I am well aware that many parents break out into hives at the thought of taking their small children to Disneyland. They think about dealing with their kids in the crowds and heat, and cringe at the seemingly unlimited potential for meltdowns. They quickly make the decision to wait until their kids are "old enough to remember it"... could that phrase actually be code for "old enough to not have at least one temper tantrum per day"? But here's the thing, I am here to tell you that if you wait until your children are "older", you may be missing out on a golden opportunity to start teaching your youngens some very valuable life lessons that can be learned navigating noisy, busy, super stimulating places like Disneyland! I should preface this post by confessing that if it was possible to buy a Mickey shaped condo on Main Street, U.S.A. I would be living there year round. I would ride Space Mountain every morning before I left for work ...
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It has always bothered me that shyness is often treated as a character flaw. Anyone who knows and loves a shy person, knows that they have a lot to offer in the world! I wrote this Children's Story hoping that it could help kids understand that there is nothing wrong with being shy. If you enjoy my story, feel free to share it with the awesome shy and not-so-shy munchkins in your life! Yes, I'm Shy! Written By Heather Scharf Everywhere Bobby went, people asked his Mommy if he was shy. They always had a sorry look on their face when they said it. Bobby didn't know what it meant to be shy but he felt like it must be a very bad thing. One day, they went to the Grocery Store and Mommy saw her old friend, Sally. Sally looked at Bobby and said, “Hi Bobby! Wow, look how big you are now!” Bobby did not know what to say back to her, so he hid behind his Mommy's legs. Sally looked sorry for him and said sadly, “Aw, is he shy?” “ Yes,...
My son has developed this interesting habit. If he is eating a package of Dare "Bear Paws" (I know, you probably don't let your child eat those unhealthy snacks), before he begins eating one, he examines both paws, decides which one has more chocolate chips, asks me for a consultation to confirm the chocolate chip numbers, and then sets aside the paw with the most chocolate chips in order to eat it last. My first reaction when he started this ritual was a bit of concern. Was he showing signs of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder at his young age? But then some of my own quirky food and eating preferences began popping into my mind. This desire to save the "best" food item for last is something I have done for as long as I can remember! In fact, if I ate a "Bear Paw" I would likely do EXACTLY what my son does. If a plate of food has several different items on it, whether it be a meal or a plate of party appetizers, I save my favourite for last! ...
I am going to try my best not to rant. I am simply sending a wish out into the world for the benefit of my son and other children growing up in "non-traditional families". I would love to see us all change our default setting away from families having a Dad, a Mom and siblings. In my work, I interact with children everyday and I make a point to never make assumptions about their home lives. You may think I am being oversensitive because I happen to be a single Mother, but truly this is not about me. This is about the fact that I don't believe children should have to correct preconceived ideas or justify their families to adults or other children. I received an email recently from the manager of my son's team. It was addressed to The Parents of ____. Now, this is a team my son has been a part of for five months now. Apart from his Grandma bringing him to one practice when I had a late meeting at work, I have taken him by myself to every pr...
The universe is trying to send me a message. It has been trying for a while now but I have ignored it. The message became much clearer to me over the Christmas Break, however. Unfortunately, it took a trip to Emerg, twice daily trips to the local hospital for IV anti-biotics for a condition that usually happens to people who have a suppressed immune system (helloooo?!), and a cancelled trip to Disneyland to finally force me to hear the message. Since my not-so-fun wake up call, all signs have been pointing toward taking better care of myself. It's not like I have been completely unaware that I have not sufficiently been giving love to my mind and body for the last few years but how does one find the time for themselves as a working, 24/7, 365 days a year single Mum? Now however, I am well aware that the list of little health issues that have appeared for me as I approach my 40th birthday, are there to let me know that it is no longer a choice but...