Survivors - Parenting Plights & Delights

One look at the gorgeous tiki hut below makes me think of a tropical paradise. Peaceful, relaxing, a place to hang loose. Can you believe this is someone's back yard in a suburb of Los Angeles?

What a perfect setup for Alexis to house sit for her parents last June. She and little Zack, not quite two, could walk over to visit her 90-year-old grandmother, who lived next door. And what a fun yard for a toddler to run around in.

One late afternoon, Alexis took Zack outside with her to feed the fish in the pond. When she tried to go back in the house, she discovered the door was locked. There's a gate, but it was padlocked. The key? In the house, of course, and the gate was too high to scale.

It was 4:30. She called over the fence to her grandma, but there was no response. What the heck, Alexis decided she could make do for a few hours until Joe, her husband, got off work at 7:30.

She continued to call to Grandma next door, but Grandma didn't answer. Inside the house, the landline and cell phone rang off and on. Soon dinnertime rolled around, and Zack needed to eat.

The tiki hut's shelves weren't stocked with food, just drinks. She let Zack sip a Coke and hoped it would hold him over until Daddy arrived to rescue them.

Soon Zack filled his diaper, and what a doozie! No wipes and no extra diapers, so she hosed him off and had no choice but to let him run around stark naked. He ran all over the yard, rolled in mud and dirt, laughing and having a blast. He reminded his mother of the wild boys in Lord of the Flies.

All the while the phones kept ringing and Grandma still didn't answer Alexis's calls. Joe must have worked overtime because 7:30 came and went. Then darkness fell, so Alexis found matches in the tiki hut and lit the tiki torches so they could see. She helped herself to a Mai Tai and let Zack sip more Coke.

Just when Alexis thought they'd never escape the backyard prison, Grandma arrived at 9:30 to save them. It turned out Joe had been calling and for hours. He finally called Grandma and asked her to go next door and check on Alexis and Zack.

That night they basked in the comforts of civilization, so happy they had survived their back yard adventure.

"No day is so bad it can't be fixed with a nap."

~ Carrie P. Snow

Have you ever been locked out? What happened?

Do you have a parenting or grandparenting memory

or another story you'd like to share? 

If you're not a parent, memories from your own childhood count, too. 

Warning: I might feature your story in a future post. 

(Names can be changed to protect the guilty!)

I'd like to thank all those who have shared their stories. 

These posts wouldn't be the same without your input.

If you don't want to leave a comment but would rather contact me by email, 

here's my address: lynkelwoohoo at yahoo dot com.

Little Mimics - Parenting Plights & Delights

Some kids get in trouble if they utter the dreaded 'S' word. Parents, you know what I'm talking about, and big, bad me, I'm going to say it right here in this post, so if your kids are looking over your shoulder, you might want to shoo them away. Here goes, the shocking, scandalous 'S' word - 'Shut up!' (Hey, that's actually two words.)

Rene Reiner is one of many parents who designated the 'S' word as off limits. In the wee hours one morning while doing paper work, she was startled by the loud voice of her 18-year-old son, J.R., telling her nine-year-old son, "Shut up, Charlton!"

It took Rene a moment before she realized that J.R. was in another state and that Charlton had been asleep for hours. Then once more she heard it, "Shut up, Charlton!" This time she pegged the speaker as their pet parrot.

When J.R. returned home, she asked him why he'd been telling his brother to shut up.

"I didn't," he said.

"Then why does the parrot say 'shut up, Charlton' in your voice?"

J.R. turned red, then fessed up, "I've only done it a couple times."

Photo byJessie Harrell via WANA Commons

I've heard other stories of parrots repeating things they weren't taught to say, like one family that spent hours trying to teach their new parrot cute phrases, but it wouldn't say anything. Then one day the parrot started talking, but instead of the cutsie phrases they were teaching it, it said, "Get out of my room!" Then later, "I didn't do it."

Photo by Dana Ross Martin via WANA Commons

This is not the cockatoo mentioned below.

The parrots repeated some not-so-nice things, but that's nothing compared to a white cockatoo I heard about. Yes, this is a true story. Imagine buying such a beautiful bird and wondering why anyone would want to sell their gorgeous pet. Now picture the new owners' shocked expressions when the cockatoo yelled, "Shut the 'F'ing door!" Oh, my, my, my.  What a predictament!

Do you have certain words or phrases that your kids are forbidden to say? 

Have you ever owned a talking bird that said things you didn't like?

Do you have a parenting or grandparenting memory

or another story you'd like to share? 

If you're not a parent, memories from your own childhood count, too. 

Warning: I might feature your story in a future post. 

(Names can be changed to protect the guilty!)

I'd like to thank all those who have shared their stories. 

These posts wouldn't be the same without your input.

If you don't want to leave a comment but would rather contact me by email, 

here's my address: lynkelwoohoo at yahoo dot com.

Summer is Slippin' Slidin' Away - Parenting Plights & Delights

“Summer should get a speeding ticket.” ~ Author Unknown

Spring and summer are my favorite seasons. My kids are grown, and I don't have to deal with hectic school mornings anymore, but every year at this time I pause to mourn Fall casting its shadow on summertime.

Some of my favorite childhood memories:    

Surprise showers with tingly raindrops.

Marking the street up with sidewalk chalk well past 9:00 and still daylight.

When night fell, lightning bugs flitted around us, glowing with magic.

As a mother, summer fun with my kids and my sister Pam and her children bring more happy times to mind. These photos are from about 24 years ago, but it seems like just yesterday:

"Take time to play. It is the secret to staying young." ~ Unknown

Get ready. Get set...

GO!

Pam remembers this day of fun spent with our kids.
Sometimes adults need to take time and play like a kid again.

"When life rains on your parade, bring out the slip'n'slide!" ~ Author Unknown

"A child reminds us that playtime is an essential part of our daily routine." ~ Author Unknown

Photos will fade and summers fizzle, 

but memories are forever.

"No school. Sleepovers. Tanning. Beaches. 

Water fights. Tank tops. Flip flops. 

Lemonade. Sunglasses. Taking Pictures. Late nights. 

Ice-cream. Warm air. Camps. Short shorts. 

Sleeping in. Summer Breeze. 

Tan lines. Sand castles. Long hair. 

Mud fights. Bonfires. Slushies. Pool parties. 

Sun kissed hair. Palm trees. Barbecues. 

Blue skies…Make it count!" 

~ Author Unknown

Check out this great YouTube video. It's only 21 seconds long.

Wowsers! Does this look like fun or what?
Would you brave a ride on this?

Do you have any favorite summer memories? What's your favorite season and why?

Parents, do you like to do things like this with your kids?

Do you have a parenting or grandparenting memory

or another story you'd like to share? 

If you're not a parent, memories from your own childhood count, too. 

Warning: I might feature your story in a future post. 

(Names can be changed to protect the guilty!)

I'd like to thank all those who have shared their stories. 

These posts wouldn't be the same without your input.

If you don't want to leave a comment but would rather contact me by email, 

here's my address: lynkelwoohoo at yahoo dot com.