So I actualy meant to post the dentist article on Wednesday, but I accedently saved, and did not publish.
An update, I went to the dentist this week also. I kind of have a cavity. It just goes to figure, the parents need to learn from the kids. Actually, I have an old cavity, that is getting chipped, so they need to replace it. Does not really reflect my dental hygenie, but technically I still need a cavity filled.
Friday, February 27, 2009
On fingers inside mouths.
Although the blog history does not display it, I have had a long and storied history with the Dentist. This was brought to the forefront yesterday when the three kids had their dentist appointment.
I am happy to report that none of the kids had cavities. I have a personal theory of cavities. The factors that go into cavities are genetics, diet, and oral care. I put Genetics at about 80%, and 20% to the other two. I know many people who never brush their teeth and never get a cavity, and many people who brush their teeth and still get cavities.
Recently, I have a new one to add to the the list. Dental Sealants. This can help where your parents did not. Anyway, our kids dentist is big on sealants, and when ever a permanent molar comes in, will seal it within the first 6 months. The sealant process is actually pretty simple. The dentist, (actual Hygienists) cleans the tooth, applies a resin of some sort, and then bakes it on with the blue gun. Calvin and Caleb have very simliar teeth, and Calvin had a cavity in his baby molars. With Caleb we were smart enough to have his teeth sealed, and he has not had a cavity. I bring this up because I really recommend to all my nieces and nephews that they should get sealants, because they are much less tramtic than a cavity, and at least with our dentist, they don't need a seperate appointment. Anyway, Calvin's experience with the cavity was extremely tramatic, and now his experience in the chair is just really hard for him.
I have a large degree of empathy for him. We talked to him about the sealants, and he was OK for it. Rachel left with Caleb and Sadie, so it was just Dad and Calvin.
Typically it takes about 10 minutes for all the sealants. It took about 30 minutes total. Calvin just was not happy at all. Part of it was memories of the other times, but also his lips were really chapped, and opening his mouth so wide caused his lips to crack and bleed, which hurt much more than what happened to his teeth. My other advice for others reading this blog, check for chapped lips before going to the dentist, and apply vaseline a few hours before, and it will be a better experience.
My last advice, I wish I would of done, but not sure I am ready to do it as a consistant practice. I wish I would of slipped each of the kids a couple of Tylenol before we walked in. Baby Tylenol was a lifesaver during teething, and it would of made all the kids more mellow in the dentist chair. I will always remember once talking to Chris, and in the background Evan was crying because he was teething. I praised baby Tylenol, and speculated how they managed before it. Chris said, "Oh, they just gave them a shot of whiskey." Which is still funny.
Lastly, ever time I go to the Dentist, I think of my 9th grade english teacher. When I was in the 9th grade, I knocked out my four front teeth. My english teacher's wife was a nurse who worked in the dentist office. He said, "I would never tell my wife this, but I am not sure how anyone could stick their hands in other people mouth all day." This has been a long post, so perhaps it will have to wait till another time to speculate the sexism involved in most of the places I go with my children, school, Dentist office, Doctor's office, etc, are typically staffed by a man in the top roll, (Principal, Dentist, Doctor), and lots of women assisting, (Teacher, Hygenist, Nurse). Not always, but most of the time this is the case.
I am happy to report that none of the kids had cavities. I have a personal theory of cavities. The factors that go into cavities are genetics, diet, and oral care. I put Genetics at about 80%, and 20% to the other two. I know many people who never brush their teeth and never get a cavity, and many people who brush their teeth and still get cavities.
Recently, I have a new one to add to the the list. Dental Sealants. This can help where your parents did not. Anyway, our kids dentist is big on sealants, and when ever a permanent molar comes in, will seal it within the first 6 months. The sealant process is actually pretty simple. The dentist, (actual Hygienists) cleans the tooth, applies a resin of some sort, and then bakes it on with the blue gun. Calvin and Caleb have very simliar teeth, and Calvin had a cavity in his baby molars. With Caleb we were smart enough to have his teeth sealed, and he has not had a cavity. I bring this up because I really recommend to all my nieces and nephews that they should get sealants, because they are much less tramtic than a cavity, and at least with our dentist, they don't need a seperate appointment. Anyway, Calvin's experience with the cavity was extremely tramatic, and now his experience in the chair is just really hard for him.
I have a large degree of empathy for him. We talked to him about the sealants, and he was OK for it. Rachel left with Caleb and Sadie, so it was just Dad and Calvin.
Typically it takes about 10 minutes for all the sealants. It took about 30 minutes total. Calvin just was not happy at all. Part of it was memories of the other times, but also his lips were really chapped, and opening his mouth so wide caused his lips to crack and bleed, which hurt much more than what happened to his teeth. My other advice for others reading this blog, check for chapped lips before going to the dentist, and apply vaseline a few hours before, and it will be a better experience.
My last advice, I wish I would of done, but not sure I am ready to do it as a consistant practice. I wish I would of slipped each of the kids a couple of Tylenol before we walked in. Baby Tylenol was a lifesaver during teething, and it would of made all the kids more mellow in the dentist chair. I will always remember once talking to Chris, and in the background Evan was crying because he was teething. I praised baby Tylenol, and speculated how they managed before it. Chris said, "Oh, they just gave them a shot of whiskey." Which is still funny.
Lastly, ever time I go to the Dentist, I think of my 9th grade english teacher. When I was in the 9th grade, I knocked out my four front teeth. My english teacher's wife was a nurse who worked in the dentist office. He said, "I would never tell my wife this, but I am not sure how anyone could stick their hands in other people mouth all day." This has been a long post, so perhaps it will have to wait till another time to speculate the sexism involved in most of the places I go with my children, school, Dentist office, Doctor's office, etc, are typically staffed by a man in the top roll, (Principal, Dentist, Doctor), and lots of women assisting, (Teacher, Hygenist, Nurse). Not always, but most of the time this is the case.
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Aseph's fable (the cat and the mouse.)
Today's entry was directly from the spritual thought in one of my church meetings. A typo on the agenda created aesoph's younger lesser known brother, Aseph.
This fable called, "Belling the Cat", is about a group of mice in council. They want to put a bell around the neck of the cat, so they can be free, but can't find anyone to do it. In most translated versions, the moral is, "It is easy to propose impossible remedies." In the version I read for kids, the moral was, "Don't ask others to do things you do not want to do yourself." Which is simliar but different enough to create a new association.
In the spirtual thought, the point of this story was, often it is easy to suggest remedies, and ideas, but it is hard to find people to implement these ideas. We need to be ready to implement the ideas we suggest. The world has far more ideas than those willing to implement ideas.
In the scriptures we often hear about Charity. For the purposes of this post, I want to suggest a new definition of charity. Charity is being performing work for another out of love. Using that definition, we can say the truest expression of our charity is the work we do to serve others. If that is a working definition of charity, we can say this story is looking for the most charitible 'mouse'.
Perhaps we can cast the story one more time, this time with out the moral at the end, or perhaps a whole new story.
The group of mice are in council, and someone suggests that a bell be put around the cat, because the cat represents the obstacles in their life. One said: Whom shall I send? And one answered like unto the Son of Man: Here am I, send me. And another answered and said: Here am I, send me. And the Lord said: I will send the first.
This fable called, "Belling the Cat", is about a group of mice in council. They want to put a bell around the neck of the cat, so they can be free, but can't find anyone to do it. In most translated versions, the moral is, "It is easy to propose impossible remedies." In the version I read for kids, the moral was, "Don't ask others to do things you do not want to do yourself." Which is simliar but different enough to create a new association.
In the spirtual thought, the point of this story was, often it is easy to suggest remedies, and ideas, but it is hard to find people to implement these ideas. We need to be ready to implement the ideas we suggest. The world has far more ideas than those willing to implement ideas.
In the scriptures we often hear about Charity. For the purposes of this post, I want to suggest a new definition of charity. Charity is being performing work for another out of love. Using that definition, we can say the truest expression of our charity is the work we do to serve others. If that is a working definition of charity, we can say this story is looking for the most charitible 'mouse'.
Perhaps we can cast the story one more time, this time with out the moral at the end, or perhaps a whole new story.
The group of mice are in council, and someone suggests that a bell be put around the cat, because the cat represents the obstacles in their life. One said: Whom shall I send? And one answered like unto the Son of Man: Here am I, send me. And another answered and said: Here am I, send me. And the Lord said: I will send the first.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Some Parents are never happy.
the typical bed time routine around here. Around 7:00pm, start encouraging, cajoling, and otherwise forcing the kids to get in their pajamas, brush and floss their teeth, read a story, read the scriptures and pray as a family, and then turn off the lights, rinse and repeat for each child.
On a good night we finish by 8:00pm. Scripture reading is often one parent holding the kids down, and the other parent reading a verse which after prayer no one is quite sure exactly what was read. Would it be too much to ask that the kids show some interest in reading the scriptures?
Tonight was different. Tonight Calvin was excited about reading the scriptures. He needed help on most of the big words, but for the most part was doing a great job. He read a verse, read a column, he read the whole page. Caleb figured out that he could not read while his brother was reading and started to very vocally object. Caleb came running at Calvin ready to dogpile him, because he wanted his turn to read. Caleb then read some verses, and then Calvin was ready to attack him because Calvin now wanted to read again.
I am not sure if I should be happy the kids are excited about the scriptures, or sad because they are fighting.
On a good night we finish by 8:00pm. Scripture reading is often one parent holding the kids down, and the other parent reading a verse which after prayer no one is quite sure exactly what was read. Would it be too much to ask that the kids show some interest in reading the scriptures?
Tonight was different. Tonight Calvin was excited about reading the scriptures. He needed help on most of the big words, but for the most part was doing a great job. He read a verse, read a column, he read the whole page. Caleb figured out that he could not read while his brother was reading and started to very vocally object. Caleb came running at Calvin ready to dogpile him, because he wanted his turn to read. Caleb then read some verses, and then Calvin was ready to attack him because Calvin now wanted to read again.
I am not sure if I should be happy the kids are excited about the scriptures, or sad because they are fighting.
80's Mormon experience
So I did not expect to post a second time today, but I wanted to share a story from church on Sunday. Someone made the comment that they came to church because their father made them.
This reminded me of growing up, and watching a VHS recording of a play performed by some group that as kids we would watch regularly on sunday. We had a very complex a strict rules about what we could and could not watch on TV on Sunday. This was one of the ones that we could, so I think we watched it often. (unfortunately, this gem is not even listed on the Internet movie Database, but is listed here)
Anyway, the plot has this missionary who is serving, and one of his companion complains he is only on his mission because his father sent him. (This was pre-raising the bar days.) He quotes the scripture 3 nephi 27
I quote this scripture not because I remember the scripture but because I remember the play from the 80's.
In another post, I may discuss how a college roomate had the theory that the 80's were the pinacle of Music, and Media, both in and out of the Church. (U2 was a big part of his arguement.)
This reminded me of growing up, and watching a VHS recording of a play performed by some group that as kids we would watch regularly on sunday. We had a very complex a strict rules about what we could and could not watch on TV on Sunday. This was one of the ones that we could, so I think we watched it often. (unfortunately, this gem is not even listed on the Internet movie Database, but is listed here)
Anyway, the plot has this missionary who is serving, and one of his companion complains he is only on his mission because his father sent him. (This was pre-raising the bar days.) He quotes the scripture 3 nephi 27
I quote this scripture not because I remember the scripture but because I remember the play from the 80's.
In another post, I may discuss how a college roomate had the theory that the 80's were the pinacle of Music, and Media, both in and out of the Church. (U2 was a big part of his arguement.)
Gravity is your friend.
So since all my younger cooler siblings have blogs, I felt I needed to have a blog also. I am going to start simple and work my way up to more complex stories.This morning like all mornings, we woke up at 7:00am, trying to get the kids to school before the get a "Tardy Party" at 8:15. Caleb the only one who does not go to school wakes up right away, and is dressed and downstairs first. Calvin and Sadie have glue that seems to permantly connect them to the bed in the morning. Every day I marvel that they get up, get a lunch(es), and snacks packed and to school in time. Especially when I see the bus driving by without my kids, and they are still both upstairs asleep.Sadie came downstairs and said, "Dad, you woke me up, and then left my room, so I just feel back asleep." Obviously being in second grade the whole school thing is new enough that she forgot she is supposed to get dressed.The one shinning ray of light in the whole situation is that the school is downhill from our house. We can leave on our bikes a few minutes after 8, and coast into school just about 8:10am. Gravity is your friend. (except on the way home.)
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