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jacquelineluciabooks-blog · 7 years ago

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6 Things About OCD that I Wish People Realized

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, commonly known as OCD, can be such a challenging diagnosis. I've talked about my personal experience about OCD here. Part of what makes it so challenging is that there are so many misconceptions about what OCD really is. Because of this, I've decided to put together my list of the 6 things about OCD that I wish people realized.

1. 'OCD' is not a descriptive phrase.

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is a mental health disorder affecting all walks of life - about 1 in 100. The disorder is not binary and can better be examined from a spectrum perspective. This is because this intrusive disorder affects each person who has it so uniquely. It also is because it is dependant on where and how each person is with their unique treatment. So when someone says, "I'm so OCD" - as though they are describing themselves - not only do they sound ignorant, they also stand a very good chance of hurting someone's feelings.

2. Not all OCD sufferers are clean freaks.

I just can't handle this stereotype anymore. It's so far from the truth! I know absolute slobs with debilitating OCD! Why? Because there are so many types of OCD out there. To make it make more sense let's break it down a bit - the 'O' in OCD stands for 'Obsessive'. The obsessions can range from religious OCD, unwanted sexual thoughts, perfectionism, losing control, harm, contamination, and even more - fear of DIRT is just ONE type of obsession that is out there. The 'C' in OCD stands for 'Compulsive'. When the sufferer has an uncomfortable obsession, they perform a compulsion - the 'C' - as an answer, almost, to the 'O'. It's a vicious cycle, making up the OCD disorder. A common misconception is that OCD is hand-washing and cleaning. Well, those are compulsions for some people, and they are common ones. But they are FAR from the only compulsive responses to the OCD sufferer's obsessions. Many have compulsive praying, checking, repeating, confessing, reading and rereading, counting, mental reviewing, and much, much more.

3. It's not because we are just emotional.

OCD is serious business. We know the stuff that is going through our head makes no sense - we really do. And we know the rituals are ridiculous. We aren't doing this because we are emotional basket cases. In fact, if we are still fighting this bastard, chances are we are some of the toughest people you might ever meet. Let me make up an example. Imagine you're a new dad. There is nothing more in this world you love more than being a new dad. There is nothing you wouldn't do for your baby. But something - namely the bully "OCD" tells you that you must pull in your driveway no later than 5:57PM from work every day or your baby will suffer from a terminal illness by the time he is ten. Where did that thought come from? It makes absolutely NO sense! NONE! There is no logic to it! But, should you chance it? So, when your boss asks you to stay late one Thursday for a big project and you don't...and you put your job at risk, are you nuts? Or are you protecting your baby? What if you get in a traffic jam on the way home? This is ONE example of ONE type of OCD that a sufferer COULD be fighting at any time. People with severe OCD are fighting OCD thoughts and rituals throughout their days...it's EXHAUSTING. Yeah, I don't think they are emotional. I think they are tough and I think they are doing all they can to survive.

4. It's embarrassing for some of us.

It shouldn't be, but it can be. And with society now using it as a catch-phase and retailers making quick bucks by putting it on t-shirts, it feels like a big joke. I've made jokes, at my own expense, to make my 'requests' seem more amenable. Making fun of myself is my own defense mechanism because I KNOW that I've put so many people 'out' by my obsessions and all my many flavors of OCD. I've always worried that I've been a burden in this way, so joking about it has been my defense. But it's still embarrassing for some of us. Even though I have poked fun at myself, I wouldn't do it to someone else. And I don't like it when someone does it to me.

5. There are related conditions to be aware of with OCD.

It doesn't mean you or your loved one has them all, but it's good to know. They can overlap and mix and sometimes one can be misdiagnosed for the other. Some of those conditions include hoarding, body dysmorphic disorder, eating disorders, PANDAS, Tourette Syndrome, other tic disorders, and ADHD. So, seek treatment - good, solid, qualified treatment - if you or someone you love could be suffering. Proper diagnosis is so important and the first step in getting better. This is a good place to start.

6. There is light at the other side of the tunnel.

I honestly didn't know what it was like to live a life without OCD thoughts taking over my mind. I didn't know any other way. It was just what I knew. Can you imagine what it was like for me when some of that started to get moved out of my head? Do you know the stuff I started to have time for? Do you know the joy I started to experience? No, I'm not going to lie to you and tell you it was a straight line and that a miracle was performed overnight. Nothing like that happened for me. Not at all. But I am going to tell you this: I was diagnosed with extremely severe OCD. And it has taken me a long time to seek treatment. When I finally got serious about treatment, it took time to begin to feel better. TIME. I am not healed. But I am better. There is room in my life for living better. I never knew I could live like this. And if I could - if someone like me (who cried hysterically at the very sight of a tiny hole in a garbage bag) could get better - others can, too.

There is hope with OCD. Read the full article

#anxiety #compulsions #contamination #contaminationOCD #Depression #hoarding #obsessions #obsessive #obsessivecompulsivedisorder #OCD #reassuranceOCD #religiousOCD

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jacquelineluciabooks-blog · 7 years ago

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6 Things About OCD that I Wish People Realized

1. 'OCD' is not a descriptive phrase.

2. Not all OCD sufferers are clean freaks.

3. It's not because we are just emotional.

4. It's embarrassing for some of us.

5. There are related conditions to be aware of with OCD.

6. There is light at the other side of the tunnel.

There is hope with OCD. Read the full article

#anxiety #compulsions #contamination #contaminationOCD #Depression #hoarding #obsessions #obsessive #obsessivecompulsivedisorder #OCD #reassuranceOCD #religiousOCD

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jacquelineluciabooks-blog · 7 years ago

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4 Ways to Better your Resume

You got the interview. Congratulations! Now what? How about 4 ways to better your resume?

You need what I call the "ILM" file. It's the evidence every professional should have at their fingertips to help come from a position of strength.

The ILM file. ILM? Wait, what the heck is that? Ha! It's an acronym I came up with about 20 years ago. It stands for "I LOVE ME". Yup. I coined that one. Let me explain what it is and how you do it. It's the art of collecting evidence of your awesomeness. Your uniqueness. Your successes. Whatever makes you stand out. For salespeople, the obvious accolades are in the form of awards, certificates, trips, etc. But there are a LOT of other pieces of evidence that prove that you are the cat's meow. (Sorry, I'm a sucker for tacky sayings)

Here's where to collect YOUR evidence:

1. from...Internal company correspondence.

Internal Company Emails are Gold! Haven't you ever received an email from your boss or peer saying "Way to go!", "Congratulations!" or any sort of email acknowledgement? Perhaps it was for that way you got an appointment with that tough account, or how you managed a call, or how you closed that deal. And usually those emails copy other people - peers and other directors and VPs - in those emails. And guess what happens next? Usually people copied on this correspondence reply with their own "Hey, great job!", often with their email signature notating their position within the company. One great move can translate into a ton on emails. ALL those emails are EVIDENCE. Evidence that you are that cat's meow. (sorry, again - I really like cats.) What do you do next? You immediately forward these emails to a personal Gmail account and save them in a file called "ILM". Do NOT let them sit in your company email and think, "I'll get to it later". Because you won't. It takes a second. And you'll be glad you did. Later, print each email out. 2. from...Sales tools and Management Reports

Reports and Rankings - Save them! Other evidence can come from reports in whatever tool your company uses to manage the sales process, like Salesforce or NetSuite. Perhaps you ranked high in closing deals one particular quarter. Get that report downloaded and saved. Then again, send it to your Gmail account and print it out. Salesforce and tools like it have tons of ways and reports to show off whatever strength you have - pipeline management, closing, names of "A" accounts that everyone wants that's sitting in your pipeline. Find a way to take a screen shot or download a file or report for every possible way you can show your strengths at any particular time (when you really rocked it something fierce) at the job. Then email it to that Gmail account and print it out. 3. from...Partners and Peers

Don't underestimate the power in your peers! How about those partners you've worked with? Have they ever thanked you for the way you trained them so they could close that special account? Have they included you in some sort of positive correspondence? It's evidence. Or how about the peer that you were tasked to take under your wing and train or shadow you on the road? They might send you an email talking about it. Or you could send an email to them that will elicit a positive response. That's evidence that the company thinks highly enough of you to show someone else the ropes. Forward it all - right away - to that Gmail account of yours to print later. 4. from...The Diamond - THE CLIENT

Clients are KEY! Another easier overlooked piece of evidence I rarely see people capturing is that from the actual CLIENT. I think this is as important - in some ways, MORE important - than other evidence. No doubt you've created some relationships with some special accounts. Haven't they ever sent you an email thanking you for something? Going above and beyond or something special you did? It will likely have their email signature with all their information, which can be helpful for your cause. Forward that email to your Gmail and print it out. Solid evidence. Something I've also done that I RARELY see salespeople do. If I'm new to a territory, and I establish a strong and loyal relationship with my client that I've just closed, I ask for a FAVOR. Ask if they will be a referral, but don't stop there. Ask if they could please write a letter on company letterhead (or an email, if they seem too lazy). You can even offer to write it for them, if they seem to interpret this favor as a huge task. This letter should not only be about referring your company's products, but strongly highlighting your talents as the company's representative. Not only will it help you grow your business while you are at your current job, but you can use it for clients during your sales process at your next job to help earn trust. But most importantly, for the sake of this article - you scan it, download it, forward it to your Gmail account and print it out. THIS - from your clients - is STELLAR evidence.

And then this beautiful thing starts to happen.....

As you put your printed copies in page protector 3 ring sheets for your ILM binder, you start to realize that you ARE the cat's meow. Your confidence starts to soar. You stand a little taller and don't sell yourself scared. And you bring that sucker with you to each and every time you meet with a company YOU might be interested in sharing your talents. It's a position of strength. The resume becomes more of a minor detail when you have a mountain of evidence of your awesomeness from multiple sources over the years. You now have FOUR ways to come from a position of strength. You've got the evidence. Get your resume cooking! Get your ILM file together today. And, please - let me know how it goes. I want to hear from you! Read the full article

#career #careerbuilding #interview #interviewing #resume #sales

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jacquelineluciabooks-blog · 7 years ago

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4 Ways to Better your Resume

You got the interview. Congratulations! Now what? How about 4 ways to better your resume?

You need what I call the "ILM" file. It's the evidence every professional should have at their fingertips to help come from a position of strength.

Here's where to collect YOUR evidence:

1. from...Internal company correspondence.

And then this beautiful thing starts to happen.....

#career #careerbuilding #interview #interviewing #resume #sales

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jacquelineluciabooks-blog · 7 years ago

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Can Homeschool Kids Get “Socialization”?

If 'socialization' isn’t THE number one question about homeschooling, I don’t know what is.

Public schooling has been the norm for so long, doing outside of the norm might ‘screw up’ the kids. Might make them…weird. Maybe they will become hermits. Never leave the house. After all, it says it in the phrase– ‘home schooling’ – the kids will be home. So, can they really get 'socialized'? A little over a year ago, I took my children out of public school while they were part-way through elementary school. I was nervous about my decision, and I talk about the things I learned in that first year here. But despite public opinion, the one thing I wasn’t worried about was whether or not they would be ‘socialized’. Here’s why:

1. ‘Socialization’ isn’t something that is suddenly learned once a child is in the public school setting.

People are not robots. Children are not robots. A child begins to socialize long before the entre of the public school system. Social skills are supposed to develop naturally, typically beginning in the home as infants and continue to as they grow. The public school setting is just one PLACE a child may be with other children while they continue to develop these skills. But this is by far and large NOT the only - or for a growing number - the best environment to hone and develop these skills. It could be at any number of other places with diverse children of all ages and adults, developing these social skills. Public school is just ONE setting among many.

2. Public schools are now measured by test scores, not by social skill aptitude.

With the pressure that teachers and districts face with meeting and beating test scores, it’s no wonder that the teaching focus is largely on common core standards. While there is merit in the academics in meeting these standards and the intent is good, the pressure on faculty and the schooling community shifts the learning equation completely. Learning has become more about keeping the town highly regarded with test scores and state funding and there is less time for inspiring, value-modeling, play and you got…true socialization. There simply is not enough time in the day for all those 'extras’ like there once was. Teachers try like hell to do it – because teachers, by and large, are just about the best people there are – but they are under unreasonable expectations and their hands are tied. The jobs they still are able to do is remarkable, given the amount of pressure they are under. But, with all that schools are expected to do…they have eliminated much of recess time. The time when kids play and socialize. Class time is for consuming information for better test scores with as little interruptions as possible. How is that the optimal environment for developing social skills?

3. Homeschool Co-ops provide social time, diverse academic opportunities, shared resources, and peer support for parents.

There are home school co-ops for different types of families, first falling within one of two categories – religious-based or secular. Co-ops can be a great setting for a lot of families once they find the right one that works for their family. Here's one place to check out groups all over the place. Co-ops share their resources, often having parents teaching classes, or sometimes hiring outside experts. Parents are often on-site while children learn, sharing resources and ideas with one another. Many are structured with meaningful breaks between classes for social time, but the schedules are all determined by the members of the co-op – the families. Co-ops are typically a very supportive and nurturing environment where lots of discoveries are made. This past year, one of my children developed a deep appreciation for world history and political science – something I never saw coming! Another became interested in American Sign Language and STEM science competitions! Both developed friendships with individuals of different backgrounds and ages through these conversational-style study groups and substantial playtime breaks in between. I was able to learn about different homeschooling approaches and resources. And even better news - if one co-op doesn’t seem to be the right social or academic fit for a homeschooling family, there are enough other co-op or other homeschooling social activities to choose from. You’re not stuck with just one based on where you live.

4. Other homeschooling clubs are all over the place to nurture your child’s unique interests.

I think kids should be outside a lot. I think nature is GOOD. And I also think kids should develop an appreciation for the natural world – but that’s MY style. So, I checked things out and guess what I found? A homeschooling nature club that hikes regularly. It was perfect! The kids and the leader go out and discover the world around them, and then write about their discoveries. And a nature club isn’t the ONLY thing out there – there’s LOTS of meet up, clubs and groups with special interests for homeschoolers. This just happened to be the one that worked for us. Beautiful things happen while getting inspired by nature, learning about biology and writing in their nature journals. While comparing and discussing their discoveries with the other 11 children in the club, do you know what is happening?….You guessed it. They are socializing! And it’s NOT robotic…it’s a natural process and it’s being honed in the most ordinary, normal way.

5. Speech clubs and mock trials are big in the homeschooling world.

I know this kind of falls under number four, but I think it’s important enough to list it separately. Homeschooled families tend to be rather…communicative. An overarching theme in the homeschooling community is to teach how to communicate and discuss topics well. It comes up often, in all sorts of ways – through co-op discussions, study group planning, and in the popularity of speech and debate clubs .

6. Towns and school districts still offer extracurricular activities – and they aren’t all just for the public school students.

Towns and their recreation departments often have sport offerings and other extra-curricular activities for reasonable prices that are available to residents. Additionally, school districts often allow homeschooled children to participate in their own extra-curricular activities, like sports and music. This can be an easy and fun way to keep homeschooled kids integrated in their hometown. If a school district has a policy against this, it’s not the end of the world – I’ve know of policies that have changed. Homeschool numbers are only increasing and these families still pay municipal taxes where they have successfully challenged these policies. Regardless, there are so many activities in the growing world of homeschooling to choose from, it’s sometimes more about making sure that you don’t choose too many! It really comes down to this: Are we holding the public school system as the gold standard for teaching our children socialization? Look around. Do you think kids socialize and communicate well? Is it because of the public school system? Do you think that’s the ONLY way? I don’t.

Friends can be made anywhere Read the full article

#children #education #family #friend #friends #friendship #home #homeschool #homeschooling #motherhood #parenting #school #socialization #socializing

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jacquelineluciabooks-blog · 7 years ago

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Top 10 Fun Finds on Amazon Right Now!

TOP 10 FUN LIST! Here is my most current list of the top 10 cool and fun finds you can currently find on Amazon. Check it out and let me know what you think! 1. The Ripple Junction Sriracha Water Bottle. Just Fun. I love messing with people. That's enough of a reason to get this gem. 2. THIS mug. I have a swear jar at home. This wouldn't count....right? 3. This beaker wine glass. For the scientific wine lover in your life. 4. The Surprise Cat Coffee Mug. For the cat lover - can I just say I would LOVE this? Hint, hint! This is just the cutest! 5. The 'WHATEVER I'm Late Anyway Clock'. Probably the only clock I should have. Actually, I don't have a clock on the wall. Maybe THAT'S my problem. 6. The 'Umbra Casa Tissue Box Cover'. Little things like this tickle me. I can't be the only one. Seriously. 7. The 'That's a Sharp, Not a Hashtag' Mug. Boy, would I like to wallpaper some people's houses with that quote! As a music lover, I feel like screaming that at the top of my lungs sometimes! Apparently, this mug is testimony that I am not alone. 8. This wood plaque for your bathroom. 9. Prescription Coffee Travel Mug. For that coffee lover - or should I say 'the person that you shouldn't speak to until they've had their coffee' person in your life? 10. This Sarcastic Pillow. Perfect last words. There you have it. TEN great fun and FUNNY, cool gifts! Or give to yourself! Who said there was anything wrong with throwing something into your own Amazon cart and spoiling yourself once in awhile? If it makes you smile, it's worth it! Have a happy day! *The links provided are my Amazon affiliate links which earn me a small commission to help me run this site. Thank you for your support! Read the full article

#Amazon #fun #funny #gifts #shopping

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jacquelineluciabooks-blog · 7 years ago

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5 Things for a New Single Parent to Remember

I was carpooling today with another mother following a bus to our children's field trip. We were chatting about all sorts of things, small topics and large when the topic of when I became a newly single parent worked its way into the conversation. (By the way, lots of MY circumstances have changed since then...but that's a time of my life that remains unforgettable.) I am aware of the overwhelming statistics when it comes to children of divorce and the vulnerabilities they may face. Trust me when I say, this is not what I had planned. But I'm grateful for where we are today and the journey we took together to get where we are. I found myself saying to the other parent some of the things I'd like to share to any parent that might be facing the daunting overnight life change that I had to: Becoming a single parent and raising them right without screwing them up. Here are my 5 Things for a New Single Parent to Remember:

1. Be honest

Kids need to know that they can trust someone. Age-appropriately, of course. When you and your children go through any kind of traumatic event, be it a death of a spouse, a divorce, abandonment of a spouse, fleeing for safety....whatever your truth is....trust me, the kids know something is up. You can only sugar coat it so much. And with any kind of trauma, there is a sense of loss. All of us need to know what is real and what isn't. And EVERYONE needs to know that there is someone who will be HONEST with them. No, this doesn't mean trash talk. That is damaging and vilifying. But if someone's gone - someone's gone. If you don't know for how long - you don't know for how long. You need to be honest. With your kids...and with yourself.

2. Be Solid

When there's trauma, you need to be the parent. It's not fair, because you are going to need a rock, too. But these kids are going to need to know that no matter WHAT - whether they misbehave, lie, cheat, steal, mouth off, YOU aren't going anywhere. You are still going to PARENT. Bedtime, routine, dinnertime - it all still happens under your watch.

3. Be human

But guess what....sometimes, with the trauma...dinnertime might just not be as routine as it once was and you are going to need to forgive yourself. You are going to not be at your best sometimes and you need to forgive yourself. There were times I would yell and scream and then hate myself after and one of THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS I DID was to take the time to make us all sit down and talk about it. I would tell them that I messed up. That I'm not perfect and that I'm only human. I would ask for their forgiveness and I would also model that I could forgive myself. It's so important to teach kids to forgive themselves - the way they learn this is by seeing adults that can model it for them.

4. Be real

It's not a bad thing for kids to know that their parents have feelings, too. Through this, they learn about empathy and compassion. I'm not saying to fall apart and hide your head under a pillow...no one has time for that. (Not to mention, if you're your're under a pillow...no one is doing the parenting...no good!) But to be militant, to behave as though you are not allowed to feel...that's not real. That's not authentic. Allow your children to live authentically. It's OK for them to know you can feel a feeling and express it. Plus it gives them the breathing space to know it's OK for them to feel, too.

5. Be their family

Enjoy each other! You are family! This one doesn't need much explanation. This is what you are. This is what you do. This is it. Enjoy it. Relish it. Breathe it in. Laugh when you can...Laugh hard...I mean it...the belly laughs will carry you through. Cry together when you have to. Hold each other. Celebrate together. You're the family. No matter what happens, my children know they have me as their family. We have created an unshakable bond unlike any other. No matter what, we are family. And from the stacks of other statistics I've heard about....as long as there is at least ONE SOLID PARENT....the kids? They're good. Just love them....truly love them and yourself. Be yourself. Trust yourself and be honest. And remember...you're family. Enjoy it! It's the best! And I'm so grateful! I've never been happier!

Happiness might not look like what you originally wished for...it just might be better than you could ever have imagined! Read the full article

#abuse #death #divorce #newsingleparent #parenting #singlemom #singlemother #singleparent #spouse

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jacquelineluciabooks-blog · 7 years ago

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How Young is Too Young for Homework?

Too much homework for elementary aged children robs them of their freedom to be children.

The other day my 7-year-old told me he didn't want to go to college. He said it was going to be too much work. He had just finished the 1st grade.

My soon to be 4th grader does deep breathing exercises on Sunday nights and on Monday mornings before going to school to manage his daily stomachaches and headaches associated with the pressures and anxiety of the school day ahead of him. These kids spend six and a half hours inside an old, decaying building with questionable water quality and poor air circulation. When I've been there on warm days, I have gotten migraines from being inside the building because there is no place for the air to escape and the classroom temperatures reach an illegal high temperature far greater than that which it is outside on its hottest days. My 7-year-old is allowed one snack at a designated time before his 11:30 lunch. If he gets hungry between 12:00 and 3:00, he needs to wait until he gets home. On the first day of school, no one noticed that he didn't advocate for himself to get his hot lunch, that he had money on his lunch card, because he was confused as to how to do it, so he sat quietly and ate his handful of grapes I had packed for him for his morning snack. He had not wanted to make a fuss or get into trouble. He came home crying, exhausted and hungry.

My 10-year-old child is in a classroom where the teacher is militant and strict. He has a 'three-strikes-and-you're-out' rule. Once you're out, you lose recess.

On the first day, my son received 4 strikes. Talk about feeling like a failure. I asked him what they were for. He was confused and anxious and didn't know why. He just knew he didn't want to go back.

School Pressures Can Lead to Overwhelming Anxieties and Depression During the school day, there is one 15 minute recess. If the weather is deemed nice enough - that is, not rainy or wet or too cold, they go outside and play on the playground. That is it. 15 minutes. If the weather is inclement and there is an indoor recess, it remains in the classroom. The same classroom that they do all their work.

When it snows, or there is snow on the ground, children are not allowed to touch the snow. They are not allowed to play in it or pick it up. They are to stay away from the snow.

So, when they come home from school and they are "required" to do a sheet - or two - or three - I don't care how many - of homework - I have a problem with that. It is now after 3:00. By 8:00, they will be tucked in and falling asleep. In these five short hours, I want to see them play, exercise their bodies and souls. I want them to freely talk about their hopes and dreams with me without a schedule looming over and tell me what they are thinking. I want to let them go to that guitar lesson or help cook supper and help clear the table afterwards. I want to see them build Legos together afterwards. I want to be together as a family - anyway that I define that to be.

Where have our children's childhood gone? What I don't want is the pressure of school hanging over their young minds into the afternoon and evening hours. This gives my children the stomachaches, the headaches and kills their natural desires to learn and discover. This robs my family of our precious time together and the quality of that time together because that homework sheet brings out the very worst in all of us - it especially brings out the anxiety and the understandable resentment in my child. They are done at 3:00. DONE.

These are little kids.

Bleeding into whatever couldn't be completed by 3:00 into the rest of their day is no longer acceptable, if we want to raise mentally healthy, productive citizens. The system is broken enough, but I can no longer stand by and watch the system corrupt their natural inclination to want to keep learning and to continue with their education. If I do - if I assist in that effort - I am just as much to blame. It is time for me to right this ship before it gets too much off course. So as unpopular as it might make me, I am going to do what very few are willing to say: NO MORE. No more. That's it. No more. Count it against his report card. It's elementary school. I'm more worried about him wanting to continue school than his elementary school record. Call me in for a meeting. You can't bully me. I live with these kids. I'm a pretty compliant, play-by-the-rules type of person. For the last four years of their public education, I've insisted on homework completion and I've been the homework coach - all with a great attitude. So I know it's not me just being some sort of non-conformist type. I tried that. It didn't work. It BACKFIRED. They are my children and I need to do right by them. And this homework thing isn't doing right by them. It's making them hate school more than they already do. I regularly have to have a discussion about the difference between school and learning in an effort to stop the bleeding that the system has done to education. I tell them that even if they don't enjoy going to school right now, that LEARNING can still be fun. Fortunately, they are still at an age that they are willing to accept this. But I need to do more. I need to draw a line at 3:00 to preserve what's good from 8:30 to 3:00 or it'll all be soon lost. Spilling into their after hours with homework is the very definition of diminishing returns. It's making them hate their young lives more than they already do. And boy, just typing that sentence breaks my heart. Yes, the system is that bad for some kids. Yes, it clouds their worlds THAT much. It's contributes to their pessimistic views of life at way too early of an age - of a feeling that they are never going to be able to get free from under 'all this work'. And while I agree that life is full of work and that I need to prepare them for that in their futures, there is such a thing as 'too much, too soon'.

Letting Children Be Who They Were Meant to Be is Good For ALL! Right now, I need to fill up their souls and minds with hope. I need to fill their time with family and running around and playing - because before I know it, they will be grown. This is critical. This is not the lazy way out. This is what they NEED to thrive - what they will need as a foundation for a lifetime of happiness. So, NO MORE. NO MORE HOMEWORK. My child is clocking out at 3:00. I'm filling up my kid with hope and a childhood. And if they aren't filled with a capacity to hope, a zest to learn, with the values of family - whatever they're working for won't be worth working for at all. Read the full article

#afterschool #childhood #children #commoncore #education #educationreform #homework #parenting #publiceducation #schooling #wellness

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