It started years ago with a girl. If you have heard me speak or read about Snuggled Up, you already know this, however it hit me smack in the face today that it started even before I met the girl who slept on the floor. The day I learned little Hailey slept on the floor did ignight a spark, an of an idea. Years passed which led to my sweet J. Then her 'story' led me to starting a Non-Profit that benefits sweet children.
So, today I received REALLY BIG news about Snuggled Up (that I can not share until I have full details) and it made me wonder why me? Why am I always told I'm a blessing? Why do people actually say I'm an angel? I'll tell you I AM NOT ANY OF THESE THINGS.
I am an Air Force Brat who grew up in Maine with every nationality/color/ethnicity you can imagine. I lived in base housing, which I literally called a 'house' to my husband the other night and he said, "Trisha, you do know those are apartments, just like the ones your kids in your class live in." Holy Sh*t. I never, NEVER, thought of it like that. We had 3 houses I can think of living on Loring Air Force Base, and to me they were all houses. I'm 36 years old and not once in my life did the I say I grew up in apartments, but I did. But it was home because that's where I lived with my family. Just like the kids in my class, they don't know any different. They don't know that most kids have beds. They don't know that it's normal to have jobs and actually have a mom and dad be married, if that's even 'normal' anymore. My students don't play doctor, fashion designer, or judge/laywer....they play Mommy, working at McDonalds, or shopping with a food stamp card because that is what they live. They are learning what they live and it's 'normal' to them.
I grew up in similar housing as my students. I lived with all races, like my students. How did I turn out so different then most of my kids at school end up turning out? I'll tell you...
My Dad worked on Base as a B52 mechanic and had second jobs throughout the years as well. My mom stayed home with my brother and I, and later worked at our school on base. I remember her working with us on reading and math at home and even making desk stations for us. She read to us. We cooked and cleaned with her. We rarely had a babysitter, I only recall once or twice them ever leaving us. We went everywhere with her. My brother and I never wanted for anything, but my mom and dad worked hard for what we had. They instilled in us that college wasn't an option, it's just what we were going to do come hell or high water.
My point about housing is that my students that live in apartments and/or sleep on a couch or floor is that--- this is their life and it's their normal. Having one parent in jail, abuse, food stamps, drugs, and lack of parental guidance is their normal. Until they are taught/told/ or experience what most of us deem 'normal' they will continue the pattern they are in now, because they will continue the cycle.
My parents didn't go to college. They were determined to break the cycle. They stayed married, supported, encouraged, and loved us. They told us we could do or be anything we wanted. They wanted better for us then they had, which I only realized as I got older. I was the first one in our family to go to college and my brother followed suit.
We moved to Bellbrook when I was in 7th grade. Talk about culture shock. We moved into a house (which as I mentioned before I didn't compare to our house in Maine, to me they were both 'houses'.) I started junior high and everyone was white. WHITE! I had never know color to define a person, because I was around every color you can think of all the time. My best friend in Maine, Marlo, was black. That sounds weird, she's still black....Anyway, my 'boyfriend,' you know the kind you have in 5th grade because he wrote you a note and asked to be your boyfriend but that's as far as it went kinda thing, he was from Taiwan. But Bellbrook threw me for a loop, the only dark people were the kids who tanned.
My mom took me to volleyball tryouts the year we moved to Ohio. I'm sure I sucked, but I made the JV team and made friends. I made friends that year that I still call my friends today. I did fine in school, made great friends, had fun, and for the most part was a good kid. And then I went to to college. I became a teacher. I married my husband. We had children. That's the order things are 'suppose' to happen in right? No. that's what I lived, how I was taught, and why I do what I do now with Snuggled Up.
I tell every class I teach they can go to college. I tell students who have parents in jail that they can do better, that they don't have to be like them. I tell them I love them every day. Will any of this really make a difference? I don't know. I do think bringing them beds will start a spark for a few of them. I think they will see that someone cared enough to give them their own space to sleep and maybe it will then be normal for them to have a bed and a little bit of this 'cycle' will stop. This isn't just Dayton, Ohio. It's everywhere in the United States, and I know this because I get letters and requests nation wide. Compassion and love towards others breeds compassion and love....
This blog post is random, out of order, filled with grammar errors, and perfectly not perfect, but that's me. I can't wait to share Snuggled Up's News....it's big, and it will help me spread Snuggled Up's Mission to give children beds and bedding of their own so they will have a soft place to dream.
Thank you Mom and Dad. We may have been rich or broke, to be honest I don't even know. I was encouraged and praised to be my best and it's because of you that sometimes my best shines through.
Smile at strangers, help if and whenever you can, give until you can't give anymore....I'm telling you....It feels amazing, even to an inappropriate and silly girl like me!
Night folks,
Trisha
So, today I received REALLY BIG news about Snuggled Up (that I can not share until I have full details) and it made me wonder why me? Why am I always told I'm a blessing? Why do people actually say I'm an angel? I'll tell you I AM NOT ANY OF THESE THINGS.
I am an Air Force Brat who grew up in Maine with every nationality/color/ethnicity you can imagine. I lived in base housing, which I literally called a 'house' to my husband the other night and he said, "Trisha, you do know those are apartments, just like the ones your kids in your class live in." Holy Sh*t. I never, NEVER, thought of it like that. We had 3 houses I can think of living on Loring Air Force Base, and to me they were all houses. I'm 36 years old and not once in my life did the I say I grew up in apartments, but I did. But it was home because that's where I lived with my family. Just like the kids in my class, they don't know any different. They don't know that most kids have beds. They don't know that it's normal to have jobs and actually have a mom and dad be married, if that's even 'normal' anymore. My students don't play doctor, fashion designer, or judge/laywer....they play Mommy, working at McDonalds, or shopping with a food stamp card because that is what they live. They are learning what they live and it's 'normal' to them.
I grew up in similar housing as my students. I lived with all races, like my students. How did I turn out so different then most of my kids at school end up turning out? I'll tell you...
My Dad worked on Base as a B52 mechanic and had second jobs throughout the years as well. My mom stayed home with my brother and I, and later worked at our school on base. I remember her working with us on reading and math at home and even making desk stations for us. She read to us. We cooked and cleaned with her. We rarely had a babysitter, I only recall once or twice them ever leaving us. We went everywhere with her. My brother and I never wanted for anything, but my mom and dad worked hard for what we had. They instilled in us that college wasn't an option, it's just what we were going to do come hell or high water.
My point about housing is that my students that live in apartments and/or sleep on a couch or floor is that--- this is their life and it's their normal. Having one parent in jail, abuse, food stamps, drugs, and lack of parental guidance is their normal. Until they are taught/told/ or experience what most of us deem 'normal' they will continue the pattern they are in now, because they will continue the cycle.
My parents didn't go to college. They were determined to break the cycle. They stayed married, supported, encouraged, and loved us. They told us we could do or be anything we wanted. They wanted better for us then they had, which I only realized as I got older. I was the first one in our family to go to college and my brother followed suit.
We moved to Bellbrook when I was in 7th grade. Talk about culture shock. We moved into a house (which as I mentioned before I didn't compare to our house in Maine, to me they were both 'houses'.) I started junior high and everyone was white. WHITE! I had never know color to define a person, because I was around every color you can think of all the time. My best friend in Maine, Marlo, was black. That sounds weird, she's still black....Anyway, my 'boyfriend,' you know the kind you have in 5th grade because he wrote you a note and asked to be your boyfriend but that's as far as it went kinda thing, he was from Taiwan. But Bellbrook threw me for a loop, the only dark people were the kids who tanned.
My mom took me to volleyball tryouts the year we moved to Ohio. I'm sure I sucked, but I made the JV team and made friends. I made friends that year that I still call my friends today. I did fine in school, made great friends, had fun, and for the most part was a good kid. And then I went to to college. I became a teacher. I married my husband. We had children. That's the order things are 'suppose' to happen in right? No. that's what I lived, how I was taught, and why I do what I do now with Snuggled Up.
I tell every class I teach they can go to college. I tell students who have parents in jail that they can do better, that they don't have to be like them. I tell them I love them every day. Will any of this really make a difference? I don't know. I do think bringing them beds will start a spark for a few of them. I think they will see that someone cared enough to give them their own space to sleep and maybe it will then be normal for them to have a bed and a little bit of this 'cycle' will stop. This isn't just Dayton, Ohio. It's everywhere in the United States, and I know this because I get letters and requests nation wide. Compassion and love towards others breeds compassion and love....
This blog post is random, out of order, filled with grammar errors, and perfectly not perfect, but that's me. I can't wait to share Snuggled Up's News....it's big, and it will help me spread Snuggled Up's Mission to give children beds and bedding of their own so they will have a soft place to dream.
Thank you Mom and Dad. We may have been rich or broke, to be honest I don't even know. I was encouraged and praised to be my best and it's because of you that sometimes my best shines through.
Smile at strangers, help if and whenever you can, give until you can't give anymore....I'm telling you....It feels amazing, even to an inappropriate and silly girl like me!
Night folks,
Trisha
