COMPTON, QC, CANADA, February 7, 2010 /Stanford Who’s Who/ — Brigitte Raymond has earned the recognition of Stanford Who’s Who as a result of her phenomenal work in the Education Industry. As Head Principal for Ecole Primaire Des Arbrisseaux for the past 11 years she has routinely demonstrated an extraordinary level of dedication and professionalism.
Ecole Primaire Des Arbrisseaux is a private primary boarding school for students from Kindergarten through Sixth Grade. Mrs. Raymond is responsible for all the curriculum and overseeing the administrative department.
Brigitte attained a Master’s Degree in School Administration from the University of Sherbrooke. She enjoys skiing, dancing, bike riding and camping in the time away from her busy schedule.
To view more information on Brigitte Raymond click here
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The United Nations anounced that 346 children were killed in Afghanistan last year, more than half of them by NATO forces, mostly in airstrikes.
Radhika Coomaraswamy, the special representative of the UN secretary general for children and armed conflict, said 131 children were killed in airstrikes, while 22 were killed in nighttime raids by international special forces.
More than 2,400 civilians were killed last year, the deadliest for Afghan civilians since the fall of the Taliban regime in late 2001, according to the UN.
Coomaraswamy said she met with NATO commander in Afghanistan US General Stanley McChrystal, who assured her that troops “will work with the UN to ensure better protection for children.”
Sarah Chayes, a former NPR radio correspondent (who lived for years in Kandahar) now on Gen. Stanley McChrystal’s staff told CNN that she sees increasing frustration in the Afghan public over the killing of civilians by NATO and US strikes.
Pajhwok News Agency reports that the Afghanistan senate deplored the foreign airstrikes that killed 21 innocent civilians in the province of Daikundi on Sunday, and demanded that NATO avoid any repetition of this sort of error. Some senators went farther, demanding that NATO or US military men responsible for the deaths be executed. Senator Hamidullah Tokhi of Uuzgan complained to Pajhwok that the foreign forces had killed civilians in such incidents time and again, and kept apologizing but then repeating the fatal mistake: “Anyone killing an ordinary Afghan should be executed in public.”
Firstly, the tumours on the right knee and the left wrist corroborate the observation made by Barras, Harmand and Meuse on 27 February 1795, and have been used as proof that it was indeed the Dauphin who died in the Temple.
However, Barras said only that the “knees and the ankles were swollen”. As for Harmand, he wrote: “I had the idea of trying a direct order, I did this by placing myself close to the prince’s right and saying to him: “Sir, please give me your hand”; he did and I felt, by feeling his arm up to the shoulder, that there was a tumour on the left wrist and another one at the elbow; It is possible that these tumours were not painful, because the prince did not show any.
“”The other hand, Sir.” There was nothing. “Allow me, Sir, to also touch your legs and knees.” He rose. I found the same growths on both knees underneath the back of the joint.”
There seems to be a contradiction here with the autopsy report, which mentions a tumour on the left wrist. Harmand, too, says that there is one on the left wrist but, if he had been on the child’s right, it would seem logical that he would have been given his right hand, not his left. In any case, Harmand wrote his account nineteen years after his visit, which could explain a few discrepancies.
Harmand also said that the child had “growths on both knees underneath the back of the joint”. The autopsy mentions only one on the inside of the right knee. However, a tumour can appear, then disappear, be absorbed, then reappear.
The child seen by Harmand was certainly not the Dauphin because the genetic antecedents of the prince did not make it likely that he would suffer from a generalized phthisis, which was the illness suffered by the child in the Temple. Neither Louis XVI, nor Marie-Antoinette had shown any symptoms of tuberculosis, and the early death of the first Dauphin, the elder brother of Louis XVII, cannot be counted, as it was his nurse who had innoculated him with this terrible disease.
The body on which the autopsy had been carried out had arrived at the final stage of tuberculous cachexia. It was attributed to a scrofulous vice which had existed for a long time. This could in no way be the case with the Dauphin.
The doctors who wrote the autopsy report have been criticised for not having insisted more on the identity of the dead child. It could be thought that they were sure of his identity, but doubt shows in the sentence: “We found in the bed, the dead body of a child [...] which the commissionaries told us was that of the dead Louis Capet, and which two of us recognized as being the child whom they had treated over the last few days.”.
It is curious that identification had not been asked of doctors Thierry and Soupe who had treated the Dauphin at the beginning of his imprisonment and who could have definitely recognized him. Another, more serious, reproach would be that a certain number of marks which appear to have existed on the Dauphin’s body, were not mentioned by the doctors who wrote the autopsy report. Why? Apparently, because they weren’t on the body of the child who had taken his place.
The real Louis XVII had diverse marks on his body. Some were natural, like a sort of strawberry excrescence on his right breast; the sign of the Holy Spirit, formed by small veins and representing a kind of pigeon, upside down, with its wings spread, an unique mark, on his thigh; the two incisives of the lower jaw like “rabbit teeth” and which Madame Royale also had, but in her upper jaw; finally, certain neck folds, which had so impressed Madame de Rambaud, that she always said that they would be for her the infallible proof of identity, if ever Louis XVII reappeared.
The royal child also had other marks, coming from operations practised on him, or from accidents. Such as the marks of innoculation in form of a triangle, the base at the bottom, operation practised on the left arm, in front of the queen, by Dr Jouberthon, the innoculator of the children of the House of France, accompanied by the doctors Brunier and Loustonneau; the scar on his top lip, in the form of a broken chevron, from the bite of a little white rabbit, held too tightly in the child’s arms; the trace, near the eye, of a blow given by Simon via a towel; and, under his chin, a scar corresponding to the corner of a chair, which the child had hit, when pushed away by Simon.
One thing seems clear: the child autopsied by the doctors at the Temple, was not the Dauphin. However, there is an objection to this statement, which needs to be addressed before going any further.
It has been said that the doctor who practised the autopsy was perfectly convinced of the royal identity of the body because he stole the heart. Would he have done this, if he had not been sure? This act was probably a deliberate calculation on the doctor’s part. If there were to be a restoration of the monarchy, he wanted to possess something which would give him honours, and what could be more touching than Louis XVII’s heart?
If, on the other hand, Dr Pelletan was really convinced that he possessed the Dauphin’s heart, he was subsequently unable to get his conviction shared by members of the royal family. Louis XVIII, the Duchess of Angouleme, the Count of Chambord and Charles X, to whom the “Dauphin’s heart” was successively presented, all refused to accept the relic.
Damont, civil commissionary of the Northern Section, on duty at the Temple, and witnessing the autopsy as part of his job, begged Pelletan to give him a handful of hair which the doctor had just cut off to facilitate his operation. This hair was kept preciously by Damont and, when offered to the Duchess of Angouleme, was refused by her.
It must be concluded then, that the Dauphin’s death in the Temple was not accepted by the Bourbons, that they knew the secret of the existence of the son of Louis XVI, and that they were probably conscious of usurping the legitimate heir’s rights.
Almost all of my sessions in Cleveland were of one baby – and sometimes the parents. While I love focusing on one child, with his/her individual personality and intimate relationship with mom and dad, it’s also really fun to photograph siblings/cousins. They are of course so comfortable around each other and are often pretty funny – and sweet.
This session was of three siblings – Sophia (5), Ava (2), and Thomas (3 months). The kids are adorable, and the whole shoot was so much fun – cooperative, super cute kids, a fun, easy-going mom, a beautiful house… what more could I ask for?
There are lots of photos from this shoot that I’m still going through, but here’s a three-image preview.
Seriously, look at these little ones… I am obsessed with the girls’ haircuts. And I want to fold up the couch and take it with me to future photo sessions:
Cassie and her baby boy, Tommy, who has ridiculously long and dark eyelashes:
And the adorable family (minus Dad – hopefully we’ll get him next time!):
More to come – some of just the girls, a few family shots, and portraits of the little munchkin.
Immediately, a rumour started to circulate about a plate of spinach containing a slow poison. It is true that an illness that had evolved so rapidly, with symptoms such as violent colics, vomitting and cold sweating, looked suspiciously like poisoning.
People remembered that Representative Mailhe, in the name of the Legislation Committee, had ended his report on the trial of Louis XVI with these menacing words: “This child is not yet guilty; he hasn’t yet had time to share the iniquities of the Bourbons. You have to weigh his destiny with the interests of the Republic. You will have to make up your minds on the question raised by Montesquieu: “In the States which value liberty the most, there are laws which violate it… and I admit that the customs of the most liberal peoples on Earth, lead me to believe that there are situations when liberty should be veiled, the way we once veiled the statues of the Gods.”"
It was also remembered that on 1 August 1793, Barere, in a report on the attitude of Europe toward France, had cried out: “Is it our indifference toward the Capet family which has deceived our enemies like this? Well! It is time to extirpate all of the royal offspring… “
Chabot had said loudly at the Convention: “It is the pharmacist’s job to deliver France from the Capet son”. And, a few months before the death of the young king, Brival, a Convention colleague of Chabot, had said in a speech: “I think that, after having cut down the tree, we must dig up its roots, which can only bear poisoned fruit, and I am surprised that, in the middle of so many useless crimes committed, we have spared the remains of a race… “
On top of this, the death of the Dauphin helped the negotiations with Spain, which was demanding the child in exchange for peace. As soon as he was dead, the treaty was rapidly signed.
However, the Commune, which had several times obtained poison – a pharmacist having received one hundred thousand ecus for the secret of a slow, efficient poison – was not necessarily responsible for an actual poisoning .
Public rumour spread the poisoning story. The Commune and the committees were sufficiently shaken to order an autopsy, as much to quieten the rumour as to prove their own innocence.
The operation was carried out by the doctors and surgeons Pelletan, Dumangin, Lassus and Jeanroy. All of these names were highly respected at the time. Pelletan and Dumangin were hospital doctors. Lassus had been part of the Health Service of Mesdames de France, aunts of Louis XVI. Jeanroy had been attached to the House of Lorraine.
It was said that the last two had been purposely chosen by the Convention, because they had known the Dauphin as a small child. As far as we know, Lassus had never claimed to have seen him. Jeanroy admitted that he had only rarely seen him. When he was shown the portrait of the young prince, he is said to have exclaimed, while dissolving into tears: “You cannot be mistaken, it is he, and you cannot mistake him.”
However, the year of his death, the child, or the one who had replaced him, had arrived at such a degree of emaciation, that it was impossible to recognize in this skeletic body, the pretty Dauphin whom Jeanroy may have glimpsed. It seems evident that the exclamation attributed to this doctor, aged over eighty, has been invented to advance the cause.
The same could be said of Pelletan. Here is what the Duchess of Tourzel wrote about it:
“This statement was supported by that of Pelletan who, called to my home in consultation a few years after the death of Jeanroy, had been struck with the resemblance of a bust of the dear little prince, which he saw on my chimney and, although there was no sign by which he could have recognized him, he exclaimed when he saw it: “It is the Dauphin; ah! It so resembles him!” and he repeated the words of Jeanroy: “The shades of death had not altered the beauty of his face.” He added that he had not seen him very much, that he was dying, unconscious to everything, except to the treatment he was being given, for which he was still grateful.
“It was impossible for me to have the least doubt about the statements of two such respectable people. The only thing left for me to do was to mourn the loss of my dear little prince.”
Pelletan’s behaviour is rather ambiguous. He will steal the heart of the child, which leads us to believe that he thought him to be the Dauphin. On the other hand, he will be rebuked by Napoleon for having been indiscrete enough to talk about the evasion of Louis XVII, about which he appears to have had pertinent knowledge.
In Salt Lake City yesterday, a 16-year-old boy shot himself in the head thinking the gun was not loaded. He later died at the hospital. Salt Lake City police Lt. Scott White said, “[We] don’t know how he got the gun, came upon the gun, where the gun was, why it wasn’t locked, put away, separated from the ammunition; all the kinds of gun safety things that we should all try to practice.”
But don’t all those safety things negate the whole reason for owning a gun? If we are protecting ourselves with guns, then the gun has to be loaded and ready when the bad guys bust the door down – doesn’t it?
Lawn darts are banned from sale in the United States, but you can still buy a gun. Lawn darts killed three people in the USA. Have you seen my list of names for February? That’s only a fraction of the homicides for February!
Posted by: Audiegrl, Geot, Bluedog89, BuellBoy and Betsy
Sandra Bullock (“The Proposal”), Tim McGraw (“Friday Night Lights”) and Oscar® winner Kathy Bates (“Misery”) star in Alcon Entertainment and Warner Bros. Pictures’ “The Blind Side,” which depicts the remarkable true story of All-American football star Michael Oher.
Teenager Michael Oher (Quinton Aaron) is surviving on his own, virtually homeless, when he is spotted on the street by Leigh Anne Tuohy (Sandra Bullock). Learning that the young man is one of her daughter’s classmates, Leigh Anne insists that Michael—wearing shorts and a t-shirt in the dead of winter—come out of the cold. Without a moment’s hesitation, she invites him to stay at the Tuohy home for the night. What starts out as a gesture of kindness turns into something more as Michael becomes part of the Tuohy family despite the differences in their backgrounds.
Living in his new environment, the teen faces a completely different set of challenges to overcome. And as the family helps Michael fulfill his potential, both on and off the football field, Michael’s presence in the Tuohys’ lives leads them to some insightful self-discoveries of their own.
The cast includes: Sandra Bullock, Tim McGraw, Quinton Aaron, Kathy Bates, Lily Collins, Jae Head, and Ray McKinnon
44D’s Reviews Betsy
“My husband and I took our grandkids to see the movie “The Blind Side”. Our 16 year old granddaughter told me that her boyfriend told her it was a “REALLY” good movie.
I must say I’m happy that we went to see it. It’s a true story of a wealthy southern family in Memphis, TN who take in a poor homeless African American teenager. Leigh Anne Tuohy is the person who insisted that he move in with the family. She found him a tutor to help him with his school work. He ended up playing football for “Ole Miss” and is now a left tackle for the Baltimore Ravens. I’ve read many things about this movie, some I thought gave it the kind of credit it deserved, and some I thought were not so great.
This was a “feel good” movie. It was one where you laughed and you cried. I came out thinking that it would be great if everyone could do what the Tuohy’s did for this young man. Sandra Bullock was absolutely great in the movie, she played Leigh Anne Tuohy, who was responsible for bringing “Big Mike” into their home. I thought Quinton Aaron was great in the role of “Big Mike” Oher. Sean Tuohy was played by Tim McGraw.
Of course, this is my kind of movie. I would definitely go see it again.”
Did You Know?
Michael Oher was drafted 23rd overall by the Baltimore Ravens in the 1st round of the 2009 NFL Draft. The Ravens were scheduled to pick 26th overall, but traded that pick and their 5th round pick to the New England Patriots to move up three spots and draft Oher.
Both Sandra Bullock and Tim McGraw have strong ties to the South and similarities to the real life Tuohy family. Bullock’s father was from Alabama; she was born and raised in Virginia, was a high school cheerleader (like Collins Tuohy), dated a football player and attended college in North Carolina. McGraw was born, raised and attended college in Louisiana and loved playing sports as a kid even though he was unaware at the time that his biological father was a professional baseball player.
While the movie shows Collins Tuohy and Michael Oher studying together at home and school. Collins, an A student, rearranged her schedules, and dropped out of several advanced placement classes, to share more classes with Michael and help him graduate.
What happens to people in this country when they get to a position of power? Or do they just subscribe to the adage that power corrupts? Or maybe its as simple as living in a culture where there is no responsibility and it doesn’t really matter what you do as you will not be answerable. Even the language of power doesn’t acknowledge that doing wrong must lead to some sort of punishment. Dáil deputies cannot be called liars in the Dáil, no they tell untruths or omit to tell the truth. If we did the same we would be liars and quite rightly so. Power is facilitated in this by the lack of action by the police and the courts.
Limerick Gangster (from www.independent.ie)
Willie O’Dea told ‘untruths’ to the High Court. According to himself he forgot what he had said in a taped interview three weeks prior to the signed affidavit to the High Court. Actually what he did was perjure himself. Perjury is a criminal offence yet O’Dea has not been charged with the crime, let alone arrested for it. O’Dea doesn’t even recognise that he is further diminishing the standing of politics in this country.
The Catholic bishops of Dublin colluded with and facilitated the abuse of children in Dublin. This is another criminal act. Yet, as with O’Dea, the authorities have been silent on the issue. The bishops went off to Rome to kiss the pope’s ring (insert your own appropriate gag). They got a bit of a telling off and then listened as the weasel-faced bastard tried to blame a lack of faith for preponderance of paedophiles in the Irish institution. These bishops should be in handcuffs and chains and not colluding in writing a pastoral letter that will absolve them and put the blame back on the victims.
Aaaand we’re back. Well, I’m back. Well, not really back ‘cuz that implies that I actually went somewhere when I indeed, did not. But here I am, like the prodigal daughter, returning to her mindspeak. It’s been a while since I’ve offered a blog to read. Even longer that I’ve taken the time to indulge myself. So here goes.
Respect. It’s a little word, but it makes or breaks everything. From a marriage to a sibling relationship, boyfriend woes to parent-teacher interaction. Without it people resort to their human nature. It’s easier to not respect than it is to make an effort. An effort in patience, to hear the other person out. An effort in changing the tone of your voice to not set in motion the wrath of dad. An effort in communication. oooo. there’s my favorite word. COMMUNICATION. Sorry, I get distracted. So, respect requires effort. Who wants to have one more thing to do? People who don’t want to alienate those they love. People who prefer to grow old with someone. People who really do care what you have to say.
So with respect we all walk around with Coke’s in our hand, animated birds singing and our life’s soundtrack playing some catchy tune from our ipod, right? YOU GOT IT! no. not really. But it can open doors. It can open hearts and doors. Respect conveys that you hold that other person in esteem, or in high regard. Simply put, it tells them you consider them, they matter. Even if it merely states that you think the other person is better than, oh let’s say a pile of sticks , AWESOME! We don’t have to love the person we respect. Heck. we don’t even have to like them. We just need to respect them as creatures made in the image of God. Wow. How’s that for perspective?
My memory does not tell me why I got side-tracked last summer with presenting my summer vacation, but I did. Now is the time to finish it. (And who is going to complain about some warmer-weather pictures?)
I left you at Red Canyon, outside of Bryce Canyon. From there we went to Cedar Breaks National Monument.
We go to this place every single summer. I have a convention every summer in Salt Lake City which is why we take these family vacations to western National Parks. The very first year we passed through Cedar Breaks, and we always return because it is so beautiful. The wildflower meadows are a place that we must get a picture of our kids each year. The times of year we have gone have varied which means the flowers have varied at lot when we have been there. But it is always a wonderful sight, and perfect for pictures of little girls.
(I must warn you that friends and a fellow blogger have been there as well and have not had the spectacular weather we seem to be blessed with. The elevation is over 10,000 feet, so weather can be unpredictable, but it has always been spectacular for us. There is a big ski resort in the area for winter visits, but leaving toward Salt Lake would scare me to death if the roads were bad.)
This is the big attraction--the "breaks." It reminds me a lot of Bryce Canyon, but not so many hoodoos. This is looking right into the area.
This is looking left in the same area.
Thankfully they had a quick Junior Ranger program here because we are always passing through. The Junior Ranger program is really a good one. It not only teaches children about the area and nature, but about being responsible with nature.
A week earlier or later and one would see completely different colors in a field like this.
I am sure these are not uncommon, but Cedar Breaks is one of the few places I have personally seen white thistle.
The wildflowers alone would be reason enough to detour here every year, but the "breaks" in the background make it absolutely spectacular. This is one of my favorite places I have ever been.
My World is a weekly meme in which participants are virtual tour guides. Go check it out and see the worlds of others. Or better yet, take a look at the guidelines, and do your own My World Post!
With Easter just around the corner, I wanted to give you a fun way to have pictures of your kiddos done. I’m going to be setting up shop in a local pasture and will have either baby chicks or a bunny, as well as brightly colored Easter eggs. I’m inviting all of you to do a mini shoot of your kids. It will be about 30 minutes in front of the camera, with some great pictures to celebrate with. They’ll make great little photo cards to send out to family and friends, as well as a cute way to remember this spring.
WHEN: March 13, 2010
COST: $50 (cost includes sitting, one 5×7 of your choosing, and rights to one jpg for printing cards)
WHAT DO I DO NOW? Send me an email to reserve your spot!
I can’t wait to set this up with you guys! It’s going to be a fun day!!!
I’m amazed at the things my children teach me about myself.
Hannah has started noticing when Nick and I don’t do a very good job with certain things. The other day I was in a hurry to get everyone out the door, and just had Hannah and Audrey put their crocs on with no socks, in spite of the fresh snow. When we arrived, Hannah had to walk through the snow and got her feet wet and cold. It wasn’t that cold out – the snow was all melting away, but good job, mommy. What I wasn’t prepared for, was her pointing it out! She just about made me cry, telling me I should have carried her or helped her put on socks! I apologized and eventually that was good enough for her, but…wow…I have some accountability at this point…
Tessa has started smiling and cooing at me all the time. She has brought me so much joy! I’ll just be doing something else, holding her in my lap, and it’s like she suddenly realizes I’m there, and proceeds to have a full conversation with me, whether I’m paying attention or not. She also gazes at me, right in the eye, and doesn’t look away. This is something my other two did not do! I find myself looking away out of discomfort while she just lovingly stares and admires her mommy. Where does my discomfort come from? Why do I get impatient so quickly? I don’t typically have difficulty looking people in the eye, but the purity of her attention and adoration overwhelms me sometimes.
Pay attention, they say to me without realizing it. Pay attention and don’t miss THIS moment. Be fully here with us. Don’t get so caught in the task to be accomplished that you miss the people who are most important. It took me forever to make peace with staying at home with my kids, but now that I have…I can’t imagine anything more fulfilling!
I know not everyone has a toddler, but for those of you who do this DIY tutorial is a great one for creative parents (or perhaps as a gift as parents of toddlers are often short on time!). It shows you how to make your own flash cards that double as blocks, using your own images and a few simple bits and pieces. It’s a great way of using up design project scraps like old image source books, photos, mags etc…. and we think Charles and Ray Eames would approve. See Apartment Therapy’s Ohdeedoh blog for the complete instructions.
Its official. A study from the University of California shows that its not the amount of TV your child is watching that predicts obesity but the content. The study shows that children who watch more commercials have a higher risk for childhood obesity. Read the NYT article here about the report.
Here’s an excerpt.
“Fred Zimmerman, the study’s lead author and chairman of U.C.L.A.’s Department of Health Services, said television commercials for sweetened cereals, junk food and fast food chains probably had an insidious influence over a child’s food preferences. The more television commercials a child is exposed to, the more likely he or she will be to try those foods and want to continue eating them, which then increases risk for weight gain.”
(fictional story written on a theme of “GRRR!” for www.faithwriters.com)
“Mommy?…”
No response. Five year old Ethan waits a minute in the dark, huddling under the covers, watching and listening.
“Mom!”
Still no response. Ethan’s eyes are wide open now, staring over at his older brother Erik’s bed, where eight year old Erik is fast asleep, breathing slow and easy.
“MOM!!!”
Their sleepy looking mother, hair askew, bathrobe barely wrapped around her, opens the bedroom door and peers in.
“What is going on? What’s wrong? It’s 3 AM, for goodness’ sake.”
“There’s something under Erik’s bed making terrible noises…. It woke me up but he is still asleep. It must have snuck in here before we went to bed and it’s hiding under there. I can hear it growling.”
She closed her weary eyes, attempting to organize her thoughts into coherence, wishing she was back snug in bed.
“Ethan, there can’t be anything under Erik’s bed. You must have been dreaming.”
“Mom! It’s real! I heard it! It sounded just like this: ‘GRRRR!’ “
“Ethan, there is nothing under Erik’s bed other than too many toys and dust bunnies that reproduce themselves.”
“Mom, get a flashlight! I think it must be a wolf! Get Dad! Do something!”
“I’m not waking up your father. He has to be up in another two hours to get ready for work. You aren’t making any sense. It was just a bad dream. Now go back to sleep.”
She closes the door and starts to feel her way back down the dark hallway.
“MOM!”
She stops. Turns around. Opens the door again and looks in.
“It just growled again! It sounds really hungry! You’ve got to get it out of there!”
She stands at the doorway, eyes closed, when she hears it.
“Did you hear it?? Now you believe me? Mom, it’s real!”
She smiled. Ethan is whimpering now.
“Ethan, you have just heard the dreaded ‘borborygmus.’ It likes to growl. That’s all it can ever do. It will never bite or hurt anyone. But you are right, it does sound very hungry…
“Mom!! Make the borbory-mus leave! PLEEEASE get it out of here!”
“Ethan, it’s just Erik’s stomach growling. That’s all it is. It must have been the pepperoni pizza we had for dinner. Let’s hope he’s not about to get sick. Now that’s something for which you can call me out of bed. Good night now, go back to sleep. ”
And she headed back down the hallway.
Ethan sat in the dark, now more annoyed than relieved, watching his brother sleeping soundly, oblivious to the rumbling growls coming from inside his tummy. Then worry snuck back and attaches itself to Ethan like Velcro.
“Mom!”
One more time, with all the patience she can muster, she cracks open the bedroom door, tempted to growl at him herself. But she is a good Mommy, so she only says in a very quiet controlled tone worthy of an Oscar winning performance:
“What is it now?”
“Mom, do you think dust bunnies bite?”
She took in a deep breath, hesitating for only a moment.
“No, but a tired Mommy certainly might if she isn’t allowed to go back to bed.”
“OK, night, Mommy. Thank you for saving me from the borbory-whatever. You are really a great Mom, you know?
And as she crawled back into bed, she knew he was right…
As we work with children this is an important reminder. It is a great follow up to the article on “Follow Your Calling Not Your Dream.”
Are you encouraging kids to look forward to that place God has for them to serve while here on earth? Are you lifting every job up as being a potential to serve God and to lead others to Him?
What are you laying out, if not by your words, by your actions is important to God?
I met 3-year-old Madie and her parents in the very beginning. They were my first customers that were strangers to me, who had reached out to a measly ad I posted and were interested in booking a photoshoot. From that day on, I have enjoyed every moment, and those photos were some of my favorite to date! I met them once again this past Saturday on a chilly day in Minneapolis at the Guthrie Theatre. Madie’s gorgeous and glowing long red hair was the first thing anyone saw as we passed by. She was getting compliments left and right, which I am sure happens all of the time!
As she mentioned how much she was enjoying preschool and pressed the buttons for us in the elevator, we explored the beautiful colors and architecture of the Guthrie Theatre, which is a fabulous place to visit.
Madie told me she currently had “Larry the Bunny” at home, quacked like a duck for me a few times and showed me her newly pierced ears in between photos. Such a great kid! And what an adorable family, I just love that they came back for more and I hope to work with them yet again so I can see how much Madie grows!!
Last night, CBC Television ran the documentary Hyper Parents and Coddled Kids (you can watch online if you’re in Canada). As the title suggests, it’s a look at the relatively recent trend in “helicopter parenting”, although I prefer the Swedish term discussed on the show: curling parents (they sweep all obstacles out of the way). The general thrust of the show was that this over-attentive parenting style is Bad Thing as it leaves children anxious and ill-prepared for adult life.
It’s also fairly one-sided in that the viewer is presented with extreme examples of this trend, such as a mother spending $4000 on her daughter’s first birthday. “It’s a major achievement,” she argues. Or the parents who try to get their children into exclusive $1200 per month pre-schools from the moment they’re conceived, just to give them that advantage. Or the overly-scheduled children who’ve never just played freely. Or the tales of employers having parents negotiate their child’s salary. Finally, we are presented with the tale of a young woman who was raised in this style and despite being fired from several jobs for her attitude, launching a failed business that offered women massages and daily affirmations, declaring bankruptcy, all before she hits thirty, still manages to keep her sense of entitlement and lack of personal accountability.
What you don’t hear is any sense of justification from these parents as to why they’ve chosen this path. Is this worse than the detached parenting styles of previous generations? Not that it should be an either/or question but there’s usually some kind of motivation for this sort of thing and perhaps when they reflect on their own childhood, there’s much they want to do differently.
I do agree with the points the documentary was making, in a general way. Kids’ lives do seem over-scheduled these days. Nobody seems to just send their kids out to play anymore. Playdates must be arranged. If a child kicks a ball for fun, she’s put on the soccer team.
I’m a big fan of Free Range Kids, a blog where the writer often asks why we’ve become obsessed with this perceived constant danger to our kids. I sometimes wonder if we’re so protective of children because we simply don’t trust ourselves to take the leash off once in a while. While our parents were content to send us out of the house until supper time, we think if we did the same thing, we’d do it wrong somehow and something bad would happen.
Of course, there will always be a balance between being involved in your child’s life and allowing them to fail on their own so that they can learn. I don’t think that’s unique to any generation.
The documentary also pointed out that the hyper-parenting trend is something that goes on among the middle t0 upper-classes. Many of the things parents are shown doing in this documentary simply aren’t options for us because we couldn’t afford it. In other words, spending half my take-home pay for daycare just isn’t going to happen. But I wonder if money weren’t an object, would I be much different?
I have not been very busy with photos so I was just looking through some older files and was having such a good time that I have to share some. The kids change so fast I am so grateful that I have so many wonderful memories right here. Hope you enjoy them too. NJT
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Back to 44-D’s Virtual Red Carpet to the Oscars®
I met 3-year-old Madie and her parents in the very beginning. They were my first customers that were strangers to me, who had reached out to a measly ad I posted and were interested in booking a photoshoot. From that day on, I have enjoyed every moment, and those photos were some of my favorite to date! I met them once again this past Saturday on a chilly day in Minneapolis at the Guthrie Theatre. Madie’s gorgeous and glowing long red hair was the first thing anyone saw as we passed by. She was getting compliments left and right, which I am sure happens all of the time! 
