11/29/18- Parent Confession 4

Alright this one is a parent confession that I feel a little conflicted about-- we use Santa to encourage good choices and behavior from our son.  On the one hand, our son has always been reward centered, so encouraging him to make good choices for a visit from Santa is more effective than a time out for making a bad choice.  But on the other hand, I don't want him to think he's a bad kid when he makes a bad choice. All kids are good even when they don't make the best choices.  I believe that truly.  So I worry that my son will think he's bad when we tell him Santa won't come. Of course, we'd never not have Santa visit our house, but I still worry about Jack receiving a confusing message about Santa. 

I know some parents see Santa as lying to their kids, and I respect that. However, for me personally, I've always been a sucker for magic and hope, which is what I think Santa embodies.  Thus, I have no qualms about telling Jack about Santa-- I want him to believe in magic and hope and miracles and all the good stuff in the world.  Even when he discovers the truth about Santa, I hope (there's that word again) that he'll still believe.  I still believe in Santa and the magic Santa brings this time of year, and so I think it's important to share in the tradition of Santa that I was taught (as a kid) with my own kid. 

One tradition I didn't have with Santa and Christmas when I was a kid is the Elf on the Shelf.  Here's part 2 of the confession: I really dislike the Elf on the Shelf.  Yep, I said it out loud.  I could do without the Elf.  Although I love what Jack has named his Elf, Pizza!, the Elf is there to basically tattle tale on my kid.  I mean again, Pizza's presence is encouraging good behavior and choices, so I guess that the tattle taling isn't what I'm really annoyed with.  The part I'm most annoyed with is the tradition of having to move that sharking Elf every night.  Like I barely remember to shower some days, how am I supposed to remember to move that sharking Elf every night?!  So my solution is that Pizza just loves candy so much that he (she?) can't take themselves away from the candy bowl.  Yeah, that's it.

So there. That's my parent confession(s).  I harbor ill feelings towards the Elf on the Shelf (my husband wanted to do it, and sometimes you make compromises in relationships, haha), and well I definitely believe in sharing the tradition of Santa and the magic Santa creates this time of year, I do worry a little that our kid may get mixed messages about being a good kid vs. making good choices (there's a difference).  I try very hard to never say you're a bad kid, but you're making a bad choice/bad behavior, so we'll see how this all turns out in 20 something years.  Can't wait to see if Jack talks about Santa and how he tried to be a good kid and self worth and all that with his therapist.  Ha!

Alright, tell me in the comments your thoughts on the Elf on the Shelf and Santa and parenting in the comments below, and I hope everyone has a Merry Happy Christmas Holidays!

11/14/18- Life Has Happened

I kept telling myself I'd do a post on here for the past 3 weeks on how to run a successful Kickstarter campaign because yay me, my illustrators and my friends and family, we had a successful Kickstarter campaign for the second Annie Aardvark book "Adding Ants!"  Congrats to me and to everyone who helped out with the campaign by pledging, sharing, and giving me marketing ideas (for the Kickstarter).  I truly couldn't have do it alone.

But alas this post isn't going to be how to run a successful Kickstarter campaign because I'm wiped.  I literally don't have the energy.  I had my routine blood test back in September, which for RA patients is like every other month sometimes, and I got the results from my doctor a week ago, and it shows my thyroid levels hover right on the borderline, my cortisol levels low, and also good old CRP is high again.  Basically these results indicate that my fatigue isn't just from shouting and dancing with joy that the "Adding Ants" Kickstarter was fully funded (although that added to it a little haha).

So instead of a list of what and what not to do with a Kickstarter campaign, I'm just going to tell you what is happening in my life.  I'm obviously got some health issues going on, but I'm confident my doctor and I will get me back somewhat healthy, but there's good things happening too.  Jack knows how to count to 30 all by himself, and he can write his name all by himself!  He's growing everyday, and that couldn't make me more happy! 

We've also have had a lot fun lately, going to various classmates birthday parties.  Jack loves seeing his preschool chums there, and I feel blessed that Bobby and I have made friends with their parents.  Like we have those parents' phone numbers-- like this is a big milestone in the parent timeline (making friends with the other kids parents).  Haha. :) 

Then as I patiently wait for the "Adding Ants" books to arrive at my house so I can ship them to all the Kickstarter backers, we've been holiday crafting and decorating, and Bobby and I will have a date night this week to go see the second "Fantastic Beasts" movie.  And I've got lots of fun planned over STEM Spark for the holidays-- a lot of STEM toy giveaways and some STEM crafts (I hope!). 

Hmm, as I write this all out, I guess it sounds like I'm not resting, but rest assured (haha), I've also been taking lots of naps on the weekends and going to bed before my kid.  I'm so grateful that Bobby has been doing both school pick up and drop off so that I can get my rest.  I'd really like to not sleep though Thanksgiving and Christmas.  We do have exciting plans to take Jack on the Polar Express train again this year, so hopefully the new meds I'm taking to address my energy issues will kick in soon and my body will be bouncing off the walls like my mind does!

Oh, I will note one thing about a do not for a Kickstarter Campaign, and that is DO NOT accidentally launch it before you've meant to.  ;-)

Let me know what's been happening for you, or holiday plans you look forward to, or whatever, in the comments!  Take care!  Happy napping!  And all that good stuff!