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Happy Birthday to my Rosebud

December 22, 2018

Rosebud has the same great luck that I do. We share a December birthday. Just like everyone else I’ve ever known with a December birthday, we all complain about how close it is to Christmas. How we never really have a birthday. How no one shows up for winter birthday parties because they are busy with holiday stuff. How our families take shortcuts and just give us a gift they bought us for Christmas instead. How we wish our birthday was on any other month. At least Rosebud and I can commiserate together as she grows up. When she’s older, I imagine a girls day out because we’ll have to make our day special. there’s no one I’d rather share a birthday with.

Every year, I buy her a birthday card, put a little note in and ceil it. I usually include some highlights from that year and tell her how much I love her and how proud I am. I was thinking that there are lots of things I want her to know as she grows up and here are some of them.

You’re beautiful no matter what you wear.

Whether you are wearing a jeans and t-shirt or are dressed like a princess, you’re still beautiful. You’re not only pretty on the outside, but an amazing person on the inside. You are kind. You ask me if I’m okay if you think I’m sad. You always check on me if you think I hurt myself. You’re the sweetest person I know. You tell me I’m a good cook, that I’m a good mommy and you tell me you love me every day. The other day, you said that you are perfect the way you are and it warmed my heart. Please don’t let anyone ever tell you otherwise.

Never settle.

The point of life is not how much money you can make and always having top of the line material things. It’s really about being happy both with who you are and what kind of life you have. It is important to make goals and strive for them. Don’t let anyone take you away from the path you are supposed to be on. If something or someone doesn’t make you happy, don’t be afraid to walk away. It will be hard to do this at times, but if something is bringing you down and crushing your spirit, you can’t stay. I’ll always be here to support you. Don’t be afraid to dream big even if it takes a long time to make those dreams come true.

Trust yourself.

I already told you not to settle, but if something doesn’t feel right, trust your gut. You can change your mind and you can definitely say no. Sometimes in life you will have to do things that you don’t want to do, but there is a difference in doing hard things because you have to do them and being forced into doing something that doesn’t feel right to you. If a person is not respecting your physical space, find a way to get away from them and out of that situation. Same goes for people who aren’t respecting your time or values. You don’t have to put up with anyone hurting you or bringing you down.

Always keep a piece of yourself

One day if you decide to get married or become a mom, you may feel like the old you is missing. You may be devoting all your time and energy to your family. You might feel depleted and like you have nothing else to give. That’s why it’s important to always take time for yourself. Even if it’s only a few minutes a day. I want to expose you to a variety of things throughout the years so that you can find what interests you, but you can also find these things later as an adult. Read, write, socialize, spend some time alone with your thoughts, enjoy the beauty of nature, find a hobby or just take some time to care for yourself. You have to find something that is just yours to enjoy.

Everyone makes mistakes.

I want you to know that everyone makes mistakes. Really big ones sometimes. We are all human and it happens. What counts is what we learn from our mistakes and what we do differently if there is a next time. I’ve made mistakes and will probably continue making them. It’s apart of life, but I want you to know that I’m doing my best for you. I know you will make mistakes too because that’s how we learn. I will be here for you through all of it.

I love you always.

No matter what I will love you. Nothing will ever change that. Motherhood is sometimes frustrating. The day to day stuff can be monotonous. I get tired of telling you not to throw your toys or having the same arguments about bedtime every night. I know as time goes on the challenges will change. We will clash at times. Motherhood is the most challenging job I’ve ever had, but it’s worth it. When I hear your laughter or get to watch you grow and learn new things, it makes me so happy. I’m glad you are in my life and wouldn’t change it for anything.

Happy birthday my Rosebud. I am looking forward to many more.

0 comments

Childcare, Gift Giving, Toddlers, Work

Holiday Goody Bags for Toddlers

December 18, 2018

At work, we usually do a secret Santa gift exchange the week before Christmas. Sometimes we give to a family in need and fill a box with gifts. Some of our teachers make up bags for the children and some of them don’t. This year, I wanted to do something a little different. Right now, I don’t have a class of my own. I float, so I spend time in all the rooms, but I spend a lot of time with my toddler classes now and that’s who I decided to shop for.

I knew I wanted to put goody bags together, but most of the bulk items I found were for preschoolers or older. It took a little extra time and effort to find the right things, but here’s what’s inside the bags.

These sweet treat rubber duckies for the girls and these doggy rubber duckies for the boys.

I figured most kids love their baths and the novelty duckies would be a unique spin on a classic toy.

I found these bubbles at the dollar store in packs of three. There’s chocolate, strawberry and vanilla. 
Bubbles are always a hit with toddlers.

I included 1oz containers of play-dough. You can’t do much with only one or two ounces, but I was on a budget. These small sizes are great for travel.

I found packs of cars at the dollar store and included a car in each bag.

Here is a similar set of Matchbox cars.

What kid doesn’t love stickers? I found this sticker pack on Amazon that has a variety of stickers. There are letters, numbers, smily faces, hearts, animals and more. It’s a good buy if you are in the market for small puffy stickers.
 
Finally, I wanted to include a ball, but wasn’t sure what to do since most of the bouncy balls are too small for toddlers. I didn’t want to include anything that was a choking hazard. On the other hand, I didn’t want to find something too big for the bag. I was lucky to find these awesome jumbo bouncy balls that are the perfect size.

I found these paper snowman gift bags. They were the perfect size. For the final touch, I used gift tags with 3d stickers.
 
Is there anything I missed? What fun items have you included in goody bags? Tell me in the comments.

I’m sure the kids will be surprised. I hope they love them. I wish my classes a merry Christmas!

11 Comments

Awareness, Parenting, Safety

A Forgotten Safety Check

December 11, 2018

I was busy at work last week when my phone rang. I almost always let it go to voicemail, but it was my mom calling. If she calls me at work, there’s usually something wrong so I answered. I could hear this loud beeping in the background. It sounded like the smoke detecter. She asks me if I know what the noise is. When I tell her it sounds like the smoke detector, she says that she’s already checked the two smoke detectors and taken the batteries out so it can’t be them.

Then I ask the next logical question I can think of. Did you cook anything? Is anything burning? She tells me no. That she’s looked everywhere, doesn’t smell a burning smell and hasn’t cooked anything. Next, I mention the carbon monoxide detector since it’s the only thing I can think of that makes a similar sound. She tells me she’s unplugged it too and it’s not that.

Then she starts to wonder if there’s something wrong with the heater and turns the thermostat up to see if it makes any unusual noise when it turns on. Of course, it doesn’t. At this point, I’m worried and am getting annoyed because I can’t help and there’s literally nothing I can do.

I tell her I can’t help her and insist that she call the fire department. Honestly, she should’ve done that first. Now that we’ve hung up, I’m trying to put kids to sleep while worrying about what’s happening at my house. I live in a duplex so I’m wondering if there’s smoke or fire on the other side. Is there carbon monoxide after all? Since you can’t smell it, you won’t know until you start feeling the effects. If it’s not any of the detectors, then what the hell is it?

After waiting and worrying for about ten or fifteen minutes, she calls me back with the news that she called the fire department and waited outside for them to show up. They put on their gear and came in the house to find that it was in fact the carbon monoxide detector. She said that she unplugged it, but that she didn’t realize it had batteries in it. When she unplugged it and still heard the noise, she assumed that the noise was coming from something else. The firefighters checked all the levels and determined that everything was safe.

The carbon monoxide detector was going crazy because it had stopped working. I had no idea when it was originally bought since it was here when I moved in. If my mom had figured that out and had just removed the batteries, we wouldn’t have realized it was no longer effective. We would have just plugged it back in and figured the batteries were dead, but by calling the fire department, we avoided something that could’ve been tragic. It’s always better to be safe than sorry.

The firefighters gave us recommendations and I thought of some reminders that I’d like to pass on.

1. Change smoke and carbon monoxide detector batteries every six months,

2. Replace carbon monoxide detectors every five years,

3. When in doubt, if you think something’s wrong, don’t be afraid to call them. That’s what they’re there for. They not only put out fires, but they inspect homes for safety and educate people too.

4. I’d like to add that if you are unsure when your carbon monoxide detector was installed, it’s better to replace it than to guess. this is something I should’ve done.

5. The life expectancy of smoke detectors is ten years so they should be replaced as well.

6. Read the manual when you get a new detector. It will tell you what the different lights and sounds mean. This way you will know if it is no longer effective.
7. This is another thing I’d like to add. Make sure your heating system is cleaned regularly. I usually have my furnace cleaned every one to two years. This is just to ensure that it’s clean and running safely and smoothly.

The two particular firefighters who came to my house were kind to Rosebud. She was fascinated by the truck and the gear. They said she could drop by the fire station any time if she wanted to check things out. Rosebud thought that meant right then and there and started to walk towards their truck. It was more of an adventure to her than a scare, so thank you for being kind and taking the time to talk to her. Thank you for keeping us safe. I could never do your job. It takes a certain amount of bravery to enter a burning building and to put your lives on the line. Thank you.

To show the firefighters in your life that you appreciate them, take a look at this list of 17 useful Christmas gift ideas for firefighters.

Are there any safety checks you do in your home that may get overlooked? Let me know in the comments.

4 Comments

Activities, Education, Parenting, Preschool, Toddlers, Winter

Gift Giving Sensory Tub

December 7, 2018

This week, I decided to make up a festive sensory tub for Rosebud. I’m calling it the gift giving sensory tub.

What’s in the tub?

Wrapping paper,
Small boxes,
Ribbon,
Bows,
Tissue paper,
Bells,
Snowman rings,
Sparkly pompoms,
A bulb shaped ornament that opens,
A gift bag
A small stocking.

Today was the first time Rosebud got to play with this tub and she played for almost an hour. I had to tare her away for bath time. She loved filling the gift bag, putting the items in the different sized boxes and trying to wrap them. We pretended to give each other gifts. She’d open a box of snowman rings and say, “thank you Mommy. This was the best gift ever.” Then I’d open a gift bag full of pompoms and tell her what a nice gift she gave. If you are working on sharing and kindness, this would be a great sensory tub for the theme.

We worked on math skills by counting the number of pompoms in a box. We used our listening skills to guess what was inside the boxes. We discovered that we can always tell when one of the bells were in the boxes, but we could only hear the pompoms depending on the size and style of the box. Rosebud folded wrapping paper and tried to tie ribbon to practice those fine motor skills.

If your child is a little older, you could include tape so they could practice actually wrapping presents. I did not include tape because I knew it’d be everywhere. I’d love to add more ribbon of different sizes, other Christmas and winter themed trinkets for a wider variety of gifts and child scissors to cut wrapping paper. If you’ve tried something similar or have a festive sensory tub of your own, tell me in the comments.

10 Comments

Awareness, Childcare, Education, Preschool, Toddlers, Work

Do’s and Don’ts of Working with Children Who May be Different from You

December 4, 2018

I've been thinking about this post for a while. This topic is close to my heart as I can not only relate to it from my own childhood, but it comes up on some level in my work every day. I know that working with children is stressful. Add to that, behaviors, issues or cultural differences that you may be uncomfortable or unfamiliar with, it can bring the stress to a whole new level. No one is perfect. Everyone makes mistakes. We are all human after all and that is the most important thing to keep in mind. For this post, I'll focus on children with disabilities and children who are learning English as a second language, but a lot of this can even be applied with other groups of children or even adults. I'm writing this from the education perspective, but these suggestions can be applied in many situations. Being around people who are different from us not only teaches us about others, but we also learn plenty about ourselves in the process. If you are working with a diverse group of children, here are some do's and don'ts that will make the experience better for all involved.

Respect a person’s body and space

This should be obvious, but so many situations come up where a child is just picked up and moved without a word. I can understand if it is a safety issue or an extreme emergency. There are times when we can’t always stop and explain fully. No one is perfect and these things happen, but I’m talking about the situations where it is possible to ask the child’s permission or to explain what you are doing. For example, if I am picking up a child to change her diaper, I’ll tell her that. If I need to move a child who is having a tantrum and is endangering the other children, I will say something like, I’m going to move you to a place where you can be safe until you calm down.”

I witnessed a situation where two toddlers were arguing over being in the same space playing with a dollhouse. The area was getting very crowded and I was starting to talk to the children about it. All of the sudden, the person I was working with grabs the dollhouse and brings it to a bigger table without a word. This put one child in complete melt down mode. He had no idea why the toy was taken away and what just happened. He proceeded to push a bucket of toys off the table. Meanwhile, I’m trying to gather the toys and am explaining to him that if we move to the table, he can play with the toy. In his mind, that toy was just taken away for no reason. After a couple minutes, he calmed down and I was able to help him understand the situation. That totally could’ve been avoided with just a few simple words. I try to think of it this way. Would I like to be suddenly picked up and plopped down somewhere else without a word? Would I like it if someone grabbed something I was using and brought it to another part of the room? Of course not. It’s something we really need to stay mindful of.

Assume capability

Do think children are capable until proven otherwise. Don’t assume that if a child can’t hear that they won’t understand anything. Use a gesture or two and it might make all the difference. Don’t assume that an autistic child never feels empathy. I worked with an autistic boy who would be the first to show concern if one of his classmates was sad. Don’t assume that a child can never learn. We all have different learning styles. Some of us learn best visually where others learn best through listening. Picture schedules labeling items and having a wide variety of activities that teach the same skill are all great ways to accommodate for different learning styles.

I worked with a co-teacher who told me that this particular child never used words so I started with the basics. I’d wait for quiet moments to practice words with him. We’d look at books when he woke up from his nap. I remember him saying, baby when I’d point out pictures of babies in books. During diaper changes, I’d mention how his wipes were cold and he’d repeat the word cold. We weren’t having conversations yet, but it was a start. There were in fact words there, but my co-teacher was so focused on his inability to speak, that she never took the time to see what he was capable of.

Make a connection

Do find enjoyment and common interests. Continuing the story about the child I previously mentioned, my co-teacher said that he never enjoyed a single activity. I made it my personal mission to prove her wrong every day. I started writing observations about him each day as we were trying to get services for him. Some of the areas I focused on, included social interactions, speech, the day’s challenges and the things he enjoyed. Each day I would list at least one activity that he did that he enjoyed. It could be something as simple as sitting and relaxing in the rocking chair or the more typical childhood activities like play-dough or reading a book. It made me happy to find the things he loved which allowed me to build a connection with him.

Remember Confidentiality

Do treat their sensitive information with care. I’ve heard teachers on the playground say things like, he can’t hear a word you’re saying.” First, if a child has a hearing impairment, no one needs to yell it across the playground. If someone needs to know, tell them in a more discrete way. You never know who is listening or if the information is even completely accurate. In this particular case, one of the older children that was hearing these exchanges started bullying the younger child, telling him he couldn’t come in the play house because he’s deaf. In reality, this child is not deaf. He was having issues with his hearing which seem to have been corrected, but even if he was deaf, he deserves to be treated with respect. Talking to him and trying to understand him would still not be a waste of time.

Be open minded

Do observe and ask questions. Do not make harmful assumptions. I worked with a girl who was learning English as a second language. A coworker would get so frustrated when she wouldn’t respond to her or appeared not to understand what she was saying. She’d often complain and ask, “why aren’t they teaching English at home?” Well, they aren’t speaking English at home because she knows more English than her parents. Also, they may want to keep their culture and traditions which of course includes their native language. What’s wrong with a child knowing two or more languages? Why should her parents have to parent in a language that is not their own? Just to accommodate a childcare provider, I don’t think so. Her parents were trying to teach her English using games and apps which appeared to be working. when she started with our program, she could even read some words in English. It quickly became obvious that she is very smart. I wasn’t put off because I’ve worked with English language learners before. Some things that helped me were using visuals to go along with the words, learning a few key phrases in the child’s home language and having parents share things from their family’s culture.

Hold off on the labels

Do look at the person in front of you. Everything does not need a label. I understand labels are useful. Especially in a world where you need a diagnosis for services like occupational or speech therapy, but there is no need to start labeling someone on the first day. Get to know them a bit before raising the red flags. Be open to the fact that an issue might have more than one explanation. I recently observed a boy walk back and forth over and over again through a pile of leaves. Some suspect that this boy may be autistic, but it may be something totally different. He might just like the sound of the leaves or wanted a more soothing activity. Obviously you wouldn’t diagnose on this one observation, but you’d need to look at the whole picture. Another explanation is that one disability could look similar to another in how it manifests itself. For example, the child who has regained his hearing may be repeatedly walking through the leaves because he’s never heard that sound clearly before. If he’s hearing a sound for the first time, the experience would be suddenly different. It takes time to process these things. If he is having difficulty interacting with his peers, maybe he’s trying to process language that he’s never heard clearly before.

This is why taking the time to get to know the person behind whatever the difference may be is so important. They are not little boxes to check off. They are people. People who think, feel, love and dream. If you are looking for some great ideas on how to easily teach children about diversity check out this post written by Mommy Gone Tropical. Is there anything I missed? Let me know in the comments.

13 Comments

Activities, Books, Education, Parenting, Toddlers, Winter

Five Interactive Winter Books for Toddlers

November 29, 2018

As I’ve written about before, Rosebud and I love to read. I often buy her new books based on the season and or if there’s a holiday coming up. For the spring, I get out her books about birds, plants and baby animals. In the fall, we read books about pumpkins, leaves and of course Halloween. The winter is no exception. The books we are reading right now are related to snow, Christmas and her birthday coming around the corner.

As I’ve mentioned in other posts, I’m visually impaired so I don’t see the pictures very well. In children’s books, one could argue that the pictures are the most important thing. Well, they are to the child at least. Since I can’t see all the little details, I love to find books that are more interactive. Not only does it help me, but these extra elements make reading more fun for the children. Here are some great interactive winter books I’ve found along the way.

That’s Not My Snowman by Fiona Watt.

This book shows a snowman on each page with a different tactile element. the mittens are too fuzzy or the buttons are too bumpy. The book is short, but it’s great for infants and toddlers. Rosebud still loves this book.

PeekaBoo Christmas!: Touch-and-Feel and Lift-the-Flap by DK Publishing.

This book is large, sturdy and has illustrations that are shiny and colorful. Some of the pages include touch and feel elements like the pompom on the hat or the ornaments on the tree. Kids love to lift the flap to see what’s inside. Rosebud has always loved the different peekaboo books and this one did not disappoint her.

Little Critter: Just a Snowy Day by Mercer Mayer.

I bought this book many years ago to read to the kids I was working with at the time. Now I get to share it with Rosebud. I love all the interactive elements in this book. You get to spin a wheel to make it snow, smell a cup of hot chocolate and pull Little Critter’s sled. My only complaint about this book is that the pull tabs can be easily broken. This book has always been a hit with any of the children I’ve read it to. The book is now out of print, but you can still find it on Amazon.

The Gingerbread Family: A Scratch-and-Sniff Book by Grace Maccarone.

This story is of a day in the life of a gingerbread family. There is a scratch and sniff sticker on each page. The scents aren’t very strong, but the story is cute. When I was a kid, I never had books like these. I always loved scratch and sniff stickers and am glad I’ve been finding these cool books for Rosebud. She loves the pictures in this book as everything is made up of candy. We like to see which candy we can pick out. When she asks for this book, she says, “Let’s read about cookies.”

The Sweet Smell of Christmas (Scented Story Book) by Patricia M. Scarry.

Many people seem to remember this book from their childhood. I do not and I have not read it to Rosebud yet. It will be a stocking stuffer for her this year. This book is filled with scratch and sniff stickers and I know Rosebud will be excited to read this one.

What are your favorite winter and holiday books? Let me know in the comments.

7 Comments

Activities, Education, Parenting, Preschool, Toddlers, Winter

First Snowfall Sensory Tub

November 20, 2018

We had our first real snowfall on Friday. When Rosebud woke up, she was so excited to see snow. Unfortunately, both of us have been fighting off colds for the past few weeks so I’ve only taken her out a couple of times since the weekend. However, I figured why not bring some snow inside to play with? I don’t have to stand outdoors and freeze and she gets to play with snow. An almost perfect compromise.

Here’s what I put in this sensory tub.

Snow,
Acrylic crystals,
Glass stones,
Safari Ltd Penguins
Scoops and a shovel,
Small cups.

The stones and acrylic crystals were our treasures. She liked those the best. Digging in the snow and watching it fly everywhere.

She loved finding the different penguins.

Of course, those scoops and shovels were used to dig and uncover those treasures. Not to mention the added benefits of getting snow all over mommy. It was the perfect snow to make snowballs and we found out that when we put it into the little containers, the snow would be shaped like them when we took it out. We watched how snow melted and how we could put it together and break it apart.

It’s play, it’s science and it’s fun on a winter day. What are some of your favorite winter activities? Let me know in the comments.

6 Comments

About me, Parenting, Personal Development

15Things I’m Thankful For

November 16, 2018

I wanted to do a gratitude series of posts in November, but this month seems to be running away from me. It’s already half over. To get into the spirit of Thanksgiving, here’s a list of some of the things I am grateful for. Not just for this season, but all year.

1. This blog

I’ve found another creative outlet and I’ve had fun expanding my knowledge of blogging. I’m thankful that you are reading my blog. You could be reading any of the millions of articles online, but you’ve come here and I appreciate that.

2. My ability to write

Speaking of the blog, it wouldn’t be in existence without my ability to write. I’m grateful for the people who have encouraged me to write over the years. Mrs. Galle and Mr. Fisher in particular. Writing not only lets me reach out to so many people through this blog, but it helps me through difficult times.

3. Books

I never thought I’d like reading. When I was a kid, I hated it and if you told me I’d love books as an adult, I’d have laughed in your face. It was mostly because reading was slow for me and I didn’t have the same books as the other kids. When I found Audible and the Kindle app, a whole new world opened up to me. Now I always am reading a book or two.

4. Today’s technology

Although many people see today’s technology as a curse, I see it as a blessing. I don’t know where I’d be without all this technology. I was able to complete an entire masters degree online and now my goal is to have a business working from home. None of that would’ve even been possible when I was a kid. When cell phones first became popular, there was so much of it that was inaccessible to me because of my visual impairment. If you told me when I was younger that I’d be using the exact same technology as my peers and would be able to access the same information in real time, I wouldn’t have believed it. Don’t get me wrong, there is still a long way to go when it comes to accessibility. New accessibility bugs pop up with every software or app update, but we have come a long way.

5. Clay

I love being creative and making something functional and or beautiful. You can pick up a ball of clay and there are endless possibilities. With imagination and some skill, you can make something amazing. I’m hoping to take another pottery class this winter.

6. Cooking

I’ve tried lots of new recipes this year. I love experimenting in the kitchen and finding a new favorite recipe.

7. My home

I’m so thankful that I have a wonderful home where my daughter can grow up. At least for the next few years. It’s cozy as Rosebud says. I’ve been able to make lots of improvements to it as well, getting it closer to my dream home. I am so fortunate to have a nice warm place to live and try to remember that every day.

8. Nature

I love finding the sunny spot on a cold day, looking at the clouds and taking walks to get fresh air and to just listen to the birds. The beach is my happy place and I even love rainy days.

9. Family

Although we have our issues, they’ve always been there for me when times have gotten really tough.

10. My cats

They’ve been with me for a long time. Even though I haven’t been able to spend as much time with them and don’t get to spoil them as much since I’ve had Rosebud, they’ve been such a comfort. They have a wonderful presence and our home would feel empty without them. They are friendly, affectionate, fluffy and protective of Rosebud. I couldn’t ask for anything else from a pet.

11. Friends

I don’t have very many and the ones I have, I don’t get to see them often, but I appreciate them so much. Thank you for letting me vent, being there for me and sharing stories and plenty of laughs.

12. The kids I work with every day

There are a few who are so special to me and are my whole reason for showing up to work. I love the hugs, when they tell me they love me and when they include me in their play. When they come up and demand you play with them, you know you’ve done something right.

13. My health.

I’ve always been generally healthy. When I see the people around me with lots of medical issues, I realize how fortunate I am.

14. My past experiences

Although there have been a lot of negative experiences in my life, they’ve shaped who I am today. I’ve learned a lot of valuable lessons. Although I’m not yet grateful for everything in my past, there are still lessons left for me to learn. I am grateful for the opportunities for growth ahead and for all the wonderful memories, the people who I’ve met and the places I’ve seen.

15. My daughter

Most of all, I’m thankful for my daughter. She has given my life a whole new purpose. I don’t know where I’d be without her. Yesterday, I watched her cook in her pretend kitchen and when she served the cupcakes, she offered more to me than she saved for herself. She doesn’t always clean up her toys or listen to me, but when I ask her if she can do me a favor, her response is always, of course. She’s always wanting to help and she has an endless supply of hugs and kisses. She’s smart, sweet and funny and I’m so proud to be her mommy.

How about you? What are you thankful for? Tell me in the comments.

18 Comments

Activities, Art, Gift Giving, Parenting, Recipes, Toddlers

Salt Dough Keepsakes

November 11, 2018

I wanted to come up with an inexpensive and creative gift for my mother’s birthday. I also wanted Rosebud to be involved in making it so I decided to see what we could create with salt dough.

Ingredients:

1 cup salt,
2 cups all purpose flour,
1 cup warm water,
A pinch of cinnamon, (Optional)

Food coloring or powder paint. (Optional)

Directions:

1. Mix salt and flour together in a bowl.
If you are using powder paint to add coloring, you’ll want to mix it with the dry ingredients.
I added the pinch of cinnamon at this stage for a hint of scent, but that is totally optional.
2. Gradually add the warm water and stir until dough forms.
If you are using food coloring, add it into the water before mixing with the dry ingredients.
3. Once you have your dough, shape it into a ball and kneed for five minutes. the more you kneed, the softer it gets.
4. Time to have fun and see what you can create.

It took several tries, but I shaped the dough into a flat heart and Rosebud pushed her hand in the center to make the handprint. Trying to get a tired child to do something like this can be pure torture, but after the sixth try, we got our final product. The other handprints were missing fingers, missing part of the hand itself or barely noticeable.

To add some sparkle, I put some glitter on the heart. Finally, I poked two holes in the top so the heart can be hung as a decoration. I used a pencil to get good sized holes.

Next, I worked on the small rose. I roled out a coil for the stem and then made the leaf and rose petals by hand. You role the dough into tiny balls, shape them like a fingerprint and then smooth and bend the pointy ends into the stem. I start out with the outside petals which are larger and then work my way into the smallest center petals.

I baked the decorations for one hour at 200F and covered them with foil to avoid browning. The heart could’ve been baked a bit longer, but it air dried the rest of the way.

When it was cool, I painted them. For the heart and flower, I mixed white paint with a tiny drop of red food coloring. For the stem and leaf, I mixed the white paint with some green food coloring. When the paint was dry, I covered it with a coat of modpoj.

Rosebud was proud to give the birthday gifts and I was happy that we created something together. Have you made anything with salt dough? If so, what are your best creations?

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Memories, Parenting, Personal Development

Do the Right Thing: A Reminder for Halloween or Any Time

November 3, 2018

Hallloween is approaching and many of us will be interacting with our neighbors, so I’m updating this story from last year to remind us to be compassionate and kind. We can’t assume everyting about everyone, nor can we know what goes on in everyone’s lives. However, we can all do our best to make Halloween night a positive experience for our children and if you don’t celebrate Halloween, that’s okay too. I know this seems like common sense, but apparently last year, one of my neighbors still needed that reminder.

On Halloween night, my brother and I took Rosebud trick-or-treating. My mom and my other brother stayed behind and handed out the candy. We have a ton of trick-or-treaters in the neighborhood, so I usually run out of candy quickly. The first year I lived here, I ran out of candy within minutes of turning on the light. The kids kept coming, so I went to the store to get another bag. Then last year, Halloween celebrations were rescheduled due to a large storm and power outages, but we barely got any trick-or-treaters on that day. Rosebud wasn’t a fan of last year’s costume and basically it was a bust.

This year, Rosebud loved her costume and understood the whole idea of trick-or-treating. Although she was shy, she had a great time.

By the time we got home, there was barely any candy left and my mom wanted to save me a few pieces. She kept going to turn out the light, but the kids kept coming. Rosebud got plenty of candy and my mom was going to start handing that out, but my brother and I agreed that it was hers and that it wasn’t right to be handing it out. I turned out the lights, but I still had some ghost lights hanging in the window. Meanwhile, my brothers went out the back way into the garage to put some things in there. A group of people walked by including this extremely rude woman.

My brothers could hear her from the garage saying something to the effect of, if they’re gonna shut the lights off, they need to not have decorations. She went on about how we needed to hand out candy. Her husband was trying to offer up some explanation as to why our light might be off. He said that maybe we had small children and it was their bed time. He said that maybe we were still out trick-or-treating and not home yet. She continued to voice her opinion very loudly as she continued down the street. The last thing my brother heard her say was that we need to do the right thing.

The ironic thing was that I felt good about how our night went until this happened. I had good interactions with my neighborhoods. Everyone was polite. The kids in the street were well behaved. People were laughing and having a good time. Of course, there always has to be one one rotten apple ruining it for the rest of us. Maybe I should have shut off my decorations along with the porch light, but I was taking photos of Rosebud. Plus, I was still celebrating Halloween. It was getting late and I thought the amount of trick-or-treaters would be slowing down anyway. Maybe I should’ve gotten three bags of candy instead of two. I could’ve spent $40 on candy instead of $20. There’s always a million things I could’ve done differently.

The question is, why? Do we wish we could’ve done things differently because we honestly regret them or is it because of the opinions of others? Would we even care about these insignificant choices that mean nothing in the long run if it weren’t for the judgement from those around us? I wouldn’t have cared, but then I had visions of this woman going on the neighborhood message board and complaining about how there were Halloween decorations, but no candy at my address. It’s a scary thought, but people go on there and complain about specific individuals.

I didn’t feel guilty. I had done the right thing. I had taken my daughter out trick-or-treating in our neighborhood. In turn, I gave candy to the neighborhood kids who came to my door. By the time I shut off my light, Rosebud was tired and the woman’s husband was right, I have a small child who needed to be put to bed. A couple days later, I talked to another neighbor who said she ran out of candy at around the same time. She said that most of the neighbors around her were running out of candy as well. Obviously, I wasn’t alone. If candy wasn’t outrageously expensive, I think most of us would’ve bought more, but that’s a topic for another post.

The next time you are in a situation where you are wondering why on earth someone would do something, give it a second thought before jumping to conclusions. Of course we all are going to make judgements and see things through our own lenses, but there might be a completely reasonable explanation for someone’s actions. My response to that woman would be that instead of telling me to do the right thing, you should take your own advice. Let’s get back to the basics. A little kindness and compassion goes a long way because what you didn’t know is that I already had done the right thing for our neighborhood and at that very moment when you were being rude and judgmental, I was doing the right thing for my daughter.

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