Importance of Family 2.

All throughout my childhood, my parents NEVER told me I couldn't try something. They went to the elementary school in our township and asked if I could attend school there. They said, of course I could, they were expecting me.

When I wanted to try ice skating, my father attached metal stirrups to ice skates so they would fit in my braces so I could skate. I only went once, got on the ice, fell on my butt and that was it, I was done, but I tried. By the way, I still have the skates.  We had a pool in the back yard and I swam every day I could. I was a regular fish.

One day, my neighbor friends came down to the house and they spent the entire day teaching me how to ride a bike. When my father saw me riding it, I am told he cried. That was something he wasn't sure I would ever be able to do. I went fishing with my dad, canoeing, white water rafting. I wanted to learn how to drive, my parents were hesitant, so my younger brother let me drive his car. I almost hit a cement wall and forgot to move my foot from the accelerator to the brake, but details, details.....  As you can see, my parents were very supportive of anything I wanted to do. And by the way, I did eventually get my license and I have been driving for almost 30 years now.

School was and still is difficult for me, I didn't grasp a lot of things, had trouble reading, MATH IS MY NEMISIS, but through it all, my parents, and teachers encouraged me. One year, I had had shunt surgery right before school started. When I returned to school, I had no idea what the students were doing, I felt lost. My teacher, Mr. Kauffmann, saw that I was having difficulty and told me that I was not dumb and I could do this, I just needed a little help and to try harder. That conversation with my teacher and what happened next changed my life.

My teacher, the principal and my parent talked about me possibly he having to repeat a grade. I believe what happened next was very unique. The principal called me to his office and told me what they had all discussed. He told me it was MY DECISION what I wanted to do. After talking to my parents about it, I decided I wanted to repeat the grade. It was the best thing I ever did.

As you can see, my family (and teachers) did everything they could to help me succeed and to be as independent as I am today. For that, I will be forever grateful.