"I could feel hot, salty tears coming down my face. I sat and cried silently... I was scrunching myself up against the wall as far as I could. All of a sudden, someone from behind us taps on the guy’s shoulder..."
I am an assistant principal in a middle school (grades 6-8). When I have to search a student's cell phone, I often get sick to my stomach at what I find. It gets worse and worse every year.
My boys (14 and 10) can confidently navigate self-checkout, withdraw cash from an ATM, pump gas, make phone calls with confidence, order groceries, manage an Excel budget, order an Uber, etc. because I refuse to send them into the workforce without basic skills."
"I accused them of happily draining the life out of me. I told them if I collapsed, they would probably just step over my lifeless body and keep going. One child stopped doing dishes and said, 'Wow, that is dark.' I had to chuckle inside."
"In the grand scheme of things, who they are and who they’re becoming is much more important and will have greater lasting effects than any extra-curricular success or making the 'A' honor roll ever will."
"I want to teach my sons that it’s okay to doubt God, have questions and not completely understand everything God does. God is big enough to handle our doubts, our questions, and our concerns."