The Terrible Three's

I've had this blog post in my head for days now.  And just now have had time to put pen to paper, or finger to keyboard as the case in today's society is.  Have you ever talked to a parent, and been told, or heard them say, three's is so much worse than two's?  I had.  I didn't understand it.  Then my daughter turned three.  And the terrible three's reared their ugly head.  As our family has been sailing along on this journey though, I've been struck, the healthy alter ego my daughter exhibits by eliminating these things, three's isn't so bad.  I know, I know.  She's almost 4.  But I can only imagine what the past year would have been like, had we changed her diet earlier.

And this leads me to the real bulk of my thoughts over the past few days.  What about the other parents who told me about the terrible three's?  Maybe the reason three is the new two, is because now, as our children pass toddlerhood, we loosen our grasp of control, and start to allow them 'treats', more flexibility in food choices, and really, the introduction of 'junk' foods.  Maybe the reason three is, the new two, has nothing to do with a change in humans at all, and really has to do with what is going into our bodies.

Everyone around me has shown absolute unconditional support.  And without this support I am not sure how I would have made it through the past month, or the past few years for that matter.  But I don't want support.  I want change.  Not just for my family, but for the children of America.  Where will our country be in 15 - 30 years, when the children of today are in places of power and leadership.  Is the Ritalin generation of today going to be able to lead our country into the next phase?  Will we have the most powerful leaders of the world?  Will we have scientists, and lawyers, doctors, and politicians, Nobel prize winners, and religious leaders?  Presumably the answer is yes, children of today don't lack dreams.  But what if the society that is raising them today is ignoring the impact on their potential?

If changing what you were putting into your child, would entirely alter the ability they have to achieve their innate awesome abilities, would you sit back and say: "Wow, that's interesting and amazing."  Or would you stand up and shout at the top of your lungs:  "NO MORE!".  In a society where we are involved at sickening degrees with the lives of our socialites, where there is no legal proceeding that is exempt from public opinion and outcry.  How on earth is it possible, that we are silenced with the future of the most important thing in our lives.  Any parent will tell you.  Their children, are their EVERYTHING.

I know my story is interesting, I know my changes are extreme.  I know the conversation is hard.  And food conglomerates are mighty.  I know the length and time and work involved to overcome these things.  But don't just find my story amazing.  Look at your child.  Look at the things you have accepted as normal.  As behavioral intricacies, or personality quirks.  Things you've spent days, weeks, months, years, accepting as who they fundamentally are.  And ask yourself.  What if they weren't?  What if that is NOT who they fundamentally ARE?  What if the foods bought with your hard earned money, are creating these things, NOT your child?  What if these things are the sign of a bigger problem?  What if you changed your child's diet?  What if simply removing entirely inappropriate things, or even things that seem appropriate but are impacting their entire being?  What kind of world would we live in then?  What kind of world could they lead for our grandchildren?

As I become increasingly emotional about the child I realize I never knew, and in love with the child I realize I have, because of no medical change at all, simply removing things that were fighting with her natural abilities, I am heartbroken.  Make no mistake.  It is not for myself, or my daughter, or my family.  Because for us, I am over joyed.  I am heartbroken for all of the other children.  Because the food is still being bought, and made, and served to children.  I am heartbroken for the children who could be the next Nobel Laureate, but may never even have a chance, because their head is so scrambled, and their parents are so accepting.  Let's not accept that this is ok, or normal.  Please, share my story, please look at your own children.  While I believe we should accept who our children are, and absolutely accept their limitations, what I have seen makes me sick to imagine what we are accepting as truth which is really just chemical warfare on our children's bodies.  Find out who our children really are, so they can soar to heights even beyond what we can begin to imagine.