Abigail

"Most adults who do horrible things were children to whom horrible things were done. It doesn't excuse anything, adults can overrule their feelings and take the appropriate action, whether or not they feel like it, but it should motivate us to find a way to break the cycle as effectively as we can." Very well said. How about parenting classes? We are not born with an innate understanding of how to raise children. How about some sort of support system for when a parent really needs a break? Counseling for at risk parents and children? Even the the problems will still exist - but perhaps we could at least reduce the numbers.

Interesting article, Bramble. I too have often wondered about the two creation stories and who Adam and Eve's children reproduced with. I know one theory is that which was taught in TWI - their siblings. However, I have to take issue with this point: "suffice it to say that those of us who are not of Semitic descent (i.e., not of the lineage of Adam and Eve) cannot share in the Original Sin that comes with that lineage" This is flawed for a couple of reasons. First, many many many Christians are not of Semitic descent, yet believe they too inherited the "original sin". The other is that Judaism does not believe in the "ineritence of original sin". To the best of my knowledge that is a doctrine that came with Christianity. Jews do not believe we are all born in sin and therefore need a savior. I wonder if Muslem's teach original sin is inherited? Anway - there are some interesting ideas in the article. It's too bad it couldn't have been presented without the smuggness - makes them sound as if they are more interested in putting down others than finding truth. Oh well.

Here's another interestig tidbit - ancient druids viewed the serpent as the symbol for wisdom

Galen, We had the same thing happen to a school here. It was a K - 12 school. The elementary and junior high were Montessori and the highschool more traditional. The high school students were primarily those kids who were kicked out of or failing in the traditional public schools. One student ended up in jail and the school continued to work with this boy so that he still graduated on time. Amazing. But again, these were kids who scored low on the tests. In addition, when Michigan looks at test scores to grade a school they focus on the highest grade level in the school. The result is that the state decided that because the seniors didn't score sufficiently on the tests for several years in a row (and keep in mind these were mostly kids who transferred in while already sophmores, juniors, and seniors and NOT kids who had been educated by the school from kindergarten on)- the entire school was closed. Such a shame they couldn't instead recognize that this school was managing to help educate kids who would otherwise have been on the streets.

"The best gifted and talented program consists primarily of a caring, involved, and capable parent." I agree and disagree. Yes a caring, involved and capable parent is one of the most important things a child could have. BUT - if a child is not challenged, the chld will be bored. A child who is bored is a child who is likely to get into trouble. Example from experience - - My kindergartener is capable of working at a grade level about his peers. In the first half of the school year I started getting complaints from the teacher that he wasn't completing his paperwork. I told her to send the work home with him and I would make sure he got it done, but I also told her that at 5 my concern was not so much that he could do paperwork as it was that he knew what he needed to and viewed school as a positive thing. Particularly because the work so so far below his ability and it wasn't challenging him. In his mind, he could see no purpose and feel no sense of accomplishment in completing it. I suggested that we find some ways to challenge him more, including allowing him to spend part of the week or day with the first graders. The teacher agreed to my suggestion but never followed through. Instead she began to take away the few educational activities he enjoyed in an attempt to force him to complete the paperwork. The result wasn't what she expected. Instead of getting the paperwork done, he simply became more frustrated and began to act out. Mid year - teacher leaves for maternity leave and a new teacher comes in. New teacher recognizes that Jacob is bright and bored and finds ways to challenge him. She also begins to reward him for completing his work by allowing him to have more time on the activities he enjoys - problems disappear. Kids need to be challenged based on where they are at, whether they are lagging, average, or ahead. Failing to do so results in boredom, a negative attitued towards schoold, self-esteem problems, and ultimately behavioral problems. Now I am not faulting teachers across the board, because teachers have one of the toughest jobs in the world. I cannot even begin to imagine how one teacher can teach 20 five year olds who are all operating at different levels of ability. Especially when that teacher does not get the support he/she needs from the administrators, parents, and community as a whole.

"International testing scores on subjects like maths have shown the States dead last (out of 39 countries) despite the fact that they spent nearly 7 times as much per year, per child, and had the smallest classroom size average (19) at the secondary level." An important distinction here - SECONDARY LEVEL that would be, in my understanding, high school kids. Of course high school kids can manage better in large classrooms than elementary aged kids - they have more experience, better self control, are more able to work independantly, etc. etc. I wonder what a similar study done on K - 3rd or 4th graders would show, though. Shaz, I watched the segment. Gee how simple and yet people still don't see it - training, training, training. Interesting, the child in this peace does not appear to come from a broken or poverty stricken home, does not appear to be abused or neglected, and yet is still having problems. I hate the whole "blame the parents" theme. Yes, sometimes the parents are at fault. But even in the face of horrendous homelives, a number of kids still grow up to be healthy productive adults. We can continue to raise those numbers by training teachers and parents. Wouldn't it be worth it to spend a little money to teach parents and teachers how to help these children? I think in the long run we would be paid back at least three fold in reduced crime, higher productivty, etc. etc.

"should be learning about life by moving and discovering, not by pushing a pencil. " HA - it isn't about teaching them about life - its about making sure they can pass those standarized tests when the time comes.

"One definitions of subtle both in todays usage and in the hebrew word for subtle used in 3:1 is "able to make fine distinctions." Sounds like discern truth from error doesn't it. Funny thing about that is after they spoke with that subtle serpent that is exactly what they could do! " and "I would trade ignorance for a sweaty brow and some fear anyday so that I would know to wash my hands afterwards so that I won't get " Evolution. To trade the ignorance for the fear so that one can make one's own distinctions between good and evil and thus become like God instead of simply being entirely dependant on God to make the distinction for you. And when the day comes, when we no longer see only in part, how much more will we be able to do then? How much more compared to if we had never been able to see even in part? If God truly wanted sons, does he NOT want them to also grow up, as we want our children to someday grow up? "to nourish one's soul on a system of strictly good and evil values, rather than seeing everything as inherently good (but perhaps incomplete or stuck or immature or confused or lost), is the road to unconsciousness, shame, ignorance, rage, sorrow, enmity, etc...the root of our problems" Amen and amen! "if we look at problems as simple black and white issues, sure, we might crush that single level of the problem that bothers our own selfish selves, but it also causes a ripple effect throughout that system that comes back to bite us in ways we don't understand " and or your "orange" self is overblown and running the whole show, and someone wants to simply cram their favorite one-size-fits-all something in there that does nothing but enrage (and possibly feed) this already enraged child... I get this! An example for the past few days. Aaron got in a fight at school and then lied about what happened - either to me or the dean of students, doesn't matter which cause either way he lied. Now he is naked - he has done something wrong and been exposed. So, now I do have to deal with and issue out consequences for the fight and the lying. Done. Now I can leave it at that - (black and white) what you did was wrong and now you pay the price (exiled from the Garden). And he can learn from that - he can learn if I behave in this way, ____ is the negative result, thus I should not behave this way, (much like Pavlov's dog). I can even take him a step further and teach him what to do instead (work till the garden). But there is still something left undone. He is still naked and ashamed. Do I leave things in black and white? This is what you did, it was wrong, period. Or do I take it a step further to help him become naked and unashamed instead of naked and ashamed? (god's love, compassion, understanding, forgiveness - an opportunity to be children in this life so we can be adults in the next?) "and so we need to learn the basic notes and frequencies of things, and be "naked and unashamed" to the basic tempos. when we no longer nourish ourselves on the crude early system of good and evil, and can evaluate things as the interacting wholes that they are. thus, we see a new heaven and earth...NOW. in the twinkling of an eye" No, I can't leave him naked and ashamed. So we have to pick and taste and digest all the sublties of what occured. "The kids think I am weird because I am so smart". "The kids tease me and call me a wuss if I tell on them." The rules themselves are problematic - if I don't tell I get in trouble with the grown ups, if I do tell I get in trouble with the kids. {If I obey and don't eat, I will never be able to discern for myself, If I do eat I will learn and know fear/sin/shame etc.). But it is amazing how far a little eating combined with the fellowship of compassion, understanding, and forgiveness can go - allowing the evolution of discerning to be possible while still allowing for one to be naked and UNashamed. And thus too one day grow up.

"Oh! And if you have a really bright child--most schools will not recommend the child be tested for gifted and talented, which is often funded through special ed funds. You, the parent, need to push it. Why? Because it is better for the classroom average to have those really bright kids taking the tests with their peers(even though their peers are reading at 4th grade level and bright child is reading at 11th grade level.) It is also cheaper if child can manage in a regular classroom. Sheesh, if they're in the gifted and talented program they might be bussed out of that school to be in the special classes. Think of how that affects the class test scores!" Boy does this explain alot! In Michigan there are no gifted programs available for children until they reach high school . . . UNLESS your child qualifies for an individualized education plan because they also have a learning disability, are emotionally impaired, or have some other disorder such as ADD, ADHD, ODD, etc. This means my very bright son who has been diagnosed with ADHD and who was doing third grade math in the first grade can get a specialized education plan to help him continue to achieve in those areas where he excells. The downside to this is he also has a very low frustration tolerance and pushing him too hard can backfire. BUT my other very bright child who is also working a grade level above his peers, and who has a much higher frustration tolerance cannot -unless I choose to medicate him for some disorder he does not have. :(-->

"Seems to me that when the emphasis went from teaching children at that age the basics of acceptable school behavior... raise your hand when you want to talk, don't talk when others are, share, play nicely, say please and thank you and put things back where you found them to... " I agree with you on this part, but disagree on the self esteem part. I don't think the problem is teaching self esteem, I think the problem is teaching abc's and 123's before teaching the kids what is expected of them in terms of behavior at school, how to negotiate and compromise with their peers, etc. When we were in pre-school and kindergarten the focus was on socialization skills, not abc's and 123s (though there was some of that as well). The focus on educational topics started more in the first grade.

"I have noticed that we (the public in general) are expecting teachers (at all grade levels) to have a certain level of training/education/certification to teach and/or take care of children. Is the pay that educators receive in line with what we expect from them?" In my opinion, not even close to enough. Especially when you consider these days teacher often have to pay for classroom supplies, and sometimes supplies for the students out of their own pay. "What is the fair share of what should (and how much) should come from property taxes etc?" Can't answer that one, sorry. I don't know enough about how the taxes are divided to even begin to touch that one. Plus different states have different systems. "What is a fair and convincing argument for raising taxes to fund activities such as sports, bands etc. When the students are not doing well in reading, writing, english and math? (this arguement should be made to adults that either have no childern or there children are all moved out.)" Students who are not doing well (this is vague, Z because one parent may define doing well as a C, while another may define it as all A's) usually have one of three difficulties 1) learning disability, 2)emotional or neurological disorder, and 3)lack of parental oversight. Like it or not, the school are largely responsible for helping children who fall into categories 1 and 2 but often lack the training and funding to do it well. At the moment, no one is dealing with situation 3. That being said, extracurricular activies profit the entire community in a number of ways. They help keep kids off the street and out of trouble (it will affect the adults by preventing crime for one). They also help build the notion of team work, cooperation, and self-esteem. The kids growing up today, will run our country one day. They will take care of the sick and elderly one day. They will start wars or prevent them. It is unfortunate, but many kids today spend more time with their teachers/at school, than they spend with their parents. It is unfortunate, but if the teachers and administrators don't reach these kids, we will all pay the price some day. So in a nutshell, my argument would be, you can pay now to help these kids grow up into healthy, caring, productive adults. Or you can pay later for prison time, drug wars, street fights, and possibly your own life if you become a victim of one of them after they have become a criminal.

Bramble, thanks for sharing your insights. A couple of things stuck out to me: " Ours is a developmental preschool, play to learn environment, not paper/ pencil academics." I think this right here is a crucial thing! In my opinion, it is absolutely ridiculous to expect children who do not have the coordination or the impulse control to sit at a desk for most of their day and do paperwork! In addition, I think it sets them up to have a very negative attitude about learning in general. "If we have a child with behavior problems( we flag physical aggression for the most part) we contact the parent, set up a meeting, do a daily behavior log, more meetings etc. Most children's behavior does improve, and while they might be bratty at home, they usually have acceptable behavior at preschool" and "We've had plenty of kids with ADD through the years, with out any big ruckus.We've had plenty of kids with ADD through the years, with out any big ruckus." Again crucial - if the teachers and parents work together, most behavior problems can be resolved while the children are young and the behavior less serious. BUT when one or the other (teacher or parent) is unable or unwilling to work as a team everyone loses, most especially the child. "We chose not to hire a teacher to shadow him. We felt that we were not set up, qualified, or had the financial support to care for a child who has a severe behavior problem(regular methods hadn't made a difference with this child's behavior). What would you do?" In this situation, it sounds like you did everything you could do. Private schools are not funded the same was as public schools. Public schools theoretically have funding to help work with kids like this or can send them to special education programs.

There is, in my mind, no way to justify killing a child. However, as I say with child abuse, I don't condone it but on some level I can understand it. Parents are under a tremendous amount of pressure these days, battling poverty, trying to work and raise a child alone, fighting with the school, etc. etc. There is little support for parents in this country, those of us who fight for our kids fight alone, without the benefit of partners, extended family, and community. When our kids misbehave we take all the blame. In addition, many kids grow up without any concept of delayed gratification, responsibility, and sacrifice. Add to that the increasing number of parents who are still babies themselves and the increasing number of people who are abusing drug and I have to say it is beyond tragic, but not suprising that these things happen.

Groucho - as a parent with a child diagnosed as ADHD, I can tell you it is a very real neurological disorder. However, I will also say as we learn more about it we are finding (as I had already discovered) there are ways of assisting kids with this disorder without medications, or at least in addition to the medications. [see my post on ADHD from yesterday]. However, I also know there are kids, especially boys, who are diagnosed as ADHD who are simply normal, active little boys who are expected to spend far too much time sitting and are not getting nearly enough exercise Single parent homes can be a contributing factor, as can an unhealthy diet, too much TV and video games, etc. etc. However, I think another contributing factor can be teachers who expect 3 - 5 years olds to have better impulse control than they are capable of. 3 - 5 year olds do not know how to negotiate and compromise with other kids, this is the age where they are first learning HOW to do so. I am not suggeting any teacher or parent should accept such behavior as acceptable, but for the life of me I cannot figure out why they are suprised by it. However, ask any school personnel what happens when a kid is suspended and they will tell you most of the time the kid simply gets a day off school - and that is punishment?

I have mentioned this topic before. I find it absolutely insane that schools expect 3 - 5 year olds to have the impulse control and coping skills required to negotiate difficulties like an adult! Preschoolers expelled more often, study finds Teachers may be putting kids’ self-esteem at risk, experts say Updated: 11:53 p.m. ET May 16, 2005By Michael Dobbs - Preschools are expelling youngsters at three times the rate of public schools, according to a nationwide study by Yale researchers, prompting concerns that children are being set up for educational failure at a very young age. advertisement The first nationwide study of expulsion rates in state-supported preschools, scheduled for release today, found that boys are being thrown out of preschool 4 1/2 times as frequently as girls. African American preschoolers are twice as likely to be expelled as white or Latino children, and five times as likely as Asian Americans. Twice as many 5-year-olds face the ultimate sanction for bad behavior as 4-year-olds. "These 3- and 4-year-olds are barely out of diapers," said Walter Gilliam, an assistant professor of child psychiatry and psychology at Yale University and author of the report "Prekindergarteners Left Behind." He said the lack of support for troubled youngsters could lead parents to "view their child as an educational failure well before kindergarten." Teacher training faulted Los Angeles-based child development expert Karen Hill-Scott said the study provided scientific validation for the impression conveyed by the popular television show "Supernanny" "that there are a lot of out-of-control children out there." But she and other experts put much of the blame for the high expulsion rate on teachers and administrators rather than on children. • More education coverage Child-care experts said that many expulsions could be avoided with better teacher training and greater support from psychologists and social workers. They noted that most states spend less than $5,000 a year per preschooler, compared with average per-pupil spending of more than $9,500 for other students. Several states, including Virginia, strongly disputed the Yale data, saying that information obtained from surveys of preschool personnel may not be comparable to records kept by public school systems. Several experts in early childhood education who have seen the study, however, said its conclusions are valid. The study of 3,898 preschools in 40 states made little attempt to identify the types of behavior that cause children to be expelled, or why teachers and administrators in some preschool systems report higher expulsion rates than others. But it noted that the likelihood of expulsion is greater in for-profit child-care centers than in public schools, and is cut in half when teachers have access to "behavioral consultants." ‘A rough age’ Anecdotal evidence collected by Gilliam suggests a wide range of antisocial behavior among preschoolers, from the child who cut computer cords as a way to "liberate the mice" to the 4-year-old who had a bag of marijuana in his backpack. The most frequent grounds for expulsion, child-care experts say, is aggression toward other children in the form of kicking, biting and hair-pulling. "It's a rough age," said Amy Wilkins, who heads pre-kindergarten research at the Education Trust, a Washington child-advocacy group, and is herself the parent of a preschooler. "It's a time when children are just beginning to learn how to cooperate with other people, and negotiate social settings with their peers, not just demand, demand, demand. That's why it is so important that teachers be properly trained." The Yale researchers reported widely different expulsion rates among state-supported preschool programs, ranging from zero expulsions per 1,000 students in Kentucky to more than 21 in New Mexico. Expulsion rates were higher in Virginia (10 per 1,000) than in Maryland (6 per 1,000). Officials responsible for preschool programs in the District did not respond to repeated requests for information, Gilliam said. Findings called ‘wildly unrealistic’ Julie Grimes, a spokeswoman for the Virginia Department of Education, said the Yale data for the state appeared "wildly unrealistic." She said the great majority of the state's pre-kindergarten programs are in public schools and had reported no expulsions of preschoolers during the years 2002-04, the period covered by the Yale survey. New Jersey and Texas officials also disputed the findings. Gilliam said the discrepancies could be due to differing definitions of the term "expulsion." The Yale survey asked randomly selected teachers whether they had asked children to leave the class over the previous 12 months for disruptive behavior. Based on these responses, he calculated a nationwide expulsion rate among preschoolers of 6.67 per 1,000, compared with 2.09 per 1,000 for public school students in kindergarten through Grade 12. The higher expulsion rate for preschoolers can be explained in part by the lack of statewide disciplinary policies, Gilliam said. Unlike K-12 schools, preschool programs are generally voluntary, and teachers and administrators are able to expel disruptive students with a minimum of paperwork. Although researchers differ sharply over the scale of the problem, there was no disputing the negative impact that the expulsion of a preschooler can have on families. Keri Wagner of Cheyenne, Wyo., said she had to quit her job as a loan officer after her son Todd, who has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, was expelled from a series of private preschools for fighting with other students. "There is a huge, huge need out there," Wagner said. "You have to go through so many hoops to find a place that is equipped to deal with children like Todd." © 2005 The Washington Post Company

"Persecution is a given as a Christian, evangelists and missionaries are martyred every day around the world. While we get in a huff if the ACLU wants to move a Nativity scene" Persecution is a given in any religion, Def. They've all ben persecuted at some point or another, many still are to this day - others will be in the future. Persecution will continue as long as WE continue to put more emphasis on the differences and ignore the likenesses. It will continue as long as WE continue to allow the few fanatics to be seen as representatives as the whole, when in fact they do not represent the whole. Most people on this earth, be they Jews, Christians, Muslems, Hindu's, or athiests simply want to live a peaceful life with their families and loved ones. We want a roof over our heads and sufficient food, along with some good health. We seek to give back as we know we have been given too and as much as possible to leave a mark on this world that is a blessing instead of a cursing. Regardless of the names used, the gods are but one and religion but a reflection of our own strengths and weaknesses.

Pawnbroker Thank you for explaining that in such an easy to understand way. And Sir - your addition of thoughts are also worthy of much pondering. :)-->

and sensory integration Public release date: 12-May-2005 Contact: Eryn Jelesiewicz dobeck@temple.edu 215-707-0730 Temple University Health Sciences Center Study finds ADHD improves with sensory intervention Preliminary findings from a study of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) show that sensory intervention -- for example, deep pressure and strenuous exercise -- can significantly improve problem behaviors such as restlessness, impulsivity and hyperactivity. Of the children receiving occupational therapy, 95 percent improved. This is the first study of this size on sensory intervention for ADHD. The Temple University researchers, Kristie Koenig, Ph.D., OTR/L, and Moya Kinnealey, Ph.D., OTR/L, wanted to determine whether ADHD problem behaviors would decrease if underlying sensory and neurological issues were addressed with occupational therapy. Their study, "Comparative Outcomes of Children with ADHD: Treatment Versus Delayed Treatment Control Condition," will be presented Friday, May 13, at the American Occupational Therapy Association meeting in Long Beach, Calif. Children with ADHD have difficulty paying attention and controlling their behavior. Experts are uncertain about the exact cause of ADHD, but believe there are both genetic and biological components. Treatment typically consists of medication, behavior therapy or a combination of the two. "Many children with ADHD also suffer from sensory processing disorder, a neurological underpinning that contributes to their ability to pay attention or focus," explained Koenig. "They either withdraw from or seek out sensory stimulation like movement, sound, light and touch. This translates into troublesome behaviors at school and home." Normally, we process and adapt to sensory stimulation in our daily environment. But children with ADHD are unable to adjust, and instead might be so distracted and bothered by a sound or movement in the classroom, for instance, that they cannot pay attention to the teacher. All of the 88 study participants, who are clients at the OT4Kids occupational therapy center in Crystal River, Fla., were taking medication for ADHD. Of the 88, 63 children each underwent 40 one-hour sensory intervention therapy sessions, while 25 did not. Therapy techniques appeal to the three basic sensory systems: The tactile system controls the sense of touch, the vestibular system controls sensations of gravity and movement, and the proprioceptive system regulates the awareness of the body in space. Therapy is tailored to each child's needs and can involve such techniques as lightly or deeply brushing the skin, moving on swings or working with an exercise ball. "We found significant improvement in sensory avoiding behaviors, tactile sensitivity, and visual auditory sensitivity in the group that received treatment," said Koenig. "The children were more at ease. They could better attend to a lesson in a noisy classroom, or more comfortably participate in family activities," said Kinnealey. "The behavior associated with ADHD was significantly reduced following the intervention." The research team, which included Gail Huecker, the director of OT4Kids, believes that sensory intervention affects the plasticity, or adaptability, of the brain to sensory stimulation. In this study, changes were seen within six months. Parents can learn how to continue the techniques at home. Koenig also observed that through this study, parents learned to view the disorder and the behaviors through a different lens. "It's easy for parents to look at ADHD and blame themselves or the child for the bad behavior," said Koenig. The goal of ADHD treatment is to prevent failure in school, family problems and poor self-esteem. If not addressed early, the disorder can trouble sufferers into adulthood. In its current study, the group is working with a total of 135 children who have ADHD. Children who did not receive occupational therapy during the study have been scheduled to receive it afterward.

"that is one of the quickest, cleanest, smoothest explanations i have read on the subject of "the fall" in our modern Biblical context, Abi. not easy to do. and i thank you for your courage" It wasn't my concept, Sir. At the moment I don't even recall where I read it - either a book 84 and I were reading some time ago, or the Chassidic website I frequent. In any case, all I did was sum up an idea that has been out there for centuries. It is only new to some of us because we have been raised with a theology that is often more literal in its interpretations.

"I would respectfully disagree. The many gods are not one. The world would like all religions to be different sides of the same coin, but the tenets of Islam do not line up with Christianity, nor does Buddhism, Sikhism, Taoism, atheism or animism. How do you equate a tree with a Creator?" Toss aside the names, rituals and images/idols [and yes, all religions have images/idols - even if no where but in the imagination of the individual] which are but symbols to help us understand the divine and you will find that at the root, those who seek God, are ultimately seeking an understanding of Ultimate Truth and Wisdom as a guide to living a holy life. You will also find that those who seek God see only in part. And finally, you will find that part of what is seen is not ultimate truth but simply a reflection of self. Most people - regardless of religious persuasion, have more principles in common than areas of contention. The difficulty comes in that we chose to focus on the differences instead of building upon the commonality.

I always see that section as simply saying we all screw up, we all make mistakes. It is through grace and love that we can pick ourselves up, brush ourselves off, and try again. Likewise, we should extend that same grace and love to others for we are no better than they.

How about this one, Song . . . The gods, by whatever names they may be called are but one, as there is really only One Source with many aspects. Religion is a mirror teaching us as much about ourselves as it does about God.

Bringing this back up because someone else brought it up to me. :)--> The post you are looking for is on page 2

Congrats to Ryan and to his wonderful dad!!!

Reiki - congrats on your daughter's successful passage in to teenhood. :)--> Shell - I hope Kelly is feeling better. My nephew got sick this weekend as well :(--> I had a WONDERFUL mothers day. In addition the the thoughtful gifts from 84, he took over the kids for the entire day. He cleaned. AND he cooked a fantastic dinner of shrimp and fettuccini alfredo. I got to spend the day gardening, which is my favorite way to spend mothers day. At the end of the day, 84 said the most wonderful thing of all. He thanked me for all I do and said he now understands how exhausting it can be being a mom. :)-->