Pictures of Children Crying… Is it Funny?

A Perspective On the Recent Onslaught of Pictures of Children Crying

There is a lot of Internet buzz right featuring the hilarity of children crying and the silly reasons that they are upset. I would be lying if at first I didn’t find the whole concept quite funny. I mean here was something I could totally relate to. However, the whole idea seemed to bother me on a level I couldn’t quite define. The next morning when my own daughter was in a crying puddle on the floor because she couldn’t wear her summer sandals out in the snow, I wasn’t laughing, and taking her photograph to commemorate the fit was not something I wanted to do.

I realized that the things our children cry about might not be a big deal to us as adults, but when you’re three years old that event is crucial to the moment they are living in. Children live 100 per cent in the moment; it is one of the glorious things about being a child. This is a skill that we seek to rediscover as adults.

This week, in the pursuit of learning from my children, I hope to concentrate more on appreciating each moment. We’ve all heard it before, we only really have this second and it is gone as soon as it arrives. So if I find myself feeling upset about something that’s really quite trivial, I think I’ll take a breath to really feel that emotion instead of rushing through to the next task at hand. Hopefully nobody will be around the corner to take my photograph and post it on their blog.

Ideas to Comfort Your Sick Child.... and Yourself

Whenever my girls are sick they like having their temperature taken...

I don' t know about the rest of the mama's out there but I always find that the winter season  arrives with a fresh batch of colds. Like most most moms, I'd rather be sick than watch my children weather a flu. I always wish it could be taken away with a magic mama wand. Since neither of these options are available here are three of my favorite:

•  Cold Air Humidifier - I can't emphasize this one enough, it helps stimulate breathing and it's safe to use as it doesn't heat up.
• An essential oil bath - I like adding 100% pure essential oils and a generous scoop of Epsom salts. Lavender oil, has a calming effect and a Eucalyptus oil  helps clear sinuses. Epsom salts have many benefits including detoxifying the body and increasing the absorption of magnesium. (Here's why magnesium is important)
• Peppermint tea - My girls love tea parties so this one is easy and enjoyable. Peppermint aids in sinus relief and comforts a sore tummy.

I always take time to put fresh sheets on the bed (because who doesn't love that) and have their comfiest pajamas ready to wear. For a runny nose, I find putting a layer of Vaseline between the nose and the upper lip works to prevent redness. We also use old nursing blankets instead of tissues. The blankets are soft, don't seem to cause as much redness and as an environmental benefit are washable. 

Now don't forget to use these remedies on yourself the next time you're not feeling well.

 

Ideally lots of rest is the best remedy for any illness.

Let me know what home remedies you feel work best for you by leaving a comment below.

Valentines Day: What It Means When You're Seven Years Old

40 cute Valentines Day cards signed by my children and packaged for school. Check! 40 tiny allergen free cupcakes purchased at astronomical cost. Check! Super adorable cards made for me by my darlings at school. Check! 

One of the best parts of parenting are the love notes I receive all year long written in their adorable hand-made fonts. At ages seven and four I get to be their main Valentine this February the 14th. Valentines Day is a reminder that as parents, or cousins or aunts we are the greatest loves of their lives right now. I can't help but embrace these moments with utmost joy and appreciation. Soon enough there will be crushes and jealousies and my heart will be filled with their confusions as much as my own. 

At my house Valentines Day is also our cat, Maggie's birthday. She will be 12 this year and the girls have wrapped cat treats for her and are wondering just how she is going to open them.  It's a welcome departure from the calamity of the commercialization of a holiday that isn't really a holiday. I enjoy that this day is a good excuse to tell others how much you care about them, but really we should be doing this all year round. 

Consider including love notes in your loved ones lunch bags, or cars or jacket pockets.Children do this naturally and beautifully. I have the pleasure of finding them all the time. I would like for everyone to make these discoveries whether you have children or not. 

In the meantime, to make Valentines Day extra interesting this year I am considering rubbing catnip all over Maggie’s gifts to see if she will attempt unwrapping them on her own.

Sibling Rivalry

Abby and Izzy play together very well. They will spend hours making up plays, complete with wardrobe changes, songs and piano interludes. However, there are certainly times when their play will escalate into a disagreement. Recently I decided to allow them time to try and work out their arguments. I discovered that they were able work out their differences quickly and creatively without my stepping in with a solution at the first sign of upset.

Last night I overheard this:

Abby: “I WANT TO BE THE MOM!”

Izzy:  “I WANT TO BE THE MOM!”

Abby: “YOU WERE THE MOM LAST TIME. I’M THE MOM OR I’M NOT PLAYING!”

Izzy: “FINE. Play by yourself.”

Abby: “YOU PLAY BY YOURSELF! I’m getting out of here!”

(stomping, silence for about 30 seconds)

Izzy: “Okay, you can be the Mom. But I’m the Nanny, I don’t want to be a Dad because I want to wear the princess dress and be a girl.”

Abby: “Okay, but you have to let me drive the car.”

I am learning that the key to managing these minor battles is knowing when it’s time to help them find a solution and when it's best to let them solve it on their own. My parental attitude and reaction also plays an important role in how they learn to react to each other. Maybe that’s the point, they’re learning how to problem solve, and I'm learning that I don’t always have to take on that role. Perhaps we should all allow more time to just sit back and enjoy the show.