Cancer Survivor, writing about Health and Fitness as you age

One of the things I got from those numerous self-help books I borrowed, was that I should take time to reconnect with friends (or at least that's what I interpreted it as). So last weekend I had a few friends over for tea. I guess it's ok if they had to bring their own teacups right? I mean, they're friends. That should be ok. I suppose it wasn't so good that I also asked one guest to bring tea (special yummy decaf chai - but that's beside the point). But still, they're friends right? That should be ok. So what if the house wasn't quite in the state I'd planned and my dead anniversary roses were still in the vase prominently displayed. You know....there is something very liberating about not being held to my own standards. (I think for sure that this stay-at-home gig is curing my of my "perfectionism".) In the vein of doing things for myself, I decided to take a holiday today. How does one actually take a holiday when one is responsible fo

I've been in the US now for over 10 years and in all that time, I think I've made fried plantains maybe twice. Once when my dad was visiting and then two days ago - for the first time in years. Why fried plantain? I'm not sure, maybe because I will be going back to visit Trinidad and I felt like some "home food". It will be my first time back in 6 years come April, Liam's first time but Lucas' second time (he was there when he was 11 months). We immigrated to the US because of the possibilities - both for ourselves and our children. But this doesn't come without a price. I see it in my own children who won't eat the Trinbagonian dishes I still make and they have never eaten..fried plantain! It is the loss of culture, history, family...things that I feel they can never truly understand. Not only are they losing their West Indian culture, they are also losing their German heritage as well. While we knew that would be the case when we moved here

We have discipline issues at our house. Lucas seems to have trouble listening to my words. I am not sure why (there could be so many reasons). I wonder if I talk so much he just ignores what I say (highly likely), or maybe we spend so much time together, he forgets I am the Mama and not the playmate? (This is much less likely - you can be sure I won't let him forget.) Time spent with Papa on the other hand is different, he minds what Papa says and what Papa wants. For sure we have different parenting styles. I will ask Lucas, "Why did you hit your brother?" Papa would just say "Stop hitting your brother." Do you think that may be it? I think I need some discipline coaching. So if you have any good tips, send them on. We go through these cycles with Lucas, great over a couple of months, then things start to deteriorate calling for a little "attitude adjustment". Usually it only requires a slight course correction, but that hasn't worked this ti

Well, if you haven't, you are not alone. Until very recently, there was no way I felt I could homeschool. Aside from the obvious conflict with my goal of getting more "me" time, Lucas and I butt heads all the time. I figured there was no way he would ever learn from me. Although Lucas goes to a good public school, there is an extra layer (of group activity) that would truly motivate him, that is missing. So we've been considering private school. Needless to say the price-tag for private school has made me think more seriously about homeschooling. I've joined some online groups and I've been getting to know some parents who homeschool. They've assured me that it is not as hard as it looks.....hmmmm..ok. Even though I'd read a lot, I had no idea of how developed homeschooling is - it is truly a parallel education system. I knew about the curriculum, materials and philosophies, but they do so much more. They arrange entries to science competitions

Lucas never benefitted from the "light touch". We had (and still do have) a somewhat "heavy" touch with him, Liam on the other hand is a different story. He pretty much has only had a light touch. It is because of the light touch that I've let his bedtime routine slip from 20 minutes to 45. It is why my husband let Liam eat ice-cream out of the ice-cream container. It is why we find ourselves (mostly me) in a predicament now. Last week I wanted to go to a free writing workshop (yes, pursuing my goals) at the local library and Papa would have to put him to bed. I thought he has so much fun with his Papa, it wouldn't be a problem. I am sure you know where this is going. Papa had to tear him from my arms when it was time for me to leave. And in the end I couldn't bear to leave him. He was even clinging with his toes! The question is, how am I ever going to leave the house? Or drop him off at daycare come May? I have no idea. We have to get to training

If you were looking for answers to this, well, this isn't the place. This post is all about questions. It is more introspection following on from my prior post. (Consider this fair warning so you can go sleep on the sofa instead of in front of the computer reading this post.) I think most parents have some broad, over-arching goals for themselves as parents - raise happy, well-adjusted children who grow into loving, caring adults who are genuinely interested in their community and the world around them.. And well, if they are financially independent and able to live on their own, better yet. What I want to know is what counts as the day-to-day successes? Getting homework done? When I worked, over the course of a week or month, I could always count on some small successes that encouraged me to keep at it. True there may have been a number of frustrations, but in the end, dealing with a difficult issue, colleague or making some number made it worth it. Now I'm at home, I don

I've been at home full-time now for 9 months and during all this time, I've been wondering when I'll reach the brick wall, when I'll reach the point where I say, "Enough!" In short, when the other shoe will drop. I think it's here. I've noticed some subtle? changes in my behavior. I used to be a morning person..now I've become a no-time-of-day person. I'm pretty grumpy sometimes and it takes very little to set me off. Maybe it's because I haven't gotten one night's restful sleep in almost 2 years? (Pay attention all of you out there who don't have kids yet!) All I know is that when I was getting much less sleep than I am now, and working full-time, I was a pretty happy person. I had everything in neat, little cardboard boxes in my head and I could pull out any work or home item and be totally on top of things. Now, that cardboard is all soggy and mushy upstairs (see my post in Oct 2008 about this). Since I actually have