Grandparents,

No Santa doesn’t come to your house too and leave a second round of presents. The Easter bunny doesn’t either. Don’t do this to your children.

Thanks.

Why?

Because it’s literally setting up competition between Santa gifts at mommy/daddy’s house vs. grandparents’ house. (“Weird, I got a single Barbie from Santa at my house, but at grandma’s house he left me AN AMERICAN GIRL DOLL!”) As a grandparent, it’s basically telling your kid they aren’t doing enough in their Santa or Bunny gifts for the grandkid.

Because it’s bad enough that some kids in their class may not get a single visit from Santa, or a single impoverished one. Then the kid goes to school after break and says “well at my house Santa left me THIS, but at Grandma Jones he left me THIS and at grandpa Smiths I got THIS.”

I know it’s becoming understood for the nicer gifts to be from family, not Santa, and I feel like this is along the same lines. (Again, in school when kids talk, it’s weird for Santa to bring one kid an iPad and another a used book.)

Grandparents feel it’s their right to spoil and I get that. But just feed them cookies when the parents aren’t looking instead of overtaking the single, biggest gift-giving day of the year.

My parents don’t do this (thank you!) but we’ve had to talk with my in laws about it. I feel like I’m deflating a happy balloon when I do. But like, my kid will be just as happy THEY got him something, so there really isn’t even a need to be upset.

As the above mentioned parent, I feel the need to add.

New parents deserve the right to establish “Santa Claus” traditions in their home. New parents deserve the right to establish gift-giving rituals with in their family unit. I am thankful my parents gave this tradition to me, despite the fact that both sets of grandparents were 1/2 city block away. I encouraged my children to establish their own traditions upon taking the mantle of parenthood. 

Santa is a delight of child hood; - a special gift with love. Christmas should not be a time of competition - unfortunately it happens. Parents want to re-create the Christmases of the Past with the grandchildren. Children deserve their own Christmas memories at their home. Whose Christmas is it when you go elsewhere because it makes (mom) happy? Gift giving traditions also should be yours:  i dealt with duplicate tree ornaments gifts with a MIL, until she realized Santa was NOT taking his ornaments back to be exchanged. Grandmother decided she would always give a special line of ornament. Trivial? Yes.The result was family tradition was respected and a new tradition began for my kids.

Santa may have a budget - and that is okay. A child learns limits - especially once Santa joins the Tooth Fairy and the Easter Bunny in the Land of Being Grown-up. One year the grandparents gave one of ours a pair of sneakers we could not afford in our Christmas budget - with our blessing. The lesson was 1) this is special, 2) it is given out of love, and 3) there will not be another pair if you do not take care of these shoes. Santa and gifts are not throw-aways. Communication and respect between generations works!  Children learns gifts and the sacrifice behind the giving as they grow.

Christmas is special because of the Reason for the Season; traditions help to cement the Love.  

oooo yeah my other problematic fave is definitely “Gone with the Wind”

because of my mother

The Great American Novel.

Runner up: Advise and Consent, by Allen Drury. Timeless.

Student after I accidentally showed a brief boobie scene while watching “Shakespeare in Love” in Shakespeare class.

I was freezing my projector screen right before the boobies, and then unfreezing when the boobies went away.  

And in one moment, I just. wasn’t. fast. enough.  

(via girlwithalessonplan)

Not one more word about Dracula.........

Thanks, scary mommy.

i have mixed feeling about the school supply issue: like the specialty pens. why? and the extra dry erase markers and tissues: schools put those boards in place, they should (operative word) supply the markers. Same with the tissues - yes, i know how awful school supply tissues are. Teacher - be honest if you are asking for the good kind. i understand where the teachers are coming from and applaud those that are providing for the students without. However some requests while my children where is school had me question where the impact on learning was -  with a set of paint colors for English class.

Dear freshp0ts: i will add to GWAP’s post: NSDAR is one of the largest service organizations for women. We may have started as a lineage society that does service, but it has evolved into a service organization based on lineage. Go to www.dar.org to get the big picture. Look at the chapter(s) locally - some cities have more than one - get involved with the one that fits you. Ask questions. Good luck from a 30 year member.

The Masters of Rome series written by Colleen McCullough. Timeless.

Film Lit suggestions

Okay, so in teaching this new class next year, I’ve decided to structure it film AS lit, going by genres, using only “classics.”  For a lot of these, I went by American Film Institute recommendations, but I may go rouge. I’d like your input:

1. Citizen Kane (greatest film of all time)

So many kids haven’t seen this, and it tops so many “best of” lists, I feel obligated to do it and discuss why it’s significant.  This could be the “final exam” film.  

2.  Marx Brothers: Animal Crackers (slapstick)

I’m a Marx Brothers fan, and I feel like they need this kind of comedy education so they understand where movies like Stepbrothers get their laughts.

3.  Gone with the Wind (historical fiction/epic)

Because my mother insists.  But really, here we have an example of early movie-making epic, it’s a time capsule of the era, it broke so many boundaries and records. 

4.  James Dean?

This is Indiana, and I feel obligated.  I wonder if I can swing Giant as a western. But Rebel Without a Cause is the IMAGE they all know. 

5.  The Godfather (gangster)

This one tops the lists on best gangster movies, and it’s a model for so many that follow.

6.  Singin’ in the Rain (musical)

This is the top ranked musical by AFI, but I’ve considered other titles, ranging from Music Man to Moulin Rouge.

8.  The Usual Suspects (mystery)

In AFI’s list of top 10 mysteries, this is the one that leapt out at me, over the classic Hitchcock titles.  I think the twist ending they’ll really like.

9.  Blade Runner (sci-fi)

It’s 2016, so why not? But really, looking at AFI’s sci-fi list, this is the one they’re least likely to have seen/would be most engaging, won’t get me in trouble. (I’m looking at you, Clockwork Orange.) 

10.  Breakfast at Tiffany’s? The Apartment? (romantic comedy)

This is where I need help.  I am the least intelligent on rom-coms.  Espically the “classics.”  We have The Apartment, and *I* like it, but I know it teeters on drama.  Honestly a lot of the AFI titles did nothing for me.  I’m intrigued by City Lights, because then I could pair it with The Artist

11. Snow White (animated)

Disney’s first full-length film.  Not sure what else to say, other than to ask about other suggestions.  I think I may go rouge and go with a newer film, like Lilo and Stitch, so I can discuss animation style/theme better.  

12. Rocky (sports)

A solid underdog story, ranks well on many lists, and with Creed recently released, I learned how many students hadn’t seen it.  I could lean on Hoosiers or Breaking Away for an Indiana bent. 

13.  A western? 

I have learned I lean towards modern westerns, so I need help here too.  I am just not familiar with classic westerns.  But the more modern ones like True Grit, 3:10 to Yuma, and the Assassination of Jesse James… I know and enjoy.  Again, would Giant work here? The most recent title on the AFI list is Unforgiven.

I think 13 films in a 18-week-ish semester gives me enough breathing room for activities, discussion and writing.  I still may need to cut.

Swing categories include:

Courtroom drama:  To Kill a Mockingbird

Fantasy: It’s a Wonderful Life

What would you cut?  What would you keep?

Replies? (!!!) Thoughts?

Western - the Searchers ( based on novel)

In other news, today I signed a contract that officially broke my own “No Annie” rule.

Guess who’s stage managing Annie Jr. this May and feeling slightly violated about it.

P.S. Working with a bunch of 10-12 year olds is gonna be FUNNNNNNN

My mom was a school nurse, and thus had the joy of teaching sex education to 5th graders.  She had scads of educational “friendly” materials.

So many southern Indiana girls learned about their bodies in the 90s with the cast of Broadway’s Annie. 

I’m not making this up: http://www.ravishly.com/2015/09/02/annie-ruined-everything-best/worst-menstruation-films-yesteryear

Annie - one of the better ones. The film that used pancake batter to illustrate  had me rolling on the floor of my principal’s office. She still thinks I’m nuts.

Elizabeth Warren, speaking on the US Senate Floor (08.03.2015)

Did she not see the tiny body parts? We (U.S.A.) were in a war to stop this type of butchery / eugenics 70yrs ago. This is NOT about a "woman's right to chose".... This is about trafficking in body parts. I am not making an abortion argument...I have no problem with Plan B. Planned parenthood has been a service in family planning and health services for women. What PP has evolved into is Wrong and they should be defunded.

Alright, #edumums, hit me up with your best registry recommendations.

I’m likely doing Amazon and Babies ‘R Us.  

I agreed with allsionunsupervised.

Flute shirts are again my favorite.

The husband’s grandparents just gave us this quilt that was made by his great great great grandmother in 1945, just before she died. It’s been kept carefully all this time, and the colors are still bright and vibrant and beautiful.

yepitsmom, does this pattern have a name?

I'll second that picture.

i LOVE the dress........

OK SO I WAS AT THE FABRIC STORE AND I WALKED BY SOME MEMORIAL DAY THEMED FABRIC AND 

WHAT THE HELL IS THIS

WHY ARE THE ABS SO DETAILED AND NOT THE FACE WHAT

OMFG LINCOLN LOOKS LIKE EDWARD CULLEN WITH A BEARD I CAN’T DEAL WITH THIS SH*T

I HAVE A DRESS MADE OUT OF THIS FABRIC AND I GOT TO BE IN A PARADE BECAUSE OF IT

This is the Alexander Henry Pin-Up collection - and they are all f*cking amazing!

*begins tugging on yepitsmom's sleeve*

..

let’s be real, here’s the actual star of today’s show

girlwithalessonplan

Ha!

Finally - thank your for posting this! The feed kept cutting in and out so I never found her.

Great - this is an education summit and he is taking about gun control.

Let the current back ground checks work!!!