My Mind's Eye

Remember your Angels are Watching

Friday, December 28, 2018

Final Friday Fiction and Nature Friday




This month I'm using lines 8, 12 and 16 from
Things that Matter: 
 by Charles Krauthammer

I know this is a strange book from which to find my prompts.
I had a particular story I wanted to share.  Lo and behold I found them in this book
8:  should not be held liable
12: right of parents to make decisions
16:welfare of their child

Volunteer
(444 words)

I'm told I volunteered my parents for every event at school.
Once or twice my mama told me one day you will be the one being volunteered!*
She was correct.
In 1976, my daughter was in the first year of mandatory kindergarten in North Carolina.
She and I were home together 24 hours a day 365 days a year for her first 5 years.
I JUST knew she would be devastated without me.  This would be the first time in
her life that either my husband or I would not be around to 'guard' her against outside
influences.   After all, it is a parent's duty to see to the welfare of their child
She was so excited about her first day of school.
The first week of school seemed to be mostly about getting the children adjusted
to being 'still' for 7 hours a day and acclimating to their new routine and activities.
There would be a need for volunteers to keep the classroom in order: both children and parents.
Lots of class business to discuss.  My daughter's wonderful teacher *should not be be held liable for what happened next. It was obvious automatic volunteering was in my DNA and I shared it with my daughter.  Lo and behold when the need for a
Swish Mom
(no I did not mean to type Swiss Mom)
 volunteer came up....UP went my daughter's hand.   She was so excited when she came
running out to the car that day. 
Her: Guess what Mommy
ME: I have know idea
Her: You are the Swish mom for my class
ME: What is a Swish Mom
Her: Here this is from my teacher

Turns out Swish moms (S.M.) came to class 2 Monday Mornings a month.
S.M. stood by a table set up at the classroom door.  The table was full
of itty bitty cups of just the right amount of mouthwash with fluoride to prevent cavities.
As each child arrived at the classroom door,  they were given the cup, told to Swish it around in their mouth until the S.M. told them to spit it back in the cup.  Sometimes S.M. had to demonstrate how to SWISH.  Once they had perfected their swish,  S.M. handed them a Kleenex to wipe their mouth.

***************
Well as it turns out way back in 1976 the dental health of all children was #1 top priority at school.
It is the right of parents to make decisions to decide what they do and don't teach they children at home.  This S.M. thought swishing should have been done at home. 
My daughter was so proud that I was her classes Swish Mom and her proud was infectious.


Fluoride Varnish aka Swish Program click link to read about it.

Final Friction Friday is a blog hop...click here to read more fun tales



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Hosted by my Niece Rosy, and her 2 brudders Arty and Jakey HERE


My Mind's Eye found these in my November 20th folder...
My husband took the photos of the glorious leaves in the back yard.
The top left was taken from inside at night looking through the skylight
middle glow is the moon..the other two dots are either aliens or my flash. LOL
Bottom right is the same skylight during the day.


Bonus nature brought into the house.

This photo is entitled
It lives (still)


Truly amazing that I have not yet killed it with kindness and TLC.
Normally any plant who dares to come live here is doomed.
 When it comes to plants, I over do everything.  I really like snake plants.
I have had Slim the Snake plant for 3 months.  I was told water him once a month
give him some light and LEAVE him a lone.  I have a watering schedule on my calendar.
The 23rd of every month he gets a tall drink of water.  Every morning after breakfast
I sit him here on the table where he can enjoy the low winter sun puddles.
So far so good and Oh JOY he has a new leaf coming up slow in the center.





19 comments:

  1. oh that was a super story...and that are things what matter ;O) the pawrents of the mama went to school very often too... because of the teachers who felt the need to talk "seriously" to them ;O)))

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  2. Mom never had a Swish Mom at her school and neither did my sissy. Her Christmas cactus is still alive and has buds on it and it makes her smile to know that she didn't kill it - yet☺

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  3. lol...I've never heard of a Swish Mom before. You were a good Mom to do that for Sissy.
    Love the pictures and the story.
    Happy weekend.

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  4. LOL what a fun story. Mom used to volunteer HER Mom for everything too! Slim looks pretty healthy!!

    The Florida Furkids

    ps - along with the others, we never heard of a Swish Mom before either.

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  5. I can't imagine making kids swish with fluoride. We have fluoride in our water here... I don't drink the tap water here, not because of the fluoride. I guess I am really out of touch after being on well water for 17 years. I am going to have to google. Really happy that Slim is alive and well. I don't take in any plants... they don't stand a chance with me.

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  6. Hari OM
    Gracious me... clearly the idea of fluoride in the water supply hadn't hit there yet! What a fun reminisce for FFF - and those trees through your window are so colourful. Hello Slim!!! YAM xx

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  7. yay for Slim still living, I wish him a long life. I have not heard of swishing or swish moms.. to funny on the betting volunteered. a great story of a sweet memory... your skylight is beautiful day and night. I never thought about how it would look at night

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  8. I've not heard of swish moms either. I do agree that parents need to decide what to do with their kids. What we do for our little ones.

    Over watering is the worst on plants. Some people have green thumbs and others don't.

    I love spring and fall colors. They are both beautiful.

    Have a fabulous day and weekend, my friend. ♥

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  9. That was a pretty cool swish story! Hey, I'm told I swish my tail sometimes!

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  10. Ghostwriter says she remembers lining up in the hallway outside the grade school nurse's office to get her vision tested.

    Good luck with your plant. My ghostwriter never has any luck with indoor plants. She couldn't even keep an air plant alive! But outside she can grow anything!

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  11. Haha what a great story! A swish mom!!! You picked a good book to make those choices from. Also that is a 'high five' with keeping Mr snake plant alive!

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  12. That is a cute story. I was in K in 74 and we didn't swish :) XO

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  13. In the 80s we didn't have swish moms but we had this awful floride treatment that after my complaining my parents did not have me participate in.

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  14. Interesting about the swishing at school. Somehow, that doesn't sound right to me. Great pictures. Like the ones of the tree. That is a cute little plant that are keeping alive.Have a great day.

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  15. Ick...double Ick...So glad we didn't have a SWISH program...I can't imagine swishing in front of so many BOL!

    B-Cat did a great job capturing the beautiful November trees!

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  16. We loved your story and think it was great that your daughter volunteered you just like you had done before. Our paws are crossed for your plant that it will keep going with your diligent, but not overdone, attention.

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  17. That is the funniest story ever!!! We have never heard of a Swish Mom - quite the title you earned there:)

    Slim the Snake is looking very good. That is one plant Mom would not do well with - she tends to overwater everything:(

    Woos - Lightning, Misty, and Timber

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  18. Swish mom is a new one on us!! What a great story.
    hugs
    Hazel & Mabel

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  19. HA! Hilarious story about having been a SWISH Mom. Never heard of that kind of dental program but interesting how that school handled it! LOL As for your snake plant - you really CAN'T murder those (don't you dare prove me wrong!) - they are the easiest plant EVER to grow. The perfect plant to have if you are inclined to "brown thumb" disease!

    Hugs, Pam

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Life is short, spend it with those who make you laugh
“Worry never robs tomorrow of its sorrow, it only saps today of its joy.” (Leo F. Buscaglia)
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Cecilia and Angel Madi
Email: candb214@att.net