Parenting: Easy? Never!

I read an article in the paper today entitled, "Parenting Is Not Always Easy".  What?  That seems to imply that parenting is usually or even sometimes easy, when my opinion is that parenting is never easy.

And don't get me wrong. I love being a parent.  It's my most favourite job.  Is it completely worthwhile?  Yes.  Would I do it again?  Yes.  Is it often fun and interesting and wonderful?  Yes.  But easy?  No way.

It's the hardest job I have ever done.  Again, not because it's so terrible, but because it's so important.  We are raising these three little people who will become big people who we hope will be compassionate and positive contributors.  This is a huge job.  There are so many things that can go wrong!

And children are extremely vulnerable.  The worry alone is hard.  Worrying about whether they're eating right and enough.  Worrying if they're sick.  Worrying if they get a note from the teacher about behaviour and whether it will become a pattern....or maybe that's just me.

And there are so many details; so many decisions to make at all times.  You think planning a wedding is hard?  Try raising a human being!  The details never stop!  With every phase, they just change to different details.

Thank goodness we have the hugs, the 'I love you's', the holiday excitement, the fascination with watching little people learn and grow.

The worst part is that, although I want to do the right thing, it's not always clear what that is.  Most of the time you just take a deep breath and take a leap of faith.  You do what you think is right and you hope against hope that everything will work out okay.

All you parents out there, I think you know what I mean.  I've decided that the hardest jobs are the most worthwhile.  And anyway, easy jobs are for amateurs.

Voice Recognition Schmecognition Software

I had a question about some tickets I had bought online with Ticketmaster.  I was trying to reach a real person but this was seemingly impossible.  I was talking to a computer who was supposedly working with voice recognition software.  I was meant to say the number of my order into the phone, and it would repeat it back at me.  I said each number slowly and clearly into the receiver.  And, contrary to the usual background of screaming/crying/yelling kids, it was surprisingly quiet at the time.  That was because I was alone in the house.  Which almost never, ever happens.  It was a miracle, in fact.  However, that's another post. 

Anyway, the computer said, "This is the number I heard," and said a number.  Of course it was wrong.  It asked, "Is this correct?" to which I answered, "No!"

"My mistake," it continued pleasantly (for a computer), "please repeat the number."

So I did, this time enunciating even clearer and stating it very loudly and slowly.

Wrong again.  This time when it asked if it was right, my "No!" was a little testy.  But the time I'd repeated the very long number for the third time, I was starting to curse the automated voice in my head, and my tone was downright irritable.  I finally hung up on it, which didn't make me feel better at all, because it was a COMPUTER!  I didn't even have the satisfaction of annoying someone else the way they were annoying me.  Although I guess you can say things to a computer that you wouldn't dare to a human, like, "You are stupid!  Did you recognize that?!"

I mean, what about people who don't have English as their first language?  What about people who have a speech issue?  I haven't had a lisp since the fourth grade and I still have trouble.  How do other people deal with these voice un-recognition software things?  This isn't the first time this has happened to me.  I have tried them when I'm trying to find out the extension of a person working in an agency.  I'll say, "Jane Doe" and it will say, "I am connecting you to 'Frank Logan'."

"No!"  I will yell, "No, no NO!"

"I am connecting you to Jane Doe now..."!

Glen Hansard - Say It To Me Now

This is my new favourite song.  It's not a current song, but I've just discovered Glen Hansard.  I heard his music and then watched the movie 'Once' that he acts and sings in; it's based on his music.  I love the way he sings.  He really gets into the song.  His lyrics are great as well.

Who Knew Tinkerbell Had a Job?

My daughter loves Tinkerbell.  However, she has only ever seen Tinkerbell in a movie, not on TV.  So when she saw an ad saying that Tinkerbell would be in a new TV show on our channel, she was perplexed. 

"Mommy!"  she yelled, "Tinkerbell is going to be on my home show now!  I didn't know that.  I've never seen Tinkerbell on my TV before." 

She paused, thinking.  "Where has Tinkerbell been, anyway?"

She thought hard and then finally said triumphantly, "I know!  Tinkerbell has been at work!"

Tinkerbell - the Modern Working Woman.  She does fix things, after all.

Now That's Sincerity!

My sons were arguing, as unfortunately they do a lot.  My one son had written his brother a note that said, 'You are a big fat dummy!'  I was happy he was practicing his writing skills, but really... the content left something to be desired.  Deciding that a 'natural consequence' would be best, I told him he now had to write a note saying sorry to his brother.

He wrote the note and I took a look at it hopefully.  It said, starting off in really tiny letters that coincidentally kept getting bigger and bigger:  'I am sorry  that you are a BIG FAT DUMMY!'

Ah, sincerity.  It's a beautiful thing.  On to the next note...

Did You Just Say What I Think You Said?

I just took my daughter to get her hair cut.  We go to this great place called 'Kuts 4 Kids'.  She sat up on the rocking horse to get her hair done.  All of a sudden she states, loudly and clear as a bell, "Penis!" - just out of the blue.  Like it's okay to just shout out private body parts in public.  I just stared at her in shock.  She has never done that before.  The hairstylist and I were chatting, so I don't know if she was trying to get our attention, or what.  It's moments like these when the fact she has two older brothers is really obvious.  Anyway, as I was still staring at her open mouthed, and the hairstylist was trying not to laugh too hard, I guess my daughter could tell by the look on my face that she was about to get into trouble.  She thought quickly and said hastily, "That's a bad word and we don't say it, right, Mommy?"  Good one, honey.  A little late, but...good.  I mean, it's not a bad word, but it's a private word.  Okay?  Private!  Kids...

Rick Mercer Has It Right

I love Rick Mercer.  He's so funny and politically smart.  His rants are awesome.  This one is particularly timely.