October 24, 2013
2:01pm
You mentioned having other goals and ventures in one of your previous posts. Care to talk about them?
One of my biggest regrets is not finishing school when I had the chance. I tried going back a couple times after that, but I can't say that I accomplished too much toward obtaining my degree. I started off attending Hampton University on a music scholarship right after high school. A year later, I dropped out. I enrolled at The Art Institute of Washington a few months after Jay was born and took a couple of online classes. By then, I was living in Raleigh as a newly singled mom, working full time, and raising an infant. With so much on my plate, I could barely finish a semester.
I decided to take some time off to focus on my son and work. It was a tough choice, but it was the right one. At twenty-one, married (but separated), and mother of one, I was far from being a traditional student. A couple of years after moving back to Maryland, I enrolled in the College of Southern Maryland in late Summer, 2010. I put forth my very best effort into the 32 credits I earned from there; halfway toward an Associate's Degree. Stephan and I had just gotten married August, 2011, and I finished up my last semester at CSM that Fall. I took another year off in 2012 to focus on my pregnancy with Madison. I haven't been back since.
The more I think about it and I look around at my life now, I can't help but to feel like I'm not missing out on too much. When I went off to school the first few times, my focus was to graduate and obtain a decent job to provide for my son. If and when I go back to school at this point in my life, it is more so to fulfill a personal goal. Life now is so different. It's almost like the Lord re-purposed everything, even though I know this was all apart of his plan for me. I am just thankful that He placed me back on the right track.
I had a conversation with someone the other day. We talked about what I'd do whenever we move back to Maryland. I guess the expectation is that I'll go back to work to help pay for bills. I wouldn't have a problem with going back to work if I knew that there was someone who is trusted and available to homeschool and babysit Jay and Madison. Stephan and I are dead-set on our decision to homeschool. The plan is to homeschool until they graduate. So, what then? One of my main goals throughout this journey is to inspire young parents to take charge of their children's education. It doesn't mean they have to make the decision we're making for our kids to homeschool. I want to inspire and help them understand that they can be their children's primary teachers, public school educated or otherwise. My mom was and is probably my greatest teacher. A full-time government career-driven woman, married and raising five children, she still made being Mommy a priority. She would taken us to museums, serve as our girl scout troop leader, and involved in band parent association. She did so much. I will always be grateful for that. I learned so much about being a woman from her. When I got married and became a mother, all of those caretaker traits that she possess manifested in me. Even though I learned basic math and reading skills in school, she taught me how to use those skills in the real world. She taught me how to interact with people. My father was just as monumental in my education. Daddy, being very logical and straight-to-the-point, taught me the art of quick and logical thinking. I get about 75% of my sense of humor and creativity from that guy, too. I model much of my parenting from what I've seen him do with me and my sisters. Dad worked full-time for the Metropolitan Police Department (How cool is that, honestly?). He put in some serious man-hours to provide for us.
My point in saying all of this is that in spite of whatever personal and profession obligations and goals my parents had, they ensured that their children to loved, nurtured, and educated. They raised five children. Four of us graduated college, and three of those college grads hold Masters' degrees. ALL of us are doing well. Praise God for His grace, mercy, and many blessings!
I don't ever want to hear a parent say that they are too busy for their children. Adults get so wrapped up in money, money, money, that we neglect what's really important: these babies. Everything is about money. And why? To pay bills? No. To put food on the table? No. Stuff. We want stuff. American society teaches that we have to claw and dig our way to the top in order to get what we want. Honestly, there isn't anything wrong with that if that's what you value. But, we mustn't take our focus off of our next generation of lawyers, doctors, politicians, entertainers, athletes, etc.
Anesha, where are you going with all of this? Glad you ask. I think I'd like to become a home-education advocate. Not homeschooling, per se, but just encouraging parents to educate their children themselves. There's so much we can do with our kids. They deserve our best. But, I have no idea where I'd even begin with that. I supposed this blog is a start. If I can inspire just one person, then I'd be happy.
I had a conversation with someone the other day. We talked about what I'd do whenever we move back to Maryland. I guess the expectation is that I'll go back to work to help pay for bills. I wouldn't have a problem with going back to work if I knew that there was someone who is trusted and available to homeschool and babysit Jay and Madison. Stephan and I are dead-set on our decision to homeschool. The plan is to homeschool until they graduate. So, what then? One of my main goals throughout this journey is to inspire young parents to take charge of their children's education. It doesn't mean they have to make the decision we're making for our kids to homeschool. I want to inspire and help them understand that they can be their children's primary teachers, public school educated or otherwise. My mom was and is probably my greatest teacher. A full-time government career-driven woman, married and raising five children, she still made being Mommy a priority. She would taken us to museums, serve as our girl scout troop leader, and involved in band parent association. She did so much. I will always be grateful for that. I learned so much about being a woman from her. When I got married and became a mother, all of those caretaker traits that she possess manifested in me. Even though I learned basic math and reading skills in school, she taught me how to use those skills in the real world. She taught me how to interact with people. My father was just as monumental in my education. Daddy, being very logical and straight-to-the-point, taught me the art of quick and logical thinking. I get about 75% of my sense of humor and creativity from that guy, too. I model much of my parenting from what I've seen him do with me and my sisters. Dad worked full-time for the Metropolitan Police Department (How cool is that, honestly?). He put in some serious man-hours to provide for us.
My point in saying all of this is that in spite of whatever personal and profession obligations and goals my parents had, they ensured that their children to loved, nurtured, and educated. They raised five children. Four of us graduated college, and three of those college grads hold Masters' degrees. ALL of us are doing well. Praise God for His grace, mercy, and many blessings!
I don't ever want to hear a parent say that they are too busy for their children. Adults get so wrapped up in money, money, money, that we neglect what's really important: these babies. Everything is about money. And why? To pay bills? No. To put food on the table? No. Stuff. We want stuff. American society teaches that we have to claw and dig our way to the top in order to get what we want. Honestly, there isn't anything wrong with that if that's what you value. But, we mustn't take our focus off of our next generation of lawyers, doctors, politicians, entertainers, athletes, etc.
Anesha, where are you going with all of this? Glad you ask. I think I'd like to become a home-education advocate. Not homeschooling, per se, but just encouraging parents to educate their children themselves. There's so much we can do with our kids. They deserve our best. But, I have no idea where I'd even begin with that. I supposed this blog is a start. If I can inspire just one person, then I'd be happy.
Our masterpiece from Arts & Crafts Thursday :-)
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