Thursday, April 26, 2012

What Did You Do In School today? ~ Nothing....


I am sure every parent on this planet has heard that! It used to frustrate me so much, especially since I have 5 lovely children (ahem), I heard it from all 5. On a cue from some parenting tip to ask specific questions to children to get a “real answer”, I came up with this idea.


At the dinner table, each person, parents and guests included, would be asked:

What was the best thing that happened to you today?
What was the worst thing that happened to you today?
What was the funniest thing that happened to you today?

My babies with their pappa (now 25, 23, 19, 18, 16)
After the person finished answering those questions, the person next to them would be asked the same questions. You had to answer it, it didn't matter what the answer was; what was important was that you participated. Sometimes, the answer to “What was the worst thing...” would be “I had to go to school”, and that was ok. There were no wrong answers, but each question had to be answered.



It was amazing what these questions inspired in our family.

  1. They complained about having to do it! (But I could tell they enjoyed it)
  2. We learned a little bit about what each of us was going through.
  3. Conversation was sparked when others asked questions or offered support or ideas.
  4. Ending on the Funniest thing, we were all able to laugh together.
  5. As a parent, I got answers to that age old question “What did you do today?”

Saturday, April 21, 2012

A Romp Through The Daffodills – What A Puppy Can Teach Us


This post was delayed by several weeks - 1st because Kayla got really sick from eating sticks, then she wouldn't go through the daffodils, and I wanted pictures, and the Fibro got me... :)

Well, as I think I may have mentioned previously on this Blog (jeesh, I can't even remember what I last wrote about!) We have (#5 has) a cute little Border Collie named Kayla. She really is so much fun, and adds such a freshness, to at least my life. I guess because after the things I have been through in my life, and now the Fibromyalgia, I look at things differently.



Having Kayla is like having a 2 year old. I forgot about that, one very little, but very important fact. But on the brighter side, she gets me out walking and playing with her, which I probably wouldn't be doing half of the walking if it weren't for her. By the way, walking and exercising is supposed to be good for the Fibromyalgia, but it hasn't helped me feel any better physically....I'm still achy and sore.

It is on these walks that Kayla reminds me that life is one big adventure! She is so curious about everything, running from this smell to that, picking up sticks, gravel, rocks, garbage. Now mind you, she has already learned the words “Drop It” and “Leave It”. So our walks are peppered with my words “Leave It” - “Good Leave It, Good Girl Kayla”; “Drop It” - “Good Drop It ---wait...now Leave It!” I think sometimes she picks up stuff just so I can tell her to “Drop It”. She just runs along happily, sneaking rocks in her mouth. She's gotten so good, she can do it on the run. She's a sneaky little girl (good girl).

One breezy morning the brown leaves, left over from fall, were blowing around. She was running and trying to, no...actually “Catching” them in her mouth. It was so cute to see her uninhibited playfulness, and I was thankful she wasn't picking up rocks. Along this walk, we came across a row of daffodils (which are my favorite flower). As a Border Collie, she is very fast, and before I knew it, she was romping through the Middle of the Daffodil bunches! I was mortified because they were my neighbors flowers, but at the same time, it really looked like fun. I reeled her in, only for her to try and dash out again, but I got her this time. The next day, I was going to take a quick picture of her romping through the row of Daffodils, because it was such a carefree and life-loving image, but she had already learned it was a no-no; at least until the following week. Again, earlier this week, I was caught unaware (did she know that? Was she trying to fake me out?) She bee-lined it for the daffodils and before I could reel her in, she was happily grabbing at each pretty yellow flower as she romped! She only got a few, and I am now more careful when we walk past the Daffodils.

By the time I got to take a picture, the Daffodils were done blooming


Near the end of our walk today, I was thinking how much we can learn from puppies, and the way they go through life, but I was hesitant because puppies don't know when to stop, they just keep on going, until they start to get in trouble, and then they keep going again. It was then that I realized when Kayla can't settle herself down, I put her in her crate and tell her to do “Good Night Nights”. And I think that we should also put ourselves down for “Good Night Nights” and allow our bodies and minds to rest and reset themselves so we can “Romp Through the Daffodils Too!”