Digressing: Private Preschools To Time With Your Child

I spoke to a preschool teacher this morning regarding the preschool attendance interview process. I never really understood what the big deal was…parents competing to get their child accepted to a very expensive preschool. I’m not going to mention the name of the preschool the teacher is from. But, I will say it is on the Upper East Side. The tuition there is at least $20,000 per student, per school year. Just to note, I did read somewhere that it was important for children to attend the best of the best starting in preschool, because this eventually leads to Ivy League universities. Personally, I don’t believe in going broke to send my child to an overly expensive preschool. But, hey, if the parents have the money, why not? (I still wouldn’t go to an interview process.) Because I am a middle middle class person with a middle middle class family, I look at affordability options, and then I look at the curriculum.

I asked the teacher why is it so competitive. She said because spaces in preschools in Manhattan are limited. Hmm…that makes sense. I failed to see the big picture. I guess I only saw my viewpoint on it. I’m Miss Down-To-Earth-No-Fuss-Gal. My belief is that I go inspect the school, not the school to inspect how my child plays and reacts to see if he will be accepted. The teacher said some of the students develop at a normal rate, while others lag behind somewhat. I told her that it was also up to the parents to spend time with the child. I know parents are busy working. And, I cannot lie, I do get caught up doing housework when I should be spending time with my son. But, as parents, we need to spend time with our child everyday. Do not expect your child to learn everything in school. Do not expect the teacher to become a second parent.

I’ve been learning a lot of things lately, thanks to my new classes-curriculum and early childhood language and literacy. And, some of the things I learned are these: 1. Teacher-parent communication is very important. (Get involved in your child's curriculum and build a relationship with the teacher.) 2. Play for children is very important. 3. Reading books to your child EVERYDAY is very important.

So, I say to you parents and to myself, spend more time with your child. Engage in play and inquisitive thought with your child. Read to your child and help your child learn the alphabet and pronunciation of worlds. And, all those busy things you have to do, they can wait. Prepare the meal the night before, if you can, while your child is sleeping, so that you will only have to cook it instead of spending time preparing it. Do your errands/chores when your child is napping or at school. My husband complains I don’t spend enough time with my son. It’s hard when you work full-time, go to school at night and have to do everything else in-between. But, I do try to do things around my son’s awake/free time. I’m not perfect, but I’m trying. You should try too. Our children will be happier children.

My Toothless Son and Me

As my son has now turned one, it has left to wonder about some things-developmental milestone things. I have watched my son like a hawk when it comes to his developmental progress. I have read and searched and pondered about the first year in a child’s life. At first, the fear was not dropping him. It ended with why his teeth aren’t growing The conclusion to all this was to just give up worrying. Each child is different. But, as a new mother, as many first time mothers, I worry. Being an older mother (over 35), I worried throughout my pregnancy if my child was going to be born mentally normal. I felt like I wasn’t strong enough to survive a baby that wasn’t. But, my baby was born mentally normal. And, everyday I thank God for giving me my wish. My husband and I are currently discussing having another baby. Being a devoted Catholic, my husband has helped me become a stronger, better person. He said many times that if any child we have is born out of the ordinary, he/she is going to be our special baby. His words and comfort have made me a little less scared and a little stronger.

So, here I am with a son who is one year old with only 3 lower teeth-crooked ones I might add. But, should I worry that I can’t give him chewy things to chew on because he might choke? No, I just made an adjustment. I do still give him jarred food. But, I (we) also give him all types of food. Anything I eat, I give him small pieces. He does know how to chew very well. The doctor says not to worry, so I’m not worried. My son is happy and content, and as long as he is that’s all that matters to me. So, to hell with the milestones. I just tuck them away in order to keep this mommy sane. Yes, they creep up here and there, but they never take over. So, I say to all you new moms, just enjoy them as they are, because you will never get back that first year. And, now I stroll down the toddler lane hoping I won’t pull my hair out from all the “NO’s” coming my son’s way. And, this is just one mom’s opinion.

Congress begins to identify the worst of the worst chemicals

It is so hard to know where to start, what to begin writing on. But, I guess I will just start with this one particular article that made my heart feel just a bit better. Lately, the bulk of news I have been reading has to do with chemicals (four kinds to be exact) and human safety. They are Bisphenol A, PVCs, phthalates, and formaldehyde. The article I am talking about is from the Safer Chemical, Healthy Families Blog. The article is Congress Begins To Identify The Worst Of The Worst Chemicals. It states that since 1976, Congress has only examined 200 chemicals out of the now present 80,000 chemicals. That is really scary. But, what is scarier is the games the government has played with the American people in the past 30 years.

I always thought the government is supposed to protect us. I grew up thinking the government was some sort of omni parent to its children, the citizens and newcomers to this land of freedom. This is the country that people from around the globe wish to call home. But, as I am coming to find out the truths of how things are conducted, my heart has been broken in two. There is a love affair going on here. It is between the government and the corporations. Their ongoing love affair of decades has caused a disruptive circle in the raising of their children. Their infidelity with one another has caused this abuse to continue. Some of their children have been affected emotionally, some have been affected physically, and some have even died because of it. Do they recognize the damage they have done to us? No, they do not. Whether it is by turning the cheek, blindfolding themselves, or just turning their backs completely, they have left us, their children, alone, while they have gone out, become whores, and slept around for money.

Here come into play the games of lobbyists, politicians, corporate executives using bribery, lies and deception to get what they want by any means to become richer for themselves. From what I have been reading, thanks to Bush and his reign, deregulation has made responsibility and accountability held at the corporate level. Honesty should fit in here somewhere, but it just does not seem to. Honesty, along with the American citizens, have been left in the dust, while corporate big wigs have been speeding past us on their motorcycles. As the most powerful country in the world, the government should be ashamed of itself. Not only is it making a mockery of itself across the globe, but it is using its very own children as guinea pigs. With the new health plan passed and the trillions it will cost to maintain it, is it not time to stop the greed, to stop from making us all sick and cease their version of Darwin’s survival of the fittest?

In the end we all die penniless, alone, and are left to be eaten and eroded by Mother Nature and its creatures. I do believe in God and I do believe in karma. But, I am not content knowing one day they will be face to face with God, because the damage is already done. They have already poisoned us and our seeds. How can they do this to their children? How can they do this to the future of this country?

After all these feelings inside, I read this article. It made me pause and think and have hope again. I hope our future generations will be saved. I hope our government will finally do right by their children. I hope that carcinogens can be abolished. I hope our food will be safe to eat. And, above all, I hope that humans will stop playing God.

And this is just one mom’s opinion.