Dash #843 youth and TV

How do you believe the youth are affected by television?

          For the most part I would say that television has a negative effect on children - depending on what they watch, I guess.  I think if they are learning educational facts or self-esteem, it can be good for them.  I think it is wrong for parents to rely upon the television as an electric baby-sitter just to keep children out of their hair.  I also think it's wrong for parents to allow children to watch something violent - perhaps not even of their choosing, but what may be on to entertain said parent.

                Michelle had given birth to Melody five months before I had Jenna.  Michelle had decided that Melody would not be allowed to watch TV and asked those who’d be watching Melody to honor her wishes.  I, on the other hand, engaged Jenna in watching children’s programs.  I loved to watch her watch them and I loved that she learned.

            There were some programs that were more educational than others.  She liked the doll Molly from The Big Comfy Couch and thus we had added the program to our agenda. 

            She would work out with Luna and lay down and work with a pretend clock while Luna did her workout.  Jenna did this on her own as I had never even thought to have her follow along.

            I think her favorite part of the program was watching the dust bunnies who were not always a part of the show. 

She still smiles when I show her pictures.  She laughed as a child.  She has always had such a cute laugh.

            We discovered Laurie Berkner through Noggin.  Jenna would always do the march and actions along with Laurie.  I think her favorite was “We Are the Dinosaurs”

            Over time, Roland purchased two Laurie Berkner CDs for us to listen to

              Of course television did not replace my reading to her.  We spent countless hours at the library playing games and checking out books.  Many of the books we read were non-fiction because she would ask for them.  She'd ask lots of questions - for example about honey and bees.  We would look read the books together in order to answer her questions.  

            Melody was introduced to the television eventually, but has never loved it.  Jenna will rewatch programs from the past just to put a smile on her face.  But she could live without the TV now.

Music Makes a Difference

CD from Peggy Bird

          A month before Jenna was born, my former neighbor and second mother, Peggy had given us twelve children’s books and a CD. I had exposed Jenna to music early in life.  Before she was born I would put headphones around my stomach and let her listen to Classical Baby and primary songs.

        As she got older, we would go to the library and check out CDs featuring Ronno, Bill Harley, Eric Herman and Patty Shukla.  We learned rhymes, rhythm, laughter and more.  Jenna was always singing – she’d sing songs we had learned and often she would just make up her own words and tunes.  Jenna has always been a happy girl.  She has always been confident. 

scrapbook page of my sister and her husband with Jenna and Anna

As I had mentioned in this post, we had listened to CDs that we played in her childhood. When she made the comment about Ronno’s songs having good messages, I gave him credit for giving her those messages – though she may not have understood them at two and three, the words must have entered her brain and the lyrics sent a sublimely message that has assisted in sharping her into a well-rounded person.    

even the silly animal songs have great messages

Here are some lyrics to a few of the songs (titles in bold) we had listened to:

1.

I’m in control

Hey that’s  my goal

I’m in control of what I do

Only losers always lose it

I can choose to keep control.

2.

I wish I could promise you’ll always be free

And I know that’s the same thing that you wish for me

But whatever life holds as its destiny

This alone I can guarantee

Till the winter blows warm

Till we reach the rainbow’s end

Till the rivers run up to meet the sun

I will be your friend

3.

I can care, I can feel

This is how I know I’m real

I can care, so can you

We make miracles come true

When we care

I can care. Do my part

From the bottom of my heart

I can care. So can you

We make miracles come true

When we care

          You don’t have to be a child to enjoy the songs.  The messages still apply.  

           I know that music can shape our lives - so choose wisely.

More Homonyms

Ate is the past tense of Eat.  I Like to eat food.  I Ate food yesterday.  Eight is the number that falls between 7 and 9.

There is a joke that says 7,8,9  but there is a play on words instead of saying Eight (8) you are saying Ate

Pain means sore or achy.  A pane is a panel of glass used in windows. I feel pain when I step on a broken pane.

A Bell is a thing that I ring to get someone's attention.  A Bail is a temporary release of someone in jail - usually for a payment.  A Bale of hay is the same as a bundle.  I can also have a bale of money to pay my friend's bail when he was thrown in jail for ringing his bell too loudly.

A chute is a slide for laundry or garbage - an easy way to send from one floor to another without having to carry it down.  To shoot is light a cannon or send fireworks in the sky.  I may also shoot or release an arrow toward a certain target.

A principle is a truth or foundation.  A principal is the head honcho in the school.  I was once taught that a principal is my pal.  That is how I remember the spelling.

Not is a negative word meaning "NO".  I am NOT a professional speller.  I am also not through with this post. A knot is the result of how something is tied.  It prevents a rope or cord from coming loose.  A knot is often made intentionally, but sometimes it's not.

Red is a color.  And read is pronounced two different ways.  When it sounds like "red" it is the past tense of read - which sounds like reed. Read is something I do or have done to books or texts or memos. Reed has several meanings. I won't list them all but a couple.  A reed is a plant found in wet or marshy areas.  It is related to the grass plant.  A different type of reed is used in some wind instruments like the oboe or clarinet.  When air is blown over the reed, it will vibrate which contributes to the sound that the woodwind instrument makes.

The toe can be found at the end of my foot.  I have five toes on each foot. To tow is to pull something. Usually, we think of cars being towed after a crash or because of unauthorized parking.  Many centuries ago, the cords or tow lines were made of white fiber.  Some people who have really light blonde hair are referred to as towheads as a reminder of the color used on tow lines.

Dear is a term of endearment.  Most people start their letters with the word DEAR.  Deer is a kind of animal.  Deer can be singular or plural.

A herd is a group of animals. Some people may use a microphone or megaphone so that they may be heard.

Your is possessive meaning it belongs to you. You're means "you are" and Yore is an old fashion term meaning long ago.

 Yon is short for yonder which could mean "far away" or "clear over there".  It may have been a more popular word at the same time as yore.  When I yawn I am expressing that I am bored or tired.  Words like "yore" and "yon" tend to make me yawn. 

Humid and Windy

                It’s been quite an unusual summer – not that I’m complaining.  I’M NOT!  I am definitely not.  I love this weather.  It has been a bit unpredictable, but really nice overall.

            Often the wind blows and so the outside temperature hasn’t often felt as hot as what it is.  Or else it will be overly humid, which I have not experienced a lot in this state, but had with I lived in Virginia.

            The humidity has kept the kept the fire conditions moderate which is a GREAT improvement from the smoke we had two years ago.

            Earlier I posted pictures of clouds.  Roland was taking a nap and I didn’t want to wake him, so rather than use my camera, I had taken pics with my cell phone – my flip phone.  Of course it didn’t capture the brilliance of what I actually saw.

            The last pic was the murky skies filled with humidity and not from smoke. 

            Jenna had waken me up at 4:45 anxious to get to the blueberry patch. She had invited her friend Marie to assist with picking.  I told her the gate doesn’t open until 6:00.  And I honestly thought it looked too dark to drive.  How did that happen?

            It has been overcast all day.  The girls paid no attention and kept busy.  When I returned for them six and a half hours later, they had picked 68 pounds of blueberries!  I will return them back to work tomorrow.

It hasn’t been especially hot today.  In fact, I wish I would have had a sock cap to cover my ears.  The heat will get to 80 by 6:00 and go back down.  Currently it is 74 degrees but feels at least ten degrees cooler. 

I love this weather.  This is what we came for.

Clouds

Allow Me To Back Up a Bit . . .

          We had made arrangements with a local photographer to take some head shots of Jenna; we had planned to meet at Millsite on Monday morning.  We arrived at the park about 8:45 to find it packed with Bible Camp participants.  We texted the photographer to let her know and that we were headed to another park.  She took several shots before we parted ways . . . well, sort of.  Each of us was headed to the library but arrived at different times.

          We assisted with the children’s reading program before Jenna and I left to return home. After six we drove to the blueberry farm as I believed Evelyn was expecting us.  We were told we could stay and pick and probably we should have stayed an hour at least, but we left and said we’d return the next morning.

          Neither Jenna nor I were in a hurry to go home and so stopped off at Millsite.  Something was going on.  Bible Camp still?  The bouncy house was gone, but State Farm had its awning stand set up and we could see five or six people sitting on lawn chairs on the grass closest to the stage.  Jenna thought she recognized Savannah in the distance.  I didn’t have my glasses on.  I didn’t know.  We walked in the direction.  She waved as we passed.  Once we had walked and were heading toward the car, I asked if she wanted to walk by Savannah’s family again but close enough to talk to them.

          Savannah’s youngest brother practically flew out of his seat. 

         

          “Jenna!” he gave her a hug.

          Turns out that there was a showing of COCO.  I was not to stay as the sun would have set before the movie ended.  Savannah’s mom and brother asked grandpa if he’d be willing to dive Jenna home and so I left her there.  I fell asleep before she returned home and Roland sent me to bed and waited up for her.

          Yesterday I knocked on her door between 5:30 and 6:00. 

“Do I have to?” Jenna asked. “I want to sleep until 11:00.”

Wow.  Jenna rarely ever wants to sleep.  Getting up at 8:00 is sleeping in for her.

“If you want me to, I can call Evelyn and tell her we can’t make it until tomorrow.”

I think yesterday may have been better picking wise than today.  It seemed cooler because it was overcast.  But it was also muggy.  65% humidity.  What's up with that?  Last night I said I would take her this morning.  I also told her I would just stay with her.  

Meanwhile Roland had planned for us to go to the movie that they offer for the seniors on the third Wednesday of the month.  Dang.  I had forgotten!  But I did promise Jenna – though I guess I had agreed to go with him to the movies first.  I wasn’t about to take Jenna out and leave her there all day.  We stayed two and a half to three hours before returning home.  Roland was waiting in the driveway.

First time ever we had gone to the theater and the movie started right after we sat down.  We even had good seats.  I don’t know what interfered with my sinuses, but I was allergic to something!  Normally when my allergies act up, my right eye will be all itchy, sometimes the left – rarely both.  But both eyes were itching during the movie.  I was tearing up.  My nose was running.  I was sneezing uncontrollably.  It was as if someone had brought a bunch  of chrysanthemums to the theater.  There is a plant that doesn't agree with me (actually there are many but I believe that mums are the worst).  The overload of allergy sensation stopped somewhere between Winston and Myrtle Creek.  I haven’t had an allergy attack like that since living in Utah.  That was rough!

Dash #161The Proposal

          There was never a formal proposal on Roland’s part.  He said that he would get me a ring when he could afford one.  I told him that the ring was not important and he could just buy one from a vending machine.  So one day he presented me with a golden colored plastic band made of connecting hearts.  It was cute but made my finger turn green.  Eventually, I lost it.  I felt bad for sentimental reasons.

           Before the end of the year, Roland had purchased a simple gold band with a small diamond.  It was perfect.  When I had my tubular pregnancy, I had to remove all jewelry.  I was pretty out of it and had not bothered to put it back on – or maybe by that point, it needed to be adjusted.  I don’t know why I had left it in my jewelry box.  One of the boys had lost his keys and someone had found them and used them to break into our house.  My ring was stolen.

             Later after I got pregnant with Jenna, Roland decided he needed to replace my ring. Unfortunately, it was not as simple. My finger had swollen and having the ring on caused me pain.  It also made a permanent dent on my finger.  I took that off as well.

          After I had given birth, Roland presented with yet another ring – pretty much like the first but there were two diamonds – one quite smaller than the other.  One for me and one for Jenna.  It is the one I wear today.