Faster Isn't Always Better

Have you heard about the "Slow Family Living Movement?" I think it's brilliant.

Check out their website.

This is their manifesto:

The Slow Family Movement is a revolution in the way we think about, embrace and implement family living.

It was born out of our belief that family life is being hijacked by society’s messages that more is better, faster is greater and that you and your children are at risk of being left behind, unless you buy in NOW.

It is about allowing family life to unfold in a way that is joyfully and consciously connected. This means slowing it down, finding comfort in the home, and creating the space to see and honor the family as an entity, while simultaneously keeping sight of each member as a unique and valuable individual.

We believe that family life can serve as the incubator for deeper compassion, creativity, love, harmony, humor, appreciation, respect, fun, ingenuity, conflict resolution, peace, friendship, growth, communication and, perhaps above all else, true, unending and powerful joy.

As we intentionally give value and space to family life, we are thereby creating a force — with a sum greater than its parts — that can then flow out into the local and the global communities.

We hold this as truth, that the peace and the harmony we want to exist within the world, can be created within the family first, by bringing it home and lovingly, consciously and intentionally slowing life down.

Granted, it's tempting to get sucked into over scheduling our children and feeling that we need to keep up with the Joneses. But if it's tearing our families apart psychologically and financially, it's worth considering.

What do you think??

Ye Olde School of Hard Knocks

Meg (my 4th grader) brought home a sheet for social studies all about being a kid in colonial times.

One of the sections was about discipline in the schools.

Here are some of the ways teachers disciplined the kids, way back when. If a child talked too much they would strap a whispering stick in his mouth so you he couldn't talk, or they would clip their noses shut with pinchers. They hung signs around students' necks that said "crybaby" or "lazy." They also made children wear dunce hats.

We were cracking up reading this!

I remember in junior high our Principal had a paddle in his office that he would use on students. We actually had a corporal punishment permission slip sent home to our parents. If they signed it, then our teachers had permission to use physical force to keep us in line.

Fast forward to 2009, things are so politically correct!! I think it would be fun to do a "Colonial Times Day" at school. We could bring in some stockades and yardsticks and instill some old fashioned respect in our kids. Okay, calm down, I'm KIDDING don't you go calling DYFS on me.

But seriously, thank goodness we've moved beyond those days. So far beyond, in fact, that teachers are almost afraid to punish children. My father taught in a public high school and parents would freak out on him if he wanted to penalize their children for not doing their homework. The pendulum has swung in the complete opposite direction from 200 years ago. It seems that the teachers are on trial more than out of control students.

My children are very well behaved in school, but if they ever start acting out I want their teachers to have the authority to discipline them (not physically, of course ) and I want to hear about it. If parents aren't teaching their children how to behave and to complete their assignments they shouldn't complain when the teachers come down on them. They're just doing their job.

What do you think?

A lesson in biology...

My daughter cheered at a Pop Warner football game last night, and I overheard this conversation as I passed a group of children hanging out near the bleachers.


7 year old boy yelling at 9 year old girl: (ANGRY)

I'll kick you in your balls!!!

9 year old girl: (Very calm)

First of all they're not called balls, they're called testicles. Second of all, I'm a girl, I don't have testicles.

Pause...


7 year old boy: (VERY, VERY ANGRY)

THAN... I'LL... KICK YOU IN YOUR VAGINA!!!!



At this point the boy's father heard his son's tirade and dragged the highly agitated lad away for a stern lecture on how to treat a lady.

The 9 year old girl and her posse looked quite pleased with themselves. I'm wondering what they said to him to get him so fired up!



Just another night of good, clean, family fun, here in the great Garden State.

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1.02.05

It's Back to School Night!!! And a good time was had by all...

The following is one of those posts that could come back and bite me in the ass. I'm going to live dangerously and post it anyway...

Yes indeed, tonight was Back to School night at my 9 year old daughter's middle school. This year I decided to play it low key, so I wore a cute hoodie with jeans. My hair was clean and brushed, and I had on a little Chapstick. I should have known better. Usually I plan out my outfit, and throw on some blush and mascara, but I'm still not completely recovered from my bout with strep, so quite frankly, I didn't FEEL like getting all dolled up to parade around the school.

Anyway, just as I figured, everyone had on their cute little "casual" ensembles. Their hair was nicely styled, and they had makeup and jewelry on.

I'm surprised no one asked me about the gym class I teach, or to take out the trash.

Luckily I can redeem myself at Back to School Night at the elementary school this Thursday. Believe you me, I am going to look SMOKIN!

As we were leaving my daughter's classroom I was chatting with one of the other moms in the class. This mom is a real tough cookie. She is the Principal's worst nightmare. Although she stays at home she has a Master's in Education so she knows it all. Anyway, she says to me "Rachel* is really impressed that Meg goes on "You Tube" she talks about it all the time. She is really impressed by that!" Okay lady, I get your point.

Now I'll admit to you. I let my daughters go on "You Tube" under my supervision. They like to watch "Fred." (If you don't know who he is, check him out, it's this kid named Lucas from Nebraska, he's hilarious.) They also like "Charlie bit my finger." (Once again, go look at it for yourself.) I let them look at goofy stuff like boxing cats or a dog rock band. I have filters on my computer, so they aren't watching porn. Every once in a while Fred says "Frickin." But I'm okay with that.

I read a statistic that by the time most children are 12 they've watched over 10,000 murders on TV. Now that shocked me! I don't let my children watch any shows with sex or violence, but a little goofy humor on "You Tube" is okay with me.


The problem is, my daughter really likes Rachel* and wants to have her over. Now I'm wondering if her Mom will let her, because "Meg goes on "You Tube." My husband is completely against "You Tube." I guess most parents are.

What is a "bad mother" to do???

Seriously, I want to know what you think. Should I cut her off from "You Tube" completely?

I'm not scared of what she sees. (Maybe I'm naive.) But I don't want her to get a bad reputation.

Back to School Night sucks.

*Not her real name