I just came from a rally. This rally was held in Springfield MA. This is the city I was born and raised in. I had lost confidence in this city. I began to think that everyone here was suffering from chronic apathy. I truly believed that no one cared about anything here.
Well I have just regained confidence. The rally called for justice for Trayvon Martin. The attendees were from every walk of life. They were old, they were young, they were black, they were white, they were hispanic, they were asian, they were male, they were female, they were christian, they were muslim. They all chanted for justice, they all chanted for peace.
It was wet and cold on the outside but, I felt a warm feeling of hope on the inside. The hope that there will be justice for all victims of senseless crimes. The hope that we will all wake up and realize that we were all created for one purpose and that is to love.
The purpose to love one another enough to want to make a difference in someone's life.We must find the courage to love God and our neighbors.
We must realize that fear is not the answer. Fear is what keeps us from loving. Why would a grown man need to fear a young man who was unarmed and wearing a hoodie. Walking home from the store talking on the phone minding his business.
We don't know the whole story but, we know enough to realize something is wrong with this picture.
Saturday, March 31, 2012
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Teach your children character
Todays world can be a very confusing place. Parents, children need to learn about character early in life. You need to teach your child to be a good person, mostly because no one else will.
Children learn what they live. When a child sees their parent lie, even a "small" lie they think it is alright to lie. Teach honesty by being honest tell the truth.
In this life teamwork is necessary. We have to work with others on a daily basis. When you teach your child to work with others they will gain a very important skill.
Let your child help you clean up, cook and other things around the house. Then announce "we did it".
Let your child see you being kind to others, greet people as you pass them on the street. Say good morning, smile at your child, give them hugs. When children know love it is easier for them to show love.
Teach citizenship by volunteering bring your child with for the Earth day clean up. Don't litter and keep your environment clean.
Be responsible and your child will learn what responsibility is. Make your child accountable for what they do when they make a mess make them clean it up.
Teach your child to respectful by being respectful. Treat people the ways you want your child to treat people.
Read the definition of these words to your children. Give them examples of the concepts so that they understand them. Lead by example for some this may not be that easy. Let this be an opportunity for you to change. There is no better reason to change, then your childs future.
Children learn what they live. When a child sees their parent lie, even a "small" lie they think it is alright to lie. Teach honesty by being honest tell the truth.
In this life teamwork is necessary. We have to work with others on a daily basis. When you teach your child to work with others they will gain a very important skill.
Let your child help you clean up, cook and other things around the house. Then announce "we did it".
Let your child see you being kind to others, greet people as you pass them on the street. Say good morning, smile at your child, give them hugs. When children know love it is easier for them to show love.
Teach citizenship by volunteering bring your child with for the Earth day clean up. Don't litter and keep your environment clean.
Be responsible and your child will learn what responsibility is. Make your child accountable for what they do when they make a mess make them clean it up.
Teach your child to respectful by being respectful. Treat people the ways you want your child to treat people.
Read the definition of these words to your children. Give them examples of the concepts so that they understand them. Lead by example for some this may not be that easy. Let this be an opportunity for you to change. There is no better reason to change, then your childs future.
Saturday, April 16, 2011
What are They Really Fighting For ?
What in the world? Is watching two people beat the heck out of each other really entertaining? Are children the so numb and misguided that this is what they find exciting. What a sad state of affairs. They purposely start fights so that they can record them and post them.
Do they really hate themselves that much? They are hurting themselves as well as the person they are fighting with. The hurt is not only physical. It is emotionally and socially damaging.This is really a problem, assault is a crime and these idiots are recording it. They are so ignorant,that they don't realize the consquences of such actions. They are so full of anger and sadness that they can't think about anything but what is going on in the moment.What is going to happen when they finally realize that they need to make a future for themselves? They will be looking for a job and then someone will stumble upon some stupid video of them starting a fight and beating on another human being.
There are so many jobs and careers that do not allow people who have assault on their record.Most of these children seem to be challenged in social and academic areas.
There is something so wrong with this.I actually witnessed one of these fights. I knew both of the people involved. One of them told me the other boy just came up to him and punched him. I was cooking dinner and I heard some noise outside my window. I went to look there were two young teenaged boys were fighting. There was at least ten people yelling hit him, hit him. Some of the people were adults they said nothing at all I went outside yelling. I yelled several times stop it. Someone told me to shut up, but I didn't. I told them I was going to call the police. Since I knew both of them I said to them you know you will both go,to jail. They reluctantly stopped, I was flabergasted.
The fight stopped but I continued trying to understand. What are all of the young people really fighting for? People we have got to get involved with our children. The violence is not going to stop especially when there are so many adults just letting it happen. They are not only letting it happen they are encouraging it and participating in it. Ignorance is running rampant. Something has got to be done, adults it has to start with us.Start giving a #@$%.
Do they really hate themselves that much? They are hurting themselves as well as the person they are fighting with. The hurt is not only physical. It is emotionally and socially damaging.This is really a problem, assault is a crime and these idiots are recording it. They are so ignorant,that they don't realize the consquences of such actions. They are so full of anger and sadness that they can't think about anything but what is going on in the moment.What is going to happen when they finally realize that they need to make a future for themselves? They will be looking for a job and then someone will stumble upon some stupid video of them starting a fight and beating on another human being.
There are so many jobs and careers that do not allow people who have assault on their record.Most of these children seem to be challenged in social and academic areas.
There is something so wrong with this.I actually witnessed one of these fights. I knew both of the people involved. One of them told me the other boy just came up to him and punched him. I was cooking dinner and I heard some noise outside my window. I went to look there were two young teenaged boys were fighting. There was at least ten people yelling hit him, hit him. Some of the people were adults they said nothing at all I went outside yelling. I yelled several times stop it. Someone told me to shut up, but I didn't. I told them I was going to call the police. Since I knew both of them I said to them you know you will both go,to jail. They reluctantly stopped, I was flabergasted.
The fight stopped but I continued trying to understand. What are all of the young people really fighting for? People we have got to get involved with our children. The violence is not going to stop especially when there are so many adults just letting it happen. They are not only letting it happen they are encouraging it and participating in it. Ignorance is running rampant. Something has got to be done, adults it has to start with us.Start giving a #@$%.
Thursday, March 24, 2011
On Going
I made a comittment to look into some stats on bullying. I did not do what I said I would do. I have no excuse for my behavior.
However, I did deal with a situation in my own life pertaining to bullying. My son who is in fourth grade started to display some very immature behaviors. These behaviors had shown up at an earlier time in his life. When we experienced it I had no idea where it had come from. I just thought he was acting that way because he was the youngest of six children. I believed he was having a hard time adjusting to starting school.
The behavior persisted,this led me to believe that the climate of the school he was attending was the issue. I was partically correct.
I took my children out the school they were attending, because I witnessed first hand the type of incidents they were being exposed to on a daily basis. I actually was substitute teaching in the building.
Well, believing the school was the problem I got them into a charter school in the same city. I was satisfied for a while then the behaviors started to show up again. Long story short I decided to relocate to another city. My decision was based on many things including the school situation.
This seemed to work for several years. Then I started to notice the behaviors reappearing. My son started to tell me how much he hated school. This was new even though he had behavior issues before he had never said that he hated school. He had always had good grades despite the behavior issues.Needless to say I was very upset about it.His teacher called me one afternoon to tell me she noticed a change in him. She said he seemed to be unhappy.
I started to pay attention to the behaviors. They included not doing his homework, crying about little things, being very easily irritated about just about everything. This child had always been pretty emotional, but he was maturing and learning. We had gotten to the point where he was displaying his emotions more appropriatly. I began questioning him about what he thought the problem might be. I asked him why he no longer liked school. It took weeks to get to the real issue. One day I just kept asking questions and I told him that his answers were not making sense.He was just saying things like because and I don't know. He got so upset, then he just yelled out. I just don't like to be bothered all the time. He yelled they just won't leave me alone. Naturally my next question was, who won't leave you alone. His answer was "everyone". I said now come on it can't be everyone.This was my way of trying to get the truth out. I know that at the time it probably felt like it was everyone.
The next day he told me a story about a child in his class mocking him every time he would answer a question in class. I inquired about the name of the child he told me and I made a mental note of it. I waited until my son left for school and called the teacher to tell her about what my son said to me.She assured me she would watch for any problems. I let her know that I wanted to stop what was going on before it went too far. A couple of days went by without incident. My son came home one afternoon and told me he had gotten into trouble his Physical Education class, because he hit someone. I asked him exactly what happened. He said a student kept saying to him we lost the game because of you. He said I just got frustrated and I hit him. The child was the same child my son had complained about earlier. My first question was where was the teacher.
I am a teacher and I know you can't always see everything. I also know that you should always try to find out what is going on, when there is an incident.I also know my son he just shuts down and basically takes the punishment. This makes it almost impossible to find out what really happened.
The very same week I got a call from the Principal about my son hitting someone. The same child involved the two prior situations had been trying to get his attention in the hallway. He did so by repeatedly poking my son in the neck.My son reacted by punching him in the stomache. We all know the person who physically hurts someone is the one whos get in trouble.
I had to go to the school to pick him up. I met with the Principal she began speaking to me about the problem, I could see she had not been informed about the on going problems. It actually took me two hours to make realize that there was a problem. She even said to my son, "He is your friend isn't he?" My son looked at her with this you have got to be kidding me, look. She told me she had not been informed about any ongoing problems. I told her of several incidents snd what had been done. The students involved had been sent to the "Character Coach".
Once I had gotten her attention she realized this was an on going problem.
There was a one week vacation after the incident.I knew that nothing would get resolved. I talked to my son and prayed it would end. Well the vacation was over and the problem was still there. I wrote a note to the teacher, the Vice Principal talked to the class, my son talked to the school counselor and hopefully the problem has been resolved. I am in touch with the school. My involvement will be ON GOING from now until he graduates. Our children deserve our ON GOING involvement in their education as well as in their everyday lives.
However, I did deal with a situation in my own life pertaining to bullying. My son who is in fourth grade started to display some very immature behaviors. These behaviors had shown up at an earlier time in his life. When we experienced it I had no idea where it had come from. I just thought he was acting that way because he was the youngest of six children. I believed he was having a hard time adjusting to starting school.
The behavior persisted,this led me to believe that the climate of the school he was attending was the issue. I was partically correct.
I took my children out the school they were attending, because I witnessed first hand the type of incidents they were being exposed to on a daily basis. I actually was substitute teaching in the building.
Well, believing the school was the problem I got them into a charter school in the same city. I was satisfied for a while then the behaviors started to show up again. Long story short I decided to relocate to another city. My decision was based on many things including the school situation.
This seemed to work for several years. Then I started to notice the behaviors reappearing. My son started to tell me how much he hated school. This was new even though he had behavior issues before he had never said that he hated school. He had always had good grades despite the behavior issues.Needless to say I was very upset about it.His teacher called me one afternoon to tell me she noticed a change in him. She said he seemed to be unhappy.
I started to pay attention to the behaviors. They included not doing his homework, crying about little things, being very easily irritated about just about everything. This child had always been pretty emotional, but he was maturing and learning. We had gotten to the point where he was displaying his emotions more appropriatly. I began questioning him about what he thought the problem might be. I asked him why he no longer liked school. It took weeks to get to the real issue. One day I just kept asking questions and I told him that his answers were not making sense.He was just saying things like because and I don't know. He got so upset, then he just yelled out. I just don't like to be bothered all the time. He yelled they just won't leave me alone. Naturally my next question was, who won't leave you alone. His answer was "everyone". I said now come on it can't be everyone.This was my way of trying to get the truth out. I know that at the time it probably felt like it was everyone.
The next day he told me a story about a child in his class mocking him every time he would answer a question in class. I inquired about the name of the child he told me and I made a mental note of it. I waited until my son left for school and called the teacher to tell her about what my son said to me.She assured me she would watch for any problems. I let her know that I wanted to stop what was going on before it went too far. A couple of days went by without incident. My son came home one afternoon and told me he had gotten into trouble his Physical Education class, because he hit someone. I asked him exactly what happened. He said a student kept saying to him we lost the game because of you. He said I just got frustrated and I hit him. The child was the same child my son had complained about earlier. My first question was where was the teacher.
I am a teacher and I know you can't always see everything. I also know that you should always try to find out what is going on, when there is an incident.I also know my son he just shuts down and basically takes the punishment. This makes it almost impossible to find out what really happened.
The very same week I got a call from the Principal about my son hitting someone. The same child involved the two prior situations had been trying to get his attention in the hallway. He did so by repeatedly poking my son in the neck.My son reacted by punching him in the stomache. We all know the person who physically hurts someone is the one whos get in trouble.
I had to go to the school to pick him up. I met with the Principal she began speaking to me about the problem, I could see she had not been informed about the on going problems. It actually took me two hours to make realize that there was a problem. She even said to my son, "He is your friend isn't he?" My son looked at her with this you have got to be kidding me, look. She told me she had not been informed about any ongoing problems. I told her of several incidents snd what had been done. The students involved had been sent to the "Character Coach".
Once I had gotten her attention she realized this was an on going problem.
There was a one week vacation after the incident.I knew that nothing would get resolved. I talked to my son and prayed it would end. Well the vacation was over and the problem was still there. I wrote a note to the teacher, the Vice Principal talked to the class, my son talked to the school counselor and hopefully the problem has been resolved. I am in touch with the school. My involvement will be ON GOING from now until he graduates. Our children deserve our ON GOING involvement in their education as well as in their everyday lives.
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Bullying: Still Not Enough People Care
I have not written online for too long. I have let everyday things get in my way. There is no excuse for it. I have neglected something I am passionate about the same way society has neglected to protect our children from bullying situations. Although I have not been looking into any stats, I have been hearing about some situations lately. There seems to be more talk but noone seems to have any real answers. I believe if we all put our minds to it we can come up with some real solutions. Adults are going to have to take the time to bring about these changes. I am going to put some effort into researching this problem. I will be posting my findings and I hope to able to make a difference. There are few parents, who have suffered the loss of a child who have made some changes in the way the problems are handled as far as legislation is concerned. I decided to post this in order to make myself accountable. I feel as though I need to make a commitment, mostly because when I hear of these tragedies I cry.Children should never feel so helpless in a situation where there are supposed to be responsible adults around to protect them. We as a society have to let our children know they will be held accountable, for their actions. We need to protect our children.
Parents should not feel helpless when they are trying to protect their children. When a parent has done all they could possibly do to bring their concerns to school officials and they get no results, someone needs to be held responsible. I say no more dropping the ball. This is not game we are losing our children. There is no excuse, lets figure out a way to end this tragedy . NOW!!!!!!!
Parents should not feel helpless when they are trying to protect their children. When a parent has done all they could possibly do to bring their concerns to school officials and they get no results, someone needs to be held responsible. I say no more dropping the ball. This is not game we are losing our children. There is no excuse, lets figure out a way to end this tragedy . NOW!!!!!!!
Monday, March 29, 2010
Youth and Their Peers
Our children spend more time with their peers then with their parents.This is another reason for us to pay close attention to our children.We must realize not everyone shares to the same expectations for their children.
Some children are exposed to things earlier then others.
Believe me you do not want your child to learn about sex,drugs,violence or any other serious social issue from their friends.Children have plenty of time to socialize with their friends in school , on the bus, on the playground etc.. I am guessing you get the point.
Imagine your fifth grade childs conversation with her friend about her boyfriend.She tells your child how her mom says it is alright that she has a boyfriend. You don't want your child to have a boyfriend because you feel she is too young. Your daughter decides she is going to ask a couple of her friends if their mom and dad allow them to have a boyfriend. Let's say she asks 10 girls and 8 say that their parents don't mind.Now, lets say you have not discussed the fact you don't feel she is old enough for boyfiends.Do you know what her next move will be? Will she come to you and discuss it?
Imagine your seventh grade son witnesses his friends drinking alcohol before school on the playground. He says to them "what are you doing?" They tell him oh we do this everyday it is no big deal. One of the friends says here try it.Do you know what his response will be?
There are so many things our children are being exposed to these days we can not afford to let our children be educated about adult issues, by their peers. It is too risky. Talk to your children at an early age about these things. Children are growing up too fast these days. I don't mean physically, I mean they are experiencing adult issues way before they are emotionally ready.
Remember your children are spending a lot of time with their friends who may not have been raised with the same values, morals and guidance as your child has been.
Some children are exposed to things earlier then others.
Believe me you do not want your child to learn about sex,drugs,violence or any other serious social issue from their friends.Children have plenty of time to socialize with their friends in school , on the bus, on the playground etc.. I am guessing you get the point.
Imagine your fifth grade childs conversation with her friend about her boyfriend.She tells your child how her mom says it is alright that she has a boyfriend. You don't want your child to have a boyfriend because you feel she is too young. Your daughter decides she is going to ask a couple of her friends if their mom and dad allow them to have a boyfriend. Let's say she asks 10 girls and 8 say that their parents don't mind.Now, lets say you have not discussed the fact you don't feel she is old enough for boyfiends.Do you know what her next move will be? Will she come to you and discuss it?
Imagine your seventh grade son witnesses his friends drinking alcohol before school on the playground. He says to them "what are you doing?" They tell him oh we do this everyday it is no big deal. One of the friends says here try it.Do you know what his response will be?
There are so many things our children are being exposed to these days we can not afford to let our children be educated about adult issues, by their peers. It is too risky. Talk to your children at an early age about these things. Children are growing up too fast these days. I don't mean physically, I mean they are experiencing adult issues way before they are emotionally ready.
Remember your children are spending a lot of time with their friends who may not have been raised with the same values, morals and guidance as your child has been.
Sunday, March 28, 2010
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