Inspirational Quotes: My Destiny
Happy Mother’s Day: A Feast For Queens
I had the best Mother’s Day ever! How was yours? We actually celebrated Saturday instead of today. My daughter was home, so we decided to celebrate a day earlier since she has a 5 hour drive home today.
The weather was perfect and so was our time together. We actually had 4 generations present, my mother was there to celebrate as well. In this photo we have 3 generations, my granddaughter, my daughter and me. Not my most flattering picture, the photographer didn’t say cheese, but how wonderful is that. This was the first time that my daughter and I have spent Mother’s Day together in 6 years. Since we have quite a distance between us and Mother’s Day falls on Sunday, she usually spends it at home with her family.
My son-in-law decided that he would bring us together this year and all we would be required to do is sip Moscato, chat, play with the children and just relax. He would prepare a feast for the queens that we were. The other men were suppose to assist him, but he ended up doing it all. My heart is still full. My favorite food is seafood. There were 3 different salads, Caesar, Pasta and Seafood. He prepared to 2 different dishes of Salmon and in addition we had crab cakes and shrimp. We worked from morning to evening preparing everything and it was delicious. He set the table, which was beautiful and my 6 year old grandson blessed the food. We believe in establishing faith early.
We had a wonderful time and enjoyed every morsel. The men allowed us to eat first and once we were about to explode, they took their places. It was first class treatment all the way headed up by the best son in law in the world.
This is a picture of my sister and mom who where also present. The dinner was actually a tribute to the women in my daughter’s life who made her who she is today. It was a wonderful experience, especially since my mom is getting up in years.
It was also to let me know that she hadn’t forgotten my struggles as a single mother and that she understood that it takes a village to raise a child. My sister played a major role in my daughter’s upbringing. She made sure she was taken to school each day and kept her on some week-ends when I needed a break. My mother stood by me during my struggle to empower, educate and rise above my situation as a single mother. They made sure that my status as a single mother was simply that, it did not define who I was. I can said that I had assistance, but my daughter was raised by me not other people. Because you work outside the home, that doesn’t mean that other people are raising your children. It’s as simple as setting up a schedule, getting organized and doing what you need to do as a mother.
My daughter gave me a beautiful poem that basically stated not until she became a mother did she truly understand me and my determination to survive and give her a life better than mine. In truth, my life wasn’t that bad. She understands that I want her to do better than me, and the key to success is education and making sound decisions. There is no room for excuses or blame for what happens in a person’s life after a certain age. Being an adult means you take responsibility for your life and those in it. She understands that we must work for everything in life, and when it is achieved it empowers. I knew this week-end she understood my teachings and examples, and she would continue to stand on the foundation that I laid. This was one of the best Mother’s Days ever, I am truly blessed.
A Heartfelt Recognition of a Single Mother
Did you see Kevin Durant of the Oklahoma Thunder’s acceptance speech for the NBA MVP award? If you didn’t, you should. I’m not a big NBA fan, but I am familiar with most of the players as I come from a family of sports addicts. Yes, I called them sports addicts. ESPN is their friend and if I want to be around my family I have to endure. My grandson wanted these shoes, KDs as he calls them, so I purchased a pair for him. I’m glad I did, Kevin Durant is a man of true character and a great role model for our youth.
I watched Kevin Durant’s speech while getting dressed yesterday and it had me in tears. It had me in tears for several reasons: 1) I was watching a man who came from nothing to be one of the most successful players in the NBA accept the MVP award and 2) He contributed his success to his teammates, family, but most importantly his single mother.
It affected me in several ways, but I think the biggest was the fact that his success was another example of a son raised by a single mom who went on to do great things both on the court and in his community. It also affected me because it was another example for single mothers to use as inspiration to keep moving forward because you can successfully raise your children too.
During the speech he recalled watching his mother struggle to put a roof over his and his brother’s heads. He talked about how she went to bed hungry because she made sure they got enough. He recalled their first apartment that had no beds or furniture, but they were happy because they had each other. He recalled his mom making him do push ups, run up hills and yell at him from the sidelines during his sporting events. Most importantly, he considered her to be the real MVP for the sacrifices that she made raising him.
I was literally in tears as I watched his mother fight back tears while he was speaking to her during his acceptance. It was one of the most heartfelt speeches that I have ever witnessed. I understand the struggle of a single mother trying to do the best for her children and sacrificing so they can have enough and at times the best. I know how difficult it is to have to work, educate them, keep them off the streets and build a strong foundation for them so they can have a future. I have seen a lot of athletes or people for that matter recognize their mother, but I have to say that it’s far and few that recognize mom in the manner that he did. What a great Mother’s Day gift.
Your children will follow your lead. Wanda Pratt, Kevin’s mother, talked abut how her mother told her that it was time for her to move out of her house and make it on her own. It was tough love, but it made her determined to raise her children on her own and give them a good life. Single mothers, this is what I’m talking about, you must set priorities, become independent and be an example for your children. Nobody owes you anything, you must make your mark in the world. Becoming educated and independent is empowering. With hard work and dedication, you too can raise your children successfully.
Why You Should Listen to Your Instinct
is information that we have gathered and retained over the course of years. However, our instinct is what drives us to put that information to use. Bishop T.D. Jakes says “Your intellect tells you to load the gun, your instinct tells you to pull the trigger”. Today we we’re going to discuss tips on empowering yourself. Furthermore, those tips include why you should listen to your instinct.
fearful.
2. I thought about what I liked and what I wanted to do. This helped me to develop a map and determine the roads that I needed to take to arrive at my passions. I am still working on my destiny.
4. If you’re not feeling good about your relationship, job or whatever you’re involved in you may need to reassess it. Don’t second guess yourself, it’s your institution talking to you. You should be happy or have a feeling of satisfaction about what you’re doing or involved in. If not, why do it or stay in.
Is Your Child A Cyber Bully
Why aren’t more parents monitoring what their children are doing on-line? The answer most parents give is because they are intimidated by the computer. They lack computer skills, don’t have a smart phone and they really aren’t interested in learning how to use one. As parents, we must be involved in what’s happening in our child’s life, especially in the age of modern technology. From one mother to another, I think it’s imperative that we get involved in our children’s activities and stop thinking they’re doing the right thing and don’t need to be monitored.
As parents we all want to think that we’ve raising angels and our children know right from wrong. We’re shocked when we get a call to come into the school for inappropriate behavior from our child, when we receive a call from jail to bail them out or the cop knocks on the door to deliver bad news. We all think that these things couldn’t possibly happen to us, these situations happen in other people’s homes. So why should we concern ourselves. How many times have you heard, my child would never do that!
I can give you a few reasons. Did you hear about the Florida teens, 15 and 16, that were arrested for setting up a phony Facebook page that was X-rated several years ago. They were charged with pasting the face of a school mate, whom they didn’t like, on a nude body and filled the page with foul language. They thought it was a joke. They were charged with felony stalking.
How about the young lady that committed suicide last year because she was bullied. We must overcome our fears. A blogger recently experienced cyber bullying with her daughter. As a matter of fact her blog was down for most of a day because it was hacked. Bullying is real, and it wrecks havoc on families. A teen in my neighborhood committed suicide a few years ago. If we as a parents won’t face our fears, how do we encourage our children to face theirs?
Here are a few suggestions on how to overcome the fear of the computer and how you can get involved to help stop cyber bullying:
- If you don’t consider yourself to be technically savvy, take a class or better yet get your child to teach you. They love showing off their computer skills.
- Ask questions about your child’s friends and what’s happening in their life. Follow them on sites popular with teens and make sure you have access to their accounts.
- Ask other parents, aunts, uncles, sisters and brothers to stay involved with your children on-line. We can’t monitor our children 24/7, but you can recruit family and friends to assist. It takes a village to raise a child.
- Computer etiquette starts at home. Have conversations with your child or children on what’s appropriate or inappropriate to put on-line. If they’re minors, you’re in control and you need to let them know you’re ruling the roost. They must follow rules that you have set for on-line activities.
- Discuss the consequences of cyber stalking and the legalities of posting inappropriate posts. It’s illegal and the consequences are certainly worth a conversation with your child.
Do you see the importance of keeping up with your child? Better yet stay in front of them so you can lead. If you can’t stay in front of them stay beside them. Taking a class is cheaper than paying a lawyer to get your child out of a felony for on-line harassment or other effects from bullying. Would love to know your thoughts on this post and how you monitor your child’s on-line activities.
You may also like: 15 Tips to Detect If Your Child Is Being Bullied