Mommage

I'm Outta Here!

Laundry's done.  Bought soda and snacks.  Gotta stop tonight and pick up cat food, fill up the gas tank, and get the car washed and then I am on my way tomorrow morning, just as early as I can. 

Are you traveling this weekend for Memorial Day?  I decided the family (mostly meaning me, of course) needed a get-away so I booked us into a four-star lodge on the edge of a national forest for some much needed R & R.  I can feel the tension of everyday life starting to take hold in my upper back, below my shoulders, so I know it's time to do something about it.

You better watch out, brown trout, because I am coming for YOU!

Renting Toys for Your Tots

My husband and I currently live in a two-bedroom condominium that doesn't include a storage area. We were bursting at the seams before we had our son, and his presence has done nothing to solve our space issue.

The Value of a Dollar

Let me start by saying I'm cheap.  I wasn't always that way, but after my first child was born and our income was slashed in half, I was forced to view money with a whole different perspective.  I no longer saw a dollar as just another piece of paper in my pocket, instead I valued what that one dollar could buy.  It started out being depressing and stressful, but I eventually got the hang of it, and even managed to turn it into a challenging game.  I developed a system of making the most of every dollar, and it worked.  It became a habit and something I continued doing long after it was mandatory.  As a result, my kids grew up respecting money and having a sense of what it takes to run a household.  And most importantly,  when I said I couldn't afford something, they understood and never associated it with my love for them, or lack thereof.

As you will see in this letter written to Aeropostale on Planetfeedback, the parent chose to pay more than what was believed to be the price for clothing for their twelve year old daughter, so she would not be disappointed.  Every parent wants to give their kids the world, but is it really a good idea?

An Old Fashioned Christmas

Whew... I just might make it after all.  I know, we all say that every year, but this year I meant it.  There really WAS some question that beloved family members might just receive their Christmas gifts in brown paper bags this year.  I've baked 10 batches of cookies and just got my wrapping done.  Looks like the people in my house are on Santa's super good list this year.  Champagne anyone?

And what's more I think I found all the gifts I was going to give.  YAY me!  I confess, I'm a hoarder and I've been known to buy things, hide them, and then forget where I've hidden them.  Usually I stumble across them months from now and end up giving someone a Merry April present or something like that.   I make lists of what I have purchased to no avail - I lose hide the lists too.   

All that's left are two small boxes of truffles I picked up from the Shakespeare Theater this year.  Someone's getting a present from Billy S. and the other is going in my ex-boyfriend's stocking.  Which brings me to my current quandary.

It's the Thought That Counts

When a child receives a gift that's not exactly what he or she was expecting, is it proper to let them return it, or should they be satisfied and grateful for receiving a gift at all?   In Erica's letter to Target on Planetfeedback, she expressed how disappointed her daughter was when she was unable to exchange a present for something she really wanted.  I understand Erica's position of money being tight and relying on gifts, but maybe there are other things to think about as well.

It's upsetting for parents when their children are disappointed, but it could also be an opportunity to explain how a gift is something that should not be taken for granted.  Help them understand that someone cared enough to pick out something special, and that's what should be appreciated the most.  I realize some adults don't actually understand that concept,  so it might be even more difficult for a child, but if we teach children to be appreciative at an early age, maybe they'll grow up with a better sense of gratitude.

~Contributed by Venice

Gift Giving on a Budget

My teenage son has a big heart and an empty wallet.  He wants to buy his friends Christmas gifts, but since he's been unemployed lately, his funds are very limited.  I know he's going to ask me for help, but I don't think handing him money is the right thing to do.  It is partially his fault for being unemployed, but some circumstances were out of his control.  He's working again, but it's too late to save any money for Christmas.

I suppose I could take this opportunity to teach him a lesson on budgeting, but since Christmas only comes once a year, maybe I should put it off until he wants to buy something for himself.  I know he will be very disappointed if he can't give anything to his close friends, but I also know they will understand.  He'll be more upset than they will.

Is there a lesson to be learned here, or will it simply result in bad feelings at Christmas?  Should I give my son some money and let him repay me with his first paycheck, or let him see what happens when you don't plan ahead?

~Contributed by Venice

On Being Covered In Flour

Finally I get to sit down.... whew, it's been an incredibly busy, emotional week.  Today is the first day of December which means it's almost time for Christmas carols, cards and cookies.  This year has been really rough on me, financially.  I've been out of work, voluntarily, for the last 10 months.  However, I'm getting ready to start a new job in January and boy am I am excited about it!

It means, however, that this Christmas is going to be rather lean.  Given that my passion can be found in the kitchen, this free time has given me a unique opportunity ~ I have decided to share my baking with my loved ones this holiday.  Some don't even know they're on my "list".

Cookies are a tradition in my family; one I am delighted to be able to share.  But when you have 7 friends for whom to bake cookies - I'm estimating a dozen cookies of each of the 6 varieties - plus 20 others who are getting "cookies in jar" this year, it gets a little tiring.

A Fashion Faux Pas?

Jennifer M. has a little problem that many of us as parents encounter at one time or another ~ finding cool, quality clothes for our kids.  Her daughter wears plus-sized blouses and previously she had success purchasing cute, trendy tops on Old Navy's website. 

However all that changed recently when Jennifer added some shirts to her basket without a problem and went to check out and was told that all the blouses she had added were unavailable.  Three weeks later she had the same problem.  No indication until check out that the items were unavailable and... to make matters worse, the plus-sized shirts that were available were only available in black or white.  Or they were long-sleeved.  Yes.. in many parts of the country, the temperature is still in the 90s.  And Jennifer's daughter gets to wear long sleeves.

Jennifer, I am sorry to be the one to tell you this, but welcome your daughter into the world of adult fashion.

Teens and Cell Phones

My son currently has a pre-paid cell phone. I purchase $10.00 cards for him every 10-20 days or so, depending on his usage of text messages. By this math, I can spend anywhere from $15-30 dollars a month for his phone. I recently noticed a promotion that my current cell company is running where two phones can split 700 anytime minutes with unlimited text and picture messaging for $99.00 a month. Adding in the fact that my company gets a 20 percent discount, I would be paying about $80.00 a month. I currently pay $60.00 a month by myself with 700 minutes and a small text package.

Seems like a ‘no-brainer’, right?

That’s the thing. Do I want to sit on pins and needles every month – and obsessively check to be sure that we are sharing our minutes effectively and not going over? Or is it worth it just to keep my cell plan my very own, and therefore not have the stress of worrying about sharing the minutes properly. Granted, teens tend to text more than talk, but I’m afraid that with a new phone he might venture over to the ‘dark ages’ with us old people and actually SPEAK on the phone, therefore driving up the bill.

On second thought, I think the extra $10 or so a month buying those silly cards is well worth my peace of mind. Gotta cut the stress any way we can, right ladies? ;)

~Contributed by Tracy

Are Boys Discriminated Against?

In retail stores, at least.

This is a topic I can fully relate to, even going back what seems like a hundred years to when MY boys were little.

Lea wrote a letter to Wal-Mart, lamenting their lack of selection of clothing for young boys, especially when compared to the selection of girls items.