Time to Act

In 2009, the year my oldest daughter would be starting Kindergarten, I chose to homeschool (www.lemonadebythecup.blogspot.com.)  I did all the research, the "soul searching," and weighing all the pros and cons, however, still slightly uncertain, I registered my child for Kindergarten with sweaty palms, a pounding heart and tears streaming down my face.  A few weeks later, I withdrew the registration and wrote my letter of intent to homeschool.  We joined a homeschooling co-op and things were going smoothly until the end of that year.  Long story short: my (now ex) husband quit his job and moved to VA leaving me to support three small children (and didn't pay a dime in child support for months.)  At that time I only worked part time making minimum wage.

In February 2010 I registered my kindergartener at the elementary school and placed my two other children in daycare.  I started full time work as a temp at a spring manufacturing company in Syracuse.  Six months later I was hired by the company to work full time and have been with the company ever since.

The adjustment period, both emotionally and financially, has taken every bit of the last 3 years.  My plate was piled high and there was no room to think about anything extra beyond feeding my children, keeping a roof over their heads and going through the absolute basic routine of life one day at a time.

As we've settled into our new family life and my employment has been stable, not to mention the children getting older and more independent, I have found my plate is more balanced.  The balance I'm discovering has allowed me to realize my ability to get more involved with my children's education and school experience.  With my youngest entering Kindergarten in the fall, I have felt very strongly that now is the best time for me to act. 

I love my career and the people I work with and feel blessed everyday to have a good, stable job that allows me to provide for my children, but my heart still wishes there was a way to homeschool my children. I'm a believer that learning and education is all around us. The year that I spent actively involving my children in absorbing and learning at home taught me lessons that, to this day, have stuck with me (and hopefully them as well.)  Alas, since my dream to homeschool cannot be, I plan to do the next best thing; get involved and support my children's school's PTO. 

I have never, ever in my life been to a PTO meeting (shameful, I know!) Hopefully, my involvement will help me take more responsibility for my children's education and shaping their future. The school's PTO website states, "In essence we are here to help encourage our children to be the best that they can be and show our support and devotion to their future."  I can get on board with that. 

Confabulate??

A few months into raising three young children on my own the cutest thing happened. My daughter (we'll call her Bug-a-Boo) was just 18 months and sleeping in a crib. I went into her room a little after bedtime to make sure Bug-a-Boo was tucked in and found her asleep on her back, feet straight up in the air resting on the wall. It was the cutest, funniest thing I had ever seen! I giggled and wished I had a camera but even more than the camera- I remember wishing I had someone to show; someone to share that moment with; to say, "Oh sweetie, come look at Bug-a-Boo! Isn't that the cutest thing you've ever seen?" But it was just me and three sleeping children. So what did I do? I wrote it in my journal. 

Although I felt a smidgen of satisfaction after penning that endearing story in my journal, it just wasn't the same as sharing it with a person. Keeping a journal has always been an important part of my life. With so many thoughts, ideas, concerns, fears, joys, (and on and on and on) circling in my head it has always been necessary for me to get as much as I can down on paper in order to make room for just the few things that I need to focus on for the time being. "Take things one day at a time," (a cliche if I ever heard one) is good advise for any parent.  Become a single parent and suddenly that mantra becomes, "Take things one HOUR at a time."  (And on the really bad days, minute by minute.)

And so, while I've continued to reflect and record in my journal, (as much as I can possibly find time for) I feel it is time to find an outlet to share and connect with people rather than just pen to paper.

This is where I explain the name of my new blog:

con·fab·u·late

From the Latin confabulatus; to talk;  fabula meaning story (fable.)

 intransitive verb \kən-ˈfa-byə-ˌlāt\

1: to talk informally : chat

2: to hold a discussion : confer

Synonyms: advise, confer, consult, debate, chew over, discuss, dispute, kick around, talk over, ventilate, rehash, coach, guide, tutor, recommend, suggest, direct, refer.

 

I don't think I'll spend much time writing anything that might cause debate or dispute, however, "talk over, coach, guide, tutor, recommend, suggest, and even chew over" all sound good to me. Would you agree?

 

 

The Power of the Written Word by Suzy Plantamura.