Due Diligence

I recently completed my due diligence neurologically speaking. I had a portable eeg done that we are eagerly waiting for the results to reveal if I have epilepsy. I really don't need another neurological issue, but the doc said we needed to complete the eeg, so I wore it for 48 hours, hoping diligence has been severed! Somehow I'm thinking diligence wasn't served but the insurance company and hospital were!

I can say that the eeg did allow me to diligently explain it's purpose to students and faculty. While most people first thought I was being tested for brain cancer, I diligently explained my battles with migraines, the prevalence of epilepsy and the purpose of wearing a hat to cover the wires. I diligently told students that I wasn't getting electronic shocks and that the eeg didn't hurt.  It smelt bad and I had to cut my hair to get rid of already the glue, but diligence has been served! Now, if only the doctor's office would diligently get my results back!

I included some pictures in case you're curious!

Some Prayers

There are millions around the world praying for the families of Sandy Hook elementary. Tonight I also pray for those families and I also pray for America to stop using such tragic situations as political footballs! I'm praying that while people are arguing about God's involvement, or lack of involvement in this situation that American's use this incident to examine their own values, examine what is truly important to them.

Yes, I hugged my kids a little tighter tonight. This hasn't changed the fact that my husband had more security at his tire plant then any school I have ever worked in. If children are truly our most dearest and important resource, is it too much to ask that all schools ensure exterior doors are locked from the outside? How about badges and door greeters at the front door of all schools? If identification badges, key cards and door greeters are security mainstays at the dam Wal Mart, they sure as hell can be standard at all American schools! I pray such security measures are put in place in every American school by Monday!

I'll be saying a lot of prayers for the children in America who now wonder if their school is safe. I'll be saying prayers for the teachers and staff that they have the strength and awareness to ensure America's schools are safe! Most of all I'll be praying for parents and communities to have the wisdom and strength to ensure children's safety at school! This is AMERICA! We are BETTER than this! We will FIX this!

That Mom

So, it's that time of year when I spend a great deal of time watching my oldest son wrestle. I've been coaching since I was fifteen, so I'm sure there were concerns about how the coach would be a parent with her athletes.  Over the last twenty years or so, I have seen some parents who are coaches stop being a parent and continue being the coach (a really rough coach).  I understand their concerns.  Some of the parents at these wrestling matches are ROUGH and they don't make a living coaching like I do!

I'm pretty well known and with a background in athletic training, I get access that other parents don't.  I have a coach's pass, so I don't pay the $7.00 to get into the match.  If Stephen gets hurt, I go down to the mat (if I'm not already there).  I've wrapped, stretched and iced for the team.  I know where everything is in the med kit and most of the time know where the med kit is.  I have keys to the wrestling room and in a pinch will fill in until a coach can get to the match.  Despite all of this, I try to remember that my role at wrestling is supposed to be Stephen's mom, not a coach!

Since I don't often get to be the athletic parent, I think I'm a good athlete parent, but I've been told that I'm one of THOSE parents!  You know, the ones with the video cameras and no matter where they are in the gym you can hear their voice over everyone else's.  Yeah, I'm that mom!  I have even attached video proof that I am THAT MOM!  Sometimes I think that I have earned the right to be that mom and other times I just pull out my knitting and try to be quiet.  Since I'm not a naturally quiet person, and I'm a very passionate sports fan, I usually leave most wrestling matches hoarse and like I've coached a marathon!

Stephen's childhood/ high school athletic career will come to an end next year.  When he shows his kids old videos of his great high school wrestling career he won't be able to do it without that loud voice in the background.  Even if I'm gone, when he shows his kids his videos, at least generations will know that he had a mom that cared enough to shout the very best behind the camera because she was THAT MOM!

Get In The Fight

This week, when I have been driving home, one of the talking heads has been going on about all the things that are wrong with public education. There have been some valid points, but not once did anyone mention the true problem with public education..... the student! There are a multitude of factors that go into the making of a student, but at some point, the student has to become responsible for their education! With the current state of public education, the student has been excused of their responsibility for their education!   Caller after caller blamed the quailty of the teacher for the lack of performance for the student. Not once did identified parent callers mention that the student they sent the teacher maybe part of the problem!

I've seen the sentiments professed in the radio show time and time again in parent conferences, at athletic events and in communities whenever grownups discuss the lack of performance of students!  In fact, I've seen people almost come to blows over such matters! One parent I spoke to this week stated "No one at that school cares, no one is fighting for my child to get his education! That's what's wrong with public education and if I could afford it I'd put my child into private school!" That rubbed me so wrong, it rubbed me raw! I couldn't resist the urge any longer and responded!

"I have spent the last couple weeks trying to get freshmen to buy into the fact that you need to pass classes to get a diploma. I'm checking grades, talking to other teachers, offering make up work, and staying after school to tutor!  I've called parents, talked to coaches and probation officers. I've had older students come and talk to my students who are failing multiple classes!  I've posted assignments to Twitter, to Facebook and my school website! I've texted students reminders of due dates not only in my class, but others! I provided pencils, pens and paper in gross! I'm fighting for kids everyday, but these kids are not fighting with me! MAYBE THE PROBLEM ISN'T THE FIGHT FOR EDUCATION IN THE TEACHER BUT THE FIGHT FOR EDUCATION IN THE STUDENT!"

Her response? " I don't think you understand how hard it is for kids today! I'm sure none of your personal children have problems that effect their education!"

Really that's the response! I wouldn't understand because four of my kids weren't born premature? One doesn't have adhd, been abused as a toddler and has hated school since pre k? One didn't have a tragic accident where he broke both his jaws? One doesn't have speech issues and severe reading fluency issues? One doesn't have epilepsy, arthritis and chronic migraine? Yes, I'm sure I don't personally understand adversity when it comes to education!

I knew the lady wasn't interested in hearing my personal parental experience with education so, I offered her the only thing I could, witty words of wisdom!

Getting an education can be a real struggle! I can tell you've been fighting for a long time! Now that it's high school it's time for your kid to get into the fight! Tell him to come see me if he needs a sparing partner! And with that I took my leave beccause there's still a lot of fight left in this dog!