Grandma Wears a Hoodie Too

The other day I had to stop and think twice before I left for my regular visit to the gym. You see, it was a little chilly outside and I reached for my green jacket---which just happens to be a Hoodie. Of course, Hoodies are in the news these days following the shooting death of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin. I put the Hoodie on, looked at myself in the mirror and thought, "What if I walked down the street in my neighborhood---would my white neighbors become frightened and call the police or would I discover we had our own version of a neighborhood watch captain who might become trigger happy?" After all, with a hoodie on I could pass for a man. It's a shame that I, as a grandmother, must deal with this subject.

The Lengths We Go to to Protect Our Grown Children

It is a parent's job to keep their children out of harm's way---but there is such a thing as over-protection and cover-up.

One might argue that is the case when it comes to 64-year-old Robert Zimmerman and his 28-year-old son George. We all know George as the pistol-packing self-appointed neighborhood watch volunteer who fatally shot 17-year-old Trayvon Martin on February 26 in Sanford, FL. We all know Martin was unarmed and only carrying a bag of skittles and an iced tea.

A month after the shooting, Robert Zimmerman has finally spoken out in defense of his son. Why it took so long is anybody's guess. He says his son is NOT a racist---as a push back to all of those who claim his son engaged in racial profiling and Martin was his target. He also says his son did what he had to do since he was being brutally attacked by the victim. It doesn't matter that the police video doesn't reveal George in a near death state.

Robert Zimmerman is doing exactly what he believes is the right thing to do---to support his child no matter what....to defend him to the end.

But here's the thing. George isn't a CHILD anymore and he didn't just turn 21. I don't fault Robert for giving love and support to his son but he must also realize that if he raised him well, his son will man up and take responsibility for his actions or at least be respectful enough to apologize.

Trayvon Martin Could Be My Grandson

After death threats and an avalanche of hate mail, the man who shot and killed 17-year-old Trayvon Martin on February 26 has packed up his belongings and moved away to an unknown location.

So how does that happen? How does George Zimmerman get to receive a pass for shooting the unarmed teen who was just walking home from a convenience store with some skittles and an iced tea? How come the police believe Zimmerman's story that he was defending himself when he was the one who got out of his vehicle in pursuit of Trayvon and then pulled a weapon as the young man screamed for his life? Zimmerman was also told NOT to pursue the teen but failed to obey? Why did the police lie to the media and say Zimmerman had a squeaky clean criminal record---only to discover he had been charged with assault on a law enforcement officer?

All one has to do is listen to the 9-1-1 tapes - and realize this kid was screaming for help.

Trayvon could've been my grandson. How sad it is to know that, even with a black President, some of us still remain defenseless at the hands of police.

May George Zimmerman get exactly what is coming to him.

Have You Had the Talk With Your Spouse Yet

For many couples, talking about death is difficult. Nobody likes to think about dying. It's scary to think the person you're growing old with will no longer be around someday.

The other day my husband said, "I can't imagine my life without you. That's why I'm going to die first." Of course, his comment shocked me and I wasn't sure how to respond. Trying to lighten the mood, I said, "No--I need to go first because I know you will be able to re-group a whole lot better than I would." Then, jokingly, I suggested we die together.

That brief conversation got me to do some serious thinking. How would I cope emotionally and financially should my husband pass away before me?

Preparing your finances for your death is a topic many don't want to talk about. Death is inevitable, however, and if you don't take the time to plan, your wishes (and your family's financial security) could be at risk.

Here are some tips I found, which I hope will be as helpful to you as they are to me:

1) Creating a living will and name an executor.

2) Discuss your finances with your spouse and make sure you know account numbers, passwords, billing arrangements and insurance information.

3) Talk about about funeral arrangements and find out if your spouse wants a coffin or prefers cremation.

4) List insurance and medical policy numbers, investment and other financial account numbers, along with passwords, social security information, and login data for websites.

5) Make a rough draft of your monthly budget, factoring in living expenses and income.

Getting your house in order while you're both still alive will save the surviving spouse (and other family members) a lot of frustration and paperwork during the grieving process.

Celebrating Dr Seuss with Grandchildren

Dr. Seuss and I share something in common. We've both been around long enough to inspire a lot of children over the years.

I was always taught "reading is fundamental" and is tied to EVERYTHING you do in life. If you can't read, you can't effectively communicate. Not knowing how to read may result in having people cheat you out of your money. Poor reading skills may leave you jobless.

When my daughter, now 22, was learning how to talk, Dr. Seuss and I became her reader advocates. Green Eggs and Ham, The Cat in the Hat, I Can Read with My Eyes Shut--- all became favorites. Even though I had a full-time job, I always tried to find the time to go to my daughter's school and read to the class.

The same holds true today with my five-year-old grandson. I'm a rockin' reader grandma at his school. I want him to know how much I value reading and how much I support him in getting the best education he can---PLUS I absolutely adore his class. They all give me big hugs every time I visit.

Yes, Dr. Seuss and I are still hanging tough.

Giving Children Grand Support

Today at my grandson's school there was a special event: Boys to Men Luncheon. Fathers, granddads, brothers, uncles, cousins, mentors, males role models were invited to come hang out with their child and enjoy lunch---let me say TRY to enjoy lunch because I've eaten in that cafeteria.

I decided to pop in to capture a Kodak moment and much to my surprise, the parking lot was jam-packed with cars. Once inside the cafeteria, I was overcome with emotion when I saw ALL of the men who had shown up to eat with their kids. These men took time out of their day to do something they believed was important.

I am a firm believer that when men show up as an active and loving participant in their children's lives, the children fare much better because of it. Moms and grand moms are used to doing it but seeing a positive male role model in a child's life speaks volumes and, whether you want to believe it or not, teachers do notice those things because then they know they have another level of support to reach out to.

My grandson was represented today by his grandfather and great-grandfather and his dad, who I'm sure was smiling down from Heaven.

Thank you Spring Valley for a wonderful idea!

If I was the Grandmother of Blue Ivy

If I was the grandmother of Beyonce and Jay-Z's new baby girl, the first thing I would do is sit down and have a long, and not-so-nice Parenting 101 lesson with them.

I'd tell them how foolish I think they are to spend over a million dollars to seal off a wing of the hospital to assure their privacy. If they wanted privacy, they could've paid for a PRIVATE facility with PRIVATE everything else.

I'd tell them how inconsiderate they are to keep other new parents from having access to their own newborns in the neonatal care unit of the hospital. One father took his complaints to the media---and we all know how that gets blown up.

I'd tell them they could've donated that $1.3 million they spent on hospital privacy and security to different organizations to ensure that less fortunate mothers could get good prenatal care.

These are the things I would say if I were the grandmother of Beyonce and Jay-Z's baby girl. I'm just wondering what their own mothers said---if anything.