Saturday, February 19, 2011

Being a mother of six

Being a mother of six has given me a chance to identify with two completely
different sets of three children....I ponder now....

Five years ago my oldest three children were in the same positions as my younger three children. It gives me a chance to reflect, do i respond the same in parenting situations? How have I grown? What have I learned? In areas where responses are exactly the same, is it because that the only way I can see how things should be?
Can I see how things are and accept them that way when i see them coming around again the same way?

I am about to depart of the NICK CRUISE, a NCL mega ship that is sailing from New York City with my three younger children. There are a lot of lessons here for me

*I am sending the message to my older three children, that now they are in upper
school, they have a responsibility to their academics and can not miss any school
even if its just three days for this .

*I am sending the message to the younger children, that they are just as important as the older children because the older children speak of THEME STYLE vacations that they were went on at this age

*I have a chance to interact with my 5-7-9 year old children in ways that will create memories they will never forget...the 5 year old and I are signed up for
THE "pie in the face with your mom" game, the other two will play against me
in NICKS SLIMETIME LIVE show and who knows what game will be picked ! Neverless it will be unforgettable!

*I have a chance to start a new routine with the younger three that can carry into our home life. I have been thinking about the 9 year old reading to the younger two
in a dramatic way to settle them down before I come in at bedtime.

*I carefully picked out brain quests, 1000 questions for kids,Scrabble Junior,
and even CD nighttime stories for when I pass out!

I will spend today making sure the older children are ready for the responsibilities of staying behind !

Happy Presidents Day weekend !

Monday, February 14, 2011

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!

I googled the History of Valentine’s Day as a fun way to start the blog, and I got so many interpretations. I did not want to attach my words to any of them as I have my own!

WHAT IS YOUR VALENTINES DAY TRADITION?
The lesson of giving!
Which then teaches the lesson of community, the lesson of taking time to create something that will bring joy to someone else? RAISING SIX CHILDREN IN NEW YORK CITY….I take this one step further and also teach them that as a family we can reach so many people with a touch of love. They see how excited I am, how it brings me such great joy….they feel this joy and the traditions are created!

40 children in each grade multiplied by six grades is TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY VALENTINES (I'm including the teachers)

I purchased 5 bags of Valentine’s Day lollipops from Duane Reade; I took the pink tissue paper from the dry cleaners and one roll of cellophane and created a Valentine’s Day loll pop flower. On the stem to hold on the tissue paper and cellophane I used a mailing label, and wrote happy Valentine’s Day and our last name. The children will hand them out today! 250 valentines were created on the kitchen counter during snack time and cost less than $40.00 dollars!

I went down to 35th street area off fifth and sixth avenues where there are importers shops filled with Bulk valentine red teddy bears with HAPPY VALENTINES DAY pillows attached. You can purchase 12 for $18.00. I budgeted $100.00 bad brought home 72 red teddy bear dolls.

After wrapping them up in cellophane putting a sticker on them (a mailing label with our family name on it) I started handing them out to people in our community, who I want my children to SEE.

The super who restrings all the recyclables from the garbage cans next door to our house, the mechanics on our block who move cars back and forth every morning while we leave for school, the dry cleaners couple who see our house from across the street every day, the receptionist at our school, and so on.
Its 10:30am and I am out of bears, feel glad I had a chance to touch so many people and a bit worried that all that morning energy and excitement is going to make me tired for my husband’s special valentine’s day night…..off to rest