Friday, April 1, 2011

Somebodies Hero!

I have come to realize that I want to do more. I always knew I wanted to do something, something great. Leave my mark on the world kind of thing. My daddy always told me I could be anything, I wanted very badly to be a superhero or a cowgirl or even sometimes a ninja. I wanted to help people. Ok so why have I had so much trouble for years deciding what my "calling" should be? Because there are so many superhero fields in this world, policeman, fireman, doctors, nurses, teachers, etc. If I didn't have a family I would be a policeman or a fireman (woman?) but I have to come home to Bailey every night. Not to say that I think any less of policemen or firemen parents, it's just a personal choice of mine. I have a seriously strong gag reflex so doctor or nurse is totally out of it. So that leaves a teacher.

I always thought in order to be a teacher you had to be sugary sweet and bubbly. I know that doesn't make sense because I, too, had those strict, hard-ass teachers but not until I got to middle school. And even though I work with younger children mostly, because well older kids can generally look after themselves, I always knew I wanted to work with teens. So after seeing all these bubbly women who were in school to become teachers, I thought well that definitely isn't me. Don't get me wrong I can be goofy and playful but my teaching style is firm. I am definitely a no-nonsense kind of person, I expect a lot out of my pupils and in return they give me so much more because we BOTH know they can do it.

I get the greatest satisfaction working with children. I actually feel very accomplished after a day of working with them. So, I have decided I am going to go back to school to learn how to teach. I am very excited and I know that I can do a lot of good, I can be somebodies hero. But it doesn't end there. I want to do MORE! I want to be an advocate to people who need someone in their corner, to be a voice for those who cannot speak. I mean that literally. I am thinking of taking Sign Language classes to learn to work with people with hearing or speech disabilities.  But again it doesn't end there, as some of you already know I have been running/walking/jogging like crazy trying to get ready for these marathons. I want to be a marathon runner, I want to win a marathon, at least one. Lastly, I want to be an advocate for open adoption. As many of you know I have had the best experience with open adoption. Don't sit me down to ask me about open adoption because I will talk you to death. All of these goals combined, might to you, seem overly ambitious but to me they are not. I want to live a full life helping others. I want to leave this world better than I found it. I want to know that I changed one persons life for the better. So in becoming a teacher, working with the deaf or speech challenged, running marathons to raise money and awareness and being an advocate for open adoption all give me the best opportunity to do just that.

So if you want to help, if any of those things interest you, if you have any insight, advice, warnings, or otherwise please don't ever hesitate to shoot me an email, FB message me, hit me up on twitter, hell even pick up the phone and call. Even if you just need someone to talk to, someone who will shut the hell up and listen (it's hard to believe as much as I talk that I am an excellent listener but I actually am) please call me, write me, etc. If I can help you in anyway never hesitate to let me know.

4 comments:

  1. I think you would make a great teacher! Go for it!!

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  2. Since it's Autism Awareness Day, I thought you might enjoy a little testimonial.

    The first time I held my nephew, he and I shared an instant connection. About a year later, we learned he was severely autistic. As he grew, we learned he would be mostly nonverbal. I took a sign language class to communicate better with him. It's one of the best things I've ever done. With a child so caught up in his own world sometimes, every little bit of communicating helps. Even if it's just to know he's saying "Please".

    As you might imagine, special needs children are very close to my heart. There's nothing more amazing to me than a speech therapist who can teach a child to chew. My nephew had his first solid food - a hot dog - at about three years old. It seems like such a small thing, but to us it was a small miracle. I cried as I watched him steal hot dog chunks off my dad's plate, like a whole new world was opened up for him. And to hear him utter small words like "Ma" and "No" at four was amazing. So, from where I'm sitting, those who have the patience and talent to work with special needs children are superheroes.

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  3. Hey Jen, thank you so much for sharing. I have worked with three year old who had Autism. When I started working with him he was learning to walk, he too was non-verbal. It was both the most terrifying and beautiful thing to watch him try to walk or to hold his sippy cup in his hands. I know exactly what you mean by it being a small miracle. Although it was amazing when Bailey hit certain milestones because I am his mommy it was EVEN MORE amazing when this little boy did because he had to work harder for everything. I also worked with a boy with server aspergers syndrom. He could speak, walk, etc but communication with him was hard because as you know eye contact and social interactions are a problem. I loved his speech therapist because she did work with him on everything. I thought she would just come in work on speech and that was it, she'd leave. I think he was closer with her than with anyone else. You are right, to me she was a superhero! Thank you again for sharing. <3

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