day 19 of R2E 2011 - 1/19/11

[simone carlisle]

this morning started on a bit of a rough note...right from the fighting the kids to get them dressed and out the door to school...to slipping and sliding on slush and ice, but i wasn't going to let it keep me down. it was raining a cold rain all day long , but i was not going to let it keep me down. what did almost manage to keep me down and ruin my day was the boys' school...i get really frustrated with them...the kids can't bring food with them to school so they have to eat what they give them and there are very few vegetarian choices, if any and no vegan choices, so that really irritates me, then they are mandated reports, which is a good thing, however everytime the boys get in a fight with one another and go to school with a scratch or bite mark i have to send a letter explaining what happened in detail, then they tell me i have to make it stop or they'll report me to DSS and because of the fights they did send them a report a few weeks ago, which DSS has on file, but didn't warrant anything else...now, monday the boys got in a fight and connor bit declyn's cheek and it left quite a mark...i wrote a letter, but today with the same attitude as if i'm off in LA-LA land while the kids beat on each other or something they call up and act nasty and threatening and tell me someone has to pick declyn up immediately and bring him to see the dr about the bite mark...now this wouldn't tick me off so much if i didn't know that there are kids in their class with druggie parents and kids who bully my kids on a regular basis  or who teach them lots of things they wouldn't ever hear in my home and i've brought this to the teachers' attention and no one does anything about THAT, yet my kids get in fights with each other (which all kids do) and they feel the need to treat me like i'm doing something wrong. so there is my little rant....now what i can take away from this is that rather than feeling helpless as i have in the past, i need to step up and find who i need to talk to to ensure that my children's needs are being met and if they are not, i will have to find a way to ensure that they will be. so while i could have let this ruin my day i've decided to have it empower me. 

we decided to watch "Cool Runnings" tonight...it's been one of my favorite movies since i first saw it in the movie theater in high school. i haven't watched it in several years, but WOW! it's still excellent and extremely inspiring.

now here is a song that i really love and on day like today, when things are going wrong and it's raining and i feel like i really don't know what i can do to make it better, always seems to lift my spirits.

now here is what i ate today:

32 oz of water with lemon

8:45am big green smoothie

12:00pm veggie burger, guacamole and broccoli cranberry salad

3:30pm larabar

5:30pm veggie burger, salsa, broccoli cranberry salad and a rawktail

:) i had a fair amount of water in between, though probably could have done a little better on the water front.

i hope everyone else has had a fabulous day, or at least can face their challenges and find a way to turn every challenge into an opportunity for empowerment! i'm sending out love and light to all of you here on RFR! you rawk!

  peace and love,

                      simone

[simone carlisle]

today the boys are going to school and i'm going to see if i can sort out who to talk to about what issues...i think i know who to call about the food/ dietary issues...their school has a health coordinator at the main office, so i'll try talking to her a bit and they have a family coordinator for their classroom that is at their school and i'll see if i can talk to her about things a bit, that or see if i can sort out a time/place to talk to the lead teacher, since she is actually easier to talk to and a bit more understanding.

[Emily]

That is really good to hear that some changes have happened. The information on healthy choices is spreading...so that is good, for sure.

[simone carlisle]

there was a bill passed "the healthy lunch act" that is supposed to emphasize more local foods and include more fruits and vegetables in the school lunches, but i fear that'll only go so far and not quite make the kinds of real changes that are needed, however with how bad the lunches are at the schools now it will be a huge improvement.

[Emily]

Boy do I feel you on that! It was a little heartbreaking seeing what my students were eating at school (especially since for many of them it was practically the only food they ate all day. So many parents could barely afford to feed them...). People like you will slowly influence change. I really believe that. I wish we didn't have to wait though!

[simone carlisle]

thank you! i their school is structured kind of oddly, because of he fact that it's actually a pre-school, but it's a government run program, so finding the right person to talk to can sometimes be tough...they do have a few people at the school who i have talked to, then they have people at the main office for our area that are not in contact with the kids daily, but are the ones that pretty much run everything, but the policies are state government policies...so go figure! i just have to sort out who to talk to about what and hopefully get at least some of the issues resolved. i think that really everyone has the kids' best interest at heart, but i think that the way some of the things are approached could be more tactful and considerate and i think that they really need to change the food policy, or at least stop pushing the meat and dairy so much.

[Emily]

That does sound hard. No one wants to feel judged or attacked. I'm sure you are a fantastic mom, and maybe you will find a school that better suits all of you. For now, maybe you could speak to the school psychologist? I'm not a parent, but I taught elementary school for a little while... I'm not sure who is the best person to speak to in your school, or how things are structured, but even the vice principal, for example, was someone who was interested in/involved in behavior issues at my old school. I truly hope and pray that you'll find the right person there, someone helpful and understanding, to at least hear you out and possibly make some adjustments. I'm sorry this is tough on you! The school should understand that behavioral changes do not happen in a day or a week or a month. In time things will get better though. I am glad that you are still taking care of yourself in the midst of this. My friend always uses the example of the airplane, how they tell you to put your oxygen mask on first, that way you can (be alive to) put it on your child! A happy, healthy mom is exactly what your kids will be so grateful to have. Things will get better, let me know if there is anything you need!

[simone carlisle]

thanks, emily! it is a tough situation...the school knows we've seen behavioral specialists and that we've been working on solutions to the fighting, but honestly they didn't ever fight so violently until they started school, so i don't know if it's something they've learned from seeing the kids at school or from watching the neighborhood kids outside this summer...we really don't live in the greatest neighborhood, but still, siblings fight and that is not ever going to change i just wish that every time they have a fight i didn't feel like their school was threatening me...i really think standing up and talking to someone and telling them i have to be sure that their needs are being fully met, may help, but you never know, i may just have to look into a different schooling situation for next year.

[Emily]

Oh, and Hugs to you!

[Emily]

Hey there! Music is such a great mood-shifter right? Good for you that you're considering ways to empower yourself. To be honest it sounds like a tough situation. Whatever the struggle, there is always a solution. You're seeking, with very pure intentions, so it will come. Hang in there! I know how those cold, slushy mornings can be. You are a total rawkstar for staying positive and having such a great raw food day. I'm going to use your daily inventory as a good example for mine. :)