Politics

Dear Readers,

I want to talk to you about something thats important. It's also political.

I WANT you to register to vote. Why? Because if you register to vote you can VOTE in the primaries! This is because when you are registered. This means you can decide who goes on further into the race. This is so important. YOU the voter can help weed out the people you REALLY don't want to see in office in this country.

I would like you to remember that this country is sadly run by its government and not its people. The government is no longer afraid of its people, but simple things can take your power back. You can vote, your vote does actually make a difference. You can REGISTER to vote and you can vote in the primaries. You can make the vote go your way.

You can also write your senators, your congressman. You can make a difference by participating in marches, in ensuring that you shop locally at the farmers market, that you get in touch with the legislators about issues that are being dealt with. Your voice really DOES count and if enough people SPEAK UP, perhaps they would be willing to listen.

This is OUR america. This is our country. It should not belong to a political party or some affiliation. It belongs to the people. PLEASE excersize your rights and help us take our country back!

Mama Sam

Children and Education

Dear Readers,

Hello Again from Mama Sam.

I want to talk to you about something important. It's a subject I feel is close to my heart. I know as parents all of us are busy. I understand the rush from A to B to C to where was I going again? I understand days are long, nights are hard and there are no vacation days. I applaud those of you trying to make the world a better place by teaching your children to be better people.

Education is my subject today. It's extremely important. This is one that has been a battle grounds in our country. It's become controversial instead of consistent. There is no one method, there are no 100 methods. Unfortunately there is no right way to educate our children and most of the time we leave it to the schools.

Why are we leaving it to the schools? Why aren't we dong this in our homes? Reading to your child is great, but we CAN do more. We can teach them math by helping them learn to cook, teach them to research by asking them questions, by opening there minds. We CAN find language schools available online and teach our children a second or third language without the school system involved. We can teach our children to be physically fit by doing yoga with them, by going for walks after supper, by holding hands with our spouse. All of this is possible if it starts AT HOME.

Consider this if you would. Put down the electronics and pick up an activity with your child. Whether its hide and seek, a book, a game of tag, a game of mother may I....whatever it is engage your children. Have conversations with them, even if they're silly. FIND out what your kids think about things and REALLY listen. You would be surprised what our children will tell us. You would be surprised what kids will say.

Give them activities to do along with you. If you buy a planner for yourself, consider making one for them out of pages or off of a printer. Consider buying them one. Even at three they can “plan” it might not make much sense, they may not prioritize there day like you do but its bonding time. If you're working out let them work with you. If you need to go for a walk take them and EXPLORE nature, even if its just the sidewalks you live around.

Give them open ended questions. Let their minds consider the world around them and the people in it. Encourage them to read the news paper or watch the newscast with you. See what they think of whats going on around the world. Actively guide them through this. It will open up a world to them that they have never seen, that they've never considered.

If you go to an event like a political debate, a Broadway show, a musical take them WITH you. I realize parents need time out and I get that. I also understand that children need to learn about art, culture, the importance of artists and USING there imagination with you. They need to see you come alive whether in tears or laughter while watching Les Miserable or one of the Dukes classic movies.

Encourage them to converse with you. Take time to make conversation. Take time to think about more than school and work. Really get them into something interesting. Help them with subjects they're challenged with such as math or reading. Really dig into it, look for places like khanacademy.org to help you with the problems you cannot solve.

Parents, I implore you. Take time with your kids no matter the age. Teach them something, tell them stories of the past, engage their minds and watch their souls blossom. You have SO much more to give than a paycheck. Make the moments last, scrap book or take pictures for an album. You can refer back to these when your child has a hard time. “You remember when we did this together, you said you couldn't but you did!” it will be great for not only there self esteem but also for the courage to forge on with new things.

Mama Sam

Adopting a Dog

Dear Readers,

I understand that most of us are dog lovers, and I understand some of us like to get our dogs from shelters. I think this is a GREAT idea. Not only do I think this is a great idea I often promote it myself on my face book page.

I'm going to give you some hints, tricks, tips to use when you get to the shelter to adopt.

• Go online first. Why? Then you can go to the shelter and see exactly what they want and find out exactly what they need. You'll know what information you need to bring with you. What you need to do to ensure you have an application in (if you can online), if you need a landlord permission slip or an okay from the owner of the home. You'll also know whether or not the animal is currently available or if you have to wait.

• Have references with you! Whether you are going to just look or you are going to bring home have references that the shelter can call. Why? You could be spending time with your pooch and they could be making phone calls to ensure you're not a psychopathic dog hoarder who has fifty of them in a one bedroom house.

• Research the breed. Danes are not outdoor dogs, Labs need lots of activity including long walks and mind stimulating games. Chihuahuas normally bond with ONLY one person in the family and ONLY that one. You need to know as much as you can about the breed BEFORE you choose to take it in.

• Know how much time you have. If you are going to get a dog, and its going to be there with you “furever,” you need to know how much time you realistically have for this dog. Do you work long hours? Do you have kids and irregular schedules? Do you have time to walk them/play with them/stimulate their minds? Really sit down and ask these questions. If your kids say “I can” and they're three they probably can't. Lots of people get frustrated because their sons/daughters REALLY want a pet – not only a dog but a cat or a gerbil or a mouse or a snake or a horton hears a who. They don't realize that there is a TON of responsibility in owning an animal and you can't slack off on taking care of them.

• Be prepared to take time for training classes. Remember these dogs have been in kennels, in runs, in and out of homes many times. They are most likely at fault. Sometimes owners get old, sometimes they are too busy, sometimes it was a Christmas present and suddenly in July the dog is as big as there bed. Whatever the reason you want to make sure you AND the dog take training classes.

• Understand that the personality of the dog at the rescue/shelter may not be the personality of the dog at home. The little timid Yorkie may be a wild man and want to play ALL the time. That Sr dog who was so happy to see you may need some time to adjust to your active lifestyle.

• Be prepared for accidents, incidents and LOTS of affection. If you weren't looking for a dog to be GLUED to your side for the first couple of days...consider this your warning. Dogs need consistency. They need routine, they need to know what to expect.

• Set rules and don't change them because the dog is soft and fluffy. If you want to kennel train them, then DO that. If you want them to sleep with you, be prepared if its a puppy for it to grow...a lot.

• Get a sticker you can put on your door, or on a window that says how many people you have in your house as well as how many pets. Why? If there is a fire, the firemen can KNOW you have pets. They'll be on the look out for those pets.

• Pet Insurance – if you're looking for a bigger dog and you KNOW that they're prone to bloat or bad knees, hip problems or hurting limbs than you NEED to get pet insurance. Why? It will be less expensive than getting slammed with a $5000.00 vet bill for Bloat.

• TALK to the people who work at the shelter/rescue. They will help MATCH you with your perfect pooch. You can tell them you work 2 hrs a day, you want something to go running with you, you don't need a guard dog, you have other pets ect and they WILL help you.

• Know your city laws. If they state you can't have a poodle, german shephard, chihuahuas, American Staffordshire Terrier, English Bulldog or anything in between you need to know. Why? Dogs can be taken and euthenized by the city if they're illegal. Then you're out a pet and these animals are no longer with the people they love.

I cannot say enough how much I advocate for people picking up pets out of shelters. These dogs may not be in there prime, they may be older, they may be less fluffy but they are STILL loveable. Look and don't make a last minute decision. Feel comfortable with your decision, talk to the staff, be honest with yourself AND them.

From my table to yours,

Mama Sam

Induction

Let's talk about babies. Let's talk about having babies. If there is a chance you're old enough to be reading this then you're old enough to know this. If not please wait for a more age friendly post.

For some reason there is a rush to have babies. There is this grandoius notion that having a baby before 40 weeks is a great thing. Medical intervention via induction is something that may be necessary. When it's nog however, it stresses the body of the mother & the baby.

Babies do not have a clock for when they are born. There is no medical way to estimate down to the day when an infant will arrive. We guesstimate. We attempt to use one system for billions of woman having babies & do our best with predictions based on an archaic math system.

Birth is stressful, it's important. The rise in C-sections has changed the microbiota of the human race. Its not to say this is not necessary. It's not to say this isn't life changing. It's to say that induction isn't absolutely necessarily needed.

The entrance from the birth canal to the world is a scary one. It faces many problems. It is however, the way that causes the babe to be exposed to the mothers microbiota and aids in the role of the immune system. This is vital to development.

Inductions can cause complications. They can create situations that put both mother & child at risk. They're supposed to be know the risks, these mother's. Many do not.  Inductions can lead to C-sections. They can lead to hemorrhaging, birthing issues. They can lead to additional stress for both parties.

Birth is meant to be a body lead process. It's a process provoked by hormones in the body. It is something that a woman should wait for unless medically needed. This happens in fewer and fewer births.

40 weeks!

What does this mean? Well it means your baby has Bern growing for 38 weeks. Wait, what?! I know you're thinking but I'm 40 weeks. No, you're not. 2 weeks is added yo the end of the estimated due date. Why? Back in the day ( think 1800's ) 40 weeks WAS 40 weeks. It is now used because they don't have another system. Yes, that's right. Until a better way is found we use this method.

Induction is something that should only be used when all other things have failed. It's not a birth technique. It doesn't make things better. It doesn't give you your baby faster. It snatches the chance you have for a less stressful and more natural birth.