Archives for December 2010

Bullying Obese Children


Kathy Griffin is fighting back.  She has dubbed Bristol Palin aka “Pillsbury Dough Girl ” or try the “White Precious” and she’s standing by her comments.  Although she is being seen as a bully per Elizabeth Hasselbeck from The View, Kathy Griffin refuses to apologize for her fat jokes. Is  Kathy Griffin a bully for calling Bristol fat?  That depends on who you ask.  Some are defining bullying as an attack on a defenseless person who has done nothing wrong, and Bristol Palin is fair game.  After all, she is the only contestant who gained weight on Dancing With The Stars.  To add fuel to the fire, she shouldn’t have even been in the final competition.  If the show is truly based on one’s dancing ability, Bristol Palin is a joke according to Kathy Griffin.  
Other people went into a rage over the fact that Bristol beat out Brandy on DWTS.  So enraged one man shot out his TV and had a standoff with a SWAT  Team.  Now that is what we call Pissed Off.   
Now I don’t believe Bristol was a better dancer than Brandy; however, I am against bullying.  My daughter was bullied and I’ve written several blog posts on the subject.   It can devastating to the person who is on the receiving end and could possibly end in tragedy.  Do I see Bristol Palin as a child?  Not really, but she is a child to me.  Is she fair game for comedians?  Aren’t we all. Is she being bullied?  I personally don’t think so.  Although she is a child to me, she is in fact a grown woman who had to know that she would be the topic of discussion at breakfast, lunch and dinner if she participated on the show.  Hell her mother is the brunt of jokes for many comedians, so as far as I’m concerned she stepped into the line of fire.  Should her mother have warned her it could happen?  Was this a selfish opportunity that Sarah Palin used for her own political aspirations?  Is this a reflection of Sarah Palin’s parenting skills or lack thereof?     

        
Take a good look at this picture of Bristol Palin.  Would the medical field consider her fat?  Probably so. Should she be the brunt of a fat joke, no. People have criticized Michelle Obama for promoting healthier life styles for America’s children.  I’ve even seen a post where someone blamed President Obama for removing ice cream from the schools.  Is that really a bad thing?  What’s wrong with replacing ice cream with a piece of fruit?  That’s what a doctor would want us to do.  Kathy Griffin’s remarks about Bristol is a perfect example of why obesity needs to be promoted, discussed and dealt with in this country.  Fat jokes, humiliating comments toward our children, and the struggle in adulthood to loose excessive weight is real.  The truth be told, we do have some of the most obese people in the world right here in the good ole USA.  We come from the land of good and plenty, and we believe in indulgence. 

I think too much emphasis is placed on body images in this country.  It’s ingrained into our heads that thin is in.  When those of us who have weight problems can’t obtain that goal, we are the butt of cruel comments and remarks.  I struggle with my weight, and I have for many years. It can be painful at times.  I’ve lost track of the number of times that I’ve looked into the mirror nude and told myself that I was disgusting.  On the other hand, my self esteem is high enough when I can look in the mirror on other days and say diva, oh yes I am.  Not everyone has the strength to do that, and I am grateful for a healthy dose of self-esteem.  I’m not aiming to be thin, but I am aiming to be healthy.

As for Bristol Palin, she should really think twice about whether or not she wants to be in the lime light.  It’s kinda of like Sarah Palin on the hunt for a kill, if you put yourself out there, you’re fair game. I would love to hear your thoughts on Kathy Griffin’s fat jokes and the obesity problems that we face in this country with our children.  Please leave us a comment, we love them.

Child Care Provider Tells 5 Year Old To Hit The Road

My heart dropped when I read this story.  A 5 year old boy is told to leave when his name was not on a list at the Thurgood Marshall Elementary after-school program in Marrow, GA.  This little boy did as he was told, he walked a mile to his home alone.  Can you believe it?  Here’s the story:  Apparently there had been a mix up.  His mother enrolled him in the program; however, his name was not on the list when he showed up on his first day.  Rather than the child care provider bring him inside and investigate why his name was not on the list, they tell him to leave.  He doesn’t know what else to do, so he heads home.  Fortunately he made it home safely and used a spare key to let himself in.  
The school is currently investigating the incident, and they have offered his mother a free week for the trouble.  How funny is that?  A free week at a reckless child care facility would really ease my fear and discomfort.  

I don’t know what’s happening to our school systems, but they’re justing going to hell along with so many other things in this country.  I’m starting to get very upset about by what seems to be a lack of interest in our children.  I know the country is feeling stress from a poor economy and a lack of jobs, but people just don’t seem to care much about anything or anyone. An adult in that school was getting paid to oversee children.  That’s a scary thought to me.  I have to ask what other poor decisions will they make.  Sending a 5 year old away from a school alone is an indication to me that they are not responsible.  So many horrible things could have happened to that poor child.  The teacher or guardian must not listen to the new when they’re at home.  Every day there’s a child murdered or missing on the news.  As a mother that thas a profound affect on me. It should have an affect on the hands that we place our children in daily too.

I’m assuming this school has to be certified in child care if they are advertising as an after school childcare provider.  I wonder how they achieved this status?  I wonder how many parents pulled their children out when they heard what happened to this 5 year old.  Personally, I would have left skid marks driving my child away.  It’s a sad state when you can’t trust a school with your child.  

The mother stated that she would be pulling her child out of the program.  Who can blame her.  I pray that this school will work to provide a better and safer program for the parents and their childen.  What kind of child care do you have for your child after school?  How would you have handled the situation if your child was told to leave a facility and walked a mile home alone?  We would love to hear your take on this one.             

Wordless Wednesday: Blue Ridge Mountains

                                               The Blue Ridge Mountain and Shenandoah River

Help Me Improve Mother 2 Mother Blog

I’ve asked this question a hundred times, how do I increase my followers?  I’ve also asked this question, how do I get my readers to comment?  I decided to go to my readers for the answers, after all, you’re following me and at times you leave comments.  

What enticed you to follow Mother-2-Mother blog?  What type of posts do you find interesting on the blog and what would you like to see more of?  A new year is on the horizon and I would like to implement your ideas in 2011, so please feel free to be honest and help me get my creativity on.     

Adorable Carter’s PJs for Toddlers

Looking for pj’s for your toddler boy for the winter?  Check out the selection of Carter’s pj’s at www.boscovs.com  Boscov’s speaks my language, quality items at a great price.  I’ve been shopping on-line at this site for the pass 3 years, and I can always find adorable items for boys.  As mother’s of boys know, that can be a challenge.  I must admit the market has gotten better when it comes to clothing for boys, but it can still be daunting.  
Xavier doesn’t like to keep covers on, so I’m always looking for nice warm pjs for him to wear during the winter.  He doesn’t like to keep socks on when he’s at home either, so I search for the footless 2 piece sets.  Boscov’s has a nice selection.  I’ve found everything from dinosaurs to race car pjs for him. The adorable sports pjs shown will be under Mama’s tree this year. 

I also love the fact that they always washed up nicely. “If they could just stay little ’til their Carter’s wear out” holds true.”  He outgrows them before they wear out.

Xavier looks forward to picking out his pjs at bedtime, and I can see why.  His drawer is full of colorful and fun pjs to wear.  If you’re looking for a good deal at a reasonable price, check out www.boscovs.com  Leave us a comment and let us know where you discovered cute pjs for your toddler. 

Christmas At The Beach

I love making memories with my grandson.  This past week we visited the Winter Wonderland and the Lights on the Beach in Virginia Beach, VA.  I had hoped to walk along the boardwalk with Xavier, but the setup only allowed you to drive along the boardwalk.  It worked out perfectly, since the evening was quite chilly.  

The light show was fantastic.  The displays arranged from the drummer shown above to fish jumping from the sea.  Ronald McDonald was on hand, Snoopy, a beautiful carousel and a nativity scene.  Dinosaurs, boats, and horses could be found along the beach.  Xavier was quite excited by the lights, and so was I. What a way to start the holiday season. I loved the fact that you could drive the boardwalk at your leisure.  Nobody was honking horns hurrying people along, everyone was enjoying the scenery and just taking their time.  You could place an order for coffee or hot chocolate before you started your journey, which was brought to your car.  You were also given a CD of holiday music to play while you drove the 30 blocks.  It was a great set-up, and I intend to make the Lights on the Beach an annual outting for Xavier and Mama.       

 
My neighbor had seen the show last year with her daughter, and she assured me that I would not be disappointed.  She was right.  Each year the merchants add new displays. I can’t wait to see the show next year.  There was truly alot of time and effort put into the show.      

If you’re in the Virginia Beach area during the holiday it is worth the trip.  Your children will never forget the lights and they will love you for it making a great memory for them.  I can’t wait to make a scrapbook of my week-end with Xavier.  No show is ever the same, so this adventure will certainly go to the top of my list of things to do during the holidays, and I recommend that you add it to your list too.  Leave us a comment and let us know how you’re getting into the Christmas spirit with your children this holiday season.  We would love to know what’s happening in your area.