Nothing is more maddening than waiting in the car line to drop the kids off at school and the car in front of you just sits there.  And sits.  And sits.  Finally, a kid gets out then reaches back inside the car to get his or her backpack.  Puts it on.  Then reaches back in the car ONCE AGAIN to grab a book or money or whatever else they were not organized enough to have ready when they reached the front of the line.

This drives me nuts!

Busy Mom doesn’t like it much either.  That’s why she takes steps ahead of time to have the kids ready when they reach the front of the line,

I would get them to unbuckle their seat belts when we were a couple of car lengths away from the drop-off zone and put their backpacks on so they’d be ready to get out of the car quickly.

For no particular reason, I’d say, “Time to unbuckle, Chuckle.”, and that just kind of stuck.

The family must be a riot to be around because they figured the “uckle” would now be started with the day of the week… (M)uckle, (T)uckle, (W)uckle.  Until Friday. Then it’s Zuckle.  Wise decision, friend.

Photo by thienzieyung via flickr creative commons.

This may be one of those waaaay out there assertions, but social media may be the latest diagnosis tool in determining mental illness.  I believe my cousin’s daughter is suffering from manic depression… or from anger management issues, at least.

Bless her heart (as we’re apt to say here in the South), at least every other post she writes on Facebook is filled with rage, anger, depression, more anger or sadness.  On occasion she’ll talk about her 8-month old infant and express her deep love for him.  It’s up and down that roller coaster she rides.

However, my alarms are going off in my head because mood change is one of the biggest indicators of teen depression.  Given the family history of mental health issues, I’ve been hesitant to say anything to her Mom (my cousin), however, I’ll be reading her posts carefully to see if there are any significant changes.  Any major shift and I will be in touch with her Mom to express my concern and suggest counseling for the young lady.

I hope if / when I do, I won’t become a family pariah for speaking up… it is a closed-mouth group that they are – especially when it comes to mental health, money, and close relationships.

Photo from LiveStrong.com.

My friend has gone through a lot these last three years.  Typical Americans, they have faced medical problems, job loss, foreclosure, moving due to foreclosure – right alongside trying to raise young children.

While we as parents try to keep our children stress-free, sometimes it will trickle down to them.  Children react differently to stress, but one result my friend’s daughter is experiencing is food obsession.

Her daughter is in the third grade, but has put on quite a bit of weight in the last year.  My friend was already concerned, but grew even more worried when she found food hidden in her daughter’s closet.  There were full bags of unopened potato chips, cookies, and other snacks tucked in the back under a pile of clothing.

Perhaps the top reaction a parent can have when they’ve discovered something like this or their children have started eating unhealthily is to not freak out.  A parent should approach the subject with a lot of sensitivity and in a gentle way, but more importantly – stop bringing unhealthy food into the house.  Concentrate shopping on fruit, vegetables, and other healthy foods.

The biggest concern is that with economic stress, the most important thing a parent needs to do may be out of reach:  counseling.

For more information, visit the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders.  The site offers links about who to contact for a variety of eating issues.

Photo from iPhone taken today at playground of the Cade-man.

The recession has drastically reduced enrollment in after-school programs across the country.  For example, my youngest daughter has been a baton twirler for five years.  When she started, there were about 10 people in her beginner class.  Today, classes began again and only one new girl was there.

Throughout the nation, after school activities are seeing fewer participants in fields like dance, baton twirling, karate, and other privately operated groups.

Programs funded outside of the parents’ pocketbooks are finding more success, although they are also struggling to hold onto funding from schools, state grants, and other sources.

More and more, organizations are looking at alternate funding sources, including seeking 501(c)3 status to allow for tax-free donations by businesses and corporations, restructuring methods of bringing the classes to students, and opening discussion with parents to help come up with constructive ideas.

Has your favorite organization been affected or impacted?

Photo by timstock-ny via flickr creative commons.

How do you tell your kids about the loss of a job for one of the major household bread winners? This predicament is becoming more common as parents are laid off with jobs being transferred to India, factory closings, and other business reductions due to the still unsteady economy.

For young children, perhaps nothing needs to be said other than, “Play time!”

As children get older, it’s important not to transfer your stress to them – to allow them to be children even when money is tight.  You can explain that although the parent no longer works at a certain place, they will be looking for a job somewhere else and with prayers, patience, and perhaps some sacrifice (no more splurge buys at the local discount store) everything will be okay.

Teenage children are another story entirely.  Be honest with them.  Let them know – like with kids a bit younger – that the parent will continue to look for another job.  But ask for their help.  See if they can come up with ideas to help cut expenses or save money.

You might be surprised at their creativity and at what they’re willing to give up to help the family.

Photo by Banalities via flickr creative commons.

This is too cute!

Me?  I don’t like roller coasters.  I fear a heart attack would be imminent!  Have a great weekend!

I’m taking Les’s post in its entirety because … well you’ll see.  He titled it Natalie’s Favorite Joke.

4 YEAR OLD NATALIE: Hey, daddy, guess what?
ME: What?
4 YEAR OLD NATALIE: … ME: …
4 YEAR OLD NATALIE: A-HAHAHAHA!!!

Yep… I think it’s pretty awesome, too. 

I watch television shows like “Survivorman” and “Man vs. Wild” with keen interest.  Not that I’d ever find myself in a situation where I’d have to urinate in the water to attract a shark so I can jump on top of it, wrestle it, and have some protein for dinner…

Still, I wonder what kind of boys these TV hosts must have been to grow into men knowing this.  What kind of heart attacks did their mothers have as the boys brought in bark to boil for tea or edible bugs for dinner.  Did the moms stress when the kids went camping with their scouting troop?  Did they hyperventilate if Dad took them hiking?

I have never had boys to raise but my friends who do say they are very different from raising girls.  Boys – they say – tend to be more boisterous and fearless.  They won’t blink an eye to climb up on a roof to jump onto the back of a truck.  They will scamper up a tree to throw down a parachuted plastic army guy.

The worst that happened to my kids is when my oldest climbed a bookcase that wasn’t attached to the wall.  It fell over, but was thankfully stopped by another piece of furniture before hitting my daughter.

What’s the most dangerous thing your child did while growing up?

My friend’s husband passed away over the weekend after experiencing head trauma from a fall.  While my friend is grieving as adults do, her daughter may need special care as she copes with the sudden loss of her stepfather.  We have already talked about grief counseling for the teenager because when a child at that age loses someone close to them, their already fragile emotional state can be shattered.

According to Hospice, there are several signs that parents must watch for when a teen is in a state of grieving.  Parents should watch for dropping grades, depression, risk taking, too much sleeping (or not enough), slipping relationships with family and friends, and denying that there is a problem.

One of the best things to do is talk openly about the loss of a loved one.  Do not hesitate to seek help from a trained therapist, group counseling, or a church group.  Teenagers are naturally social beings and by spending time with other people who understand the pain they are feeling, they will be able to cope more easily and eventually recover.

Another option to consider is a “bereavement camp” for children ages 7 to 17.  Located in California, Texas, Virginia, New Jersey and Massachusetts, the camps are free of charge and “include confidence building programs and age-based support groups that break the emotional isolation grief often brings.”

For more information about the camp, visit their website here.