Teen who has dedicatedly been searching for employment
"I really just want a job"

8yr old
"Well what you could do instead is get really rich,  get married,  get pregnant and stay at home looking after your children."

Teen
" how do I go about getting rich?"

8yr old
" the tooth fairy!"

It would appear there are some flaws in the child's logic however the teen being rich would potentially solve any worries I might have in my golden years....

8 yr old

"Today At camp I was climbing on a pole and I had such a good grip on it. I was like a pole dancer! You know how some pole dancers can go upside down?! I was almost like that!"

What the heck is going on at day camp this week?!

From the time she came home from the hospital 22 years ago she has been his baby.  She knows it too.

 A sampling of the phone calls I receive daily not counting the emergent or program planning calls from schools and day programs

-Samantha fell down and scraped her knee
-you need to tell Amanda (functions at 2) to stop taking her seatbelt off
-A is having a seizure on the bus (aaaaaand?)
- C is pushing peers
- C wet/or other her pants twice
- P fell down. She is fine
- H fell down and scraped her knee
- HBB quit breathing but he's fine....(ummm what?)
- S fell down and scraped her knee
- S dirtied her diaper 2x
- S is having a seizure on the bus
- H is having a seizure on the bus
- We noted bruising on C's lower legs today (you mean the scarring from bug bites in the SPRING when you guys took her to the park without bugspray? Those same marks she has had since the SPRING?)
- YOU need to have a conversation with A (functions at 2) about not taking her seatbelt off on the handibus
-YOU need to talk to A and tell her not to lay down on the handibus
- YOU need to talk to C (functions 2-3) to not get up before the handibus stops at your house
- etc
- etc
- etc

All are worth noting but as I fielded my third one a few weeks ago I began to find them oddly amusing....not the falling, seizures, scraped knees etc but just the types of conversations that make up my day.

Words from the 8 year old.....

"Move your big fat butt. Oh, I'm talking to the dog Mum not you"

"Mum you only have half an eyebrow!" (hoping it's her vision impairment playing a role here but I guess I'll find out when I look in the mirror"

"I think I can see your boob crack"

Strangest thing I heard today from a young mother trying to have her kids avoid intentionally stepping in puddles
"Remember what I said....if you step in the puddles your legs won't work"
I get she doesn't want the kids jumping in muddy puddles while out and about. I don't know what plans they had for the remainder of the day that perhaps required that they not be splattered in muddy water.
What I do know is life is full of puddles. Some puddles you will accidentally step in or some fall in.
Other puddles are for intentionally, full force, with both feet jumping in. You will never be able to jump if you are afraid your legs won't work.
We need to encourage our children to plunge into life using balance of risk assessment and courage.
We need to educate our kids that life is not always going to be fun but when the opportunity allows we must grab onto it.
Life is short and fleeting. Tomorrow is never promised.
Teach your children to live fully and with intention

Our sign the neighbours are having a barbecue.