Life of the Party

       After becoming a foster parent, my eyes have really opened! It is a rewarding task and I do feel as if I have made a small difference. Our home is currently open and we are looking forward to taking in another child.   I want to high encourage people to adopt and foster. There are so many children out there that need a loving home.       It isn't an easy process and they will test your patience. I have decided to take in teens only. I think this age range is often overlooked.    Enable Ginger Cannot connect to Ginger Check your internet connection or reload the browser Disable in this text field Edit Edit in Ginger Edit in Ginger ×

    Owning a do is a very weird partnership between owner and dog. I love my fur babies and enjoy their daily antics!  My animals are my responsibility and I do take that serious!  Today, we had a woman reach into our car. She was immediately met with cold noses and sharp teeth. She yelped as Harley nipped her looming hand.       My dogs are protective, so do not reach in. They seem like babies but they are also very scary when they want to be. 

     I’m not officially a parent and NOW I see the struggle of remote learning. My child is using Edmentum alone with no live streamed instruction and she is struggling. What is the purpose and what are the teachers really doing?  I’m a teacher and I do live streamed classes everyday. My child has YET to speak with any teachers.  I do not know how she will make it through this semester. She was granted an extension, but this will be the death of us both.        Who else is feeling this struggle?   I never realized how hard this would be until a child moved into my home. I see her struggle each day with each new lesson. I do not understand how they expect her to finish this, and the extension isn’t going to help. 

       Celebrations are all different and everyone has their own way of truly gathering for family events.  I asked this question every year in my classes. This school year the answers were unexpected. My students had no fluffy answers or cheesy Hallmark scenarios. They mainly talked about isolation and fear. They are bored, sad, and anxiously  awaiting the near future.       Personally, we will have a small dinner here at home. This is my first holiday as a Foster parent, so I want to make sure I'm doing it right and setting up some traditions. I would love to hear your thoughts and ideas.

    The month of December is always a bitter sweet time. My family keeps dwindling in size, so our celebrations grow smaller as well. This year is no exception. I think it brings out the good and bad. We finally put upour tree, but it S just not the same.

              Holidays will be very different this season. My family has ultimately decided to split up our family gathering into smaller portions at different homes. This is odd because I’m used to having my family under one roof during this town. I wonder if other families are having the same issues?   This is my current teacher face. Teaching from home has taught me that I have more time on my hands and I really need. I have went back to wearing my glasses because staring at the screen all day has been really troubling. I end up with major headaches at the end of each business day and even with my glasses my eyes still ache.

             So, in my house we are counting down the days to Thanksgiving. This year our gatherings will be smaller, but that doesn't matter because at least we still get to enjoy it! Mom and I have decided to open our home to foster care. I'm extremely nervous about this new chapter in my life. Being a parent is something I have always wanted to do but due to unforeseen circumstances I cannot have children. I know a lot of women struggle with this and infertility. I just hope that I’m able to provide a home where kids feel welcome.

      This pandemic has done a lot of things both good and bad for me personally. I have discovered that remote learning is not scary or intimidating. I have bonded closer with my family and friends who are family. This time of year always makes me think about what is important or significant in my life.          I think it’s people we ultimately want to be in larger groups and being our normal communities, But that just isn’t realistic when a virus is spreading through a community. Being at home and working from home has really made me appreciate my work family. I understand that co-employees are there for the same reason I am. Overtime these people become essential to who you are and how you conduct daily business. I think this pandemic has made me establish new routines. Seldomly, I get to return to campus to my classroom to gather materials. It’s almost eerie to walk down my hallway without seeing the smiling faces of my fellow teachers. I hav...

          It’s so strange to me how one student’s comment can really make a defining moment in your life. So I asked my students this week what they were thankful for. One of my students replied that they are thankful for a parent who is becoming a better person. This heartfelt comment really struck a nerve with me as a teacher. My student, even as a child, knows that her Parent is trying everything within their power to be a good parent. And it was in that moment during her statement then I realize that I need to become a better person. I think random acts of kindness, forgiveness, and mutual respect can make being a better person attainable.   

    It's easy to focus on the negative side of remote learning, but there have been successes too!  I still find myself at odds when considering where I stand with remote learning. Students who have social issues are thriving, but that is only a portion of my students.  Here are some ideas to make it engaging:  1. Make funny videos of the lesson 2. Laugh with your students 3. Use lots of videos  4. Involve music 5. Personalize the activities  6. Provide choices  7. Let them share their screens out too!       I still adapting to this world of remote learning and I do not have it figured out. I would love to hear some of your ideas! Feel free to leave a comment!