Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
A Lesson in Trust Part 2
Today, I have a guest writer. As a consequence of K13's behavior that I shared previously, she had to write a paper outlining what she'd done, why it was wrong and how her actions lined up with God's expectations. I've been given permission to share her paper here.
It is important to think over your decisions before you make them. Ask yourself is this safe? Why am I doing it? Would my parents approve? If you are about to do something that endangers your life or someone else’s life (by even a little bit) do not do it. Are you doing it because you want to or are you doing it so you do not look scared or stupid? Just because other kids are doing it does not mean you have to. Trust is important. You need to have a trustworthy relationship with your parents. To keep a trustworthy relationship, you must make decisions that you know they would approve of.
On June 22, 2010, I spent the night at my friend’s house. At around 11:30pm we snuck out of her house and walked to her boyfriend’s house. If you are about to do something that is past curfew without your parents’ or another adult and your parents’ permission, do not do it. In Indiana it is against the law for children under the age of 18 to go out without an adult past 11:00pm on weekdays and 1:00am on weekends. The punishment for this the first time is a warning and ride home. The second, third, fourth and so on it is a $500 fine and 90 day jail term.
Once we were at her boyfriend’s house, he and a couple of his friends snuck us into the house. It is also against the law to trespass on private property. There is no punishment for trespassing once on property that is not marked private property. But, if the same person continues to trespass on the property, there is a fine and possible jail time. Just because you won’t get in trouble the first time does not mean you can do it. Do not take the risk. It is against the law, so, do not do it.
One of the boys that was at the house had a an illegal drug with them. Tens of thousands of people die annually from the usage of illegal drugs. Using drugs especially as a teenager is bad not only for you but the people around you to. Drugs make you do thing that you shouldn’t do. In Dodge City, Kansas five teenagers high on marijuana. Killed a stranger for no obvious reason. In West Palm Beach, Florida three teenagers mixed beer, rum, cocaine, and marijuana. Then they kidnapped a tourist from Brooklyn and set them on fire. Drugs also cause problems in our country such as violent street gangs, family violence, the spreading of ADIS, and babies born with cocaine dependency.
There are a lot of teenagers that do drugs. The average age for kids to first try drugs is 13. Two-thirds of all American teenagers try drugs before they finish high school. one in sixteen high school seniors smoke marijuana daily.
Just because some teenagers don’t go to church that is not why they are doing drugs. In fact, the percentage of teenagers that go to church and do drugs is not very much lower than the percentage of teenagers that don’t go to church and do drugs. 61% of teenagers that do marijuana and/or cocaine don’t go to church but 49% of them do.
In the Bible, it has some things to say about drugs. In Exodus 20:12 it says "honor your mother and father". Do your parents want you to do drugs? If yes, then you might want to get someone else’s opinion. In Galatians 5:19-21 it says, "The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery, idolatry and witchcraft [which includes the use of drugs]; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissension, factions, and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God."
The boys had been popping pills before we got there. Drugs are sometimes used for medical reasons but, unless your parents or a doctor give them to you, don’t use them. They can be very harmful when used in the wrong way. Don’t over dose on the drugs that you have permission to use. That can be especially harmful. Just because most people say that using medicine in a way that it is not meant to be used in is safer than using drugs or drinking does not mean they are right. In fact they aren’t. One in five teenagers abuse medicine and the numbers are growing. One of the reasons that the numbers are growing is because medicine is easier to get. All that teenagers have to do is take them from the medicinal cabinet. Using medicine can make you high. The long-term effects are bad withdrawal symptoms, normal side effects (for the medicine that is being used) and addiction.
Two of the boys were smoking. Another growing problem in American teenagers is smoking. 80% of smokers begin before the age of 18. Of those about 3,900 smoke every day and of those 1,500 become regular smokers. 90% of smokers begin before age 21. In 2005 23% of high school students had smoked with in the last month. A way to tell if someone is smoking is they will have secondary behavioral issues such as violence, they are more likely to use drugs or drink alcohol and have a high-risk of sexual behavior. There are many reasons that teenagers start smoking. It may be because of low self-image or self-esteem, the availability of cigarettes if there parents or siblings smoke or the lack of parental involvement in their lives. Smoking is bad for you and the long term effects are not worth looking "cool" in front of your friends. Here are some of the long term effects: reduced stamina, chronic cough, bad breath, yellow teeth, stinky clothes, and it is an expensive habit, A pack a day could add up to $1000 a year. A lot of kids smoke but that does not mean that you have to.
It is not safe to go out without an adult, there are some very confused people that could hurt you if you do. There are about 2,000,000 child molesters in the United States of America and around 55 in southern Indiana. Almost 800,000 children go missing each year most are from family abductions but around 58,000 are strangers that abduct and demand ransom for the child’s release. Most of the children that are abducted are recovered but the small percent of children that are abducted and murdered are dead within three hours of the abduction. The short-term and long-term effects an abduction has on a family are emotional impact, stress, guilt and mourning. If I would have been abducted my family would have been very upset they would have had to call the police, report a missing child, and then they would have to just wait until the authorities found me, if they did find me. During the time that I’d be gone the whole family would be very worried and upset. It would break their hearts that someone had taken me from them. I am now aware that when I was picked up by the state police it was a blessing. If I had been abducted or raped the impact that it would have had on me and my family would have been terrible. It would have crushed me and my loved ones.
On our way home we were pulled over by the state police. We were given a warning and a ride home. What we did was very dangerous and I thank God that it was the state police that picked us up and not someone that could have hurt us.
This verse has some information that applies to what I have done. 1 Peter 1:14-16 says that do not do what is evil in the eyes of the Lord "Be Holy, Because the Lord is Holy." This means that we should follow in the Lord’s steps and, be as much like him as we possibly can because if we do what is right in his eyes we do what is honoring our parents.
Other verses that apply are Ephesians 5:1-17. The verse in this that is think applies the most is 11-12 it says do not walk in the ways of evil for even speaking of what they do in private is shameful. By making choices that I knew were wrong I was walking in the way of evil. Hebrews 12:5-11 reminds me that I am disciplined for my own good and it leads to peace and righteousness.
I would like to close my report by apologizing again for taking your trust for granted and doing things that I know you would not approve of. I love you very much and hope I may earn your forgiveness and your trust back.
I hope you approve of my report and know that I will never do anything like that every again.
The People Affected by My Decisions
1.My Family
2.Briteny’s Family
3.Ricky's Family
4.Oma and Opa
5.Austin
6.TJ
7.Ricky
8.The Police Officer
9.Briteny
10.Me
11.Lucy Lane
12.Makalya
Information I Used for my Report
WWW.FAMILYWATCHDOG.US
WWW.MISSINGKIDS.COM
WWW.PREVENT-ABUSE-NOW.COM
WWW.ACEP.ORG
PUBLIC.FINDLAW.COM
ANTISEX.INFO/EN/MOLESTER.HTM
hamptonroads.com
www.leaderu.com
www.familyfirstaid.org
Heyman, Richard (2001). How to say it to Teens. Prentice Hall Press
It is important to think over your decisions before you make them. Ask yourself is this safe? Why am I doing it? Would my parents approve? If you are about to do something that endangers your life or someone else’s life (by even a little bit) do not do it. Are you doing it because you want to or are you doing it so you do not look scared or stupid? Just because other kids are doing it does not mean you have to. Trust is important. You need to have a trustworthy relationship with your parents. To keep a trustworthy relationship, you must make decisions that you know they would approve of.
On June 22, 2010, I spent the night at my friend’s house. At around 11:30pm we snuck out of her house and walked to her boyfriend’s house. If you are about to do something that is past curfew without your parents’ or another adult and your parents’ permission, do not do it. In Indiana it is against the law for children under the age of 18 to go out without an adult past 11:00pm on weekdays and 1:00am on weekends. The punishment for this the first time is a warning and ride home. The second, third, fourth and so on it is a $500 fine and 90 day jail term.
Once we were at her boyfriend’s house, he and a couple of his friends snuck us into the house. It is also against the law to trespass on private property. There is no punishment for trespassing once on property that is not marked private property. But, if the same person continues to trespass on the property, there is a fine and possible jail time. Just because you won’t get in trouble the first time does not mean you can do it. Do not take the risk. It is against the law, so, do not do it.
One of the boys that was at the house had a an illegal drug with them. Tens of thousands of people die annually from the usage of illegal drugs. Using drugs especially as a teenager is bad not only for you but the people around you to. Drugs make you do thing that you shouldn’t do. In Dodge City, Kansas five teenagers high on marijuana. Killed a stranger for no obvious reason. In West Palm Beach, Florida three teenagers mixed beer, rum, cocaine, and marijuana. Then they kidnapped a tourist from Brooklyn and set them on fire. Drugs also cause problems in our country such as violent street gangs, family violence, the spreading of ADIS, and babies born with cocaine dependency.
There are a lot of teenagers that do drugs. The average age for kids to first try drugs is 13. Two-thirds of all American teenagers try drugs before they finish high school. one in sixteen high school seniors smoke marijuana daily.
Just because some teenagers don’t go to church that is not why they are doing drugs. In fact, the percentage of teenagers that go to church and do drugs is not very much lower than the percentage of teenagers that don’t go to church and do drugs. 61% of teenagers that do marijuana and/or cocaine don’t go to church but 49% of them do.
In the Bible, it has some things to say about drugs. In Exodus 20:12 it says "honor your mother and father". Do your parents want you to do drugs? If yes, then you might want to get someone else’s opinion. In Galatians 5:19-21 it says, "The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery, idolatry and witchcraft [which includes the use of drugs]; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissension, factions, and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God."
The boys had been popping pills before we got there. Drugs are sometimes used for medical reasons but, unless your parents or a doctor give them to you, don’t use them. They can be very harmful when used in the wrong way. Don’t over dose on the drugs that you have permission to use. That can be especially harmful. Just because most people say that using medicine in a way that it is not meant to be used in is safer than using drugs or drinking does not mean they are right. In fact they aren’t. One in five teenagers abuse medicine and the numbers are growing. One of the reasons that the numbers are growing is because medicine is easier to get. All that teenagers have to do is take them from the medicinal cabinet. Using medicine can make you high. The long-term effects are bad withdrawal symptoms, normal side effects (for the medicine that is being used) and addiction.
Two of the boys were smoking. Another growing problem in American teenagers is smoking. 80% of smokers begin before the age of 18. Of those about 3,900 smoke every day and of those 1,500 become regular smokers. 90% of smokers begin before age 21. In 2005 23% of high school students had smoked with in the last month. A way to tell if someone is smoking is they will have secondary behavioral issues such as violence, they are more likely to use drugs or drink alcohol and have a high-risk of sexual behavior. There are many reasons that teenagers start smoking. It may be because of low self-image or self-esteem, the availability of cigarettes if there parents or siblings smoke or the lack of parental involvement in their lives. Smoking is bad for you and the long term effects are not worth looking "cool" in front of your friends. Here are some of the long term effects: reduced stamina, chronic cough, bad breath, yellow teeth, stinky clothes, and it is an expensive habit, A pack a day could add up to $1000 a year. A lot of kids smoke but that does not mean that you have to.
It is not safe to go out without an adult, there are some very confused people that could hurt you if you do. There are about 2,000,000 child molesters in the United States of America and around 55 in southern Indiana. Almost 800,000 children go missing each year most are from family abductions but around 58,000 are strangers that abduct and demand ransom for the child’s release. Most of the children that are abducted are recovered but the small percent of children that are abducted and murdered are dead within three hours of the abduction. The short-term and long-term effects an abduction has on a family are emotional impact, stress, guilt and mourning. If I would have been abducted my family would have been very upset they would have had to call the police, report a missing child, and then they would have to just wait until the authorities found me, if they did find me. During the time that I’d be gone the whole family would be very worried and upset. It would break their hearts that someone had taken me from them. I am now aware that when I was picked up by the state police it was a blessing. If I had been abducted or raped the impact that it would have had on me and my family would have been terrible. It would have crushed me and my loved ones.
On our way home we were pulled over by the state police. We were given a warning and a ride home. What we did was very dangerous and I thank God that it was the state police that picked us up and not someone that could have hurt us.
This verse has some information that applies to what I have done. 1 Peter 1:14-16 says that do not do what is evil in the eyes of the Lord "Be Holy, Because the Lord is Holy." This means that we should follow in the Lord’s steps and, be as much like him as we possibly can because if we do what is right in his eyes we do what is honoring our parents.
Other verses that apply are Ephesians 5:1-17. The verse in this that is think applies the most is 11-12 it says do not walk in the ways of evil for even speaking of what they do in private is shameful. By making choices that I knew were wrong I was walking in the way of evil. Hebrews 12:5-11 reminds me that I am disciplined for my own good and it leads to peace and righteousness.
I would like to close my report by apologizing again for taking your trust for granted and doing things that I know you would not approve of. I love you very much and hope I may earn your forgiveness and your trust back.
I hope you approve of my report and know that I will never do anything like that every again.
The People Affected by My Decisions
1.My Family
2.Briteny’s Family
3.Ricky's Family
4.Oma and Opa
5.Austin
6.TJ
7.Ricky
8.The Police Officer
9.Briteny
10.Me
11.Lucy Lane
12.Makalya
Information I Used for my Report
WWW.FAMILYWATCHDOG.US
WWW.MISSINGKIDS.COM
WWW.PREVENT-ABUSE-NOW.COM
WWW.ACEP.ORG
PUBLIC.FINDLAW.COM
ANTISEX.INFO/EN/MOLESTER.HTM
hamptonroads.com
www.leaderu.com
www.familyfirstaid.org
Heyman, Richard (2001). How to say it to Teens. Prentice Hall Press
God Concerning Marriage
It seems as if I keep finding myself bumping into preconceived notions and expectations and wondering how they got that way. This past week my Bible study has been talking about sex and teaching our daughters about sex in a healthy, Christan manner. That's a pretty challenging topic and it's caused me to think about what God says about marriage and sex.
Last week I had a long talk with my sister about marriage and God's plan for one man and one woman. Admittedly, I like marriage. It works GREAT for me. I, personally, can't imagine why any man or woman would need or want more than one partner. Personally, I can't think of a more miserable situation. Yet, in the Bible there are books full of those situations. I guess that leads me to wonder how Abraham, Isaac, Jacob.... David, Solomon.... got so far off base and why God didn't mention to them that they weren't following the rules.
So where are the rules? There seem to be lots of rules about sex in Exodus and Deuteronomy about who can't have sex and the payment for sexual consequences but no mention of marriage. Deuteronomy 24 talks about what happens when a woman finds no favor with her husband but it doesn't talk about the act of marriage. Matthew 5:31-32, 19:3-9 and Mark 10:3-12 talk about divorce. And just to set the record straight, Sarah, in Matthew 19:6 and Mark 10:9 Jesus does say, "What God has joined together, let no man separate." I'm glad I found those references because that part of the wedding ceremony had been really bothering me. Having been in situations where a Christian prefaces a personal opinion by saying, "God told me...." I needed to know that the "What God has joined..." line really had Biblical authority. At least that's one concern addressed.
My question then becomes what part represents God's joining? Is it the leaving and cleaving? Does that mean that when we choose a sexual partner, that is God' joining and we'd better stick with it? Does it mean that a ceremony that represents the leaving and cleaving is God's joining? Is God's joining dictated by the societal norm or am I really missing something more important?
How much of what we understand as marriage today in our culture was shaped by society rather than by the original intent of God? That's a mind boggling question and it will join the ever growing list of questions I can't answer. I can only say that I am thankful for the man with whom I am joined.
Last week I had a long talk with my sister about marriage and God's plan for one man and one woman. Admittedly, I like marriage. It works GREAT for me. I, personally, can't imagine why any man or woman would need or want more than one partner. Personally, I can't think of a more miserable situation. Yet, in the Bible there are books full of those situations. I guess that leads me to wonder how Abraham, Isaac, Jacob.... David, Solomon.... got so far off base and why God didn't mention to them that they weren't following the rules.
So where are the rules? There seem to be lots of rules about sex in Exodus and Deuteronomy about who can't have sex and the payment for sexual consequences but no mention of marriage. Deuteronomy 24 talks about what happens when a woman finds no favor with her husband but it doesn't talk about the act of marriage. Matthew 5:31-32, 19:3-9 and Mark 10:3-12 talk about divorce. And just to set the record straight, Sarah, in Matthew 19:6 and Mark 10:9 Jesus does say, "What God has joined together, let no man separate." I'm glad I found those references because that part of the wedding ceremony had been really bothering me. Having been in situations where a Christian prefaces a personal opinion by saying, "God told me...." I needed to know that the "What God has joined..." line really had Biblical authority. At least that's one concern addressed.
My question then becomes what part represents God's joining? Is it the leaving and cleaving? Does that mean that when we choose a sexual partner, that is God' joining and we'd better stick with it? Does it mean that a ceremony that represents the leaving and cleaving is God's joining? Is God's joining dictated by the societal norm or am I really missing something more important?
How much of what we understand as marriage today in our culture was shaped by society rather than by the original intent of God? That's a mind boggling question and it will join the ever growing list of questions I can't answer. I can only say that I am thankful for the man with whom I am joined.
Monday, July 5, 2010
Happy 4th of July!
One of my favorite things about our home and our neighborhood is the 4th of July fireworks. From our deck you can see a variety of fireworks. Some professional. Some extremely amateur. All lovely. Awe inspiring. Patriotic.
I love the luxury of walking out my patio door and snuggling with my children in the hammock to enjoy the firework extravaganza. The only downside is that with an unplanned, unchoreographed firework display you don't really know where to look next. You have to trust the sound and the light and turn your head quickly. This can lead to a sore neck, head ache or lots of missed fireworks, if you aren't careful.
Just in case you don't have the chance to see lovely fireworks live from the comfort of your own home, I thought I'd make sure you had the opportunity to take part in that glorious 4th of July tradition.
I love the luxury of walking out my patio door and snuggling with my children in the hammock to enjoy the firework extravaganza. The only downside is that with an unplanned, unchoreographed firework display you don't really know where to look next. You have to trust the sound and the light and turn your head quickly. This can lead to a sore neck, head ache or lots of missed fireworks, if you aren't careful.
Just in case you don't have the chance to see lovely fireworks live from the comfort of your own home, I thought I'd make sure you had the opportunity to take part in that glorious 4th of July tradition.
Sunday, July 4, 2010
Recognizing Joy
Joy is what happens to us when we allow ourselves
to recognize how good things really are.
- Marianne Williamson
I know. It's a shocker but it's true. Sometimes my children are not a joy. Sometimes they are a serious pain and must be tolerated simply because they are children and, most importantly, they are mine.
Today, however, it was a joy to be with my children.
At the request of H11, I got up early and made chocolate chip coffee cake. I figured, with the day I had planned, I'd better be sure everyone was happily fed before we left the house. My strategy worked. All four children rose happily and quickly to enjoy one of their favorite breakfast treats. After devouring the coffee cake, we enjoyed a local production of Twelfth Night. It was a two person show, not counting a few (four) puppets. We were all very pleased with the performances and enjoyed the show immensely. I've found that my children really like Shakespeare. I'm constantly underestimating my children but I'm not the only one.
In fact, when we stopped for lunch later in the day, our server looked very much like one of the actors in Twelfth Night. M5 commented on the resemblance and our server asked which play we'd been to see. The children told her and the server told M5 that she'd performed in Romeo and Juliet but never in Twelfth Night. The server then bent down to tell M5, in a sort of babyish, somewhat condescending tone, that Romeo and Juliet and Twelfth Night had been written by the same man. "Shakespeare?" M5 responded. The server looked surprised at M5's knowledge. Really though, if a 5 year old is bright enough to enjoy a play by Shakespeare why wouldn't she be bright enough to know the name of the man who wrote the play?
After the play and lunch, we did our grocery shopping and then hung out at the house for the rest of the day. S8 is leaving for camp tomorrow so we got his bags almost packed. M5 is excited to have her pink room back. K13 is excited for M5 to be gone from her green room so we spent some time moving clothes, books, furniture and Barbies. Lots of Barbies. Everyone even took pity on me and participated in a 15 minute pick-up which left the entire house, except S8's room, neat.
Even bath time was pain free. And bed time, relatively so. If you don't count a very sharp meeting of nose with forehead. No one was permanently injured but tears followed. I cried because my nose hurt so much and M5 cried because she'd hurt me. I am fairly certain there will be bruising. M5 and S8 even got to enjoy neighborhood fireworks out their window. They were especially spectacular with all the lights out and experienced after M5 and S8 really should have been in bed. How can you refuse to let children watch fireworks on the 4th of July weekend though? And in M5's words, "They are gorgeous!"
My feeling exactly, about the fireworks, and about the four amazing children with whom I have the privilege, the joy, to share each day.
Friday, July 2, 2010
Weekly Recap 6/28-7/2
This week was a mixed bag. Fond farewells, a visit from my sister, fun at the zoo and some quiet time together.
We put our foreign exchange student on a flight for D.C. After a few days there, she'll leave for Istanbul. In fact, I think her flight leaves today. I didn't realize, I don't think any of us did, how much we'd come to accept her as part of our family. Cleaning her room was a very sad thing for all of us. While my youngest M5 is thrilled to have her pink room back, I think she'd be just as happy if G were here with us.
My sister and her children arrived on Tuesday afternoon and that was a welcome distraction. We had an orthodontist appointment for K13. Unfortunately the canine replacement we were hoping would solve some of our expensive orthodontic issues isn't going to be possible. We were all a bit disappointed but understand the need for a healthy bite. K13 is worried about the cosmetic issues while dh and I just know it's going to create some large dental bills down the line.
Wednesday, we went to the grand opening of the new seal and sea lion exhibit at our zoo. It was fun to play in the water, visit the animals we love and see what's new.
Thursday was art class for M5, S8 and H11 plus to neighborhood girls at our local library. The kids came home with neat foil sculptures and proceeded to empty another entire roll of foil with their artistic endeavors. After art, K13 and S8 decided to make pizza for dinner. I was pretty impressed that they pulled it off with minimal help and everyone agreed that the meal was delicious.
Today, we spent part of the morning getting ready for the play we are attending tomorrow. There is a free performance of Twelfth Night at a local park. We loved seeing The Tempest a few weeks ago and are really looking forward to Twelfth Night. The kids were thrilled with the story and were even able to relate it to the teen movie She's the Man. I was pretty pleased and impressed. I figure we'll be watching the movie before the night is over. I also worked with M5 and S8 to complete the challenge sheet for our local library reading program.
I'm also really excited that I placed an order last night for the final materials I needed for next fall. I can't wait until it all gets here. It'll be like Christmas!
We put our foreign exchange student on a flight for D.C. After a few days there, she'll leave for Istanbul. In fact, I think her flight leaves today. I didn't realize, I don't think any of us did, how much we'd come to accept her as part of our family. Cleaning her room was a very sad thing for all of us. While my youngest M5 is thrilled to have her pink room back, I think she'd be just as happy if G were here with us.
My sister and her children arrived on Tuesday afternoon and that was a welcome distraction. We had an orthodontist appointment for K13. Unfortunately the canine replacement we were hoping would solve some of our expensive orthodontic issues isn't going to be possible. We were all a bit disappointed but understand the need for a healthy bite. K13 is worried about the cosmetic issues while dh and I just know it's going to create some large dental bills down the line.
Wednesday, we went to the grand opening of the new seal and sea lion exhibit at our zoo. It was fun to play in the water, visit the animals we love and see what's new.
Thursday was art class for M5, S8 and H11 plus to neighborhood girls at our local library. The kids came home with neat foil sculptures and proceeded to empty another entire roll of foil with their artistic endeavors. After art, K13 and S8 decided to make pizza for dinner. I was pretty impressed that they pulled it off with minimal help and everyone agreed that the meal was delicious.
Today, we spent part of the morning getting ready for the play we are attending tomorrow. There is a free performance of Twelfth Night at a local park. We loved seeing The Tempest a few weeks ago and are really looking forward to Twelfth Night. The kids were thrilled with the story and were even able to relate it to the teen movie She's the Man. I was pretty pleased and impressed. I figure we'll be watching the movie before the night is over. I also worked with M5 and S8 to complete the challenge sheet for our local library reading program.
I'm also really excited that I placed an order last night for the final materials I needed for next fall. I can't wait until it all gets here. It'll be like Christmas!
Thursday, July 1, 2010
The Price of Independence
As a child it never in occurred to me that parents pay a price for independence. I was working so hard to achieve that hard won status and believed the cost was mine. As a parent, I understand that my parents paid a price too. Last week, the price was the heart stopping realization that I'd misplaced my trust and taken too much for granted. This week the price is much cheaper. Really, it's a lesson in tolerance and perspective.
My kitchen is an absolute disaster. Flour covers almost every surface, the floor and two of my children. Olives and other bits of debris litter the floor. I could go on to catalog the mess and the irritation. I could lament the fact that I'll spend way more time this evening encouraging and cajoling my children in the clean up process than I would have spent if I had just made and cleaned up on my own.
Why go through it? Why grin and bear the flour coating my recently cleaned kitchen floor? For the payoff. Six children, enjoying pizza that they made with no real help from an adult. That kind of pride in accomplishment and budding independence can't be bought or taught. It has to be experienced.
You know what else can't be bought? A clean kitchen after a cooking adventure. That has to be earned with hard work and effort.
Two life lessons with pepperoni and extra cheese. Pass my plate.
My kitchen is an absolute disaster. Flour covers almost every surface, the floor and two of my children. Olives and other bits of debris litter the floor. I could go on to catalog the mess and the irritation. I could lament the fact that I'll spend way more time this evening encouraging and cajoling my children in the clean up process than I would have spent if I had just made and cleaned up on my own.
Why go through it? Why grin and bear the flour coating my recently cleaned kitchen floor? For the payoff. Six children, enjoying pizza that they made with no real help from an adult. That kind of pride in accomplishment and budding independence can't be bought or taught. It has to be experienced.
You know what else can't be bought? A clean kitchen after a cooking adventure. That has to be earned with hard work and effort.
Two life lessons with pepperoni and extra cheese. Pass my plate.
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