Anna Glendenning's comments

Is Madonna Adopting? - Blog Entry

20 Oct 2006 02:06 PM

I just don't have a problem with Madonna Adopting. In the last several years she has written several books for children and frankly most of the freak show stuff of the 80's was just that a show.... Thankfully, during our home study no one really judged me on the things I did, said or sang about during the 80's.

I am not even so sure I have a problem with the fact that large sums of money may change hands. Wealthy people have always been know to give charity to Orphans and Widows. So long as the money was not given to "people or parents" or right to the government.

I also don't have a problem with rule bending on placements. I personally, have my own feelings about international adoption when there are 120,000 children waiting in the US to be adopted. But, that is a different story.

We are not even sure this adoption went through the "SAME" process as he has a father. There may be different rules when the Parent Willingly Places a child... I know that even in the US private adoptions agreements are made all the time that don't FIT the letter of all the rules we have in place. Unless the government is involved in most cases a birthmother (birthparent) can place a child for adoption with Anyone they want, Look at Michael Jackson..... I don't know of any DHS caseworker who would have arranged for that situation.

I think the ONLY issue that bugs me here is that the child has a father and I have heard reports that he was unable to understand what was happening.

Behavior Characteristics: For People Affected By Prenatal Alcohol Exposure - Blog Entry

19 Oct 2006 11:30 PM

Thanks Melissa, the whole thing is interesting to me too...hopefully, interesting enough to make a difference for my daughter and Maybe help someone else understand that NOT all physical disabilities are SEEN!

One States Effort to Control Insurance Credit Scoring - Blog Entry

17 Oct 2006 02:56 PM

Superagent13 ,

Insurance companies have always reviewed the underwriting of their policy holders and made changes according to several things.

I once insured two people who lived 2-blocks apart, and were the same age, had clean driving records and drove cars of about the same value.... Yet the cost of the auto liability for each policy holder was VERY different.

When I investigated I found that within the 2-blocks the ZiP-Code changed and the poor insured with the HIGHER Premiums lived on the Wrong Side of the tracks.... Even though when you drove through the area there was No Apparent change from one neighborhood to the other....

Insurance companies use Things we ordinary people would not even consider as a part of rating insurance.

Prior to Credit Scoring we were all just charged a higher rate to make up for the increased claims of people with no means to cover any tiny part of any little loss... Not to mention the Fraud that takes place because some people see an easy way out of their financial problems and have some kind of strange loss...

In 1983 I was denied a Renters Insurance Policy when I lived in California based on my (BAD at the time) Credit History. It made sense to me. California had seen a skyrocket in the number of "Questionable" Renters Insurance Claims and when the Company I was with investigated they found a HUGE percentage of the questionable claims were renters who had bad credit.

To me, even having had a history of horrible credit, I tend to agree with the Insurance companies on Credit Scoring. Now that I have WORKED myself half to death redeeming my own credit and saving, paying and getting by while I got my credit cleaned up--I WANT the DISCOUNTS my Insurance Company gives to people with Good Credit!

It is Just One more Incentive for me to pay my bills and not over extend myself....

The Twenty Most Popular Questions An Adoptee Has - Blog Entry

16 Oct 2006 12:24 PM

Nichole, Interesting article... I think most of your questions apply to adoptions like my ex-husband before Adoptive Parents became more educated on the overall implications to our children.

During the past 20 years most adoptive parents have learned to better raise our children so they don't suffer from this list of 20 questions.

My children have pictures of their birthmother and are permitted to Talk about her, ask questions and I have never gotten MAD! (It sort of hurts my feelings to have this written in this blog!) I don't know ANY adoptive parents today who get MAD when our children Ask questions!

Anyway, I think this is great info for OLDER adopted people and perhaps those raised by uneducated adoptive parents today. Over all the majority of your list of questions should not need to be asked by babies or children being adopted today....

"You're in BIG trouble!" When Your Special Needs Child Breaks a School Rule - Blog Entry

25 Sep 2006 12:11 PM

Megan, you don't have a bad idea there! One thing I have learned is to NEVER go to an IEP by myself.... and for the most part I don't usually go alone now to any of the appointment my kids cause me!

When My oldest was in 1st grade (years and years ago) there was an event and I brought my (dinosaur) Video Recorder...anyway following the even the principle called me to the office to talk about my sons behaviors......

I remember feeling horrible after that meeting like some kind of failure mother.

Well....when we got home I realized I had put the lens cap on but left the recorder going....and so of course I replayed the audio and could NOT believe how completely patronized and minimized that principle had talked so DOWN to me I was dumbfounded upon listening to the replay....

That was the DAY I decided at MANY of these kinds of meetings I bring my mini-tape recorder. Of Course, I let everyone know by saying that it is for my own purpose, as I tend to forget things quickly and don't want to misunderstand. If someone objects I don't tape but in 20 years no one has yet!

I have found that during the pressure of these meetings I hear about 20% of what is actually said!

"VeggieTales" Controversy Has Parents Steamed - Blog Entry

24 Sep 2006 12:22 PM

I expect that network television will edit out the "good stuff" in most programming it airs!

We don't watch much television in our house. Kids generally only watch DVD's or videos because of these kinds of decisions made by those who want to dumb everything down to the same common denomination...boring and mediocore.

We have all of the VeggieTales... and there is a theater in Portland that often shows Veggie Tale movies and other Biblical programming on Saturdays so that our children are able to experience going to the movies, paying too much for soda and candy and watching something I know before it starts I won't have to leave in the middle of.... I wish more communities would take a bold step such as this little theater has. We make sure to attend every single Saturday Matinee With God that we possible can attend....

Strategies To Improve Coping for Kids--STICK It to ADHD - Blog Entry

24 Sep 2006 09:39 AM

Today is day 3 of using Daytrana and so far I am not sure?

The first thing I notice it that the patch is a little difficult to apply in the morning especially if the person applying it (ME) is not completely awake and it your fingers are at all stiff in the morning it is rather hard.

I also notice the patch smells very strong to me and today we had some real problems applying it and I accidentally touched the sticky part.... I don't feel like I need any coffee this morning because I am sure I have a contact exposure! But, I also have a very sensitive nose and respond well to placebos so who knows?

Yesterday the patch stayed on very well even through a soccer game...but, I also notice MORE MOODY behavior in the evening. It could have been the day because Moody behavior is another issue we deal with so it might not be related to this medication.

When I asked my daughter if she noticed anything different about herself with the patch she said she did and I asked what? "More Active" was her answer... I am not sure this is the answer we want but, maybe she means she can focus on being more active???? Anyway, so far there have been no problems going to sleep and we are keeping the patch on for the full 9 hours recommended

How Do I know if a Child is Being Abused? - Blog Entry

22 Sep 2006 02:47 PM

Thank you for this Blog. Recognizing child abuse in all of its forms is so important and the first step to ending the cycle...

One States Effort to Control Insurance Credit Scoring - Blog Entry

22 Sep 2006 01:18 PM

Thanks Evan... It is nice to be retired and speak my peace of mind! I too feel that there are some benefits with Insurance Credit Scoring and find nothing wrong with the current laws and protections the state of Oregon has in place.

I am not sure why the public accepts credit scoring for Employment and finds it upsetting for insurance?

When Should Kids Start Their Homework? - Blog Entry

22 Sep 2006 12:17 PM

I have never required my children to START homework right after school, but I do check backpacks and review what will be expected for the Homework that night.

I Never encourage my children to complete homework in one sitting. Our general day is:

Home from school, and backpack check (mostly so I know how much time I need to set aside to help my child). And discussion about what homework needs done, how much time it should take and review of the papers being returned from school. Generally this is Praise time for the great day at school.

Outside and PLAY--unless there is lightning! Really even in the Rain, snow or what have you--I enforce play outside of some kind...Run Run, jump and get WET!

Generally after play time we read a story or read the mail... and do fun reading things for 10-20 mins.

We usually do bath and get ready for bed before dinner (unless there is a plan for the evening)

While I make dinner, we START the first stage of homework... I can help to some extent while I stir the pot. Review Spelling and take oral quizes, or gather things for a project.

Eat dinner and have family time....talk with dad and evening play...game or whatever. (Usually I get the dishes done and dad covers this time)

Then about 6:30 it is down to business. Mom helps with spelling, reading and writing...Dad is stuck with math and other "projects"

Most often homework is finished pretty quickly. Sometimes it drags on, like last night.

We also set up different places for our children to work on different things. Do a lot of math at the dinner table, most of the writing is at moms desk... Reading is always in a quiet room--no TV in the backgoround...

I think children learn better when it is not a cram course... In different settings and in smaller chunks of time.

I don't know if my way is the best way, but I do have one child who will have his Masters Degree in Computer Science before his 24th birthday and another child who is starting Graduate school before the age of 22...so something I did must have helped a little bit!