Poem for Claire

by Dr. Laura
Mar. 1, 2010

I get many letters, I would like to share this one from Barry and I welcome ones from you.

 

Dear Dr. Laura:

I was a participant in an unwanted, unnecessary divorce…because my wife wasn’t ‘happy.’ I have 3 minor children who, despite my tremendous efforts to the contrary…only get to see me 7-10 days a month.

I do everything I can to remain in their lives so I might display to them the importance and value of good character, good values/morals, and integrity….

For Valentine’s Day, I wrote my 5 year old daughter a poem. I’m not a poet by any means. I’m your basic manly man.

These words simply came to me in the half-hour it took to write them down. In it are references to many things we do as a family….I thought you might like to read it:

 

A Poem for Claire

A poem for Claire is what I will try.

I hope it turns out – ya see, I’m only a guy.

There are jobs that I have-

One is being your Dad.

Out of all of the jobs

That one makes me most glad.

We do things we like

And some we don’t mind.

I’m pleased that you’re nice

And so warm and so kind.

I tell you I’m serious

But you know that I’m not

We’re both very silly

And we smile a LOT!

We sit out in back

And look at the clouds

You see shapes I don’t see

You make me so proud.

Walking to school

Is always so fun.

It’s been so cold lately

We can’t wait for the sun!

You fiddle with your homework.

Maybe a snack instead?

But each night we read

Just before time for bed.

I love when we play

You’re so very special

We dance and we laugh

Now it’s time to WRESTLE!

We cuddle on the sofa

Watch TV at night.

But we don’t watch a show

That might give you a fright.

We make up games to play

Sometimes go for a hike.

But what you like most

Is riding your bike!

You play Dan-Ball and Rock Band

And sometimes the Wii.

”Daddy, come look!

Come here! Come see!”

I’m busy in the kitchen

Moving fast there to here.

You’re the first and the loudest

During our dinnertime cheer.

I miss you dearly

When we’re far apart,

But I’ll always remind you

I’m in your head and your heart.

The message is clear

In this poem you hear.

Your Dad loves you greatly

And I will always be near.

I want you to know

You’re my best Valentine.

I will ALWAYS be yours

If you will be mine.

I love you.

Dad

You’ve made me a better man, Dr. Laura. I thank you.

 

Source: Dr. Laura

 

 

Editor’s Note: We would like to know what you think. dan@youngchronicle.com

Holding Kids Back?

By Jackie Morgan MacDougall
Jan. 18, 2009

With every stage of childhood comes a new dilemma. I remember when breastfeeding seemed like the biggest challenge in the world and things like potty training and finding a preschool brought me to my knees.

My sisters would giggle as I would pace and stress about whatever stage my kids might be in, thinking “just you wait ’til they’re teenagers.”

Why it is that no one warns you about the seemingly-simple decisions that can keep you up at night, wondering if one wrong move can send your kid into therapy until he’s 30.

Our quandary du jour involves our 4-year-old son and the possibility of kindergarten this fall. In our school district, the cutoff date is December 2, his birthday September 26.

While he’s a bright kid, his tantrums, need for daily naps, and regular desire for cuddles after being scolded make me think this kid needs another year in the safe environment of preschool.

While it used to be that parents would automatically send a child if he made the cutoff, parents now often hold a kid back for a variety of reasons, least of which are academic.

In asking around, I’ve gotten a mixed bag of passionate opinions and a little insight into the minds of some parents who will do anything to help their kid succeed.

 

We held one out of kindergarten due to age – he was two weeks away from the deadline. Why make him struggle forever? It has worked out great for academic reasons. — Liz

 

Two of my children started school right after they turned five. My fifth grader has straight A’s and our second grader is the top reader in his class. Both are the youngest in the class.

 

Why not enter your child into school when he/she is at the age of five? If they don’t do well then have them do a repeat of that year. Our children’s success has more to do with the involvement of the parents.                                    — Heather

 

While kindergarten readiness tests, school expectations and following your instinct are three suggestions in deciding whether your child is ready, even the experts don’t necessarily agree.

The National Association for Education of Young Children advises parents to follow age guidelines in their school districts unless there are very unique, extenuating circumstances. That’s the opposite recommendation of many educators I’ve spoken to.

In doing my research, I read a wide range of arguments but even many of the articles flip-flopped back and forth with opinions on whether to hold a kid back.

Thanks for the help, people! But one thing experts do agree on is that each child is different, and it’s best to make the decision based on where they are, with the help of your potential school.

But there are parents like Tim who made the tough decision a couple of years into his child’s school years. “When we moved from public to private, we had our middle child repeat 2nd grade.

He was a little immature and he would have been 6 months younger than anyone in his new class. It has worked out great. A little weird for him at first, he had to be convinced he wasn’t being “held back.” Now that he’s in 7th, it’s not even an issue.”

But it doesn’t stop in elementary school. One guy – we’ll call him Steve — I talked to revealed that in 7^th grade, his dad made the decision to hold him back in school. His reasoning?

It would give him a leg up in competitive sports, potentially paving the way for a full scholarship to the college of his choice. His dad wasn’t wrong in that he did in fact receive a full scholarship. But I couldn’t help but wonder…

Does holding a kid back help them succeed or just create another thing for them to blame us for later?

Steve’s dad isn’t the only one to pull that move. Melissa shared something that happened at her kid’s school, “There was one high school football player that was supposed to be on Varsity last season, since he was a junior.

Well, he knew that he wouldn’t START the games as a Varsity player, so he had his parents hold him back a year (so he could repeat his sophomore year) just so he would be able to start for the JV team.”

And while that’s not the norm in most communities, Melissa shared the complications of a situation more close to home. “My 13-year old son was born in May. His first cousin was born four months later in September.

My sister-in-law held him backs a year. Now my nephew feels strange/awkward that he is also 13, but one year behind my son in school.”

While we’re leaning to keeping our little man in preschool for one extra year, I guess this is another one of those parenting dilemmas where there is no right answer. We just cross our fingers and hope they don’t hate us later.

Source: Family

Editor’s Note: Jackie Morgan MacDougall, on the never-ending quest for balance, enjoys life in Los Angeles with her husband, Jeff, and their three small kids. Read more of her take on parenting, kids and everything else on The Silver Whining.

We would like to know what you think. dan@youngchronicle.com

Protecting Your Baby

By Safe Kids
Jan. 3, 2009

Fragile, helpless and innocent, your infant enters the world completely dependent on you.  From the moment you leave the hospital, you take steps to keep her safe. 

You buckle her tenderly into a rear-facing child safety seat for the ride home.  You check the bath temperature carefully before placing her in the water. 

At night, you tuck her in to a new crib, with a label that assures you it meets national safety standards.  But could you be doing more? 

Although your home should be a safe haven for your baby, it can be dangerous.  Babies face a list of potential injuries – including choking, drowning, falls, poisons and burns – that can overwhelm any parent. 

Yet each of these risks can be reduced or eliminated by taking simple, time-tested steps.  

The greatest gift you can give your baby is a safe environment.  Explore the links below to learn more.

To learn more about airway obstruction injury, falls and childhood unintentional poisioning read A Report to the Nation: Trends in Unintentional Childhood Injury Mortality, 1987-2000 (May 2003).

To purchase educational materials about specific risk areas, check out our Resource Catalog  (off-site link). 

Source: Safe Kids USA

Editor’s Note: We would like to know what you think. dan@youngchronicle.com

Autism: Father’s View

By Spiffy Moms
Jan. 2, 2009

It is a well recorded fact that being male and female, fathers and mothers react differently to the complex range of situations that come with family life.

This is especially true when confronted with the birth of a child who has autism. The actual diagnosis of autism could take a number of years before being fully recognized.
Certainly in the case of my own daughter there were a number of changes before she was finally diagnosed as having autism along with ADHD.

Being able to understand and cope with the situation is not helped, in this instance, by a variance of diagnosis.

Accepting that your child is not developing as expected can be one of the main areas of conflict between parents.

This is especially true in the case of the father, as the mother will naturally want to give that child all the love and attention they need, resulting in the father possibly feeling left out or inadequate.

As the father normally goes out to work there can be a tendency to leave most of the childcare to the mother instead of taking a share of the extra load.

Where this happens, there is a lack of strong bonding between the child and the father leading to the father distancing himself from the child.

All children need to feel wanted and loved by both parents. It is part of the responsibility of being a father to nurture and build a close relationship with your children.

If one of your children is autistic this is of particular importance as they might well not have the ability to communicate their feelings to others.

Our own upbringing, and the society that we live in, can have a dramatic effect on how we cope with having an autistic child. Their needs are more complex, and are often not immediately recognized by those outside of the child’s family environment.

The role of the father can be of major importance in ensuring that everything possible is put in place to help the family understand and cope with this stressful situation.

This could well involve some changes in our own attitudes and outlook.

As the father of a child that has autism, I would say to anyone in a similar situation that the rewards from building a loving and close relationship with your child far outweigh the extra time and effort needed.

There is no greater reward than hearing your own child say “ I love you” and to see the smile on their face as you spend quality time together. Do not be discouraged by the opinions of others who do not understand.

Start to show your love and develop a close relationship with your child straightaway. You will reap the benefits for years to come.

 

Source: Spiffy Moms

 

Editor’s Note: We would like to know what you think. dan@youngchronicle.com

No to Family Activities

By Home word
Dec. 30, 2009

Our 15 year old son refuses to participate in family activities. He won’t go out for dinner, visit relatives or even join us at his little sister’s soccer games.

I know he needs some independence, but he’s still part of this family and we’d like him to realize that too. Any suggestions?

 

Your son is moving rapidly from dependence as a child toward independence as an adult. I think you are right; he does need some more autonomy and freedom.

However, he is only 15 and he is still very dependent on you and needs your family. I strongly believe that he should be included in many of the family experiences and on rare occasions given the freedom to not participate.

Many families are helped in this situation when they choose to have a weekly family meeting where they discuss the weekly schedule.

I have a feeling that your son doesn’t like having family outings and events sprung on him. Giving him a weekly notice it may help. Of course this isn’t the magic answer to your problem.

You may want to become very logical and methodical with your son. Create family expectations when it comes specifically to the issues you mentioned like his sisters soccer games and going out to dinner.

I might even ask, “Your sister has 8 soccer games this month, what you think would be a reasonable amount of games you could attend?” “Our family is going to dinner on Friday night from 6:30 to 9:00.

Would you like to have a friend come over from 9:00 to 11:00?” I find one of the keys to successful communication is to express your expectations with your teenagers and express them early.

I’ll tell you how not to do it. Some time ago my 16 year old daughter was home packing for cheerleading camp. My wife, Cathy, and I picked up our other two daughters from another event.

I thought it would be nice to take the family out to dinner together since our oldest daughter would be going to camp the next day for a week. Everyone thought it was a great idea in the car, except I forgot to take my oldest daughter’s desires into consideration.

I rushed into the house with the van still running and told her to drop what she was doing because our family was going to dinner. She didn’t want to go because she had made other plans with some friends.

I told her she was coming anyway and that I would drive her to her friend’s house after dinner. At this point her friends arrived to pick her up.

I had to walk out and tell them she would get there about an hour and half later because she was going out to dinner with her family.

She was not happy and she let us know it. The dinner was spent in discussion about the “need” for her to be with us.

She didn’t order anything because she was going to eat at her friend’s house, and we all ate fast to try and accommodate her desire to not be with us!

I ended up spending $40.00 on a meal none of us enjoyed and then had to take my daughter to her friend’s house and pick her up.

She went to bed far too late and the next day probably left for camp grateful not to be going out to dinner with the family, especially me! In that case she had been given no notice and I was unwilling to change the plans that we had made up only 5 minutes before I saw her.

We could have compromised with a quicker fast food type dinner or by saying to our daughter, “Well, it was a good try and it was last minute so the rest of us will go out and I would like you home early so we can send you off to camp with a family dessert and a prayer.

Instead we settled for a more expensive dinner that no one really enjoyed and no dessert or prayer!

As logical and left brain as this sounds I think your best results (and mine) will be found as you list out your family understandings and expectations ahead of time.

How many family dinners would you like to shoot for a week? How many soccer games are realistic and acceptable? What are our expectations when the relatives come to town or the family visits them?

Remember kids support what they help create so you may want your first attempt to be in a family meeting where you brainstorm those expectations. And keep in mind that

What you are experiencing with your 15 year old comes with the territory called adolescence.

 Source: Homeword

 

Editor’s Note: This question first appeared in the “Let’s Talk” column of Campus Life Magazine, a publication of Christianity Today International. Used with permission.”

We would like to know what you think. dan@youngchronicle.com

A Special Christmas Gift

By Unknown
Dec. 25, 2009

Late one Christmas Eve, I sank back, tired but content, into my easy chair. The kids were in bed, the gifts were wrapped, the milk and cookies waited by the fireplace for Santa.

As I sat back admiring the tree with its decorations, I couldn’t help feeling that something important was missing. It wasn’t long before the tiny twinkling tree lights lulled me to sleep.

I don’t know how long I slept, but all of a sudden I knew that I wasn’t alone. I opened my eyes, and you can imagine my surprise when I saw Santa Claus himself standing next to my Christmas tree.

He was dressed all in fur from his head to his foot just as the poem described him, but he was not the “jolly old elf” of Christmas legend. The man who stood before me looked sad and disappointed, and there were tears in his eyes.

“Santa, what’s wrong?” I asked, “Why are you crying?”

“It’s the children,” Santa replied sadly.

“But Santa, the children love you,” I said.

“Oh, I know they love me, and they love the gifts I bring them,” Santa said, “but the children of today seem to have somehow missed out on the true spirit of Christmas.

It’s not their fault. It’s just that the adults, many of them not having been taught themselves, have forgotten to teach the children.”

“Teach them what?” I asked.

Santa’s kind old face became soft, more gentle. His eyes began to shine with something more than tears. He spoke softly. “Teach the children the true meaning of Christmas.

Teach them that the part of Christmas we can see, hear, and touch is much more than meets the eye.

Teach them the symbolism behind the customs and traditions of Christmas which we now observe.

Teach them what it is they truly represent.”

Santa reached into his bag and pulled out a tiny Christmas tree and set it on my mantle. “Teach them about the Christmas tree. Green is the second color of Christmas. The stately evergreen, with its unchanging color, represents the hope of eternal life in Jesus.

Its needles point heavenward as a reminder that mankind’s thoughts should turn heavenward as well.”

Santa reached into his bag again and pulled out a shiny star and placed it at the top of the small tree. “The star was the heavenly sign of promise.

God promised a Savior for the world and the star was the sign of the fulfillment of that promise on the night that Jesus Christ was born.

Teach the children that God always fulfills His promises, and that wise men still seek Him.”

“Red,” said Santa, “is the first color of Christmas.” “He pulled forth a red ornament for the tiny tree. Red is deep, intense, vivid. It is the color of the life-giving blood that flows through our veins.

It is the symbol of God’s greatest gift. Teach the children that Christ gave his life and shed his blood for them that they might have eternal life.

When they see the color red, it should remind them of that most wonderful gift.”

Santa found a silver bell in his pack and placed it on the tree. “Just as lost sheep are guided to safety by the sound of the bell, it continues to ring today for all to be guided to the fold.

Teach the children to follow the true Shepherd, who gave His life for the sheep.”

Santa placed a candle on the mantle and lit it. The soft glow from its one tiny flame brightened the room. “The glow of the candle represents how people can show their thanks for the gift of God’s son that Christmas Eve long ago.

Teach the children to follow in Christ’s foot steps…to go about doing good.

Teach them to let their light so shine before people that all may see it and glorify God.

This is what is symbolized when the twinkle lights shine on the tree like hundreds of bright, shining candles, each of them representing one of God’s precious children, their light shining for all to see.”

Again Santa reached into his bag and this time he brought forth a tiny red and white striped cane. As he hung it on the tree he spoke softly. “The candy cane is a stick of hard white candy.

White to symbolize the virgin birth and sinless nature of Jesus, and hard to symbolize the Solid Rock the foundation of the church, and the firmness of God’s promises.

The candy cane is in the form of a “J” to represent the precious name of Jesus, who came to earth. It also represents the Good Shepherd’s crook, which He uses to reach down into the ditches of the world to lift out the fallen lambs who, like all sheep, have gone astray.

The original candy cane had three small red stripes, which are the stripes of the scourging Jesus received by which we are healed, and a large red stripe that represents the shed blood of Jesus, so that we can have the promise of eternal life.

“Teach these things to the children.”

Santa brought out a beautiful wreath made of fresh, fragrant greenery tied with a bright red bow. “The bow reminds us of the bond of perfection, which is love. The wreath embodies all the good things about Christmas for those with eyes to see and hearts to understand.

It contains the colors of red and green and the heaven-turned needles of the evergreen.

The bow tells the story of good will towards all and its color reminds us of Christ’s sacrifice. Even its very shape is symbolic, representing eternity and the eternal nature of Christ’s love.

It is a circle, without beginning and without end. These are the things you must teach the children.”

I asked, “But where does that leave you, Santa?”

The tears gone now from his eyes, a smile broke over Santa’s face. “Why bless you, my dear,” he laughed, “I’m only a symbol myself. I represent the spirit of family fun and the joy of giving and receiving.

If the children are taught these other things, there is no danger that I’ll ever be forgotten.”

“I think I’m beginning to understand.”

“That’s why I came,” said Santa. “You’re an adult. If you don’t teach the children these things, then who will?”

Source: Neloo

Editor’s Note: We would like to know what you think. dan@youngchronicle.com

Lookout for Santa

by Cladine Zap
Dec. 23, 2009

Christmas Eve is a busy day for one Santa Claus of the North Pole. But just leaving out cookies and milk and hoping that St. Nick will make it to your house is so last century.

This year, with the help of social-networking tools and GPS, you can track Santa’s movements throughout the night, from your mobile phone, your computer, or your car.

Normally, NORAD (North American Aerospace Defense Command) is the U.S.-Canadian military organization that watches over the air and water for security threats.

But on Christmas Eve, the command center switches to Santa mode, and operation Santa Tracker is in full force.

The live tracker incorporates radar, satellites, “Santa Cams,” and yes, even fighter jets, to follow Father Christmas on his goodwill gift-giving tour.

Last year, the Colorado Springs command center needed 100 phones and 25 computers to handle almost 70,000 calls and 6,000 emails from some 200 countries who wanted to know when Santa would make it to their town.

And if Yahoo! searches are any indication, NORAD may need more than that this Christmas Eve. Queries have soared 240% for “santa tracker norad” in the last day alone.

Lookups have also increased on “santa trackers,” “live santa tracker,” and “norad santa tracker games.”

NORAD has a partnership with Google Maps, which incorporated Santa’s path on its map software, as well as on Google Earth.

(Last year the tech company mistakenly placed Toronto on the U.S. side of the border. But that has since been corrected — international crisis averted.)

This year, the vehicle-navigation company OnStar is on board with GPS tracking, so drivers with the in-car GPS can keep an eye on Santa’s trip while en route to Grandma’s house.

The NORAD Santa Tracker will also be up on Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, and YouTube. Don’t say Santa doesn’t keep up with the times.

Follow Buzz Log on Twitter.

 

Source: Yahoo News

 

Editor’s Note: We would like to know what you think. dan@youngchronicle.com

Money for Kids

by Michael G. Peterson
Dec. 20, 2009

Children seem to be born with an insatiable desire to spend. Whether it’s Christmas, birthday parties, or a trip to the local mall, children are never too shy when it comes to vocalizing their wants.

And sometimes, they’re relentless.

Parents face this on a daily basis. Dealing with the barrage of purchase requests becomes a part-time job.

What’s the best way to give your child a deeper understanding of where money really comes from? Reducing greed, instilling awareness, and teaching good work habits in children will go a long way to creating financially successful adults.

 

Ways to Teach Your Children About Money

Start Early
The best way to start is when they’re young. Showing them the importance of money will help them to understand why they can’t have everything they see.

Begin by explaining the process of working:
• Why you have to go to work
• What you do for your employer
• What you receive for doing it
• Why you need money
As soon as they’re ready, teach them about coins and dollar bills. Show them how many coins equals one dollar, how many dollars equals a five-dollar bill, and so on.

The earlier they have an understanding that the green bill on the counter is not another coloring page, the better.

 

Turn the Water Off
Now that your child has some understanding of how money is earned, it’s important to teach about waste.

While explaining about spending money, teach them about the household bills. The ones they’ll grasp the easiest are the ones they can see. The utility bills are a good example. While they’re brushing their teeth, teach them to turn the water off until they need it again.

Explain how the water going down the drain is like money going down the drain. And, when leaving an empty room, teach them to turn the lights off. Explain to them that the less money wasted on unnecessary bills is more money that can be used for household groceries, fuel for the car, and family vacations.

Give them the sense that your wallet is not a bottomless pit and that, when payday arrives, the money is allocated for certain expenses.
 

Differentiate Between “Want” and “Need”
Children think they need everything they want. Teaching them the difference is an important step in helping them decide what to do with their money.

Some important questions for them to think about, include:
• Do they already have what they are asking for?
• If so, is it broken, lost, or missing parts?
• Can it be repaired?
• How often do they play with it?
• What do they really need, instead?
Marrying want and need can be a creative way to save money and teach restraint.

For example, a young child that wants a new fire truck but needs new sneakers, may be just as happy with a pair of sneakers with a fire truck on them.
Make Saving Fun
Put a piggy bank in the kitchen. Make a game out of cleaning up by letting them put coins in the piggy bank after each toy is put away.

Then, when the bank is full, have them sit on the floor with you and wrap their money into coin rolls. Bring them to the bank with all of their wrapped coins. Have them trade in some of their coins for dollars, the others for savings.

Sign up for a bankcard and let them use the ATM to make withdrawals from their own account. Reward their good efforts by taking them shopping to purchase what they need.
Give Them Purchasing Power
Let your children be king for a day. Take them to the store with you and help them to understand prices, sales, and ingredients.

Then, have them decide which items are the wisest to purchase. Establish a budget for the shopping trip and make it a goal to stay within that amount. Give them a calculator and let them keep track of how much you are spending.

If you need to override their decision, make sure they understand why. This will both broaden their sense of responsibility and improve their analytical skills.
Teach Them Personal Responsibility
The simple concept of teaching a child how to care for and take responsibility for their personal possessions helps them to understand value. Value is crucial in appreciating worth.

Once a child really appreciates worth, the concept of money will fall into place.

Easy exercises include:
• Putting coats and shoes away – installing easy-to-reach coat hooks solves the problem of little arms.
• Putting toys back together with all of their parts intact and storing them in a safe place.
• Keeping their clothes folded and stored in dresser drawers, so no one can step on them.
• Making sure books are always put on bookshelves, never on the floor.
• Carrying unbreakable dishes to the sink.

 

Let Them Work
Instead of just giving out a weekly allowance, let your children earn their money in small ways.

From cleaning up their room to mowing your lawn, jobs are essential in teaching children that money will never grow on trees. Pay a fair wage.

Don’t overcompensate but make sure the child has enough incentive to want to work, much like an adult. In addition to payments, make sure you praise them for a job well done.
Teaching children from an early age about money can save you and them a lot of trouble in their later years.

Remember that children, as adults, most appreciate those things that they’ve worked hard to get. You aren’t doing your children any favors by buying them everything they want.

 A little financial instruction can go a long way to helping your children become financially responsible adults.

Source: Spiffy Moms

 

Editor’s Note:2004 DebtGuru.com. Michael G. Peterson is the Vice President of American Credit Foundation, an IRS 501 (c)(3) non-profit consumer credit counseling organization that has assisted thousands of individuals and families with their financial situations through seminars, education, counseling services, and, debt management plans.

For more information, and free consumer resources visit www.debtguru.com

We would like to know what you think. dan@youngchronicle.com

Treats for Military Families

By Elaine Wilson
American Forces Press Service
 Dec. 13, 2009

More than 3,000 military families will have a few extra presents under the tree this year thanks to the generous efforts of Operation Home front and The Wal-Mart Foundation.

Operation Home front, a troop-support organization, invited spouses of deployed service members to shop for free today in six make-shift toy stores stocked with toys and books donated by Wal-Mart and set up in locations near military installations throughout the country, said Jim Knotts, Operation Home front chief executive officer.

“This has been an especially difficult year for our military families and their children. They’re not only dealing with deployments but also the economic recession,” Knotts said.

“Through the generosity of Wal-Mart, these donated toys and books will allow the military families to provide a happy holiday for their children while using their limited resources on the vital basic needs.”

Each family had the opportunity to choose three toys and one book per child, Knotts said, with a total of about 10,000 military children served.

The toy shops were set up near Fort Hood and Fort Bliss in Texas; Fort Bragg, N.C.; Fort Campbell, Ky.; Fort Stewart, Ga.; and Camp Pendleton, Calif. – markets that top the Pentagon’s list of cities with the highest troop deployments, according to an Operation Home front release.

Catherine Fontanez shopped today at the toy store in the National Guard Armory gymnasium in Fayetteville, N.C., near Fort Bragg.

Her husband, Army Sgt. Nelson Fontanez, is deployed, and she said events like this are a big help to military families.

“The toys are great; very educational,” said the mother of three. “This will definitely help me out a lot financially.”

Knotts said many of the military spouses he met with today were grateful for the financial help during tough economic times.

“I met a spouse with six kids; her husband is on his first deployment in Afghanistan,” he said. “They only have $25 of disposable income for the month left over for Christmas gifts. This is a huge benefit for these families.”

The toy giveaway today was just one part of a month-long effort to help military families, Knotts said. Over the next two weeks, Operation Home front will give a $1,000 Wal-Mart gift card to five military families in 10 locations.

Home front also will distribute, through 30 of its chapters, an additional $225,000 worth of Wal-Mart gift cards to help military families meet unmet needs.

And, finally, the organization will provide caregivers of wounded warriors with 1,000 special gift packages.
Source: Our Military

 

Editor’s Note: We would like to know what you think. dan@youngchronicle.com

Gift of New Baby

By Beverly Beckham
Dec. 12, 2009

They came from short and long distances to meet him. They came before work and after work, and in between commitments and appointments and all the things that everyone has to do every day.

They stopped doing these things, took a break, and showed up at my door smiling, walked in, sat down, held out their arms and oohed and aahed.

It’s the universal language. Smiles and oohs and aahs.

Babies do this. They make people slow down. They bring people together. They make people happy.

My grandson, Luke, is seven months old, not an infant anymore, but he lives in Manhattan so none of my friends had met him.

To them he was just a photograph in my wallet, a story I’d tell, an imagined baby, a small, male version of his 2-year-old sister, Megan.

Until he arrived for a weeklong stay a few weeks ago. Then he became real. His mom and sister were in Scotland visiting her family. And his dad, my son, brought Luke home to us.

And it was like a succession of holidays, Valentine’s Day, Easter, the Fourth of July, Christmas, New Year’s, every day a party, every day someone new at the door.

My daughter Lauren took the week off from work to be near him. She fed him. She rocked him. She sang to him, played with him, and loved him.

So did his cousins and all their little friends. It was wall-to-wall children some days, Dora on TV in the family room, Fred Penner singing his children’s songs on CD in the living room, the 5-and-6-year-olds coloring, the 2-and-3-year-olds singing and dancing, Luke the catalyst for it all.

We never read a newspaper. We never watched the news. We lived in a different world for an entire week, a world full of Fisher Price Little People and toy animals that moo and quack, and stuffed bears that sing and games of patty-cake and walks with Luke in the carriage and friends, so many friends, stopping by.

 

“Parent Redux”…

I thought when my children grew up and left home, the cacophony that is childhood had vanished along with them.

That there would never again be doors slamming and kids shouting and babies squealing and someone saying “I’m hungry!” and the doorbell ringing and toys all over the floor.

And that never again would there be a group of us, parents and friends, whose hearth had been our children, who got together because of them, who learned from them and laughed with them and enjoyed them, sitting around in a new mix, watching and learning and enjoying their children.

But here we are, parents redux, the blush never off the rose, the joy in each new child, new joy, just invented. But old joy, too. Familiar and missed and because of this, so very welcome.

Everyone wanted to hold Luke and feed Luke and watch Luke because Luke wasn’t just my son as a baby. Luke was all our babies.

Every time one of our grown-up kids comes home, we race to a house. We sit at a table. We drink tea or wine and we ooh and we aah over everything. A good grade. A chance at a job. A new love.

And when there’s a baby? We beg to hold the baby. And we smile and our hearts swell.

Luke left six days after he arrived. The doorbell stopped ringing. Lauren went back to work. The little kids went back to school. The baby toys were put away.

I look at the pictures we took, proof that I didn’t imagine the week. In every one, someone is smiling.

 

Source: Grand Parents

 

Editor’s Note: Beverly Beckham is an award-winning columnist who writes for The Boston Globe. She has five grandchildren.

We would like to know what you think. dan@youngchronicle.com

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