All posts by Be Enough

Book, Boys, Family, psychology

Be Conscious of Your Children’s Brain

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Whew, I got hit over the head this morning. WHACK! WHACK! WHACK!

We are pretty conscious of what we allow our children to see and read. We got rid of the television when our oldest son was six months old mostly due to advertising and my addiction to reality tv. We also limit our boys computer time and tend to stick to shows in the two to four year old category on Netflix. We also stopped watching Treehouse because of the advertisements that portrayed beautifully perfect unrealistic women.

Here is the story my oldest, JC “wrote” this morning:Image

Here is a book that we got from the library last week:

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We cannot underestimate a child’s brain, the things they take in, the things they remember and what they will do with it.

From a library book, to remembering it one week later and now a story today, my son is a perfect exam.

Now how about those computer games, constant television watching or this book my boys were reading with daddy this morning:

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Book, Boys, Christianity, Family, Flexibility

Be A Declutterer

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I read in the Four Hour Work Week that we only use twenty percent of the things that we have.  Actually Tim Ferriss has an interesting perspective on the 80 20 rule.  Check him out:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_4-Hour_Workweek

The last three weeks, I have spent decluttering and going through our stuff so that we can put our house up for sale.

Here are the results:

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These are the main “kid” areas of our house and they were overflowing with toys.  There were toys on top of shelves, stuffed into corners.  Now everything has a place to go.  We had a great morning of playing and it was amazing to see my boys putting things back into their places (without being asked)!

All this decluttering makes me thinking of the verse in Matthew 16:19 where Jesus says: “Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”  

I want to hold loosely to my stuff on earth because it is only “stuff”.

It is the people in my life that truly matter.  JC running into my arms after Kindergarten with a huge smile.  CC giving me his little smirk as he tells me a joke and baby OC’s squawk as he yells from the top of the bunkbed. Sexy Necks presence as he holds us all together!

Beautiful moments.

 

P.S. Don’t ask me to show you our parents basement where alot of this “stuff” has gone.  I am thinking we should just have a garage sale instead of moving it.  Cann boys, what do you think?

Boys

Be A Half-Day Kindergarten

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Yesterday, I was teaching in the most beautiful Kindergarten class in a middle/upper class area in our town.  These children were self-reflective, ready to learn and just a joy to be with.  In the past, I have worked in rural/inner city schools that struggled with students experiencing poverty and children having many barriers to learning.

My son started Kindergarten this year, and in the past few years Kindergarten has drastically changed.

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A few years ago, a five year old child used to go to school every morning or afternoon for about three hours.  Then the children started going every other day for the full day.  Now the children go every day from 8:30am til 2:30pm, five days per week.

When I got home from teaching these amazing Kindergarten students yesterday, I was pondering these wonderful children.  It seemed that at about 12:30, they needed to go home for a rest or they needed to spread their wings in nature or they needed to just be alone.  It is alot to be with the same people every day, ask anyone who works in an open office environment.

I know that people love full day Kindergarten, their daycare costs have decreased by half.  But I feel very sad that school is compared to daycare.  School is not daycare.  We need to be spending that precious time educating our children with the best practice possible.

Children We can’t learn when we are tired!

Our government must agree with me because when we transitioned from half day to full day Kindergarten the curriculum didn’t change, but now five year olds spend six hours instead of three hours in a four walled classroom with twenty-one other students plus a teacher.

Enough said!

Book, Christianity, Jesus Christ, psychology, Self-help

Be Into James

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I had to share with you a new DVD bible study that I am doing on Jesus’ half brother, James. WOWEEE…

A few thoughts from my two week study so far:

Quote from Martin Luther that he wanted to throw “Jimmy” in the stove.

“There are no easy answers to difficult things. It’s not neat and tidy. We cannot simplify the infinite. We can’t catch the Holy Spirit with a potato sack.”

James may have been the first book of the New Testament.

Chairein, Beth Moore. (Which is the Greek work for James’ salutation in James 1:1. Chairein means “JOY to YOU!”.

Chairein Everyone.

P.S. If you have never heard Beth Moore speak before, strap yourself in!

Boys, Family

Be A “B” Watcher

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February 1st, 2012

YEAH, we made it to the start of Winter Carnival!   Whew, the very busy  stretch between Christmas and spring has hit its mid-point.

My middle boy, CC, started screaming after we dropped off his oldest brother at school.  We had to knock on a neighbours door to tell her to come outside to see them.

Our oldest son even got to watch them float on by his window at school.

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The hot air balloons were so close we could hear them!  CC loved the blue one and JC loved the black and orange one.

We all loved standing and watching.  YEAH Carnival is here.

The Queen is crowned and the hot air balloons are flying by.

Added bonus: This year’s the theme is pReHiStOrIc!

health & fitness

Be A Smoker (In Your Own House)

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I can’t judge anyone because first I have to look at my own life.  Could I give up real Italian pizza for the rest of my life?  Would I never allow Lindt chocolate to touch my lips?  Could I ask someone to stop smoking or judge them because they do smoke?  To all of these questions, I have to answer NO.

BUT, I am annoyed by the impact that smoking has on my life.

My neighbours, I wrote about their son yesterday, are regular smokers who have created a beautiful outdoor living room because they won’t smoke in their house.  He is a realtor and knows that if you smoke in a house it affects its resale value.  (I am not going to mention the affect that smoking has on ones lungs!)  Anyways, when our neighbours are out smoking, I feel uncomfortable and mildly nauseous playing outside with my children.    The smoke wafts into our backyard, through our sandbox and into our lungs.

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Our neighbours backyard living room under the roof. 

Yesterday, we were outside our beautiful new public library.  Fifteen month old, OC, is starting to walk more and more, but sometimes he does crawl.  There is a slight ramp at the entrance to our library.   He walked halfway down the ramp, fell hands first and crawled through a pile of cigarette butts.

Here is our new library.  You can’t see the cigarette butts that litter the front entrance. 

Feel free to smoke, but do it in your own house!

Construction, Family

Be At Home

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There are a few things that chip off a little piece of my heart.

Yesterday, I had a conversation with a neighbour which took a piece away.

Here is the scenario:

Right now, there are many men and some women who travel up to Northern Canada to work in the tar sands.  These workers are being paid alot of money, and I mean alot of money.  Here is a summary of my conversation with my twenty year old neighbour.

Jason was home for his five days off.  He works twenty-days up north in a camp.  He gets all his meals cooked for him, buffet style.  There is a maid that cleans up his room every day.  He works twelve hour shifts and I believe that he probably works hard.  He told me that he makes more money in three months working up north that he could make in one year in our town.  He also told me on his five days off, he spent more than he would normally spend in a month. (Note: he does not pay rent here, he stays with his parents.  He has a truck payment, but that is all for expenses.)

His parents were away when he was home for his five days off.  He said that it was hard being home because he was often hungry and looking for food, but then realized he had to cook for himself.  He was wearing two new gold ear rings as well as a gold necklace.  And take a look at his truck:

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I am worried.  Deeply, profoundly worried.

What type of environment are we creating for these men who leave their families and come home for only five days out of twenty-six?

How about the families that are left behind?  What about the amount of money they are being paid? (They make more than my husband does who has three degrees!)

Lastly, what skills are they learning to contribute to regular society? And what happens when the work ends?  I am very, very worried.

Boys, I want to tell you that money isn’t everything.  As your Papa Jenkins always told me, “You can’t take it with you when you go!”  Yes, go and make some money up north if you need to, but be sensible with your money.  Save it, donate it, but mostly be at home with the people you love and love you.  Life is short!

Parenting

Be a Pet Person

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I grew up with a cat, that would terrorize people. At our house you didn’t want to leave a toe hanging out of the end of your covers.

I married a dog guy. We have a dog. We used to have two. KT we “put down” about a year ago. She was an awesome, old, arthritic dog. Summer is an energetic, loving seven year old.

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Summer and KT

I am not a huge fan of cats anymore. Unless you live on a farm, I don’t really see the point of having a hairy, furniture scratching, kitchen counter walking, kitty litter pooping animal in your house.

I love our Summer dog, but as spring begins to return (I hope), the amount of hair falling off this fairly large animal is copious. Copious could also be used to describe the size of her poop. Today, I am contemplating my fondness of all animals hairy.

UNTIL I saw this! Our youngest son, OC, loves our dog. I mean he LOVES our dog. If she is lying on the floor, OC is next to her. If Summer’s tail is wagging, OC is trying to grab at it.

This is what I found on my kitchen floor today:

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Yup, I guess I am a dog lover! I think everyone that has children should have a pet, at least for a period of time. Even if it is babysitting a friend’s cat/dog or buying a fish in a tank. I think the value of having a pet and being responsible for its food, cleaning and tender love and care creates within everyone a little bit more compassion, patience and pure joy.