Kids Cancer and Halloween!

As today progresses most of us are ensuring that we have enough sweets and treats in store for all the kids that will be calling as darkness arrives. This 'trick or treat' event has been ongoing for many decades. I did it, my kids did it, and still it continues. I've just returned myself from stocking up on a selection of sweets for later on.
When I arrived home and logged into facebook I was awakened to the fact that there are so many children in our midst who would love to be going 'trick or treating' tonight but are unable to. Why? Because Cancer has stolen their childhood.

Perhaps I wouldn't be so aware of this if it wasn't for one local little girl who has been undergoing treatment for the past two years now. Someone who is a star among the stars as her smile shines brightly through all her pain and suffering. Someone who would no doubt delight in going around the locality tonight trick or treating with her siblings. But alas, like many others in her situation, she is unable to due to the risk of infection and because they are still receiving treatment for cancer.
So as each child arrives on your doorstep this evening, put a little extra sweet in their bag and wish them well on their night ahead. Sometimes we really do forget how lucky we are having healthy children. Let's ensure that these kids tonight have a fun experience and let's not forget all those chidren who are unable to venture out because Cancer has stolen this experience from them.
Next year I hope to see a certain little someone knock on my door and she will be given every available treat that's going.

GMcC

Halloween

It's that time of year once more. October 31st and all the witches and devils will be upon us before nightfall. Trick or Treaters knocking the door as soon as darkness appears. Ghosts and ghouls walking the streets and party goers having fun and frolics until the wee hours.
Halloween is as big an occasion now as Chiristmas and perhaps even more so for some folk.
Living on the Derry/Dongal border I'm very fortunate to be within just a few miles of the city that was just recently voted the best to be in for Halloween, Derry! And come nightfall today I will indeed be venturing into Derry for the outlandish carnival and fireworks display that will await me. I'll walk the walls and walk the streets and enjoy every waking moment of it.
But it wasn't always that way!
Last night on Facebook I saw a friend of mine post a status about not liking Halloween. The same friend has young children who all love Halloween. Immediately I was drawn to her post. I can relate to it in every possible way.
My three boys loved Halloween as they were growing up. They would plan for days in advance what they were going to wear and where they were going 'trick or treating'. I dreaded it. Perhaps it's because we lived (still do) in a housing estate and all the neighbouring children and those beyond would descend on us as soon as darkness did likewise and the door wouldn't stop until midnight. I recall going to the door with sweets, nuts, crisps and more with a smile planted firmly on my face. Each time I closed the door I cringed hoping another knock wouldn't come. But it always did. I can't explain my reason for this but I just couldn't get into the Halloween spirit so to speak.
My boys would be out 'trick or treating' and return home with bags overflowing with sweets. I hated them eating so much rubbish on one night but it was Halloween after all. I had to stay quite and just let them enjoy.
Then as the boys grew older they would go off roaming the streets on Halloween with their friends. At no time were my boys allowed fireworks but they were in the company of people who were. I sat at home worrying that they would be hurt, or worse still, be responsible for hurting someone else.
It was a relief every Halloween night when all would return and I could turn off the lights knowing everyone was in bed.
So call me a spoil sport or other, but as a mother with young children I never liked Halloween.
However as night fallls later today, I'll be off up that city centre with camera in hand and enjoy the fun and frolics with the rest of them.
Not liking Halloween didn't make me a bad Mum I don't think. It made me a real Mum. Seeing my friend's post last night took away a lot of the guilt I used to feel. There's no shame in not being the same as everyone else. There's no shame is bieng honest.
If you enjoy Halloween, have a wonderful day and night. If you don't enjoy Halloween, then curl up with a good book for the day and night. Get lost in those pages and let the ghosts and ghouls remain outside where they belong.

GMcC

Graduation

Perhaps I place too much emphasis on education. I'm not saying I'm right to do so, but I do believe it's an achievement that's very easy carried through life. I'm a firm believer in NOT pushing my kids through the academic life but simply encouraging it. From day one I have done just this.
My one motto was always that my three boys HAD to do their Leaving Certificate. I had dreams that they would all go through college/uni but that would have to be their own self choice: their decision.
Having all boys I knew it would always be a difficult road in encouraging them to follow the academic route but I was lucky. Their teachers and schools did the hard work and I took that back seat (well relatively speaking!). I did try and encourage the third level road but thankfully teachers influence stood over mine and that route was taken by the two eldest to date.

College wasn't easy. Boy no.1 didn't want to go down this road but after a year out decided for himself that it was a road he had to travel. And travel that road he did. Being very fortunate in knowing what he wanted to do he returned to study in his field and after third level study found a full time job which then led him to travel to Canada. After two years there he returned home and now working in his field of Agricultural Mechanics. However he didn't return to college for graduation as he was just glad to be finished study and had no wish to return for receipt of his parchement. A postal reciept was sufficent for himself.
Earlier today I was privvy to watch kiddo no.2 recieve his degree parchement from his college. A very proud moment it was for me, his mother.
This was a day I had dreamed of for 25 years and to say I was proud is an understatement.
Now kiddo no.3 is prepaing for Leaving Certificate and has plans for further study. I can't take credit for this, it is all  his own doing. However as Mother I am proud once more that the youngest kid will take the academic road to bettering his future.
Education is definitely not the 'be all and end all' but it certainly helps in the modern day to have such behind you.
So as October 2015 comes to a close, so does my aspirations for my chldren. They have all aspired to better themselves through education and I can only hope that it serves them well.
My job is far from done, but it is certainly a little lightened knowing that they have a good education behind them.
It hasn't been easy getting them here, but they are arriving via their own journey.
As one journey ends, another is destined to begin. Here's hoping it's a fun one to travel for each and every one of them.

GMcC

Mummy: My Journey. Me!

I've been a Mummy Blogger with Mummy Pages for some time now. However last week as I attended my last 'Parent's Day', after 19 years it was time to leave this blog. My children are no longer children and so my time here was done. It was an amazing experience and one I loved. I've never been the perfect parent and my children have never been, and never will be, the perfect children. But I enjoyed passing my experience onto others. It may have helped or it may not. But I had some great feedback and so today as I watched my second son graduate, I decided to embark on this new blog of my own.
North West Culture Gal is a blog about my life in general and all the culture and life that I experience, but now I'm going to add this page about my being Mum. From the birth of my 3 boys to the present day - the eldest boy is now a working man: the second has just graduated, and the third is preparing for Leaving Certificate. And I am still Mum. I guess I always will be.
There's no way to getting it right but there's always fun and frolics and extreme hardship in trying. I'll tell you all about my hardships and my fun times and my very proud times. I'll tell you about the times I cried, the times I squealed, the times I laughed and the times I hid away.
Read along if you want and ignore if you so decide. Parenting is never easy. It's the toughest job going. And it pays nil.
But we wouldn't change it. So here's my story!

GMcC