Saturday, July 9, 2011

Enlightening Moment with a Sensitive Son

For almost 7 years now I have been the mother to a little boy that ever since he was small has been unique in his own special ways.  He is smart beyond his years, funny, creative and sensitive. Today I had a reminder of how sensitive he is...

Around other children he does his best to keep up with their "kind" of play, the ruff houseing, battles, good guy bad guy play. Still  he often chooses to not take part in this play, simply because he does not like it.  Sometimes to avoid it, he will go off on his own.

There is a reason why we do not watch anything but PBS..and yes at almost 7 he still really enjoys Sesame Street, Curious George, and Peep and the big wide world.  He does not enjoy anything where someone might be captured, hurt or killed. even Toy Story is scary for him (that kid Sid is crazy!) He wants those shows turned off or he goes upstairs.

The ONLY Disney movie he will watch is Cars.  He LOVES this movie! It is a nice movie with no bad guys, no violence, just cars racing and Mater being silly! So we thought what fun to go see Cars 2 at the movies!  They have never been, since there was never a movie we though Mason would enjoy....

Well guess what..they took the peacefulness out of the Cars movie. My husband and I as adults enjoyed it., Our little one loved all the excitement, but Mason did NOT! Had I known I would not have taken him to it. Don't get me wrong..I thought the movie was very well put together and the plot was action packed for a cartoon! But for our sensitive child..he was so thrown off and I cant imagine the disappointment of being excited to be at the movies only to be traumatized by bombs, guns, explosives, etc...it was too much for him and he found himself scared and in tears, wanting to leave the movies.  We got him threw it, reassuring him that its a kids movie and it will all be alright.

When we got home he was actually feeling sick to his stomach..a mix of popcorn and nerves no doubt. 

Shortly after he went to bed and the little one was asleep, I popped back into his room to check on him..he was having a hard time falling asleep...so I told him this...

"What I love about you is that you do not like the kind of movies that are violent and want to hurt people.  Its OK to not want to see those things...it means that you are a kind and loving person inside.  It means that you can take that peacefulness in your heart that you have and do great things in this world!  And if you don't want to watch scary things you do not have to!"

Sometimes I think its normal for most kids to watch Disney, Star Wars, Transformers etc...when will he be OK with what other kids fine normal...then I remember...its scared me that violence IS normal for most kids, and I am grateful to have an abnormal child to remind me of the peace in the world!

Saturday, July 2, 2011

2011 Summer Happenings!

Here are some of the fun things we have done in June!

Families Drum!
The Haven Family along with Jessie and her son joined us for an evening of drumming and makin smores. The kids had fun toasting giant marshmallows and looking for fire flies.

"Winslow Shire" Renaissance Fair



 James had fun chasing the wooden toy merchant with the dragon on a stick. They both loved learning how to spin an old fashioned top.


 James was thrilled to get the wooden bear up the string..a "gypsy" tried to buy him from me for some "gold" (corn)!
They got to help the weaver make fabric on the loom.


 Then there is the goats!
Don't ask I have no idea what that goat is doing? Ha Ha very funny!
"Berks Beach" Green Harbor
Marshfield, MA



This is "my" beach!  It is where I grew up..it is where my dad grew up.  My grandparents owned a cottage here for 42 years! Now..(even without the cottage) I still get to make new memories with my kids at this beach.
Always a touch of Montessori in our life..notice dad (Papa), James and Mason "walking the line" on the beach for them to follow to the water so they can find their way back to our spot.

Yes baby bunnies!
So...we go to the local feed store http://www.venturagraininc.com/ to get chicken food right..
the lady who works there innocently holds up THIS bunny and said
"isn't she so sweet"...I melted! We went home and I could not think of anything else! I hoped all weekend that on Monday THAT bunny would still be there..and she was!
Of course we had to get one for each boy!
 The plan is to build a 12x12 pen made of pallets, so the boys can walk into it, sit with them, brush, feed, water & play with them.  (this post to come)


 Capron Park Zoo, Attleboro, MA
http://www.capronparkzoo.com/

I had the joy and privilege of taking 4 of the finest young children to the zoo the other day!  We had tons of FUN.  I printed an animal bingo game from the website, and stapled a strip of stickers to it.  each child got one.  They had a blast searching for the animals and placing a sticker on the picture!
These zoo helpers were carrying around the fur of a real cheetah that died of old age.  We got to touch it and take a close look.

Friends!



Funny pictures!
There are allot more pics, I just picked out the best ones, and choose not to post all the pics of the animals.