Category Archives: Parenting

Lessons From Dad

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Lessons from my dad…some humorous, some genius, some just my dad….
  • “To save is not to spend”….just because it’s on sale or you have a coupon if you don’t  need it it’s not really saving anything
  • “Turn the lights off it’s not a wedding” – My dad hated lights to be left on in an empty room….I’m the same way…and use the same saying
  • “We’re not air-conditioning the yard” – Close the doors and windows if it’s hotter outside than inside
  • “NEVER do business with family or friends”…it rarely ends well.
  • “Buy the smallest house in the best neighborhood you can afford”…a good neighborhood will make up for the size difference
  • You can scrape the pink off the sour cream and it’s still good…hey it is sour cream
  • God is God no matter what you call him….and most important is doing good
  • Patience – My dad was the most patient person I’ve ever met…I could sit and whine and nag or ramble away for hours and he’d let me….I’m trying to pass that same patience on in my parenting
  • Things today aren’t made like they used to be – My dad’s an antique junkie and it’s shown me that items made today are junk in comparison with the standards they once were made
  • A ‘C’ may be average but I’m not average and C’s were never acceptable – This one’s taught me that, even later in life, doing just the minimum is not enough, always do the best you can do
  • Actors today have little to no talent…we’d sit and watch old movies and he’d point out how back then the actors could dance, sing, and act…now they can barely accomplish one of the three
  • Everyone makes mistakes, it’s okay as long as you learn from them
  • Don’t blindly trust a salesmen, they’re out to make a profit
  • How to drive, how to drive a standard, how to check/change my oil, how to change a tire, and how to change my brake pads….every one, male or female, should learn these skills
  • If it’s broken fix it…whether that means taking it apart to repair it, gorilla gluing it, or as he did with my foakleys….yes foakleys – as in fake Oakleys ….duct tape them
  • Raising your voice really doesn’t accomplish anything…I don’t think I EVER heard my dad yell…I wish I was better at this one!
  • When you clog a drain skip the plumber, just take the pipes apart, it’s really pretty simple once you get started….but always have a drain pan ready…nothing like drain funk falling all over yourself
  • To each his own
  • Help others whenever you can
  • It is impossible to eat 10 saltine crackers in 1 minute with no drink –Go ahead try it….you can’t do it….better yet get the kids to try it….it’ll keep them busy for quite a while ;P

Mama’s Losin’ It

In The Checkout

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The little man and I are standing in the checkout line at the grocery, there’s a customer ahead of me and I have no cart so I’m trying to put the groceries from my bag onto the conveyor belt and keep an antsy tired boy near me. The little man was leaning with his elbows on the conveyor belt, hands over ears, standing quietly and relatively still, he wasn’t even one foot behind me. The lady behind me was apparently in such a rush to get her groceries on the conveyor that she couldn’t be bothered to tap my shoulder and ask if I could get my son to move. Instead she put 2…yes 2…hands on his back and physically moved him. It took everything I had not to shank her with my keys for even touching my son.

I turned to her and told her ‘Don’t EVER put your hands on my kid again’.
She looked at me with a blank dumbfounded look on her face, like I’m crazy…how dare I say something to her, and said- ‘Well I asked him to move and he wouldn’t so I gently moved him’
Me- ‘He doesn’t speak, he doesn’t understand you, he has autism’
Her- ‘Well I asked him to move’
Me- ‘Again, I don’t care what you asked him, if you have an issue with MY son you can tell me, I’m 2 inches from him’

Just because I look like everyone else, doesn’t mean I am like everyone else!! <3

All she had to do was apologize somewhere in there…or even just stop talking, nope not this lady, she continuously defended her behavior…Apparently special needs or not, parent nearby or not, she feels it’s okay to put her grubby hands on my son. I don’t know about you, but if I have issue with a child or child’s behavior I’ll talk to the parents…it’s not my place to lecture, much less physically move, someone’s child. The thing people fail to realize…other than we are given common sense for a reason…is that an autism kiddo may look just like every other kid but that doesn’t mean they understand the same things other kids their age might understand…and regardless of a child’s level of understanding you take up any issues you have with a child with that child’s parents not with the child.

I’m a pro at ignoring peoples rude stares when we are out and about, ignoring the rude comments they make under their breath. I’m thankful I didn’t flip out, I didn’t raise my voice, I was much calmer than I thought I’d be if ever thrown in a sticky situation…but DON”T EVER PUT YOUR HANDS ON MY KIDS!! So…Am I crazy??? Would you have just let it go?

Our shenanigans were actually caused by a rude adult…which IMO is worse, at least a child can still be taught

This week I’m hanging out at Yeah Write’s hangout grid…have you stopped by and checked out all the awesomeness??

If You Give A Mom A……

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If you give a mom a ________

  • If you give a mom a crying baby she will hold and comfort it
  • If you give a mom a hungry baby she will feed it
  • If you give a mom a hug she will probably smack you….unless you’re her child, then she’ll smile and give you a giant bear hug back
  • If you give a mom a child with a booboo she will kiss it and make it all better
  • If you give a mom a giant pile of dirty clothes she will launder them
  • If you give a mom dirty dishes she will wash them
  • If you give a mom a simple Thank You you’d be amazed at far it will go
  • If you give a mom a few scraps you’d be amazed at the feast she can whip up
  • If you give a mom a list, at 11p.m.,  that says her child will bring  40 cupcakes for the party at school TOMORROW, she will bake them
  • If you give a mom 2 hours she very well may take a nap
  • If you give a mom a kid free vacation she will spend ¾ of it worrying about and missing their children
  • If you give a mom a skateboard she will hop on, pretend she knows what she’s doing, bust her ass, and do it all again, all to make the kiddos smile
  • If you give a mom a couple of blankets and a chair she’ll make a killer fort and spend the day hiding out in it….with the children of course….
  • If you give a mom bored whiney children you’d be amazed at the games she’ll come up with
  • If you give a mom a bottle of rum, you’ll have one happy momma

I have to admit I’ve never read the If You Give a Mouse a Cookie books, but my kiddos have and I liked the title so much I’m running with my own spin on a list of things that happen If You Give a Mom a _________…..Hope you enjoy

Mom Duties …Making a sick monster SMMIIILLLEEE

read to be read at yeahwrite.me

If you can teach a dog to sit…..

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Yes, I did just compare child raising to puppy training, and yes I know some of you are shaking your heads at me as you read this. I’m not comparing your child, or mine, to a dog, all I’m saying is consistency is key. I get tired of all the excuses people make. Any child can learn and as a parent it’s our job to teach them.

Just my two cents ;P

-Sara 

Celeb Moms

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Celeb Moms Like Me?? Lots probably are….

They get up for 2 am feedings, diaper changes, to clean puke, they cook, they play with their kids, they do all the ‘typical’ MomDuties, they spend time with their cuties, they show them what family and parenting are…..

…Then their are these ladies….

-Kids are exhausting…we all can agree…but I will never forget sitting on my floor, hair going every which way, baby twin boys on my lap….this is when Oprah came on after General Hospital so I’d always catch the first few minutes of her show…anyways I digress… Julia Roberts was on her show that day and she had recently had her twins as well…She was sitting there saying how much of a blessing it is but how exhausting raising twins is…BULLSHIT….I’d be exhausted too if I had nannies, people to clean and cook for me, a guest spot I’m getting paid big-time to do as an escape from my mom duties….To this day I can’t see her on TV without wanting to gag….

-Famous Autism Moms – Yes autism, or any special need can be challenging but they have money for therapy…It would cost me $4,000/a month for ABA therapy for each of my children….that’s $48,000 a year per child  (that insurance doesn’t cover)….That’s chump change to most celebs….

-Then there’s the attention whore mom…not looking in the direction of the Lohans’ or anything….Be happy for your kid, and most of all be a parent to your kid….

-I have to confess I was an Osbourne addict when their show was on, and I’m still loving Sharon on The Talk, but man would it be so much easier to parent if you had nannies to do it….and it’s not just the Osbournes…think Kimora Life In The Fab Lane

 

-Angelina Jolie’s hubby ratted her out saying she won’t cook more than a bowl of cereal….Man those are some understanding kids….or wait…kids with a cook….I couldn’t even make grilled cheese pre-kids but I had to learn….and quick!

-Brittany Spears appears to at least semi have it together these days but….well I’m just going to stop on this one…no point in picking on an easy target….

-Celebs in general…where are their kids? I’ll admit you see a few shots here and there of some celebs spending time with their kids but it appears, at least in what we see, that their kids are rarely anywhere around them….

At the end of the day we are all still moms….we are all still the doing the best we can within our means  (well most moms…) ….I don’t expect these ladies to feel guilty about what they have, I’d do exactly the same thing in their situation, use every advantage I have available to make my children be the best they can be, and hell if I never had to change a diaper I probably wouldn’t complain,  but I wouldn’t go and tell others I’m just like them, I understand their struggles….

Funny thing is the celeb dads you see seem way more interested in their kids than celeb moms….Snoop coaches his kids football, Bruce Jenner does everything around their house….Mamma Jenner only seems interested in her kids that can bring in $$$….but then again we only see what the media says we see so who knows…..

Coaching the kids

You know that old saying ‘You think you know but you have no idea….’

Cate Blanchett, Son, & Nanny

What a nice mom to give the nanny a break from pushing the stroller....

Free Autism Apps

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Go to the App store on iTunes (Sorry non iPhone users, I only know iDevices)

Search – Kindergarten.com on iTunes

Not all the apps are free but for April lots of their ABA Flashcards Apps are free for Autism Awareness Month

You can also visit their website Kindergarten.com if you want more info….

Check it out:::
So many free apps….my monsters have learned lots from these, we downloaded some of them last April, and I’m about to download the new ones / ones we don’t already have :)

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Disclaimer::: Kindergarten.com knows nothing of me or this blog, and I am in no way being compensated for these ramblings… I’m just #SharingTheSavings, from one mom to another :)

It’s A Blogoversary Blog Bash!

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It’s Allison & Ado’s Blog Bash – They’re celebrating their Blogoversaries with a fun link-up….and you know I love a link-up!!

Here’s the deal::: You take one of you fav posts, grab a Blogoversary button, and link it up, then read everyone else’s awesome posts…I can do this, it sounds like a plan!!

First up – The linking up….Not to toot my own horn but I’m pretty amused with a lot of my old posts, as I’m sure most of you are with your own old posts…I think it’s more that flipping through old posts is like a mini rewind that that I think I just write that amazingly well lol….The one I’m sharing today is all about Sanity Savers…we all have them, but I hear so many moms who don’t use them…I don’t know why….but I’m hoping you can laugh with me though these ramblings, share your own sanity savers, and take a second to remember that we all have our own little sanity savers and we should use them!! :)

 

 

A post from last summer, during the last few days of #SummerVacayHell:::

 

 

 

Sanity Savers

Sanity Savers…

We all have them, what are yours?? Some of mine you may laugh at, or think is this woman mad, but enjoy…and comment below your sanity savers…I’d love to hear them all!

  • Chocolate – A good piece of chocolate can, maybe not fix, but mask a lot of frustrations

    Sanity Saving Munchies

  • Music – I’m famous for my one eared parenting. One ear on the kids, one ear with an ear bud blasting something awesome. This one’s great for the car too, when all you can think is, ‘If I have to listen to this Barney DVD one more time I’ll pull my own ears off’.
  • The boys iPods – You’d be amazed at how peaceful my house can become when the iPods have been distributed and everyone’s You-Tubing away. Plus, they have actually learned a ton from their YouTube addiction (for those interested in this sanity saving method check out KidsTv123 on YouTube).
  • My iPod – Escaping into a game, the news, or a social media site can be just the break my brain needs.
  • A Drive – On a day filled with whining and fighting sometimes loading everyone up and saying lets go is just what we need. Whether it’s a trip to Happy Hour at Sonic, or Fries and Pies at Mc’D’s, a $5.00 Hot & Ready at Little Caesars, or just a drive thru the old part of town to see something we have never noticed all these years. Staying home gets boring for us and for them, we never get out of the car just drive slow and soak in the scenery.
  • A quick phone call- Step into your room, even if the kids are screaming in the background, those that love you and know your stresses will tolerate your crazy screaming kids to give you a 5 min sanity check, I promise. Call your spouse just to say ‘Hi’, call your mom, sibling, or grandparent, a friend. You don’t have to whine about your problems, just say Hey. Talk about something/anything that’s kid free…clear your mind…distract yourself.
  • Lose yourself in a project – You’d be amazed at how much more motivating cleaning a bathroom can be if you know that if you’re not cleaning you’re refereeing.
  • The TV – I don’t care what the ‘experts’ say…the ‘experts’ don’t have 3 kids with special needs, hell most probably don’t even have 1 kid. No, TV shouldn’t raise you child, but I belive it’s 100% okay to throw a movie on so you can do dishes, take a shower, play with one of your other kids, or just prop your feet up for a few minutes
  • Fresh Air- I know it’s hot, especially in this part of summer, but send the kids out early in the morning or late at night. Let them run in the back yard, splash in the sprinkler, drink from the hose, fill a kiddie pool…you know all that stuff we did as kids that now they say is bad for them ;)
  • A craft – As much as dread the thought of cleaning up after painting or baking with the kids, once we get started, even though it never goes as I planned, we all have a blast. Cover the table or floor with a big piece of butcher paper, or an old sheet, and let them go wild. Then hose them off in the backyard for easy clean-up, and I’m pretty sure, while it’s still summer, being hosed off counts as a ghetto bath (Lazy Mom Win!!!)

  • My Mom Hide Out

    Hide – Yes, I said it; Yes, I do it. No, I don’t lock myself in a room and ignore my kids. But from time to time, on a particularly stressful day I’ve been known to put a movie on and sneak off into my room (door open) and hide out for a few minutes of quiet to unwind before I get busted by the monsters.

  • Laugh – If I didn’t laugh every time I came around the corner to find a child covered head to toe in pancake syrup, peanut butter, dish soap, butter, the list goes on…, I’d lose my mine. I used to stress about the messes, but they don’t matter. Just laugh at the memory your making, have the monster attempt to help with clean up, and hide whatever helped to cause the disaster.

    I’m Glad He Enjoyed The Cake

  • Mommy Juice – there’s nothing wrong with a little spiked OJ or a pina colada every now and then…just remember, “A man’s gotta know his limitations” [Good advice, not only when it comes to drinking, but to life in general...that Clint Eastwood is one wise old man ;) ]
  • Remember ‘They’re only young once” – Make memories, take pictures, focus on the postitives…and on a crap day pull out the pictures and flashback to all the wonderful memories, then go out and make more. They grow up way to fast. I don’t care how overused that saying is, it couldn’t be more true.
  • Take a break to remember all you have- I posted this the other day, but it’s worth repeating, a quote from an old Yaga tee, ‘Too Blessed To Be Stressed”. Even when we feel we are at our wits end we all have something to be grateful for, even if it’s as simple as the air we breathe.
  • Pray

Van Wilder said it best “Worrying’s like a rocking chair, it gives you something to do, but it won’t get you anywhere”

And a final thought on those days where you feel you want to snap and you can’t get a ‘me time’ break, remember my motto, “No matter how much shit the throws at you, it will keep going…so I will keep going…knee deep in dookie and kicking ass the whole way”

–>A quick disclaimer – All the fast food establishments listed above, as well as You Tube, iPod, and KidsTV123 have no idea I’m even writing about them, and everything here is just my two cents. It may or may not work for your family ;)

 

I have to say favorite Sanity Savers are still - Pray, Laugh, and One Eared Parenting

Now for Part 2 – I’m off to blogstalk check out all the other great posts that have already linked up…It’s not too late for you to join in the Blogoversary Fun!! :)