Before I became "Olivia's Mommy," (which I was referred to as this week), I worked for eight years as the Site Coordinator at a middle school in our city. Essentially I was the director/overseer of all after-school programs, which we received federal dollars to run. I LOVED my job. I wore many hats and gained invaluable experience. I worked closely with administrators, teachers, and students, to try and close the achievement gap by offering enrichment learning programs. It was an amazing job, and I learned so much while working there.
While I witnessed many wonderful, encouraging things during my time there--there was an aspect of that job that was devastatingly sad. My heart broke for many of my students. The basic needs that many of them had to do without (soap, shoes, toothbrush, food, shelter, heat) was at times shocking to me. But even more so, was the realization that many of the students' emotional and developmental needs were just being ignored.
Many students couldn't read. And if they could, they were reading at a very low level. I'll never forget what I once heard a specialist say to our staff, "What do you expect? Many of these children's homes probably don't have a single book or magazine lying around." And he hit the nail on the head. Many of our students weren't exposed to reading until they came to school. They didn't see their parents read. There wasn't extra money for books, magazines, or the newspaper. Can you imagine? This left them drastically behind, and left us, the staff, with a seemingly insurmountable task at hand.
More than anything else, that has stuck with me. I want to instill in my kids a love for reading. I want them to excel at it. I want them to have unlimited access to reading materials--whether I have to beg, borrow, or steal (ok, maybe not steal, but you get the idea) for them. Years before we ever thought about having kids, I promised myself that I would do everything in my power to help our kids achieve. And I know my husband, a former math teacher, feels the same way.
So when I see my baby girl enjoying books, it makes my heart happy. Listening to her "read" to us makes me proud. I love taking her to storytime and exposing her to the library. I think it's funny that when we were at the Y's gymnastics program this fall, Olivia kept getting distracted by the book corner! I just can't help but look at these pictures and be thankful. And I can only hope and pray, that we as parents, are honoring Him in the way that we teach her.
Her favorite: Belinda the Ballerina
Ok mom, enough already!
