Hello Friends,
As many of you know, I tend to be a lifelong student. Since my full-time job is a corporate trainer, I suppose that I have the need to put myself in my student’s shoes, therefore I take distance education classes year-round. I willingly admit to witnessing the half-century mark (at a fabulous party held in my honor starring the Band of Oz & Big John Thompson for you Beach Music Fans), yet I am still trying to figure out what I want to be when I grow up! I am currently enrolled in a course at UNC-Greensboro, titled American Motherhood. In this class, I have discovered the extreme depths that women, in particular mothers, have endured since the founding of our great nation.
I invite you to walk with me over the next 2 and half weeks, experiencing the depths of despair as well as the ecstasy of joy that has characterized being in woman, specifically a mother, in the United States of America. Please post your response to my blog, whether it is in support or opposition to my stance. If you feel comfortable in sharing, for research purposes, please let me if you are a woman without children (over 40 or under 40), a biological mother, an adoptive mother, a mother with small children, the mother of a teen, mother of adult child(ren), a mother of bi-racial child(ren), an African-American, a mother of a diverse ethnic background or a lesbian mother. I also encourage men to reply, regardless of their paternal status (if comfortable, please provide if you are a father of children & your sexual orientation).
Please walk with me as I experience the gut wrenching truth of the discrimination (racial and gender), the violence, the abuse and the total fulfillment of the American Mother.
My sincere thanks for your participation!
Dawn, I look forward to following your blog and journey thru this course. I am a mother of 2 adult daughters, one with a daughter of her own. I hope to help you out by posting a comment or two. I will forward to my Mom, who loves this stuff and is an amateur writer as well so she surely will contribute!!!
ReplyDeleteHi Dawn, I would be happy to follow you as you complete this blog for your class. What a wonderful assignment. I have two children, a boy who is 4 and a daughter who is 3. Both of my children are bi-racial. I'm Caucasian and their father was African. I'm 36 years old and currently in a relationship :)
ReplyDeleteLet me know if you need any other info!
I think I can take some time to help you
ReplyDeleteHi Dawn, I'm Donna's mom. My Mom died when I was 9, and became the "keeper of the house" at age 13 with all household duties, cleaning, cooking, laundry, and keeping my grades to a minimum of a "B". I missed having a mother, but thought nothing of all the chores. We were a family- my Dad, brother and I. They worked. I did the housekeeping. It was the '50's.
ReplyDeleteI not only have Donna, but also have two sons, 5 grandchildren, and 2 great-grandchildren. For some reason they think I'm O-L-D- and that other word. What is it? Oh, yeah - senile. *G*
I was a divorced, white mother, and didn't receive child support so we had some tough times, and some good times.
I became a foster parent through Volunteer Families for Children after I became disabled in 1995. I did that for about two years. The children that stayed with me were
Causian, Black, bi-racial, Mexican, and Asian. They were welcomed into my home for the allowed time of twenty-one days, or longer with permission from the State, until they could be placed in a regular foster home. All were in emergency situations, such as being out-of-town and in an accident,children in unsafe situations,or in need of a secure, stable place for a few days. At times I kept them for respite time for grandparents or a single parent to just have time to study, or run errands. All these children were in need emotionally, some were physically ill as well when I got them.
I also had two others live with us, both white females in their teens. I took one in off the street, not even knowing her name. The other was a classmate of one of my children. They were were with me almost a year as part of our family. One returned to the street and died at age 21. The other has done extremely well, although she was in touch with her biological family daily while with me.
I'm busy researching a couple of writing assignments now, but will try to follow your blog. Good luck. Martha Guthrie
Hey Dawn-
ReplyDeleteI am a mother under 40 with 2 small children (3 years old and 4 months old).
Martha - thank you for sharing. I know you had to grow up fast. That must have been a tremendous burden on you as a teenager. Did you ever feel like your youth was stolen from you?
ReplyDeleteWell, you certainly overcame that challenge and produced a great family of your own. Donna is a wonderful, not to mention beautiful person!
I am truly amazed of your loving nature by taking in Foster children who were so in need of support. Your kindness shines through your words... the world needs more people such as yourself!
What a wonderful thing for you to do for those grandparents or single mothers, to give them a bit of peace and quiet, just to regroup, to have some mental relief just for a short time. We underestimate how crucial it is to provide support in the way of taking some of the load off of those who constantly care for children.
Thank you so much for sharing. I would love to hear your insight on some of the others entries in my blog when you have the time.
As far as you being old, I am not very far behind you, but I wanted to tell you that my Grandmother used to say "Age is a state of mind." She was always spry, youthful... hey, she was hip! My grandfather is still getting around on his own at the age of 99, so she must have sold him on her mantra as well!
Again, my thanks for your thoughts. You have my praise and admiration for what you have done in your life in the service of those who were unable to care for themselves!
Thank you for your kind words. I also think Donna is a pretty wonderful person, but then I'm prejudiced a tad. She is my oldest, and was a great help with the boys at times. She is a thoughtful daughter and sister. We are pretty fortunate to have her as "ours".
ReplyDeleteAs for commenting on the posts of others, I hesitate to do so. I don't know any of them personally. I don't know their family background, their present situations, or what they have dealt with since adults after leaving their parental homes. I have no idea of their family relationships, or health issues at this time.
Even if I did know all of that - I don't have their permission, or their feelings on their situations being discussed publically.
I prefer you ask them, and let them volunteer as much or as little as they would like. Perhaps if you have something to ask them, you might contact them privately, and ask if they would be willing to offer more insight.
I think everyone has a sensitive point, and many of the persons posting may have some subjects they feel free discussing, and others they prefer to keep private.
Also - it is your blog. We are waiting to hear more from you. It is interesting, and I'll be checking in from time-to-time to see what you have to say about things. Martha