Thank You For The Lessons 2012

Posted on January 2, 2013 by James
parenting

“Thanks to you I’ve learnt a lot about parenting”

With the madness of the Christmas rush over and the new year just beginning I thought it time to reflect on a few lessons learnt over the year.

Firstly and most importantly is to make sure you actually measure the space a particularly large toy is supposed to fit into before you buy it otherwise you may end up with a large item of pink plastic furniture permanently in your living room.

Almost as important is to listen to all songs any toys may make before committing valuable battery resources. We had a plastic iron that had uncontrollably loud and distorted song that we had to listen to all day. Thankfully the batteries accidentally fell out overnight.

The year has been an interesting one. The life of a Stay at Home Dad is certainly busy and challenging but also with massive rewards that can’t ever be quantified. I have also come to realize that the role grants a unique perspective on parenting.

In addition, the publishing of some of my own parental rants and ponderings on the popular Mamamia website has bought a much wider audience than I could ever have envisioned and with that comes much greater criticism of my own opinions and parenting techniques.

It is never my intention to hurt anyone or to pretend that I am some kind of expert. My aim is to raise some of the confounding issues surrounding parenting that nobody seems to want to talk about or are too afraid to ask.

If something I say stings you personally please try to take the time to ask yourself why it does, rather than directing your hurt at me. I am not looking to bash poor parents, only old ideas.

I find that most things are not said due to fear of repercussions.  Rather than looking ignorant, opinionated or judgmental it is sometimes much easier to keep quiet. I can understand that fear as I too have felt the wrath of the general public whenever I dare to ask a “stupid question”.

This site and the comments it attracts has taught me so much about different parenting techniques and really has connected me to an amazing pool of parenting knowledge supplied by all of you. I am happy to cop a bit of flak for the issues I raise if that is the net result.

I would like to thank everyone who has taken the time to comment on any of the articles on this site as I always maintain that the more people I talk to the more I learn. A spirited debate encourages thought and promotes knowledge and better parenting skills and isn’t that the aim?

So anyway, thanks for being part of the discussion in 2012 and here’s to making some more noise in 2013!

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The Magic of Christmas

Posted on December 22, 2012 by James

The Magic of ChristmasI can’t believe how excited I am at the upcoming Christmas festivities!

Previously I have been slightly indifferent to the Christmas season, seeing it only as an opportunity to spend time with loved ones and to eat a heap of excellent food.

Having an almost 3 year old has brought back the magic and joy into this celebration so much so that I almost can’t wait until Christmas day!

We have so many things planned. We hadn’t intended to go all out this year however our little elf has shown an interest in the whole Santa thing and now it has infected us all.

We have been busily thinking of all the little things we can do to make it exciting for her and it feels all warm and fuzzy making up our own family traditions that will hopefully be observed in the coming years.

We have been running with the Christmas story that I blogged about previously and that has been going pretty well except for a couple of small misunderstandings. Our little one is very excited about Jesus’ birthday party especially because Santa is organising it.

I guess she thinks that if you are going to have a party and you need someone to organize it then Santa is the right guy to have around.

There is the Christmas tree with all the shiny decorations to be put on. We tried to have a “decorate the tree” night but we really were kidding ourselves and much more fun was had throwing the decorations around the room.

We did however manage get the three little angels that I had brought to represent Mum, Dad and bub on the tree in some sort of ceremonial manner so that was something at least.

Unfortunately for everyone else, Dad (aka me) has been singing carols for almost as long as the shopping centres have been playing them. Thankfully my main audience is our toddler and she doesn’t seem to mind at all, singing along in the bits she knows and even occasionally clapping when I sing one she likes. Jingle Bells is the current favourite. I haven’t sung so much for ages and I’m loving it!

Santa Claus has been carefully approached in the shopping centers over the last few weeks. Firstly there was a shy wave from afar. As the weeks progressed we shouted “Hi Santa” from a gradually decreasing distance to an eventual high-five from the safety of Dad’s shoulder.

She even consented to a photo with him last week so Santa really has gotten himself into the good books. Of course now that they are such good friends we must not forget to leave a couple of carrots out for Santa’s reindeer and maybe a nice big glass of milk for Santa himself.

We are planning to leave some small sweets and lollies scattered around her presents at the base of the tree. We might even leave a small gift or sweets outside her cot leaving only a suspicious trail of sparkly magic dust an the occasional where Santa has walked leading out of her room towards the Christmas tree.

I managed to find some multi-coloured confetti that should make excellent magic footprints. I wish I could see her face when she wakes up and sees that.

The plan is that she will follow the trail of magic sparkly dust that Santa has left to the sweets and presents under the tree where we will all eat yummy stuff and open gifts and generally have a bit of a morning party.

I’ve got to tell you I don’t think that I can wait!

Only three sleeps to go….!

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A Christmas Story – Mary and Joseph

Posted on December 17, 2012 by James

Mary and JosephI have had to do a lot of research to complete my recent Christmas stories, so much so that I even carefully read the Bible’s accounts of the birth of Jesus.

Amazingly most of the passage below is a conglomeration of the exact texts from the gospels of the New International Version Bible. After reading them all I felt inspired to put down my own interpretation of an old story.

Also worth noting is that in the time of Jesus, a ‘virgin birth’ was commonly known as the birth of the first born child, not a child born of a virgin woman.

So here is another version of the Christmas story…

In the time of Ancient Rome more than two thousand years ago, a young woman meets and falls in love with a young carpenter. They are married in love and in both of their hearts is a goodness and light that is rare in these dark times.

One afternoon while Mary and Joseph are walking in the forest holding hands and discussing their family plans, God sends the Archangel Gabriel who appears to the loving couple.

“Greetings you who are highly favored! Do not be afraid as you have found favour with God. You will give birth to a son and you will name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of God.”

“How will this be?” Mary and Joseph asked the Angel.

The Archangel Gabriel replied, “In your love The Spirit of God will come upon you so the holy one to be born can be called the Son of God. For nothing is impossible with God.”

“We are The Lord’s servants” Mary answered. “May it be as you have said.”

Mary did indeed become pregnant with child and as they were traveling through a town called Bethlehem Mary went into labour. Joseph had not expected this and had not organized anywhere to stay.

It was census day in Bethlehem and there were no rooms available so Mary and Joseph had to make do with the local stables for accommodation and it was there that Mary gave birth to her firstborn, a baby boy who would be called The Chosen One.

They named him Jesus in accordance with the instructions from Archangel Gabriel, wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger.

The Lord sent another angel to the shepherds in a nearby field who were keeping watch over their flocks at night. The glory of God shone around them and they were terrified.

The Angel said to them, “Do not be afraid as I bring news of great joy! Today in Bethlehem a child has been born who is for all of the people. He is the Anointed one. He will be called the Son of God and he will call us his brother.

He will show the world that the kingdom and presence of God is available to all! Go into Bethlehem and you will find a child wrapped in cloths in a manger and that will be proof that what I say is true.”

When the shepherds found Mary and baby Jesus in a manger in the stables just as the angel had said they spread the word praising God and all who heard it were astonished.

At the time that Jesus was born three wise sages observe a bright star appear in the east that was to foretell the coming of the new King. They followed the star to Bethlehem and found Mary and Joseph in the stable.

“Where is the one who has been born King? We have seen his star appear in the east and have come to worship him.”

When they saw Jesus they were overjoyed and they bowed down and worshiped him as the chosen one. They then laid gifts of gold and precious ointments at the feet of baby Jesus.

Now there was a man named Simeon who was waiting for the savior to be born. The spirit of God came to him and told him that he would live to see the Christ and he must go to the temple court.

When Mary and Joseph brought the baby Jesus to be presented to the court as was the custom, Simeon took Jesus in his arms and praised God saying “Lord as you have promised you may now dismiss your servant in peace for my eyes have seen your salvation.”

Mary and Joseph marveled at what had been said about Jesus. Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “This child is destined to cause the rising and falling of many …and be a sign that will be spoken against…and the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed.”

Mary held these messages deep in her heart and pondered the future of the small child she held who was to become King of all men and show the world that we all have equal access to God.

Merry Christmas…

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