immediate family
Blood makes you related, loyalty makes you family.
Just Keep Going
As a kid my mother would work what seemed like forever, but it was, just almost all the time. And I don’t know how she was able to get extra hours on top of the twenty-four in a day but she did. My mother migrated to America with her parents back in the 1960s with hopes of a glorious life. And in my childish innocence I honestly thought money grew here on tress in a city with golden paved streets. That picture got lodged in my mind leading up to the months before we left the island. I overheard some relatives talk to my father about what sounded like a magical place this America, that would transform us from the simplicity of living in a strong family and community knitted together by a sense of being one people to wealthy household that would be able to help so many others. My father was given an opportunity and although he was reluctant he couldn’t pass up the offer to go and work with his uncle in the ‘New York City’ and make a better life for his family. But the reality we woke up to after two weeks of long work days, racism and a different kind of social injustice, and disillusionment of a better quality of life planted themselves like the coconut trees back home in Jamaica that withstood category five hurricanes and times of drought.
By TanYah Global5 years ago in Families
Growin Pains
My mother had me at 22 my bio dad was 27, I'm not 100% sure since I barely knew him. I was born August of '94 to a mother who loved me all of her heart and a father who was battling demons that they knew were there; but he didn't want to admit to them being there. My mom stuck by him for a long time putting up with all of his problems I know she loved him and was trying to keep our family together, but in the end, it got to be too much. My dad ended up choosing his addictions over her and me. She called my Grandma and Grandpa packed all my stuff up and left with only her clothes, leaving everything else behind. She was strong enough to make the choice she did to try to give me a better life.
By Melina Duncan5 years ago in Families
Gasping for air
I think at points and particularly this year with the changes COVID-19 has brought to our lives that many of us have felt like this for similar & different reasons. I know I have certainly felt like this many times, been overwhelmed by the moment, the pressure building up so much that I have slammed doors, thrown things across the room, made funny animal noises to get the stress out, screamed and shouted. Yes this is not to say I’ve totally loved other moments it’s certainly been a tale of 2 halves, being with my babies and step children having the time to adventure with them; chase sun sets, jump in puddles, explore woods and run on beaches. All of that has been completely delightful and given me some of the best days of my life. But this blog is about those points when your chest gets tight and you are struggling for air as you assess the challenges in front of you... dogs poo by the kids play area in the garden, smashed glass in the lounge, eldest son needing help with his maths and never being able to fit in that one to one you promise to make cookies with you step daughter. You pause, grab the dustpan and brush and get back to it. Knowing you will face the same thing again maybe that day, or it might be tomorrow if you are lucky. It’s a merry go around. Emotionally I never seem to meet anyone’s needs and I know that’s ok but it hurts to hear my eldest son telling me I don’t put him first knowing that he is right because he is bigger he can wait that hour for me to trouble shoot all these urgent things before I get to him. He feels unimportant and unloved. I explain & think of solutions to make him feel better. He’s also the one that senses my stress and anxiety before I do and can say mum just lie down for 5 mins and listen to your favourite song, you’ll feel better. Bless him, he’s also the son that can be mean and spiteful to his step dad and sisters, not understanding because I love them to I don’t love him less. This year we also got our lovely puppy Lexi, perfect timing in so many ways and she has been so good for us all but sometimes and I feel desperately bad for saying this I do struggle with the constraints that she imposes on me, the additional mess, stress and admin. Someone else to look after and love, it can spread me thin. The loss of freedom in an already busy life. She’s also got used to us all being home and so it’s horrid having to leave her to wine and cry which she does even if we are out for such a short time. But my word the unconditional love we all get in return and the wonderful adventures we have had all across our Island paradise. I know she is a factor which has tipped me over the edge on occasions but I love her so much. I know I knew how our lives would change with her and I wouldn’t change it for the world. I know to many it looks like this year has been a jolly holiday and in ways it has been, I’ve never had such a good tan in adulthood but behind the scenes there are points I have drowned, bills to juggle that you only get around to at 2am in the morning, forms to fill in to get the financial help you need but requiring documents to be uploaded putting another barrier in the way, contracts to win and jobs to find. But the blessing for me has been to have such wonderful friends and family where we catch each other at these burn out points, love each other unconditionally, are kind to each other, listen and don’t judge, listen without providing solutions unless asked. I wouldn’t have survived without those people and it’s given me the fire in my belly to carry on, the permission to have that bubble bath guilt free but most of all it has kept ‘Loz’ alive when I have drowned in laundry and the like. This morning I cherish the early morning, my time, my space, my sanctuary! I feel blessed to have this little break before the chaos of another fabulous day in paradise begins. I end with when you are grasping for air, reach out... to me, to your neighbour, to your friend, your family as those helping hands will enable you to breath deeply again and know you are not alone! So find your rope to cling onto and offer a rope to others as well to grab hold of #Covid19Challenges #FamilyLife #TakeaBreak #Friends #family #itsoktonotbeokay
By Lorraine Lawton-Berry5 years ago in Families
The Middle Child
The middle child. Six years the younger brother, and two years the elder brother. I feel immensive weight on my shoulders most days in the week. it feels like I am supposed to live up to someones expectation of me on both the older and younger side.
By Milus Sutton5 years ago in Families
Caught Up:
“Beep, Beep, Beep.” Ryan’s alarm clock was going off. “Beep, Beep, Beep.” It sounded again, but he could have sworn those beeps were from his on-going dream. However, when the sound grew louder and louder versus fading away, he knew something was up. It was almost like when you have to use the restroom in your sleep, but, as soon as you get ready to go, you wake up and realize you’re still in bed.
By Pamela Cornes5 years ago in Families
A Master of Her Own Words
Sarah Cooper was born with a disability that she hated since she was able to crawl, walk, hear and talk. Since kindergarten she was most of the times left or rejected from the circle of students in her class. Her only proud and cherished moment was when she was recognized for her best and excellent end of year results where the whole class was ordered to clap for her. She could not have a sincere and single friend for her emotional, psychological and mental support. But all changed from the day she met John Carnegie, her senior and mentor in public speaking. She was fighting hard against her long-lasting disability as she was desperately forlorn about it, the speech-language impairments.
By Kawthur Khan Juhoor5 years ago in Families
Green Garden Friend
This fine gentleman is a green anole, a common visitor to gardens here in New Orleans. They are known for eating bugs and I have even seen one eating a cockroach. They have faced some competition from larger, more invasive brown anoles in recent years. My little, green friend is a good indication of how my avid gardener of a mother creates a space for wildlife in her magical “fairy portals.”
By Caitlin Cooper5 years ago in Families
Don’t Take Nothing For granted
Tomorrow July 19th will mark 34 years of me existing here on earth. Some may have different perspectives about it. For older people to them 34 years old you’re still young and new to certain things in life. To my generation it’s an accomplishment to even make to even make it past the age of 18 years old. I have seen a lot and experienced a lot in my 34 years of life. One thing I am certain of if nothing else is life waits on no one. Enjoy every moment from the biggest accomplishments to the smallest stolen moments with your loved ones. Most would be planning a party, but not me at least not this year. This year I just want to relax and enjoy my day with my Mother who Blessed me with life and my kids and Day 1’s. Before the pandemic we had a big road trip planned 30 of us cousins mixed 3 generations to visit other relatives and just enjoy the experience riding state to state. There’s a reason for everything we are certainly postponing it not canceling. For me it would’ve been my first vacation ever with my kids. In my 17 years of being in the working world I have never taken off work let alone taken a vacation with my 3 kids. Sad I know but it’s a reality for a lot of people. I’ve never made enough money from working to be able to miss work, because if I didn’t work I didn’t get paid. Not every job offers paid time off. I seen this quote on social media “ They want women to work like they don’t have kids and raise kids like they don’t have to work.” If you’ve been able to do it God Bless you and don’t ever take it for granted because not everybody can do it, but I’m not setting limits like it’s impossible. It’s all about the given opportunities and resources. For me as a single parent of 3 kids ages 13,7 and 4 years old. The hours you work are critical either you have to leave for work and not be able to take them to school or take them to school and not be able to pick them up. Not all schools offer decent after school care or they want to Charde an arm and a leg for it. Some schools offer scholarships and some don’t. Then you have the jobs that has mandatory OT or you have to work weekends and holidays. As you can see the struggle is real as a single parent because you have so many things you have to consider. You’re blessed if you have help. For the ones that don’t have a support system I really admire your strength to persevere. Currently since the pandemic I’ve been off from work, because I am a shuttle driver in San Francisco and the city and most corporate business are closed or working from home. In these 5 months I’ve been home I’ve helped my kids get through there last couple of months of school via social distance learning. It surely was not easy getting them to adapt to the change. My son debated with me everyday on why he couldn’t play Fortnite on his ps4,because he figured he was on early vacation since he wasn’t at school physically. My daughter struggled a bit to finish she’s certainly and in the classroom learner. Not being able to have the on- demand resources and student to teacher dialogue when having trouble was a problem for her. My baby had just started Pre-school so she went from the whole experience of making new friends and leaving the nest for a couple hours to having zoom meetings to still have that social connection. Fortunately she’s back in school with a smaller class down from 24 students to have but only 8 actually attend. Anyways I said all of that to say this don’t take nothing for granted. Don’t take life for granted, dont take your kids/ family/ friends, don’t take people for granted, don’t take time with your family for granted, don’t take your job for granted, don’t take opportunities for granted, nothing at all no matter how big or small you may think it is. If this pandemic hasn’t done anything else, I can say for sure it made me appreciate people and other things that much more. You never realize how much something means until it’s gone. You never really realized how much going somewhere or having this or having that or being able to do this or that meant until you are restricted to not being able to have or do something. Enjoy the small things in life for once.
By Poetry Lover6 years ago in Families
The great outdoors
This day was incredible just before COVID 19 came along to slow us all down an tuck ourselves away in our safe nest, we took a drive to Bowral stopped for lunch at a local cafe and then took a walk along a walking track along the river, the sun was warm and amazing it was quiet and so peaceful, until on the Walking track we came across a massive brown snake that put us all in a panic.
By Kristie Phelps6 years ago in Families
Life and other things
So. I am new to this. My name is Cyndi. I am a single mom of three young men, two parakeets, a puppy named Honey, and my mom. I am...well I was...a substitute aide for the special needs kids here at the schools. I was unjustly accused of something I didn't do and instead of letting me defend myself I was fired and my career ruined. I loved that job. Loved my kids. Anyway, I am now a sit at homer because I can't go anywhere because I am high risk for the virus. Yay.
By cynthia givens6 years ago in Families
