Mysti was wondering so I am sure others are also, why I do so much for my grown children? I do it because, my parents were not there for me. My mom was too busy dealing with my father and brothers problems and they were severe. I learned early on not to ask. I am sure I asked all the time but I rarely got help as I came into my teenage years. I know she tried but her own problems just took over. I floundered through early college and life set up and I needed help. I told myself I would be there for my kids.
Hubbies parents always, always moved us. The first 10 years we were married we moved 11 times. I think they were very generous with this as they are the cheapest most selfish people I know, but they were so afraid I would leave their son who had lost yet another job. We always had to move to find a less expensive situation as hubby had no work. He was always the first one let go, laid off, you get the picture. His parents did not want him back and they did not want the stigma of divorce (heaven forbid). I guess it is a family thing. I do it because I want to help, he does it as he sees it as tradition. But if we did not have any resources we could say we could not. I will not go into debt for this, I will just cut back somewhere else. I know I over indulge my children. Baby steps, baby steps....
I just looked in the freezer, which is a mess( it will be a Carla challenge) and I don't beleive we have much in the way of meat. I have a lot of frozen fruit from the trees out back. I will have to dig. This is from eating out of the pantry the last month.
We are going to have so much fun this next month. Read Carla's blog she is under fire also. that makes this challenge all the easier. I can see it now we will all be together splitting the same bean like Micki Mouse and Pluto!
So here is a picture of my first challenge it is small, but you have to start somewhere, right?
The infamous kitchen junk drawer! Do you think I can get anything else in there? I bet you can't wait to see tomorrows picture, right?
Out My Window: It will be rainy and cloudy today, but the weekend is supposed to be beautiful!
I have to get a great deal of sewing done today. It is due tomorrow. So off to the Salt Mines I go.
Have a great and productive day!
Kim
Oh, I have the kitchen drawer too!! and it looks about the same now:) I'll know where to start next month :)
ReplyDeleteAnd your yard looks beautiful! We hope to be able to build a deck in the next few years but it's expensive. We built a little patio last summer, and I love it!!We also we hope to add couple of fruit trees and expand my garden too this year.
I love that you are doing photos now!!! :)
ReplyDeleteIf I had an extra drawer in my kitchen it would look just like that! Out Your Window is beautiful and no wonder it inspired the title of your blog. God's creation is incredible! Thanks for sharing!
My kitchen drawer is a MESS!
ReplyDeleteLove the photos, Kim! :) Adds a lot to a blog!! As for helping your kids, as long as they are self-sufficient, I think it's great that you help! :) I know i'll always help my kids too! BUT if they depend on your help to get by, that could get tricky. My junk drawer needs done badly too.... Hmm... Maybe I'll get off my butt & do it. Ok, you've convinced me! Off to do it, will post before & after pics after!
ReplyDeletePs - Thanks for the sewing machine advice!! I'll try it & let you know!! :)
Ohhhhh the kitchen junk drawer(s) - that could be my dreaded challenge if I didn't already have one - maybe I'll do two - hah, we'll see, I haven't even started one yet!!
ReplyDeleteMy parents couldn't help me either - my mom was always by my dad's side as he went in and out of every psychiatric unit within 100 mile radius of where we lived. So, I too wanted to be a different mom to my daughter and I think I have been. We all do what we feel is best for us and our children.
My parents were also not there for me, in any way. I was the afterthought child, born 6 years after my brothers. I sort of grew up as an only due to this and by my time, my parents were done with the whole raising kids thing and turned into themselves and their own problems. I was basically living on my own by 15.
ReplyDeleteHaving grown up hard like this, I've tried to be there for my kids. But it's difficult to strike the balance because I didn't have any good examples of how to be a parent beyond the little kid stage(toddlers, young child)because of not having parents around. So I tend toward the strict and making them be responsible, etc.
It's ok in the end, because Hubs is a big old softee with money, time, overdoing for them, etc. so we balance each other out.
So I know it's a hard juggling act between overindulging your kids and not wanting them to have to go through the deficits you did.
I do think that many(not saying this is the case with your situation)kids are more capable of handling things than their parents give them credit for. If more parents were more hands off(but waiting in the wings to help if REALLY needed)and let their kids attempt things on their own, we'd see a more confident generation, that would eventually stop asking for/needing help.
I think many parents are too quick to swoop down and rescue their kids from situations and the whole learning experience for the kids is lost. It starts at a young age but it never really ends, meaning you end up with grown adults, once the parents are dead and gone, who can't fully function in the world. Just MHO here....