What helps me is...

What helps me...

With over ten years in education, four in administration, nothing can quite compare to the four years I've spent as a father to three daughters, 4, 3, and a 2-years old.

My oldest daughter has taught me that sometimes everything works as it "should". In short, she's our "easy child".

Then comes my 3-year old. Her first seconds into this world were chaos and pain; this is not to say she isn't a blessing, because blessings can come from chaos and pain! She has taught us to accept that the "norm" isn't always to best way or the only way. If we say blue is blue and a square is a square, she's the first to say just the opposite for spite. In her own way, she's asking us to let her be in the driver seat and allow her to have a choice. This is how she learns and that's OK.

And yes, there is a 2-year old. She is the baby but beats up her two older siblings. She doesn't ask. She doesn't apologize. She is raw, laid back and the center of attention. After having the first two children and realizing that there is no control over what a person will choose to be, with our youngest, that's what we've done. She is a free spirit and we don't try to force a personality on her and we just let her be.

Having children has been a great blessing and the greatest teaching tool. They make us realize nothing is forever and every day is a blessing in its own right; no matter how crazy it is getting five people dressed before 6:45 a.m. every morning.

It also helped me be a better principal by seeing each teacher and student as an individual and learn them for who they are, not what I perceive that should be or become.