Parenting like teaching is a limitless task. There's always more we can do for our children, but time and energy are limited.
How do we choose what to do?
One of my most challenging parenting chapters was a chapter when I had much more to do than time to do it. I had to make some hard choices. For example, one of my children was essentially put on hold while I attended to much more serious areas of parenting. I had to rely on the village to parent that child at that time. Fortunately the village responded with strength. Yet that lost time did impact this child's later years--he had some catching up to do for the years I wasn't as available as I would have liked to be.
As an educator I watch families struggle with the countless choices they have to make. I notice when families don't have what they'd like to have to support a child. Generally families are very loving, but at times, that love alone can't make up for struggles related to health, finances, relationship problems, and more that impact a child's good care. I am empathetic to those challenges since I've experienced similar challenges myself.
As an educator, I want to work with families in ways that matter, ways that support those parents when it comes to their child's education and social/emotional development. I want to provide lots of options when it comes to family support--options that help each and every child succeed. I believe that we can focus on this with greater depth and care as school communities. This is something I'll think about in the days to come.
How do we choose what to do?
One of my most challenging parenting chapters was a chapter when I had much more to do than time to do it. I had to make some hard choices. For example, one of my children was essentially put on hold while I attended to much more serious areas of parenting. I had to rely on the village to parent that child at that time. Fortunately the village responded with strength. Yet that lost time did impact this child's later years--he had some catching up to do for the years I wasn't as available as I would have liked to be.
As an educator I watch families struggle with the countless choices they have to make. I notice when families don't have what they'd like to have to support a child. Generally families are very loving, but at times, that love alone can't make up for struggles related to health, finances, relationship problems, and more that impact a child's good care. I am empathetic to those challenges since I've experienced similar challenges myself.
As an educator, I want to work with families in ways that matter, ways that support those parents when it comes to their child's education and social/emotional development. I want to provide lots of options when it comes to family support--options that help each and every child succeed. I believe that we can focus on this with greater depth and care as school communities. This is something I'll think about in the days to come.