My Personal Journey

I have been told many times 'You can't do that!!' ? By parents trying to keep me safe, but teachers correcting how I spell or do math, mostly from the business industry I am in. I own a Hobby Store, with my husband.

In the Hobby business it is mostly males. Male customers, male staff, testosterone is everywhere. I love these challenges! The guy that comes in and says 'You can't help me' (with the unspoken, You're a girl). Until I ask, 'Well, try me and if I can't help, I'll get you someone who can'. 9 times out of 10 those guys are stopped in their tracks because this woman knows what she's talking about! Its great correcting them, without correcting them with an IN YOUR FACE!!

The spiritual strengthening is coming along great. I have really moved forward in becoming a Social Media Manager to improve my business. My other favourite thing - I am assserting myself more and saying NO more! Its all so empowering! Its feeling so awesome!!

Every once in a while a person needs to change their direction because their life has changed or needs a change for the better. This is my Midcourse Correction! Quote~The shifting tides of life have a way of testing our faith, our determination, and our common sense. But when we accept our changing circumstances and adapt to them , we gain maturity and insight. ~Daily Inspirations For Women ;Mar. 24

So the next time someone tells you "You can't do that!" Prove them wrong if you know your can do it! Today I am grabbing for my own brass ring, and I'm gonna do it my way! And when I succeed its gonna feel AWESOME!

My Share With You! Tina Graves: Stalking Slandering and Bullying

So many talk of bullying these days. I just got a phone call from the Police News that they are doing an Alberta Campaign to inform kids about bullying. Yes, its nice to share info about what kids may be able to do to stop it but what are we doing to stop it?

I was one of the many that faced bullying in Elementary school. I was chased on bikes, wrapped in a chain link fence, thrown off a school roof, constantly harrassed by the 'popular' crowd and it all started with a rumor. One of the 'popular' boys asked me on a date, I said 'No', then the crap began. It really hurt my reputation, which I didn't care about too much, but they trickled to my younger siblings and they started getting bullied.

Its over two decades later and we all survived. My son who's 9 has had his experience with bullying. His school has a zero tolerance and suspended the bully. My son intervened on the behalf of another boy that was being bullied and talked to them both. Now all three are friends. So is it how we are shown to handle bullies that is the difference?

Below is a blog from someone that was bullied. Its an interesting read. It poses the questions, how can we overcome the bullying of our youth? How do we overcome the feelings and avoid it in the future? How do we not put up with it when we're an adult? 

I hope you will comment on this.

Thinking of You, Val

Tina Graves: Stalking Slandering and Bullying: I have had plenty of people asked me do this and I told them when the time is right, I will share my perspective on these cases. I thought...

A Great Weight Lifted!

I don't like to push religon on others unless asked. Although Today I have to shout from my balcony, THANK YOU GOD! I'm alive and doing fine.

We have had so much pressure with financial obligations at the store my hubby and I own. With divine help and much prayer from us and our Church we have overcome the worst of the hurtles! We had a business that could have closed our doors if we didn't pay their bill and today (one day early than the deadline) I was able to give our lawyer the cheque.

Now all of our worries aren't over we still have a few hurtles to jump yet, but this one was weighing very heavy in our lives and now it seems a load has been lifted. My lawyer was so proud and happy for us that he gave me a High Five! Now how cool is that and how many lawyers would be excited for their clients to the point of a High Five and a vigorous handshake??? It was totally awesome! (sorry for the '80's phrase)

God never gives us more than we can handle, but Holy Cow did we cut it close! Thank you Lord for this blessing!

My kids and their hobby

I have an 8 year old boy, Robby; and a 5 year old girl, Deanna. Since they were born they have been exposed to hobbies. Because I am self employed as a hobby store owner both kids have been coming to the store with me since they were born.

The day Robby was born I was doing payroll and had to fill in a shift for a sick co-worker during that morning. Later that afternoon, my tummy was pulsing so I called my husband to take me to the hospital. Good thing, as four hours later, Robby arrived. Two days later he was in a carrier as I restocked shelves and then did paperwork for my store.

When Deanna was born I was only away for 17 hours. In Canada, I don't put into EI so I can't get Mat leave benefits. I don't work... no money comes in.

We have a model railroad (train dept.), model kits, rocketry, crafts, regular priced stock and a clearance center. So my kids have a choice. And since my husband and I are both into hobbies, the kids follow.

This picture is of my son on his 8th birthday. It was at my store and his friends gave him items to do with his hobbies. Trains, Star Wars and homemade cards and gifts.

My son loves trains. So our family designed a simple layout for our basement that folds into the wall when not in use that has a track for both of my kids and was simple to do.

My daughter loves crafts and creating things. She is starting to show interest in the science kits we have and scratch building supplies.

We also do dioramas which are 'scenes' to play on or display. Like mountains and rivers.

Talk to your kids about what you used to do as a child, they may just want to try that too!

Getting your child into a hobby

It can be hard in todays world to get our children away from the TV and video games and into a hobby that engages their brains in more creative ways, but you can help them- and perhaps you can rekindle yours or a spouses too.
The first is simple, consider their age. The older the child the more complicated and involved the hobby can be.
Second, what are the child interests? Do they like cars, trains, gluing, cutting, moulding with their hands? If you are not sure, take them to a hobby store or teachers store and see what things attracts their attention- again keep thier age and patience level in mind.
Next, keep your budget in mind and stick to it. AS the child gets more into the hobby encourage them to do things to earn money to help pay for their hobby. When they help pay for the items they get even more interested in it.
Last, if they start to loose interest or you find yourself doing most of it, put it away for a week and try again. Never push a hobby on them or they may not want to persue a new one in the future.

What hobby is your child into? What were you into when you were their age?

Kid Olympics

My six year old son asked me what the Olympics are. Once I explained and visited the Internet with him, he was so excited. He wanted to know if there is an Olympics for kids. He was perplexed when I told him NO. Then we proceeded in creating one for him and his friends.

• We decided on how many 'events' to have. We decided on 6.
• We planned out how many kids and what ages were going to attend. (Our games are for ages 3 to 8)
• We will have three adults for judges.
• 1st event: the tight rope walk: We place an 8 foot length of rope on the ground and the kids, one at a time, must walk forward and then backward on the rope. the one that can do both ways without stepping off the rope wins 1st and so on.
• 2nd event: Jump rope: For the older kids, whoever jumps the most times in 2 minutes wins. For the younger kids, lay the rope on the ground and the kids jump back and forth over it for 1 minute and the one with the most jumps wins.
• 3rd event: bean bag toss: We got a 3 by 8 foot piece of wood and one of the dads cut varying sized holes at various heights all over the board. We placed a line one third of the way up and the lower part was for the younger kids. A different colour outlined the holes for varying degree of difficult. The one that put a bean bag through all of the holes or got the highest before missing was the winner and so on.
• 4th event: Name that Character: the kids are shown pictures of various cartoon or whatever pictures you choose and the one that names the most or all wins.
• 5th event: Keychain making: The kids have all they need to assemble a keychain. A keyring, pipecleaner, 8 coloured beads and a charm. They are shown how to assemble the keychain and the start is sounded.
• 6th event: triathlon: choose 3 different activities suited to the ages of the kids. We chose 10 situps, running backward the length of an 8 foot rope, then bike or trike back to the beginning.

we assembled award ribbons from cupcake papers and ribbon to look like rosette awards and pickup up small prized from the dollar store for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place.

then we will end it with a water balloon fight!

Let us know how your event goes and what ideas you have for your own 'Olympic' events.

How did we survive to be adults?

Well, my husband and I spent an hour trying to put our kids car seats (the ones that support them until they are 80lbs, and can be made into a booster chair). We ended up with language that could make a sailor blush and a trip to Wal-Mart for booster seats.

How is it that we lived to adulthood? I remember going on trips with my family. I have 4 siblings and my mom and dad. My dad converted a raised roof van into a camper. My siblings and I would 'surf' in the middle of the van while my parents chatted in the front without seatbelts. When we were tired, we slept in the bunks, while the vehicle was in motion.

We all learned not to talk back and how far we could 'push our luck' with our parents. My mom had a wooden spoon and my dad would put his hand on his belt and give us the warning 'look'. Now as adults we do the '1...2...3' as our kids just stare blankly at us. Or we send them to their room for a punishment of a TV and game system, toys carpeting the floor and a 'you can come out in 8 minutes because you're 8 years old and you get a one minute time out for every year of age'.

And don't get me started on the manners of todays kids. We always addressed adults as Mr. or Mrs. Nieghbour, or Sir. My brothers learned to open doors for ladies and we all knew that 'please and thank you' were needed if you wanted to actually recieve that snack or gift.

I am teaching my kids manners. My six year old son opens doors for ladies, my three year old daughter says 'thank you' when she gets a compliment. And both my kids know that out in public they must say 'please' and 'thank you'.

Yes, I understand that this new way is supposed to reduce abuse of children and be the new and accepted way, but I turned out pretty good. I'm not a serial killer, abuser of substance or people and I know how to conduct myself socially. I wonder what our kids will have to deal with when they have kids?

I would love for you to share how you get your kids to behave, or use their manners or even a story from your childhood. Don't be shy.... you can use a fake name....