I met this special lady a few years ago. She was Hunter's new 1st grade teacher last year. I felt a great connection to her when I met her and knew she could help me keep Hunter in line. I was able to volunteer in her classroom and got to know her really well. She not only was an amazing teacher but also kept Hunter in line and I could tell right away from that what a great mom she had to be. Plus she has a son named Hunter which is always more points in my book.
I am amazed how much she does, how well she does it and with 3 kiddos at home still finds time to get her self the gym at 4:30 am. I will admit, I am happily still snuggled up at that time :)
Here is Valerie's story.........
1. How many children do you have? List ages and names
Hunter George (12)
Hayden Ronald (9)
Harper Reese (2)
2. Your occupation:
First grade
teacher, Jacobson Elementary in Chandler
Private Tutor
Camp Counselor
(20 years!) at Coyote Camp, The Pointe Hilton Squaw Peak Resort
3. What is your most strict parenting rule?
First and foremost, love
and be responsible for yourself. Next, ALWAYS
treat adults with respect. Spend time at
the table nightly eating dinner together.
4. What is the best motherly advice you have received? From who?
Appreciate everything
about your children, especially the little things, for one day they will be
gone out of the house and you will find yourself missing them with all of your
heart. Spend time with your children,
it’s the greatest gift you can give them. My mom Rosina gave me that
advice, I remind myself of it daily.
5.
What is the biggest challenge you face balancing yourself and
being a mom?
I
was fortunate to jobshare part time for five years when my boys were young. I miss the balance
of being a mama with my kiddos and having work balance the rest of my week out.
My biggest challenge is being able to relax. I am on the go all the time, I thrive on being busy.
My day begins at 4:30 a.m. where
I hit the gym and it doesn’t stop until 8 when
we get the kiddos down. Teaching full time is a lot of work, but I
could not ever picture myself
doing any other type of job. I work at
the most fantastic school and have the
absolute best colleagues! Teaching is
the most ideal place for me. I am with
my kids and get to see them daily around
campus.
6. Can you share any mom tips with us?
Be firm, and
follow through with consequences.
Children thrive on structure and routines. Your job is not to be their friend, it’s to
be their parent. It’s ok and great to be
both, but being their parent comes first and foremost. Next, when your kiddos go off to school, PLEASE take time to really listen
to the teacher’s feedback. They are
there to help you. If you continue
hearing the same feedback at every conference, it’s time to take their words to
heart. It’s ok to let your little ones make mistakes. It’s ideal to give them time to try and
resolve their conflicts and errors on their own too. It makes them stronger people! If you are married, have your spouse be
equally responsible and involved in your children’s day- to- day activities. You
both need to know what the rules or homework expectations are. Every
new school year, we struggle at my own house to find a happy balance, but
eventually we get into a new routine again that works for us both. I want my
kids to see us as a united front, and that we discuss all major decisions in
our family. Finally, get a crockpot, it
is one of my very best friends and I use it every single week!
7. What is the hardest part about being a mom?
To want the best things
for your kids, but having to choose necessities over luxuries! I’d love to take my kids on fantastic
traveling adventures right now, but with three kids it’s just not in the cards. I would love to live abroad and give them a
variety of cultural traditions and school experiences. I
often worry that I am too hard on my own kiddos, and it’s to their disadvantage
they have a mom for a teacher. They
attend my school with me and “mom always
finds out” is the motto at our house!
Having two boys, I want them to confide in me, and it’s hard for them sometimes. I keep
wanting to give my oldest son “social” advice, he’s very shy, that he does not seek. It’s rough when you
get to those teen years, and this is my first shot with a teenager!
8. What is your favorite part about being a mom?
I am blessed
beyond words for three very unique, beautiful, intelligent, original outstanding kids! They make me so
proud and thankful God has given me this opportunity to be their mom. My favorite part about being a mom, is when
they come to me for a snuggle (it doesn’t happen very often anymore with my
boys) or thank me for something small
and not important such as “thanks for
picking me up today .” My two older boys
just absolutely adore their baby sister and it warms my heart to the
fullest. They are learning the meaning
of life and what is important, and for that I am so very grateful.
9. Tell us a story..... it can be something funny your kids did, it
can be an embarrassing thing that happened to you as a mother, it can be your
proudest moment, the moment you felt like you were a good
mother...anything you want.
I am going to
give you my highlights of 2013 with each of my babies:
Hunter, my 12 year old, started junior high this year
and has received academic honors both
quarters. I was so nervous he was starting at a different site without me
looking over his shoulder, and he stepped up, took the challenge and sailed
through first semester with flying colors.
I could not be more proud. I took
him to see the 10:30 p.m. showing of The Hobbit, Desolation of Smog during
break. It’s fun to be able to include
him in small “grown up” activities.
Hayden, my 9
year old occasionally requests mama- and- son breakfast dates before
school. Can this mom resist this? Never.
I also took a day off from teaching to accompany this handsome young man
on a field trip to Karchner Caverns.
Harper Reese, 2,
is my sidekick. I cannot get enough of
this delicious little girl who was a big surprise to us all. I treasure all her milestones knowing she is
my final baby and I will never have these simple moments again. Her highlights are learning to count to 20
and singing the ABC song.
While, I am not sure
if I qualify as a good mother, I have a fantastic husband and other half Ron,
who COMPLETES my role as a dedicated parent.
We are human, and we make mistakes.
At times, we admit the errors to our kids when we make ill-informed
parenting decisions. It’s often a roller
coaster ride, but I am thankful for the ups and downs and could never imagine
my life differently. I am blessed.Thank you so much for sharing! You have some great advice and it's nice to hear from a teacher's point of view. Teachers are very dear to my heart and what they do is pretty much 2nd to moms in my book!!
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