Television Today

As the world and society change, how much do we change with it?

 

Some questions we can ask ourselves as we make decisions:

• Does this make my faith stronger?
• Does this make my family stronger?
• Does this make me a better person?

I know a mom who was struggling with how she handled a situation with a TV show her daughter wanted to watch. We all know that the material shown on television today is not what it was 5, or even 3 years ago. Her 8th grader (13 years old) wanted to watch a show her friends were talking about. Being the good mother she is, she said she would watch it first to see if it was appropriate. Within the first 15 minutes, the following words were said: ho, bitch, three-some, sex with a corpse, symmetrical boobs, well shaved box.

 

This was a Fox show on during prime time. She was SHOCKED, and of course, told her daughter it was WAY too inappropriate for her. She also put a short message out on Facebook about the show and its contents. The next day her daughter said "Thanks a lot, my friends are all mad at me because they can't watch that show" (8th grade translation: 2 friends said something at lunch and didn't mention it again). She felt bad for her daughter, apologized and was a little upset with the moms for throwing her under the bus.

 

When she asked my thoughts I said I was surprised she felt anything but good about her choice. She did what a good parent should do - watched the show, discussed it with her daughter, and warned other parents about the content of the show.

 

She should have said sorry your friends hurt you today and YOU'RE WELCOME for having a mom who cares. As for the other moms throwing her under the bus, they probably didn't even mention her name. She may have the reputation for being the strict mom, but who cares - you're a mom and that's your job. You did what was right and I'm sure the ultimate judge would be proud.

Blessed to be American

I don’t know if everyone in this day and age truly appreciates how lucky we are to live in the United States of America.

It’s easy to remove yourself from the turmoil that occurs in other places in the world today. We read about the struggles in other countries and see it on the news, but do we truly appreciate that we are in a nation where we can walk down the street without fear of stepping on a landmine or that every child has the opportunity to go to school, regardless of gender or genealogy?

I was raised in a family where we were constantly reminded that we were blessed to be born into a country where we are free - we are able to work hard and are rewarded for our hard work. We can make decisions for ourselves and our families. We can choose which religion to practice without repercussions. We can vote for representatives who will defend these freedoms.

My grandparents came to this country to escape the potato famine in Ireland - my grandmother was 16 and left everyone she knew behind to find a better life. She became a maid in NYC and met her husband who worked on the railroad. He had come from Ireland before her on a separate boat. They had four children - one of which was my father, Jack. He went to school, played basketball, and continued his college education on scholarship. After he met my mother, he worked two jobs to make sure his family was taken care of and eventually ended up doing well in sales. They were the American dream and this dream is still alive as long as we keep it that way.

When Kennedy gave his inaugural address in 1961, he said the famous words: “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.” I feel like we, as a society, are moving away from this train of thought and we need to get back to it. We need to be grateful for the opportunities we are afforded; not take advantage of them or think we’re entitled to them.

Make sure your children know how blessed they are to live in this great nation. Don’t take it for granted. Remind them all the time and make them proud to be Americans. They are the future of this country, and when you’re proud of something, you fight to keep it strong.

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School Sports

It’s amazing how much energy parents put into their kids’ sports these days. Sometimes you need to take a step back and put things into perspective.  I know every parent wants their kids to do the best they can, but sometimes you’re hurting their character by pushing too hard.

Some children don’t make it onto the “A” team, so the parents will blame and speak negatively about other kids, the school, the coaches; sometimes even pulling their child out of the sport altogether in an attempt to prove a point.

What are you teaching your child?

1.       Your own wants outweigh or are more important than that of another child

2.       It’s okay to be mean to others when you don’t get what you want

3.       You don’t have to work hard to prove them wrong, quitting will suffice

4.       It’s better to be a good athlete than a good person

God has given each child a different gift - not all of them are meant to be pro athletes...especially not in middle school. Even Michael Jordan didn’t make the varsity team the first time he tried out, but his parents told him not to give up, so he worked harder to hone his skills.
 

Here’s what I tell the kids on the playground, “good athletes don’t speak, they just are.”

You need to encourage your children to be confident in whatever position or team they’re on, be a team player, cheer on their peers, and most of all, work hard. These are the things that build character and they can use in whatever career path they end up going down.

North Texas Giving Day

In honor of North Texas Giving Day, some words of wisdom from Mother Teresa:

Set a good example for your children by doing - show them how they can make a difference in the community and the lives of others. If you don’t have money, give your time, a helping hand, a word of encouragement, even a smile can make a difference.

If you do have a little something extra in your wallet, tomorrow September 17th is North Texas Giving Day. From 6am to Midnight, donations of $25 or more can be made to over 2,100 certified nonprofits listed on on the North Texas Giving Day website, and all donations will be matched (by a percentage).

And if you have some free time, you can go to NorthPark Center from 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. to meet some of the featured charities. This is a great time to learn about volunteer opportunities in your community!

#NTXGivingDay

New School Year, New Stress

It’s the beginning of a new school year, which can bring on a lot of stress. For parents, you’re trying to get into a new routine, buy school supplies, juggle schedules, etc. But it’s important to remember that this time is stressful for everyone – kids too (although they may not call it that). They’re also adjusting to a new routine, as well as new rules, new teachers, and new peers. As a parent, it’s important that you don’t let your own stress overwhelm you because it will only add to the nerves that your child may already feel. They’re looking at you to set the pace, and your attitude is usually reflected in your child’s.

Here are some tips that helped me:

• Start a routine and be consistent – it helps to have some time with the TV off and no phone or social media distractions 
• Get as much done in the evenings as possible so you don’t start off each day in a frenzy - the morning sets the tone for the day so keep your cool 
• Set expectations – have a discussion with your kids so everyone is on the same page 

As the playground lady, I do carpool every morning. Carpool begins at 7:30am, and I had to get 6 kids up and ready for school. One of the decisions I made as a mother was not to yell at my kids every morning. I did as much as possible in the evenings, woke up with enough time to do our morning routine, and had the conversation with my children so they knew the expectations. Then I spoke to the principal and told her I’ll do carpool and be there every morning, but I’m not going to get a divorce over it. Somedays I was 10 minutes late, and it was okay…14 years later, I’m still doing carpool.