How true these are!

• No cowboy was ever faster on the draw than a grandparent pulling a baby picture out of a wallet.  – Author Unknown
• I like to do nice things for my grandchildren - like buy them those toys I’ve always wanted to play with.  – Gene Perret
• The idea that no one is perfect is a view most commonly held by people with no grandchildren.  – Doug Larson
• If your baby is “beautiful and perfect, never cries or fusses, sleeps on schedule and burps on demand, an angel all the time,” you’re the grandma.  — Teresa Bloomingdale
• Grandchildren are God’s way of compensating us for growing old.  — Mary H. Waldrip

(more…)

This has been around before but maybe we need to reread it to remember who “Common Sense” was.

Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense, who has been with us for many years. No one knows for sure how old he was, since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape.

He will be remembered as having cultivated such valuable lessons as:
- Knowing when to come in out of the rain
- Why the early bird gets the worm
- Life isn’t always fair
- Maybe it was my fault

Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies:
- Don’t spend more than you can earn

And reliable strategies:
- Adults, not children, are in charge

His health began to deteriorate when parents attacked teachers for doing the job that they themselves had failed to do in disciplining their unruly children. It declined even further when schools were required to get parental consent to administer Tylenol, sun lotion or a band-aid to a student but could not inform parents when a student became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion.

Common Sense lost the will to live as the Ten Commandments became contraband, churches became businesses and criminals received better treatment than their victims.

Common Sense took a beating when it became punishable for you to defend yourself from a burglar in your own home but the burglar could sue you for assault.

He began to lose ground rapidly when well-intentioned but overbearing regulations were set in place. Reports of a 6 -year-old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate; teens suspended from school for using mouthwash after lunch; and a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student, only worsened his condition.

Common Sense finally gave up the will to live after a woman failed to realize that a steaming cup of coffee was hot. She spilled a little in her lap and was promptly awarded a huge settlement.

Common Sense was preceded in death by his parents, Truth and Trust; his wife, Discretion; his Daughter, Responsibility; and his son, Reason.

He is survived by his 3 stepbrothers; I Know My Rights, Someone Else Is To blame, and I’m A Victim.

Not many attended his funeral because so few realized he was gone. If you still remember him, pass this on. If not, join the majority and do
nothing…

Everyone has an opinion these days. Just think about it, though. Where would the media be today if there weren’t so many opinions? If you search, you can find interesting, challenging, innovative, and yes, even intelligent opinions among the many. But, once in awhile you find some opinions that are best left unspoken.

I’m referring to the opinion that Santa needs to go on a diet; that he is a bad example for children because he is overweight and eats too many cookies. How idiotic, this is Santa we’re talking about!

I don’t know exactly who came up with this idea, but I’d like to know if they ever had the imagination of a child? Santa’s physique is a symbol for warm, fuzzy, and jolly. The children relate to him as a grandparent, someone to comfort them, to spoil them. People think too much about too many unimportant things.

Can you imagine replacing Santa with a thinner type? Well, I understand it was tried. When the replacement went out to meet the children, it’s not surprising that no one wanted to sit on his lap. Have you ever seen a jolly, thin person in a red suit…or out of one…not a pretty sight…definitely not inviting to sit on a boney lap…can’t say that I’d want to if I were a child… Would you?

And the cookies…they say children should leave something healthier for Santa. I guess he could share the reindeers’ carrots. Ho, hum instead of Ho, ho! Really now, sometimes we need something sweet. I have personal knowledge that when Santa stops at our grandchildren’s home, it brings joy to him knowing the girls chose his snacks themselves. I say, leave it up to the young ones.

We all know that one night of over indulgent eating cannot harm us for life. What adult doesn’t do it at least once in a while, especially on a special occasion? Most of us do it on our birthday, Thanksgiving, and New Year’s, which makes it more than just one night…doesn’t it, critics? Here’s what I ask you: What do you eat for your holiday dinners? Do you measure your portions; is everything fat free and low in sugar? I’m sure not.

Don’t replace our beloved, jolly Santa! Let the real Santa keep his job, and his comfort food. He brings much joy to children, and adults, around the world. Let him enjoy his night. After all, he’s earned it.

Headline: Santa Goes On Atkins Diet!

• NY Times
• Huffington Post
• Tough Pigs
• Boing Boing
• U.G.O.TVBLOG

When I was a young parent (1976 – 1987) when I had young children at home with me, I turned on the TV to Sesame Street because it was educational. They learned manners, numbers, colors, songs among other positives. Sesame Street was entertaining to the children because the characters were different and their actions were outrageously funny to little ones. Nothing more, nothing less…it was what it was – an educational show for young children.

Last week I was listening to a local radio station on my way home from school. Virginia Heffernan, who writes a column/blog for The New York Times called “The Medium”, was being interviewed. When Sesame Street was mentioned, they caught my attention. Apparently, the first season has been released on DVD and you may have heard this, but did you also hear that it has a warning on it? It states that it is not appropriate for children…only parents.

The adult, distorted mind might find:

• Oscar the Grouch – mood disorder and lives in a garbage can
• Cookie Monster – eating disorder
• Alistair Cookie – smoked
• Older Muppet – takes little girl home and gives her cookies
• Bert and Ernie – living together
• Big Bird – talks to himself
• Kermit – obsessed with Miss Piggy

Well, as I think back on Sesame Street, I remember them helping children who felt different, bringing different cultures together, teaching how to get along - conflict resolution before it was a buzz word, showing what friendship is all about, that it was okay to be scared, okay to cry when you feel sad, good to eat your vegetables, try new foods, to have fun, dance, sing, exercise, and most of all, to use your imagination.

Who decided on this censorship and why? Some people take their jobs way too seriously. Does this make them feel more important to have such outrageous power to make such decisions? Have they viewed the shows through the mind of a small child? Young children do not grasp on inferences. Does this imply the writers were infusing adult humor into the young children’s shows? Were they trying to sneak them in such as we heard about the Disney cartoonists did in the beginning?

What about the animated movies of today? They are loaded with adult humor and inferences? Don’t get me wrong. We take our grandchildren to see the movies. They enjoy them for what they are, and so do Nana and Poppy.