Cellular Madness

When did cell phones take over the world?! Do people really have so much to say and whatever they have to say, can it really not wait until they get home? It's out of contol! Even more annoying is the kids. Kids with cell phones. Why the hell does a kid need a cell phone? Parents will justify this indulgence by saying that they need it to call because they have sports practice or band or whatever. Gee, I was in extracurricular activities in school, too, and I didn't have a cell phone. I just told my mom when it was time to pick me up, and she picked me up. Do coaches/teachers change their mind all of the sudden and decide that practice will last longer or be cut short? No, they don't. I know, I was a teacher and a coach. There's a thing called a schedule and if you have to change it, you let the student and the parents know--in advance. Now, when a kid is old enough to drive and is going out, I can see why a parent would want them to have a phone. That makes sense, but an eight year old with a phone is just silly, not to mention a major distraction--for the kid and for everyone around him.

Hey, Jealousy

I know it's ridiculous to let a ten year old make you cry, but, Moms, back me up, has your child ever said something that just cut you and even though you didn't want to cry, you did? My daughter received a gift certificate to the movies for her birthday. I had planned on taking her, just me and her, I thought she'd appreciate some one on one time. Then, yesterday, she asks me if she can take the gift card with her to her dad's because she wants to go to the movies with her dad's girlfriend. I said, I thought we were going to go together. She responded by saying that she would rather go with her dad's girlfriend. She might just as well have slapped me in the face! I was stunned. She would rather go with my ex-husband's girlfriend! When did this nonperson become such an important person in my daughter's life? I know I sound cruel, I know. And, yes, I'm glad that she likes her dad's girlfriend, but she's a girlfriend, not a stepmom. If she was a stepmom, I might be a little more understanding. I'm a stepmom, so I could relate. And, yes, I realize that means that I was once my stepsons' dad's girlfriend. And, I'm sure his exwife felt like I did, wondering when I'd oozed my way into the family without her noticing. But seriously, my ex has had five girlfriends--that I've met--since we divorced. Why should I think that this one will last? So, why is my kid becoming attached to her? I can see no good coming from it.
And, ya know, it's just not fair, of course my kid thinks that this chick is fun, all she and my daughter's dad has to do is entertain them for 48 hours every two weeks. That is it. They don't help with homework, enforce bedtimes, make sure they clean their rooms, and on and on. As far as I'm concerned, they are akin to babysitters. Babysitters entertain the kids and make sure they don't get hurt until the real parents come home. Same thing here. It's so unfair! I will always be "the bad guy"! I am so jealous! Irrational, maybe, but that's why they call it the green monster.

Weighty Issue

My oldest daughter has an appetite that surpasses mine and sometimes even my husbands'! At first I figured that she was just going through a growth spurt. I decided to just wait it out. It was just a phase, I assured myself. But, then, it didn't stop. It still hasn't stopped. She still outeats me at meals and always seems to be hungry. According to the doctor, she is above average for weight but also above average for height--he says, she's fine, just keep an eye on what she eats. No kidding! Of course, I keep an eye on what she eats, but what good does that do? I try to serve healthy, home-cooked meals as much as possible, but even healthy food will make you put on weight if you eat a ton of it! I am so torn as to how to handle the situation. I have tried it both ways; I have not said anything and let her eat until she's full, and I have limited her intake, I have set proportion limits and denied her sweets and seconds. In both cases, I have felt uneasy and guilty. I can't let her become a fat kid; I know all too well the woes of a chubby kid. Not to mention, I want her to develop good eating habits that she will, hopefully, carry into adulthood. On the other hand, when I place restrictions on her eating, I am afraid that I will make her want to eat more in my absence or hide food and develop an eating disorder, or I fear that I will make her paranoid about eating to much and develop an eating disorder. My parents never placed limits on my food intake, and I have battled bouts of bulimia and overeating. But, then, you see kids whose parents are strict about their diets and gobble fast food and chug down sodas when their parents aren't around. So, what is the best approach? I guess education. If I educate my daughters about food and nutrition and reading labels and what's good and what's not good, shouldn't that help them to make good choices as they get older? Or, will it lead them to obsess about food and what they eat and cause a myriad of problems?