22 Sept, 2010                        Parenting 911 by Mothegoose
(aka Trudy Peck but that’s less interesting so let’s keep it quiet, shall we?)

“I got a fish hook in my nose.”  my son calmly announced one day, entering the room holding the evidence in with one hand and looking a bit pale with the other.  Now, that’s not something you hear every day from your child (thank goodness) but on occasion similar phrases will issue from your offspring as you look on in horror thinking, “Now what?!”  
Now that the school year has started, many parents have a minute to sit back, sigh and breathe for half a minute until the kids come in the door at the end of the school day.  There may be a chance to think for a brief moment about the family and what on Earth we could be doing wrong, (or right!), in raising our children in this crazy world they are a part of.  A bit of wondering may go on as to whether what we parents are doing is helping the next generation on their path to greatness and leadership or just directing them to the next level of a virtual reality video game.  It seems that almost daily small fires occur, (generally not literally, but sometimes…a fish hook?), things that make moms and dads stare in astonishment and wonder what they’ve gotten themselves into this time.  Therefore, Parenting 911 is now being offered, to answer child rearing questions and often state the obvious that is staring us in the face so hard we don’t recognize it for what it is—the obvious.  
Take sleeping, for example.  What parent has never had trouble knowing how to get a kid to turn off the energy and get to bed at a decent hour?  Or the never-ending laundry pile syndrome, what of that?  Or might you be interested in a new method of time-out that makes them laugh on the way to the corner? How about complimenting your children?  How recently have you thanked your 15-year—old for being potty trained?  Well, are you grateful for that, or what?  
So, with 22 years of experience, 7 plus children and 2 and 1/2 grandchildren, ‘Mother Goose’ is here to teach “Parenting 911: Where to turn when you have no place else to turn.”  You send in your questions, Mother Goose offers suggestions, try them at your own risk– nothing in the parenting field will ever, EVER be guaranteed!   And if it turns out that something you try makes your job of raising kids easier, great!  And if you just get a laugh?  Great too!  So, send ‘em in, your questions, and let’s get started with “Parenting 911!”  
Address questions to mothergoose911@yahoo.com