From the first moment my eyes met Jordynn I felt as close to her as any mother could to a baby. With thick, dark hair already reaching the top of her nose, I knew she was super special. What I didn’t know was that it could be possible for a bond that strong to grow even deeper and stronger through the years…It did!
To be honest, I think Jordynn pulled a bit of a role reversal on me. I was prepared to teach her all the things I knew at the times in her life she would need to know them. I wasn’t expecting that I would learn more about how to live life from her than she could ever learn from me.
I watched in awe as Jordynn drank in life day after day with a spirit and energy I never experienced myself. She can independently take on tasks and be happy on her own, but has such a kind heart that she always has room for others and is happy to share. For instance, every time my 90 year old grandmother came to visit us, Jordynn would be the one to say she could stay in her room. And hearts would melt every night when Jordynn would snuggle up in bed with her. She never showed anything but love and respect.
Mostly it is Jordynn’s ability to go after what she wants while always being herself that impresses me. She never sits on any fences. When she trained in gymnastics, it was with full effort. When she got invited into a dance company, she put her whole heart into it. Now Jordynn has decided that making the Olympics is her main goal (becoming a doctor is her goal after that!). So when she found out diving is an Olympic sport she asked to try it. After one week of dive camp she was invited onto the team!
Watching Jordynn grow and develop taught me that you can’t just sit around and watch life, you have to live it. Talk about inspirational, she inspired me to start writing children’s books…something I really wanted to do for most of my life. Jordynn finally gave me something to write about. The first character I created was of course based on Jordynn. Mackey Mack exemplifies energy, spirit, leadership skills, friendship, caring for community, sense of humor, and many more life skills that I see in Jordynn. Now 5 chapter books have been published in the TOMGIRLZ series and more are on the way.
Jordynn was born as my daughter whose dreams I wished would all come true, but she has grown into my best friend and hero who has taught me that dreams really CAN come true!
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Monday, September 1, 2008
ANTI-BULLYING STARTS AT HOME
As my next TOMGIRLZ book will deal with the issues of childhood obesity and bullying, I have been talking to my elementary school aged daughter more about what kind of bullying she notices. She says she sees it everywhere and that girls can be particularly mean to other girls. However, the most detailed account she gave me was very surprising.
In very vivid detail she told me the story of what happened one morning at the bus stop. A 9 year old boy was waiting for the bus with his mother and elderly grandfather. The bus was arriving and apparently the grandfather was in the process of crossing the street. The boy ran across the street quickly to board the bus and when he saw his grandfather still moving slowly he yelled out, "Get out of the way you big idiot!"
Then the mother, who jumped in her car to leave after talking to some other moms at the bus stop, yelled at him too. She said, "Come on, I don't have all day!"
My daughter said she got a stomach ache and felt horrible for the grandfather all day. Of course she did. She lost her own great grandmother just a few short months ago and misses her very much. My children always had tremendous respect and love for her...every time she came to visit us my daughter would share her room with her and even cuddle up with her in bed.
The point of this story is that bullying stems from a disrespect for others and learning respect starts at home. The mother's own attitude towards the grandfather was of impatience and annoyance and she said nothing to correct her son for calling his grandfather a "big idiot." If they are treating the grandfather like this at home constantly, then they are actually bullying him and the son is learning this bullying behavior from his parents in his very own home.
I hope they will understand that their behavior will have to change...Florida's new anti-bully policy in schools makes parents accountable!
Read more about the passing of the anti-bullying policy at http://www.proudparenting.com/node/1919
In very vivid detail she told me the story of what happened one morning at the bus stop. A 9 year old boy was waiting for the bus with his mother and elderly grandfather. The bus was arriving and apparently the grandfather was in the process of crossing the street. The boy ran across the street quickly to board the bus and when he saw his grandfather still moving slowly he yelled out, "Get out of the way you big idiot!"
Then the mother, who jumped in her car to leave after talking to some other moms at the bus stop, yelled at him too. She said, "Come on, I don't have all day!"
My daughter said she got a stomach ache and felt horrible for the grandfather all day. Of course she did. She lost her own great grandmother just a few short months ago and misses her very much. My children always had tremendous respect and love for her...every time she came to visit us my daughter would share her room with her and even cuddle up with her in bed.
The point of this story is that bullying stems from a disrespect for others and learning respect starts at home. The mother's own attitude towards the grandfather was of impatience and annoyance and she said nothing to correct her son for calling his grandfather a "big idiot." If they are treating the grandfather like this at home constantly, then they are actually bullying him and the son is learning this bullying behavior from his parents in his very own home.
I hope they will understand that their behavior will have to change...Florida's new anti-bully policy in schools makes parents accountable!
Read more about the passing of the anti-bullying policy at http://www.proudparenting.com/node/1919
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