Mindful dads are fighting back!

It was after the third angry mail I received from male bloggers, following this post about the first exceptional dad contributor to my new site http://www.parents-space.com,  (here) that it struck me: Unintentionally, I just started a mini genders war.

 

OK, Joke, don’t send me angry mails again. Don’t be sensitive, you know how many of these are just lying there waiting for me to Google “men vs woman”?

Anyway, I am Soooooooooooo happy to inform you, that only 2 weeks from that post, and the moms – dads bloggers gap is becoming smaller every day now - 6 dad contributors have already joined us at Parents-Space!

Hey, you should get to know them:

There’s Pieter from this post above: Pieter already pushed his way up  to the contributors presentation, in two weeks!

What does it mean, you are asking? Good question!

It means that he considers his new important role as a blogger at parents-space.com seriously, and posts a lot.

Getting there in 2 weeks, well – good job  

I find his posts (here) thought-provoking as well as amusing.  The sibling rivalry post for example, I figured long ago that I will die long before I solve this one.

Speaking of sibling rivalry, I promised you that this site is a meeting place of parents and experts, didn’t I?

Sibling Rivalry is discussed in a new post by Sam Margulies (here). Sam, http://sammargulies.com/, who joined us for a weekly post, is one of the most experienced divorce consultants and mediators in the United States, and for sure his experience will benefit many.

Another daddy blogger that just joined us is Shah:  Shah is a  film maker blogging in  http://blankpagebeatdown.wordpress.com/ , and blogging about parenthood in  parents-space.com. You can read him discussing the  different communication of moms and dads in regards to parenting (here) , as a reply to my accusations towards daddy bloggers…;-)

Timothy from http://meanderedwanderings.wordpress.com, a dad of 3 daughters,  has posted his first post in parents-space.com, is discussing the very important topic of building creativity with children (here)

John of http://johnthetoyshopguy.wordpress.com/ , an English Philosopher working with toys,  just joined us as well, and posted about dad’s – mom’s social life (here).

And last: Adam, a serial reinventor (as well as many other things) from Florida, blogging in http://brainsplatterkeyboard.wordpress.com/, has posted today in Parents-Space.com for the first time, about dealing with his son’s nightmares.

Good for you, men bloggers. For 2 weeks you’ve done a lot to prove me wrong!

If you didn’t contact me yet but would like to join us, feel free to contact me at info@parents-space.com.  

This applies to both genders…;-)   See you at http://www.Parents-space.com!

   

Is my Tween Video-Chatting with Strangers???

I didn’t post a lot lately, being engaged in my new parents site, http://www.parents-space.com .

It’s coming up nicely I think! 60 Contributors already.

The variety of contributors results in discussing many topics, some are fairly new to me. I bet that I’m not alone here.

A naive parent I am,  a species that cannot survive for long in the 21 century.

Listen to this:

My Tween (12 – should I say “Teen”?) was standing near my computer when I was editing posts in Parents- Space.com, and suddenly asked me – “mommy, how do you know Omegle”?  She noticed the icon in Andrea’s post:

http://www.parents-space.com/internet-safety/omegle-com-parents-beware-do-you-know-who-your-kids-are-chatting-with/

Now please believe me:  You definitely DO NOT wish your kids to know “Omegle”.

This is Andrea http://andreamcdanielphotography.com/blog/ and I am so glad to have her contributing to Parents-Space.com.

If not for her, I would have never known about Omegle. My tween however, she does. She knows Omegle so well, she recognized the logo immediately.  But guess what, now I know she knows.

She said she didn’t use it. A friend showed it to her.

Do I believe her?? She recognized the logo in an instant, and named it without hesitation.

While considering my reaction (do I faint now, or do I wait?) I’m getting a call from a peer’s mom.

She’s been told that some kids were video chatting, and this stranger informed them the size of his penis. The problem was that he measured it in inches, while in my country we use centimeters. Problem, isn’t it???

Having no idea how to convert inches, the tweens checked with their parents what the inches stood for… I’m not joking, actually just thinking about it makes me want to cry.

Should we  download  a conversion app to our children’s cells? You can never know when they’ll need it!

Anyway, if you can’t beat them, join them; We created a “worried moms” WhatsApp group since yesterday, beeping endlessly; just like my daughter’s.

Now that I scared the hell out of you, I will move to the tyres garden I designed with my other kids.  It’s relaxing, it’s not dangerous, and note this: when they are painting, they are not online.

My little ones, they still have a year or two before they start video chatting with strangers.

Sorry, I’m so proud of myself I need to show you another one:

OK, last one: 

These are my 5 and 9 painting (no cell phones yet)

The dog is half blind, not helpful at all.

While we’re at it, that’s my 5 working on wind chimes. Instructions here.

Off to a meeting with the parents of the tween’s peers, to plan defence strategies.

Never let them get ahead of you (technology speaking, at least).

Last: This is actually 2 posts combined together isn’t it? It suddenly struck me that I shouldn’t split it.

It doesn’t matter what kind of parents we are; however it is we educate them while we still have some influence, we’re losing control at 12.

Sorry, folks!

If you wish to stay connected to parents-space.com, please join our FB (here) or Twitter (here).

All posts are Facebooked and Twitted, so you will be informed of every new Omegle.   

May I have your attention please

Reblogged from blessedx5ks:

• 
• 

Now that I have your attention....

I have written briefly about this in an earlier post. But I felt the need to write just about this one particular problem this time. To support my daughter and to learn from all of our mistakes through my written word.

Rebecca is late....she is never late...

My 9 year daughter has a young man in her class that thrives on getting attention.

Read more… 1,020 more words

Mary Anne is a contributor at www.parents-space.com. Her 9 years old daughter is being stalked by a boy in her class for a long time now, making her school days unbearable. I got crazy when reading this, which got me thinking about our ancient protecting- our -children's instincts. Anyway, thought to share this with you; Perhaps Mary Anne could get some good advise? I got a lot of helpful advise from you so far :)

Here He Comes, The First Man

The first man: Not only did he say that he is willing to become a Parents-Space.com author, he actually posted! 

This brave blogger is Pieter from http://pieterk515.wordpress.com/ , a proud dad and cool blogger you should all get to know. Always makes me laugh.

Pieter – I admire your guts, a first male author in a feminine neighbourhood!

BTW, this kind of caught me by surprise.

I mean, when I created Parents-Space.com I visioned it as a site for parents, not for moms. Perhaps it’s because I share my life with a partner who is equally involved in our children’s life.

Then it striked me: I am constantly addressed by male bloggers who say they want to become PS contributors, and disappear.

DDB, the “daily disappearing bloggers” (you know who you are).

Hey listen, it’s not about committing to a relationship, guys. Don’t get me wrong, you’re great. It’s just that I’m already committed.

I’ll explain again:

It’s about discussing parenting issues. You’re parents, right? Good! Bloggers? That’s all it takes!

So I said to hubby – women are from Venus, men from Mars. What is it with these guys, don’t they have parenting issues, or are they leaving it to their wives to handle, while they are busy running the world?

I mean, look at the world. Why don’t you leave it for us to run. It couldn’t get any worst than it already is.

“Dear, you are not even close. Us men, we share same thoughts as you, we just don’t share your outrageous need to tell the whole world about it” he said politely.

“Example”, I said.

“For example, men usually have this thought about their children being more attached to their moms. No matter how much they’re involved in their children’s life, they always have this thought. Only they don’t need to discuss it”.

“No way”, I said. You don’t need to discuss it. You’re a “non discussive” man. You’re a secretive person. Men are not different from women, most of us need some kind of audience, attention, something.

So there we were arguing about the differences between us, when he suggested to pass me a list of parenting topics that I could write about, from a daddy point of view.

Isn’t it a great idea?

He is working on the list now. And good news – 2 more of this rare species  ”proud-daddy-cool-blogger” are joining PS contributors.

Looking forward to blogging with you guys. No commitment, don’t you worry.

See how cool a PS contributor looks ?

 

Calling all parents

To all you parents out there:  My newborn, 1 month old  www.parents-space.com ,  is already becoming a great resource of information for parents.

(If I sound proud, it’s because I am!)

An amazing group of contributing authors (which I can’t thank enough) have gathered together to write in PS  ; some of them are counsellors, some are parents sharing their daily challenges, and all are there for you.

Although still very young, it already covers many topics you might find useful, such as parenting teens, single parenting, internet safety, bullying, eating disorders, special needs parenting, books to cope, and so much more.

Please visit the site and follow, it is growing rapidly and valuable info is added every day.

You can also follow Facebook   and   Twitter, all new articles are published daily.

If you are looking for a place to share your parenting experience, or if  you are  dealing with specific parenting challenges and would like to help others by sharing,  if you are working with children / parents and feel that you can contribute to the site, please feel free to contact me at info@parents-space.com to become a contributing author.

If you are a representative of this rare species – a man, who is also a blogger AND a parent; who in addition to the above is involved in his children’s life, please do not feel that you are excluded from this invitation. On the contrary mail me.

See you all at

It’s a good day to be above ground!

After releasing my last full- of- self- pity post, I called my supportive spouse.

“Tears in my eyes”, he said, “we ARE living in two parallel universes, aren’t we?”

Which is right. I’m the pessimistic one, he’s my opposite. What would he do without me ranting. (manage, no issues, he would say).

 What would I do if I had a pessimistic  spouse. One in the house is more than enough.

These are some of your comments, got me thinking about this whole blogging thing.

Unfortunately not all could fit into small squares and circles, but all were highly appreciated and most inspirational and effective.

   They do, don’t they.

Usually true!

 

 

Usually true, again!

 I’m not.

It is. Thank you all.

I’m a crying baby!

My dad is a sportive and thin turning 70 – looking 55 man.

During a regular physical check-up, he was urgently rushed into a heart bypass surgery; the doctors told him that he can get a heart attack any minute now, and there’s no chance he will survive it.

We’re still stunned, it was so fast and unexpected. Thankfully he’s very strong and every doctor’s dream, as they keep telling him.

I was on my way to the ER when a good friend called, crying about a 17 years old boy who comited suicide. It was a real surprise for his family and friends, as everything looked ok. He was loved and a good student, smart and popular.

He showed no signs of depression and as his parents said, at this age when they are in their rooms with a closed door,  you figure it’s a regular adolescence behavior.  If in addition they are introverts, how can you guess that they are actually depressed?

My friend has an introvert son who’s going through a rough period, and she stopped sleeping at all.

When I returned from the hospital, my 12 years daughter came home and cried for hours;  The boys in her peer group were cursing, shouting at her and calling her names, she had no idea what she did to deserve that.

Looking into it, what I actually understood was that one of these boys, a good friend, was crying before this started; apparently he’s going through a rough period himself, and he was offended by her. She can’t see his side of course, as she’s in a victim state of mind now. He apologized deeply later on, but she wouldn’t accept his apology, my little drama queen. Or should I say, my 12-year-old behaving as 12′s do.

So I went out to get some fresh air, saw this lonely widow neighbour whose son is living at the other side of the globe. She has only cats to talk to, she was feeding them and I  started crying like a baby.

Which of course I can’t, because I can’t place my burdens on my children’s young shoulders.

They can’t know about my financial anxieties, it’s not their fault that I need to close my 5 years old business.

And I shouldn’t cry because many things in my life are great, the important things .

While all I want now is to disappear, I’m trying to remind myself that I’m fortunate to have a loving family, a supportive husband, that some days it all looks dark but brighter days are in line; that nothing actually happened; after all, it’s all regular daily issues, isn’t it?  It’s called “life”  

This poem below has been written by an Israeli poet called Yehuda Amichai. This poet is very known in my country, being taught in schools, and one of the few I remember since childhood. 

If you are not a poems person (I’m not, it’s ok) please only read the first 4 lines, it’s a good summary.

God Full Of Mercy

God-Full-of-Mercy, the prayer for the dead.
If God was not full of mercy,
Mercy would have been in the world,
Not just in Him.
I, who plucked flowers in the hills
And looked down into all the valleys,
I, who brought corpses down from the hills,
Can tell you that the world is empty of mercy.
I, who was King of Salt at the seashore,
Who stood without a decision at my window,
Who counted the steps of angels,
Whose heart lifted weights of anguish
In the horrible contests.

I, who use only a small part
Of the words in the dictionary.

I, who must decipher riddles
I don’t want to decipher,
Know that if not for the God-full-of-mercy
There would be mercy in the world,
Not just in Him.