On Friday I was so hot under the collar over a Freshman Tech Ed assignment that it prompted me to write a letter to the teacher. I was a little skeptical of the outcome and second guessing if I should have wrote it in the first place. Was I inadvertently turning my son into the "weird kid"? Would I suddenly become "that parent"? It is so hard to know the right thing to do. We are trying to make this a better world for our children, but at what price? Is it better to speak your mind and practice what you preach or stand silent so your child appears normal in an effort to fit in? We are already dealing with bullying, so I worry if I am compounding the issue by not allowing the chitlins to graze on refined sugar and pack a plastic pop in their lunch bag. I try to explain the reasons for my actions, but when none of their peers are doing it and they are constantly being bombarded by conventional marketing, plus their mother allows all the things I do not, I just come off looking like the Wicked Stepmother. If I push too hard they rebel, if I say nothing then what am I teaching them? How do you other eco-moms find that balance? Any eco-stepmoms out there that can offer some advice?


Anyhoo....on with the good news. So after sending my letter to the teacher, I received a phone call at noon from Mr. Liethen. He thanked me for my letter and apologized profusely! He went on to explain that he, too had children and had no idea of the effects of styrofoam on the environment. He decided to drop the assignment and asked if he could read my letter to the class as an explanation. I was elated! Yes, read it please! Any reinforcement outside of my rantings at home might help the chitlins realize I am not crazy.

After exclaiming my victory to the dirty dishes and doing a celebratory dance in the kitchen, a horrible feeling fell upon me. He didn't know. My God! They do not know! How naive of me. Of course, he didn't know. If he had known, he would not have assigned the class to bring foam egg cartons in the first place. One year ago I did not know half of the stuff I do now! Looking back on my own naiveness I am angry and appalled. How could I not know this stuff was bad? You use pesticides on bugs and it kills them, but it is not harmful to humans. Come on! Steroid use on animals we eat is okay, but bad if we shoot ourselves up? What?! Plastic is a wonderful invention that never degrades, so let's surround ourselves with it and make more, More, MORE. I can always just take it to the curb and poof! it goes away. Ha!

I am an idiot! How could I allow, no welcome this stuff into my life? Should I blame it all on the government, TV commercials, society? No. It is my own damn fault. I research manufacturers, read reviews, compare features, and shop around when buying a TV. But, when buying groceries don't think twice about where that food came from and how it was grown. If it was grown at all. I prefer my food to be in the shape of a box and the cheaper the better. Shame on me.

I have learned a lot over the past year. The most important lesson learned has to be that I am in control of my life. I have this gray matter inside my head called a brain. It is what allows me to read package labels, books, scientific studies. I can call upon my senses with it. Does this cleaning product irritate my skin, burn my eyes, smell bad? One super awesome function of my brain is the ability to reason. I can look at all the factors, stop and say; "You know, that really doesn't add up!". I have the ability to choose. Choose to use my brain or not.



"Hello Brain."
"Hello Human."
I think it is time we work together.