Baby Can You Hear Me

Dear Bella Nonna,

I am worried my three year-old son might be hearing impaired. Sometimes when I call his name, I get no response. He will be playing on the floor not four feet from me and I will call his name and he just keeps on playing. He doesn't even look up. I had heard stories of mothers depriving their children of precious learning experiences by not realizing they were hearing impaired.

I mentioned this to his pediatrician at our last visit and she dismissed me with a wave of her hand and a grunt," New mothers… you all worry too much. Relax, he's fine."

I trust my son's doctor, but I still have this nagging feeling that something might not be right.

What do you think I should do?

Worried in Washington



Dearest Worried,

I went through the exact experience with my three sons. I would try to get their attention and they would often keep right on playing as if I wasn't there.

When Mickey was a toddler I decided to do my own hearing test. One day while he was playing in the living room, I went into the kitchen and opened a bag of cookies. Within seconds he came running in to get one for himself.

I have used this hearing test throughout my three sons' childhood. In fact, I just used it today. While they were outside working on their cars, the radio blasting, I went into the kitchen and opened up the last package of Tastykake. I am happy to report; all three of my sons have excellent hearing.

Take care,
Bella Nonna

The Campaign Speech

Grab your coat… I am heading off to the new high school. Jamila Williams just called to tell me Angelina McGuire is going to run for some sort of office. She is announcing it at the school board meeting tonight. Jamila said that Angelina is all fired up and that her campaign speech is going to be inspiring.


Great we are just in time; Angelina is up next. Let’s grab those two chairs on the left next to that exit door… in case we need to make a quick get-away.

Hello everyone, I am Angelina McGuire. I would like to climb up on my fertilizer bag and throw my potholder into the ring. I feel it is about time we address the issue of yet another species that is being driven to extinction… the stay-at-home mom. She is being slowly fazed-out, taken for granted and told she is obsolete. Her presence has been disappearing from our homes and our lives at an alarming rate.

I know many of you are probably saying to yourselves… No she’s not… She is at home right now… probably in the kitchen.

Is she? Have you taken a look lately? She is gone. The microwave, dishwasher and readymade flash frozen preservative laden somewhat edible food-like products have replaced her.

Now you are probably think … Well if she isn’t in the kitchen she must be in the family room listening to the children telling her about their day or maybe helping them with homework. She could be playing a game or building a puzzle. I know she use to love doing that.

Nope, she is not there either. I only see plush Italian leather furniture, a complete home entertainment center with Dolby Surround Sound, a video game console, a few dirty cups and an empty potato chip bag.

Some of you might be heading to your children’s bedrooms expecting her to be there getting them ready for bed. She will be putting them into their jammies, singing lullabies and telling them bedtime stories.

Let me save you the trip. All you will find is a perfectly decorated room with hardwood furniture and matching bedding and curtains that took three stores and two credit cards to pull off. You will probably find a CD player, personal computer and toys that do everything… including telling your children the bedtime stories she use to tell.

I can hear you all saying to yourselves… If we didn’t notice she was gone, she probable wasn’t all that important. So get off that fertilizer bag and spread it around your garden where it will do some good.

I will, but before I climb down I would like to ask how many of you remember how nice it was to have someone at home to greet you when you came home from school? I remember the huge smile on my mother’s face when I came bursting in with some great news or how comforting her hugs were when someone hurt my feelings. Do you remember how warm and cozy the kitchen was when your mom was baking a pie or some gooey chocolate chip cookies? When you get home and open your front door after a hard day, don’t you wish you could be greeted by the smell of dinner cooking in the oven? Ahhh…. memories.

Unfortunately some of you won’t remember these things because you didn’t have a stay at home mom. But don’t despair; it is not too late. You can save the stay-at-home mom and make these wonderful memories with your children. You may not be wealthy but you will be happy and enrich your life.

Oh… the oven timer just went off. I’ll climb down now. May I have my potholder back? I need it to take the cake out of the oven.

Thanks for listening and please pick up a flyer from the table in the back of the auditorium.



Dear Friends,


Today you have the opportunity to help not one, but two generations of people trying to survive in this modern world. Due to a fast pace life, with its many distractions, we have put a very important part of life on hold. We have misplaced our priorities in our quest to make our lives better… and are paying a very high price for it. Our society has misinformed us. Convincing us that we can have it all… money, power and respect. All we have to do is be willing to work for it. Unfortunately, in the process of “working for it”, we have traded the joy of a child’s laughter for the high quality sound of our IPod, the look on our baby’s face when they take their first steps for the clarity of our high definition televisions, the thrill and excitement of watching our children ride a bike without training wheels, hit a home run, score a touchdown, bake their first cake and finally make it to the top of the monkey bars for the thrill and excitement of closing the deal, doubling our profit and having a great stock portfolio. These are memories and experiences we will never get back.


My dear friends, we are human BEINGS. We need to take the time to just be. I know some of you are saying to yourselves, time is money, I can’t waste it playing. If you are measuring your life in terms of dollars and cents… I guess you are right. But if you choose to measure your life in terms of happiness and cherished memories, then the time you spend with your children is priceless.


For just minutes a day, the time it takes to play one game of cyber solitaire, you can make a difference in your child’s life. You can make YOUR world a brighter, happier, more loving place to live in… and will have memories that will last a lifetime.


So, won’t you please help? Make the commitment today. They are depending on YOU.


Wishing you love, laughter and many happy memories,


Angelina McGuire






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Yes Angelina, I will help make a difference in my child’s life.


Enclose is my pledge to spend more time with my children.

 

I PLEDGE TO SPEND:


_____ Minutes a week reading a book to them.


_____ Minutes a week playing a game with them.


_____ Minutes a week talking with them.


_____ Minutes a week listening to them.


____A lifetime loving, laughing and enjoying life with them.