I’ve been avoiding the “E” word lately. Empty. As in empty nest. My nest isn’t vacant, but I can see the day when it will be. Well, if I let myself look. Which I don’t. Often. With one son in college and one in high school – each thriving in his own way – I find myself in a new stage. A stage with time, it seems, for me. I suspect the next few years will include a fair amount…
A small band of elastic on my wrist keeps me from letting tough times get the better of me. It helped me – for the most part – break a dark habit that gripped me for decades. From both her website and mindset, Karla Freeze peddles positivity. I’m so grateful she does. My first Refocus Band is one of her favorites. On one side, it features the bright colors of her Positivity Place logo. The other simply says, “Positive Attracts…
Um, is it wrong that I spent even more than a few seconds today considering how I’d like to be a giant so I could simply flick away people when they bugged me? I know the answer. But what if? I know I too often let little things bother me. But what if someone shared at a meeting – for example – something they’d created that I wasn’t crazy about? And what if I didn’t understand where the idea came…
Robert was one of those high school students who took awhile to grow on me. In the beginning, like so many others, he was so tough and defiant – way too cool for school at Juvenile Detention Center (JDC), especially when I expected him to join in singing “The Birdie Song.” He didn’t say it, but I could read it in his face, “You want me to do what??? You’re crazy, lady!” BY NANCY KIDD Then just like the many others…
Thirteen-year-old Brandon arrived at detention with a look of pure innocence. Short and slightly round, he had eyes that lit up when he smiled. Although his appearance was cherubic, his behavior was definitely not. BY NANCY KIDD Brandon was volatile to the point staff sometimes had to restrain him. For the safety of all, he seldom appeared in class with other students. It seemed staff members were constantly dealing with his dramatic outbursts. When he began to show tendencies of…
Andrew* was a challenge. His behavior wasn’t rude, aggressive or violent. He just refused to come to school. BY NANCY KIDD For reasons unknown to me, Andrew chose to stay in his room rather than participate in the school program. That meant he could not join the other detainees for recreational activities, special programs or group meals. He was alone in his dreary cell — a thin vinyl-covered mattress atop a raised concrete platform/bed and a stainless steel toilet and…
BY NANCY KIDD When our boys were in middle school and high school, my husband and I bought a small karaoke machine for Christmas, something we both thought seemed like a fun gift. Although we may have felt a bit underwhelmed by the boys’ level of excitement, when I took it to detention, the students’ responses were more animated. It was a new experience for most of them, and it was a rare opportunity to relax and have some fun….
BY NANCY KIDD I suppose we all have periods in our lives when we feel defeated and overwhelmed, times when the weight of the world holds us pinned motionless to the mat. As much as I have tried to resist, I find myself in that position right now. I strive to live a joy-filled life, and much of the time, by focusing on gratitude and positivity, I float through my days feeling lighthearted and at peace. At this moment, however,…
BY NANCY KIDD I am not a person who likes to debate controversial issues. I tend to stick to the rule of polite conversation that recommends avoiding religion and politics. On top of that, I started this blog to highlight the good in our midst, particularly the unexpected goodness I experienced in my years of teaching at a juvenile detention center. Despite my intentions, I now find myself unable to ignore issues repeatedly finding their way to the forefront of…
BY NANCY KIDD Detention is a cold institution where kids have little privacy and where they don’t make a move without getting permission from a staff member. Kids have no access to cell phones, the internet, or any type of social media. Television viewing is limited and closely monitored. Their meals, prepared by inmates at the nearby county jail, consist of a lot of white bread, beans, and rice. Knowing all this, it is unbelievable anyone would ever deliberately want…