WHAT IS CRITICAL THINKING?DO YOU HAVE IT?

In Health Care, nurses are asked to have critical thinking about their patients. Social Workers/Therapists/Counsellors do assessment and analyze the issues to facilitate change and problem solving. Financial Analysts are supposed to think critically too. But do we all really have it. It means to see something different in the obvious. To question the norm! Not to think outside the box because that expression is so cliche or passe or whatever! Critical thinking does save lives. Deciding not to drive in a snow storm, for example, would probably save your life! Complacency makes us stop to think critically. We think we know it all! So if a younger subordinate questions something, it can be annoying to the expert. However younger eyes and ears on a matter may make the difference! The same goes for the younger person listening to the older person. Experience counts for a lot and how much critical thinking has already occurred in that life! It is important however not to overthink every decision as nothing will get done! Taking a chance and doing is important too! So do you have it? Do you use critical thinking in your day, week, life? Does your job entail some critical thinking? What are your thoughts?

MAY BEGINS WITH THE RAIN

Pelting rain off and on all night. Surprised the street is not flooded. I thought that April rain brings May Spring flowers. It can stop any time soon. A little drizzle is okay but the pounding on the skylight was unnerving. So May my favourite month is here. I want to embrace it with Spring activities. Getting outside with fresh air. My table and chairs are on the back porch for outdoor meals and a favourite activity of reading! Adding new knowledge or revisiting old knowledge brings depth to life. To spend some time with my daughters and families will be good time. For Mother's Day weekend, will do separate activities with each daughter to have some quality Mother-Daughter time! Looking forward to it. Planning a staycation to get some minor home renos done. Of course to celebrate an anniversary is always fun. Something simple as it is not a special one! May with the emerging greenery and flowers popping up everywhere in the garden. Love it! Just hope it does not pass too quickly! Have about you? What does May bring in your life?

PATIENCE-A VIRTUE OR A NECESSITY

Patience- how to keep it when all seems to be going wrong.
I found a quote by Idil Ahmed-
"You know great things are coming when everything seems to be going wrong. Old energy is clearing out for new energy to enter. Be Patient!" Good thoughts.
My thoughts- trust in God and Jesus- love others, be positive to attract positive energy and ideas. Be available to loved ones.
Shit Happens!
Patience ebbs and flows. If alone, easier to rant and rave and don't have to be judged by others. In groups, work and common social situations, harder to keep any negative thoughts under rap so easier to walk away from conflict. What if you have patience but others around do not? Listen and then walk away.
I am not virtuous. I am finding I have less patience for stupid. So the answer to my question patience is a necessity! What do you think? How would you describe patience?

HOW TO STAY MARRIED TO THE ONE YOU LOVE

About to celebrate 46 years of marriage, a colleague asked how I did it. Basically be yourself-stay an individual. Then be a couple. Then be a family. She asked did you always know it. I said yes. Taking time to stay connected to oneself is so important. You must understand, my husband does not like most of my interests. So I would have not been able to have a full life. Being able to do things alone. Yes alone is so important. I love genealogy- he tolerates it. I love shopping- he does not unless it is food and then he is happy. I rarely grocery shop with him because he is always so critical of what I buy. So I do some food shopping but the stuff he does not buy. We garden but different aspects. He likes to grow the vegetables but I do other parts of the garden- like the flowers and weeding. Due to his health issues, he has no desire to travel anymore. He says he wants his bed. So day trips it is. Maybe I can convince him to do an overnight! So how to have a full life. Well dinners out or lunches or breakfasts work! Time with the grandchildren work too. A day at the beach, the park, a movie work in small doses. As my life is changing, planning for a holiday alone is on the agenda. I am not tired of travel. But he is! So like other aspects of life, marriage changes as it goes along! Then my girls said Mom I will go with you so maybe the dynamics of travel will change. A girls' trip somewhere!

ARE YOU A STAR?

Be a star for a day! Celebrities like the spotlight all the time. Don't listen to the nonsense about wanting to go somewhere and not be known! Rubbish! They want recognition. For the average person, we all want our 15 minutes of fame too. We want to be a star! Birthdays are a good time to get some special Me time! As there are many stars in the sky, there are stars on earth. The average grandparent is a star to their little ones. Just feel the warm hugs when arriving at an event!

NANA SAYS CHILDREN'S SLEEPING ISSUES ARE DIFFICULT

Do you ever want to ask an expert on how to get you child to sleep better? The perfect sleeping baby after 2 weeks exist! Often however, the sleep patterns change as the child grows. Some sleep through the night then start to wake up again at 4 months for example. Some babies need another feed during the night. Some babies just wake up and can not tell you why! Some strategies- let the baby cry it out and no one sleeps, cuddle the baby back to sleep, feed the baby or take the the baby to your bed. As babies age, wear them out before bedtime with play and top up with extra food. The toddler with fresh air may help with sleep. Quiet time before bed. The white noise helps with keeping other sounds away from the sleeping child.
 Some children like to crawl in the parents' bed during the middle of the night. For older children, pushing bed time back a little may mean the child is more tired. It is a trade off of having some private parent time. It is wonderful to have children sleeping so things can get done.
Of course certain stages and ages the dreams and nightmares can start. Being afraid of the dark and the nightly shadows that come with it! Night lights help even for older children.
Sleeping is so necessary for everyone. There is no one strategy that will work with every child. Some children just need to be near other people.
As the Nana, I have found on sleepovers the grandkiddies sleep better if there is another child with them. My oldest grandchild when sleeping over by herself would often come in my room during the night so I would decide at 2 in the morning to go to the guest room bed and stay with her for the rest of the night. Now it is not an issue. Perhaps the different house and noises concerned her. As other grandchildren started to sleep over, the same pattern emerged.
So being well fed and tired may help  your child to sleep better. Trying different approaches is the best remedy. Reassuring your child the home is safe and you are nearby. Sometimes just time and a changing child is the answer.
Any thoughts or comments are what you have tried to get your child to sleep? Parents need all the help and support they can obtain.

#29 BARB'S RELFECTIVE 150-SPRING BULBS

Coast to coast, underneath ground, warmed by the winter snow, the spring bulbs pop up in gardens. Everywhere.
Tulips!

Crocuses!

Colour fills the gardens!

The fragrance of hyacinths!

Little ones bring colour too.
Well you get the picture. Canada celebrating 150 with colour everywhere!
#springbulbs#tulips#hyacinths#daffodils#gardeners#