Lilly Sway

I have been studying(”in my spare time”) some of the world on the web. It is a very knowledgeable venue. I have certainly become acquainted with it these past couple of years. The most interesting thing to me is that I can search for answers to questions that  both  my children ask and those that I would not just ask anyone about.  Anonymous is the name of the game.I have started to see that the  economy  all over is well to say the least pretty shaken, and it affects us all in the long run prices are high at the grocers, and the gas prices are on the way up again.

I usually resist the temptation to just complain about every little thing , but here lately I find myself yelling at the kids to please not throw out the paper trash until I have made time to go through it for food coupons, or after spending a $100. on groceries, and I can still not make at least six complete meals from the last grocery day to the next. I have in the last few months seen 6 neighbors loose their jobs, cars, homes and some have even lost their families due to the harshness of the economic state that is simply buckling up the track that we live on.

My strategy for my family is to work hard at what I do, which is be a better mother not just(”a mother”), but a good mother, like my mother was to me. my children have breakfast everyday in their home. I am sometimes at a loss as to what to cook for us all, that will be palatable to the diverse taste buds at the table. but we sort of each find how to manage to scoff down all the meals no matter the repeated menus, or the lack of fringes, our deserts have been a combination of toast with jam cut into fingers width strips,and home made whip cream for dipping. I do the normal household chores and first and foremost are my family and their necessities and then their education. I don’t mean just send them off to school, and say well now it’s their job from here on, I really put all effort in every day homework, help with projects, stimulate interest furthering their minds, and social education, these are simple things that need to be done for the welfare of their future.

I know that it may seem to be over raising my children to some of you, but you reap what you sew, Our children yours and mine are the children who stand on the thresh hold of running our future. I believe if more people took the time to do it right the first time we would not have so many faltering family values. I have quite a bit of faith in what I do, and I take pride in my work after all children do grow and become adults, a lot of who they will be in life depends on who you have shown them to be throughout their childhood. My youngest child is 10 he is pushing boundaries as all of my children have, but I know that if I do my job right he will find his way to stay on track.

My children know that there are tough times for a lot of working class people and they certainly feel it, when we cannot waste even an end to the loaf of bread (which no one wants in their lunch) so we play musical lunches to see at their individual time to eat at school will be the (”looser”). Only then does each of my children at his or her lunch table know that they have lost the game. He or she does win eventually, and that is the point.

This may seem dumb, but even the smallest thing can make your day or ruin your day if you are a child looking for the best point of the day. There are no extra curricular activities that cost money in the day in and day out, of this rather tough economy, but we have looked on the bright side of that, and made a chart as to when things could be better or even worse for all the good hardworking people we know. We put a penny in the pot to be able to adjust out homemade time line, one penny affords you the opportunity to write in a new day of change for instance we had steak(I bought one skirt steak and cut it into strips”) very fine strips and put it over a chef salad to make a gourmet meal the other night. It got 6 cents towards the things getting better list.

I am trying to do it better each and every time, I try to make a great meal out of what ever we have, or try to sell the kids on the idea that a trip to the library instead of the mall could be fun, for the simple reason that we all have to get through these tough times together, and that we can make the most of what ever it is that we have,  not just sit and wait for what we want to make things good for us. My daughter could not join her swim team this year, she ranks first in her class, but well the $125.00 was not something we could budget into our summer, so instead of whining we have decided to cheer her friends on at the swim meets, and spend a nice day of fun in the sun on the side lines.

Maybe to my daughter it is not the best thing for her summer, but we are here to fortify her with support through her disappointments, as well as to cheer her on through her accomplishments. I am trying to take classes that are free to people 50 or older to enhance my resume. I have been trying to take on a job that would be fee sable to leave my home duties for. I need to help out in the support our household, so that we will not be on the things are getting worse list forever. The knowledge that I have to offer may be enough to  help overshadow the age on the resume. I remain hopeful either way. so everyday is a challenge but if you run across us have peace of mind that we as many other people are also just trying to do it better for those we love.

Food For The Mind

Lilly’s Way