Tag Archives: neighbors

That’s Not Very Green, Orlando!

Jason and Jennifer Helvengston are residents of College Park, a section of Orlando, Florida.  This area is close to downtown and popular among the working age citizens, of which the majority are homeowners.  But, if you are a homeowner, do you have the right to do whatever you want on your land? No, according to College Park officials. See, Jason and Jennifer decided to set up a 25 x 25 foot micro-irrigated vegetable garden in their front yard.  City code says your yard has to look “finished” and kept clean to keep property values up.  Therefore, officials told Jason he … Continue reading →

Co Parenting And Maintaining Sibling Relationships

It’s hard to be an only child, well, I imagine it is, I have four siblings so I don’t know firsthand. I’ve always felt bad that Hailey didn’t have a houseful of siblings, and then after I got divorced I felt even worse, the poor kid had to go through the divorce alone, no siblings to talk to about how she was feeling. Due to fertility issues I always knew Hailey would be my only child and she knew from a young age that she wouldn’t have any siblings because Mommy’s tummy is broken. Of course that didn’t stop her … Continue reading →

Dealing with Sibling Conflict

When my youngest son and daughter were little, they were pretty close. They are closer in age to each other than with my oldest son, so they often played together. It was probably around the time my daughter turned 12 that suddenly her little brother was nothing but a nuisance. Well he quickly learned how to get her goat and so for the past couple of years, it has been a struggle to see these two get along with each other. Of course now it doesn’t help that both are swimming in hormones. It only adds to the excitement. But … Continue reading →

When Teen Siblings Don’t Get Along

Things in my home have gotten a little out of control lately. I think it’s a combination of hormones and the typical teenage angst that has my preteen and two teens going at it. At one time it used to be that at least two of my children would be on good terms but lately all three have been on the outs. It has been very frustrating to hear one yelling at another, one telling the other to “shut up,” slamming doors in each other’s faces and protesting to me how unfair life is because of their sibling. At times … Continue reading →

Siblings Can Teach Social Skills

Many children who have Asperger’s Syndrome struggle with social situations. While other kids naturally learn to discern between when someone is serious and when they are telling a joke, the differentiation can be difficult for children with Asperger’s syndrome. Often, social skills need to be specifically taught, and practiced, (just as a new math skill would be). One good way to do that is to get the siblings of the child who has Asperger’s syndrome involved. I was a senior in high school when my brother, (who has Asperger’s Syndrome), was a freshman. This gave me the unique ability to … Continue reading →

Spite Hedges

Have you ever heard of spite hedges? I hadn’t, until I read an article in the Sydney Morning Herald recently about shrubbery which is intended to block a neighbor’s view or their sunlight. Usually these spite hedges are planted after a disagreement between neighbors. But perhaps it could just be that people like a bit of privacy in the back yard. Certainly that was the case when we moved in. The back yard looked bare and we planted a few taller shrubs, buddleias that we brought with us from Orange, along the back fence. When Mick regains his enthusiasm for … Continue reading →

The Power of Neighbors

Do you have a good relationship with your neighbors? Most of us these days don’t even know much about our neighbors, let alone have a close bond with them. If you can forge a friendship with your neighbors though, it will pay off in many ways. This was especially true for us this weekend. We are dealing with a situation at home that is taking a lot of time, and our neighbors have really come through. From baby sitting to helping to clear our driveway, we have greatly benefitted from having them in our lives. Here are some ways that … Continue reading →

A Unique Way to Make Friends

It’s funny how one things often triggers another. I’ve just posted my first post recently on the home blog about gardens and it made me think of a couple I used to know. This couple had a prolific vegetable garden. They grew far more than what they needed. They did that for a reason. Why? They then used the produce from the garden to give to neighbors. This couple didn’t want to stay unconnected to their neighbors, so they made a visit to the neighbors taking some of the excess vegetables. As a result, over time, they built up a … Continue reading →

More Issues to Think About

My last several blogs have been inspired by my reading Waiting Child: How the Faith and Love of One Orphan Saved the Life of Another. While the heart of the story is four-year-old Jaclyn’s campaign to get the toddler boy she’d cared for in the orphanage into a family as well, many other issues are raised. I’ve discussed the question of “required donations” and the needs of children who have been forced into caretaker roles while still very young. Other issues which came up in the book included the author’s daughter asking her how children were chosen for adoption, why … Continue reading →

How to Have a Campfire in the Backyard

Having a cozy campfire in the backyard is a great way to have a low-cost and fun activity that can be adapted for kids or adults. Have a campfire as a family activity, or invite the neighbors and friends for a nice social gathering. The first thing you need to do when planning to have a campfire in the backyard is to know what the rules are for open burning and campfires in your town. Some areas allow free open burning of organic material (including wood), while others limit the time of year, time of day, the size of the … Continue reading →