Tuesday, July 15, 2008

Vale Television


I really appreciate the various suggestions for a preschool name.  Unfortunately, there was no clear cut winner.  Though I did get a good laugh over Live and Learn and Demure Daycare.  "I signed my precious child up for preschool, and it was a disaster.  Oh well, live and learn."  or "We think our child is much too outgoing and is lacking subtlety, so Demure Daycare sounded like an answer to prayers."  I may be leaning towards Addison's suggestion of Happy Hour.  We'll see.  I think I still have time.  The preschool portion of my plan will not get into full swing until Fall 2009.  I'll start my enrollment drive in January and February of next year.  So I'll need a name before then.

Now that I have been spending so much time preoccupied with plans for educating little ones, I have been painfully reminded of an area in which I have totally let go of all convictions and boundaries.  

Television.  

Television has become like child care crack to me.  It is the babysitter that keeps the two-year-old happy so that I can mess around and solve my crosswords.  It is the, get-out-of-my-hair-I-don't-want-to-have-to-entertain-you pill.  Oh, bad mom, bad mom.  

Any parent who has not been hiding in the backwoods has heard that children under the age of two should not even see a television turned on, ever.  (There is even a campaign on this subject.)  Not to mention the first three years of life being the most important and blahedy, blah, blah.  So I've had just a little bit of guilt.  But no more - this morning I took the rabbit ears off of our TV (don't laugh at me, we refuse to pay for cable.), walked outside and tossed them in the dumpster.  Bye, bye television.

I'm thinking that there will be a short mourning period.  But we should fill it up pretty quickly with web surfing and video watching.  In case you were worried.

Thursday, July 3, 2008

A Doozy of a Daycare Contest

Okay - here's the big moment you have all been waiting for. Hardy-har-har.  THE CONTEST.

I need a name for the preschool and family daycare that I am starting.  Here are the parameters, the name needs to reflect a certain level of sophistication.  I don't want names that have any of these words: playtime, playhouse, cute, cozy, cuddly, etc.  I don't want to use my name, though the kids names are fair game.  Tell me what you can come up with and you could win a prize.

What type of prize you ask?  A really, really good one!  If I use your name, here is what you could win:

Local contestants:  A date night:  dinner coupons, movie passes and free babysitting!

Long Distance Participants:  Date night without the free babysitting. (Sorry, the cost of traveling to you would really be uneconomical on my part.)

Sooo - get creative.  Let me know what you come up with.  The contest ends on July 13th.  And now - It Is On!

Wednesday, July 2, 2008

Thieves and Murderers

Note to self:  do not run outside with loaded shotgun when angry.  

I was very saddened and disturbed by the latest story from Texas this week.  Apparently, in that grand state, property has more value than human life.  Try explaining that one to your children.
What do you say to them?  If someone is doing something bad on our property, we shoot them.  So, kids, you'd better behave!

We are taught, "if a man or woman shall rob, he or she shall be delivered up unto the law of the land.  And if he or she shall steal, he or she shall be delivered up unto the law of the land." D&C 42: 84-85

"Ye have heard it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: But I say unto you, That you resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on they right cheek, turn to him the other also.  
Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.  But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven . . . 
For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye?
Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect."
Matt 5