theenglishmajor

Many years ago, my children begged, I mean BEGGED me to never use a grill again.
Basically, when they were much younger, and still learning the fine art of well, I’ll call it “early manipulation”, I have to admit, that was one of the few times (in the early years) they were successful.
Perhaps it was because it was a group effort, led by their oldest sister, who even at a young age, was a quick thinker and had her younger siblings spellbound under her complete control.
So, my guess is that with a bit of coaching, and the obvious impending doom of the house going up in flames, they successfully convinced me that in was in all of our best interests for me to either find a husband who could grill burgers for them, or, for me just to swing through a drive-thru from now on.
In anycase, my guess is that if any of them read today’s post, I will be forbidden to listen to FM radio while driving.
Fine by me if it results in gifts such as the latest technology that would allow me to have “music only” playing in my Ford, or, maybe a newer model with new gadgets… oh, the possibilities here seem endless!!!!
Back to the point, for anyone who has followed BoBo the roof climbing adventurer, his oblivious mom blogger, his poor cat, and his genious/hero brother; If BoBo is going to the beach anytime soon, he’d better look out, because someone (and not hero brother) might be watching!
?
Now in all my years, I have never heard anything like I did this morning on the radio.
It all started with the two DJ’s (a guy and a woman) who were talking about a mom who is now a fugitive for refusing treatment for her thirteen year old son who needs chemotherapy.
Now, as a mom, I count my blessings for three very healthy children and one who, while doing much better now at twenty, was diagnosed at an early age with Juvenile Rhuematoid Arthritis (JRA) Let me tell you, it broke my heart, and still does, to think of her in pain or suffering of any sort. However, while I read everything I could get my hands on to learn more, and yes, it was tempting to be lured into “alternative” methods of treatment, I could not prevent her from medical treatment through licensed MD’s.
Yes, I did search for alternative treatments that were available. I did read what ever I could find (even though I was warned by her doctors to be careful about what I chose to believe)
I read the side effects of the medications they (the doctors) were prescribing. For crying out loud, the meds she had to take were basically chemo drugs in a lower dosage so she had to have her liver tested every six to eight weeks. This was at TEN years old!
They prescribed massive doses of Ibruprofen (for her inflammation) and told me that while this was too much for an adult, children could somehow process it better and therefore it didn’t cause the damage in children as it could in adults.
What was I to do? Say F-you, I’m not doing it?
I wanted so badly to protect her from harm as any mother would.
So, this morning, my heart went out to the mom, who, when found, will have her child removed from her care, and the child’s father as well.
The child will be placed in a foster home, evaluated, and then, according to the findings, will be given appropriate treatment.
This was all according to the news report on the radio.
Will the mother be prosecuted? I don’t know, but, my guess is that someone will probably try.
I can not judge her actions. I can not say what I would have done if it were me. I do not know all of the facts.
Of course, we only know what we hear and read from the media.
Then, the conversation between the two DJ’s went on to another topic regarding children, and, oh geez, look out!
I smell, er, something?
Think sun burns.
Yep!
What I was hearing (?) was that if a child goes to a pool or a beach and gets badly sunburned, since over-exposure to the sun causes skin cancer, can or will the government step in and remove the child?
Lord have mercy for us all!
This triggered a bit of anxiety for me since (gasp!) my two youngest, are going to the beach this weekend-WITH A FRIEND and NOT ME!!!!!
Oh geez. What if they get fried while there, someone notices, grabs their cell phone, takes a picture, then plasters it everywhere (you know where) and there is an APB out on these two sunburned kids.
Will I never see them again????
OK. As soon as they get home from school today, I am going to sit them down, pray that I can effectively STILL scare the hell out of them (the “tub monster” is one such example)
Ok, Ok, I used that tactic to get them OUT of the tub and onto the towel- where we had this little routine of drying off right down to the toes, where the fungus grows…
yea, yea, yea… It worked and they have matured into well adjusted kids after all.
For my presentation today, I am going to start off with “a scare tactic” then a demonstration on skin care products, then another scare tactic, then, if by this point they haven’t expressed a burning desire to go live with someone else less crazy, I will just tell them how important it is to use sun care products with a high SPF to prevent burning, possible skin cancer and being carted off to a foster home.
All this anxiety over one little radio show! geez.
Now, BoBo might be another story. Can you get a wireless connection out on the sand?
If so, BoBo might be in trouble.
At this point in time, BoBo’s blogger mother might just need a wake-up call.
For me, I think this all boils down to much, uh, anxiety about nothing.
My children are ten and thirteen, and quite the little tanners instead of burners.
I guess I shouldn’t worry so much. But, I will.
It’s what moms do.
As for the twenty year old, she is doing well and now, as an adult (however debatable), I think she is doing a pretty good job of managing her health.
And, now that I am not in complete control of her life anymore, who am I to tell her that NO! If it makes you feel good, and eases your pain, DON’T do it?
Fire it up honey.
Just be cafeful… cause you never know who’s watchin…

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