PSoTD

Heard an acquaintance who has a daughter with cerebral palsy talking about raising her a few weeks ago. I just haven't thought much from perspectives like hers before, and it makes me a bit sad that I haven't. She had been asked by a friend about the most tiring parts of raising her child, and one of the things she mentioned was fundraising. She hates fundraising, because it makes her feel like some kind of "loser" for not being able to afford what her child needs. But both her and her husband work, and they raise her child, and her needs have considerably extra costs, of which insurance doesn't completely cover (and in some cases doesn't cover at all).

The biggest problem about fundraising is the amount of work it takes to do it - coordination, management, development, etc. I think about the amount of work my wife and I go through raising our own children and having jobs and paying mortgages and I wonder how somebody who has a semi-regular need for a fundraiser finds the time to do what is required to make the fundraiser successful. It seems like it needs to be turnkey to a point, something that can be turned on and off based on need.

I wonder if the minds that came up with CafePress might be able to create such a fundraising venue, online. Is there a web opportunity to help these families out?

So why doesn't Noah Stahl go to private school?

If you don't have children or wish to send yours to private school, opponents of capitalism say too bad - you must sacrifice your earnings to pay for the public education of others.

Ah, hypocrisy - this was written by a student at Iowa State University trying to state that "forced sacrifice" isn't necessary. Iowa State University isn't a private school. The State of Iowa currently pays for 48% of the cost of education at the Regent universities, including Iowa State University.

A week can't go by without somebody saying something downright stupid about their opinion, married to the fact that they don't have kids. I'm so unappreciative of the sentiment in certain cases that I'm going to highlight it. Today's contributor is one Josie Aguirre...

Because new school construction doesn't affect seniors directly, bond organizers said getting the information about the amendment is crucial.

"I wasn't really thinking of voting for the bond because I don't have kids in school anymore and I didn't want to pay taxes for it," said Josie Aguirre, a Central El Paso resident who frequents the Sacramento Senior Center.

A tax freeze "might change my mind ... but my taxes are still high."

Sound familiar? Who hasn't heard a parent, or been a parent, and say these things?

If we had scads of money, The Eldest could go to all kinds of enrichment programs. As #4 in a class of 750, she's been recommended by her teachers for several special summer programs. Leadership programs, academic programs, dance programs. The invitations keep rolling in, but each gets stacked into the wish pile because she knows that the cost is prohibitive.

So that American mythology that says you can do whatever you want if you just work hard enough? Tell that to my kid who's talented and intelligent; a good student and hard worker. She's not apt to believe you because she's learning the hard way that money opens doors. Were she born into a wealthy family, she'd be going to two or three really cool summer programs this year and next. She'd be building her resume and making contacts and going to Washington, D.C. to attend seminars and symposiums taught by panels of the movers and shakers she sees on C-SPAN.

But it's not to be for her because we simply don't have the financial means to boost this child's future.

"Kids, kids! There's a deer in the back yard!"

They both jump up from their seats in the family room and come running to the back sliding glass door.

"Where is it?" asked my son.

"Look at the top of the hill," I answered.

My daughter admitted "I don't see it."

"APRIL FOOLS!"

Our ten year old daughter looked me in the eye. "Is today April first?" I nodded, and she smiled.

They both tore up the stairs. Then I hear:

"Hey Mom! There's a fox in the front yard!"