What’s The Matter With Kids Today?

**Dr. Laura wrote this today...I LOVE IT! Explains why kids get away with so much. Their parents don't follow thru with the consequences!!**

What’s The Matter With Kids Today?
April 15, 2010 on 12:00 am | In Children, Parenting, Personal Responsibility, School, Teens Email This Post

What’s the problem with kids today? The answer to that is easy: THEIR PARENTS!

According to the Fresno Bee, five high school seniors cut down two trees on their campus as a “senior prank.” School officials expelled the students and transferred them to a continuation school to finish out their senior year.

The students (all seniors and football players) cut down two Southern Live Oak trees, with ten-inch trunks. The trees were about 14 years old and nearly 20 feet high. The damage was estimated to be between $7,500 and $14,000. The boys said this was a prank meant to deprive junior classmates of shade.

Stupid, stupid, stupid…..but they are all “jock heroes,” probably way too used to inflated estimations of their own value and power.

The school did exactly the right thing.

The parents did exactly the wrong thing. They said that the school “overreacted,” and they got attorneys involved to get their kids back in the school. The school is standing firm. Good for them.

“To hire attorneys,” as one of my listeners wrote to me, “teaches these kids that they can get away with ‘pranks’ and that they do not have to respect the law or be accountable for such behavior to school officials. It will be interesting to see how these youngsters turn out as they mature. Will they be good citizens? Will they raise their children similarly to how they were raised? Will their views change on how their own parents handled this life lesson? It remains to be seen. I do hope our community doesn’t read about them again later on down the line after they’ve robbed a store or beaten someone up and again hired an attorney to defend their actions.”

That point, in particular, is why (when people call and tell me that they have “x” number of “beautiful” children) I tell them I don’t care if they have pretty or ugly kids. I only care that they have decent kids, because the well being of all of us depends on that.

Baby Anthony

My little sister Karen gave birth to her second child a couple weeks ago. Taylor flew me out to AZ all by myself so I could enjoy some baby time. Baby Anthony is such a doll. Congrats Tony and Karen!!





I also got to hang out with my other sister, Marlene, her almost 3 month old twins and her 2 year old. I loved snuggling on the couch with a baby in my arms. Nothing is better than that!

Life

**I wrote this in January and never posted it. I found it in my drafts and I feel like it still reflects my feelings of today....here ya go!

The last few weeks have been especially hard for me. I guess thats why I haven't wanted to blog. It's been hard to look at the positive things going on around me. Don't get me wrong, I love my children and I love my husband. But I miss my mother-in-law. Plain and simple. There are so many things that I need to talk to her about. So many things that I need her advice on. At times I think life is not fair. Why would she be taken from me at a time when I need her so badly. I know she is close, I feel her presence often. But man, it would feel so good to talk to her.

As some of you know, I had 2 miscarriages last year. TMI sorry. The first baby would have been born on Christmas 2009. The second one would have been born middle of February 2010. I had no idea how much these experiences would change my outlook on life. The first one was difficult emotionally. The second was even harder. Talk about a slap in the face. Am I not healthy enough to carry a child? Does Heavenly Father not think I am worthy enough? All of a sudden I view my kids as blessings and miracles. I treat my children in a different way now. I have always enjoyed my time with them but I have really started
to focus on how I treat them.

We want another baby so badly. Sometimes I feel selfish for wanting another one even though I already have 4. Honestly, I would have 10 kids if I could. I love pregnancy. I love newborns. Part of me just wants to prove that I can get pregnant again. I want to prove that I can have a healthy baby. Sounds crazy, I know!

So for now, I am trying to find joy in the things Heavenly Father has given me. We truly are blessed and I need to remember that when I start feeling down.

I love the beginning of a new year. I love that it forces me to reflect on my life and make changes. Hopefully by posting these it will keep me accountable.
New Year's Resolutions are:

1. Start exercising. This is going to be a tough one, but my body needs it.
2. Get more out of my scripture reading.
3. Be a fun mom. Enjoy the journey, not the destination.
4. Focus on the needs of people around me.

Cooper and Cody's room

I have been on a huge redecorating kick lately. It's so DANGEROUS!! I finished Natalie's room and moved on to the boy's room. Here is the final paint color. I'm slowly adding things to the walls to personalize it.



** My picture taking skills are HORRIBLE....sorry!

Happy Birthday Cooper

We celebrated Cooper's 9th birthday on March 26th. I still can't believe my oldest child is 9 years old. It makes me feel really old!!
On the night of his birthday we took him and some of his friends to the Monster Truck Jam at Santa Ana Star Center. Taylor is contracted with them so we had some major hook-ups. We were able to get a suite for Cooper's party. It worked out perfect!! The kids could run around as they please and not have to sit throughout the whole show.
Before the show started, we got to go down on the track and see the monster trucks up close. The boys were in heaven! The night was a complete success, especially since I didn't have to clean my house after a birthday party. :)