Cozy October reads

I am loving these inspirational October reads.....all of these bloggers are doing a post a day throughout October on one of their 'specialties'

The Nester - 31 days to a 'less messy' nest

My First Kitchen - 31 days to an Inspired Table

Life with my 3 Boybarians - 31 days to taking a better picture

Remodeling this Life - 31 days to living more simply

There are more in the series as well! The Nester inspired the idea and is my favorite. : ) I love to learn and am getting so many tips and things to think about....

For instance, in Remodeling this Life, today's post talks about how we choose what we will make time for. I often say 'I don't have time' for this and that. There is typically some truth to the statement. However. We all have time. We have 24 hours in a day. It's about making choices on how we'll spend the time. Like I often say I don't have enough time to work out. I could get up at 5:15 a.m. every morning and work out for 30 minutes. Instead I choose to sleep or get a jump start on getting organized for the day. I could leave at my contractual time of 3:10 most days and take my daughter to the gym daycare, or work out with her at home. However I choose to spend extra time at work because I have high standards for how I execute my teaching. (How I wish I could let myself leave). So the real answer is....I'm not in a place where I am ready to make working out a priority. I'm OK with that...right now.

Here is what is more difficult for me...and one reason I'm relieved to have just one child of my own right now. I have several students this year, who, for one reason or another, are ACHING for attention from me. Now, it is common for kids to have some form of 'worship' for their kindergarten teacher. However a few of these students are in questionable home situations. Basically, the parents don't have the knowledge, skill or energy to parent their child. Some of the comments the parents have offered to me during parent/teacher conferences: "I haven't read or talked much to my child." "I need my child to be independent at home so I can get my things done. This means he plays video games or watches TV most of the time." "My child attends before and after school care - he is away from home from 7:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. I avoid picking him up before 6:00." "My child has never held a pencil before coming to school." "I placed my child in a low-quality daycare prior to kindergarten. He basically watched TV all day." "I do not have time to deal with my child's problems. The school and daycare need to take care of them." These parents send their children to school with toys (today one had an entire arm full of glow in the dark bracelets; another had a WHISTLE), sometimes dirty, and late. I am desperately trying to help some of these kids. I am calling some parents multiple times a week to update them on their child's progress (always with at least one positive thing to say). I am eating lunch with some of these children. I am asking parents to spend more time with their children (which is uncomfortable.) I have one student who is at SERIOUS risk behavior wise, and I am asking the parents 3 times a week to please get involved. I am bending our school psychologist's ear looking for help, I am brainstorming with my student teacher and colleagues. I am trying to get extra counseling support for them. So that is where I unfortunately am spending my time. What would I like to be doing? Exercising, playing with MY OWN DAUGHTER, cooking dinner, and spending time with my husband. For now, I am making my other priority Miss P as much as possible, as I will BE DAMNED if she isn't getting what she needs.

So, uh, anyway, check out those fun Fall reads. : )