When people are divided...

I am a HS teacher
I am a HS mom
I hate guns and violence
I am pro 2nd amendment

These things seem to contradict one another when each one should place me on one side or the other of a highly controversial debate.

When people are divided by a fence, I look for a gate.

I'm not going to say any more about this issue. We don't like to get political on this blog. What I want to talk about is COMPROMISE. It's time to start mending fences...

I've heard many outrageous theories and knee-jerk "solutions." I've also heard many thoughtful comments and sane conclusions from both sides - because I'm willing to LISTEN.

As a teacher, I have the privilege of observing every kind of person thrown together in one place. My number one goal is to help teens succeed through school and become better adults: able to deal with real problems when they enter the harsh world of reality.

That should be EVERYONE'S GOAL! The sad truth is, not enough adults are willing to become parents who need to teach children that life isn't always going to go their way and discipline them when they break the rules. Give kids perspective and life lessons and friends from every walk of life -- these things are so much more valuable than useless, dust-collecting trophies.

We need to LET THEM FAIL sometimes and show them how to LEARN FROM IT! They need to be taught how to listen to someone with a different opinion and have a civil discussion rather than fight or resort to violence!

I could go on, but like I said, I don't want to incite a controversial war... My final thoughts: Every problem of this world has to start somewhere and the solution can usually be found in the same place - IN THE HOME.

Thanks for listening. Hope you have a positive week!

Back to School Blues

It’s that time of year again. Social media will be flooded with back to school pictures of kids holding intricate chalkboard signs declaring their grade. Their hair is gelled and bejeweled, their clothes new and some kind of brand name. Moms everywhere load those sparkling kids up in their cars and drive them to school, singing We Are Family.

Probably.

And then there’s me. My kids will eat cereal. Because it’s too early to cook. My daughter and I will fight over her mismatched outfit. One of my children will not be able to find their shoes. The oldest child will need to be woken up at least three times. He will certainly insult me and probably swing blindly at me. Someone will probably spill something. And they will all leave their food out on the table, along with a generous scattering of crumbs on the floor.

There will be lectures. I may or may not forget to take pictures (it totally counts if you take the picture AFTER school. Or the next day. Really, sometime in the first month totally works). There will be strange sounds from upstairs—something that can only be described as a mixture of the intricate mating dance of a male ostrich and the death howls of a pack of hyenas. I decide not to investigate unless there’s smoke or blood.

My oldest child will probably miss the bus, and some way or another, it will be my fault. But they will all get to school. On time. With their teeth brushed, hair combed, and matching shoes on their feet.

Probably.

Amber Argyle graduated cum laude from Utah State University with a degree in English and physical education, a husband and a two-year-old. Since then, she and her husband have added two more children, which they are actively trying to transform from crazy small people into less crazy larger people. Amber is the bestselling author of the Witch Song Series and the Fairy Queen Series. She currently has completed two series and is working on a third. You can receive four of her books for free. Simply tell her where to send them, here's her website.



It was great getting to know Amber better this week! She put several things into perspective and showed us how to figure out what's most important and take care of it. My favorite quote from Amber this week:

"There are three things that are worth our constant efforts: working hard, being happy, and serving others. Everything else is just clutter." - Amber Argyle

Easy as A, B, C

Get into a routine right away!

We get a jillion forms to sign during the first week - Emergency Medical forms, rules and procedure forms, permission slips, PTA forms, volunteering, handbooks, pictures, etc!!

This is great time to get your kids into the habit of emptying their backpack as soon as they get home! Have a special place for them to dump their info for you - then when homework starts, they're in the habit and there it will be - no more, "Oh, I forgot about that!"

Bonus Tip:
I keep a copy of a "generic" Emergency Medical form with all those phone numbers I have to look up... That way, I just fill in the names and dates for each kid!

Happy first day of school!!

(sorry I was late today, had a change of heart for my post)

Going Old School

School lunches are the beginning of the end of nutrition for our kids. Once they start eating at school, we have less control of what they eat. The government tries to help with required side dishes and limiting calories and whatever else they're trying to do, thinking they're helping. But kids will eat what they want to eat. Healthy choices start at home.

These old sayings and quotes are honest to goodness truths...

An apple a day keeps the doctor away.

You are what you eat.

If you can’t pronounce it, don’t eat it.

True healthcare reform starts in your kitchen, not in Washington (source)

Eat to live, not live to eat. - Socrates (source)

Garbage in garbage out. - George Fuechsel (source)

The only way to keep your health is to eat what you don't want, drink what you don't like, and do what you'd rather not. - Mark Twain  (from brainy quotes)

In general, mankind, since the improvement of cookery, eats twice as much as nature requires. - Ben Franklin  (from brainy quotes)

The doctor of the future will no longer treat the human frame with drugs, but rather will cure and prevent disease with nutrition. - Thomas Edison (source)

Today, more than 95% of all chronic disease is caused by food choice, toxic food ingredients, nutritional deficiencies and lack of physical exercise. - Mike Adams (source)

To get our kids to eat better in life, we must do it ourselves at home first with as much natural foods as possible and keep the artificial, processed foods to a minimum. I'm totally guilty of taking advantage of time-saving pre-packaged goodies to pack lunches with. But I try to balance those with more healthy options.

So here are my tips for packing healthy lunches:

• nature has plenty of pre-packaged, serving-size foods, take advantage of them!
• and for the bigger or harder to manage fruits and veg, pre-cut and prepackage them yourself - this is also great for grabbing a quick snack!
• try to keep a ratio of at least 4 out of 5 healthy choices
• the main dish - pbj or pbb(anana) sandwiches on white wheat bread are my boys' staples
• at least one fresh fruit or veg - my bigger boys need more food, so they get two or three
• a healthy side - nuts, granola bars, pretzels, whole grain crackers
• a low-cal drink - they make low-cal juice pouches, and sometimes water is what they choose - everyone should drink more water!
• a sweet - this is my clinker, but as long as you have all the rest and you don't go overboard, everyone deserves a little dessert, and there are healthy choices here too.

Bon appetit!

Ready to get schooled?

It's already that time of year? Nooo! It's still summer!

But I do love school supplies. I savor the smell of fresh paper, erasers, and pencils. Notebooks, scissors, and crayons - oh my! I picture a musical where kids and moms are dancing around the aisles, swirling carts, and waving colorful folders and rulers in synchronized formations...


School Shopping Tips:

• Wait! Before you shop, did you save any supplies from last year? Check your list. My kids never use all their paper and we have become good at recycling some items - especially backpacks. Don't worry, I'll remind you at the end of the year for next time!
• Most of the off/store brand products work just as well as the big name brands, except for dry erase markers, EXPO is still the tops for that.
• If you can't find it in the special school supply section - check the store's regular office supply aisle. Not as many people and you might get lucky.
• And pay attention to TAX FREE SHOPPING days. Many states do this toward the end of summer each year and includes it clothes and shoes. Many were this past weekend, Aug 7-9, but some states aren't done yet. Here's a good list of dates.

Go get your school supplies on!