Over A Bowl Of Cocoa Puffs, Thoughts On Thursday

You snooze, you lose. The last bowl of Cocoa Puffs are all mine boys!!

I love the paint color we chose for our bedroom. I wasn't sure I was going to, but after several days of rolling my arms over it, spilling it down the front of me, and sniffing paint fumes, I'm really happy with how it's turned out. Problem is, it reminds me of melted chocolate ice cream or chocolate milkshakes. My chocolate cravings are hitting me full force. Hmmm... maybe this is why I'm grooving on the color?

It's been over a week now where I haven't had any carbonated soda and artificial sweeteners. On 7-11, we had stopped at a 7-11 on the drive home from Kansas. I treated myself- HA, HA- to a Crystal Light Slurpee. I ended up with a stomach ache for most of the long drive home. I told myself that day I was giving up artificial sweeteners for good. Since most of the pop I was drinking was diet, I decided to go back to not drinking soda either.

My next step will be giving up sugars but I know I will have to do that one slowly, not cold turkey. Even if I can stay away from white sugars, I love fruit and summer is fruit season! I've recently read how even natural sugars found in fruit can elevate high blood pressure. I think I'll try living without high fructose corn syrup first, and then keep eliminating sugar foods one by one. Maybe I won't have to eliminate whole fruits all together, but will learn how to enjoy an appropriate portion of them.

My neighbor is fighting cancer and her nutritionist told her sugar feeds cancer. She's gone 100% sugar free, no honey, no agave, nothing. When I learned this, it scared me. I do fear getting cancer and with the amount of sugar I consume, its sobering. I'm just praying I can tame my sweet tooth.

The school district in the next town over has decided to fine kids who bully others. First offense is $100, second is $500. Students under age 16 have to go before a judge, but students 16 and older may choose to simply pay the fine and avoid court. Bullying is being defined as any "face-to-face physical or verbal bullying, such as pushing, shoving, name-calling and teasing."  IS THIS NOT RIDICULOUS??!!

I doubt these kids will have the money or rather their parents will pay these fines. Bullies aren't going to be stopped by charging them!! Kids who bully do so because they lack self confidence and come from homes without proper parenting.

I know school offiicals often look the other way when they see bullying, but I won't say its their responsibility to discipline either. It is their responsibility to ensure students are safe and have a safe learning environment. Why not require the parents of bullies to supervise their children, and yes, I'm suggesting these parents have to attend school alongside their children, if they want their children enrolled in public education.

Schools receive money based on enrollment numbers, so they don't want to suspend trouble makers so easily. I know of a case in our district where they paid a teacher to sit with a delinquent 45 minutes a day in a room at the school, just so they could say he met the attendance requirements. No tutoring went on. They were buying time until this young man turned 16 and would then officially drop out. Outside of those 45 minutes at the school, this kid roamed the town free, getting into more trouble, such as stealing my sister's gasoline and setting fire to her porch. I strongly felt this kid shouldn't have been kicked out of school and into a 45 minute babysitting session, but rather his parents had been required to take full responsibility for him, 24/7. This doesn't mean writing a check or pulling out a credit card to pay for damages.

I better get off my soapbox and get back to raising my kids, who are now waking up and wondering where the Cocoa Puffs are.