My kids are pretty restricted in what the are allowed to watch on tv. I hate Nickelodeon and Cartoon network. they watch the news, discovery, history, PBS (antique roadshow)etc. They are very nerdy becasue of my influence, I’m sure. They do have MP3 players–loaded up with music I have chosen, or they ask for certain songs, and I oblige. I love the “80’s too, so lots of old U2, Paul Young, English Beat, old Dolly Parton etc., and then bluegrass and other stuff I just like. They seem to like it too. They are big readers, and my 11 year old is big writer as well, of short stories, poetry and a novel she is in the process of writing. The 10 year old plays piano, both girls sing in the church choir, and are in the school band (flute and clarinet). They are active Girl Scouts. They love pizza(especially NY style, hard to get in B’ham Alabama, but there are some Manhattanites with a very good one down the street! I’m a native LI’er myself) and my kindergarten boy loves McDonald’s. He is like a little addict. The girls were disgusted by Super Size Me (which I let them watch on MSNBC), so they are becoming a little more health conscious than 6 yo boy. They swim, play soccer and ride on their scooter. I think they are different from most kids these days, but please do know not all kids are spoiled brats telling their parents what they are going to be doing! Mom and Dad are still the boss around here.
Their report cards are printed out by computers, but everyone still gets a hard copy! They talk about homework on the phone (the 11 yo gets a lot of calls, being a real smarty pants in her class). Baseball cards? Well, 6 yo is a little young, but he does have some kind of monstery looking cards. I recently heard Pokemon is making a come back with the high school age kids. The girls have no interest in that right now. They love webkinz and still check on their neopets. 6 yo loves Spider Man, Pirates, etc.
They’re cool I think! Having kids has been fun for us, over all. Yes, there is pain and suffering involved, but the joys are immense as well.

So if you have a clean criminal record (This includes DWIs.), you should contact your local agency because most of them are hurting for volunteers. And if you can’t volunteer, please donate.

And if you haven’t guessed yet, this is something a little personal to me.

I’m not sure just how many of them would know what Ms. Pac-Man is since they are so unaware of just about everything except what directly involves them. Though they are all up on the latest cell phones and car stereo systems.

Right now it seems as though new clothes shopping must involve buying clothes that look as ratty and outgrown as possible - holes all over the jeans, faded T-shirts, shorts from cut off sweat pants, and for the girls, jackets that stop just under the boobs, like it was meant for someone two feet shorter. They keep trying for uniforms at my school, but it hasn’t been voted in by the parents yet - we’re 1 of 4 schools in the 53-school district that doesn’t have uniforms. Everyday I wish the school board would come to its senses and mandate uniforms. In the words of a co-worker “I’m tired of seeing the ‘twins’ everyday.”

If nothing else, high school provides my daily dose of entertainment (and frustration). Especially when I have 18 year old whining because they didn’t get a sticker or stamp on their paper.