1 weekend and 8 dead on Victorian Roads

The weekend just past, the second weekend of November 2011, was a horrific one for the Victorian road toll.

I feel for the emergency services who had to attend the scene, I feel for the people who had to knock on the parents doors. I feel for the kids involved and I feel for the friends of these kids. Because kids are what they are.

I have a 20 year old, driving and when I was teaching her. I made sure she knew the consequences of ‘bad’ behaviour. I hope I have managed to achieve this. We were lucky, we had the opportunity for my daughter to do 200hrs of driving under her ‘L’ plates, which was all noted in her logbook.

I don’t know what the solution is, I honestly don’t.

Kids seem to think they are bullet-proof. We have the luxury of having purchased my daughters car and one of the rules of driving was that any penalty infringements received, would result in the vehicle being confiscated for 1 month PER POINT LOST. We were able to do this, because we PAID for the car and it is OUR right to enforce ANY rules we choose, if she chooses NOT to obey the road rules.

Her response was…. “you can’t do that” Our response was “Yes we can, we own the car and we can do what we please, if it means you are alive to tell your children about it, then we have succeeded.”

Two years later, no infringements have been received. I don’t care HOW we achieved the outcome, but I’d like to think that this rule and the risk of losing ‘her’ car had something to do with it.

Mid-October we witnessed an event of colossal stupidity, It occurred within 10m of our vehicle and in front of about 50 witnesses. A driver, (since disclosed to be about 25yo) did 3 donuts in the middle of a very busy intersection, just because he could. He placed himself and others in extreme danger and thought nothing of it. This same vehicle was also witnessed travelling the wrong way around a round-about some 10 minutes later. It wasn’t peer-group pressure as he was travelling alone.

So why did he do it? Because he thought he could get away with it with no consequences. 

The hoon laws only apply IF YOU get caught……………………..

Every action has a reaction, Teach your children this and perhaps we can save them, one action at a time.

Is our society becoming more violent?

This is a question that I have been pondering for some time and I wonder how many other people are asking the same question.
My reason for asking this question of myself is that a service station that I frequent was robbed at gunpoint, not just a pistol but a ‘long arm’ rifle, about 3ft of death pointing you in the face.
Here is a photo of said armed robbery - Armed Hold Up - Thomastown

So I do a quick Google search of “Is our society becoming more violent?” and I get 1,810,000 results, worldwide and 61,800 results from Australia.

I’ve always thought that video games and parental care (or lack of it) and parental attitude has a lot to do with the violence that we are now seeing on the streets, in our homes, in our hospitals, in fact everywhere we look, there is violence, even the local shopping centre car park.

Have we become that rude and intolerant of others, that we can’t stop ourselves from threatening others when we don’t get our own way, or have we become that greedy that we refuse to work, instead robbing those that do work to support themselves?

A quick glance over the results I found, it doesn’t matter if we are talking about America, Europe Australia or even Britain, we are all concerned about the same thing. Children killing, children committing crimes that were once the domain of adults. I understand that the children are learning this behavior from somewhere and that somewhere is home, be it through parental behavior, video games, or TV, it is being learnt and needs to stop.

The articles listed below are just a miniscule fraction of what is reported and far more goes unreported.

28th Sept 2010 - 16yo charged with Murder [WA, Aust]

23rd August 2010 - Women charged after allegedly punching, burning babysitter with cigarette butt [QLD, Aust]

18th Feb 2010 - Sex beast and wife jailed for keeping woman as slave [SA, Aust]

18th Dec 2009 - Life ban for parent who 'punched' umpire [WA, Aust]

Once upon a time, if you were caught stealing something from your neighbour and your parents or the police found out, your parents would give you a swift kick up the back-side, the police a stern talking to in front of your parents.

These days – no swift kicks or informing parents or even stern talkings to by policemen, children have rights, rights to abuse those in authority, rights to do as they please, rights to ignore the law and get away with a slap on the wrist. This is also the second half of the problem, there is no personal accountability for your actions anymore.

You drink alcohol – you must be sick, you do drugs – you must be sick, you bash someone – you must be sick. You kill someone with your car – you must be sick. There is a label for everything and everything with a label. No longer do you have to use self-control – you can attach a label and get away with killing someone. Literally.

Australia and the world needs to wake up, the crime spree we are seeing at the moment is a generational problem and we need to realize that people need to be accountable for their actions and the courts of law need to toughen up and realize that the world will be a safer place if they applied the penalties as dictated by law and not just a slap on the wrist.

Your thoughts?

My father taught me

As some of you might be aware – I lost my father recently.

I was thinking, after a conversation I had with my son about Grandpa, that my father (my sons grandfather) taught me so much and from the sounds of it my son also.

Some things were way out there, but many things have stood me in good stead over the last 40 years.

Some things my father taught me (in no order)
1. Dynamite when handled with bare hands will give you a headache!
2. A Mattress is a good blast suppressant!
3. How to ride a bike
4. How to turn off mains water supplies without cracking pipes further up the line.
5. Gravity-fed water is the best water you can have in an emergency
6. How to saddle a horse (when we finally got a saddle!)
7. How to light a wood heater
8. How to read house plans.
9. How to spell accommodation (& many others, but that has its own story)
10. How to problem solve if something wasn’t working
11. You can wrap a horses feet in hessian and stop snow ‘balling’ in the foot
12. How to fish and tie the right knots and which rigs to use for where.
13. How not to cook fish on an open fire!
14. How to steer and moor a boat.
15. How to drag a flathead home (hook & line still in place) It was bigger
than the pan (I think I was 7 or 8yo)
16. How to enjoy eating seafood.
17. How to set a rabbit trap and how to hide your smell

And so much more – how do you count in point form what you father (or mother) taught you?

I do miss my father, he used to call about 10pm at least once a week and ask for help with a computer problem. I’d always be able to fix it.

After the fires, the roles changed somewhat and I think he relied on me more and more. Help to sort out some problems with the town, contacting various people in leadership roles and I’d act on his behalf.

Then the stress of everything got to him and he had a massive stroke. Thankfully it was quick and over within minutes. For that I am grateful even if I do miss him.

The Disappearing Portable Phone

Hands up who has a portable telephone handsets and teenagers?

I can see about 50% of my readers with their hands in the air! (Good imagination here!)

Alright – in my house, the bloody handset is never in the cradle, never on bench, in fact I don’t recall the last time I actually used it. We have an ‘old’ handset – you know the one with the cord that keeps you tied to the same location with 1m to roam, and it seems that is the only phone I’m allowed to use.

The handset disappears into the depths of the teenagers bedroom and remains there. Never goes on charge, yet doesn’t need charging, yet they spend all day (and night) yapping on the bloody thing.

The last time I tried to use it when I found it – it was flat, I’m not just talking beeping flat, I am talking dead flat. The screen was dead.

We are lucky – we have two landlines into the house, left over from when dial-up was the only internet service we could get (only 2 years ago) and I’ve not bothered cancelling the second line. This means that we have multiple phone socket connections throughout the house (not in kids bedrooms though!) and so a phone is never far away.

I am sick of chasing the handset though, I feel as though I am entering the Amazon Jungle every time I have to go through the door of the teenagers bedroom, it’s a completely different world and climate to the rest of the house. It scares me.

How do you stop the phone migrating into the mess known as the ‘teenagers’ bedroom’ without disconnecting the handset?

Ideas please!

Food Court Etiquette

8 out of 10 people*, don’t place their rubbish in the bin when visiting food halls in shopping centres. I am appalled that people are so lazy and dirty.

They leave the food, the scraps everything for the cleaners to pick up. I am disgusted that people think so little of others that are there to sweep the floors for the inadvertent spills, have now been turned into slaves to those too lazy to clean up their own mess.

I can’t imagine what the inside of their houses must look like. I can’t imagine what their children must think of this. They probably think it is completely normal to leave your waste for others to clean up.

I must admit I was stunned by the figures. People didn’t even think about placing the discarded packaging, food stuffs on the tray, they just left everything scattered about on the table. They were even too lazy to do that.

Is society so disrespectful and selfish of their surroundings and other people that they think they can do this?

Who will be waiting on the tables in 20 years time? It won’t be those children that walked away today. That would be too low for them. They would rather be on the dole than cleaning up other peoples’ messes. YET………… If they tidied up after themselves, there would be no need for people to clear the tables.

Are you are you a table pig or a bin user?

Would love your thoughts please!

*Witnessed by self over a period of 3 visits to 2 seperate food courts

The Meanest Mother In The World

I had the meanest mother in the whole world. While other kids ate candy for breakfast, I had to have cereal, eggs or toast. When others had cokes and candy for lunch, I had to eat a sandwich. As you can guess, my supper was different than the other kids' also.

But at least, I wasn't alone in my sufferings. My sister and two brothers had the same mean mother as I did.

My mother insisted upon knowing where we were at all times. You'd think we were on a chain gang. She had to know who our friends were and where we were going. She insisted if we said we'd be gone an hour, that we be gone one hour or less--not one hour and one minute. I am nearly ashamed to admit it, but she actually struck us. Not once, but each time we had a mind of our own and did as we pleased. That poor belt was used more on our seats than it was to hold up Daddy's pants. Can you imagine someone actually hitting a child just because he disobeyed? Now you can begin to see how mean she really was.

We had to wear clean clothes and take a bath. The other kids always wore their clothes for days. We reached the height of insults because she made our clothes herself, just to save money. Why, oh why, did we have to have a mother who made us feel different from our friends?

The worst is yet to come. We had to be in bed by nine each night and up at eight the next morning. We couldn't sleep till noon like our friends. So while they slept-my mother actually had the nerve to break the child-labor law. She made us work. We had to wash dishes, make beds, learn to cook and all sorts of cruel things. I believe she laid awake at night thinking up mean things to do to us.

She always insisted upon us telling the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, even if it killed us- and it nearly did.

By the time we were teen-agers, she was much wiser, and our life became even more unbearable. None of this tooting the horn of a car for us to come running. She embarrassed us to no end by making our dates and friends come to the door to get us. If I spent the night with a girlfriend, can you imagine she checked on me to see if I were really there. I never had the chance to elope to Mexico. That is if I'd had a boyfriend to elope with. I forgot to mention, while my friends were dating at the mature age of 12 and 13, my old fashioned mother refused to let me date until the age of 15 and 16. Fifteen, that is, if you dated only to go to a school function. And that was maybe twice a year.

Through the years, things didn't improve a bit. We could not lie in bed, "sick" like our friends did, and miss school. If our friends had a toe ache, a hang nail or serious ailment, they could stay home from school. Our marks in school had to be up to par. Our friends' report cards had beautiful colors on them, black for passing, red for failing. My mother being as different as she was, would settle for nothing less than ugly black marks.

As the years rolled by, first one and then the other of us was put to shame. We were graduated from high school. With our mother behind us, talking, hitting and demanding respect, none of us was allowed the pleasure of being a drop-out.

My mother was a complete failure as a mother. Out of four children, a couple of us attained some higher education. None of us have ever been arrested, divorced or beaten his mate. Each of my brothers served his time in the service of this country. And whom do we have to blame for the terrible way we turned out? You're right, our mean mother. Look at the things we missed. We never got to march in a protest parade, nor to take part in a riot, burn draft cards, and a million and one other things that our friends did. She forced us to grow up into God-fearing, educated, honest adults.

Using this as a background, I am trying to raise my three children. I stand a little taller and I am filled with pride when my children call me mean. Because, you see, I thank God, He gave me the meanest mother in the whole world.

Copyright© 1967 by Bobbie Pingaro

L is for learning, P is for Practice

Well that’s what I thought this meant when displayed on a vehicles front and rear windows. Until now. Last week, I saw a bronze Mazda, travelling south on Merriang Road, tailgating, speeding, applying make-up AND talking on the mobile, all whilst displaying P plates!

Alright, multi-tasking to the extreme, but let’s look at this closely.

P Plater – needs all their concentration just to drive the vehicle

Tailgating – did not pull back when the vehicle in front applied the brakes, nearly up their clacker

Speeding – the speed limit has just been reduced, yet maintained the old speed of 100kph

Make-up – as soon as the traffic slowed down to 10kpm, the mascara comes out

Mobile Phone – the mascara brush goes down and the phone goes up

FFS – no wonder our kids are being killed left right and centre on Australian Roads, either they don’t care or their parents haven’t drummed into them the importance of driving and single concentration.

It was two weeks ago – that a major newspaper showed that 75% of drivers failed to see the clown on a unicycle whilst talking on a mobile phone and they are experienced drivers!

I keep coming back to the same thing – and that is that my daughter has already been threatened with loss of vehicle either permanently or temporarily depending on what punishment is dished out by the law. We figure license suspension – lose vehicle; demerit point loss – 1 month per point. To disable the car is as simple as applying a steering wheel lock and or removing 1-2 tyres and placing on blocks. Something I am quite capable of doing by myself.

The reason for this is that we own ½ of the car, in that we are paying for 50% of said vehicle, she pays the other 50% and registration AND insurance – so we have the power to disable/sell the car if we choose to due to a poor driving record and don’t think I won’t.

I would rather her walking and alive then driving and dead and if that means a sullen attitude for next couple of months/years then so be it – she can’t afford to buy a car without our funding assistance.

Big Dog, Little Dog, Sad, Dog, Vicious Dog, Dead Dog

I am not even going to pretend I know what it’s like to be mauled by a dog – I am sorry for those that are affected.

Please don’t blame the breed of dog, blame the dog, blame the owner, BUT not the breed as a whole.

I had a Rottweiler when my first child was born. People said I would have to get rid of the dog because she (the dog) would get jealous and hurt my first born.

No – I refused to get rid of Rottweiler, instead I made an effort to incorporate that dog along with my baby into the family unit. I had my Rottweiler for a total of 14 years of which 8 years she lived side-by-side with my daughter, protected her, guarded her, pulled her pram and helped me around the house. (The dog, not the child)

The dog was known to bark when my daughter was getting up to no good, the dog would not permit people near the pram when the child was in the pram. The dog would sit between myself and the person I was having a conversation with and play verbal tennis. Her head would go from speaker to speaker, listening/watching the people and the conversation.

This dog was truly a member of the family, she was socialized, she was well-adjusted, she was loved and most of all she loved.

Dogs, just like children need discipline. Dogs need to know that you are the master. Once the pecking order has been established, they understand where they stand in their ‘society’ as they see it.

Dogs, just like people, have the good, the bad and ugly. The causes could be upbringing, genetics, all sorts of events that can cause trauma. Sometimes a dog will instinctively try and protect itself, not mean any harm but do harm inadvertently.

Other times a dog will just lose the plot, just like humans; again, genetics, upbringing, illness, old age.

Children SHOULD NEVER be left alone with a dog of ANY size, I’ve been attacked by terriers and poodles, yet have not been attacked by Rottweilers, Ridgebacks or German Shepherds. Often this is because the owners of large dogs acknowledge their responsibility in that owning a big dog requires that dog to be disciplined and controlled at all times.

Often you will find that dogs which do attack, are dogs that belong to young males, who ‘rough’ them up for a bit of fun, teach them to attack cats and similar small animals, simply for the thrill of controlling another animal.

These dogs are often un-socialised and allowed to rot in the backyard until it is time for some entertainment by the owner.

Dogs do get jealous, dogs do get lonely, dogs do feel pain, dogs do feel panic, dogs do feel aggression. They may not be able to express these feelings and many people can’t read these feelings in animals, but they do feel them and often display these with ear movements, tail location and even lip movements.

It is not the dogs fault as a general rule – more often than not, it is a human’s fault, for allowing unsuitable dogs to breed OR not socializing animals, or not integrating them into the new family properly.

All non-breeding animals should be de-sexed, it should be compulsory for all dog owners to get a license, something like a drivers license, to permit the ownership of animals, and if an animal kills another animal or human, then the dog should be euthanized immediately. No court rooms, no argument, If your dog kills, due to your lack of care and responsibility then you and the dog are punished. Then IF the owner of the dog can be located, they are banned from owning a dog for 10 years and the ‘license’ revoked, pending a new application in 10 years time.

These thoughts and ideas are mine alone, but sometimes, once again, common sense needs to be re-introduced into society. Without common sense, many things go wrong which could cause devestation to a family.

Take care.

Where are all the Nanna’s and Grandpas?

Hubby and I were talking last night. A topic came up that made me realize that perhaps some of the current problems with our youth and in the family unit tied back to the age of the parents and grandparents and thus the passing on of these generations before the children are born.

Let's look at some numbers:-


Once upon a time it was extremely common for nanna, grandpa, mum and dad and children to all live nearby even under the same roof and sometimes even great nan and gramps. Which is four generations of family close by and three different generations to help with the upbringing of the next generation.

Now more often than not, there are no great nans and gramps and even nanna and grandpa have passed away. Leaving only the two of you and any off-spring. Which in turn leaves no-one to assist with discipline.

Is the increasing age of parents and marriage causing all the problems we are having with our youth currently??

Is the need to have everything and be ‘me’ before marriage killing our children and possibly the human race?

Go to Work Naked Day

I’ve just got off the phone after talking to my darling daughter, the conversation went something like this:-

Daughter – have you seen my purple shirt?
Mum – It’s in the laundry, folded in half, I can’t remember which basket
Daughter – I’ve looked, I can’t find it, it’s not on the clothes horse, not in the baskets, not in the tunble dryer, not in the dirties either. Where is it? I’m going to be late
Mum – I told you, it’s folded in half in one of the baskets.
Daughter – it’s not there
Mum – take one of my shirts
Daughter – HUMPH
Mum – then go to work naked

And I hung up the phone.

She’s 18 and working 9hrs during the day and 15hr of an evening through the week. She pays minimum board (See **Here**) She doesn’t help around the house at the moment unless she wants something, so I am not going to make her life any easier than normal.

I think I handled it well - would you have done anything differently?

Bullying is in the news again

‘Sticks and Stones will break my bones, but names will never hurt me” is so far from the truth, and you don't realise that until you, your children or your family experience bullying, you don’t realise how far from real life this little ditty really is.

Bullying has been going on for as long as you, me, our fathers, and our fathers fathers’ and their fathers learned to walk and talk . This doesn’t make it right. But in this dog eat dog world it has become acceptable to put the weaker gender/person down for as long as possible for personal advantage. Bullies are often inept in social gatherings, they feel inferior, be it at school or work and they think that by standing over those that are better they will be able to force that person to leave or become submissive. Often (but not always) bullies are male, but there are some serious cases of females having engaged in this behaviour also.

There are various forms of bullying from young children, were the stronger child takes the toy from the weaker child and the weaker child ends up crying.

Then the older children, primary school age, where name calling and exclusion in team environments seems to be the preferred method of proving who is stronger.

Then the next stage is secondary school, where verbal bullying and physical violence becomes the normal method of inflicting mental and physical pain upon the weaker person. Along with stealing or removing and defacing property of those being bullied.

Then low and behold the bullying moves into the work environment, where more often than not, the bullying takes the form of mental abuse. Physical and verbal bullying can’t work in this environment because of workplace protection laws. The only time the regulations assist the bully is if the boss is ‘in on it’

There is another method of bullying that has not been documented or recorded and that is bullying by proxy, where physical, verbal or mental abuse it dished out by a third party at the encouragement of the instigator.

Recently, the news has been talking up the number of incidents involving knives in the school yard. Knives may be able to maim and kill, but so can words and fists. People need to understand as a society that one implement is not the only killer available to the bully.

Just last week there was a case in the news where a young woman decided to end it all because of workplace bullying. This is not right. But who could she turn to? Bullying is seen as a silent killer.

It doesn’t matter what age you are – you can succumb to bullying at any stage. A little like a virulent strain of the flu – one moment of weakness can cause you to become a victim, age nor gender is no barrier whatsoever.

If you are a teacher in the education system a good book that may be able to assist you and your school to become bully-free is “Shared Responsibility-Beating bullying in Australian Schools” by Ian Findley. This is a very concise book, that offers workable methods and solutions for the victim, the bully and the teacher. I have prsonally experienced the effect this teaching has had on someone close to me and I have nothing but praise.

If you are subject to bullying, at school or in the workplace, keep a diary of the events and when they happen and give that diary to your teacher or your boss. (keeping a copy for yourself) But the most important thing is not to allow yourself to become a victim, use your network of friends, family and teachers and bosses to help you beat the bully, and show him/her what their actions are doing.

You don’t have to do it alone, there are people out there ready and able to help you. But you have to accept that bullying is occuring before anyone is able to help you.

Life does goes on, even if now it seems that it can't. <-- This is from someone who knows!

Don’t Slam that Door Again

The door slams once, the door slams twice. The door seems to slam every time the teenager enters and exits the room. If this is what family life has deteriorated to, then I am not sure I want to participate anymore.

Laying in bed, thinking, thinking, thinking, how can I stop the door being slammed and the paint cracked?

Thinking, thinking, BINGO!

The next day an ultimatum is issued. Slam that door ONE more time and I shall remove it from its hinges.
“NO, you won’t. You can’t. I’ll tell the teachers”
“Yes I can and Yes I will. I am sick of you trying to bully me and thinking you can get away with it”

Door slams

I grab the meat tenderizer (my great multi-purpose tool) and a 2-inch nail. I enter said teenagers bedroom and proceed to remove pins from door hinges. The entire time abuse is being yelled, threats made and ignored. You know the story, I’m sure.

Pins remove, door off hinge, bedroom no longer has a door.

Silence ensues. Silence is golden. Manners return. No more slamming doors.

Door re-instated 48hrs later and no longer is a door slammed in my house.

Don’t slam that door, Kidlets – it ain’t worth the punishment.

The tooth-fairy predicament

The excitement of a lost tooth;the excitement of placing the lost tooth in the glass on the bathroom vanity or under the pillow.

And then it is time for the tooth fairy to do his/her work.

Waiting, waiting the tooth fairy waits for the child to sleep. The child is excited, it’s getting late.

The tooth-fairy nods off, the tooth forgotten.

The tooth-fairy finds a pillow to rest their weary head. The tooth fairy falls asleep.

The sun is rising, oh no, the tooth fairy forgot.

Mad rush, the child is awake, the tooth-fairy can’t visit now, the tooth fairy despairs.

But there is a solution!

The tooth-fairy was tired, I am sure they haven’t forgotten. The tooth fairy will come tomorrow, don’t worry little one, I promise.

Not all is lost – just be convincing and your little one will believe for one more day.

Wish the tooth fairy well – without belief there is no magic and the world would be a sad place.

The Magical Mystical Handbag of a Woman

As a woman, I am just as guilty as the next……. If the world were to end tomorrow – I’m sure I would be able to feed, water and cater for the needs of at least 10 human beings, all from the confines of my overweight, over-sized handbag!

In theory this might be great but……….. it leaves many women with sore backs, arms and necks, simply because they do carry too much ‘stuff’ around on a daily basis.

Let’s be honest, let’s be minimalist. We carry far too much around and it is affecting our health.

Hands up – who carries, make-up, pen/s, notepad, book, diary, phone, headache tablets, chocolate (for a quick pick-me-up) This can weigh almost 2kilos. Bet you never thought of that.

Add to that keys, wallet and ‘other’ stuff and you are carrying the weight of small newborn child on one half of your body.

This affects the muscles in your neck as the weight pulls down on your shoulder, it can compress the ribs on the side you carry your bag. It can harm the tendons and muscles in your arm if you prefer to carry the bag over your arm. This can affect the way you walk, it can cause headaches and muscle aches, that would not occur if you didn’t carry this much weight around.

If you are fortunate enough to own a mini-PC, you know the type less than 30cm/12” in length, don’t go adding that to the burden, get yourself a slim-line back pack to take that weight.

If you have children, it is tempting to add their ‘stuff’ to your bag also, you think it is easier than taking two bags to the same location. Do get a second bag for the kids’ stuff, because as sure as there is day and night, you never quite take all the stuff out when you get back home, thus adding more weight to your bag.

So in closing, think of these things:-
1. Do you really need such a big bag?
2. Get a backpack for mini-PC’s
3. Get a 2nd bag for the kids’ ‘stuff’
4. Make a regular thing of checking what is actually in your bag and be critical
5. Consider a stylish backpack, instead of a ‘handbag’
6. If your shoulder, arms, neck or back are sore – get it checked out
7. If you can manage it – use a small/er bag as often as possible

Good luck and remember – you were only given 1 body to last a life-time!

The 18th Birthday Bash

Darling Miss 17 is now Darling Miss (obnoxious) 18. Well only obnoxious when well-soaked in vodka had her dreaded themed 18th black and silver party at home.

We had what I consider to be a large gathering of teenagers and adults at our place on the weekend. Maybe 50 in total, maybe more – didn’t do a head count.

10kg of chicken wings, 10kg of steak, 10kg of Sausages, 2kg of homemade potato salad, 2kg of Pasta Salad, 5 lettuces, 2kg of tomatoes, 4 boxes of party pies and sausage rolls, 5 loaves of bread, 5kg of bacon, 5 large packets of chips, 18 slabs of mixed soft drinks.

Add to that 1 portaloo and DJ and I think you get the idea. All to be held in the shed.

The kids started arriving at 3pm – some came early because that was when they could get dropped off – we have the advantage of being 7km from the nearest point of public transport.

And yes – I call that an advantage as I think it deterred trouble makers.

The night progressed well – we did not supply alcohol as I didn’t want to have any problems with under-age drinkers.

The DJ played, the kids danced, at one stage there was a soccer game under lights occurring. I do believe the girls were wearing high-heels!

All in all – there were few problems – some of the kids (about 12) slept over due to drinking and ‘P’ plates, 3 girls ended up sleeping in the house for various reasons (Mums – I think you know what I am talking about), only 1 set of car keys confiscated. So all in all – not too bad.

The night itself didn’t end until about 5am – I rode the night out and managed to get them all settled – maybe not asleep but at least not running around feral.

Breakfast was a bacon and eggs affair – cooked by the 12yo after the 19yo couldn’t manage it (I was still tucked up in bed) By the time I saw the light of day – breakfast had been consumed, decorations were already being taken down and still kids were here helping. I certainly can’t complain.

The last of the party-goers left at about 3pm – all in all a good night had by all!

Death in A Can.

We all know the names, Black Stallion, Buzz Monkey, Cocaine, Hero, Lift Plus, Lucozade, Mother, Red Bull, Red Eye, Rock, Rockstar, V – We ALL know someone who has tasted one of these products at least once in their life, perhaps they have had more than a ‘taste’.

I am targeting one brand at the moment that appears to breaking all sorts of moral rules and regulations.

I am currently looking at a can of Rockstar energy drink, no big deal you say, this can is 710ml in volume, 22cm tall and 7cm in diameter and it looks HUGE. I mean a can of coke is just over ½ the size of this can.

The can itself, other than looking HUGE looks harmless UNTIL you roll the can over and read:- Usage: Consume no more than 500ml per day. Yet this can is packaged at 710ml – so who in their right mind would measure half the can, then re-seal it, so that it may be consumed the day after?

Why is this company that admits there are health concerns (Product contains caffeine. This product is not recommended for children, pregnant or lactating women, or individuals sensitive to caffeine. Consume responsibly) package their money earning products in such volumes which they openly admit is over the daily limit?

(please click to enlarge)


*All figures are above the RDI (Recommended Daily Intake)

These drinks are advertised as giving you a pick-me-up when you are a little tired, giving you more energy and get up and go than any other product on the market.

Some of the health concerns raised are:- severe tooth decay, heart problems, tooth staining, liver damage, kidney damage, diabetes, Nausea, vomiting.

Deaths have occurred when mixing Vodka and Energy Drinks. Some countries have banned the product from being retailed in the country due to health concerns.

Some confirmed health issues are whole mouth tooth decay, reduction in bone density, which leads to fractures and breaks, aggression, heart palpitations, kidney failure, liver failure, headaches, heart failure, dehydration.

These are just some of the concerns, along with the manufacturers OWN Admission that the product is not recommended for children or individuals sensitive to caffeine.

At what age are you considered no longer a child and who is monitoring the purchase of these products? If a milkbar owner sells one of these cans to a child of 14-15yo – who is monitoring the milkbar owner?

Is it his responsibility or should these products be removed from sale and only be allowed sold on/in licensed premises?

Your thoughts and ideas appreciated - perhaps the voices of the public need to be heard above the voices of the conusmers?

Let your thoughts be known!

Are we there yet? - The Season to be Silly

It’s Christmas, the time we go away on holiday, the time we go visit relatives in far flung places, the time we spend far too much of confined in a metal box on wheels, with too many kids screaming “Are we there yet?”

It’s the silly season. The time we make silly decisions and decide that the 1000km drive to Aunty Flo’s place is a great idea. We forget that it would be 40’C in the shade and that the air-conditioning in the car is not what it used to be.

We are silly to assume that the kids would behave. We forgot last year, when we left little Johnny at the rest stop with his big sister. We forgot that the everyone else has the same silly ideas, about going to visit their Aunty Jo.

Are we there yet? – what else can I say?

Some hints and safety tips to ensure you stay on the road and get there in one piece.
1. Make sure the driver is well rested and if possible, both adults should take turns in driving, switching every 2 hours at a rest stop where everyone can stretch their legs.
2. Each person the vehicle must by law have their own seatbelt. DO NOT share seatbelts, that could kill someone, even in a minor accident
3. Each child under the age of 7yo must be in an approved child restraint, the safest position in the car is the centre back seat
4. No children under the age of 12 to ride in the front seat, there is scientific evidence that a child under the age of 12yo, may be grievously harmed by the airbag, which is designed for adults.
5. There is a 35% increase in safety when passengers ride in the backseat!
6. Do not overcrowded the passenger space with luggage, it might be inconvenient, but take a trailer, it doesn't use much more fuel and makes life so much more comfortable(and sane).
7. Allow the children to take 1-2 toys with them, that can be used to amuse them whilst in the car
8. If using portable DVD players etc., make sure you have comfortable ear phones for the children, so you can still have an adult conversation with the driver/passenger
9. Don’t be afraid to stop if you see something interesting. It breaks the journey and doesn’t take that long.
10. Take some food and drink with you, saves money AND time and let’s everyone have something they like and tastes good. Just make sure it is chilled with iceblocks etc.

It’s dangerous out there, take care and remember no-one died being late. Speed kills.

XXOO

Schoolies – My Job as a Parent

My Job as a parent is almost over. My daughter will be 18 this month, she has finished Year 12, (with Certificate of Merit) and the exams are completed. All in all the year has been reasonable – not too stressful for either parent or student.

Ms almost 18 came to me last week and said I have been invited to go away for schoolies……… I was dreading the thought. Before I was able to comment, she then piped up………………. “But I don’t want to go, I don’t want to be babysitting them, while they get drunk and stuff”

This got me thinking – firstly I must have done a good job parenting, if she can already see this, secondly what is ‘and stuff?’

She told me some of what the girls are planning, getting drunk, trashing wherever they go, seeing if they can find some marijuana and get stoned. I imagine in there is the gratuitous sex, possibly unprotected. Oh I can’t bear to think about it.

In her wisdom, she said no. She realized it would lead to nothing but trouble, that she wouldn’t be able to enjoy herself as she would be babysitting the immature people of the party.

I understand that some people, both parents and children see muck-up-day and schoolies as a sign of growing up – what happened to getting your first car, getting your license, being allowed out late, your first legal drink.

My daughter already has a car, she is well on the way to getting her licence, she is allowed out late, (midnight) as long as I can pick her up. She may have tasted one or two alcoholic drinks but has certainly not been drunk.

These are all benchmarks in the growing up part of life. If parents think it is okay to allow the 15yo out after 10pm and not know where they are, that is not my problem. My problem is my child and where she is and what she is doing.

Schoolies is just another excuse for another party. What I want to know is where is the money coming from to fund this alcoholic binge? – If it is coming from the parents, they ought to be ashamed in permitting good money to be thrown away in this manner.

If this money is coming from government money, then they are being paid too much.

If this money is coming from part-time work, then the expenditure is fine, because the children have had to save the money and have learnt a lesson in doing do. My problem is that money could well be spent on something far more worthwhile.

Perhaps I am a party spoiler, perhaps I am too strict, but I certainly know where my children are, what they are doing and when they are doing it.

Schoolies is asking for trouble and from an accommodation point of view – I fully understand WHY certain establishments REFUSE all male or all female parties AND why around schoolies week they vet heavily AND increase costs. It’s called self-protection from a selfish minority.

If you have children attending ‘schoolies’ please please read them the riot act and hopefully no harm will come to them.

Uh Oh – Who stays home?

A modern day dilemma – little Johnny or Jill is sick and can’t attend school/crèche/kinder – who will stay home and look after them?

This is a problem that arises once the family is created. In days gone past, it was the woman, even today it is most often the woman. It is the woman who forgoes the sick leave/personal leave the annual leave to look after sick children, whilst the male partner goes to work with little concern for anything other than themselves.

Alright, the men turn around and say that Jennifer gets the day off, to bum around home and who cares, the boss won’t miss them.

Not only do men have deadlines to be met and completed, women do also. This means that a woman is often behind the 8-ball when it comes to work. If little Johnny/Jill is sick for more than one day – how many times do the male partners put their hands up and offer to stay home for the second day? Very very few.

I am not being discriminatory, this is truth.

In today’s society where women are often expected to be as good as the male species. Then why don’t the male of the species do the things that many women do with 1 hand tied behind their backs?

How many men out there know how to use the washing machine, know what temperature woollens have to be washed at. Know where the Medicare card is for visits to the doctors, let alone finding the doctors’ number to make an appointment. Once again very few.

This is not an urban myth – it takes a special kind of man to be able to do this and there are very few who can run a home AND work AND everything else associated with modern day life.

Just remember next time that your wife, your childrens' mother, says she has a headache, maybe she does and it’s time for you to pick up the slack.

Go home and remember – home is where there should be shared responsibilities and that sports day doesn’t mean a day at the golf club/pub for the men ;)

Children in wolves clothing

I saw a picture the other day of a child, (a child of famous parents actually), she was wearing high heels (of 5cm) at the tender age of 5 or 6 years old. She was wearing a skirt that was more suited to a person of perhaps 18-25 years old (if you have the legs)

I am sure you get my drift.

But……… what made me write this is that my daughter, (yes, previously featured) was shopping with her aunty for clothes for an 18 month old girl. Easy you would think, pants, little skirts, t-shirts etc.

My daughter came home and said “Mum, aunty, bought clothes that even I wouldn’t wear. She is asking for trouble from paedophiles”

I thought OMG – is that really what my 17yo, almost 18yo thinks of some clothes. I asked what she was talking about and she related to me, that aunty didn’t think a little girl should wear pants, it’s not appropriate.

FFS – This is for a child that is still in nappies, hardly walking and can not walk up and down stairs!

I thought back to my children and their nappy days, unless the weather was unbearably hot, they were always in pants/shorts and nappies. Rarely was my daughter in skirts, simply because I believed it infringed on her freedom to discover the world, would prevent her from crawling and her knees would constantly be grazed.

By making children mini-me’s of mum (it seems to happen more with girls that boys) are we creating a problem, physically, by not allowing children to crawl around and hurt their knees etc, and then there is the mental aspect. We are so concerned about children being sexualised too early and yet we allow them to dress like adults at such a tender age.

Leave children to be children. Leave the skirts and fancy dresses for dinner and parties, not going to crèche and day care.

Let the littlies of this world experience the world as children.

Plus think of the money you will be saving! – No more latest fashions unless you go out, no more unworn grown out of clothes in the cupboards. Save the money for the special events and let your kids wear the same clothes more than once.

Trust me no-one will notice!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!