A challenge to my support

 

Without Mom

 

When I think about a challenge that could occur in my life that would change the support I need, I think of the short term changes that occur now, if it were permanent would have a huge impact on my life. A short-term challenge we face occurs a few times a year when my mother a huge support in our life leaves for two weeks at a time to visit my brother in Florida. When she is gone, we have to rethink many parts of our day and lives we take for granted do to her support. We have to rely on different family members and friends to help make sure our children get on and off the bus and watch them after school daily. I have to make sure I am much more diligent about leaving work on time to get home and relieve whom ever we were able to get to watch the boys. Without her here I don’t have the daily support of sitting down with her and discussing our days or just visiting and watching a show together. I also don’t have that continuous support right next door to just go to when ever I need a quick venting moment or some advise.   When I have meetings after school and my husband has to work late we have to call around and see who is available. My mom is always willing to help and never makes us feel guilty about asking it is harder when we have to ask others.   I am so thankful for all the support she gives to me and my family daily. I’m glad she only goes away for short trips. If we lost her support for longer periods of time or permanently it would have a huge impact emotionally, practically, and physically on my life.

My Supports

I feel support is anyone or anything that helps me function to my fullest potential everyday. Some supports need to be accessed daily, others need only be available as needed to support my quality of life. Some supports are mandatory for survival, some supports are needed to increase quality of life, and some supports are needed at different times in my life.

 

Emotionally my Husband and my mother are two essential sources of daily support for me. They are the people I can to go to for help with any situation and know they will give me the help and guidance to the best of their abilities. They both make me feel loved, cared for, and appreciated. They both help care for our two children. We count on the daily support my mother willing gives to put our children on and off the bus daily, and watching them after school until I get home. I value the time I spend talking with them both and enjoy watching shows we record. I watch different types of programs with each of them, which fulfills different emotional needs of mine. They both can take a bad mood of mine in stride and be supportive and honest. My mother supports me, and my family by jumping in and helping me and the kids when ever we need her. My husband supports me by being my partner and the man I love and who loves me.

 

My children, siblings, and friends are another source of support I count on. My children inspire and love me in a different way than my husband, family, and friends. To get a random hug, their smiles, their creativeness, and their cleverness fills me with joy and pride. My siblings give me support because if I needed them they would be there for me. My brothers live further away and I do not see them as much. My sister lives close, I can always go to her and talk or just hang out with her and talk. My closest friend is an important support in my life we get together three nights a week to exercise, and if it wasn’t for her constant support or insistence I would not get three nights of exercising in.   She is a great support for discussing anything and venting when needed. She always offers advice and suggestion and tells me the truth when I need to hear it. My sister and my friends are great supports when I just need a night out with the girls we get together once a month to just have fun and catch up with each other. My bother’s in laws and my sister’s in laws are great family supports. We like to get together often and cook together, watch sports and visit. They are also support I know I can count on for anything I may need.

 

Spiritually my church provides me with support and guidance. I know I can go to my pastor with any question or concern and he will help me to the best of his ability. I feel supported and care for by the members of our church as well. There is a great sense of family and caring. I don’t often ask for help from my pastor or church family but just knowing they are there and would and have help when I need it, provides me support everyday.

 

Professionally I have the support of my colleges with whom I teach. We are a great team and I feel confident and comfortable going to any of them for a variety of needs. I rely on some colleges for academic resources and strategies, some for emotional and behavioral resources and strategies, some for materials, some for my emotional support and strategies to get through the next day. Within my classroom, I have amazing instructional assistants that support my vision for our classroom and lessons. Without their daily support going to work, each day would not be the fun exciting experience it is. They are both very positive and we share a compassion for helping children grow and develop to the best of their ability. Unfortunately, this kind of compatibility has not always been my experience as a teacher. This team’s support allows me to implement, reflect, and change plans and the classroom design as needed.

 

Physically I rely on the support of my body to function appropriately. A healthy body allows me to get up each day and complete tasks to, take care of my children, my husband, my mother, my students, my friends, and myself. I rely on being physically fit enough to be active at home and work. I rely on my mind to function properly to support my needs throughout the day.

 

Practically I rely on the support of my home and furniture for shelter and comfort, water for drinking, cleaning, and cooking, food for my fuel, nutrition, and enjoyment, heat for safety and comfort, clothing for protection from weather, comfort, and self-expression. I rely on the support of my car for transportation and independence, gas and supplies to keep the car functioning, roads for travel and safety, laws for safety and functionally of society, emergency services for safety and care. I rely on stores for food and supplies, schools for educational growth, post office for communication, restaurants for food and enjoyment, salons for grooming care, Hospitals and doctors for medical needs, and church for spiritual needs.

 

Supports in any form improve my quality of life and allow me to be a functioning member of society. Many supports are needed daily for survival. Some supports are needed daily for quality of life. Some supports are not accessed daily but support me daily by giving me the peace of mind of knowing they are there is if need them. I rely on many supports in my life and try my best to be a support for those in my life.