Grounding the kids....

Nope, not that kind of grounding, I mean really grounding your children. What a tough obstacle this is. I think my problem is that I didn't have much as a child so I want to give my kids all the things I wanted and never had. The funny thing is my mom will apologize for the life we had when we were little and I thank God everyday for our life it made me so appreciative of things. My brother and I slept on foam mats because we didn't have money for mattresses, we had cock roaches that would crawl on us every night and invade the house because it doesn't matter how clean you lived when you live in the hood like we did in Georgia if your neighbors had them, so did you. There wasn't always enough food but we survived on powdered milk and leftovers from one of the restaurants Mom worked at. It amazes me that somehow with my Mom working two jobs and my Dad working two jobs and going to school that they could accomplish so much with us. Thanks goodness for their families who helped us out so much!! When we moved back to Ohio we moved into an old farmhouse where the water we showered in was red from all the rust. There was no drywall left on the ceiling where my brother and I slept so it was open to the rafters above and their were always birds in our room. Never heard my parents complain, I think they were happy to be back in Ohio near family and to have a place to stay. Before the school year started my sweet Uncle Terry took me clothes shopping at the Salem Mall so that I wouldn't get picked on by kids, wow what a memory we walked into a store and he said go ahead pick some stuff out, I get teary eyed thinking of what that day meant to me. It is hard enough to be a new kid but to have to walk into a school as a new kid with pants to short is even worse.

And then there are my kids and between us as parents, and grandparents that spoil them, how do my children stay grounded??? I would love for them to get out in the community and volunteer the last time they volunteered it was cleaning dog cages at the Humane Society and I really think there is something humbling about cleaning dog poo and walking animals and cleaning there. However, like anything now days there is a big liability for companies to have children volunteers so unless your with an organization good luck getting your kids in the door. So parents I am going to start my own volunteer program and once a month we will be baking cookies for the fire department, or taking paintings to the retirement home, etc. So if anyone is interested in joining my group just email me. kids4dogs@hotmail.com

1st Stop - Lewisburg Fire Dept. 9-25-11 @ 12 cookies for fire dept. bake your own and meet us there at 11:45