I am really excited to be going to visit my youngest son tomorrow at College. It is his 20th birthday tomorrow and I'm happy I'll be able to spend it with him. Wow, 20 years already. I remember twenty years ago tonight I had my husband take me for a drive on the bumpiest roads he could find...:) I was bound and determined I was going to go into labour that night. You see, my best friend was pregnant with her first child, I was with my third, and we were due a few days apart. I got a call earlier that evening that she was in labour and headed to the hospital. Not without me I said!!!! Well, lo and behold if I didn't go into labour later that evening.
It was kind of comical, as they wheeled her into the delivery room they wheeled me into the prep room. We had a chance to say hi and wish each other a safe delivery. As was typical of a first baby her delivery took somewhat longer and we ended up having our boys 2 hrs. apart. Her son was born on September 7th and mine 2 hours later on September 8th delivered by the same doctor. It was fun to share that experience with a close friend and our children grew up as very close friends also.
As I spoke with my son tonight about our upcoming visit tomorrow I asked him, "What are you giving me for your birthday?"
He responded..."What am I giving you? But it's my birthday!!"
"Yes, I realize that son," I replied, "But who was it that went through all the pain, sleeplessness and worry 20 years ago? I think flowers will do nicely. :)"
Friday, September 7, 2007
Monday, September 3, 2007
MOVIES WITH IMPACT
Have you ever watched a movie that seemed to really make an impact on your life or left you with a new insight on something? I can think of a few that for various reasons have impacted me, sometimes just from a line that was uttered. Such an example was Jack Nicholson in "As Good As It Gets". The scene where he says to Helen Hunt, "You make me want to be a better man." I found that line quite profound after some thought, however, it's not the movie I want to talk about in this blog.
This morning I was relaxing watching an old movie, which is something I don't do often enough. It was the classic "To Sir With Love" starring one of my favorite actors Sidney Poitier. I can recall watching that movie when I was younger, in my teens, and I realize now that it had a bigger impact on my life than I was aware of. It is one of those movies that I feel all adults and those working with youth should watch. For those who have never seen it, the movie is based on a young black Teacher that takes a temporary teaching job working in a low income neighbourhood with rebellious teens of the early 60's. Okay, I realize it is fiction and that it isn't quite as easy to convert troubled youth as it appeared to be for Sidney Poitier in the movie. However, the methods he employs are timeless and in my own opinion quite effective even today. Basically, he is showing how one person, taking an active role and sincerely trying to reach out to the youth can make a difference. How showing that he genuinely cares, listening to what they have to say and offering them respect for respect in return, brings about positive results.
From the get go he refuses to interact with them unless they show him proper respect as well as each other and other people they might deal with in their daily lives. He helps them to understand that life is full of dissapointments and unfair people and those are just some of the things they have to learn to deal with using effective people skills. He shows that by working hard how even the most challenged can eventually create a decent life. He shows by example.
To sum it up, these students could tell he was genuine, that he truly cared about them individually and anything he did or said to them was done with their well being in mind.
I think Sidney's character in this movie truly did have an impact on the way I have interacted with youth in my adult life. I wish everyone would sit down and watch this movie and hopefully find it as much a 'good feel' movie as I did.
I would love to hear from some of you what if anything has had an impact on your childrearing methods.
On a lighter side...
Try this with one of your children the next time they complain..."How come he/she is allowed to and I'm not?"......."Because I love them more than you....duh.." Then wait for the shocked expression while you try to contain your laughter. It usually lightened up a situation for me. :)
This morning I was relaxing watching an old movie, which is something I don't do often enough. It was the classic "To Sir With Love" starring one of my favorite actors Sidney Poitier. I can recall watching that movie when I was younger, in my teens, and I realize now that it had a bigger impact on my life than I was aware of. It is one of those movies that I feel all adults and those working with youth should watch. For those who have never seen it, the movie is based on a young black Teacher that takes a temporary teaching job working in a low income neighbourhood with rebellious teens of the early 60's. Okay, I realize it is fiction and that it isn't quite as easy to convert troubled youth as it appeared to be for Sidney Poitier in the movie. However, the methods he employs are timeless and in my own opinion quite effective even today. Basically, he is showing how one person, taking an active role and sincerely trying to reach out to the youth can make a difference. How showing that he genuinely cares, listening to what they have to say and offering them respect for respect in return, brings about positive results.
From the get go he refuses to interact with them unless they show him proper respect as well as each other and other people they might deal with in their daily lives. He helps them to understand that life is full of dissapointments and unfair people and those are just some of the things they have to learn to deal with using effective people skills. He shows that by working hard how even the most challenged can eventually create a decent life. He shows by example.
To sum it up, these students could tell he was genuine, that he truly cared about them individually and anything he did or said to them was done with their well being in mind.
I think Sidney's character in this movie truly did have an impact on the way I have interacted with youth in my adult life. I wish everyone would sit down and watch this movie and hopefully find it as much a 'good feel' movie as I did.
I would love to hear from some of you what if anything has had an impact on your childrearing methods.
On a lighter side...
Try this with one of your children the next time they complain..."How come he/she is allowed to and I'm not?"......."Because I love them more than you....duh.." Then wait for the shocked expression while you try to contain your laughter. It usually lightened up a situation for me. :)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
