Mom.Dad.Chat

I have not done the Love Q questions for quite a while now as I have not really kept up with a regular blogging schedule. Anyway, it is an interesting question this week:

Can people who were married be friends after the marriage is over?

I would think it’s hard and I feel most people remain civil and talk to each other mainly because of the kids. If there are no kids in the picture, I would think most people would just go their separate ways without looking back.

If the breakup is mutual and both parties do not feel that they have been treated badly in any way, then perhaps a friendship is still possible. But how many people who go through a divorce do not feel bitter in one way or another?

Furthermore, I don’t think it is wise to remain friends with your ex husband or wife if there is still hurt and disappointment in the heart. Even worse if you still have romantic feelings for him or her. It would just complicate matters when all you probably need is to get rid of all the reminders of a failed marriage.

For those few friends of mine who have gone through divorces, I don’t see them being great pals with their ex husbands. The marriages did not work out and there is little point being friends and continue to see each other. When there are other friends and people in their lives, there is certainly no necessity to retain that one person in their social networks, especially when that person is the cause of so much pain once upon a time.

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Sometimes, when you are thinking of a vacation spot, it is hard to find a place that might appeal to everybody in the family. However, Branson in Missouri is one of those places that has a lot to offer to tourists of all ages.

For instance, if you are one of those who likes museums, you can visit the Hollywood Wax Museum or go on board The Titanic, which is a museum built exactly to scale like the original vessel. Inside, tourists can see photos, various artifacts and the craftmanship of the luxurious Titanic.

For kids, they can enjoy the various water rides and go kart track. You can also take them to the movie theatres to enjoy a show or two. If you are an outdoor freak, you can explore the caves and caverns around Branson or make a trip to their nature park.

For shoppers, there are hundreds of stores around Branson that sell a variety of goods that you can browse in. From crafts shops to factory outlets, you are sure to find something to buy if you are holidaying in Branson.

As for lodging, there are luxury hotels, family-friendly ones or even condos for you to choose from. Depending on your budget, you can select various vacation packages to suit your needs. For example, if you are bringing along your kids to Branson, there is a family package for 2 adults and 2 kids with accomodation at Presidential Condo and tickets to 3 attractions thrown in.

Overall, Branson is a good place to plan a vacation as it has a lot to offer to everyone. With so much to do and see, it is certainly a place that is worth a visit anytime.

Currently, we are into the fourth day of the Chinese New Year in this part of the world. The past few days have been quite fun with the usual visits to relatives’ homes as is the norm during this festival yearly.

This year, Chinese New Year is a littler early being in January and barely a month after Christmas. Which is why I think I’m going to have this problem of re-adjusting my son’s routine and rules to being back to normal.

Let me ask you this. Do you relax the rules for your kids during festivals and holidays? Right now, my son is allowed to sleep later than usual and eat more sweets than usual because it is Chinese New Year. Relatives offer him candies and chocolates anyway and you can’t possibly tell a 3-year-old that he can’t have them when they are shoved into his hands.

So, rather than proper meals of lunch and dinner, he gets away with a diet of juices, sweets, candies, cookies, chips and whatever unhealthy but tasty food you can think of. The worst part is my son is now exposed to all the different types of confectioneries and I can bet he will ask for those on our next trip to the supermarket.

Well, everyone tells me it is once in a year thing. What harm can it do to sleep late and eat some junk food along the way? Yes, I know. The rules have certainly been relaxed for my son for this celebration and the discipline standard has slipped way down. It’s just that it is me who will have to re-set the standard and cope with the tantrums that come with it.

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Whenever the temperature drops to a certain degree during winter, the floor of my apartment can get rather cold which makes it difficult to walk on if you are without a pair of slippers.

As I’m not that type who likes to wear slippers or socks all the time at home, I have learned to leave a few area rugs around my apartment, such as beside the bed or sofa. It provides a small relief somewhat from the cold, especially when you have just gotten out of bed in the early morning.

The other reason I have decided on rugs is to make the place looks nicer and less plain. If you choose properly, a rug can give a more homely feel to the room. It can also make the room look classier if you pick the right rug to go with the decor. Rugs are certainly a nice and great complement for the home.

Very recently, a new product was launched targeted at parents worried about the whereabouts of their kids. The product is a GPS watch and once strapped, it can only be removed by logging onto the internet.

Whta it does is it allows parents to keep track of their kid’s movements via the web. It would also mean that parents can set up areas of movement for their kid and be notified if the watch is removed.

To me, it is quite an interesting gadget, especially when we are constantly worried about the whereabouts of our kids. As parents, I think we would definitely like to know if our kids are where they say they are. It can give parents peace of mind to know the location of their kids rather than sit and worry over where they are, especially when it is late at night.

But if we look at it from another point of view, is it fair to want to know your child’s every movement? Wouldn’t it be an intrusion of privacy to know exactly when and where he or she is? How would you feel if someone is spying on your every movement the moment you leave your house?

I really wonder if teenagers would willingly strap on this GPS locator. To parents, it may be a good compromise between freedom for their kids and peace of mind for themselves. But to the kids who have to wear the watch, is it really a good solution?

At the end of the day, this is basically a question of trust. If you trust your kid, then you wouldn’t really need this gadget. But even if you don’t, making your kid wear this watch may only create more distrust, isn’t it?

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I know of many people who want to get fit but can’t seem to be able to maintain a healthy lifestyle and exercise regime. They will start off with much enthusiasm to lose weight but after a while when they don’t see much result, they will start to slack before stopping completely whatever program they have been following.

I think if you want to shed off some pounds, you do need to keep up with a regular exercise schedule and maintain a healthy lifestyle. That means you do need to watch what you eat. You can also consider some weight loss supplements to help you towards your goal of losing a few pounds.

The important thing is your will and determination to want to get fit. If you don’t have the determination, whatever you try most probably won’t get you the desired result.

I came across this blog that is trying to explore the world of love since we will be celebrating another Valentine’s Day soon. It’s quite interesting as it is collecting how people measure their love for their partners with this fill in the blank sentence:

I love you more than…

You can go to the blog to send in your answers or just to read what others have said. Some of the interesting ones that I saw include the following:

• I love you more than Coach purses.
• I love you more than 20% off at Barnes & Nobles.
• I love you more than my blackberry.
• I love you more than I did 20 years ago.
• I love you more than chocolate, though it’s close.
• I love you more than eating french fries in front of the Eiffel Tower.
• I love you more than that perfect nail polish color.
• I love you more than Barack Obama.
• I love you more than is probably healthy.

So, how much do you love your partner?

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