I try to buy healthy foods, I really do. *Sigh.*
The other day I was trying to make Duckyboy eat something with peanut butter on it, and he informed me, "Mommy, I only eat Jif now."
Jif has sugar and hydrogenated oil in it; however, it's the only brand that makes little packets I can put in for dipping in his school snack. The Skippy Natural I buy for at home doesn't have those things, it;'s just peanuts and salt. But, apparently, the Jif has a better mouthfeel. His father confirmed it. I can't tell the difference AT ALL.
*Sigh.* At least I have an excuse now to make peanut butter cookies with all my Skippy!
Monday, March 31, 2008
Saturday, March 22, 2008
Fevers and Easter Eggs
I miss my blog! Lots going on, and now DuckyBoy is sick. Not with scarlet fever I don't think, like finslippy's son, but sick enough that he could only take a few sips of water today, and that couldn't be too cold or it came right back up. His fever was over 103.5 this morning, but slowly came down all afternoon. I just hope it doesn't spike again in the middle of the night tonight!
This afternoon he finally was able to drink some rice milk and eat 6, yes, literally just 6, French fries. So much for the big family weekend! We were supposed to go to Grandma's today but no chance. They'll probably come in to see us tomorrow anyway.
DuckyBoy's not sure he wants to hunt for Easter eggs tomorrow, so I told him the EB would know he's sick and probably leave him just a few eggs, and come back next week. Poor guy.
On a related note, I'm less than impressed with 2 of the egg-coloring products out there and they're both the same company: Dudley's. We tried the "Speckled eggs" kit and while the gel pouches and little sponge brushes were OK, last year anyway (Note to self: Quit trying to save leftover egg-coloring products for the next year...), the little stickers were impossible to get off the backing. They were clear so we could hardly see them, tiny, and just plain not useable.
Also tried the stencil/stamp kit. Also leftover from last year, but since you have to activate the paint pads with water anyway I don't think that was the problem. Too wet or too dry, that was the problem. At least I now have cute bunny stamps to use with regular stamp pads, plus 2 tiny paintbrushes (since I had 2 kits), but it didn't do anything for our eggs.
Luckily I had the old standby, plain old food coloring, in the house. DB may not have been feeling so good yesterday, come to think of it, but at any rate he didn't seem to really mind. Handled the disappointment of the kits pretty well and happily chose the colors for the solid eggs.
Happy Easter!
This afternoon he finally was able to drink some rice milk and eat 6, yes, literally just 6, French fries. So much for the big family weekend! We were supposed to go to Grandma's today but no chance. They'll probably come in to see us tomorrow anyway.
DuckyBoy's not sure he wants to hunt for Easter eggs tomorrow, so I told him the EB would know he's sick and probably leave him just a few eggs, and come back next week. Poor guy.
On a related note, I'm less than impressed with 2 of the egg-coloring products out there and they're both the same company: Dudley's. We tried the "Speckled eggs" kit and while the gel pouches and little sponge brushes were OK, last year anyway (Note to self: Quit trying to save leftover egg-coloring products for the next year...), the little stickers were impossible to get off the backing. They were clear so we could hardly see them, tiny, and just plain not useable.
Also tried the stencil/stamp kit. Also leftover from last year, but since you have to activate the paint pads with water anyway I don't think that was the problem. Too wet or too dry, that was the problem. At least I now have cute bunny stamps to use with regular stamp pads, plus 2 tiny paintbrushes (since I had 2 kits), but it didn't do anything for our eggs.
Luckily I had the old standby, plain old food coloring, in the house. DB may not have been feeling so good yesterday, come to think of it, but at any rate he didn't seem to really mind. Handled the disappointment of the kits pretty well and happily chose the colors for the solid eggs.
Happy Easter!
Monday, March 10, 2008
"I Don't Like Angry Mommy!"
Well, I don't much like her either. Sometimes she gets a say, especially at bedtime when it's already late and you're already on borrowed time and I just want 30 seconds in the bathroom and now you're futzing with the sheet that's p.e.r.f.e.c.t.l.y f.i.n.e. and she can't Take It Any More!
But a comment like that sure brings a gal up short. After all, the guy was home sick today and now has the "I Didn't Do Anything All Day And Now I'm Grouchy and Tired But Not Tired" blues.
*Sigh.*
I will give myself credit from doing some more "thinking out loud" today when I did something DuckyBoy wanted me to, as in, "I'm doing this because ... [whatever my reason was]," so he didn't assume I did it just because he said so.
But a comment like that sure brings a gal up short. After all, the guy was home sick today and now has the "I Didn't Do Anything All Day And Now I'm Grouchy and Tired But Not Tired" blues.
*Sigh.*
I will give myself credit from doing some more "thinking out loud" today when I did something DuckyBoy wanted me to, as in, "I'm doing this because ... [whatever my reason was]," so he didn't assume I did it just because he said so.
The Ugly Duckling
From just before age 3 till at least or almost 4, DuckyBoy's favorite movie was The Ugly Duckling, given to us by DuckyBoy's pre-preschool ABA teacher (who wasn't really very ABA but that's another story). He used to watch it every day we'd let him, and more than once if we'd let him.
It wasn't long before I got the metaphor loud and clear -- my son IS the Ugly Duckling, and it very well may not be until he grows up until he finds his place.
He hasn't watched it in many months -- but is home sick today and asked to put it on. It doesn't hold his attention so much any more, which is a wonder that it ever did since there are few wheeled items and, horror of horror, musical numbers with very little action. But still, it's playing in the background while he plays a computer game. (And, just now, making up a little song that rhymes, mind you, about how much he loves the game.)
And so, the day after we reviewed his kindergarten progress report en famille, I am thinking again about how he does not quite fit in with the school regimen. Husband and I were surprised that he received "at grade level" marks in computer and science.
Did I mention he's playing computer games On.His.Own.Laptop? How is he not above grade level in this subject?
And the kid knows more than I do about electromagnetics and everything else there's a Magic School Bus book about. How is he not above grade level in science?
I'll have to wait until conference on Thursday to ask. It could be that waaaaay more is expected of kindergartners these days than I think. But it also may have something to do with the curriculum being presented, the way in which they are asked to learn about it, or the way in which they are asked to repeat the knowledge they've gained. But this much is true: Something doesn't fit.
I feel at risk for being One Of Thoooose Parents ... you know, the ones who demand My Little Genius be given full credit for all the intelligence We Know He Has!
But the way I see it, he's in a program that's supposed to be teaching him in such a way to use his strengths and develop his weaknesses. I hear about the development of weaknesses and see improvements in those areas. So I'd like to ask why it doesn't look like his strengths are being maximized.
Whatever the shortfall is, maybe those are areas we all can work on:
* If the subject matter is too basic, maybe I can help by explaining to him how, say, 3D shapes are important to know for, say, planning the trajectory of a Mars rover.
* If the way the material is presented bores him, maybe he needs a fidget or a reward for sitting through it.
* If the way they're asked to repeat what they've learned is the sticking point, maybe there is a need to experiment with other modes of "testing" --as far as I know there aren't tests per se in kindergarten but maybe there are alternatives to whatever they're being asked to do. (If it's color and write words, for example, those are his toughest areas. Maybe he could bring it home, or fill in blanks, or choose from multiple choice.)
The only other area where he was below grade level was for "Writes daily." No surprise there. He comes up with great stories; he just hates writing them down. I know the actual process of forming letters and spelling words is a chore for DuckyBoy; don't know how to solve that one but maybe I can put my head together with the teachers. At least I can suggest that maybe this is something that needs to be addressed on his IEP, instead of something that needs to be endured by him (and by them-- they set a timer and, I imagine, have to babysit him during that whole time).
I'm confident my ugly duckling is going to be fine as an adult. I just don't want him to feel bad about himself in the meantime for things that are differences, not faults. I don't want him to lose those strengths, like storytelling, imagination, and curiosity -- due to sheer disinterest in the way he has to do those things at school.
It wasn't long before I got the metaphor loud and clear -- my son IS the Ugly Duckling, and it very well may not be until he grows up until he finds his place.
He hasn't watched it in many months -- but is home sick today and asked to put it on. It doesn't hold his attention so much any more, which is a wonder that it ever did since there are few wheeled items and, horror of horror, musical numbers with very little action. But still, it's playing in the background while he plays a computer game. (And, just now, making up a little song that rhymes, mind you, about how much he loves the game.)
And so, the day after we reviewed his kindergarten progress report en famille, I am thinking again about how he does not quite fit in with the school regimen. Husband and I were surprised that he received "at grade level" marks in computer and science.
Did I mention he's playing computer games On.His.Own.Laptop? How is he not above grade level in this subject?
And the kid knows more than I do about electromagnetics and everything else there's a Magic School Bus book about. How is he not above grade level in science?
I'll have to wait until conference on Thursday to ask. It could be that waaaaay more is expected of kindergartners these days than I think. But it also may have something to do with the curriculum being presented, the way in which they are asked to learn about it, or the way in which they are asked to repeat the knowledge they've gained. But this much is true: Something doesn't fit.
I feel at risk for being One Of Thoooose Parents ... you know, the ones who demand My Little Genius be given full credit for all the intelligence We Know He Has!
But the way I see it, he's in a program that's supposed to be teaching him in such a way to use his strengths and develop his weaknesses. I hear about the development of weaknesses and see improvements in those areas. So I'd like to ask why it doesn't look like his strengths are being maximized.
Whatever the shortfall is, maybe those are areas we all can work on:
* If the subject matter is too basic, maybe I can help by explaining to him how, say, 3D shapes are important to know for, say, planning the trajectory of a Mars rover.
* If the way the material is presented bores him, maybe he needs a fidget or a reward for sitting through it.
* If the way they're asked to repeat what they've learned is the sticking point, maybe there is a need to experiment with other modes of "testing" --as far as I know there aren't tests per se in kindergarten but maybe there are alternatives to whatever they're being asked to do. (If it's color and write words, for example, those are his toughest areas. Maybe he could bring it home, or fill in blanks, or choose from multiple choice.)
The only other area where he was below grade level was for "Writes daily." No surprise there. He comes up with great stories; he just hates writing them down. I know the actual process of forming letters and spelling words is a chore for DuckyBoy; don't know how to solve that one but maybe I can put my head together with the teachers. At least I can suggest that maybe this is something that needs to be addressed on his IEP, instead of something that needs to be endured by him (and by them-- they set a timer and, I imagine, have to babysit him during that whole time).
I'm confident my ugly duckling is going to be fine as an adult. I just don't want him to feel bad about himself in the meantime for things that are differences, not faults. I don't want him to lose those strengths, like storytelling, imagination, and curiosity -- due to sheer disinterest in the way he has to do those things at school.
Friday, March 7, 2008
Life Is Like a Bad Committee
Husband just reminded me that in the midst of the lost day I will call Last Sunday, I opined that dealing with DuckyBoy is like being on a committee I can't get off of and can't say no to.
Ever been on one of those? It sounds so interesting upfront -- oh, this committee is in charge of This-and-That, and we meet Just-So-Often, and we have Plenty of Members.
Then, you go to your first meeting and it's just you and the Tired Old Chairwoman who's managed to drag herself there and muster enough enthusiasm to offload everything onto you. Crap! you think, This isn't what I signed up for.
But how do you get out of it? You still believe in the larger organization, you still think the committee has potential. You want it to work. OK, you hear yourself say, I'll work on this part, but then that turns into another part which requires research and phone calls and writing and haranguing other people and ugh.
But by then you're in so deep you just don't know how to get out. So you muddle along doing the best you can.
At least with committees there is usually a time limit, and in a year or two someone is going to come ask you if you want to still be on it, or you can go find the Nominating Committee and tell them, Gee, I feel so bad, but just have to cycle off for now.
But you don't get that with parenting.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
I ended this post here, then thought better of it. I don't want it to sound like I don't want to be DuckyBoy's mom. The problem stems from, to continue the metaphor, him being the reason for the committee (i.e., what I'm working for) and also the head of it --as in, I uh am beginning to realize perhaps I give him too much say in the matters of his life. Which affects the matters of mine.
So I have bad parenting habits that are hard to break -- going along with the flow, just as I'd do if I joined a Committee-Already-in-Progress, and what I'd call Just Doing Whatever in order to get to the next thing that seems more important. Trouble is, I've set a precedent for Not Having an Opinion, which amounts to Not Being in Charge. I didn't see that coming.
Come to think of it, that about sums up my career as well. Since I always knew I was Making a Conscious Decision to go along, I never knew why no one thought I had anything important to say when I did, on occasion, see something worth talking about.
So what's the alternative -- about work (since it's less painful and I can always circle back to parenting...)? To always give my opinion? To make a choice that's different from the other(s) at more-than-occasional times? Do I have to? Because honestly, much of the time I am in agreement with the main decision. So how do I come across as giving buy-in, not just being a yes-woman? Should I ask questions? State my reasons why I agree? Ah, now that one makes sense.
And that fits with the "thinking out loud" theory of helping ASD kids -- you talk through why you're doing something. (See, I said I would circle back.) I'll try to do that more.
While I also just plain try not to go along with DuckyBoy so much. He's ready for the challenge. And, I think, so am I.
Ever been on one of those? It sounds so interesting upfront -- oh, this committee is in charge of This-and-That, and we meet Just-So-Often, and we have Plenty of Members.
Then, you go to your first meeting and it's just you and the Tired Old Chairwoman who's managed to drag herself there and muster enough enthusiasm to offload everything onto you. Crap! you think, This isn't what I signed up for.
But how do you get out of it? You still believe in the larger organization, you still think the committee has potential. You want it to work. OK, you hear yourself say, I'll work on this part, but then that turns into another part which requires research and phone calls and writing and haranguing other people and ugh.
But by then you're in so deep you just don't know how to get out. So you muddle along doing the best you can.
At least with committees there is usually a time limit, and in a year or two someone is going to come ask you if you want to still be on it, or you can go find the Nominating Committee and tell them, Gee, I feel so bad, but just have to cycle off for now.
But you don't get that with parenting.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
I ended this post here, then thought better of it. I don't want it to sound like I don't want to be DuckyBoy's mom. The problem stems from, to continue the metaphor, him being the reason for the committee (i.e., what I'm working for) and also the head of it --as in, I uh am beginning to realize perhaps I give him too much say in the matters of his life. Which affects the matters of mine.
So I have bad parenting habits that are hard to break -- going along with the flow, just as I'd do if I joined a Committee-Already-in-Progress, and what I'd call Just Doing Whatever in order to get to the next thing that seems more important. Trouble is, I've set a precedent for Not Having an Opinion, which amounts to Not Being in Charge. I didn't see that coming.
Come to think of it, that about sums up my career as well. Since I always knew I was Making a Conscious Decision to go along, I never knew why no one thought I had anything important to say when I did, on occasion, see something worth talking about.
So what's the alternative -- about work (since it's less painful and I can always circle back to parenting...)? To always give my opinion? To make a choice that's different from the other(s) at more-than-occasional times? Do I have to? Because honestly, much of the time I am in agreement with the main decision. So how do I come across as giving buy-in, not just being a yes-woman? Should I ask questions? State my reasons why I agree? Ah, now that one makes sense.
And that fits with the "thinking out loud" theory of helping ASD kids -- you talk through why you're doing something. (See, I said I would circle back.) I'll try to do that more.
While I also just plain try not to go along with DuckyBoy so much. He's ready for the challenge. And, I think, so am I.
DuckyBoy and the Jar of Bottle Caps
DuckyBoy was very excited when I picked him up from school yesterday -- "My teacher has something to show you!" he said.
And sure enough, she did -- a large plastic soup container (like from a deli) with a few bottle caps (like from bottles of water and soda) in the bottom.
Each time DuckyBoy does a good thing, he gets a bottle cap -- teachers and classmates can put in a cap. And when the container is full, he gets to be Citizen of the Month!
He's waay excited. I'm impressed and delighted that they chose to start it the day before the next winner of the award gets announced (today); this way he has a tangible reminder that it can become real for him, too. I wonder if the winner today will be another of his friends -- that was really difficult for him a couple of months ago.
And what a stinker he is -- yesterday was the first day, and he got like 10 caps! When the behavior that needs to be changed is pointed out to him, and he knows and wants the reward, he KNOWS how to do the right thing.
The same with sleeping in his own bed -- he can stay out of my room for as many nights as it takes to earn whatever reward -- it used to be a trip on the AirTrain when his preschool was right there in Jamaica. But as soon as he got the reward, he'd revert to his old ways. Stretching it out too long didn't work -- he'd just forget, or give up. I hope that doesn't happen here. I bet it won't -- I think they've got a good plan.
And his teacher also said to him, when the jar fills up and he gets the award, they can work toward something else.
He wants one at home, too, "but not with bottle caps," he said. I was thinking maybe pennies. And I can think of a lot of things he can earn them for, too. But, now, what to work toward, hmm!
And sure enough, she did -- a large plastic soup container (like from a deli) with a few bottle caps (like from bottles of water and soda) in the bottom.
Each time DuckyBoy does a good thing, he gets a bottle cap -- teachers and classmates can put in a cap. And when the container is full, he gets to be Citizen of the Month!
He's waay excited. I'm impressed and delighted that they chose to start it the day before the next winner of the award gets announced (today); this way he has a tangible reminder that it can become real for him, too. I wonder if the winner today will be another of his friends -- that was really difficult for him a couple of months ago.
And what a stinker he is -- yesterday was the first day, and he got like 10 caps! When the behavior that needs to be changed is pointed out to him, and he knows and wants the reward, he KNOWS how to do the right thing.
The same with sleeping in his own bed -- he can stay out of my room for as many nights as it takes to earn whatever reward -- it used to be a trip on the AirTrain when his preschool was right there in Jamaica. But as soon as he got the reward, he'd revert to his old ways. Stretching it out too long didn't work -- he'd just forget, or give up. I hope that doesn't happen here. I bet it won't -- I think they've got a good plan.
And his teacher also said to him, when the jar fills up and he gets the award, they can work toward something else.
He wants one at home, too, "but not with bottle caps," he said. I was thinking maybe pennies. And I can think of a lot of things he can earn them for, too. But, now, what to work toward, hmm!
Spending to Save the Earth
Here's an interesting idea: The website Big Green Purse, an outgrowth of a book by the same name, is asking women to pledging to spend $1,000 this year on products that help, or at least cause less or no harm to, the earth.
It makes me think: how many of my choices aren't eco-friendly? I like to think of myself as an earth lover. Back in the day when I had time to do this kind of thing I made phone calls for NYPIRG drumming up support for Earth Day. I save more stuff than I have room for because I know it can be reused (probably as a children's craft) someday.
But do I pay attention to the cosmetics, the cleansers, the clothes I buy? Not really. I buy what works, what the cleaning lady tells me to, what fits and feels nice. I buy what's convenient. Coffee? Furniture? Toys? There's a whole new world of eco-friendly I haven't even thought about.
So, I'm taking the challenge. I know I tend to get obsessive about things, so I can't make myself nuts overthinking everything I buy -- I'm already reading so many labels for dairy ingredients that thinking too much about eco-friendly processes, ingredients and so on could cause a total shutdown of the buying process, leaving us with nothing to eat except a few nuts and grains, haha! -- but I can try to be mindful of a few dollars each week and what I buy with them. $1000 a year, that's just under $20 a week.
That's more than I'm doing now -- or, at least, I'll find out if it is.
It makes me think: how many of my choices aren't eco-friendly? I like to think of myself as an earth lover. Back in the day when I had time to do this kind of thing I made phone calls for NYPIRG drumming up support for Earth Day. I save more stuff than I have room for because I know it can be reused (probably as a children's craft) someday.
But do I pay attention to the cosmetics, the cleansers, the clothes I buy? Not really. I buy what works, what the cleaning lady tells me to, what fits and feels nice. I buy what's convenient. Coffee? Furniture? Toys? There's a whole new world of eco-friendly I haven't even thought about.
So, I'm taking the challenge. I know I tend to get obsessive about things, so I can't make myself nuts overthinking everything I buy -- I'm already reading so many labels for dairy ingredients that thinking too much about eco-friendly processes, ingredients and so on could cause a total shutdown of the buying process, leaving us with nothing to eat except a few nuts and grains, haha! -- but I can try to be mindful of a few dollars each week and what I buy with them. $1000 a year, that's just under $20 a week.
That's more than I'm doing now -- or, at least, I'll find out if it is.
