I'm a forty-two year old woman, a single mom with three almost-grown girls and a hunger for writing. I'm also strongly opinionated so I figured helium.com might be the place for me...thanks to a great friend for suggesting it!

My oldest daughter is almost 20 and suffers from bipolar disorder, a condition which has challenged me as a mother and my other children as caring siblings for someone who often doesn't seem to care much for any of US. Mental illness carries with it a stigma I hope to dispell through activism and, yes, writing; life is never dull but always exhausting around our house. My middle daughter who graduated from high school last year attends Roosevelt University in Chicago and is an Honors Student. She mskes me look good so she's in the will, ha ha! My youngest daughter is a great student in the eighth grade and a cheerleader, too. She loves to dance and plans a career in either dance or cooking-she wants to be another Rachael Ray!

I'm working oh-so-slowly towards finishing my own English degree while I focus on parenting and writing, writing, writing. I'm glad to be here.

My passion is ...

writing

I know too much about ...

bipolar disorder

My parents always told me ...

to value myself

My childhood ambition ...

making a name for myself that will last long after I'm dead!

My favorite memory ...

every time I laugh and have a great time with my kids

Why I write ...

It is my passion-when I don't write I don't feel "right".

What I am reading/watching/listening to ...

classic rock is what I'm listening to, Sue Grafton's latest book is what I'm reading.

My first job ...

babysitting at my chucrh's nursery

My best moment ...

Hard to find just one...every time I won a trophy in speech and debate, every time one of my students won a trophy in speech and debate...! and of course the birth of all three girls.

My inspiration ...

My kids, myself, my world.

Education > Educational Philosophy No Child Left Behind program is eltist

1 of 3

One day when I was working behind the desk at a hotel, I entered into a conversation with a man and his wife. Through this discussion, I talked about my work as a teacher's assistant and the fact that I am attending college to become a full-fledged teacher. The man, on his way out, turned and said, "I just have to ask you, since you're a part of our educational system; what do you think about the 'no child left behind' law?" I didn't have to hesitate.

"I hate it," I responded. "And I'll tell you why. I did my teacher observations at a wonderful middle school my daughters attended, and I ...

More..