http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CD2LRROpph0
The above is a video by a 13 year old girl named Rebecca Black. She is involved with an independent record label/production company called Ark Music Factory http://arkmusicfactory.com/, an organization that assists what they call independent artists put together their marketing package. This is done for a fee obviously, but that's okay. If a parent thinks their child has talent and want to try and turn them into the next Little Stevie Wonder/Osmond of your choice/Debbie Gibson/Tiffany/Brittney Spears/Justin Bieber that's their prerogative. Ark Music Factory is one of the places they can seek assistance.
The video featuring Rebecca has gone viral and is being called 'The Worst Song Ever'. Well, it's certainly not the best song, but I think the worst song is something of an exaggeration. Yes, there are sections where the lyrics are just lame and I think they over auto-tuned, but the worst? Ah, no. I think there are a couple songs on the 1986 Pseudo Echo album that could easily be in the running for that title.
As all viral videos are subject to, there are a lot of comments on the various places the video has been posted. Comments including "I hope you cut yourself and die." "You should get an eating disorder so you'll be pretty" "If anyone should cut, it should be you." "Wow, this really sucks."
The singer is 13! THIRTEEN! She didn't write it, she didn't produce it, she didn't mix it, all she did was sing it and then lip-sync for the video. Shooting her hurtful comments about how she's ugly and untalented is just mean. She's a kid. Lay the fuck off.
And here's the irony, the way I found out about her was the Good Morning America segment about her and specifically about the hurtful attacks targeted at her.
There are 15 million views of her video on Youtube and multiple parodies and covers of the song.
As of 10:25 a.m. U.S. central time, she is number 31 on itunes.
Is she making any money from this? I dunno. Did Ark Music Factory work their contacts to promote the video, sending it out to the right people to make her as exposed as possible or is it just one of those goofy things? Again, I dunno.
And, my daughter loves the song.
The meanies and keyboard bullies (the worst kind in my opinion because, well, just because) actually created her, probably temporary, success.
And I love that chain of events. Take that meanies!
Amanda's beauty tip of the day: Humid weather will make curled straight hair wilt. Save yourself some stress and go with a straight style that day.
Sometimes, you have to give life some lipstick and tell it to kiss your ass.
Friday, March 18, 2011
Thursday, March 17, 2011
The Hip Housewife sometimes dreams of a different kind of life
I wrote the following blog entry in 2006, about the shooting at an Amish school where Charles Carl Roberts IV shot ten girls, killing five of them and turned the gun on himself. I'll be continuing after the following:
A host on KFI last night was asking people to call in to tell what was their favorite news story of 2006. The false confession to the JonBenet Ramsey murder, Brittney Spears goes from happily married mom to drunken party girl, Saddam to be executed, Dick Cheney shoots his friend were all mentioned.
While I must say that I greatly enjoy the train wrecks that Brittney and Anna Nicole are, I think my favorite news story was about the reaction of the Amish community after the tragic school shooting in their community.
Among bombings in Iraq and Charlie Sheen beating up his wife and volcanoes erupting and the continued aftermath of Hurricane Katrinia here was this story. About people who went through their lives with such a purity of faith and sense of connection to their fellow man.
I had the hardest time wrapping my brain around it. What do you mean they forgave him? Where's the wailing and crying and gnashing of teeth? Where's the grieving family members on the morning talk shows? Where's the book deal?
After a crazy man came in and killed their children and himself. They forgave him. They attended his funeral. They mourned the fact that he was dead. That a life had left this planet was a sad event, no matter who the person was or what they had done.
They invited his wife and children to attend the burials of the girls their husband and father shot. They started a fund for his children. They recognized the shooter and his family as fellow human beings. Not demons or monsters, just other people who live under the same sky.
No blame was tossed around. No demands for gun control or political reform. No lawsuits were filed. There were no prepared statements to the press. No dressing it up in black net veils and big sunglasses for the benefit of the television cameras. Just plain mourning and then plain forgiveness.
The quiet, solemn, unconditional faith of these people was so much louder than all the other jazzy shouting that was going on.
It amazed me.
After the awful event, I started to wonder how a person became Amish. Did you have to be born into the community or could you join? It turns out that any person can be Amish. One moves to an Amish community for a period of time, sometimes for years, to find out if they are suitable for the lifestyle and if the community agrees that they are a good fit. A strong Christian faith is the basis for being Amish.
There are Amish communities in 28 states, including one in Stephenville Texas, about 170 miles north of Austin.
I will admit that there are days when I've been dealing with cars breaking down, no cell phone coverage, making the children leave the computer/Xbox/tv and dealing with day to day craziness I will pause and think about how different it would be have clear roles, chores and a self sustaining household. There would be cows to milk, crops to tend, bread to make, clothes to sew, children to send to school and then shoo out to play, quilting bees and barn raisings. I understand the Amish who live in Texas keep bees and craft buggies for English (a term for non-Amish) people. However, if you request a garish color, say Texas orange and white, you will be expected to pay up front. The Amish don't root for the Longhorns apparently.
I think about being so tired at the end of the day from work I just drop off to sleep without a struggle. Really, I think about feeling safe and unafraid. I know there would be drama and issues and infighting, just like there are in any community. But I still think how it might be fullfilling in a plain way.
I wonder if they'd let me wear lipstick.
Amanda's beauty tip of the day: Here's an old one, if you have sun freckles you can bleach them with buttermilk.
A host on KFI last night was asking people to call in to tell what was their favorite news story of 2006. The false confession to the JonBenet Ramsey murder, Brittney Spears goes from happily married mom to drunken party girl, Saddam to be executed, Dick Cheney shoots his friend were all mentioned.
While I must say that I greatly enjoy the train wrecks that Brittney and Anna Nicole are, I think my favorite news story was about the reaction of the Amish community after the tragic school shooting in their community.
Among bombings in Iraq and Charlie Sheen beating up his wife and volcanoes erupting and the continued aftermath of Hurricane Katrinia here was this story. About people who went through their lives with such a purity of faith and sense of connection to their fellow man.
I had the hardest time wrapping my brain around it. What do you mean they forgave him? Where's the wailing and crying and gnashing of teeth? Where's the grieving family members on the morning talk shows? Where's the book deal?
After a crazy man came in and killed their children and himself. They forgave him. They attended his funeral. They mourned the fact that he was dead. That a life had left this planet was a sad event, no matter who the person was or what they had done.
They invited his wife and children to attend the burials of the girls their husband and father shot. They started a fund for his children. They recognized the shooter and his family as fellow human beings. Not demons or monsters, just other people who live under the same sky.
No blame was tossed around. No demands for gun control or political reform. No lawsuits were filed. There were no prepared statements to the press. No dressing it up in black net veils and big sunglasses for the benefit of the television cameras. Just plain mourning and then plain forgiveness.
The quiet, solemn, unconditional faith of these people was so much louder than all the other jazzy shouting that was going on.
It amazed me.
After the awful event, I started to wonder how a person became Amish. Did you have to be born into the community or could you join? It turns out that any person can be Amish. One moves to an Amish community for a period of time, sometimes for years, to find out if they are suitable for the lifestyle and if the community agrees that they are a good fit. A strong Christian faith is the basis for being Amish.
There are Amish communities in 28 states, including one in Stephenville Texas, about 170 miles north of Austin.
I will admit that there are days when I've been dealing with cars breaking down, no cell phone coverage, making the children leave the computer/Xbox/tv and dealing with day to day craziness I will pause and think about how different it would be have clear roles, chores and a self sustaining household. There would be cows to milk, crops to tend, bread to make, clothes to sew, children to send to school and then shoo out to play, quilting bees and barn raisings. I understand the Amish who live in Texas keep bees and craft buggies for English (a term for non-Amish) people. However, if you request a garish color, say Texas orange and white, you will be expected to pay up front. The Amish don't root for the Longhorns apparently.
I think about being so tired at the end of the day from work I just drop off to sleep without a struggle. Really, I think about feeling safe and unafraid. I know there would be drama and issues and infighting, just like there are in any community. But I still think how it might be fullfilling in a plain way.
I wonder if they'd let me wear lipstick.
Amanda's beauty tip of the day: Here's an old one, if you have sun freckles you can bleach them with buttermilk.
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
I did it again!
Well, damn! I let the blog lapse again.
Now, before you judge me too harshly, I have been trying to dig my way out from under a pile of dirty laundry. Wait, that's not exactly true. I have changed the laundry from dirty to clean, but now I have this big pile of clean laundry that needs to go where it lives. I can get the laundry into the washer, swapped to the dryer and then taken out of the dryer to be heaped in a pile on a piece of furniture in our living room or to languish in a basket.
Usually, we dress from the piles until things get scattered around on the floor where they are walked on and those pieces go back into the washer for another ride.
Also, it's spring break for my kids. Zoe and Will are out of school for a whole week. This year, it's coincided with the time change forward an hour. I don't know about you but the whole daylight savings thing kicks my ass every year, twice a year. Falling backwards isn't so bad, but the shift in the spring causes all kinds of strife in our household. The kids protest starting to get ready for bed when it's still light outside and getting them up at the right time of morning becomes difficult. Having the week off to attempt the resetting of the schedule their little bodies helps.
Since it is spring break, I'm making sure we have things to do every day this week to keep everyone from going crazy. Monday, we spent a bunch of time at the Ultimate Moms Club, a place where I pay a monthly memebership that allows me to drop in from 10-2 five days a week. There's a big yard with a sandbox, playhouse, swings and toys. The club also features a big playroom, an intern who helps out with the kids, a full kitchen, a big front yard, a garden and will have chickens soon. There are other kids to play with and other moms to chat with. I took my sewing machine with me and made the tunics that the kids will need for the Sherwood Forest Faire this weekend. While I was doing this I ended up giving a spontaneous sewing class for the kids. They handed me pins and scissors, carefully watched what I did and where impressed with the simple shirts I made. Then they danced around with the scrap fabric.
Yesterday, we rode the new Metro Rail train downtown and went to the Children's Museum. Taking the train downtown costs more than it would to park, but then one doesn't have to deal with parking. Parking downtown during the week is tough. Street parking is always full, leaving either the pay to park lots or the parking structures. Parking on weekend nights, if you arrive after eight p.m. is frustrating. You can always find a space near the emergency shelter, but it's darker and a little scary for women from the 'burbs.
When any kind of big event is happening the parking issue doubles. And this week is a good one to not have to deal with parking because SXSW (South by Southwest music festival, a city wide event featuring mulitple shows and events. It's a huge deal and the city is packed for several days) is getting started. People are arriving, the tents for wristband pick-up are set up, vendors are passing out flyers and all kinds of excitement is going on. When we got off the train and started towards our destination, I texted Scott "It's hipsters as far as the eye can see!" I garnered at least a glance from the too-cool crowd in their skinny jeans and fedoras because I was rockin' the victory rolls and saddle shoes while I walked with my kids.
One of the coolest moments of my life was the first time I was recognized as a local at the Capitol grounds. If I go downtown on graduation weekend or during tourist season in the summer I'm usually asked directions at least once. Again, this makes me feel all kickin' and neat-o.
Between the train rides, the walk to and from the station, playing at the museum and the drive to and from home the outing ate up the late morning/early afternoon. Woot! Day two down!
Today, we're getting ready to host a play date at our house and then hosting a play date at our house. The picking up and readying of snacks will take up our morning. Playing with friends will take up a good chunk of the afternoon. Boom! Day three down!
Two days left and I'll be golden!
Keep me in your thoughts as I continue to fill our days this week.
Amanda's beauty tip of the day: Ironing clothing is a pain-in-the-ass, but is essential in keeping your look crisp.
Now, before you judge me too harshly, I have been trying to dig my way out from under a pile of dirty laundry. Wait, that's not exactly true. I have changed the laundry from dirty to clean, but now I have this big pile of clean laundry that needs to go where it lives. I can get the laundry into the washer, swapped to the dryer and then taken out of the dryer to be heaped in a pile on a piece of furniture in our living room or to languish in a basket.
Usually, we dress from the piles until things get scattered around on the floor where they are walked on and those pieces go back into the washer for another ride.
Also, it's spring break for my kids. Zoe and Will are out of school for a whole week. This year, it's coincided with the time change forward an hour. I don't know about you but the whole daylight savings thing kicks my ass every year, twice a year. Falling backwards isn't so bad, but the shift in the spring causes all kinds of strife in our household. The kids protest starting to get ready for bed when it's still light outside and getting them up at the right time of morning becomes difficult. Having the week off to attempt the resetting of the schedule their little bodies helps.
Since it is spring break, I'm making sure we have things to do every day this week to keep everyone from going crazy. Monday, we spent a bunch of time at the Ultimate Moms Club, a place where I pay a monthly memebership that allows me to drop in from 10-2 five days a week. There's a big yard with a sandbox, playhouse, swings and toys. The club also features a big playroom, an intern who helps out with the kids, a full kitchen, a big front yard, a garden and will have chickens soon. There are other kids to play with and other moms to chat with. I took my sewing machine with me and made the tunics that the kids will need for the Sherwood Forest Faire this weekend. While I was doing this I ended up giving a spontaneous sewing class for the kids. They handed me pins and scissors, carefully watched what I did and where impressed with the simple shirts I made. Then they danced around with the scrap fabric.
Yesterday, we rode the new Metro Rail train downtown and went to the Children's Museum. Taking the train downtown costs more than it would to park, but then one doesn't have to deal with parking. Parking downtown during the week is tough. Street parking is always full, leaving either the pay to park lots or the parking structures. Parking on weekend nights, if you arrive after eight p.m. is frustrating. You can always find a space near the emergency shelter, but it's darker and a little scary for women from the 'burbs.
When any kind of big event is happening the parking issue doubles. And this week is a good one to not have to deal with parking because SXSW (South by Southwest music festival, a city wide event featuring mulitple shows and events. It's a huge deal and the city is packed for several days) is getting started. People are arriving, the tents for wristband pick-up are set up, vendors are passing out flyers and all kinds of excitement is going on. When we got off the train and started towards our destination, I texted Scott "It's hipsters as far as the eye can see!" I garnered at least a glance from the too-cool crowd in their skinny jeans and fedoras because I was rockin' the victory rolls and saddle shoes while I walked with my kids.
One of the coolest moments of my life was the first time I was recognized as a local at the Capitol grounds. If I go downtown on graduation weekend or during tourist season in the summer I'm usually asked directions at least once. Again, this makes me feel all kickin' and neat-o.
Between the train rides, the walk to and from the station, playing at the museum and the drive to and from home the outing ate up the late morning/early afternoon. Woot! Day two down!
Today, we're getting ready to host a play date at our house and then hosting a play date at our house. The picking up and readying of snacks will take up our morning. Playing with friends will take up a good chunk of the afternoon. Boom! Day three down!
Two days left and I'll be golden!
Keep me in your thoughts as I continue to fill our days this week.
Amanda's beauty tip of the day: Ironing clothing is a pain-in-the-ass, but is essential in keeping your look crisp.
Thursday, March 10, 2011
You know, I don't think that was my fault man
I had to go to the doctor today to get my prescriptions renewed. She likes me to check in every few months to make sure everything is working properly and I'm still doing well.
I left her office a little before five and got ready to leave the parking lot. I backed out and I'm cruising along at about 8 miles an hour, looking for a CD for the kids. I like to leave the location via an exit where I can turn left on a quieter street to an intersection where I can turn left with a signal across a very busy street.
As I'm motoring towards the exit I like to use, there's a place where I have to go into a curved section of road into another parking lot. Basically, I make a right to go the direction I want to go. As I'm approaching this turn, I see a man on a bicycle in a bright yellow shirt behind me, he's also in the parking lot. But he's a good distance behind me so I go ahead and make my right.
After I made my right turn, the guy in the yellow shirt on his bike is right behind me waving his arms around. I frown at this, because where the hell did he come from? He was back THERE.
I get to the exit I like and he pushes his way through some dead tree branches to come up to my passenger window so he may yell "What? You don't see me?" I considered yelling "What? You don't see my bright blue CAR that was IN FRONT OF YOU?"
But I had my kids with me and I didn't want to get into it with him. I said "I'm sorry" he looked at me some more I said "I apologize" and he rode off.
On the way home I really thought about what happened. It's not my goal to almost hit a person who is trying to reduce their carbon footprint and stay in shape at the same time. I know that Austin is a big bicycle town and it's important to keep an eye out for them. So, I thought about it and wondered if I could have done something differently.
I had checked my mirror before I turned, he was very definitely behind me and to my left. I was going really slow, even if I was driving a fast parking lot speed, it would be 15 miles an hour. I know a cyclist could easily pedal that fast. I think what happened is that he tried to get in front of me on my left and didn't make it.
Then he got mad. And that's fine. I understand you get frustrated because cars don't look, don't share the road, won't move enough to the left so you can ride safely. I know I need to share the road and that I am not the only vehicle on the streets. But, um, aren't you supposed to share too? Dude, I ask again, did you not see my CAR in FRONT of you?
Amanda's beauty tip of the day: If your white anklets are looking dingy and you don't like bleach, boil them with a lemon wedge. Make sure your dirty socks aren't taking attention away from those kickin' stompers!
I left her office a little before five and got ready to leave the parking lot. I backed out and I'm cruising along at about 8 miles an hour, looking for a CD for the kids. I like to leave the location via an exit where I can turn left on a quieter street to an intersection where I can turn left with a signal across a very busy street.
As I'm motoring towards the exit I like to use, there's a place where I have to go into a curved section of road into another parking lot. Basically, I make a right to go the direction I want to go. As I'm approaching this turn, I see a man on a bicycle in a bright yellow shirt behind me, he's also in the parking lot. But he's a good distance behind me so I go ahead and make my right.
After I made my right turn, the guy in the yellow shirt on his bike is right behind me waving his arms around. I frown at this, because where the hell did he come from? He was back THERE.
I get to the exit I like and he pushes his way through some dead tree branches to come up to my passenger window so he may yell "What? You don't see me?" I considered yelling "What? You don't see my bright blue CAR that was IN FRONT OF YOU?"
But I had my kids with me and I didn't want to get into it with him. I said "I'm sorry" he looked at me some more I said "I apologize" and he rode off.
On the way home I really thought about what happened. It's not my goal to almost hit a person who is trying to reduce their carbon footprint and stay in shape at the same time. I know that Austin is a big bicycle town and it's important to keep an eye out for them. So, I thought about it and wondered if I could have done something differently.
I had checked my mirror before I turned, he was very definitely behind me and to my left. I was going really slow, even if I was driving a fast parking lot speed, it would be 15 miles an hour. I know a cyclist could easily pedal that fast. I think what happened is that he tried to get in front of me on my left and didn't make it.
Then he got mad. And that's fine. I understand you get frustrated because cars don't look, don't share the road, won't move enough to the left so you can ride safely. I know I need to share the road and that I am not the only vehicle on the streets. But, um, aren't you supposed to share too? Dude, I ask again, did you not see my CAR in FRONT of you?
Amanda's beauty tip of the day: If your white anklets are looking dingy and you don't like bleach, boil them with a lemon wedge. Make sure your dirty socks aren't taking attention away from those kickin' stompers!
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Cooties!
I know, that's not a nice word. After five years of school and multiple notices sent home about kids in her class having them, Zoe finally got lice.
The stigma that only dirty children get lice isn't really hanging on anymore. Although it must be a little because the information sheet sent home from school states lice has nothing to do with cleanliness or economic status. As a matter of fact, lice like clean hair to dirty hair. A mom I know successfully prevented lice by washing their daughter's hair once a week.
When I was in grade school in the information sent home covered no less than five pages and advised washing ALL bedding in the house, ironing mattresses and throwing away hats.
Now, parents are given one sheet of information stating the only actions needed are treatment with an over-the-counter shampoo + removal of nits via lice comb, washing bedding in hot water, vacuuming of rugs and furniture and sealing stuffed animals in zip top bags for ten days.
There are also several homeopathic treatments to be found online including tea tree oil, castor oil, mayonnaise, olive oil and using only the fine tooth comb. All of these require more than one application and can take a number of days to get rid of all the nits.
Until the mid-1990s the only books available with information about lice were medical texts or studies by entomologists. Since then, several books have been written directed at parents and teachers. All of them tell moms and dads that lice are just something kids get, like colds or skinned knees. I'm honestly surprised we haven't had to deal with them before today.
And dealing with them is a pain in the ass. I can see why there are shops opening up that do lice treatments. It's looks just like a place where you would take your child for a haircut, but they apply the treatments and do the combing.
It involves a shampoo applied to dry hair, left for ten minutes, washed out, a second treatment applied to one inch sections prior to combing out the dead lice and nits, then a final rinse. Surprisingly, her hair is wonderfully soft after all that!
I do have to say that Zoe was very good while I put the goo in her hair and combed out nits section by section. Another challenge for me is that Zoe's scalp is flaky, making it hard for me to tell if I've gotten all the little critters out or if it's just flakes.
The really fun part was calling my neighbors, whose children were at my house yesterday, to tell them the big news. Hey, how you doin'? My kid has bugs. (Bugs is a fun word to say. Bugs bugs bugs.)
The Hip Housewife and the Hip Husband are going to be checking each others hair tonight, a form of intimacy they haven't experienced before. They'll also be learning the real meaning of the word "nit pick".
I'm off to soak hairbrushes!
Amanda's beauty tip of the day: If you are a brunette, you can give your hair a coffee rinse to increase shine and deepen the color temporarily.
The stigma that only dirty children get lice isn't really hanging on anymore. Although it must be a little because the information sheet sent home from school states lice has nothing to do with cleanliness or economic status. As a matter of fact, lice like clean hair to dirty hair. A mom I know successfully prevented lice by washing their daughter's hair once a week.
When I was in grade school in the information sent home covered no less than five pages and advised washing ALL bedding in the house, ironing mattresses and throwing away hats.
Now, parents are given one sheet of information stating the only actions needed are treatment with an over-the-counter shampoo + removal of nits via lice comb, washing bedding in hot water, vacuuming of rugs and furniture and sealing stuffed animals in zip top bags for ten days.
There are also several homeopathic treatments to be found online including tea tree oil, castor oil, mayonnaise, olive oil and using only the fine tooth comb. All of these require more than one application and can take a number of days to get rid of all the nits.
Until the mid-1990s the only books available with information about lice were medical texts or studies by entomologists. Since then, several books have been written directed at parents and teachers. All of them tell moms and dads that lice are just something kids get, like colds or skinned knees. I'm honestly surprised we haven't had to deal with them before today.
And dealing with them is a pain in the ass. I can see why there are shops opening up that do lice treatments. It's looks just like a place where you would take your child for a haircut, but they apply the treatments and do the combing.
It involves a shampoo applied to dry hair, left for ten minutes, washed out, a second treatment applied to one inch sections prior to combing out the dead lice and nits, then a final rinse. Surprisingly, her hair is wonderfully soft after all that!
I do have to say that Zoe was very good while I put the goo in her hair and combed out nits section by section. Another challenge for me is that Zoe's scalp is flaky, making it hard for me to tell if I've gotten all the little critters out or if it's just flakes.
The really fun part was calling my neighbors, whose children were at my house yesterday, to tell them the big news. Hey, how you doin'? My kid has bugs. (Bugs is a fun word to say. Bugs bugs bugs.)
The Hip Housewife and the Hip Husband are going to be checking each others hair tonight, a form of intimacy they haven't experienced before. They'll also be learning the real meaning of the word "nit pick".
I'm off to soak hairbrushes!
Amanda's beauty tip of the day: If you are a brunette, you can give your hair a coffee rinse to increase shine and deepen the color temporarily.
Monday, March 7, 2011
The Hip Housewife gives a video how to on pin curls!
I make some goofy faces in these!
Part one, creating the curls
Part two, taking the curls out
Sunday, March 6, 2011
I didn't mean for there to be such a delay
Wow, I didn't mean to procrastinate this long. I apologize!
*alert! If frank talk about the female body and it's functions makes you feel squicky, skip this!*
On Thursdays, Zoe brings home fliers and such from school in a folder called "Thursday Folder". This is where I find completed assignments from the classroom, notes telling me when class field trips and parties will take place and other such information.
This last Thursday, I found a permission slip in her Thursday Folder so that she may attend the "Maturation and Hygiene Program" being held for the fourth grade girls soon. I remember the program we had when I was in sixth grade that took place over two days. All the girls went with three female teachers, we watched a film about menstruation and fertilization. Then we had a lesson in how the various protection methods worked. We got to see an old style pad and belt and were then shown how much easier the pads with the stick-um on the back were to use. We were able to write down questions we were too embarrassed to ask out loud. I came away with a lot of information and some more questions for my mom, who was very good about answering my queries frankly and without embarrassing me anymore than I already was just asking her anything about THAT.
I'm imagining that Zoe's program will be similar. It's not like the information is different, the body works in the same way and protection technology hasn't really changed either. The teachers MAY discuss cloth and sea sponges, but will probably stick with what can be bought on the shelf.
I was a little surprised that this program is given in fourth grade, as I was in sixth. I have to remember that her hormones have started to move around already, her body is changing in ways her dad and I can see plainly. I also have to remember that Zoe is the youngest in her class. She started Kindergarten here because she had already attended Kindergarten in California. Normally, I would have been told to wait until after she turned six, based on her birth date at the end of August. There are girls in her class who are ten. And elementary school here goes through grade five. Sixth, seventh and eighth grade are taught at middle school.
By the time she gets to middle school, the older girls will be getting their periods. It makes sense to give the info a little early than too late.
I'm going to have to really try and not grill her about what she learned, does she have any questions, I'm your mom! Let me help you through this confusing time!
Not long ago, I told her if anything was going on with her body that she was worried about, she could always come and talk to me. She looked up at me and said "What?!?!?!". I told her to never mind.
One thing I will tell her, when she's ready to talk about it, is that all women menstruate and there is nothing to be ashamed about. There's no reason why women shouldn't talk about it, because it's a part of our lives. It will seem like a very big deal for a while, then it will just be part her everyday existence and it won't cause her to miss a beat. Especially since the women in our family don't suffer from cramps or clots or any other unpleasantness with our monthlies.
It is alarming when I reach these milestones where I remember that this child is going to grow up. I may go put some protection in her bathroom so she can check them out in private. Privacy is essential when a girl is growing up. I'm going to prepare myself to give her lots in the coming years.
Pray for me.
Amanda's beauty tip of the day: If your skin gets greasy during your period, use oil absorbing sheets, found at any drug or grocery store for very little money to blot the oil off your skin. You'll be grossed out the first time you see how translucent the papers become after you blot your face.
*alert! If frank talk about the female body and it's functions makes you feel squicky, skip this!*
On Thursdays, Zoe brings home fliers and such from school in a folder called "Thursday Folder". This is where I find completed assignments from the classroom, notes telling me when class field trips and parties will take place and other such information.
This last Thursday, I found a permission slip in her Thursday Folder so that she may attend the "Maturation and Hygiene Program" being held for the fourth grade girls soon. I remember the program we had when I was in sixth grade that took place over two days. All the girls went with three female teachers, we watched a film about menstruation and fertilization. Then we had a lesson in how the various protection methods worked. We got to see an old style pad and belt and were then shown how much easier the pads with the stick-um on the back were to use. We were able to write down questions we were too embarrassed to ask out loud. I came away with a lot of information and some more questions for my mom, who was very good about answering my queries frankly and without embarrassing me anymore than I already was just asking her anything about THAT.
I'm imagining that Zoe's program will be similar. It's not like the information is different, the body works in the same way and protection technology hasn't really changed either. The teachers MAY discuss cloth and sea sponges, but will probably stick with what can be bought on the shelf.
I was a little surprised that this program is given in fourth grade, as I was in sixth. I have to remember that her hormones have started to move around already, her body is changing in ways her dad and I can see plainly. I also have to remember that Zoe is the youngest in her class. She started Kindergarten here because she had already attended Kindergarten in California. Normally, I would have been told to wait until after she turned six, based on her birth date at the end of August. There are girls in her class who are ten. And elementary school here goes through grade five. Sixth, seventh and eighth grade are taught at middle school.
By the time she gets to middle school, the older girls will be getting their periods. It makes sense to give the info a little early than too late.
I'm going to have to really try and not grill her about what she learned, does she have any questions, I'm your mom! Let me help you through this confusing time!
Not long ago, I told her if anything was going on with her body that she was worried about, she could always come and talk to me. She looked up at me and said "What?!?!?!". I told her to never mind.
One thing I will tell her, when she's ready to talk about it, is that all women menstruate and there is nothing to be ashamed about. There's no reason why women shouldn't talk about it, because it's a part of our lives. It will seem like a very big deal for a while, then it will just be part her everyday existence and it won't cause her to miss a beat. Especially since the women in our family don't suffer from cramps or clots or any other unpleasantness with our monthlies.
It is alarming when I reach these milestones where I remember that this child is going to grow up. I may go put some protection in her bathroom so she can check them out in private. Privacy is essential when a girl is growing up. I'm going to prepare myself to give her lots in the coming years.
Pray for me.
Amanda's beauty tip of the day: If your skin gets greasy during your period, use oil absorbing sheets, found at any drug or grocery store for very little money to blot the oil off your skin. You'll be grossed out the first time you see how translucent the papers become after you blot your face.
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