Tonya Coffey's Blog - Posts Tagged "school"
A Mother's Ramblings
I find myself wondering if I'm the only mother in the world to look at their children and wish I could put them in a bubble and not let them go out into the world and experience it for themselves. Of course I know I'm not the only one. I think it's a mother's instinct to protect their children at all costs but I come to a realization this weekend that my boys were going to do what they wanted with their life and it didn't matter what I said.
I always encouraged them to be what made them happy. That a job was a job but if you loved what you did it could be a great life. We come from a small town and most of the people around here are teachers or factory workers. I'm not saying factory work is bad, my husband works at a factory. I just don't want them to work and work and have nothing to show for it.
When my oldest son was young he had this idea that he was going to be a doctor. I was thrilled. Well for years, twelve of them, he has focused on it. But this year he had decided that he wants to join the Marines. I felt as if my heart fell to the ground. I wasn't mad at him for wanting to do something he felt was right. I was upset because I know what happens to soldiers. So I ask myself for days, can I handle both of my sons going into combat? I don't know. All I do is think the worst. Look what happened to other families.
My youngest son, he has said since he was four he would be a soldier. I keep telling myself it's a faze but if he big brother joins, there's no doubt he will too.
I guess I'm being selfish because they are my children. I'm sure I'm not the only one who has sit and pondered on what would happen or have faith that nothing will happen at all. I believe that's all I can do. I will trust that God knows what's best.
And for the ones whose mouths are hanging open at my ramblings, I believe what our soldiers do is wonderful and I thank each of them for it. My dad was in the military, my uncles, cousins,niece, nephew and my father-in-law.
If my children do decide a career in the military is what they want, I will stand beside of them with pride and honor because that's what a mother does. They support their children even if it makes them cry.
I always encouraged them to be what made them happy. That a job was a job but if you loved what you did it could be a great life. We come from a small town and most of the people around here are teachers or factory workers. I'm not saying factory work is bad, my husband works at a factory. I just don't want them to work and work and have nothing to show for it.
When my oldest son was young he had this idea that he was going to be a doctor. I was thrilled. Well for years, twelve of them, he has focused on it. But this year he had decided that he wants to join the Marines. I felt as if my heart fell to the ground. I wasn't mad at him for wanting to do something he felt was right. I was upset because I know what happens to soldiers. So I ask myself for days, can I handle both of my sons going into combat? I don't know. All I do is think the worst. Look what happened to other families.
My youngest son, he has said since he was four he would be a soldier. I keep telling myself it's a faze but if he big brother joins, there's no doubt he will too.
I guess I'm being selfish because they are my children. I'm sure I'm not the only one who has sit and pondered on what would happen or have faith that nothing will happen at all. I believe that's all I can do. I will trust that God knows what's best.
And for the ones whose mouths are hanging open at my ramblings, I believe what our soldiers do is wonderful and I thank each of them for it. My dad was in the military, my uncles, cousins,niece, nephew and my father-in-law.
If my children do decide a career in the military is what they want, I will stand beside of them with pride and honor because that's what a mother does. They support their children even if it makes them cry.
Bus Accident
I'm a parent and the worst thing for me is to know that my child was put in a harmful situation while in school supervision.
Last Friday evening when my kids got home from school, they told me they were in an accident on the bus. I said, "What!?" They went on to tell me the bus driver fell asleep was about to hit a second bus, head on, before he woke up and jerked the wheel, sideswiping the other bus. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I then ask my kids, was the police called or an ambulance to make sure all the kids were safe. NO! They didn't call anyone. NO ONE! I was mad.
We decided to contact the bus garage itself and ask why no one thought it was important to call the parents of the kids on board but they said there was no actual accident, the mirrors only hit.
I couldn't believe my ears, the kids on the bus took pictures of a broken window, broken mirror and a shattered side window. When is an accident serious enough to call the parents, blood?
There is a page on Facebook that revolves around the board of education, it was posted on there that there was a wreck. A lady from the bus garage said people should get their facts straight before they accuse others of things. She basically said every child on the bus was a liar. That didn't sit well with me.
I understand if the bus only touched mirrors then the bus garage would have to deal with the aftermath. What gets me is the bus driver didn't think about the kids. He drove on to school and laughed about it. He didn't ask if anyone was alright or see if the smaller kids needed their parent.
Yesterday, I found out the bus driver went to the hospital when he dropped off the kids. He wouldn't be back to work until Wednesday because he had a concussion. How is this right, if it wasn't a serious enough accident to call the police or the parents?
Last Friday evening when my kids got home from school, they told me they were in an accident on the bus. I said, "What!?" They went on to tell me the bus driver fell asleep was about to hit a second bus, head on, before he woke up and jerked the wheel, sideswiping the other bus. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I then ask my kids, was the police called or an ambulance to make sure all the kids were safe. NO! They didn't call anyone. NO ONE! I was mad.
We decided to contact the bus garage itself and ask why no one thought it was important to call the parents of the kids on board but they said there was no actual accident, the mirrors only hit.
I couldn't believe my ears, the kids on the bus took pictures of a broken window, broken mirror and a shattered side window. When is an accident serious enough to call the parents, blood?
There is a page on Facebook that revolves around the board of education, it was posted on there that there was a wreck. A lady from the bus garage said people should get their facts straight before they accuse others of things. She basically said every child on the bus was a liar. That didn't sit well with me.
I understand if the bus only touched mirrors then the bus garage would have to deal with the aftermath. What gets me is the bus driver didn't think about the kids. He drove on to school and laughed about it. He didn't ask if anyone was alright or see if the smaller kids needed their parent.
Yesterday, I found out the bus driver went to the hospital when he dropped off the kids. He wouldn't be back to work until Wednesday because he had a concussion. How is this right, if it wasn't a serious enough accident to call the police or the parents?
What to do?
So I have been writing for many years. I took some classes on how to create novels and stories for children. I didn't attend college or get a degree in writing. I know I'm not perfect when it comes to writing sentences without any errors. I am working on it.
I don't like how other authors treat ones who haven't spent years in a university. I'm not saying every author does this but I dislike how people can stand in front of your face and speak to you with sentences filled with words I have to look up in a dictionary. Yeah, I'm not smart. So what, it doesn't mean I can't come up with a great story and tell it. It's as if they are trying to look more important because they can talk the way they are.
When I talked to this person, they treated me as if I had no business being an author. They asked how long I'd been writing, why I chose to be one, where I went to school, who my publisher was, did I pay to have my book published, and a bunch of other stuff. As I answered his questions, I watched his facial expressions. I am the type person that I will smile and show respect. I never act as if I am better than anyone. It wasn't how I was raised. Anyway, this person laughed at a few of my answers then sighed as he pointed out my history of no education would be my downfall. No sensible publishing house would take a writer without knowledge of grammar.
Huh?
I smiled and said thank you and went on my way. I try not to let things like this bother me but should I? Does it matter that I don't have a paper hanging on my wall telling I went to a big university and was at the top of the Dean's list? I don't get why people like this think they are better than me because they have more education.
I don't like how other authors treat ones who haven't spent years in a university. I'm not saying every author does this but I dislike how people can stand in front of your face and speak to you with sentences filled with words I have to look up in a dictionary. Yeah, I'm not smart. So what, it doesn't mean I can't come up with a great story and tell it. It's as if they are trying to look more important because they can talk the way they are.
When I talked to this person, they treated me as if I had no business being an author. They asked how long I'd been writing, why I chose to be one, where I went to school, who my publisher was, did I pay to have my book published, and a bunch of other stuff. As I answered his questions, I watched his facial expressions. I am the type person that I will smile and show respect. I never act as if I am better than anyone. It wasn't how I was raised. Anyway, this person laughed at a few of my answers then sighed as he pointed out my history of no education would be my downfall. No sensible publishing house would take a writer without knowledge of grammar.
Huh?
I smiled and said thank you and went on my way. I try not to let things like this bother me but should I? Does it matter that I don't have a paper hanging on my wall telling I went to a big university and was at the top of the Dean's list? I don't get why people like this think they are better than me because they have more education.