by Mindy Calandro | Feb 4, 2015 | Mommy Musings
Everyone watches the Super Bowl for different reasons…some are focused on the actual game at hand, some tune in to see what commercials everyone will be talking about, and some just want to see the halftime performance to see if there will be any “wardrobe malfunctions” ala Janet Jackson. I watch for all three reasons. I must say that this year’s game turned out to be a good one even though my Saints weren’t in the mix, and Katy Perry delighted my kiddos by riding in on a lion and dancing with sharks (“Momma, those surf boards and beach balls have legs!”). But I digress. So about those commercials…while everyone has their favorite (I mean, how could you not love the lost lab puppy with the clydesdale horses), there was one commercial that I think all parents, especially to young girls, should watch with their child. It is the Always commercial…yes, as in the feminine hygiene product company. This commercial is not new and in fact was released last year, but the message is worth reiterating. If you haven’t seen it yet, check it out below. “Like a girl.” Three words that, while, in my mind, should be a compliment, are often used in today’s vernacular to describe something or someone as being wimpy, awkward, weak, or dainty. As it says in the commercial, “When did doing something ‘like a girl’ become an insult?” “Ask a 14 year old girl what she likes the most about herself, and the silence can speak volumes.” The premise of this commercial centers around the idea that self-confidence and body image...
by Mindy Calandro | Dec 16, 2014 | Mommy Musings
My youngest two started a new daycare yesterday. Even though I have done it several times before, the thought of leaving two pieces of my heart and soul with people who are almost strangers kind of gets my stomach turning. This is only the second time that we have changed daycare centers because we did not feel that the center was fulfilling our needs. The last change was when Mr. J (our oldest) was 3 months old, so it has been a while since we have had to make the difficult decision to make such a drastic change in the everyday routine for our children. My husband and I, of course, weighed our options very carefully, and the foremost thought in our mind was what was in the best interests of our kids. As I now reflect once again on what I need in a daycare, it is similar to most things in life that your list of requirements vs. desires sometimes changes a bit when you have a little more perspective on a situation. I have learned a lot along the way in regards to what I feel makes a great daycare environment. Sure, it is easy to look online at the state’s Department of Family Services site (click here to visit the Louisiana site) to see if the center has had any major infractions. I think word of mouth advice from other parents can be quite insightful, but this can be difficult to learn when you are moving to a new city and might not have those parent connections yet. As with any interview process, a...
by Mindy Calandro | Nov 27, 2014 | Mommy Musings
So what are you thankful for? Between the many plates of food and the great football games (Gig’Em Aggies!), today is a day to reflect on the many things in life that we are thankful for including family, friends, health, and freedom. But what about through the eyes of young children? Asking what they are thankful for serves as a window into a world of innocence, happiness, and joy. When I asked my two oldest what they were thankful for this year, here are their responses: Mr. J- “I am thankful for presents.” Miss M- “I am thankful for princesses.” Oh, to be 2 and 4 years old! In their wonderful little minds, there is no worry about sickness, no concern over political tensions around the world, and no thoughts of loneliness. It is inevitable that the stressors of the world slowly creep into our reality as we age, but sometimes, just for a moment, it would be nice to go back to a time of pure innocence and carefree thought. This Thanksgiving I am, of course, thankful for all of the blessings that God has given me in my life including my family and their health, my friends, and my wonderful job, but I am also thankful to have little reminders that sometimes simple everyday things like presents and princesses can make you happier than anything. Happy...
by Mindy Calandro | Nov 14, 2014 | Mommy Musings
As anyone who spends time around young children knows, the number of questions they ask on a daily basis can be overwhelming. As they are trying to figure out this great big world, they can find 10 ways to ask the question “Why is the sky blue?” This asking of questions is such a wonderful thing and indicates they are growing intellectually, but sometimes you get those questions that don’t have an easy answer. Here is the latest from our household: “Mama, why did the fire break that house? Is there going to be fire on our house when I wake up in the morning?” You see, a family in our neighborhood suffered a terrible tragedy when their beautiful new home caught on fire and was destroyed. Thankfully, all of the family got out of the house safely. The fire started in the late evening time as Mr. J was getting ready for bed. The quiet calm of the evening was broken by the sirens of numerous fire engines wailing as they sped to the home. When he looked out his window, the flames could be seen leaping from the house as it was just around the corner. And, as you can imagine, then came the inevitable questions. “When a child asks a question that we ourselves are also asking, it can be difficult to muster up the words to try to provide an answer.” The next morning, and every morning since, we drive by the “broken house” in order to leave our neighborhood. I remember on that first morning Mr. J asked, “Why did God cause there to...
by Mindy Calandro | Nov 4, 2014 | Mommy Musings
As all parents with children in either daycare or school know, when you see the teacher/school/daycare number appear on your cell phone in the middle of the day, your heart stops for at least one second. When the voice on the other end says, “The children are fine,” you are able to take a deep breath knowing that nothing too terrible has happened, and then you wait to find out just what your precious little one has done to prompt a call during the day. “Mr. J is fine, but we had a little incident. He cut his hair.” The latest such call in regards to our oldest occurred about 2 weeks ago and went something like this, “Mr. J is fine, but we had a little incident. He cut his hair.” I found myself at a loss for words at first, but then I managed to say “Oh…really?!” Well in fact, he did quite an impressive cut with those safety scissors basically giving himself a “buzz cut” in the shape of a triangle right smack dab front and center on his head. When I went to pick him up from school that day, the teachers just gave me a little smile and laugh and said “Oh Mr. J…he is one silly kid.” And then without missing a beat, my little man came running down the hallway as happy as could be and gave me the usual big hug. You see, he had forgotten about his hair. When I asked him what happened at school, he said, “I had a great day at school Mama.” No mention of the...
