Help my kiddos.

This is the time of year when many take the time to stop and consider their many blessings or the things they are most grateful for. In this season, despite the frustrations that come with teaching Pre-K children in a public school setting, I am very blessed by the kiddos in my classroom. Yes, there are days I need to be reminded of this feeling, but that is another topic for another day/post.

These kids challenge me daily, not just through their behaviors (oy!), but through their blatant honesty, genuine hearts, and simply how they face daily struggles head on.

As we ride on into winter, several of these kids do not have basic clothes that fit them properly, let alone proper and comfortable winter attire. Who has time for gloves and hats when you can barely afford the coat, socks, and somewhat fitting shoes? Those of you with kids know...how long will those couple pair of socks and shoes really last a 4-5 year old growing child...

Many of these kids go home on the weekends to very little food for the whole family or household, many of which consist of 4+ people. Very little clothes? Scarce amounts of food? Just another day.

Now to the parenting...I could speak for days on this, but I'll hold back for now. These parents love their kids and they do their best by them, but that doesn't mean they can always do whats best for them. Most of these moms and dads are young, uneducated, and have low paying jobs, if any job at all. I know C and I are better off than most, if not all of them, but I'm still terrified of having children due to financial stress. Yet these parents are raising multiple children on very little.

Add another log to the fire: many of these children are Hispanic with spanish-only speaking parents. We all know parents should help with homework and parents should read to/with their children. How do these spanish-speaking families help their children with their English homework? How do these parents help their children practice the skills they are learning without knowledge of the appropriate vocabulary?

These kids have SO much against them...why not give them a little boost in the classroom? How are they going to catch up to their peers over in the private schools, the magnet schools, or the ones down the street whose parents can afford to meet all their basic needs and more, including all the latest technology?

We live in an age of technology. These kids need exposure. These kids need a chance to interact with all the online educational resources out there. This opportunity can make a difference in their lives. I can't clothe and feed all of them. I can't teach all the parents English and I can't become fluent in Spanish overnight (though I wish this on a daily basis). However, I can make a difference in the classroom. You can help too.

Click here to see how you can help. Help my kiddos.

If you can't help through donorschoose, please pray for them, their families, and for those of us who try to educate them in a way that gets them started on the right path early on in hopes that they will rise to their fullest potential on that same great path.