Pam Connell's comments

Election Day Coverage-Who Will You Be Watching? - Blog Entry

04 Nov 2008 02:04 PM

My kids are visual learners, so it sounds like NBC with the huge banners and illuminated ice rink is the way for us to go. I'll probably flip to CNN sometimes too. Thanks for the info.

Personally, It's About Darn Time ... Milan is Barring Ultra-Skinny Models - Blog Entry

04 Nov 2008 04:08 AM

The average American woman's size is a 14 (and probably going up). Yet models who are size twelve are only offered jobs in Plus-size catalogs. (which means it's hard to tell if the clothes will flatter us, since the models aren't really plus-sized at all. It's about time to get real, people.

The Confessions of a Pro-Life, Right Wing Conservative, Part 1 - Blog Entry

04 Nov 2008 12:47 AM

I look at whether I can do anything other than voting to help bring about the outcomes that I want. For example, I can do things to help prevent abortions--contribute to maternity centers that help pregnant women, volunteer, promote adoption, talk to youth at our church and parish school. About trade and foreign policy issues, I can't really do much except vote. So while I look at a candidate's pro-life record carefully, sometimes I do end up voting for a candidate who holds the opposite of my views in that area but who I believe will improve the economic conditions that lead to more abortions and who will support respect for life in other ways. Then I try to make a positive contribution to a pro-life effort like an adoption agency or a prolife billboard campaign.

I do think pro-life is a fundamental issue. I have several times changed my voting plans and voted for a pro-life candidate other than the one who was my initial preference. The way my church puts it, life is a fundamental right on which all others depend, but sometimes we may vote for a candidate who holds an opposing viewpoint on this issue if we have a "grave moral reason" for doing so. If President Bush were running again today I believe I would have that grave reason. I hope that a more pro-life Supreme Court will be one legacy of his presidency, but I am just so disgusted with being lied to about Iraq having weapons of mass destruction. And isn't it hypocritical to impeach President Clinton because he "lied to the American people"--which he did, but about a matter that basically wasn't the concern of any Americans except himself and his wife. Whereas Bush lied and 4000 of our solidiers--including my friend--died in Iraq while our military commanders in Afghanistan were and are screaming for the troops they need to fight Al-Qaeda and find Bin Laden?

In 2000 I was really excited about John McCain. This year it seems like he has flip-flopped a lot to please different voting constituencies.

Is the Republican Party the Only Choice for Christians? - Blog Entry

03 Nov 2008 05:55 PM

The evening after I first read this blog, I was reading some newspaper endorsements of local and state candidates. The authors they made about 3 or 4 comments like, "X does not state his position on Issue A, but he is (Catholic, Evangelical) and therefore can be expected to do Y."

I thought, what a great illustration of what Pattie was saying in this blog!

Pattie I do think you came across as pretty harsh near the end of the blog--most Republican Christians I know aren't hypocrites--but I am so glad you wrote this blog because it's a frustration I've had for a while that people assume that because I am a member of one group (church, political party) I must then be a member of another.

Recently a woman I've known for five years told me that until now she had always assumed I was a Republican. (In my state we don't register by party. That's fortunate, because I have Democratic leanings but strong pro-life views, which leaves me pretty much politically homeless. I have actually read the state platforms of the Republican and Democratic parties in my state and would not be comfortable putting my name to either of them.)

The point is, someone who I thought knew me fairly well was way off-base about some of my basic beliefs and principles--she made assumptions because she knew what church I attended. This is really pretty common and rather painful.

Last Minute Halloween Treats - Blog Entry

31 Oct 2008 10:47 PM

What a great idea!

Almost Six Years Old, or Only Five Years Here?--More Adoption Time Muddles - Blog Entry

30 Oct 2008 09:29 PM

Thanks so much--it's good to hear from someone else. A lot of kids at our school repeat kindergarten and I think it's harder the higher grade you're in. Our older daughter's learning issues didn't really show up (well, I saw signs--but nothing unexpected for her grade until the end of first grade). Since she was very mature in overall development--attention, social, etc.--they advised moving her on and putting a special plan in place to deal with the language issue. They didn't recommend retention if the problem was confined to one area, in general. But now I see the amount of writing my fifth grader is doing, and I just can't see Meg getting there soon. But at this point I would change schools rather than repeat a grade. And if I do put Meg in a multisensory method school for learning challenges, I may put Regina there too because she has a lot of risk factors and she would get a good foundation there for two or three years. Otherwise I'll probably have Regina repeat kindergarten.

Something for Parents of LEGO Lovers to Think About - Blog Entry

29 Oct 2008 01:06 AM

I tried to get my rather girly-girl daughter interested in building toys by buying some pink and purple and glittery LEGOS (would your professor be happy now? )

I hate pink; my daughter loves it. As a parent and teacher I have seen that boys and girls as a whole do gravitate toward different actvities, even if they are shielded from advertising depicting girls playing with My Little Pony and boys playing with lightsabers.So I don't usually fault the catalogs, although I believe parents should have their kids at least try a wide variety of activities. (My son and daughters stopped feuding long enough to build a complete amusement park out of Duplos a few times.)

I was shocked last week, though, when I was going through my "gift stash" of things kept on hand for birthday parties. I had a book about bugs which came with 3D glasses. My kindergartener, who is very tomboyish in many ways, looked at me and said, "that's a boy book!" then later made a comment about boys being scientists. Stereotyping already???!!!

Methamphetamine Exposure in Babies - Blog Entry

27 Oct 2008 10:58 PM

Hi Cascms,

Congratulations on your possible adoption! I am certainly not an expert on prenatal drug exposure and babies, but I can share one very positive story: when I became friends with the mother of the brightest child in my children's preschool, I learned that that child had been drug-exposed prenatally. I believe the mother said she had a difficult first couple of months, but she sure seemed fine after that.

I have read that sometimes babies exposed to drugs have a harder time initially after birth, but actually seem to face fewer problems later on (by school-age) than the kids whose mothers ingested "only" alcohol.

Mommy, Can I Be the President Some Day? - Blog Entry

01 Oct 2008 12:31 AM

I should clarify that this affects only adoptions from foreign countries. It is the fact of being an immigrant, not being adopted, that disqualifies my daughters because the Constitution says that the President should be someone who has been a citizen from birth. My daughters are American citizens now and have all the other rights of citizens, but of course they were not U.S. citizens from birth.

Children born in the U.S. are eligible to become President (when they reach a certain age of course) whether they are adopted or not.

Of course Valorie is right that it's not a big deal. I"m surprised my daughter even asked. For me I guess it's just the symbolism of the thing. We used to have parents and teachers tell us, "study hard and you could be the President someday!" We have predictions at graduation about which classmate was "most likely to become President". I guess for me the issue is having Meg's adoption finalized, "as if born to me" as Paitence says, and telling her she is just as much our child as the son who was born to us, and she's a U.S. citizen just like he is...except not quite.

Dora the Explorer is Getting a Makeover: What's a Parent to do? - Blog Entry

29 Sep 2008 09:24 PM

Aargh! Say it isn't so! However, even last Halloween the "Dora" costumes being sold had a curly wig. (Dora's hair, on TV and books, is straight.) My daugher (who is Asian, although Dora is supposed to be Hispanic ) actually looks rather like Dora, so I was thrilled when she wanted to be Dora for Halloween. Her sister had a purple backpack which we attached eyes and a mouth to using Velcro. She had a map sticking out of it. She wore white tights and sneakers and a pink shirt. We had a stuffed monkey that fit into toddler rain boots. (We did have to shop for orange shorts during a cold and rainy October, but we found them.)

I thought this would be the cheapest Halloween ever, and I was shocked when my four-year-old and her seven-year-old sister insisted that Regina had to have the curly "Dora" wig because it was part of the REAL costume. How much advertising does catch kids--and mine don't even watch much TV!

I'm proud to say I did NOT buy a curly wig so that my daughter who has straight black hair, could dress up as a character with straight black hair!