6 CHILDREN AND WE'RE STILL ALL SANE!!
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
THAT IS OUR JOB AS PARENTS.
AND NOBODY EVER SAID THAT JOB WAS EASY. WE DO IT 24 HOURS A DAY, EVERY DAY OF THE YEAR. WE DON'T GET PAID AND MOST OF THE TIME NOBODY SHOWS US APPRECIATION. WE CAN'T CALL OFF SICK AND WE DO IT ALL. WE'RE THE COOK, HOUSE KEEPER, LAUNDRY AIDE, NURSE, PARAMEDIC, ALARM CLOCK, TEACHER, TUTOR, PRIVATE INVESTIGATOR, COACH AND SO MANY MORE THAT THEY CAN'T ALL BE MENTIONED BECAUSE FRANKLY; I CAN'T REMEMBER EVERY THING ANY MORE. BUT MORE THAN THOSE WE SHOULD BE THEIR, FRIEND, CONFIDANT, SHOULDER TO CRY ON, SYMPATHETIC EAR AND "TEACHER". YES, TEACHER IS MENTIONED TWICE. THAT'S BECAUSE WE HAVE TO TEACH THEM THROUGH THE GOOD TIMES AND THROUGH THE BAD TIMES. THEY SHOULD BE LEARNING SOMETHING FROM BOTH SITUATIONS.
IN A WORLD WHERE PARENTS ARE KILLING THEIR CHILDREN AND CHILDREN HAVE KILLED THEIR PARENTS, THERE ARE STILL US OUT HERE WHO BELIEVE IN FAMILY. WE HAVE SIX CHILDREN AND THEY DRIVE US NUTS SOMETIMES BUT WE LOVE EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THEM AND WOULDN'T TRADE THEM FOR ANYTHING. AT TIMES IT GETS HARD TO KNOW HOW TO DO THE RIGHT THING BUT THERE IS HELP OUT THERE, EVERY WHERE. PARENTS SHOULD KNOW ABOUT THIS HELP BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE.
WE LIVE IN A TROUBLED SOCIETY AND WE AREN'T CLOSE TO OUR NEIGHBORS ANYMORE, IN FACT WE DON'T EVEN KNOW OUR NEIGHBORS ANYMORE. PARENTS HAVE TO RELY MORE AND MORE ON THEIR SELVES TO TAKE CARE OF EVERYTHING. IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE THAT WAY.
WE HAVE PARENT RESOURCE CENTERS, 800 NUMBERS TO CALL FOR EMOTIONAL ASSISTANCE WHEN WE ARE DRAINED AND ENDLESS AMOUNTS OF GOVERNMENT PROGRAMS TO ASSIST WITH ALL KINDS OF HELP.
THE TRICK IS DON'T WAIT TIL IT'S TOO LATE, LIKE THE WOMAN IN TEXAS WHO DROWNED HER KIDS. IF YOU KNOW YOU'RE HAVING A ROUGH TIME. MAKE THE EFFORT TO JUST CALL SOMEONE, ANYONE, DON'T GO AS FAR AS SHE DID. THEY CAN'T BE GIVEN BACK IF YOU GO THAT FAR.
EVERYONE HAS A POLICE DEPARTMENT NEAR THEM. IF ALL ELSE FAILS AND YOU CAN'T FIGURE OUT WHAT TO DO, CALL THEM. ASK THEM IF THEY HAVE A LIST OF PROGRAMS AVAILABLE FOR PARENTS WHO ARE AT THEIR WITS END. DON'T THREATEN TO DO BAD THINGS CUZ THEY'LL COME AND TAKE YOUR KIDS AWAY AND THEN YOU HAVE TO FIGHT TO GET THEM BACK. JUST TELL THEM THAT YOU ARE EMOTIONALLY DRAINED AND YOU NEED SOME HELP. IF THEY CAN'T HELP YOU, THEY CAN PROBABLY GIVE YOU A PHONE NUMBER OF SOMEONE WHO CAN. YOU MIGHT WANT TO SUGGEST CHILD PREVENTIVE SERVICES OR A SAFE HOUSE OR ASK THEM IF THEY HAVE A HUMAN SERVICES PROGRAMS MANUAL.
I WORK WITH PARENTS WHO HAVE HAD THEIR KIDS TAKEN AWAY AND IT IS A SAD SITUATION. IF I CAN HELP ONE PERSON BY PROVIDING THIS INFORMATION, THEN I SAVED ONE PARENT THE HEARTACHE OF GOING THROUGH WHAT I SEE EVERY DAY!
ENJOY YOUR CHILDREN THEY LOVE YOU, EVEN WHEN THEY DON'T ALWAYS SHOW IT. LIFE IS TOO SHORT TO LET GO OF THE ONES YOU LOVE THE MOST IN THIS WORLD AND SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO HOLD ON EVEN WHEN THEY DON'T WANT YOU TO. EVEN WHEN THEY MAKE IT HARD. EVEN WHEN YOU FEEL LIKE YOU CAN'T POSSIBLY DO IT ANY MORE. THINK SMART AND HOLD ON.
ENJOY YOUR LIFE!!!! WE ONLY HAVE 1 CHANCE AT IT.
Send E-Mail to: kcgilbert@stny.rr.com
Copyright © 2002 K C GILBERT. All Rights Reserved