I know I’ve been MIA for a while, but it couldn’t be helped. Long story short (because I’m too over worked and tired to go into much detail) here’s a link to our new site.

www.readingcoachonline.com

It’s a place where parents can come and learn how to teach their kids to read using fun activities that are also research-based. I know what you’re thinking…”How could she come up with such a site when she’s barely literate herself?” Well, my friends, believe it or not I did used to have a career before Pea came along. And with that job came a brain - so I’ve relied on my memory stores for content.

Be sure to check it out and feel free to come back here to leave some feedback. I’d love to hear of any ways we can improve and make it better!

Back to work…see ya in another month or so - lol!

The following is evidence for my friends that proves that I am in some kind of time warp.

A real conversation that took place today.

This will explain why I never seldom call back in a timely manner, forget birthdays, seem to disappear,  and other such happenings. It’s not that I’m not able to or that I don’t care. . . I am simply just too busy to pay attention to silly things like time or days.

Maybe I should be on Lost . . .

But I think I’m ok with it. It took me this long to find out that Chick Pea is a high needs baby. Well, I already knew she was high needs, I just didn’t know there was a known term for this “type” of baby. We’ve been having a bit of a rough time around here the last month and a half or so . . . very little sleep + nonstop demanding days + a healthy dose of separation anxiety = a very worn out mama.

As I was looking up info on separation anxiety, I came across “high need babies” on Dr. Sears site (the AP guru). I couldn’t believe that I had never seen this section before. Even more unbelievable is the fact that he wrote this section about our baby! I swear it. She is every single one of those 12 descriptors to the T from the day she as born (and even before- she was a vigorous kicker)!

I don’t know how many times I’ve sat with other friends’ babies who stayed happily in their carriers, bouncers, or swings, and wondered how they got their babies to do that. And why they weren’t bouncing, walking, and holding their babies all day long. I even began doubting my parenting choices because I thought I had made her this way. So it came as a nice surprise that besides contributing to her genes, I had very little to do with Pea’s demanding nature. This is not to say that it makes it easier to take care of her, but I certainly understand her better. This allows me to draw upon a “patience reserve” that I didn’t even know I had - which makes me a better parent (at least I like to think so).

So, I’m posting this info for any other parent out there who may have a similar baby (I’d love to hear stories from any of you). Or maybe just to let my peeps know why I haven’t had any time to write lately.

I love constantly learning about our little Pea!

I really wish I had more time. More time for sleep, for me, for doing nothing, and for writing. Writing . . . huh? That’s right - I wish I had more time to write. I have about 5 articles waiting to be written for this blog. They may not be groundbreaking or very interesting, but they still weigh on my mind (that’s not even counting the 3-5 that I’ll probably just delete because I forgot what I wanted to say). Unfortunately, I don’t foresee these being written any time soon because I have more important things to write.

I’m very excited about a new project that Favorite and I have in the works. However, it requires A LOT of writing on my part and I don’t even have time to do that! More on our project later.

It’s funny that I find myself fantasizing about being at work (my old job before baby) for no other reason than the fact that I had time during my breaks to do stupid things like check my favorite sites and find new ones. And had I had this blog back then, I would have added content like crazy! I would also have the time to write for our project. Sad, isn’t it? That I had more time for these activities when I was responsible for providing instruction to over 70 students - yet I have next to no time when “all” I have to do is care for 1 baby.

I just wanted to express my wish for a longer day. Maybe 27 hours would be perfect. Or maybe (knowing me) once I had 27, I’d be asking for 29. Whatever . . . I need more time!

I wish this post could be about some funny or slightly entertaining misadventure that I’ve recently experienced . . .but no - it’s about the cardinal sin of blog neglect. I won’t waste your time with excuses (like baby, being sick, traveling to FL, and having close to ZERO time to myself), but suffice it to say that I hope to be adding some much needed content soon.

Thanks to Dan for a well-placed kick in me arse!

If you’re in education, then chances are you’ve read Stuart’s book. If not, you may want to pick it up, as it is an easy read that lends interesting insight into the beginnings of public education in the mountains. A tale about a time when the prospect of providing a well-rounded education to the public seemed like a good idea, narrated by a unique individual who was ahead of his time.

“I will live if my teaching is inspirational, good, and stands firm for good values and character training. Tell me how can good teaching ever die? Good teaching is forever and the teacher is immortal.”

This profound belief in the goodness of the teacher and in the crucial role he/she plays in cultivating youths’ minds is the connecting theme that can be found in every page of Jesse Stuart’s story of his days as a mountain school teacher. His passion for relaying knowledge to his pupils, furthering his own education, fighting for the educational rights of the average citizen, and in being a leader of reform towards a better way of schooling seems boundless. I can’t help but wonder why there aren’t more people like him around today that stand up to demand change for our schools.

But is change what is needed? Is it enough?

Although Stuart wrote about experiences that took place over seventy years ago, many of the problems and issues that he faced in schools then, still exist today. Problems with poverty, parental involvement (or lack thereof), differences in cultural backgrounds, low literacy rates, low teacher salaries, educational and political bureaucracy, discipline problems, absences and tardies, ineffective teachers and administrators, and allocation of funds . . . were all there then. You’d think that in seventy plus years, states - at least cities - most definitely schools - would have figured out an effective method for providing education to all. Many do get an education, yet most certainly not all. Same as then.

So will simple change be the answer to these problems? And exactly what or who should change? Should it be the teachers, students, parents, administrators, counselors, community members, and/or legislators that change? And in what way(s)? Who will supervise the changes? What could possibly be altered in the existing system that wouldn’t offend anyone, please everyone, and still achieve the goal of educating all?

These question could go on and on - have been for seventy years. What will another possible seventy years of questioning accomplish?

Maybe public education isn’t the answer . . .

. . . you’re in the thick of it. I’m not sure how many times in my life I’ve already learned this lesson or how many more times I’ll have to experience being humbled for it to sink in. Just when I think I’ve got things figured out to the point where I can look down my seasoned nose at others for not being as savvy in certain matters in life, I find myself right on my ass doing what I said I’d never do. And two of my favorite mantras besides“me first, me first, me, me, me!” are “never say never” (which is an idiotic saying that I’m never going to say again) and “I know for sure that I don’t know everything”. I’m starting to seriously question whether I know anything at all.

My latest ass-falling moment came to me when we (the fam) were eating dinner last night. I was reminded of a time when I simultaneously condemned someone for doing something I knew was unwise and made a silent promise that I wouldn’t do the same, all the while nodding sympathetically at her. Gawd, I can be such a judgmental snob sometimes! I probably do need to keep falling on my ass.

Anyway, when I was 8 months pregnant, I met up with a friend and her adorable 3 month old baby for lunch. As soon as we sat down, she proceeded to take her baby out of the carseat and hold her in her lap the entire time. She could barely even eat her sandwich, much less relax and enjoy my pleasant company. I remember ranting to Favorite that night about how her baby hadn’t even been crying, seemed perfectly content in the carrier, and how she had unnecessarily taken her out just for the sake of holding her. I went on to say that I would neeever do that because then the baby would always expect to be held and would grow to be super needy. He, supportive future-dad that he was, heartily agreed and we moved along on our gossiping way, content with the knowledge that we knew what was going on.

Flash forward a couple of months to when our baby has been born and has the needs that babies naturally do. We just so happened to have a daughter that is very demanding and requires a lot of contact. The difference in people’s parenting lies in how they react and respond to the needs that their babies have. After getting to know her and learning a lot about attachment parenting, we both agreed that there was no other way for our family. So when we go out to eat or are eating at home, our baby doesn’t cry either, but we pick her up and hold her. What may look like a baby that’s “content” because it’s not crying to an observer sitting nearby, can actually be a baby who’s sending cues to her parents to let them know she’s not happy without crying (as our baby does).

I wonder how many people judge us for “spoiling” our baby.  Oh well . . . karma!

Why, with all of the wonderful resources that public schools make available, would parents choose to keep their kids at home for schooling? Especially when most of these parents aren’t even teachers or have had any formal training as an educator. Isn’t it a disservice to deny their children of a proper education, one that will ensure that they will possess the knowledge in the necessary subject areas, so that they will go on to be successful citizens? Let’s also not forget the fact that they rob their kids of the opportunity to socialize and interact with their peers. After all, how are these kids supposed to learn how to function in a normal society when they are deprived of the chance to form meaningful relationships with kids their own age? It seems strange that any parent would take the chance of possibly refusing their child a well-rounded education by not sending them to school.

Wait a mintute . . . could it be because our country’s public school system is in complete shambles and because sending our kids to the neighborhood school does not guarantee that they will receive a quality education? Or that there is no way to make sure that your child gets a teacher that is not yet burned out, still cares about children, and is allowed to take risks in his/her classroom by pushing the boundaries of the dictated curriculum in order to really engage the students in meaningful learning experiences? Or perhaps it’s as simple as the fact that there is no one in this world that will care as much about a child’s success in life, and be willing to do whatever it takes to ensure that they move forward in life, than its own parents.

Now, my purpose here is not to bash school teachers or to comment upon their ability or inability to help in shaping successful citizens. I would merely like to applaud the efforts of homeschooling parents in taking the power to make the decisions which best benefit their children, into their hands. Thanks to a healthy dose of some good ole fashioned ignorance, this former public school teacher used to agree (along with many of my peers in education land) with the afore mentioned wonderings regarding parents who homeschooled their kids. After much research and a tad of real life exposure to some of these families, I am a believer!

I must say that I am thoroughly impressed by the innovative techniques, original approaches, and creative ways in which some of these parents jump on the many teachable moments they encounter throughout their day. A box doesn’t even exist when some of these parents (or this one) think of ways to expose material and content to their children. It’s enough to make any teacher, bound by the constraints and guidelines that only a public classroom can offer, envious of such freedom!

A big hat tip to you all out there! You’re not that weird after all.

That’s exactly all I have right now . . . just one. This post is just to apologize to all of my loyal readers (all 3 of you) for not posting anything the last few days. The Pea has been going through some major milestones this last week (sitting up by herself and eating solids) and it has, for some unknown reason, made her very demanding of my time and energy. She even wants to hang out all night (that’s right . . . she hates the sheep).

Well, time’s up. I’ll be posting something barely worth reading soon!

Well, I’m at least trying to raise one. It’s sort of difficult to do when I’m the only one that can speak Spanish to her. Most of my family lives in far away Miami, and the brother that does live here won’t speak it because he doesn’t like to (thanks for the help, Bear Toe!). Poor Mr Favorite would love to teach her, but he’s too busy learning it himself. And while he tries, I think our 6 month old has a few words on him. Let’s face it, Tennessee doesn’t have many residents (at least around us) that can help in the endeavor either. I rely heavily on the little grandparent dolls that my parents got for her. They sing little Spanish folk songs that I grew up with (my favorite being Los Pollitos Dicen) and she LOVES them.

It was great to be in Miami for the holidays because she got to be in the middle of the Spanish family hive. Take away the drunken slur of a certain pathetic loser brother-in-law, and I’d say it was a successful trip to bilingual town. I can’t wait to take her to visit the rest of my family in Colombia, where she would surely get a thorough dousing of the language.

Anyway, as much as I love her being a baby, I kinda can’t wait till she gets old enough to start talking just to see if my efforts will be rewarded. It’ll be fun to have our little gringita-looking baby running around babbling in Spanish!