Parenting | Mommy Points

June 28, 2009

A Summer Pastime

Filed under: Ages 10-12 years, Children, Chores, Instilling Values, Kindness Of Spirit, parenting — Chris @ 1:10 am

What kids haven’t dreamed of setting up a lemonade stand on a hot summer day?

My children and some of their friends set one up this weekend.

They built the stand themselves with scrap wood and nails. My word, the number of nails they used. Let’s just say we should huddle under this should a tornado come through.

After sitting out there the entire afternoon they closed up shop. They had made $28. Divided by 7 children who were working the stand, they each left with $4. It probably works out to be less than 50 cents per hour for all of the time that they invested. They could not have been happier.

I love seeing their entrepenurial spirit. Remember last week they made flyers for a lawn service? One of our neighbors called them and they weedwhacked and used the leaf blower on his lawn. I’m not sure how many people are interested in hiring a trio of boys under 11, but even one customer thrills them to no end. They worked so hard on that lawn, so invested in their work, that the owner gave them a rather hefty tip. They accepted their money graciously and the moment they stepped off his front lawn and onto thesidewalk they began screaming, “WooooooHooooo Look at our money, Mom!”

I was reminded of the post I wrote a couple weeks ago about teenagers not getting traditional jobs this summers, instead carving out jjobs for themselves. Maybe this is where that entrepenurial spirit starts– lemonade stands and lawn mowing.

I wonder if Steve Jobs ever had a lemonade stand?

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June 26, 2009

How Much Milk Does Your Family Drink in a Week?

Filed under: Children, cooking, parenting — Chris @ 6:01 pm

That is one of the most oft asked questions I get when people find out that I have a larger than normal family. The next most popular questions are about the amount of bread and whether we have a television. Ahem.

The actual answer to the question is that we drink none. I am allergic to milk and so when I cook I use substitutes. From when my children were young I have given them soymilk. They have come to prefer it over regular milk when they are given the choice. Soymilk is fortified with calcium, but it still amazes me the number of people who are shocked by it.

Milk has somehow become synonymous with calcium. There are many other things that are chock-full of calcium. Collards and other greens have as much or more calcium cup for cup as milk. They also have way, WAY less calories and fat than milk. Of course chocolate collard greens are not nearly as tasty as chocolate milk.

Yogurts and cheeses are also easier for most people to digest than straight milk.

Maybe people should start asking me how many packages of string cheese we go through in a week. That would surely shock and impress them.

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June 20, 2009

Don’t Swallow Your Gum!

Filed under: Children, On The Web, parenting — Chris @ 11:39 am

That is the title of a new book that is out covering health myths that most of us have grown up hearing.

Things like gum takes 7 years to digest! Going outside with wet hair in the winter will make you sick!

Taking a cue from this book, the New York Times recently ran an article presenting 11 Health Myths That May Surprise You.

Who among us has not told our children not to swallow their gum. I am not certain that it takes 7 years to digest (that seems a little crazy), but it certainly can not be good for your system, right? But mostly it is one of those things you say as a parent simply because your own parents said it to you. Along with other gems such as “Your face is going to stick like that!” “Carrots help you see at night!” or “Cracking your knuckles will give you arthritis.”

Those little myths and sayings are part of our collective parenting conciousness. I know that there are more that just don’t come to mind right now.

For the record: Going out with wet hair will NOT make you sick. Your face will NOT stick like that, even if someone does hit you on the back. Carrots, while good for you, do nothing to improve your night vision. And arthritis is NOT caused by cracking your knuckles.

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Father’s Day

Filed under: Children, parenting — Chris @ 1:11 am

President Obama’s message for Father’s Day was for men to step up an be involved in their children’s lives. He spoke of the pain he felt in being abandoned by his own father as a toddler. I especially love how he said being a father is not an obligation, it is a privilege.

Read what he had to say in Parade Magazine.

I think that no matter what our political affiliation, we can all agree that fatherhood is an important job. One that is well worth celebrating.

Happy Father’s Day.

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June 18, 2009

A Little Worse Than Lost Luggage

Filed under: Children, On The Web, parenting — Chris @ 1:52 pm

How would you feel if you put your child on an airplane to go see their grandparents and discovered that the airline had messed up and sent the child to the wrong city?

That is just what happened to one family. Jonathan Kamas put his 10 year old daughter on an airplane in Boston to go visit with her grandparents in Ohio. When the child failed to show up at her destination, the grandparents called Mr. Kamas wondering where she was. And the airline had no idea. For almost an hour Mr Kamas did not know the whereabouts of his daughter, until HE figured out that maybe she had been put on the wrong plane because the gates were right next to each other. His daughter was in Newark, NJ.

And proving that this is not an isolated event, the very next day an 8 yr old was put on the wrong flight.

How do these things happen? You would think that airline workers wouldbe hypervigilant in the case of unaccompanied minors. Parents must pay extra fees for this service and trust that a system is in place that works.

My 10 yr old son was supposed to go visit a friend of his out of state this summer, but I think this latest news put the proverbial nail in the coffin on that trip. I just don’t feel comfortable sending him unescorted any longer.

What about you? Have you sent your child on an airplane alone? Is there a minimum age that you would consider allowing your child to fly unescorted? Or are you like me, a fence sitter who was just pushed over to one side by this latest news?

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June 10, 2009

Budding Entrepeneurs

Filed under: Children, Chores, parenting — Chris @ 9:01 am

My 8 and 10 yr old sons, along with our 11 yr old neighbor have decided that they are going to open their own business. What exactly will this business be, you may ask. They will “do stuff” for people. Yes, that is the official description of their business. They are so earnest about it. Making flyers to hand out around the neighborhood, discussing their business strategy, planning things to spend their earnings on. Especially the last one. Oh they have plans, big plans.

We used to have a lawn service come and do our yard. It was very affordable and efficient. And best of all, I didn’t have to do it. But, hello bad economy, I was forced to cut it from the budget. But the boys? They are very affordable and made me an offer that I simply could not resist. Okay, maybe a lot of it had to do with their begging, pleading, and adorable puppy dog eyes.

So, earlier this week I hired the trio to mow my lawn. Front, back, and around the edges with the weed whacker. They were positively giddy with excitement and set off with a level of enthusiasm that would have made it worth the money even if the job they did wasn’t perfect.

They surprised me. First they discussed who would do what and formulated a game plan.

You pick up all of the toys in the yard and put them in the garage. You get a garbage bag and pick up all the papers and trash. (Not sure why my children think it is acceptable to throw their popsicle wrappers and sticks in the yard, but they do.) Then you mow the front lawn. He will mow the back lawn. You weed whack while all of the mowing is going on.

Then they followed through on their plan. My lawn looked good when all was said and done, or at least it looked better than it did in its previously over grown state. And I do not think I have ever seen anyone as happy to have earned $3 as they were ($3 each, by the way)

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June 8, 2009

Water Safety

Filed under: Children, parenting — Chris @ 9:03 am

Now that summer is here many of us spend a lot of time around water, whether it is pools, beaches, or lakes. How do you keep your children safe?

In my family I have noticed that the children I am the most fearful for are the ones who think that they can swim better than they actually can. The ones whose confidence exceeds their ability.

Drowning is the second leading cause of accidental death in people ages 5-24. I am hypervigilant when we go to the pool. I am continuously shocked by the number of parents who are not watching their children. It just takes a second for one of them to slip out of view in a crowded pool.

So how do you help your children be safe in the pool?

1) Constant supervision. Even for older kids.

2) Swim lessons, though they do not replace supervision.

3) Teaching all of your children to float on their backs at an early age. I make my 4 and 6 yr olds practice this everyday. I say, “Starfish” and that is their signal to roll onto their backs and float until I tell them to stop. I want to impress upon them that should they fall into water unexpectedly, or get tired swimming, they can float on their backs.

4) Make no roughousing a rule. This includes both in the pool and around the perimeter.

5) Remember that floatation devices such as inner tubes and water wings are aids. The goal should be to get your chidlren swimming efficiently without them.

6) Force your children to take breaks when they look like they are getting tired. Call them out of the pool for a little snack or drink if they don’t want to admit that they are tired.

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June 5, 2009

Summer Jobs and Teens

Filed under: Teen years, Work Ethic, parenting — Chris @ 10:52 am

I remember when I was a teenager every summer my friends and I would be scrambling to find summer jobs. I worked at the local mall in clothing stores, I worked in a furniture store, I babysat, I cleaned boats at the marina. My friends had similar experiences. I remember that the most coveted job was being a lifeguard at the beach. This was back in the days of worshipping the suntan, remember. All in all, summer jobs were not that difficult to find.

With the economy taking a nose dive jobs that were typically reserved for teenagers are now being taken by adults who are out of work. Businesses that typically have hired teenagers are closing down or not hiring extra help.

According to an article at MSNBC:

The Bureau of Labor Statistics’ most recent data shows a continued decline in the number of teens participating in the job market. In April, 38.1 percent of teens ages 16 to 19 were in the labor force, down from 41 percent in the same month last year… the numbers don’t tell the whole story. Some are bypassing paying jobs to volunteer. Others are starting their own businesses. And still others are creating their own work arrangements, such as babysitting for family members…

In other words, teens are doing more than your typical minimum wage job at the mall. Many teens have found their entrepreneurial spirit, realizing that for the same amount of effort they could make their own hours and more money, often doing something that they enjoy more.

If my neighborhood could be taken as a small sample, I have recently had fliers left on my door for yard services, pet sitting, baby sitting, house cleaning, and pool cleaning. Most of which were left by enterprising teenagers. Who says teens nowadays are lazy?

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May 30, 2009

Sum-sum-summertime

Filed under: Children, Just For Fun, parenting — Chris @ 7:17 pm

I know that technically it is not summer yet. And some of you who are living in cooler climates are probably cursing my sunshine and warm temperatures. Trust me, I understand. I would be cursing me too.

However, is there anything that screams, “It is summer!” more than running through a sprinkler in the front yard?

I’m not sure that there is. And for the record, I ran through it a few times myself. I, however, did so in my clothing so as not to scare the entire neighborhood.

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May 28, 2009

At What Age Would You Let Your Child…?

Filed under: Children, On The Web, parenting — Chris @ 12:15 pm

The NY Times recently had an article exploring what the appropriate age is to leave children home alone. Anyone who is a parent has faced this dilemma and I can honestly say that it is the number one thing I have conversations about with other parents of tweens. Hushed conversations, because this topic is so divisive. One friend wouldn’t leave her child home alone until he was 14, while yet another friend allows her 8 yr old to arrive home to an empty house every afternoon for a couple hours until she gets home from work. Both feel as though the other is judging their decision.

As for me I sort of shrug. Both seem slightly extreme to me, but who am I to judge each individual circumstance?

I spent every afternoon home alone when I was a child from the time I was in third grade. And by the time I was in seventh grade I spent my summers and school breaks home alone. I lived on the beach and was allowed to go there everyday. Something I am certain I would not feel comfortable allowing my 13 yr old to do.

As far as my children staying home alone, or babysitting siblings, I have broken them in slowly. Leaving them for short periods of time and gradually increasing the time. I have also discovered that personalities play a huge role rather than strictly age. My oldest son rules the house in absence with an iron fist. He is the rule enforcer. There will be no fun under his watch. I am exaggerating of course, but when I return home after leaving him in charge the house is tidy, everyone is quietly doing something like watching tv, and any snacks or food that were eaten were explicitly served by him.

My next oldest son, who is just one year younger, is all about having fun. He is the one who will think nothing of baking brownies or cupcakes with his siblings to entertain them. And leave every single baking utensil I own laying out in the kitchen. There will have been elaborate games played and toys will be everywhere.

Both of them are great with their siblings, but they do so very differently. And both of their styles are okay. I was slightly more worried about my younger son but then one day we had a kitchen fire while I was home and cooking and he was the one who ran for the fire extinguisher and put the fire out.

I have to wonder if the economy has caused parents to leave their children, who are right on the cusp of their comfort zone, home alone because they can not afford a babysitter or summer camp.

On the NYT parenting blog, Motherlode, Lisa Belkin asks, “At what age would you let your child…?”

She then poses a list of questions to ponder.

Among them,

stay in the car while you run an errand?

go on a date?

see a PG-13 movie?

babysit for the neighbor’s children?

How do you feel about this? Do you have any hardfast rules about what ages your children need to be before they can do certain things or have certain privileges? Did you have any hardfast rules that you reconsidered? And if so, why did you reconsider?

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