Normal Children

If you listen to politics which I have stopped, it is frustrating. In the local paper, a woman writes a letter accusing Obama of terrible things that she did not name but she says he gets away with it all because he is black.

Being an independent, the terrible state of politics is too miserable to bear. Since when do people get everything they want. Liberals are toxic. It's just that in today's political climate. I don't think they have any real voice.

You just have dirty politics which can hide old fashioned corruption. Having to kiss the Koch brother's butts is not that bright a prospect for the future.

So a little normalcy was wonderful today. To kill time, between shopping at Publix and picking my brother up from the workshop he attends, we stopped in an open area to let the chi chi's run. I case the area. I see no one. We are walking and I am considering walking back to the car and I hear a whoop whoop noise.

It's three children. I stop to get Jo and Daisy but it is too late. Those kids are calling them and they go running. I watch three of the dogs chasing the child on the bicycle. Praying none of the dogs decides to nip someone.

The athletic boy steps up on the concrete ballast of a light post. The girl has made it to the fence and slides between the fence and ground like the dogs do. Jo and Daisy run to me like they are pleased to accept their medal. The kids just look at me carrying the two and go on about their business. No crying, no complaining, just normal kids who can take a little heat.

I make a note of the time, some summer program let out and the kids were taking a time honored short cut. The time will be added to my long list to can they just run a bit in the open area.

I taught school and most parents and children were easy to work with. People know when you are on their side. I had a parent disturbed with what I said about their child's make-up work. Mom wanted to know why I was not pleased with the work. I push every kid with what I thought I could get from them.  I was just pushing. Mom understood what I meant.

There is not a fine line between bringing the best out in a child, coddling, and abuse. When you take the time to know a child, you know their pressure points.

I had a student with a terrible learning disability. He took a course he had failed four times at the high school. It was the only class he needed to graduate. He had passed the high school graduation tests in all subject areas. I gave him extra work and I saw his disability. It was a long and painful exercise in letting him complete the assignment. Taking it from him would have been such an indictment of my doubt of his work.

I felt so humble. He came back and gave me a gift after graduation. I still have it. I still feel guilt for all the children with learning disabilities that I did not understand as a young teacher.

The children today were a mental break. They weren't breakable and seemed to enjoy the big dog chase. I have a plot twist for a children's story I am writing. We have another generation who will have many things out of their control but they will weather the storm. My dad called it having float.