Archive - July 2013

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Miscarriage
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STRESS BUSTERS FOR CHILDREN
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Puzzled
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Mum, Mum, Mum, Mum, Mum, Mummy, Ma, Mum…

Miscarriage

This story is about a baby conceived, but never delivered. It’s about the thrill of finding out you’re pregnant, and then disappointment you feel when suddenly you’re not. It’s about miscarriage, but it’s also about chickens and abysmal record keeping. Random, but related. When my husband and I found out we were expecting our first child, we were overjoyed. I knew I was pregnant only days after conception. I just knew. A pregnancy test confirmed it and I went to the doctor for a blood test to be sure. We told our families right away because that kind of excitement just can’t be contained. We made plans, discussed names, researched strollers. I couldn’t wait to share the happy news with my class of grade two students, but I decided to wait the obligatory three months—which never came. At nine weeks I miscarried. We went through the usual panic—trying to fix it, trying to stop it, trying to save it. Of course you can’t stop nature’s course. Mother Nature is stubborn. She does what she wants, when she wants, for reasons only she knows. My husband called my work to say I would be off the next day. I needed a[…]

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STRESS BUSTERS FOR CHILDREN

Stressed may indeed be dessert spelled backwards, but it’s anything but sweet. It’s just the opposite — it’s sour. Or is that bitter? Whichever one, as my friend would say, “Stress can go suck a bag of ducks.” This handy new catch phrase was born from an Autocorrect. I have no idea what it means, but I try to use it at least once a day because it makes me laugh. And laughter is the best stress reliever, right?   I have a tendency to let stress build, but I’m working hard to learn how to manage it successfully and I’ve written about the steps I’m taking to kick my Worry Wart Ways.  Lately I’ve seen burgeoning signs of stress/anxiety/worry in my eldest child. Nothing terribly alarming, but significant enough to pay attention.  “Fifty per cent of adults diagnosed with mental illness reveal its start before the age of fourteen. It is imperative for parents, caregivers as well as teachers to recognize stress in early stages and support the child affected.”  My son seems to worry like his mother. Is this something for me to worry about? (I am aware of the irony here.) Perhaps it’s merely a phase. Either way, we’re[…]

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Puzzled

Rain, rain, go away, come again another day…and bring Tylenol. And four extra sets of hands. And a bag of patience. And a box of pinto grigio. Yes I said box. And a bucket of ice cream. And a bag of something salty — anything, I’m not picky. It’s summer, it’s soggy, and the natives are growing restless. Thankfully my kids are rather creative natives. This morning I found them in my daughter’s bedroom doing a puzzle. I didn’t question their methods. I simply took a photo and reversed quietly out of the room.

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Mum, Mum, Mum, Mum, Mum, Mummy, Ma, Mum…

  Like a blonde, curly haired broken record, my daughter gets stuck on repeat. Actually, she must repeat in order to learn. Genetic testing has revealed that our child is missing specific genes linked as the cause of mental delays specifically related to memory. Children learn by mimicking and remembering. It takes Avery much longer to commit a concept to memory, so she must repeat. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. She’ll watch the same television show over and over. This includes Max and Ruby. *stabs parental eardrums with pointy stick* She also repeats phrases and songs, the ABCs, names of the people she knows and places she’s been and many, many other things. We understand the importance of her rehearsing these concepts. Strangers do not. It’s somewhat amusing to watch the reactions Avery gets when she says, “Bye man!” a dozen or so times to the same guy at the grocery store. Most people will actually return or at least acknowledge each one. Bless their patient hearts. I try to redirect her though, to spare these busy people the last six or seven farewells. Most of the time these repetitions are necessary. Though sometimes she repeats herself out of habit or because[…]

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