My Mom Leans, But She is Still Pretty Great!

Yes, I lean to the right.  I am not unbalanced, I am not psychopath, I am not uncompassionate....I lean to the right. 

Reading the MSN headlines and posts from my FB friends are a morning activity with my morning coffee.  Sometimes I get only five minutes, sometimes a leisurely hour depending upon whether it is the middle of the school year, the middle of summer, or somewhere in between.  Usually I read the political news and posts and research on my own (from the advice of my son who suggests I do so before I should comment!) as I explore the thoughts of the posts.  I rarely comment on any of the political posts as I know I have friends, whom I dearly love, on both sides of the aisle.  Sometimes I do live through the posts of some of my friends, but I purposely try to stay middle of the ground and read only so as not to offend as I believe my gifts and talents lie in the education arena.  I try to spend the whole of my energies wondering, exploring, and researching how I can always improve upon myself to make a difference in the lives of the little ones I encounter.  Once in a great while I do come across a post that I feel so passionate about that I feel I have to respond or share. 

Two interesting comments were a point of discussion recently.  The first regarded a television show that referenced how Republicans were not compassionate people and a question was put forth that perhaps we Republicans were psychopaths?  I regarded this as an interesting viewpoint, but come on people.  I do not call Democrats or any of my Democratic friends psychopaths.  Really, really?  My response was that I do lean to the right and that I did not think I was either uncompassionate or a psychopath and that I probably couldn't be teaching preschool if I were.  The discussion went further and I bowed out, but I have read on to all the comments on how the face of the Republican party had no compassion.  I bit my tongue on not replying that I thought some of the choices of the Democratic administration has been a bit heartless on.

The second comment regarded a post I recently shared regarding wealth.  I am not wealthy, nor claim to be.  Like the Duggars I sometimes buy used and save the difference.  I like thrift stores,  I do shop at Walmart and clip coupons (well, my grandma clips them and I share them!) and I am always budgeting.  The picture post says:  "Let me offer you my definition of social justice.  I keep what I earn and you keep what you earn.  Do you disagree?  Well, then tell me how much of what I earn belongs to you and why?"  Walter Scott.  Although I am thankful for the opposing comment from a friend because it exemplifies the differences in our beliefs, I am persuaded otherwise.  Knowing first hand how my father's family business has been impacted over the last six years resulting in decisions and changes that have affected us personally, this post I was passionate about.  Having your spouses salary cut by more than fifty percent in four different pay decreases in a few years, losing a house and being totally underwater has made me appreciate the little things, but knowing what percentage of our income goes towards a system that doesn't seem to be working honestly sometimes makes me frustrated.  Social Justice is a grand idea.  It is a wonderful idea to help people.  Although there are people that it helps, there are honestly so many abuses as well.  And can anyone honestly tell me how much of what we earn belongs to someone else and why?

Let me put it this way.  I teach preschool.  At the beginning of the year I see all kinds of very cool backpacks, simple backpacks and sometimes children forget their backpacks.  What would happen if I took all the very cool backpacks, the Frozen Elsa backpacks, the awesome Lightning McQueen backpacks and I collect them and set up a give a back pack away station at the back of my school.  I would have crying children, I would have angry parents, I would have people who honestly couldn't afford any backpacks very glad for the program and I would for sure have those in line very greedy and collecting the cool backpacks for resale or other uses even though they really didn't need them or didn't want them and only used them because they were too lazy to go out and get one for themselves or collected them to resell to others.  If I honestly did that, I would probably be fired.  Why are we taxing and taking away from some people so much to help some people who are abusing the system.  Wouldn't it be more fair to limit the help a bit so that those who use it wouldn't become dependent on it, wouldn't abuse it and be more willing to get back up on their feet and find a job?  (No, of course I am not talking about those who are really in need.  Only those that make this dependency a way of life).

Or how about this?  I teach Sharing is Caring in my class.  All of my children and their parents and even my own children have heard me say this, "Sharing is Caring!" because it is.  If one child has a toy and another wants it, I have to role play so they can see; or I have to share words with them so that it is modeled for them to see.  Billy has been waiting for the coolest digger truck on the playground.  He has built a big mountain of mulch while he is waiting.  Someone finally is finished with the digger.  He goes to pick it up and is playing all of two minutes when another child comes and wants the digger.  Sharing is Caring, so I take it away from Billy and give it to the child?  No.  I turn to Billy and say, "Billy, when you are done, can you share the digger?"  If he is willing to share that is so wonderful AFTER he is done with it.  I can praise him mightily for his willingness in helping a friend.  He will feel good and his friend will feel good.  Billy also sometimes says no, so in that case I can help the other friend make another choice.  It's all about choices and promoting the choices that help; but to take the digger away when Billy has clearly waited all of this time for it himself is not conducive to him learning to help.  When you force the sharing, it just doesn't work.  When we force the taxing of those who are in the upper tax brackets you are forcing them to take their business elsewhere, (which loses jobs), or reduce the number of people (which loses jobs), or reduce the pay you pay your employees (my father's case and why we are upside down because he reduced salaries multiple times to keep his employees), but this causes reduction in spending.  I don't know how long it has been since I have just "spent!"  I am constantly rethinking what I spend and making every penny count and only paying for the necessities.  Oh, how life used to be different.  There will always be people who are unsure about sharing, but you will always also have people who love to share, love to make a difference and love to give, give, give.  Why do we have to take from people so much, why can't we ask and let them make a choice?

Or how about this!  As a preschool teacher, I am always encouraging friendly, fair behavior.  When I see something wonderful I sometimes give out stickers or smellies (fun flavored chapstick I rub on the child's back of the hand that stays with them all day and smells great!  If I gave EVERYONE a sticker or a smelly just because ... well that wouldn't be fair!  I would have a class of children who knew they could get an incentive for doing nothing, or children who knew if they followed all the rules and were kind they could see their friends not working to get the same incentive.  How is that fair?  It isn't.  As much as it would be to be a teacher with the emphasis on being a child's friend and willing to give everything to everybody so everybody is the same; I am first and foremost their teacher.  I am teaching limits.  I am teaching fairness.  I am teaching behaviors.  Sometimes they may not be happy with me on a particular minute of a particular day, but always at the end of the year they have learned.  Setting limits for our borders is fair.  Where will these people go?  Where will the children be going to school?   Where is the money coming from to take care of them?  Why is the government being so secretive in the transporting of migrating people to the interiors of our country?  Why am I being labeled insensitive or uncompassionate for even bringing these questions up? 

Dropping my daughter off at a two hour away first time ever sleep away camp for a week was a big deal.  Right outside of Staunton off I-81 in Virginia.  Heading off the highway and into the smaller country roads we encountered two large unmarked white buses coming the opposite way.  I had to pull over a bit to let them pass.  They were obviously headed back to the highway.  As they passed we saw each bus empty but driven by a uniformed driver.  Odd I thought.  Picking my daughter up at the end of the week and hearing her story of hiking with her senior counselor on the woodsy trails she relayed they came across a man in the woods watching them.  Creepy!  I then was curious about the buses and put two and two together.  I cannot confirm who the man was, but found online that the Juvenile Delinquent Center in Stuanton was being filled with non citizens.  I found out also that the Juvenile Delinquent Centers also in Arlington and Bristow Virginia had been filled as well.  Why didn't this make the news?  This is not the only part of the country where this is going on and how is it right to even consider making these people citizens when so many have taken the proper wait in line rule?  I would have a total behavior melt down in class if I was to do away with the whole turn taking thing. 

Thanks for reading, thanks for considering, thanks for knowing that we are all allowed a thought that belongs to us.  We all lean different ways.

The Hunt

Well, mom...here I am in time out again.....but really, it was all worth it!  I know the young mom called.  I could hear her voice on the other end of the phone and I reeeaaaaaallllllly wanted to see her.  I can't help whining!  But you opened the door to the deck and out we went.  I know you wanted to keep things quiet for the others still sleeping.  Wow!  I really enjoyed the deck!  The sun, the smells, the early morning freshness and YES!!!!!  No gate!  (Oh you must have taken that down when you and the wise one were cleaning up the broken glass from the table and the super storm last week).  One check back...yes!  You are still on the phone chatting away....I will just sneak down the stairs.....one, two ...... I can't stand it:  jump, leap, OH SWEET FREEDOM!!!!  Wait, what!  Oh no!  Here you come....darn.  Mom, really I was only going to sniff a little and then maybe come back.  Well you look pretty silly in your PJ's and mom sloggers you got for mother's day.  Hahaha!  Well if you are going to chase me, I will make it worth it!  Run, run, run....wait and mark!  Run, run, run....wait and mark!  I love how you think you are going to get me when I stop.  I will never stop long enough for you to catch me---HAHAHAHAHA!  Rabbits!  Oh my!  Rabbits galore!  I will chase and prance and dance and run and leap and OH NO!!!  I really have to stop now.  Darn.....longer than a mark.  HMPH....and mom you are coming and SADNESS!  The collar is on.  Oh the world has stopped for a moment....but it was fun.  Well mom, what are you going to do about....THAT!  You don't have a bag and we are in someone else's yard far, far, far away!  Oh, I figured.....you are a very responsible dog owner...that's why I love you.   Here we go; home again.  You are very quiet.  Mom.  Mom.  Mom are you going to talk to me?  Hey look at that we are getting wet by the sprinkler out front....oh, now we are going in the garage door, okay.  Why can't you get it open?  Let's try the front door...oh, that is locked.  Mom, you know you could ring the doorbell, but I know you'd wake the house up.  Hey!  Then everyone could celebrate my short freedom run, yes?  Oh, okay, maybe not.  Hey, let's go in the back door by the deck where it all started.  Yay!  I am home.  Wait....you want me to go in my crate?  But we had such fun didn't we?  The old man is staring at me.  What's that you say old man?  I will never learn?  Hahahaha!  YOU DIDN'T GET TO CHASE RABBITS THIS MORNING!  HAHAHAHAHA!  Win, Win!!  I love you mom!

Well mom, really, ....really....WHAT WAS THAT!  First you put my crate in the car and then me in the crate while the old man gets to roam the car.  Next you take us both in the building that had the most smells I can ever remember.  You weren't paying attention to me.... I repeat:  you weren't paying attention to me at all!  I had to do something!  Boom...that got your attention.  The old man looked at me in disgust as I watched you take off your shoe and ask the nice lady behind the counter for paper towels.  Somehow you didn't like the smell or the brown stuff on the bottem of your shoe at all; even when we went downstairs in the elevator, you left your shoe outside the building and walked around with only one shoe.  Well, I told you it would make you think of me.  Wait....they are taking the old man away!  No...no...no...NO!  I only pretend I am tired of him.  I don't know what to do with myself.  Don't ever tell him that!  I shall cry and whine, maybe they will bring him back!  There that did it!  Wait...sniff, sniff...he smells like medical smell and his leg is stiff.  They are taking me now!  Old man, old man, what will they do to me!!  Lot's of ladies in blue smocks.  I will struggle....hahaha you can't make me sit still for that silver needle thingy.  Bark, bark, bark, struggle, struggle, struggle....oh darn there is the stick....OUCH!!!! No fair!  Mommmmmmmmm!  They are taking me back to you.  Mom, mom, mom, mom,....don't ever make me do that again... I love you, I am sorry I made you do away with your shoe...Thanks mom for lots of hugs and kisses...I love you!

Toto's Tribute

Dear Mom,

I love writing to you, but today I am writing to the old man.  I have to say that I am grateful you lead the way for me.  I pretend you really bother me and I tease you and I eat your food before mom snatches it back up and I take your toys away, but I only do that because I love you don't you know?  Mom is the only one who understands.  I watch you; I look to you; I adore you; I love you.  Tomorrow it is back to the tease, but for now and today I have to say Happy Birthday to one special old man.  I don't know what I would do without you! 

Love,

Toto

Toto's Tea Party

Dear Mom,

I am all up for cuddling.  I really am.  I understand the girl child loves to hug and snuggle.  I am far older than my two years of age and I already realize that she needs a bit 'o love now and then, but......COME ON!!!!   And you didn't even save me!  Oh I tried to run, really.  I had her chasing me all over the kitchen until the father figure came in and yelled.  And then, .... then you plucked me up and out of my stillness into her arms.  You said it was cute.  You even went and got your camera.  You took a picture.  And all the while I was asking you to save me and you didn't.  Don't you love me mom?  Then later lots of girl children came over and my girl child snagged me again and sequestered me in her room.  I was made to have tea with these dolls that look amazingly life like and they are my size.  They were all dressed up in Colonial garb and clothes from the 70's.  Then I was nice, I really was, to let the girl child show all the other girl children MY entire wardrobe:  a blue snowflake sweater, a grey hoodie (YO, PEACE, out....),  an orange pumpkin costume, a seafoam green merMAN costume, a santa coat with jingle hood....really, REALLY!!!   Then....horrors of horrors I was made ...MADE I TELL YOU...to get snuggled in a blue blanket and tucked into a doll's blue stroller and strolled around the girl child's room.  Mom I am seriously wondering if you love me anymore.  After the girl children went home and the girl child was still in her bed and the house was quiet the old man came up to me.  He whispered in my ear and walked away smiling.  The young mom did that to him when she was the girl child's age!  HA!  Now I don't feel so bad.  I still love you mom!

Love,

Toto

Toto's Tension

Dear Mom,

Well......that was a crazy afternoon!  I was very tense after that the whole day.  The old man was in his crate, as usual, sleeping on his pillow bed.  I felt like something was going to happen.  When I started barking, you said, Shhhcht, like the dog whisperer on TV I like to watch.  I couldn't help it....I just had to bark; something was going to happen.  Then I felt the kitchen floor hum.  It got louder and louder with my barking.  The old man came out of his crate and stared at me.....he is always just staring!  The floor started rumbling and that big brown rectangle of a thing in the foyer with the gold colored swaying circle on a stick starting chiming by itself.  The girl child came over and scooped me up and started crying.  What was going on!  I barked louder and louder.  You ran past the shaking brown desk, got our leashes and we ran outside.  Yay!  Run, run, run, run,.....oh...you wanted to stop in the street where everyone was.  I could feel the ground become still.  Let's just run and run....that was fun!  Mom, I didn't like the big trembly shaking thing!  It makes me nervous!  Will you love me forever, mom?

Love,
Toto

Toto the Terrible

Dear Mom,

I am sorry that I made you and the little girl child chase me all over the neighborhood, but I couldn't help it.  I was enjoying a nice warm nap on the deck, except for barking away all those birds that always fly by.  You are welcome for me keeping them away for you.  I bark really loud and long to do that for you.  The little girl child came out and was bouncing her little round bouncy thing...I was watching her.  It bounced up and over the railing into the yard below.  You told her to go and get it and I was worried for her.  She didn't even let me follow her down the stairs, but closed the gate on her.  I whined and whined until you came out onto the deck.  I really wanted to make sure she was safe.  And then YOU went down the stairs.  You tried to close the deck gate on me, too, but I wasn't going to let that happen!  I had to check on the little girl child and pave a safe journey for you down the stairs and into the yard!  When I got down to the bottom I couldn't help it!  The smell of the grass and wind and trees and the scents of all the animals that ever travel through the yard at night was too much.....I ran!  I ran to be free...I ran to find scents and read the yard...I ran to stretch my legs - I have never run so far (except when I made you chase me last winter in your PJ's at 5 AM)...and I ran just to run!  The little girl child ran the fastest...you are very slow!  Run, run, run, run, run, run....oh wait, a smell...can see the girl child running up to me...now run again!  Run, run, run....oh wait, a rabbit must have been here....again that girl child coming up ...and take off!  Run, run...oh wait, I must claim this tree...oh...not done yet....and here comes the girl child!  She caught me!  The father figure came out on the deck to see what was going on and was very loud again.  Well, at least I got to get a ride back in your arms, mom.  Didn't you like carrying me all the way home?  Don't you just love me?  I love you mom!

Love,
Toto