Grand Parenting

Planned Parenthood, Susan G. Komen Breaking up

2012-02-03T14:02:00.002-05:00

Looks like Planned Parenthood and Susan G. Komen are falling victim to politics. Both organizations are vital for women's health care. Abortion is not the only service Planned Parenthood provides for women. There are many who use their services for preventive health care, birth control, and other health issues. The women who use this service are unemployed, uninsured, or under employed and under insured. Taking away the services that Planned Parenthood provides will effect a lot of women.

The latest news from the Komen camp is that they are not splitting with Planned Parenthood.

Planed Parenthood is currently gaining donations, due to the possible cuts they may have to endure if the politics of it all wins out over the need for the services.

From the Komen camp, we get this news:

Susan G. Komen for the Cure is backing off of its decision to cut off grants to Planned Parenthood, announcing in a blog post that the organization will continue to be able to apply for future grants.
“We urge everyone who has participated in this conversation across the country over the last few days to help us move past this issue,” Komen’s founder and CEO, Nancy Brinker, says in the statement. “We do not want our mission marred or affected by politics — anyone’s politics.”

Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0212/72416.html#ixzz1lLYpycCJ

The right for women to have access to necessary health screenings and treatments is what is at issue, with Planned Parenthood gaining supporters since the news of the Komen cut off, Planned Parenthood seems to be able to weather the storm this has created.

Family Auctions Toddler's Art to Pay Medical Bills

2012-01-26T07:11:00.000-05:00

Though his cancer treatments zap his strength, 3-year-old Liam Myrick refuses to sit idly in the hospital room to which he's been confined. The toddler uses what energy he has to paint, a hobby that may help his parents pay for his $500,000 medical bills.
The Missouri boy was diagnosed with stage-four Neuroblastoma in July, and when he's not getting chemotherapy or physical therapy, Liam takes to the canvas, WILX reports.

"Part of his physical therapy was getting him up to walk and he had to learn to walk again and so he actually got up and painted it," Liam's mother, Shawna, told the news outlet.

The Myricks, who were already saddled with expensive medical bills when their older daughter battled an unrelated cancer last year, are auctioning Liam's work on Facebook, paintings that demonstrate how he's coping with the pain of his treatment.
"He doesn't care about what's going to happen ten minutes from now," Shawna said. "He cares about the moment."

To buy one of Liam's paintings, visit his Facebook page here.

2012 Jump Rope For Heart

2012-01-19T10:46:00.000-05:00

I have something to share from my grand daughter, Kitty's elementary school. She came to me last night and asked for my help getting her some donations for her school. She is really excited to Jump Rope For Heart!

I helped her get her account all set up online. It was fairly simple. Then we got to work setting up an ecard and a video to share with everyone we know!

Here is a little information from her website that was included with her signup...

I'm joining millions of other kids to help save lives with the American Heart Association's Jump Rope For Heart Program!
I'm doing Jump Rope For Heart at my school and learning how I can help make a difference. I'm also learning about my own heart, and how to take care of it. And I'm getting active and jumping rope!
I'm excited about raising money for other kids - kids with hearts that don't exactly work right. Please help me be a Heart Hero who saves lives! Thank you!

Help me help Kitty get a lot of donations! She is such and awesome little girl!

Lupus, Raising Awareness

2011-10-01T09:35:00.001-04:00

This story on WNDU really caught my attention. My mom died a few years ago from complications of her Lupus. She had it for many years. It was very hard to watch her suffer with this debilitating disease. It effected her physically and mentally.

There needs to be a lot more research done to find the cause. Thank you Mikayla Wireman and Mikaela Reed, for bringing awareness to this little known illness.

Millions of Americans live with the symptoms of lupus each and every day. But, the relatively low awareness for the disease can leave some people without a diagnosis for years. One Indiana high school student is doing her part to help those coping with the disease.

Mikayla Wireman and Mikaela Reed share more than a name. They are best friends and are now raising awareness for the same cause.

“I knew her mom and I knew the struggles,” Mikayla Wireman said. “So, the initial idea in my head was to do a Lupus walk.”

Reed's mother was diagnosed with Lupus in 2007. Emotions ran deep when her friend told her about the idea for the walk.

“I bawled when she told me she was going to do it,” Reed said. “My family didn’tt have that support because we didn’t know anyone else who had it.”

Lupus is an auto-immune disease that can leave those with this condition feeling weak and less able to fight off health problems.

One of Reed and Wireman's classmates recently found out that lupus does not discriminate against age.
“I’m sick all the time,” Taylor Peterson said. “I really don't have energy to do much. I miss school a lot because I’m sick or because really I am that tired and cant even function.”

Peterson knew more about Lupus after the last year's walk. She also knew she had someone to turn to.
“When Taylor came to my mom, it was touching that she felt like she could do that,” Reed said. “It puts it into perspective that kids at a younger age can have it.”
Now, preparations are in full swing for the second year of the walk.

Most of all, Wireman said she wants this walk to help build support for those living with lupus.

“From what I've discovered, people in our community have it and no one knew,” Wireman said. “It’s a hidden disease and people don’t know how serious it is. And they don’t give the sufferers the support they deserve.”

The walk is scheduled for October 22nd and will kick off at Bell Memorial Public Library (101 W. Main St. Mentone, Ind.). For more information email Wireman at dancer2mw@hotmail.com.

Time For Some Fall Fun!

2011-09-27T10:18:00.002-04:00

When our kids were little, they loved the leaves. Now we share the fun with the grand kids. Playing in leaves is just plain fun for everyone.

The grand kids just love coming to our house in the fall. We have some good ole fashion outdoor fun!

Having so much fun makes great videos!

Too Old For a Tat and a Tummy Tuck? No Way!

2011-08-23T09:32:00.000-04:00

How old is too old for a tattoo? The Today Show reports that there are more older women getting their first body ink. Just goes to show, we are never too old for a little fun!

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

How about a tummy tuck? A boob lift?

Cosmetic Surgery and Seniors: What Did Grandma Have Done?

Princess 19 on 11 Aug 2011 at 9:00am

Who says you have to be young to do something to feel good about yourself? A growing number of "older" individuals are having plastic surgery these days and you'd be surpised at what they are having done.
Recently, the Daily Mail profiled British women in their 50's and 60's who chose to have surgery later in life. Their decisions to go under the knife were made for reasons other than the typical "I want to look better in my tops." For Lyn Owen, 61, she wanted to fulfill a dream to walk the Great Wall of China.
"I had a fantastic retirement package and longed to discover more of the world," said Lyn. "But, I rapidly realised I wouldn’t fulfill a single dream because I weighed 22 stone (308 pounds) and was a dress size 22 (US size 20)."
Lyn had gastric bypass in 2008 when she was 57. She is now down to 13 stone (182 pounds), a 126 pound weight loss more suited for her 6 ft frame. With her boosted confidence, she also got a facelift, a neck lift, and an arm lift (some procedures due to the weight loss and others just to feel good) - bringing the total costs to about $25,000 of work. She claims to not only have lost weight from the surgeries, but also got a "personaity transplant" and a renewed outlook on life.
"After the Great Wall of China, I’m planning a trip to South America."
Joan Lloyd, 65, had breast augmentation at 64. She enhanced herself to an F-cup to make herself feel better after the loss of her husband in 2010. Her husband, who needed round-the-clock care for 15 years after suffering a series of strokes, drained Joan emotionally and physically. When he died of a brain hemorrhage, Joan realized she should enjoy the rest of her life.
"I’ve always been impulsive and, on the spur of the moment, I decided to have a boob job," said Joan. "A boob job at 64 helped me adjust to widowhood."
But, what about a boob job at 83? The New York Times reported that 83-year-old Maria Kolstad from Orange County, Calif., underwent a three-hour breast lift with implants, an $8,000 procedure, in July.
Maria comically said that at her age, "“your breasts go in one direction and your brain goes in another."
The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery found that in 2010 there were 84,685 surgical procedures among patients age 65 and older.
According to plastic surgeon, Dr. Robert Buchanan from North Carolina, "There are no increased risks of implants in older women. The only possibility of increased risk is with the surgery if you have a medical condition that anesthesia could affect. If you are past menopause and not on hormone replacement therapy with no medical problems, your risks are actually less than a younger woman on birth control pills."
Says Maria, “Physically, I’m in good health, and I just feel like, why not take advantage of it?”
Perhaps Maria and Joan Rivers should form a support group.

Resources for Grandparents Raising Grand Children

2011-08-14T12:07:00.001-04:00

USA.gov has put some resources together to assist grandparents who are raising their grand children.

Benefits and Assistance

Health and Safety Resources

Data and Publications

State Resources

Grandparent Programs, by State
Find grandparent and grandfamily support, discussion group, kinship care, and more in your state.
State Fact Sheets for Grandparents Raising Grandchildren
Data, programs, policies, and laws, by State. Produced by AARP Foundation, Children's Defense Fund, and others.

One year later

2011-08-05T08:58:00.000-04:00

It is so hard to believe that our 2 little angles have been gone for a whole year! They moved to a town not far from us. I think I am suffering from grammy withdraw! I miss their little faces and hugs!

Hopefully, they are on the path to a better life with their mom. She is a good mom, just made some bad choices. We all have made some bad choices at one point or another in our lives, we live and hopefully learn to not make the same ones over and over.

Next week we are taking the 2 oldest grand sons for a few days. That should be interesting! Grandpa will have to make a fishing date! And Grandma will have to find ways to keep them busy!

Really looking forward to having some fun with them! I will post some pics and a review after!

Last summer, I babysat at least 5 of them per day!! I only have one son, so the experience of 3 rotten (LOL) little boys was sometimes not a good thing! I discovered how rotten they can be! Hopefully the older 2 won't be so bad together!! Wish me luck!!

Does a Child You Know Suffer From ADHD?

2011-05-19T11:54:00.005-04:00

Is someone in your life struggling...My Grand Daughter was

Are they losing their quality of life...BeCalm is bettering her quality of life!

Do you feel powerless...We Gave her the power to change and grow!

Attention, Focus, Concentration, Depression, Anxiety, Violence, Suicide, Traumatic Stress, Substance Abuse, Addictions, Mental Fog, Over-activity,

Apathy... Loss of "Self"...

Loss of Family... Loss of Job...

Even loss of life itself... the list seems endless.

There's a common thread, and it's easily mended.

NeuroGenesis Inc. scientists have repeatedly proven this since 1984, with patent after patent, study after study, brain after brain.

Seeking a permanent solution? You've been led to the right place.

Amino-Acid Precursor Therapies, (Neu-Beclam'd) are a common sense approach that simply concentrates, and delivers into your brain, the very same exact stuff God put into food. Our brains are literally starving for it.

Imagine the fog lifting...

the hyper stopping....

your "self" returning...

a calm remaining.

Imagine your brain... running on premium.

You are not alone: Listen to the voices of folks, just like you, reporting now common miracles.

Read some the emails, we've received over the last fifteen years, you'll be moved. I know I am.

After over 25 years of scientific research and success after success, NeuroGenesis knows something that you don't.

It has always been unnecessary... and still is.

Dr. Kenneth Blum discovered all this back in 1984, these formulations have been offered by NGI since then and it's the same price it was in 1995. How many other products with these credentials come to mind.

We've been poisoning ourselves and our families, and we're seeing the disturbing results. Just watch the news. Kids with guns in schools!

Drug therapies have many disadvantages. Take Ritalin for example. "Reported side effects include insomnia, nervousness, skin rash, anorexia, nausea, dizziness, headaches, blood pressure and pulse changes, cardiac arrhythmia, abdominal pain and weight loss, slowed or interrupted growth, etc." 12 year old Matthew Smith, died from taking it. They also state, "There is neither specific evidence which clearly establishes the mechanism whereby Ritalin produces its mental and behavioral effects in children nor conclusive evidence regarding how these effects relate to the condition of the central nervous system.

Don't believe the drug pushers when they tell you there is something wrong with "you" or your child. It's Meth (lite) their forcing on our kids!

Alcoholism and substance abuse of all kinds, is as old as mankind itself. Only in the last century have we come to understand that there are underlying genetic processes at work. Pioneering medical research by Dr. Kenneth Blum, at the University of Texas, has led to this series of therapies, each tailored for specific individual needs during initial addiction recovery.
"Stop the Sirens Call".

Brain trauma of all kinds can only be made better by supplying the brain the "raw materials" it needs to function properly. If you don't fertilize your garden, don't be surprised at the results. It's just common sense that we must feed our brains the very specific 'fertilizer' it requires to function. The "American Diet" is wreaking havoc with more than our waistlines, it's affecting our delicate brain chemistry, why are we surprised at the results?

NeuroGenesis, Inc. products are based upon the physical structure and function of the brain and its basic nutritional requirements. Supplying the brain with the "raw materials" it requires to function properly.

Metal Motivation on Preventing Child Abuse

2011-04-21T09:45:00.000-04:00

Planned Parenthood in Indiana in Jepordy!

2011-04-20T09:49:00.000-04:00

This is on the Indiana Planned Parenthood site. I heard about this on the news this morning and I find it very disturbing!

Planned Parenthood of Indiana Vows to Keep Fighting

Planned Parenthood of Indiana (PPIN) and its network of supporters are outraged the Indiana State Senate has voted to put the health care of 22,000 Hoosiers at risk and vowed to immediately file for injunctive relief if HB 1210 becomes law, which could be costly for the State of Indiana.

The bill’s intent is to immediately shut off nearly $3 million in federal family planning and Medicaid funding that passes through the state to Planned Parenthood of Indiana. The funding pays for preventive health care for low-income Hoosiers – Pap tests, birth control, breast exams and STD testing and treatment. “It’s unconstitutional, on its face,” said PPIN President and CEO Betty Cockrum.

In my opinion, the closing of Planned Parenthood puts more lives of the living in danger! Women who cannot afford annual exams, and birth control, will be left to become ill, and have no resources to important health care.

Although some say abortion is the issue, the health of 22,000 women is a much larger issue. The fact is abortion is only 6% of their services! I believe that is a lot less than 22,000 potential sisters, mothers, and daughters who could be lost to preventable illness and disease!

Schools are suffering!

2011-02-18T18:27:00.000-05:00

This is happening everywhere. Our children and grand children are already paying for our Government's mistakes!

They are all being denied a good education. Too many cuts to our public school systems will cripple our nation in the future.

Gov. Rick Snyder's budget plan, announced Thursday, calls for a $300-per-student cut to school funding, as well as reductions to funding for Michigan's 15 public universities. Combined with a previously budgeted cut, the number increases to $470 per pupil, The Associated Press reported.
This number jumps even higher when adding the increase in retirement costs, Grand Haven Area Public Schools Superintendent Keith Konarska said. At $230 per pupil, this brings the total cut to $700 — meaning the Grand Haven district would lose an estimated $4 million in total. Read more

Parents will have to become more involved in supplementing their children's education.

The economy may be on the mend, but signs of decline still dominate in America's public schools as they plan their budgets for next year: Thousands of teachers once again brace for pink-slip season; more students will sit elbow-to-elbow in crowded rooms; computers that break down will sit unused; and kids will bring home longer lists of supplies – from crayons to sanitary wipes – that parents are supposed to buy for their classrooms. Read more

A thought occurs to me as I read and hear about all the schools and the financial struggles. Grand parents could also give their grand children a hand with education. Grand parents are a valuable resource and should help insure the future.

One out of Ten Children In the US are Raised By Grand Parents

2011-01-28T07:55:00.000-05:00

That is the first thing that caught my eye as I was looking around today for some new information for this blog. One out of Ten. Wow. That is just mind boggling! It seems there are more and more Grand Parents taking over the care of their Grand Children. The more of us there are, the more resources become available.

Thankfully, our time raising our grand children is done, for now. They have finally moved out and are living less than 20 miles away. We have mixed emotions about them leaving. We kind of got used to having them around. Now, they are close, but we never see them. We hope to never be put in that situation again.

It is hard, especially when our children are grown up, with their own family, to see our children still making the same mistakes over and over. I often wonder where some of these people that make the evening news for loosing custody get their parenting skills from? Really, I was raised to protect my children from the bad elements of life, and arm them with the tools to avoid falling into the trap of drugs, and alcohol. I honestly tried to teach my children the same values.

The time raising our grandkids has taught me to always be prepared for the unexpected. It happened once, it could happen again. If it does happen again, we will know a lot more how to handle the situation.

Grand Parents raising grand children has grown to have a place in the U.S. Government resources. A lot of good information is available. There you will find resources for financial assistance, to support groups for those grand parents who have been blessed with raising grandchildren, no matter what the reason.

The Today Show has some excellent resources for grand parents. There are many places and resources to help. It is tax time. You may be able to claim them, depending on your circumstances.

Parenting Weekly has a Grand Parents section as well. There are resources for grand parents to assist in entertaining, playing with, and discipline. Keep up with the latest trends in grand parents raising their grand children. Seek the support you need to get you and the children through a difficult time.

If you are blessed with raising your grand children, you deserve a medal! Make this time with them a loving, fun time for them. Things in life often happen, and they are beyond our control. The best we can do, is be loving, supportive grand parents. Our grand children need us! And we are there.

PayPerPost

2010-06-05T12:21:00.000-04:00

This is one more blog I am adding to PayPerPost. The more the merrier! The pot tackles the misery. I hope to be adding more fresh content soon!

Rubber Band Fun

2010-05-20T22:57:00.000-04:00

Making toy cars using rubber bands is a lot of fun to do with kids. Rubber bands can be used for power or for traction. A toy car that uses a mouse trap is a fast, fun little car. The spring in the mouse trap releases energy to the wheels, that are wrapped in rubber bands, for traction. Get a few neighborhood kids together and make several for a race. Adult supervision is highly recommended in building a toy car using rubber bands. And fun is mandatory.

Get together all supplies for building a mouse trap car. This car requires a mouse trap, 2 metal rods, 4 small eye hole screws, some plywood, 2 rubber bands, some string, washers that the rods will fit into, a drill and bit set, jig saw or hack saw, an hammer, a vice, a wood file and a jewelers file., wood glue and some 2 part epoxy, and a drafting compass

Begin by taking the mouse trap and pulling out the wire that holds the trap open with the pliers. Keep this wire for later use. Remove the bait holder on the mouse trap. Remove any staples that may be present.

Using the eye hooks, screw them into an end of the trap. Place them 8 mm from the edge of the trap. Drill a small starter hole to keep the wood from splitting.

With the drafting compass to draw 2, 75 mm circles on the plywood. Cut them out with the jig saw. File the edges smooth with the wood file.

Place the rods side by side and check to see if they are exactly the same size. Cut and file to the right length if needed. Using the hack saw, cut approximately half way through one rod. File the cut so it is wide enough for the wire removed in step 1 to rest in.

Cut the wire from step 1 to 7 mm. Glue the end of this wire into the slot just cut with the 2 part epoxy. This will need to dry overnight.

Position the wire that is now dry to the back of the mouse trap. Slide the other wire through the eye hole screws.

Place the washers on the wires. With the drill and 3.7 mm bit, drill a hole in the center of the wheels. Slide the wheels on to the rods.

Tie the string in the center clamp on the mouse trap. Stretch the string to the end and tie it to the axle. Trim off loose ends.

Wrap the rubber bands around the wheels. Glue them in place.

Lift the clamp of the trap enough to get the loop end of the string over the wire on the rear axle. Pull the car backwards so that the string winds around the axle and lifts the clamp on the mouse trap. Sit the car on the floor and let it go.

Control Ants Safely

2010-05-20T22:46:00.000-04:00

There are ants in the house. Ants in the kitchen. Ants in the living room. Ants in the bathroom. Ants come in through the smallest cracks in doors, windows and even the foundation of a home. Poisons and pesticides will kill the ants, but they are not healthy around children, pets or even kitchens. There are safe ways to kill ants safely for households that have children or pets.

Here are what is needed for 2 methods of getting rid of ants safely. Method 1 items are, a small spray bottle, some vinegar, water, black pepper and paper towels.

Method 2 items are, a paper plate, some syrup, powdered boric acid, some sidewalk chalk.

Mix equal parts of water and vinegar and pour into a small spray bottle. Fill 2 bottles and keep them in a couple of handy places. Spray ants anytime they are seen, inside and out.

Spray any ants as soon as they are seen in the home with the vinegar and water mixture. The vinegar kills the ants quickly and cleanly. No pesticides needed. To clean them up, just wipe them up with a paper towel and toss them away.

Locate a trail of ants inside or outside. Spray the ants with the vinegar mixture. Dust the trail with black pepper to prevent the ants from taking the same path into the house.

Follow the ants as they rush back to their nest and sprinkle more black pepper in and around the nest. This will repel the ants from their own home, and will cut down on how many are around the house.

The ants will run from the nest, spray the ants with the vinegar mixture as they leave the nest.
Pour hot water down the ant hole to boil and drown any remaining ants.

Another child and pet friendly way of controlling ants in and around the home is using boric acid and side walk chalk. Boric acid is toxic to ants and a few grains of dust can kill the hole colony safely.

Place a dot of maple syrup in the center of a paper plate. Sprinkle a line of boric acid around the syrup. The ants walk through the powder and take it back to their home, killing the whole nest.

Draw a line around the foundation of the home with sidewalk chalk once the ants are all out. Be sure to draw a wide line, with no breaks. This line will keep ants from entering the home.

The Rights of Grandparents and Adoptions

2010-05-14T07:31:00.000-04:00

Adopting a grandchild or grandchildren is a noble and caring gesture for any grandparent. There are several situations in which a grandparent in Indiana can adopt a grandchild. Some children, as adults and parents, can become ill, get caught up in bad behavior, such as drinking and driving and get into other trouble with the law. Indiana court systems will grant custody to a grandparent rather than put the child or children into foster care.

The Beginning: Child in Need of Services

Initially, the Indiana court will order the child to be in need of social services. Indiana Child Protection Services will then attempt to locate a family member, beginning with a grandparent. The grandparents will then become legal guardians.

Porpose of Grammy's Blog

2010-02-07T08:29:00.001-05:00

I started this blog mainly to vent, and to give some valuable information for all grandparents faced with challenges.

As parents, we do the best we can to raise our children right. Some children just have to learn the hard way, after they become parents, that everything they do in their lives, directly effects their children. Weather they stop bar-hopping, or drink and drive, EVERYTHING a parent does in their life effects their children.

What responsibility does a grandparent have when it comes to the grandchildren? If your child and their partner are neglecting or abusing your grandchildren, what can a grandparent do? The hardest thing any grandparent or parent can do is take charge of a bad situation.

Your Child Has Gone to Jail. What happens to the Grandchildren?

2010-01-28T13:23:00.000-05:00

Your Child Has Gone to Jail. What happens to the Grandchildren?

A lot of grandparents have to step in and take care of their grandchildren. As parents, we do not want to see our children get into trouble with the law. But when they do, we, as parents have to let the law handle them. They are adults and should know right from wrong. The big issue here is, what to do about the grandchildren.

It is hard to believe, but there are some grandparents who will not take their grandchildren, if the parents get into trouble with the law. They just don't want to deal with the issues involved. There are other parents that will take them in a heart beat. No matter what the parents issues are.

There is a lot to taking custody of grandchildren when the parent or parents are in trouble with the law. Whether it is temporary or permanent, child protection is involved. There is the paperwork, background checks, fingerprinting, court hearings and even monthly visits from a caseworker.

If, as a grandparent, you find your self in this situation, there is help available. The place to start is of course with your local child protection agency. They are there to help. In most cases, child protection would much rather keep the children with family. Putting them in foster care with strangers is very hard on the children. Keeping them with family is a much better situation for all involved.

Be proactive. If your child has been getting into trouble with the law, contact child protection. Give them your information. Tell them you want the children to come to you if things get worse. Don't worry about giving your kids a “bad name” . If they are in trouble with the law, child protection already knows what is going on. Contact from you gives the authorities another option instead of foster care with strangers. They also have access to other services that you will need.

If your child is in major trouble with the law, and is looking at serious jail time, the paper work for temporary custody should be started as soon as possible. You may even want to consider consulting with a lawyer. To protect the children. Someone needs to have legal guardianship to sign for medical care, school, and even mental health care.

Whatever the issue is, as grandparents, we have to protect the grandchildren. They are the innocent victims of their parents bad behavior and deserve to stay with family.

Here is my favorite resource: worth every penny for the advise! Grandparents Rights For Custody And/or Visitation.

Finding good daycare-cheaper is not always better.

2010-01-14T07:19:00.000-05:00

Those of us who are parents know how hard it is to find quality and affordable childcare. I know, from experience, that cheaper is not always the best way to go. Before we had our third child, I did get a job with a very good friend. We thought we were doing so good! The sitter we found was a friend who lived in the same apartment complex. We used to visit her a lot before we became employed. We let our children play together, bake cookies, get together once or twice a month and cook dinner for all 3 of our families.

Mary and I decided we should get jobs. Our friend said she could watch our children for 30 bucks a week! That is a great price for 2 kids. We found a job together doing some post construction cleaning in the Dallas, TX area.

I will never forget that fateful day when Mary got a phone call from her husband. We were cleaning a building that looked over the Cowboys practice field. We had decided to take our lunch closer to watch them practice. Mary received a call right before we were going to lunch break. As she was listening to the caller, I saw her face turn a frighting shade of white and she almost passed out! When she was finished with her call, she was hysterical. It took what seemed to be and eternity to get her to tell me what happened.

Her husband was calling from the hospital in Garland. The Dr. told him that her son, Christopher, had sustained a sever head injury and needed to be life-flighted to a nearby children's hospital. We rushed to the hospital as fast as we could. When we arrived, the Doctor met us at the entry to the ER with child protection. They told us that little Christopher's injury was not caused by a fall. The type of injury to his head could have only came from being dropped or falling from 6' or higher. Her baby was dieing. There was nothing they could do.

Mary passed out. Smelling salts were brought in to revive her. We were taken to the childrens hospital where he had been taken. For about a week the little guy wouldn't give up. Mary, her husband, and I all stayed and cried and held his little hand. We were all with him the day he stopped fighting.

There was an investigation by child protection and they inspected the other children in the sitters care. Questionable marks and bruises were found on Mary's 2 year old daughter, my 2 year old son and my 3 month old daughter. After the case workers eliminated us, as the parents as the abusers, they concentrated on the sitter. We just couldn't believe our friend could hurt our children. We were devistated!

The trial was long and drawn out. Almost a year later, we found out the true story of how little 13 month old Christopher was injured. The sitter admitted to not being able to handle him that day. He was a "cry baby". That day she just couldn't take it. She sent a little 13 year old neighbor child outside with the other children and proceeded to slam that little guy's head onto a dresser and concrete floor until he stopped crying, forever.

The sitter was sentenced to life in prison for causing injury resulting in death to a minor child. She is still there to this day.

This was the time in my life that I decided I would never trust another person to care for my children. Until they were old enough to speak up when something was wrong, I would stay home with them.

As parents we are supposed to protect our children from people who would do them harm. It is very difficult to know who to trust. Anyone can become a certified sitter. That is still no guarantee that your children will be cared for properly. When looking into day care, use the technology that is available. Do a background check on the potential care giver. Conduct several visits and interviews. Find out as much as you can about who you will.

Full Circle

2010-01-13T08:56:00.000-05:00

It seems my life has come full circle. I have come to the conclusion that I was meant to raise children. My loving husband, Alex and I have 5 children. Three are mine and two are his. Three of them are now single parents of 7 great kids! I must say that I just love being a grandma!

I began my married life at the ripe old age of 18 and had all 3 of my children by 22. I chose to stay at home with my children after a babysitter killed my best friends little boy while Mary and I were working. Our children were at the same sitter! From that moment, I decided to take care of my own children!

Once my children were in school, I got my first drivers license at the ripe old age of 30. A short time later I started some college classes. My husband at the time was an alcoholic, who did not want me to become independent. He started to become violent. In the end, when our children were teenagers, we divorced.

I then worked 2 or 3 jobs for several years. I missed a lot of the children's teenage years, but we got through. Now they are all grown up and on their own. Two of my children have been through bad marriages, and are now divorced, trying to raise their children on their own. One of my husband's is also now a single parent. I lost my job over 2 years ago. Long story short, things happened to keep me home.

Now I am a stay-at-home grandma. There are 7 of the wonderful little people. I must say they are a joy! But there are days when I just don't know how I did it so many years ago!

I