Meli's world

That's it. The kids are off to bed. His uniform and shoes are all laid out. His transformers backpack is packed and his lunchbox is set out in the kitchen. His first day of first grade awaits him. And all I want to do is cry. When I was a kid, I hated school. It had a lot to do with not knowing any English as I started kindergarten and being placed in an E.S.O.L. Class with a teacher who only spoke Creole. I was sent to timeout all the time for not following directions. Directions I could not understand. After various doctor visits, plenty absences and even trips to the psychologist, they finally found out what was wrong. I hated school! Eventually, I got a new teacher, learned English and made friends yet somehow the damage was already done. I dreaded going there. I can still smell the expo markers and the BBQ sauce from the cafeteria. Perhaps that's why I graduated early and never went to college. Thankfully, our son has had a different experience. English is his firs...

                  Every Monday morning, I look back on a weekend well spent with my kids and I usually reflect with a picture of my Em & Ems (Emmanuel and Emeli) as I call them on my facebook. I miss them so much while I'm at work, that like most working parents, I feel guilty and can't wait to be with them again. That is until about 230pm when I walk into my parent's house to pick them up, that their fighting and chaos remind me that they look cuter in the picture. A picture, where all I see is their smiles and cute faces.                      My daughter is not even 3 yet, and she is already set on telling me no for the simplest commands. Its never that she doesn't want to do what I'm instructing her to; It seems instead she just prefers to do things her way or feel she is control. I never thought ...