How the School System fails kids

I have a little six year old boy. He is a sensitive type of kid and takes all things to heart. I love him for it. He also has had some trouble with his gross and fine motor skills, as well as his speech. So we have therapy to help him with all of this. Recently he had a little break through with his writing at school. Where his printing which was huge and out of control, has become smaller and much neater. He is extremely proud of this. Unfortuately, report cards are coming out from the school soon. And he is working really hard at everything, but he is not yet at par with his friends and classmates. I know that if he does not get a A on his report card that it is going to tear him up. It will ruin his confidence, and he will not be able to see his own accomplishments. This is where the school system fails kids. At the level of grade one, I just really feel that we should not be grading kids against each other. I wish the report cards would grade against the student themselves and their own accomplishments. His teacher is great, and always says how proud she is that he has come so far. But why destroy a childs self confidence by grading him against other students. I think at this stage we should be more encouraging of young people. Let them experience themselves and marvel at all the wonderful things they do. :)

Let there be Cake.

I was sitting at work the other day, and for no reason at all, I wanted cake. Chocolate birthday cake. I bought one, brought it home for my two little boys and I to eat. We put candles on the cake and sang happy birthday to the dogs. It is something so little, but my boys and I really enjoyed it. Each day after when we went to get another slice, we put candles on the cake, sang happy birthday and then each took a slice. And the joy in my boys eyes. They truly loved it. I hope that they will remember the little things in life like that. That you do not have to live with rules, and sometimes you can add a little slice of joy in your life...and it is simple...sometimes you just need cake and candles.

A Skinny Black Woman who is 4'2.

So my therapist made a break through for me the other day. I have always been so concerned with how I appear to other people. It has defined me. I have felt a failure because I don't live up to what others, and therefore, myself have expected of me. And I have always known...that it should not matter, it should have no effect on me what others think of me. But I did not know how to measure that feeling. I mean that I had no idea how I should feel if someone has passed judgement on me. The only thing I have known how to feel is deeply hurt. So my therapist in the middle of me explaining that I felt worthless, because I have not lived up to what society has deemed as successful...she looks at me and says seriously. And I think you are a Skinny Little Black woman. You are only 4'2, and dark as the night, almost too skinny. And of course I am none of these things...and part of me was curious of why she said this. But the part that mattered...dismissed what she said. I am not little, black or short. Anyone can see that. Well it made me think...why not dismiss the other things people may say about me?

So from now on I am going to try to take the judgements that get thrown my way with a grain of salt. People do not live my life. They do not know how I think. I am who I am...and who I am, I am beginning to love.

Trying to get through the block.

I am a resistor. I resist people and do not let too many people to get to close to me for very long. When first meeting me, I seem opened. But soon I am reflecting or confortational...I am endeavouring to remain opened. To listen to what people are saying to me. To not be so caught up in myself, and how I can change the conversation right back to myself.