Mental Health & Vacations

My children and me at the beach

I resisted going to the coast.  We didn't really have the money.  Even with doing the No Takeout Challenge, we are still not making it financially.  I stressed out so much about it that I even argued with my hubby about it.  No matter what, we still went to the coast, and it was worth it.

The bright moon

I was so glad that, while we couldn't afford a long trip, we still stayed one night.  I witnessed the moon shining on the waters.  It was an awesome sight.  The picture above does not do justice to the scenery I saw on Saturday night.  I tried my hardest to capture the loveliness of a pleasant night's excursion on the beach.

Long shadows on the beach

I took this picture (above) to tell a lot.  Many people enjoyed the beach that day, as you can see from the footprints.  You can see the shining light on the water beyond the sand.  There were at least three of us causing the shadow.  You can also see other people walking closer to the water.

Younger son with his catch

It was great to see my youngest enjoying himself.  Believe it or not, that boosted my spirits.  I was happy that he was fishing.  He said he felt jolly.

Happy me with my little catch

I got into the spirit of fishing, although we only caught small fish.  It was exhilarating.  The wind was blowing but not too hard.  The temperature was pleasant.  The people on the pier were friendly, too.

My oldest with his catch

My oldest son seems like a professional at fishing.  He knew how to throw out the line.  He was even teaching his younger brother.  I especially liked when we were walking on the beach earlier; he took it upon himself to walk with me in the rear of our group.  He said he was on the lookout in case anyone came upon us; that moment made me proud to be his momma.

This was a memorable vacation.  I found out how much my kids love me.  I felt it when they hugged me as we had our picture taken.  We were with friends, slapped together a barbeque meal, and joked around, too.  We got to fish and feel the tug of the fish as they fed on the shrimp.

My internet during the trip was intermittent.

Money problems aside, getting away to recharge the batteries benefited all of us.  I think my husband appreciated that I caved in to his desire to go to the coast.  I don't recommend getting into debt to get away from the mundane routine.  I do recommend shifting money around and possibly having a staycation if that is all one can afford.  I strongly believe, that for our mental health, we sometimes have to step away from the computer.

Well, thanks for reading about my thoughts on mental health and vacations.  I hope this blog entry helps someone.

How about you, my readers?  Have you gone on a vacation recently?  Did you enjoy yourselves?  How did you feel after your vacation?  I encourage you to consider a vacation, even if it has to be a staycation.  Refrain from checking your Facebook, emails, and phone calls for just a little while.  It could be for the weekend or just one afternoon.  You might just need a little break from the monotony of life.   

If you need to improve your health, in any form, please ask God to help you; he will, if you pray for His guidance.

This is an entry for Medical Mondays.  For past entries, click here.

Disclaimer: The viewpoints that I discussed here are just my opinions.  Please consult your physician before altering anything relating to your health.  I am only suggesting here to take charge of your health.  Don't just leave your health in the hands of your doctors; become your own advocate.  You know best how your body is doing.

F is for Facebook & Safety

I'm currently participating in 

an ABC's for homeschooling challenge.  

Since it falls on Tuesdays, 

I am adding a technological slant to the challenge.  

I hope you stay tuned and enjoy my entries.

Facebook is a great place to connect with people.

Facebook often gets a bad rap.  Countless stories and studies tell of the bad side of allowing your children, who are 13 and older, to use Facebook.  There are some advantages to Facebook.  Following are some reasons to allow teens to use Facebook:

1. to connect with people.  Facebook allows one to find connections with family members and existing friends.  You can even make friends with distant relatives.  Facebook is especially helpful in connecting with people who live far from you.  For example, I have friends who live in other countries, like Canada and Britain.  I have friends who live in many states, like New York and Delaware, too.

2. to communicate with family and friends.  Facebook gives one the opportunity to converse and catch up with friends.  I like that Facebook gives its members updates on birthdays.  We then can wish, "a happy birthday," to each other.  We can also give notice about upcoming events like parties and graduations.

3. to make new friends.  With Facebook, you can find new people who share common interests.  This is a chance for teens to meet the children of our friends.  It is wonderful that I, as a homeschooling mother, can connect with other fellow homeschooling parents.  In the same vein, teens who are homeschooled can meet on Facebook.  They can then figure out for themselves if they are compatible.

4. to learn about the world.  Through Facebook, a teenager can begin to explore the world.  This is a brilliant way to use technology.  People share all kinds of information and websites on Facebook.  For example, just today, I shared a website having to do with World War II with my teenage son because I know that he likes to learn about World War II.  Someone had shared the same website with me on my Facebook.   

I didn't even know that Facebook had a safety center.  You can find it here:

Facebook's Family Safety Center

I would recommend sending your teens to this webpage for learning about safety:

Tips for Teens on Facebook

Well, thanks for reading this entry.  I hope I have provided some practical advice on how to use Facebook safely.  Facebook can be a useful tool for teens.

How about you, my readers?  Do you allow your children to get on Facebook?  Do your children have a Facebook account?  Are you "friends" with your teens on Facebook?  I encourage you to consider being "friends" with your children if they are on Facebook.  You should know what your children are up to on Facebook.  You can monitor their online activities that way.

I pray that God gives you all, my beloveds, His wisdom and peace.

This has been an entry for the Technology Tuesdays series.