Thursday, February 9, 2017

Millennial is not a bad word

Can you hear me now?  No, Please text it to me.
R U getting this? No? TTYL8R!



So recently and not so recently, I have seen a lot of complaining about “millennials.”  Hell, I have made some comments myself.  However, if you truly pay attention to them you may be surprised.  Sure, they spend all their time on their phones/laptops and sometimes conversations with them are less forthcoming and understandable than a Neanderthal, but they seriously have some fantastic morals and awareness that I know I did not have at their age.  For example, almost every one of my oldest’s millennial friends were extremely aware of the election as the platforms.  Even though most were not old enough to vote.  They had interpersonal debates, discussions and delved deep into public policy, women's rights, consumerism, and foreign policy.  


 They also have a true touch on the future of the planet.  You know the one WE are supposed to be protecting for them?  THEY may end up saving it for us! We call my kids the recycling nazi's because they will honestly chastise me if I put the wrong bottle in the wrong bin.  My son and daughter even compost in the summer!  



Another thing I have noticed about Millennials is that they genuinely love “people.”  By this, I mean they are open minded, forgiving and accepting.  Empathy is valued more than criticism.   I have witnessed open and honest conversations between teens that have deep tones of empathy for each other….yes, they are done via Snaps, Lines, MMS, etc and not face to face, but they are doing it.  And this isn’t just girls, it is the boys too.  The millennial young men I have known are not afraid to express themselves and their feelings.  They stand up for themselves and do not discount their or their friends’ feelings.  They not only accept individual differences, but truly seem to embrace and make efforts to understand the "why" of differences.  

Some may call them "liberals" in a snide or dismissive way.  Or say that they are unrealistic and romanticizing real life.  However, historically speaking, they said the same thing about flight, women's rights, and autonomous cars....
Millennials have a lot to say and a lot of it is awesome.  Maybe we should stop criticizing them and
start listening.  We may need to adapt to the new genres of communication and not expect them to go back to telephones with 5foot cords in the kitchen.  We may just learn something important.

Cheers!
Momginerd


Wednesday, February 1, 2017

That one time my kid yelled Cock in public....

Image may contain: 2 people, child, closeup and outdoor
Don't let this cute face fool you
Today I am going with Minion 1 to a Chinese New Years celebration.  It is going to be great fun and educational and I am really looking forward to the event.  However, I can't help but recall when we went for a family dinner at our local favorite Chinese restaurant about 6 years ago.  

Princepessa was about 5 years old and just mastering the art of reading.  We all sit down and there are Chinese zodiac placemats on the table.  Which, as a parent with 3 small kids, are a good way to distract them from trying to stab each other with chopstick until food arrives.  We are all reading them and discussing the different characteristics associated with each sign.  Well, eventually we get to determining which animal is for each of us.


Audrey and I are both year of the Rooster.  However, this restaurant has a cock as the title.  Which in this day and age RARELY refers to the king of the hen house.  So, Princepessa sees this, and YELLS!  Mom, I have a Cock!  To which all the neighboring tables begin to giggle.  Which (as any parent will attest) only encouraged her.  I mean she is the 3rd child so attention was a bit thin for her....

She continues to read the dates and asks me which year I was born.  When she looks it up she yells, even louder now she has an audience....YOU have a cock too!  But yours must be bigger because you are so much older than me!!!

Image result for chinese zodiac placemat
I was literally torn between hiding under the table in embarrassment or to hide the laughing to keep from encouraging her more.  The poor waitress saw our distress and amusement and was giggling as well.  I could hear her telling the story back in the kitchen.  The owner of the restaurant came out and gave Princepessa a high five for her reading skills....and a free meal.


Which only encouraged her more....


For the next couple months every flying animal was a "cock."

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Look mom!  A red breasted cock!

And it kept on going....

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Cock Sauce

So, today as I attend this dinner my number one goal is to not laugh during any cock related zodiac stories.