've always caught it before they were ingested. This time I didn't. My stomach is a cramped mess and I can feel the skin on my face getting tight. It's hot to the touch too. The hives are about to begin I think (just in time for my daughter's first band concert tonight and our family vacation tomorrow).
Don't depend on the doctors or pharmacists to catch this. I know from now on, I am going to refer to my allergies EVERY time a doctor hands me a prescription from now on. These things have slipped through way too often. This time, I didn't catch it.
Awww, check out this cute video. It's about kids saving money in their piggy bank and the kids' reaction when the piggy bank meets its maker.
My kids have savings too but it's not in a bank in the house (otherwise, their dad would be raiding it for coffee money most likely, lol). They have accounts at the bank. Birthday, tooth fairy and any other monies they receive are saved (they spend some and save some). It teaches them about the value of a dollar. When they ask (ok, whine) for something they just HAVE to have, I ask them if they would like to spend THEIR money on it. The answer is usually no. It makes them think.
My son loves the XBox 360 and I like Howie Mandel and saving money. So when I ran across this youtube video with all three involved, I had to watch it. It is raw footage of a shoot Howie did for Buy.com. He gave away an XBox 360. I haven't told my son about that giveaway because he wouldn't understand why Howie wouldn't give him one too, but wouldn't that be great to be on your street and Howie Mandel walks up to you? It is even better when Howie talks to this man's ex-girlfriend who had just dumped him the night before.
After watching this NO KEYWORD COMMENT ON YOUTUBE VIDEO, I had to go check out Buy.com. They have good prices on things like computers, luggage, electronics, books, DVDs, sports, games, jewelry and more.
My stepdaughter's dance recital was last night. We missed it. Being in another state and flat broke made it impossible to get there with the current gas prices and the distance involved. If we had an extra $250 laying around, we would've made the trip. Extra $250? Yeah, like that's going to happen. She's been dancing for something like 12-13 years now. I hope she had a great recital and that we get to see some pictures. We called her, sent her a good luck text and an e-card to her email address. We didn't get a response to the text and she says her Internet is down (it seems like it is always down when it comes to receiving anything from us *eye roll*) but we did catch her by phone anyway. Hope it all went great for her!
Read more...I have all of my kids clothes saved. When I say "all" I really mean all. I have those Rubbermaid totes piled high in our family room packed full of all of their clothes from the time they were babies. Some of them I save to pass them on since we have three girls. However, that doesn't explain why I've kept all my son's clothes since he doesn't have a little brother to pass them onto. It also doesn't explain why I've kept the clothes that don't fit our youngest daughter anymore (since we are supposed to be done having kids).
I have always planned on taking several of their (or my) favorite outfits from the time they were born for about their first five years and making them each a quilt with pieces of them. That's what I tell myself though I don't know how to make a quilt. That doesn't explain why I hang onto the rest of it though...the rest that I don't plan on using for their keepsake quilt.
Today is our city-wide garage sale. I could have put them all out in that. I didn't. I could drop them off at Goodwill, but I don't. Why do I have a hard time letting go?
When I used to take care of passport applications for coworkers, I remember a lot of paperwork, several telephone calls, and a long wait. At American Passport Express, they have an online passport service. That's not all! How about a 24-hour turnaround time? That's right...you can get your passport or visa in 24 hours. Check out the news articles in well-known papers like The New York Times, The Washington Post, and more.
Read more...I have a new kitchen sink! Some of you are probably thinking, "so what?" To me, it's a big deal. I've never had a new sink before. When we remodeled our kitchen, a new sink only made sense. After all, you can't put an old sink into a kitchen that has been gutted and redone to look new. So, off we went shopping for sinks.
If you want to do a little redecorating of your own, check out Faucets.com. They have the hardware and fixtures you need to spruce up your living space.
How do you get along with an ex who doesn't want to get along with you? Is there a way to get through all of the bitterness they have to co-parent? Personally, I don't think it is possible until the other person is ready to do the same. You can't change other people. So, how do you handle it if it goes on for years - not just 1, 2...5...10 years but longer? Did you find something that worked for you? I feel like after all these years, things are probably going to stay like this indefinitely. The habits are set, the trust completely broken...and we're on the downhill until the kids turn 18. After all, if the ex was going to come around and act human, they likely would've done it in the first decade right?
Read more...I took golf lessons at one point at a private club. I thought it would turn me into a better golfer. I bought the golf clothes, golf shoes, and the clubs. It did not take very long for me, and the golf pro who was trying to teach me, to see that I was not a good golfer. No amount of lessons was going to turn me into one. I was really bad. I had family members that golfed. My coworkers all golfed. I preferred to ride in the golf cart because I couldn't hit that little ball no matter how hard I tried. It was just too little of a target!
Read more...A non-custodial mother kidnapped her sick infant son, who was in the hospital for viral asthma and/or pneumonia (reports differ), and his two siblings from a hospital in California. She disconnected all of the infant's machines and took off with no medications or anything! The custodial father was talking to the doctors about his son in another part of the hospital at the time she walked out of the hospital with the three children. The children were found in New Mexico and mom was arrested. She faces three counts of child abduction and one count of child endangerment.
I can't imagine, as a mother, removing my very ill infant from the hospital machines and taking him not only from the hospital, but driving him to another state! The reports say she didn't take medications with her.
I have asthma and I know that when I was bad enough to be hospitalized, every second felt like torture...when you are trying to get that breath and you can't. It was terrifying. I can't imagine putting my child of any age at risk and she kidnapped a child who couldn't talk and tell her how bad he was feeling.
A toddler was left behind in an airport. His parents and grandparents forgot him during the rush between connecting flights. They ran for the gate...without the kid. They boarded the plane...without the kid. Granted, the family was scattered throughout the plane and each one thought the other had the child, but come on! They hadn't realized they'd left their child behind until flight crew approached them. According to The Seattle Times and The Associated Press, Air Canada covered the costs for two additional flights for dad to fly back to Vancouver to get his child and return to Winnipeg where mom and grandparents were waiting.
I am sorry but as a mother, I can't imagine running through an airport and not checking to see where my young child was. I can't imagine boarding a plane THAT far ahead of my husband, who I assumed had the child, and not wanting to check on my toddler to see how they were doing on the flight. I can imagine how embarrassed they should feel though.
We are hitting the road next week. We are driving six hours with four young children to northern Michigan. Crazy? Maybe a little bit, lol. However, when you have woods to walk in and the beautiful lake my in-laws live on where we stay, who wouldn't love time away in that setting?
Our kids hate the ride but love the destination. They are all excited and I'm hoping for some trail rides with just hubby or perhaps a walk through the woods in the evening (with a big stick in case of bears or coyotes, lol). It's been over a year since we've had a "date" - time alone without any kids.
Should be a fun trip!
The transition for the children from one parent's home to the other parent's home can be stressful, especially if the parents handle it badly and/or don't get along well. You may see behavioral changes before and after each exchange anywhere from anger, pouting, exciteability, or clinging to you. This does not automatically mean that the child never wants to leave you or doesn't want to see their other parent or vice versa (this is in general...I am not talking about abusive situations here). You may see physical symptoms as well such as stomach aches.
My advice would be to encourage your child to have a good time with their other parent and not make them feel bad or let them think you will be lonely without them there. Making your child worry about you isn't fair to them. Remember who the parent is (and it's not the little one with the tummy aches!). Don't let them see you crying when they leave or stand at the driveway and stare at the car with your children in it all the way down the road until it is out of sight!
We've had some bad experiences with this ourselves because it wasn't handled properly and the kids paid the price. I'd like to hear if you've had any as well. It seems too common.
Read more...The judge in this case is catching a lot of flack if my research over the net on all the news agencies that have picked up this story is any indication.
Here's the short summary: Daughter was supposed to earn a GED. She didn't. She skipped school, etc. They would drop her off at school and she'd just go out another door. Dad had custody but she spent that time at her mother's house from what I understand. According to the report at FOXNews, the daughter would skip school when she was at her mother's. Dad may lose his job of which he's been at for 15 years because of this jail time.
So, why is dad in jail for six months because his almost 19 year old daughter didn't get her GED? What does that say about all the parents of all the high school dropouts around the country? Why aren't they all in jail? If the roles had been reversed - if mom had custody but she'd been at dad's, would mom be charged and sent to jail? I highly doubt it! In one article I read, the biological mother even admitted to her part in the blame for this yet dad sits in jail.
According to these statistics, more than one million high school students drop out of school each year. So are their parents going to be jailed each year because of it? I think not.
To read more from the Associated Press, click here.
The UK has even picked this up.
So, can he get a "get out of jail early" card? Sure, he can. If his adult daughter passes the math portion of her GED test. She is almost 19, has a child and is engaged! Do I think she should get her GED? Of course! I think education is important. However, I don't think her father should be in jail because she didn't.
This is the judge:
The Judge in This Case
Prosecuting Attorney of Butler County, Ohio: Robin N. Piper
If you'd like to let them know how you feel about this, here ya go:
Phone: 513.887.3474
Mailing Address:
Butler County Prosecuting Attorney
P.O. Box 515
Hamilton, OH 45012
Office Location:
Butler County Government Services Center
315 High Street - 11th Floor
Hamilton, OH 45011
You have drug dealers, child molesters, rapists, murderers and this judge puts a dad in jail and won't let him out early unless his ADULT daughter passes the math portion of her GED test. Do my Ohio state tax dollars pay for this judge?
Education is very important to me. I expect my kids to graduate and I expect them to go onto college. I hope they will in any event. While they live under my roof, they WILL be in school. There are no negotiations on that. However, given the dropout rate across this country, why is this one dad being picked out of the million other parents to serve jail time when his daughter is now an adult?
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There is a 50% off special running right now so grab it at a savings and try it out.
I've been doing some online research on ADHD because my stepson was diagnosed with ADHD and ODD several years ago. He was on medication for a few years but is now off of it (not because he's better but because of the stomachaches). Since coming off his medication, his grades have fallen several grades and many of his teachers are having problems with his behavior in class. Nothing has been done about it to date either that we've been informed of, which is really sad because he is an "A" student.
However, I have found some promising research that I think parents with ADHD children (or who are ADHD themselves) might find useful. It has to do with kids being deficient in Omega-3 and the studies that showed improvement in children who were given fish oil supplements. Here are several links to review:
www.drweil.com/drw/u/id/QAA400011
http://www.adhdnews.com/blog/archives/2006/03/adhd_teens_calm.html
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20071202022130AAu1by3
http://www.healthline.com/eatingwell/etw-omega-3-fats-and-adhd
http://www.drgreene.com/21_2167.html
http://writtenoutputdisorder.blogspot.com/2007/04/study-shows-omega-3-helps-adhd.html
http://www.webmd.com/content/article/108/109071.htm
http://www.askdrsears.com/news/headlines0407.asp
http://holistic-parenting.suite101.com/article.cfm/adhd_and_omega3
http://www.naturalhealthweb.com/articles/virtue2.html
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/12/061205220041.htm
http://addadhdadvances.com/omega-3.html
http://www.nutraingredients.com/news/ng.asp?n=68599-equazen-omega-adhd-fish-oil
http://www.healingwithnutrition.com/newsclips/archive/omega3add.html
Obviously fish is a great way to get it with some fish higher in it than others). Flax seed is high in Omega-3. You can grind it up (or buy it ground) and sprinkle it over cereals, yogurts, and into sauces like spaghetti sauce. I keep the bulk of it in the freezer and take out a small bowlful each week and keep it in the fridge to use. Flax oil is high in Omega-3 as well and should be kept refrigerated (so it doesn't go rancid). I've never used the oils. I've read the oils can be mixed in with butter (though you can now buy butter with it in there already), ice cream, shakes, yogurts I have read. There are supplements as well. Also, eliminating high carb, heavily processed foods is recommended along with it for ADHD.
My own children do not have ADHD thankfully. I am going to make sure they receive all the nutrition they need though for their overall general health.
I did send this information to my husband's ex, though I doubt it was received well because it came from me (and I'm evil). This was last week and not a word. No surprise there. Given his grades and behavior, and the fact that his diet is atrocious (as I saw when he was here in March...the amount of weight this boy had put on and the junk he wanted to put away...ugh), I hope at least the topic is brought up with his doctor before it is tossed in the trash. If it didn't help his ADHD symptoms, at least he'd be eating healthier.
This is NOT a sponsored post.
This is my husband and our oldest. He took two of our girls to a daddy/daughter dance the other night. He gave them both a flower. The pictures are so sweet. The girls really enjoyed this time with their daddy. They came home giddy and happy. They wanted Saturday to come again so they could do it all over. The girls looked like sweet princesses. It was a nice night for them.
Happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there...and that includes the stepmoms! I know Mother's Day can sometimes be an awkward day for stepmoms with a lot of mixed feelings.
Personally, I gave up my mixed feelings years ago, lol. I don't expect to hear from my stepkids at all today. They used to acknowledge me on Mother's Day and I appreciated that, but that was then. I'd fall over from a heart attack if I did hear from them, lol. It doesn't affect my day not to hear from them.
My husband and kids are awesome on Mother's Day. My kids always come home with something from school for me and the time they spend doing that means a lot to me. My son told me yesterday that he hoped he liked what he is giving me because he spent two days at school making it, lol. My oldest daughter spent the previous few days gathering what she needed for her gift for me. She asked me a few days ago for any pics of she and I together. They put their little hearts into their gifts and that is what I love.
My husband gave me my gift yesterday. I am a picture and video taking freakazoid and my previous video camera didn't work with Vista on my computer so I've been using the video capability on my digital camera but they're not great videos so...it's a new video camera! Yeah! It takes them on mini DVD or SD which is great and it is so much smaller than my other camera...much more convenient. I love it! It is going to be perfect for our vacation next week! He shows me he loves me all the time without gifts too. He's a good husband...and cute too...and sexy too.
With my kids and a husband as wonderful as they are, I can't waste my day having mixed feelings over my stepkids. I am going to enjoy my day:) I hope you do too!!
I'm so tired of reading about how other countries hate us. I really am. All the money we send outside of this country in the form of aid while our economy collapses around our ears, homes are being foreclosed on, gas isn't affordable to anybody but upper-class anymore at this point...and the world hates us. When so many hate us, why bother?
At this point, I would like to see more done for OUR citizens. Help OUR poor. Help OUR needy. Help OUR citizens who can't afford the outrageous cost of insurance on their children. Do something about these gas prices. Stop being dependant on the Middle East. THEY HATE US!!
I want to see our economy and our people strong again and THEN worry about people on the other side of the world. Harsh? Yes. Very and it makes me kind of sad to think that way. However, when it comes right down to it, the needs of my family come first. Keeping the roof over my children's heads comes first.
I am just feeling really pessimistic right now. I read how Iran is saying we are going to have to ask other countries for money to bring our troops home from the Middle East and that ticks me off. This war has cost us so much financially, emotionally, in casualties and I wonder how much has actually improved over there because we can't get a true answer because the media has their own special interests...and our nephew is set to go to Iraq next month.
The Republicans and Democrats need to stop their dang fighting and concentrate on doing something for the citizens or toss the political idgits out on their ears. We need people who actually care about the citizens instead of their own agenda and special interest groups.
Can you tell I am in a really bad mood right now? *sigh*
Well, the day is here. It is shopping day. My girls and I are doing a girly day to get them ready for their date with their dad tonight. We will go shopping first and then later they will get their hair and nails done at a salon for the first time.
They are getting ready for their date with daddy tonight. He is taking them to the Daddy-Daughter Dance. It is a Prince/Princess theme so I am going to find them tiaras today too.
They're going to look so sweet. I hope I don't cry when they are all ready to go.
For those of you who don't know, NOW is the National Organization for Women. They may have done good things years ago but I think their time has come and usefulness has passed where it concerns family law because they have no clue! They have their own agenda and equality is NOT IT.
This is from their website:
A lot of homes have high definition video and digital audio equipment, such as a PS3's, satellite, Blu-ray or HD DVD players, in a living room, family room, or even a bedroom. HDMI switches can route this video or audio from three sources. You can switch using the unit itself or the remote that comes with it. With great reviews, you should check it out and see what you might be missing.
Mother's Day is around the corner. Do you know how much all you do equates into an actual salary? You really can't put a dollar value on it, but there is a site that tries to. You can find out at the Mom Salary Wizard. I was curious so I tried it. Here is what it came up with for me in my area:
I really am clueless. I had no idea women in China were subjected to forced abortions, some in their eight and ninth month! I guess I take for granted the rights women have in the U. S. What a violation for the parents and the unborn child. It's murder! That's not an anti-abortion rant in general so all the pro-choicers can sit back down now. Pregnancies in those last couple of months when a child can survive on its own outside its mother but is purposely killed in utero - THAT IS MURDER! When women are forced to abort full term babies who are just days away from their due date, THAT IS MURDER!
Here are some of the excerpts I've read:
From NPR.org:
The couple was given a consent agreement to sign. When Liang refused, family planning officials signed it for him. He and his wife are devout Christians — he is a pastor — and they don't agree with abortion.
The officials gave Wei three injections in the lower abdomen. Contractions started the next afternoon, and continued for almost 16 hours. Her child was stillborn.
"I asked the doctor if it was a boy or girl," Wei said. "The doctor said it was a boy. My friends who were beside me said the baby's body was completely black. I felt desolate, so I didn't look up to see the baby."
From FOXNews (and how NOW apparently supports the forced abortions indirectly by supporting legislation that provides supplies that end up being used during the forced abortions):
"Once I found a woman who was nine-months pregnant, but did not have a birth-allowed certificate. According to the policy, she was forced to undergo an abortion surgery," Gao Xiaoduan, former family planning officer with the Chinese government, testified in tears before the U.S. House of Representatives. The baby was born alive, its lips sucking, its limbs stretching, Xiaoduan said. "A physician injected poison into its skull, and the child died, and it was thrown into the trash can."
Syn's Note: I can't stand NOW to begin with. I used to call myself a feminist before marrying a non-custodial father and seeing how NOW, instead of working to maintain equality in the family law arena have swung the wrong way and are trampling men's rights whenever possible. Feminist to me now is a dirty word. They took the meaning out of it and twisted it into something disgusting for me. For me, it means hateful.
From TIME Magazine:
"...as many as 61 pregnant women were injected with an abortive drug after being dragged to local hospitals, according to media accounts."
I found this more recent account on Yahoo News:
"...authorities sometimes force abortions or sterilization on people who seek to have children even though they are not legally married or who want more than one child, according to the State Department's most recent human rights report for China, issued in March."
Why wasn't THIS reported on in the media more often? I just came across it today online. I watch Headline News, CNN, and Fox (not religiously everyday but those are my global news sources) and I've not seen this. Why aren't people outside of China rising up in outrage at these murders?
What can we do? How do we help?
Economically, how much of what we buy and use on a daily basis comes from China? I would imagine way too much! Is there someplace online that we can track these types of products (and avoid them)? I had better start checking the "Made In ..." on everything I buy from now on.
Hey, maybe there is so much lead in all their toys coming to the U.S. because harming children is obviously OK with China! They probably do it on purpose.
First off, no woman should be forced to abort her child. That is an outrage in itself. If somebody had forced me to abort a baby, especially one I'd carried close to or to term and bonded with and felt move inside of me, I can't imagine my mental health would be too stable after that and the anger...oh, the anger! These babies were wanted!!
There are alternatives to China's MURDER! There are probably thousands upon thousands of couples that would adopt these babies rather than murdering them if Chinese officials feel the need to violate these women's rights - they don't have to murder. I have kids already, but I'd adopt a couple of the innocent babies and save them from death - raise them away from the brutality in China where they would be raised with love instead of killed and tossed into the trash along with somebody's lunch. The U. S. definitely has its own issues but at least we have choices! We can raise our children in a loving, happy home and a brutal government isn't going to break into my home, carry me off someplace, and inject me with something that kills my alive and kicking baby in my stomach so I can go through labor to have a stillborn baby. THAT IS MURDER!
I have never been to Disney. Yes, I am an American and have lived here all of my 36 years but I’ve never been to Disney. How sad is that? My husband has been to Disney many, many times. It was an annual trip for him as a child it seems from the way he talks. He wants to make it a family vacation for our own children too. I really can’t blame him. I’d like to see Disney myself and I’m an adult.
There are plenty of adult things to do without the children as well. There are conventions in the area that many professionals attend such as the 2008 American Urological Association Annual Meeting coming up in Orlando. The Lake Buena Vista Hotels is the perfect place to stay if you are planning to attend this meeting at the convention center. You will be close to your meeting but still close to the restaurants and all the great adult activities Disney offers. The hotel is close to the Pleasure Island, House of Blues & City Walk. It’s a great location to let loose with a little dancing while taking in the magic of Disney.
There are still rooms available at the Lake Buena Vista Hotels so book now and mix a little business with pleasure. I am sure Mickey Mouse would approve!
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Does it look like this sweet angel could utter the words, "Bite me!" ?? Well, she can and she has.
It's hard to believe isn't it with that sweet, angelic face? You should see what that face looks like when she's throwing a tantrum. It's amazing how they can contort their faces...looks like it hurts, lol.
My husband wants to hit Nevada. I've been looking at Reno and where a couple could stay in one of the reno hotels. There is quite a bit of fun and recreation in the area that I didn't realize until looking into it more. Where else can you get casinos, rodeos, air races, festivals, balloon races, spas, camping, hiking, mountain bike riding, art exhibits, and Lake Tahoe all within driving distance? We never did have that honeymoon we wanted...
Read more...My daughter and I went to the stable last night to be my filly when she got her teeth pulled. I was more worried about the anesthetic than the actual pulling.
They gave her a shot to sedate her. Her eyelids got real heavy and head droopy. It didn't stop her from throwing her head when they started trying to pull those babies out though. So, she got a pain shot too.
I got squeamish when they gave her a shot. My daughter's eyes got teary when they started working on her. She was afraid she was in pain.
They pulled both of them. It was a good thing because they were hooked and would've caused her a lot of pain (and training issues when putting a bit in her mouth).
She was out of it for a bit. She walked to me and I rubbed on her awhile. Then she started to wake up and move around a bit more which I was glad to see.
Our house we bought two years ago, we recently refinanced and went FHA on. We'd never done that before so it was a new experience for us. We had to meet certain requirements on the home we were financing in order get approved for FHA and get the loan with the mortgage lenders. By doing this, we were able to afford to get a lot of things updated on the house that needed it, like the roof, furnace, kitchen, and floors. It was great for us!
Read more...I have to go back to the stable later this evening because my filly might get her wolf teeth pulled. They will sedate her and then cut into her gums and yank those babies out. I hope I don't pass out. I really don't. I am squeamish when it comes to things like that (except where it concerns my own kids...weird) so I hope I don't black out and fall in horse manure or anything, lol.
Read more...I love my laptop. I love that I can take it with me anywhere in or out of the house to use it when I need to. What I don't love about it is that I don't have enough memory for all of the pictures and videos that I take. What it needs is more laptop memory but I didn't know how to figure out which one I needed until finding MemoryStore.com. They have an online tool to help you figure out your memory configuration. Now I can figure it out on my own quickly.
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Today was a busy day at the stables. The farrier was there to trim hooves. JeeNee did good considering it's been six months since her last trim (she has awesome feet that wear down naturally). She only tried to kick out once before settling down. Jack was okay too. I didn't get there in time to see him done but I heard he made them work to catch him though. It'd been about the same amount of time for him. They have great feet but I guess he wasn't crazy about seeing the farrier today. He needs some tuning up from having too much time off over the winter to be a horse. I brushed him after they were done to help get that winter coat off of him and he was such a loving guy.
This pic is of JeeNee after I braided her mane. She didn't much care for it.
I received another "Don't You Hate It When" from a reader that I am posting. I think it is something a lot of stepmothers can relate to.
Here it is:Don’t you hate it when...Its okay for you (stepmom) to financially take care of your step kids, plan their future, wash their clothes, bring the meals, etc, but its not okay for you (stepmom) to tell the kids what they can and cannot do because bio mom gets offended. Who cares, you didn’t before?
Definitely! We can't win! It's ok for stepmoms to shell out their own personal finances and time for the stepkids chauffering them around to things the ex signed them up for but when it comes to placing expectations and restrictions on them, some bio-moms can rear their head and start hissing. I took good care of my stepkids. I don't think anybody could have a complaint about that (well, except for the ex who I'm sure would complain that I was even alive) but when one of the stepkids started having behavioral problems and getting consequences (from me usually because I was the parent home at the time and I had no support from the bio-mom who told hubby that I was not to call her) for doing things like bloodying his baby sister's nose (yes, she was a baby...she was 4!), or punching his older sister until she fell over and then climbing on top of her and pounding on her some more (I had to pull him off of her!) and a ton of other aggressive things, never ONCE were our (my) consequences backed up by the bio-mom. I always had my husband's support but my stepchild's mother would ruin everything we tried to accomplish with our consequences as soon as he left our home by making excuses for him, babying him, and belittling us and our rules...giving in to her son and believing the behaviorally challenged boy over the adults and even her own daughter (when my stepson beat up my stepdaughter in the bm's house - literally punching and leaving bruises and tears hours later, she asked my stepdaughter what she'd done to make him do that!!). Doctors and counselors agreed with us but I guess some people will say "black" if you, the other home, say "white" no matter what, even at the expense of your own children. We had ZERO support from the ex. None. Ever. We were "too strict" when we took toys and video games away or sent him to his room. I guess we should've rewarded him for beating up his siblings all the time! She acted like we were abusing him by setting appropriate limits. None of the other children had a problem understanding the basic rules (like no beating up your siblings!). Personally, I think she liked the havoc and harm he caused in our home. Probably got a secret thrill off of it.
It's ok for me to spend my money on my stepchildren (food, gifts, shelter, etc.). It's just not ok to actually expect them to follow the household rules the rest of the kids have to follow. You'd think over a decade later, some people would get over it (get over themselves).
Read more...Sometimes, stepfamily life can be stressful. Let's be honest here, sometimes it is more than just "sometimes"...sometimes it is all the time for a few years. In fact, I would say it is one of the hardest things I have ever done. Between dealing with my husband's ex (and others), the behavioral problems of a stepchild, and the financial strain of trying to support two homes, I'm surprised I haven't drank myself into addiction and needed to enter one of the alcohol rehabs.
I don't have an addictive personality for self-destructive habits, unless you consider Pepsi and chocolate self-destructive. I dealt with my stepfamily crises by turning it inward which resulted in my eventually overloading on anger and becoming depressed. I kept a therapist in expensive shoes on more than one occasion in the last 13 years!
This is my last post on stress symptoms in certain age groups of children. For the symptoms in younger age groups, please see my previous posts.
Here are some of the known symptoms to watch for in the 12-18 year range:
Please know your children. Watch your children. Care about your children. If you have any concerns, don't ignore them. Find help. Even if it turns out to be normal teenage angst, it is better to know for sure than take a risk with your child.
Read more...My husband and I have wanted to renew our vows for years. We were going to do it at our ten year wedding anniversary, but that's done and over a few years ago (yes, we've made it this far and are still happy). He bought me a Diamond ring set for my engagement ring and wedding ring that is really beautiful. I just cleaned it this morning to make it all sparkly again. I love diamonds!
If you are online shopping for the perfect diamond for you, you can get 10% off at Jewelelegance.com. Just use coupon code THTM10P801321.
Anyway, we are trying to decide where we want to have the vow renewal at. Actually, it will be more along the lines of a handfasting but instead of a "getting married" theme, it will be renewing vows. I really want to have the ceremony in the mountains of eastern Tennessee. That is the one place my soul is connected to and I think it'd be a lovely spot. Unfortunately, our immediate family don't live in Tennessee. So we have ourselves a little bit of a problem. We'll get it figured out eventually (maybe by the time we can actually afford to do it).
I have spoke with retirees who are finding that Medicare just isn't enough to meet their medical needs. They are definitely feeling the strain on their budget. It certainly makes me wonder what my retirement is going to be like. With the high costs of prescriptions and the rising costs of products and services in our economy as a whole, having a supplemental insurance policy to bridge the gap for the medical expenses not covered, or partially covered, by Medicare is becoming a necessity. Retirees are looking for an affordable medigap policy to meet their medical needs better than just Medicare can alone. If this is you, Mature Health Center may be what you are looking for!
Read more...Kids this age are hearing and talking about things like war and terrorism on top of a lot of parents splitting up. It can be a scary time. Some of the symptoms you may see in kids that could indicate anxiety or stress over something are varied and listed below. Here are some of the symptoms for the 6-11 age group:
My daughter was already a timid child to begin with but after something bad happened to her, it was just magnified a hundred times. Her anxiety wasn't brought on by her parents splitting up (we're still happily married). For her, it means extreme worry and fear over most everything anymore.
If you think your child is suffering from extreme anxiety or stress that is affecting his or her daily life, please talk to you child's doctor.
Read more...I've been reading information on stress/anxiety in kids since my daughter has an anxiety disorder and my stepdaughter showed a lot of symptoms when she was in this age group. I thought I'd share some of the symptoms here, starting with the youngest age group first.
Age 1-6 Years:
This last winter was a rough one for kids needing medical care. It seemed like every week there was an appointment for one or the other of them for something. I guess that is to be expected with four children during flu season. I am glad we had medical insurance to cover them. Having medical insurance ensures my kids get the proper care for their health while being affordable to us. Otherwise, we would've busted our budget long ago.
Read more...We have been fixing up our house since we moved in two years ago. We have a long way to go. One thing my husband is going to do for me is give me office space so I can work more efficiently since I work from home. Having the right office furniture would be more comfortable and definitely better organized. It'd definitely be better than sitting on the couch with my laptop balanced on the arm waiting for a child to walk by and knock it off the side! Secretly, I think he is going to want to take it over, but it's mine! I've been busy online window shopping at Office Furniture Concepts to find what I need to furnish my office. I can't wait until I have my new office!
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Our two-year-old can try your patience. There is no doubt about it. Last night was one of those times. She went into meltdown mode as soon her siblings got off the bus and she didn't quit until falling asleep at bedtime. She was screeching, whining, hitting, and smearing ice cream across my new kitchen floor with her feet! Oy!! I am sure the neighbors had to hear some of it. It was awful. She kills the "have another baby urge" that seems to be coming back for me right now. I guess it is nature - designed to make sure you don't have another child until you are ready to handle it, lol.
Then there is this morning. She is being sweet and cute, playing nicely by herself and with the dog. She is being cuddly and friendly. She's yelled out the window three times already this morning to say "hi" to the neighbor outside, the trash pick-up guys, and the man walking his dog. She's adorable. Well, maybe not so adorable - she just now tried to stick her finger in the poor dog's nose.
She turns three at the end of this month. Will the terrible twos magically disappear then? I doubt it. In fact, I know better. She's my 4th child so I know better. I'm thinking I have about another year of this and then she'll level out. Maybe I should sedate myself for a year, lol.
We were out of state to attend a family member's wedding almost 13 years ago. We had talked about getting married together previously but I kept putting it off until I felt ready. When I started looking at diamond wings in the window of a store we were passing, my husband knew I was ready. Anyway, we had been out walking around town for awhile to shop and explore before going back to where we were staying to rest for awhile before the ceremony. Much to my surprise, my now husband got down on one knee and proposed to me right there. (Yes, some men still do the traditional thing and ask on bended knee!) I, of course, said yes. He had a beautiful ring for me which I never take off. It's really quite beautiful and I get compliments on it all the time. That was the start of my love affair with diamonds. I am now hooked! Oh yeah, I am hooked on the husband too. I decided to keep him. We've been happily married a little more than 12 years now.
Read more...I've lowered my Scratchback to $2 on both my blogs - here and at Syn's Life. For the time being, I've decided that when I get a scratch, I'll hollaback atcha in a post on my blog that links to your blog or website in the widget within limits (no adult sites or other inappropriate sites). That's two for the price of one, lol. We'll see how that goes for everybody!
Read more...I want to thank The Independent Mom! for the scratchback yesterday! I love a good back scratching! She writes this fun "secret confessions" post weekly that you should check out. Readers submit a secret confession (anonymously) or some form of gossip that gets posted. Check it out!
Read more...I'm worried about my oldest because she is so timid. It affects her schooling the most. She spends at least one night a week crying and worried over something going on at school (usually a homework assignment she had a problem with but lately it's been the end of the year field trips too). This week it was two nights - last night and again two nights ago. For homework, she is always afraid she is going to get into trouble usually because she couldn't figure out her homework but sometimes it's because she forgot something at school she needed for homework. I'm worried about how she is going to handle junior high in a few months. How is she going to handle six different teachers/classes and all the rushing in between each class to get from one place to another when she is a nervous wreck now over one teacher?
She also lets her best friend boss her around. That irritates me because some of the things she's being bossy about isn't what is best for my child to do. Right now, it has to do more with boys but in a couple of years, it will be cigarettes, alcohol, and sex. I don't know if she will be able to handle the peer pressure.
She's such an overly sensitive kid. She cries every time her friends do (and lately that's been a lot from one particular friend). She cares about people's feelings and animals and everything she should care about. I just wish she wasn't such a nervous wreck emotionally.
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