35 Thanksgiving Quotes That Capture the True Meaning of the Day

35 Thanksgiving Quotes That Capture the True Meaning of the Day

By Annie O’sullivan And Kelsey Hurwitz 

When it comes to Thanksgiving, a lot of emphasis gets put on the food; and, rightfully so. Between the juicy turkey, savory sides, and sweet desserts, there are a lot of edible elements to focus on come Thanksgiving Day. But as you make your way through the day, it’s important to practice gratitude and give thanks for the good that’s come your way. (Yes, even in a year filled with a lot of bad.) One way to do that is to read a Thanksgiving quote — aloud or to yourself — that captures the true meaning of the holiday.

Now, to be clear, the origins of the holiday have dark historical roots that have more to do with colonization than appreciation. But over the years, Thanksgiving has become synonymous with thanks (I mean, it’s right in the name.) So make sure to take a moment from your busy day to give thanks.

These Thanksgiving quotes emphasize the role gratitude can play in your life — and not just one day a year. Even in the darkest of times, there is so much to be thankful for, and in a year that has included global pandemic and continued racial injustices, Thanksgiving can be a day to remember all of the good things, big and small. And make sure those in your life are doing the same.

Consider writing on of these quotes in a Thanksgiving card or incorporating them into your Thanksgiving centerpieces to bring a little extra gratitude to your meal.

“Let gratitude be the pillow upon which you kneel to say your nightly prayer. And let faith be the bridge you build to overcome evil and welcome good.” — Maya Angelou

“I awoke this morning with devout thanksgiving for my friends, the old and the new.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Appreciation is a wonderful thing. It makes what is excellent in others belong to us as well.” — Voltaire

“When you arise in the morning, give thanks for the food and for the joy of living. If you see no reason for giving thanks, the fault lies only in yourself.” — Tecumseh

“For my part, I am almost contented just now, and very thankful. Gratitude is a divine emotion: it fills the heart, but not to bursting; it warms it, but not to fever.” — Charlotte Bronte

“He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not, but rejoices for those which he has.” — Epictetus

  “The heart that gives thanks is a happy one, for we cannot feel thankful and unhappy at the same time.” — Douglas Wood

“Wear gratitude like a cloak, and it will feed every corner of your life.” — Rumi

“We are all more blind to what we have than to what we have not.” — Audre Lorde

“‘Thank you’ is the best prayer that anyone could say. I say that one a lot. Thank you expresses extreme gratitude, humility, understanding.” — Alice Walker

"Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow." — Melody Beattie

"When asked if my cup is half-full or half-empty my only response is that I am thankful I have a cup." — Sam Lefkowitz

"Thanksgiving reminds us that no matter what befalls us in life, we can take the charred remnants and we can reconstruct a life unimaginably richer than that from which the shards and pieces fell." — Craig D. Lounsbrough

"Some people are always grumbling because roses have thorns; I am thankful that thorns have roses." — Alphonse Karr

To continue reading, please go to the original article here:

https://www.womansday.com/life/g1973/thanksgiving-quotes/

Provoking Points to Ponder on Life and Growing Older

Provoking Points to Ponder on Life and Growing Older

Regina Brett, 90 years old, of the Plain Dealer, Cleveland , Ohio .
"To celebrate growing older, I once wrote the 45 lessons life taught me. It is the most requested column I've ever written.  My odometer rolled over to 90 in August, so here is the column once more:

1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.
2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.

3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and parents will. Stay in touch.

5. Pay off your credit cards every month.
6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.

8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.
9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.
10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.

11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.
12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.

13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.

15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.
16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.

17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.

19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.
20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.

21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.

22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.
23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.
24. The most important sex organ is the brain.

25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.
26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words 'In five years, will this matter?'

27. Always choose life.
28. Forgive everyone everything.
29. What other people think of you is none of your business.

30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.
31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
32. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

33. Believe in miracles.

34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.
35. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.

36. Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young.
37. Your children get only one childhood.

38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.
39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.

40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.
41. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

42. The best is yet to come...
43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.

44. Yield.
45. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift."

10 Utterly Cringe Worthy Halloween Jokes

10 Utterly Cringe Worthy Halloween Jokes

1. Q: Why don’t Mummies take time off?

A: Because they’re afraid to unwind

2. Q: What’s an optimistic vampire’s favorite drink?

A: B-Positive

3. Q: Why didn’t the skeleton go to the dance?

A: Because he had no body to go with

4. Q: Why are ghosts terrible liars?

A: Because you can see right through them

5. Q: Where does a werewolf sit in the cinema?

A: Anywhere he wants

6. Q: What do you get if you leave a skeleton on a sunbed?

A: A Skele-Tan

7. Q: Why do vampires avoid Applebees on Tuesdays?

A: Because it’s stake night

8. Q: What happened to the lady who didn’t pay her exorcist?

A: Her house was repossessed.

9. Q: Why do most monsters have low IQs?

A: Cos they were too ghoul for school

10. Q: Knock, Knock - Who’s there? Phillip. Phillip who?

A: Phillip my bag with candy

Unwrapping The Economics Of Halloween Candy

The money's in the munchies: Unwrapping The Economics Of Halloween Candy

No cavities in the US’s sweet tooth!  By Bronwyn Petry  Oct. 18, 2023

Although Halloween has been celebrated in North America for hundreds of years, the recognizable tradition of trick-or-treating truly took off after the end of World War II, when sugar rations were lifted and factories went back to making candy. More families were moving to the suburbs, where kids could roam the streets safely after dark.

These days, more than 160 million kids in the U.S. go trick-or-treating every year.

As a celebration of the annual October sugar binge, we thought it would be fun to do a deep dive into the economics of Halloween candy. How much money is spent on treats every year? Is there one candy that rules them all?

Here’s a look at the financial side of your favorite festive goodies.

Give Me Something Good To Eat

If you’ve ever wondered how “fun-sized” candy and chocolate bars came to be, well — the answer is a bit depressing. According to Time, the innovation is linked to the Great Depression, when sugar was hard to come by and candy manufacturers were suffering.

The Curtiss Candy Company, which invented Butterfinger and Baby Ruth, started to sell “junior” versions of their chocolate, both to save their use of sugar and in the hope that customers would allow themselves a “small” treat. Soon, every other manufacturer was following suit, and the tradition has lasted to this day.

In its annual survey, the National Retail Federation (NRF) reported that 73% of people in the U.S. plan on celebrating Halloween in 2023, and predicts that Americans will spend $12.2 billion getting ready for Halloween — smashing last year’s record of $10.6 billion.

The lion’s share of that amount will go toward costumes — around $4.9 billion — and about $3.9 billion will be spent on decorations like fog machines and plastic skeletons.

Candy takes the third biggest slice of the Halloween pie: Just about a quarter of that $12.2 billion is predicted to be spent on sweets alone.

The Real-Life Willy Wonkas

The big candy makers — Hershey’s, which manufactures Reese’s, KitKat, and Skor, and Mars Wrigley, which makes Snickers, Twix, and M&Ms — treat October like it’s a month-long Superbowl.

To fully prepare for customer demand, CNBC reports that Mars Wrigley amps up production three months in advance; but their product planning begins much earlier than that.

Mars Wrigley’s president of sales says that the company sits down with key retailers as much as two years before they launch a product, so that they know the forecasts for trends like flavor, packaging and sustainability.

Mars Wrigley is privately owned, and doesn’t regularly publish its annual revenue: But, in 2021, it made $45 billion.

Hershey’s investor report noted that the company saw 16.1% net sales growth in 2022, up from 2021. They begin preparing their Halloween contributions in the spring of each year, on the same line as their regular candy, as insurance against running out.

Hershey estimates that sales around and for Halloween account for 10% of their annual revenue.

The Precious Loot

Bulk candy distributors Candy Store compiled a list of the top five most popular Halloween candies across the nation:

#5: Sour Patch Kids

#4: Skittles

#3: Hot Tamales

#2: M&Ms

#1: Reese’s Peanut Butter cups

Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups are the superstars of the candy bunch.

To continue reading, please go to the original article here:

LINK

The No. 1 Personality Trait Linked To A Long Life

The No. 1 Personality Trait Linked To A Long Life:

 ‘The effects of just being positive are overstated,’ psychology expert says

Published Sun, Sep 17 2023   Aditi Shrikant

The number of people who are living to at least 100 years old in the U.S. has doubled over the past decade.   Many centenarians credit their longevity, at least in part, to their positive attitude.

Roslyn Menaker, 103, told The Guardian that “happiness, joy, appreciation … a positive outlook,” are why she has lived so long. Ruth Sweedler, 103, told CNBC Make It that she was always praised for her good attitude growing up. “When I walked into a classroom, my teacher would say, ‘Good morning, sunshine!’ Because I was so cheerful,” she said.

While seniors might feel being positive has played a role in their longevity, the relationship between personality and aging is more nuanced, says David Watson, a former professor of personality psychology at the University of Notre Dame.

“I think the effects of just being positive are overstated,” he says. But there are other traits he believes are closely linked to longevity.

‘Conscientious people don’t do stupid things’

When breaking down personality, it’s helpful to look at the Five Factor Model, a personality theory that suggests most people’s traits can be grouped into five categories: openness, conscientiousness, extroversion, agreeableness and neuroticism.

Conscientiousness, or how organized and disciplined you are, is the most related to longevity, Watson says.

This is likely because people with high degrees of conscientiousness are better at taking care of themselves. Conscientious people, for example, tend to drink alcohol in moderation and eat more balanced meals, he says.

“Conscientious people don’t do stupid things so they have lower rates of accidents and better health behaviors,” he says.

To continue reading, please go to the original article here:

https://www.cnbc.com/2023/09/17/this-is-the-nopoint1-personality-trait-linked-to-living-longer.html

Bells Toll As The US Marks 22 Years Since 9/11, From Ground Zero To Alaska

Bells Toll As The US Marks 22 Years Since 9/11, From Ground Zero To Alaska

Jennifer Peltz And Karen Matthews  Updated Mon, September 11, 2023

Names of victims are read during the commemoration ceremony on the 22nd anniversary of the September 11, 2001, terror attacks on Monday, Sept. 11, 2023, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

NEW YORK (AP) — With tolling bells, personal tributes and tears, Americans looked back Monday on 9/11 at anniversary observances that stretched from ground zero to small towns.

People gathered at memorials, firehouses, city halls, campuses and elsewhere to observe the 22nd anniversary of the deadliest terror attack on U.S. soil.

“For those of us who lost people on that day, that day is still happening. Everybody else moves on. And you find a way to go forward, but that day is always happening for you,” Edward Edelman said as he arrived at ground zero to honor his slain brother-in-law, Daniel McGinley.

President Joe Biden was due at a ceremony on a military base in Anchorage, Alaska. His visit, en route to Washington from a trip to India and Vietnam, is a reminder that the impact of 9/11 was felt in every corner of the nation, however remote. Nearly 3,000 people were killed when hijacked planes crashed into New York’s World Trade Center, the Pentagon and a Pennsylvania field, in an attack that reshaped American foreign policy and domestic fears.

On that day, “we were one country, one nation, one people, just like it should be. That was the feeling — that everyone came together and did what we could, where we were at, to try to help," said Eddie Ferguson, the fire-rescue chief in Virginia’s Goochland County.

It's more than 100 miles (160 kilometers) from the Pentagon and more than three times as far from New York. But a sense of connection is enshrined in a local memorial incorporating steel from the World Trade Center’s destroyed twin towers.

The predominantly rural county of 25,000 people holds not just one but two anniversary commemorations: a morning service focused on first responders and an evening ceremony honoring all the victims.

To continue reading, please go to the original article here:

https://news.yahoo.com/united-states-marks-22-years-040427265.html

Labor Day, The First Continental Congress Meets In Philadelphia

Labor Day, The First Continental Congress Meets In Philadelphia

September 5, 2022 | by NCC Staff

On September 5, 1774, the first Continental Congress in the United States met in Philadelphia to consider its reaction to the British government’s restraints on trade and representative government after the Boston Tea Party.

The group of colonial luminaries didn’t meet in Independence Hall (which, at the time, was called the Pennsylvania State House). Instead, delegates selected by colonial legislatures met next door in Carpenters’ Hall, which had just been constructed. The State House was already occupied by the Pennsylvania provincial assembly.

The delegates gathered on the morning of September 5 at Philadelphia’s City Tavern, near Benjamin Franklin’s home. Franklin had remained in England, and he would deliver a petition from the First Congress to King George III in late 1774. The group then walked over to Carpenters’ Hall to inspect the meeting room.

“They took a view of the room, and of the chamber where is an excellent library… The general cry was, that this was a good room, and the question was put, whether we were satisfied with this room? and it passed in the affirmative,” said John Adams.

In all, 56 delegates from 12 colonies came to Philadelphia for the meeting to address the Coercive or Intolerable Acts. The laws were meant as punishment for the activities of the Boston Tea Party, but they affected all colonies. Neither Franklin nor Thomas Jefferson attended, but in addition to Adams, the delegates included Patrick Henry, Roger Sherman, John Jay, John Dickinson, Richard Henry Lee,  George Washington, and John Adams’ cousin, Samuel Adams.

Thomas Jefferson’s cousin, Peyton Randolph, was named as the first president of the Continental Congress. Randolph was another prominent Virginia leader and Washington’s close friend.

After about seven weeks of debates, the group agreed to a boycott of British goods within the colonies as a sign of protest, spelled out in the Articles of Association. In addition to the boycott, the Articles called for an end of exports to Great Britain in the following year if the Intolerable Acts weren’t repealed. The First Continental Congress also made plans to convene a second Continental Congress in May 1775 to continue the work started in Philadelphia if the Intolerable Acts remained in force.

A separate document, now called the Declaration and Resolves of the First Continental Congress, stated the group’s objections to the Intolerable Acts, listed the rights of the colonists, and itemized objections to British rule beyond the Intolerable Acts. On October 26, the delegates also crafted a  formal petition to King George III. It outlined the grievances of the colonies to the King, but it also didn’t assign blame to him.

Next May, when the Second Continental Congress came back to Philadelphia, it met in the Pennsylvania State House. Violence had broken out in Boston with the battles of Lexington and Concord. Delegates from Georgia joined the Second Continental Congress, as did Franklin and John Hancock. Jefferson arrived to replace Randolph, who was called back to Virginia on political business.

The new Congress became focused on the war effort, just seven months after it had left Carpenters’ Hall hoping for a constructive response from the King and the British government.

To continue reading, please go to the original article here:

https://constitutioncenter.org/blog/the-first-congress-meets-in-philadelphia

How a Deadly Railroad Strike Led to the Labor Day Holiday

How a Deadly Railroad Strike Led to the Labor Day Holiday

By: Sarah Pruitt  Updated: August 25, 2023 | Original: August 27, 2019

When the federal government was called in to suppress a railroad workers' strike, dozens were killed and politicians sought a way to show they still supported workers.

Today many Americans see Labor Day as time off from work, an opportunity to enjoy a barbecue with friends and family and a final moment of summertime relaxation before the busy fall season begins. But the history behind the Labor Day holiday is far more complex and dramatic than most might realize, starting with a heated campaign by workers in the late 19th century to win support and recognition for their contributions.

In July 1894, President Grover Cleveland finally signed into law legislation creating a national Labor Day holiday in early September—even as federal troops in Chicago brutally crushed a strike by railroad and Pullman sleeping car company workers, leaving some 30 people dead.

Early History of Labor Day Celebrations

More than a decade before the Pullman strike, some 10,000 to 20,000 people joined a parade through Lower Manhattan, organized by New York City’s Central Labor Union on September 5, 1882. "The windows and roofs and even the lamp posts and awning frames were occupied by persons anxious to get a good view of the first parade in New York of workingmen of all trades united in one organization," reported the New York Tribune of that first Labor Day celebration.

Throughout the 1880s, labor strikes became increasingly common, with workers protesting their long hours and difficult, sometimes even dangerous, working conditions. In May 1886, the growing tensions between labor and capital exploded into violence during a protest rally in Chicago’s Haymarket Square. Eight anarchists were eventually convicted on murder charges and four were executed.

After the Haymarket Riot, labor organizers and socialists in countries around the world began celebrating May 1 as Workers Day—an occasion U.S. government officials had no interest in sanctioning. Meanwhile, other cities had followed New York’s lead in holding Labor Day celebrations in early September. In 1887, Oregon became the first state to make it an official holiday; by 1894, 22 other states had passed similar legislation.

Outbreak of the Pullman Strike

In 1893, during a nationwide economic recession, George Pullman laid off hundreds of employees and cut wages for many of the remaining workers at his namesake railroad sleeping car company by some 30 percent. Meanwhile, he refused to lower rents or store prices in Pullman, Illinois, the company town south of Chicago where many of his employees lived. 

Angry Pullman workers walked out in May 1894, and the following month, the American Railway Union (ARU) and its leader, Eugene V. Debs, declared a sympathy boycott of all trains using Pullman cars.

The Pullman strike effectively halted rail traffic and commerce in 27 states stretching from Chicago to the West Coast, driving the General Managers Association (GMA), a group that represented Chicago’s railroad companies, to seek help from the federal government in shutting the strike down.

Federal Injunction, Troops and Violence

To continue reading, please go to the original article here:

https://www.history.com/news/labor-day-pullman-railway-strike-origins

The Dark Side of Money

The Dark Side of Money

Jacob Schroeder  Jul 24, 2023

What we can learn from the ways money brings out the worst in us

Last year, the YouTuber Mr. Beast posted a Twitter poll that revealed an evilness lurking in our relationship with money.

As you can see, almost half the respondents said “Yes.” Yes, to the death of a person – who could be a devoted parent, an innocent child, the world’s leading cancer researcher, or Tom Hanks – for $10,000, about the worth of a used Honda.

It’s proof that money has power. The power to take our lives – with diligent saving and patient investing – to great heights. But also the power to lead us to some dark places.

Perhaps, that’s where the best financial lessons lie.

When discussing how dark experiences acted as life’s greatest teacher, endurance athlete and former Navy SEAL David Goggins said: “There are no answers in the light… knowledge comes from the muck.”

The same rings true for money; financial knowledge often comes from unfortunate events — job loss, market crashes, bankruptcy, fraud, et al. Most finance books and articles tell us we deserve financial success. Less frequent are those that help people identify their own toxic relationships with money as a route to personal growth. Fortunately, we can learn from the experiences of others.

For instance, I’ll briefly tell you why I don’t gamble. It’s not that I think gambling is a waste of money (which I do), or that I think the “games” are boring (which I do), or that I think of casinos as pitiful dungeons soiled with the stench of stale cigarette smoke and desperation (which I also do). It’s because it reminds me of the tragic death of a family.

When I was 18, my best friend called me one day to tell me that a family had been found murdered in their home nearby. This was a quiet, upper-class neighborhood where such tragedies never happened. Out of shock, we drove by the family’s once comfortable home that now resembled the set of a cop show with telltale props and extras – yellow tape, detectives, reporters, coroners.

It turned out the killer was the father. He had been a successful businessman who started to gamble and gamble some more, and then he started to lose and lose some more, until he inevitably lost almost everything. Distraught and at rock bottom, he decided to cash in the last thing he had left, the lives of his family and his own.

The experience taught me how a potentially big financial windfall could influence our psyche, like a siren call toward the rocks and cliffs of financial ruin. And at times, much worse.

I don’t believe money is not inherently evil. But research shows that it can trigger the worst parts of our nature if we let it.

The surprising thing? Unfortunate consequences can arise through both financial strain and abundance. Go too far in either direction, and you end up in the same miserable place.

So, when does money transform from an illusory store of value to an accessory to evil? How do we keep it from ruling over us?

How does this relate to our own financial lives?

Humans may have an inherent sensitivity to fairness, which explains why inequality can feel so stressful and damaging.

Consider a video of an experiment with two capuchin monkeys, our distant relatives often used in psychological tests as human stunt doubles. The capuchins perform the task of giving the experimenter a rock in exchange for a slice of cucumber.

To continue reading, please go to the original article here:

https://rootofall.substack.com/p/the-dark-side-of-money?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=meiU6TxysCg

Inspiring Anecdotes Posted by Mot at TNT

Mot:  Knowing that a small bill meant a small tip. .....

A poor, young waiter was working.

When a wealthy old man came to restaurant.

The waiter spent a lot of effort to recommend the best food and drink the restaurant had to offer, hoping this would earn him a big tip.

But in the end, the rich man ordered only a sandwich and a lemonade.

Knowing that a small bill meant a small tip. The waiter walked away somewhat disappointed.

After finishing his food, the rich man asked for the check.

When the young waiter came, the rich man noticed there was sadness in his eyes.

He asked, “is everything okay, son? Are you having a hard day?”

“I’m having a hard life, Sir” The waiter replied.

Then the waiter continued his job not thinking of anything. When he returned to the table of the rich man and found a tip of $10,000.

The waiter ran to catch the wealthy man. Just as he was getting into his car.

He asked, “why did you do this? ”

The old man replied, when I was your age, “I struggled in restaurants like these A wealthy man once gave me such a tip that paid for my college tuition. I hope that his money will help you as it had helped me”

The young man was speechless and in tears.

“Sir, you’ve just paid for my Mother’s cancer treatment. ”

“Only by giving are you able to receive more than you already have ”

Mot:  THE OLD FARMER~ Moral Story Of The Day.

There was a successful old farmer who grew tomatoes for many years. One day, his grandson told him.

"Grandfather, I want to achieve great things in life and make all of my dreams come true. What are the things I should avoid?"

The farmer paused for a moment and said.

"First of all, you should avoid procrastination. Secondly, you should never be afraid to fall. Thirdly, don't ever fool yourself. But the most important of them all, I won't tell you yet"

The boy asked.

"Why grandfather?"

The farmer responded.

"I will tell you at the appropriate time"

One week later, the farmer took his grandson to his tomato field for the first time. He showed him a large portion of land where he grew some of his tomatoes. When the farmer saw how amazed the little boy was, he asked him.

"How do you see them?"

The boy replied.

"They look very healthy. Their stems are solid, their leaves are green and their fruits are smooth and red"

The farmer smiled. Then he took him to a separate small portion of his tomato plants, and said to him.

"How about these ones? Can you compare them to the others?"

The boy shook his head and said.

"They don't look healthy. Their stems are weak, their leaves are yellow and they haven't developed any fruit yet. What do you think is the reason?"

The farmer uttered.

"That's because they are surrounded by unwanted plants called weeds. These weeds compete with the main plants for nutrients in the soil, leading to stunted growth for the plants"

 Then the farmer tapped his grandson on his shoulders, looked at him in the eye, and said.

"Now is the appropriate time to answer your question completely. The most important thing you should avoid to become successful in life are negative people. These people are like the weeds and they would stunt your development and stop you from reaching your dreams. They have nothing to offer as they wallow in their problems and fail to focus on solutions.

They are energy suckers and you will feel drained being around them. So you shouldn't surround yourself with such kind of people. Be around people who bring a smile to your face, fill your heart with joy and push you toward greatness. Choose your friends wisely and they will never put you down.

Author: Chima_****son Official

"What I Realized After My Kids Said “Mom” 159 Times in 6 Hours" Posted by Mot at TNT

TNT:

Mot:  What I Realized After My Kids Said “Mom” 159 Times in 6 Hours

Let me start by saying that I love my children. More than anything in this world. More than shopping alone at Target. More than Ben & Jerry’s Truffle Kerfuffle.

BUT.

If I hear the word “Mom” just one more time today, I am going to lose my ever-lovin’ mind. In fact, I just googled “how many questions do kids ask in a day” because I know I’m not alone here.

Are you ready for this? According to a UK study, moms field nearly 300 questions a day from their offspring, making them the most quizzed people around, above even teachers, doctors, and nurses.

Fun fact: Girls aged four are the most curious, averaging a question every one minute, 56 seconds of their waking day.

No wonder emails go unanswered, laundry piles up, library books expire before they are read, we scramble at the last minute for that birthday gift (please don’t ever leave me, Amazon Prime).

We are constantly interrupted during any given task.

As an experiment, I decided to make a list of all the times I heard the word “Mom” followed by a question or comment.

I grabbed a small notebook like Harriet the Spy and lasted exactly six hours before my hand cramped from all the writing.

In those six hours, I was beckoned ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY-NINE times. While I won’t torture you with reading all 159 questions and comments posed to me, here’s a small sampling below:

9-year-old daughter

“Mom, who are you?” (Like, in an existential way?)

“Mom, has any human ever had 26 children?” (Yes. And they all have a reality TV show.)

“Mom, guess how many butt cheeks are in our house?” (Um…does the dog count?)

“Mom, this kid at school said that one middle finger equals 20 BAD WORDS. How is that possible?” (Oh, it’s possible.)

“Mom, I just found a HUMONGOUS house in California and it only costs $14 million dollars.” (Okay, I’ll get right on that purchase, sweetie.)

“Mom, can I put a ghost detector app on your phone?” (I’d kind of rather not know when there’s a ghost near me sooo…no.)

“Mom, I have a super duper secret.” (There should be no secrets from your mother. Ever.)

“Mom, do you want to play catch with me?” (Can’t, because I need a free hand to write down the 29 questions you will ask me while playing.)

“Mom, I can run down the hall and back 10 times in 37 seconds. Do you want to try?” (I’m good, thanks.)

“Mom, I need a band-aid.” (x3)

“Mom, what are we doing today?” (Apparently I am spending my day answering questions)

“Mom, can I invite a friend over?” (Will they ask me any questions?)

“Mom, can I have candy?” (If a mouthful of candy keeps you quiet for 2 minutes, then yes.)

“Mom, I changed my mind about my Halloween costume.” (AGAIN??)

“Mom, can you tell the dog to move?” (Because I speak dog and you don’t?)

“Mom, can I see heaven but not die first?” (Ok, I am officially not qualified to answer any more questions.)

“Mom (watching me write), why do you keep writing stuff down?”

15-year-old son

“Mom, we have nothing to eat.” (Staring into the overflowing refrigerator)

“Mom, have you seen my phone?” (x3)

“Mom, I can’t find my phone.”

“Mom, can I borrow your phone?”

“Mom, can you buy some posterboard?”

“Mom, what are you writing?”

“An article.”

“On what?”

“How many questions I’m asked in a day.”

“Why? Is it a lot?”

“Seriously?? I’m adding that one.”

18-year-old daughter (away at college)

“Mom…did you change the Netflix password?” (Of course I did, you haven’t called me in two days)

Mind you, I did this experiment on a Sunday, and my husband was home the whole time. He is a great, very involved, hands-on dad.

But do you know how many questions I heard them ask him during that time? ONE.

When I said no to playing catch with my daughter, she asked him to play. He immediately said yes, probably because he wasn’t exhausted from 158 prior questions.

When I sat down to write this post, I stared at the list for each of my three kids. And something hit me like a ton of bricks.

The older they get, the WAY less questions they ask. The less thoughts and feelings they share.

Those big kids have their friends and their smarter-than-a-mom phones.

My older kids would never ask me what the population of China is, they would simply Google it.

But to my little one, I’m still the go-to…the one with all the answers.

And I guess that’s a pretty great thing to be.

It’s hard to face the fact that, though my older kids still need me, it’s just not in the same way my younger child does.

Someday all too soon my 9-year-old will be an 18-year-old. And one morning, I’ll wake up and there won’t be anyone left to pepper me with questions all day long.

And as much as they drive me crazy, I’m not quite ready for that yet.

So for as long as they’re asking, I’ll be right here answering. ❤

Janene