Falling All Over the Place

Falling can be a dangerous thing. Over the years this miscalculation of distance, height, ground condition and simple misstep has given me much to reflect on and be thankful for. I did not break a leg, ankle wrist or arm.

My first time at unrehearsed air dancing occurred as I climbed on to our ceramic 50's stove while trying to clean behind the refrigerator beside it. I stepped onto what I thought was a secure step stool. When it collapsed, I tumbled onto the floor, rather gracefully, considering. ... The harshness of this maneuver left 4 scars on my wrist, a reminder of my first foray into skydiving.

From there, I moved onto a more rigorous training program of falling on lightly dusted ice. Not realizing I was walking on thin ice, I soon felt the wrenching pain of my leg muscle as it made contact with the cold, hard ground underneath. Gravity was my enemy. ... Then there was my slip and slide glide down two steps into a room. Gracefully walking into the room, I realized very quickly the ease of a nightgown attaching itself to the inside of a slipper as I carried a small glass of juice. Down I went. The mess was around me but, thankfully, it was not me. The glass remained still clutched in my hand, though half of its contents were spread every which way. The cleanup began.

One morning as I began healing from my two month exposure to the drug Fosamax, (a drug for bone density), I slid down a flight of stairs. It seemed comical at the time. What purpose is served feeling sorry for oneself? It happened. It's over and I'm alive- two things in my favour. As I sat there, I had hoped that nothing was broken. I stood up, grateful for the sensation of pain that was present but did not envelope me. I sat on the floor for awhile before trying to stand up. Everything still worked! With a diagnosis of osteoporosis, many years ago, I wondered that if I moved would something crack under the weight of my body? I waited a bit, laughing again at this latest attempt to fly. Would my body react to my laughing by signalling the brain that this old lady was quackers, laughing and not crying out in pain? I got up, ever so grateful that I was able to move, bend and clean up after our dogs and cat. ... Some things just seem to cry out 'gratitude'.


I worried about bruising. So, I upped the vitamin C 'dose' to include more freshly squeezed grapefruit/orange juice combo. I paid attention to my thoughts. I had read that the body's reaction to illness, pain, old age and injury can, to a certain degree, depend upon how we view these health transgressions at the time of their occurrence and the remedial action taken. Pity parties are self indulgent. So I laughed, hoping my body and brain would join me and send the right 'armies' to help me heal. I think it worked. ...Since that time, I have fallen, tripped here and there, but managed to regain my equilibrium. Am I testing my pain thresh hold? I need to walk slower and continue with my all manner of 'dancing'. Keeping flexible, agile with a positive attitude helps in the healing when any fall occurs.

The greatest health mishap for me, though, occurred several years ago when I slipped in the kitchen while holding a pot of boiling water and pasta. (Did the hot pasta cushion the atrocity as the contents spilled over my upper body?) Aloe Vera 'juice' from a plant, nearby, helped to soothe the pain and the burn's physical assault on my skin. ... A visit to an emergency health clinic the next day was planned. The following day, after a change in my burn's status, I visited the emergency department of our local hospital where treatment was administered to my 2^nd degree burns. Finally, the healing had begun.

Through this latest health mishap, I laughed whenever recalling this dreaded event. That evening, phone calls came from each of our three sons, enquiring about my health status. “Is Freddy Kruger there?' “May I speak to Freddy?” My skin seemed to be wrapped very tightly around my fingers and forearm. These observations seemed to figure into their comical spin on my burn injury. I laughed and laughed. Why not? (The benefits of laughter on mental health and healing are well known.) Our sons' concerns for their mother was quite funny and since I was simply in pain, laughing seemed to be the only treatment option left open to me.

Momsey's Daycare: An Unusual Kind of Place. ...

The children arrive at momsey's daycare school. No agency can do better than what momsey can do. Momsey is an old lady because her birth date tells her so. Too bad. ... She is more than that number. ... Momsey can be many things: hot, funny, smart ( many times) and assertive ("Drop it, Mr. Wiggles. That is not food.")

Today will be another day of learning. Momsey has much to experience in this category. You will show her, little ones. ... “We will see what dogs can do when they want to have fun. Exercise is very important for them as well as us. ” Water is another important food to keep the animals hydrated and healthy, especially in hot weather. They overheat very quickly, They perspire through their mouths.” ... Let us move to the living room where more fun happens. We are going to build a castle, a bridge or a shopping mall, maybe, all three. "Do we have enough blocks?"  Here are the unpainted wooden blocks from which to choose. There are short ones, long ones, square ones, triangular shaped ones and round ones. Which ones do you need? Let's start. For silly's sake, we will also stack wooden cubes with numbers and letters all around to see how tall the wooden tower can become before it falls down. ...We must be ever so careful and quiet, though, as we place one cube on top of another. The slightest misstep by our hands, even our breath, may knock the tower down. I'm playing, too. Sometimes, the cube must be placed ever so gently to the left or to the right, on top of the lower one, to ensure the tower will stand as straight as possible. Sometimes, gravity takes over and the whole thing falls down. We laugh ourselves silly. ...  Let's do it again and again.

Reading time can begin with picture books, books with lovely drawings of animals, people, things, places and nature. Let's sit on the floor. What do you see? What story will you tell me, today?  I think tomorrow's story will be different. What is the boy/ girl thinking? Can you hear anything? What is it? Why did the dog run over there? Tell us what you know from your story.. The next book is another exciting book about people in many places doing many things. Here it goes. I especially like The Big Red Dog. Then there is the book about Grover, the muppet, everyone loves. Bring your favourite book to daycare, tomorrow, for me, so that I may read it to the group.... I love reading, do you?

Snack time has arrived. Your little bodies need the proper fuel to grow, live and learn. Simple foods for little growing bodies.. I know it is only 10:30 a.m. But I call it lunch. Why not? The sooner your daily food needs are met, the quicker we can indulge in other foods, not necessarily included on the food guide. ...  (Momsey will decide, after consulting with your mom and dad). ... (With our own boys, lunch always began when they got hungry, a few hours after breakfast. ...Cookies and milk came later, if at all. ... Even though they were all preemies with low birth weights, they grew up to be strong, healthy men). ...We'll listen to what is called 'easy listening music until nap time. ... It seems right about now. (Sleep helps  the young body and mind prepare for growing and learning) ...If you are hungry what you eat must be serious food, not silly food. (Filling foods not 'fill in' foods are what matter.) One of our boys' favourite was grilled cheese sandwiches. I now use cheese blocks and slice what I need to make them. Inside I add sliced onion or some other green vegetable. When it all heats up, it tastes great. Here's the organic ketchup. There's milk, juice to drink. Yum. Then, there is macaroni and cheese. Even a simple departure from the norm can be yummy. (Adding grated cheese, milk(coconut milk, perhaps) can enliven the flavour for children and introduce them to something different. Soft fruit follows. Supervision when eating is an absolute must.

We will now go outside to play. Fresh air is important, too. Let's look for dinosaurs. Why don't we find them? Explain to me, please. I do not understand. (The explanations are so fascinating.) Back into the house we go to play some more and, maybe, have a cookie,  some fruit or chocolate. (Supper is hours away yet.) What a nice treat. For tomorrow, we'll make perogies, pretzels, or whatever seems easy for us. For now, there is so much to do, see and touch. Let's talk to the dogs and see how their day went. Maybe the time is right for drawing or colouring. Making a circle free hand is the hardest first step in becoming an artist. Let's see how good we are. Your mom and dad are here. Let's get dressed so they do not have to wait too long. They must be so tired working all day long. At least, though, they do not have to worry about momsey's daycare. She is strict where play-time, eating/washing hands and safety are concerned. Tomorrow, maybe, we will find those dinosaurs. Goodbye children. The dancing will have to wait. We did too many other things, today.

Today's Daycare Crisis: Possible Solutions

Today's daycare dilemma, in Canada, in particular, has reached an unprecedented crisis point. In Toronto alone, with a population of several million, waiting lists for licensed day care facilities grow longer each day, with no end in sight. Parents are now are faced with the wrenching decision of what to do. At the basis of any daycare arrangement is the absolute trust  you give to another person to care for your child. Relinquishing this control is the most difficult challenge of all.

The decision to stay home is not an easy one but where our children are concerned, it is a no-contest. Thirty five years ago, I was a stay-at-home mom to a special needs baby, then two more, in the next two years. With a husband who travelled a lot, back then, the decision was a straight forward, out of necessity one, for our family. Every daycare decision is a personal one and one that is based upon trust. (Finding pet care solutions could also follow a similar plan.)

Some possible day care solutions:

A)... Find a trusted person/family in your neighbourhood, whose environment and family values mesh with yours, as closely as possible. This route has been the most travelled one for parents, for decades, after ruling out trusted family members such as parents, grandparents or sisters. (aunts) Sadly, not all of us have extended family capable of taking care of our young children. Leave nothing to chance. (If something feels wrong, time to move on to another selection. With pets or children, there are no second chances.)


B)... Bartering for services rendered. Instead of paying for 'babysitting', a method of exchanging product for services rendered to eliminate the need for $. You have something the babysitter requires on an ongoing basis (Teaching?, accounting?, sewing?) or you posses a skill such as quilting that would translate into blanket, linens or other products, all to be negotiated, on a per need basis. Anything is possible. Finding someone in your neighbourhood who loves children is the first order of the day.

C)... In the work place, employees have young children and some are expectant parents. A gathering in the conference room for a 'meet and greet' of interested parents, who live in your neighbourhood, to determine if basic criteria can be met as to the suitability of parents to care for each other's children- short term.. ... A rotating schedule of parenting could be devised with employer's input. ... (Companies need to realize, very quickly, that their very existence is dependent upon  people and that these great people have children who need the best people to care for them!.)....Every fourth or fifth week, it could be your turn to care for children- assigned you-in your home- for one week.(No more than 3 per adult caregiver, in this scenario) ... Could this eliminate the babysitting cost for you? Could this help in obtaining day care, so urgently needed? Could there be a skype room for check-ins whenever a parent needed to see what was happening, at that moment, with his child in the employee's home? (Of course, on-site day care might be more preferable)


D)... A Fostering plan could be another way of caring for your child. Meeting older parents whose children are grown, with children of their own. Real life grandparents might love to parent your child, part-time, full-time, on a temporary basis, near your home, while you attend to work or complete your degree. For short duration, finding older, experienced parents might be a great support network for you and your family. To reciprocate you could help them out by taking them shopping on weekends, inviting them on family vacation as you build a new relationship. Loving people simply love.

E)... This is the skype plan. When day care, close to home, is unavailable, it might be time to go beyond the scope of what daycare should be in today's modern times. Would your baby benefit from being left with another family, outside your area, for short periods of time? Skype would be a must-have tool, thus enabling parents to see and talk to their child, on an ongoing basis. A thorough check of the fostering family would be needed, of course, involving your own network of family and friends as support. (Barbecues, dinners and stay-overs would help in determining suitability of families chosen). Today, there are limited opportunities to connect with people who want to give love and support to growing families....


Options to care for society's children should not be left strictly to government. Moms and dads know a thing or two. A broader scope of daycare choices could be the new order for children and pets, too.. ....Next... momsey's daycare scenario, a different kind of day...