I know, I haven’t been a great blog mom! I accept responsibility for not communicating with my keyboard and failing to consistently blog. I am going to refrain from the follow-up “but statement” and commit myself to doing better. After all, accepting the need to improve, is half of the battle of doing better! Today is the day after, the day after Christmas. It is amazing how time flies when you have deadlines to meet and commitments that can’t be neglected. I am on winter break which offers the opportunity for me to complete some “at home tasks” that have been overlooked. Hence my attention has focused on Jasmine, a lofty peace lily that needs some tender loving care. With my end goal in mind, moving Jasmine into a new condominium with moisture control fertilizing soil, I set out to my neighborhood “You Fix It” store.
Being the shopper that I am, it is almost impossible for me to go to any store with 2 items on my list and leave with 2 items in my bag. Today was no exception! Upon entering the store, I was bombarded with gigantic signs that read 50% OFF ALL CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS! With just a few short steps, I spotted several “must haves.” On display was a beautiful Santa sled and reindeer. The alluring white painted figures, embellished with gold trim and red accent bows with silver bells, called my name! Also, on display was a complimentary angel that stood 6 feet tall! After walking pass these “must haves” a few times and a quick text message to ensure that my purchases would be welcomed at home, I loaded my cart. I bought the angel that was on display and purchased a boxed sled and reindeer. After wrestling with the angel, who occupied the entire back seat and half of the front seat of my SUV, I headed home. Overzealous with my new purchases, I was determined to have them displayed on my front lawn before night fall, after all, it was Christmas Eve! Within twenty minutes, the angel was regally greeting passersby; assembling the sled and reindeer was a bit more taxing.
I’ve previously heard the sobs of friends who have been tormented by huge items that came in small boxes! The tales of taking one hundred pieces from neatly packed 2 ft. by 2 ft. boxes meandered through my mind. Now, I was the main character in a tale that I had written! I now understood, the benefit of downloading an “I CAN DO THAT” app! After relying on the written instructions for the first hour, I resorted to pure common sense. As an educator with a few degrees, surely, I could assemble a sled and reindeer! As I mapped my final plan of attack, “Mr. Fix Everything” pulled into the driveway. As he exited his truck, he laughed, shook his head, and said, “Work it out!” I tried to explain my dilemma, but he kept repeating the same phrase, “Work it Out!” Realizing that he was not coming to my rescue, I continued the task at hand. Within fifteen minutes, the sled and reindeer were assembled. I was proud of my accomplishment but the phrase “work it out” continued to haunt me.
I began to think about kids who are faced with the challenges of learning new concepts, reading material that is incomprehensible, and completing projects that are overwhelming. How do they find success? Is there an internal voice that continuously says, “Work it out?” Are there family members, teachers, and friends who step-in to provide missing links? to support? to encourage? What has resonated from my self-inflicted tale of torment is that we, as family members, educators, and friends, must support kids in their quest to LEARN! We must provide opportunities of STRUGGLE, so kids will GROW! We must provide ENCOURAGEMENT, so kids will ENDURE! We must provide PRAISE, so kids will EXCEL! We are preparing kids to be the LEADERS of TOMORROW!
