Is Foster Care the New Fat Camp?

Parents beware!  If your child is fat, they might get to spend time in foster care.  What?  Oh yes, The Journal of the American Medical Association published a disturbing commentary yesterday by Dr. David Ludwig, an obesity specialist at Harvard-affiliated Children's Hospital of Boston, and Lindsey Murtagh, a lawyer/researcher at the Harvard School of Public Health.  The article recommends that state intervention is necessary for protecting children who are morbidly obese.  The authors explain that they feel that children who are extremely obese should be removed from their homes by Child Protective Services and placed in foster care until they lose weight.  Apparently this practice has already been started in some parts of the country. 

Don't get me wrong, there is a time and place for CPS.  I will admit that as a school nurse I even referred children to CPS.  I will also admit that some parents aren't very good at being parents and they do feed their children to the point of morbid obesity.  But I don't see how it's in the "best interest" (legal terminology) of the child to be removed from mom and dad because they like to serve ice cream between meals or because they've invested in too many video games.  There might be some appropriate legal sanctions for parents who fail to follow health care plans--you'd be surprised how many parents are non-compliant.  But unless the parent is an immediate danger to the health and safety of the child, there is no reason to go so far as to remove a kiddo from mommy and daddy.  Besides, a lot of the fat kids at the elementary school where I worked were the happiest.

My other concern about this new practice is that charts and standards are meaningless.  Who gets to make the decision that a child is morbidly obese and subject to foster care?  Are we going to base these decisions on growth charts?  I hope not.  One of my good friends had a baby who was super cute and very small.  She was completely proportionate and healthy, but she didn't weigh much.  She actually fit into the failure to thrive category on the growth charts. But she was healthy!!!  The baby ate and played and functioned just fine.  My friend should not have had to worry about the growth chart.  Her baby was fine and is an adorable (and average sized) toddler today.  But what if the baby had been abnormally chunky?  Would she have been sent to foster care?

And don't get me started on foster care.  Sometimes it's good.  Sometimes it's bad.  But is it really a gamble worth taking just because a kid is fat?  Wouldn't it just be better to send the kid to rehab?  At least you can sue for malpractice in a rehab facility.  Even in law school, my Children and the Law class was taught that it's better in almost every case to place a child with some form of family before pursuing foster care.  Of course, I didn't go to Harvard...

All I know is that the more government butts into our family lives, the worse we are.  Even some fairly liberal-minded lawyers agree with me.  Above the Law's article Should the Law Take Fat Kids Away from Their Parents supports me on this one.  Please know that when you read about some Harvard educated doctor or lawyer, they don't speak for their entire professions.  And please remember that if you want to keep making decisions on how to raise your own child, you better get involved in our "system" and contribute.  Or else well-educated liberals might send your fat child to foster care.

Stop and Take the Survey

Do you ever read the bottom of your receipt when you leave a store like Target, Albertson's, or Walmart? I often find a code inviting me to take a survey with the promise that my name will be entered into a monthly drawing for a gift card.  And for some reason, I typically get online and actually take the survey.

Why do I take the survey?  Well, for starters, I firmly believe that I'm going to win a gift card someday.  I know it's a long shot, but I have heard of actual people who have won.  Secondly, I also like to answer the questions because I like to give my opinion. (No surprise to people who know me!) But more importantly, I've learned that if you honestly answer the survey, some stores take your responses seriously.

I can honestly say that Target reads and actively responds to my surveys.  I typically don't have any complaints about Target.  I like their products, I'm pleased with their grocery prices, and I even think their meat department is pretty decent. (Granted, I'm not shopping for a fresh caught Salmon to go home and skin for dinner.) Anyway, on at least 3 occasions, Target has responded to my survey requests.

The first time I realized that Target reads my surveys was when I got mad about baked beans.  I got aggravated because I couldn't find Van Camp's pork and beans at Target. It was the one item on my grocery list that I could never get at Target because my store didn't carry that brand.  And I can't use just any brand of baked beans!  My recipe calls for Van Camp's and it doesn't taste the same with Bush's.  So I told Target that I was going to have to go next door to Walmart if they didn't start carrying my special brand.  And you know what, a week later they had a whole section of Van Camp's.

The next time I saw evidence of my survey response was when they started placing rain check tickets in the baby boy's clothing department.  Apparently lots of baby boys in my area  last fall needed size 12 month clothing.  For weeks, I couldn't find a size 12 months outfit anywhere at my Target.  And since my growing boy desperately needed new pajamas, I thought I would tell Target that I had a problem. And when I complained, they actually placed rain check tags on the baby clothes that I said I liked.  I thought that was a nice gesture.

And most recently, I must have commented that I couldn't find peanut butter filled pretzels at my Target.  I know some people are funny about allergies and peanut butter, but my family has no history of peanut problems and my boys love peanut butter. So when we go to Walmart, I like to pick up a tub of peanut butter pretzels for their snacks.  Unfortunately, Target has not carried this treat--until now.  Yesterday, I was surprised and pleased to find peanut butter pretzels in a huge jar for sale in the snack section!  And if I do say so myself, these are way better than the ones at Walmart!

So, the moral of the story is not only that Target is a great store, but also that if you have a complaint about a store, let them know.  In a tight economy, store owners will do what they can to make their loyal customers stick around.  I can't promise that you'll win the monthly drawing, but you might enjoy your shopping a little more. 

ParentalRights.Org

I don't actively or financially support causes unless I'm convinced that they're legit and necessary.  And the fight for parental rights in the U.S. is definitely a worthy cause.  I started my partnership with ParentalRights.org when I was doing research for a school seminar class.  I am convinced that the people behind this organization have the legal understanding and the moral clarity to promote justice for American families.

Please visit their page at ParentalRights.Org and sign their petition supporting a parental rights amendment to the Constitution.  If you don't completely understand the importance of a Constitutional amendment, their website clearly explains how an amendment is necessary from a Constitutional and procedural standpoint.  An amendment would protect individual rights and limit the expansive governmental intrusion into our families.  Here is a trailer for their new 30 minute docudrama coming this fall:

As a parent and as an American who is proud of my freedom, I am completely endorsing this organization.  Please take a few minutes to check them out.  You might even consider signing their petition.

Our God is Great and Awesome

"Do not be afraid of them; remember the Lord who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives and your houses." Nehemiah 4:15

During the reign of King Artaxerxes I, Nehemiah led the Jews to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. Chapter 3 describes the people who undertook project Build the Wall.  These were blue collar men, white collar men, and housewives.  The people who built the wall were the faithful remnant of Israel.

Unfortunately, while they were undertaking this huge project, Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites and the Ashdodites conspired to fight against Jerusalem.  I can't imagine the fear that these people must have felt.  They're where God wants them and they're doing the job that has been commanded them.  Then they find out that surrounding nations want to destroy their vision. Israeli history seems to repeat itself, doesn't it?

But then Nehemiah gives them this challenge. Fight. Remember that God is great and awesome. Fight for your families.  Chapter 4 then describes how half of those in Jerusalem went into battle mode while the other half kept building the wall.  But the builders "each wore his sword girded at his side as he built."  These men where on a God-ordained mission and they weren't going to let outside threats get in the way of their calling.  Verse 15 states that God ultimately frustrated the plans of their enemies so that the Jews could continue building the wall.

Sometimes I think that Christians look at the world and want to throw in the towel.  The world is a disgusting place because of sin.  We are constantly surrounded by people who want to thwart our calling.  These people hate us and are not going to stop conspiring against us.  But we've been given a God-ordained mission to carry the love of Jesus to the world.  We've been called to live in the world and not of it.  This means that we are going to have to be vigilant in carrying out our mission.  We are going to have to wear our swords at our sides as we carry the love of Jesus.  We can't stop fighting the good fight.  We're most definitely outnumbered in our fight, but our God is great and awesome!

The Taste of Love is Sweet

"Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things." Philippians 4:8

While I was working the other day, I heard my little guy singing "The taste of love is sweet..." and at that point I had to pause.  I have done everything in my power to ensure that he has spent hours listening to classical music, Christian kid's music, and hymns.  I even spent hours listening to special music when I was pregnant with him because it's supposed to be good for his development.  And now, he's singing the 2nd verse to Johnny Cash's The Ring of Fire! 

Then again, while shopping with my mom the other day, I heard a familiar little voice from across the store say, "Hello, I'm Johnny Cash." Next, he proceeded to sing Folsom Prison.  He knows every word.  And yes, there is something fundamentally wrong with a 2 year old singing that he's "stuck in Folsom prison...and I shot a man just to watch him die." Ugh, and I thought the Wiggles were bad.

You might ask how my child became obsessed with one of country's greatest legends.  Well, it all started when he became obsessed with trains.  His Daddy kept singing about the "train rolling around the bend."  After that, every time he was in Daddy's car he wanted to hear the "train song" aka Folsom Prison. Thanks Daddy.

Now my child is Johnny Cash's biggest fan.  Thankfully, Johnny had a really great testimony and prison ministry towards the end of his life. We've even found some later recordings that are great bedtime songs.  I'm sure that we can use this new obsession to learn about how God changes lives.  And who knows, maybe one of my kids will have their own prison ministry someday.  You never know.

What I do know is that little minds can remember and comprehend a whole lot more than you'd expect.  I have been reminded that I have to carefully monitor what I listen to on the radio.  I don't have to buy special toddler songs for my little guys, because they're already listening to and understanding everything I'm listening to on the radio.  I just need to make sure that anything that what I put in me is appropriate for them too.

And the next time you're at a ball game or flipping through stations and hear a Johnny Cash song, think about the 2 year old with his fake microphone bobbing his head up and down singing along.

Precious Afternoons

I've started working for a law firm again.  But this time, I'm working 100% from home.  And this time around, my relationships with God, my boys and my husband get first priority.  As I sat at my desk working yesterday afternoon (during nap time), I was so glad that God answered my prayer by finding me a way to work in law AND stay home.  Only God could give me moments like this to cherish while I work.   

I hope your afternoons are as precious as mine.

You Have Your Orders Mommy--Go and Fight!

"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." Ephesians 6:10-12 NIV

I read something today that encouraged me and I wanted to share it with you.  These are the words of Carolyn McCulley in her book Radical Womanhood.  In her chapter on The Mommy Wars, she says the following:

"...Your daily life may consist of dozens of repetitive tasks that feel so mundane and irrelevant. You kiss boo-boos, you make dinner, you do dishes, you answer a homework question, you drive to soccer practice, you read a good night story, you do laundry, you make dinner again. Unglamorous daily tasks and unimportant in the big picture, you may think.

This is absolutely not true! You are engaged in spiritual warfare, battling against beliefs and philosophies that slander God's name and tarnish His gifts to us. You are standing against those who believe heinous lies, like 'the most merciful thing that a large family does to one of its infant members is to kill it.' By giving life and nurturing life, you are reflecting the life-giving characteristics of our holy God! Made in His image, you are reflecting Him when you care for the lives He has created..."

So the next time you have an unglamorous load of laundry to do or a smelly pamper to change, remember that you are fulfilling your spiritual service.  There really is a Mommy War, but it's not the type of war most women believe it is.  The real war is spiritual and Mommy believers need to be sharing God's love and standing up for the truth of His Word as we nurture His creation.  So ladies, grab your skillets and fight the good fight!

Happy Birthday to a Country "Under God"

Happy Birthday United Sates of America! This song, God of our Fathers, was written by Daniel C. Roberts in honor of the 1876 centennial Fourth of July celebration.  As we celebrate our country's birthday today, let us not forget where we came from and from whom our blessings and freedom flow.

God of our fathers, whose almighty hand
Leads forth in beauty all the starry band
Of shining worlds in splendor through the skies
Our grateful songs before Thy throne arise.

Thy love divine hath led us in the past,
In this free land by Thee our lot is cast,
Be Thou our Ruler, Guardian, Guide and Stay,
Thy Word our law, Thy paths our chosen way.

From war’s alarms, from deadly pestilence,
Be Thy strong arm our ever sure defense;
Thy true religion in our hearts increase,
Thy bounteous goodness nourish us in peace.

Refresh Thy people on their toilsome way,
Lead us from night to never ending day;
Fill all our lives with love and grace divine,
And glory, laud, and praise be ever Thine.

My Favorite Chefs

There's just something impressive about men wearing aprons in the kitchen.  Wouldn't you love to taste the food from these chefs?  I can't wait until they advance their cooking skills from baking cookies to preparing dinner.  Now that's a meal I will gladly clean up!

Ladies, Mark Your Calendars!

Today I got a piece of mail that made me really excited.  I got the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale Next Season Catalog!  This means that Nordstrom will be marking down items from its Fall 2011 Collection starting on JULY 15!  And let me tell you, after flipping the pages of this book my mouth was watering. 

The shoes are fabulous!  Seychelles, in particular scored again this year (my favorite boots EVER were Seychelles) and this year's boot shoe thing is soooo cute!  Whoever is buying clothes for Nordstrom this fall did a great job.  I'm even digging the men's clothing, which is saying a lot since their guy's department is a little flashy for the average guy. 

Anyway, wish I could post pics of my favorite items, but you'll have to wait until they post their catalog online.  If you're needing some great fall pieces, you've got to check out these prices and looks!  It looks like chocolate brown and leather are back...