A Day In The Life Of Mum, Dad And Employee
Me, Myself and I
Which of my three roles impact the world to the greatest degree? Well I’d easily be able say it is not that of employee.
My three roles include that of a Mother, a Father and a mere Employee. I have held all three of these roles for nigh on twenty eight years, whereby my role as employee has been for over fourty years now.
Of the three, my least important role is that of a nine to five employee, although it still has an impact on the world. It makes life easier for my boss and due to my skill and efficiency, makes his business a fair amount of money. However, it’s not my passion and it is strictly tolerated because it puts food on the table and a roof over my head. There’s a few more perks that the money earned allows me and it is appreciated, as it enables me to follow my true passion, that being the other two roles I perform.
My passion lays in being a Mother and a Father to my two amazing sons. It’s been a 24 / 7 role for the last twenty eight years now and I seriously love it.
Admittedly, these days I’m mainly on call rather than full time activeness in my parenting roles. Both my sons are fully independent but they’ll still ask for my help or my advice at times and I believe they always will. They make their own decisions these days but I still play a large part of those decisions in the manner of a sounding board.
I have been a single Mother all their lives, hence my dual role. Neither role more important than the other. Each role just as rewarding and challenging.
I have carefully moulded my sons, through my daily care and upbringing, to become positive, polite and caring gentlemen and they do me proud on a daily basis.
They are both caring and compassionate, highly intelligent and successful young men. I’ve only got to look back on their lives since becoming young adults to see that my dual role has been both extremely rewarding and immensely successful.
Don’t take my word for it! I receive an astounding number of compliments from older adults after they have met and spent time with both of my young men. Enough compliments to know that it’s not just a parent’s bias.
My double role is a perfect fit for who I really I am and I’ve always known that my purpose in life was to do exactly as I have done, parenting my boys.
On the birth of my two boys, my role as their parent was a full time one. One that helped me shine in my individual position in this world. As the boys got older and started to mature, I taught them the importance of independence. This gradually found my roles as a dual parent, move into the part time realm, where my success was shown by the amount of times my boys no longer needed me.
Then, as they fully spread their wings and blossomed into fully independent young adults, my roles almost became redundant. However it soon became apparent that I had moved into a more casual role as opposed to being made obsolete.
The role of a parent is a difficult one, in that the more successful you are as a parent, the more you loose as your children metamorphosis into daring, independent, strong, intelligent young adults.
I know it is the circle of life but I do not know of a role that is both, immensely important and is rewarded for your success by your role redundancy. A mixed blessing in its entirety.
As that is both a happy and sad ending to your career as a parent, it is also the most rewarding, challenging, and fulfilling role, all rolled into one. A role that has left me with no room for regrets.
I am extremely proud of the polite, empathetic, loving and generous young men that I have raised, and I am both happy and sad to have them downgrade my roles through each milestone they have achieved.
I’ve almost become permanently retired but I don’t believe, due to our closeness and now loving friendship, that either of my sons will ever force me to take an early retirement and for that I am extremely honoured.
Now that I do have some spare time up my sleeve, I’m looking forward to the time that my young men finally make me a Grandmother. Like anything, only time will tell!
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About the Creator
Colleen Millsteed
My first love is poetry — it’s like a desperate need to write, to free up space in my mind, to escape the constant noise in my head. Most of the time the poems write themselves — I’m just the conduit holding the metaphorical pen.
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"Innocence Broken: The Tragic Reality of Abused Children in Minnesota's Broken Child Welfare System"
As a society, we often like to think of ourselves as protectors and advocates for the most vulnerable among us – our children. However, the harsh reality is that even in a developed country like the United States, children are not always safe from abuse and neglect. Nowhere is this more evident than in the Minnesota child welfare system, where numerous instances of abuse and mistreatment have been reported, raising questions about the effectiveness and ethics of the system. One of the most alarming issues within the Minnesota child welfare system is the high rates of re-abuse. According to a report by the Star Tribune, nearly a quarter of the children who are placed in foster homes by the state are abused or neglected again within five years. This is a devastating statistic, as these children are already victims of abuse and neglect, and it is the responsibility of the child welfare system to ensure their safety and well-being. However, it seems that this system is failing in its duty, leaving these vulnerable children at risk of further trauma. Moreover, there have been several cases of physical and sexual abuse in foster homes, further highlighting the flaws in the child welfare system. In one shocking case, a 10-year-old girl was sexually abused by her foster father, who had been convicted of child pornography before being approved as a foster parent. This raises serious questions about the vetting process for foster parents and the lack of oversight in the system. How is it possible that a convicted abuser was allowed to be a foster parent and harm a child in the state's care? Another concerning issue is the overrepresentation of children of color in the child welfare system. According to data from the Minnesota Department of Human Services, African American children make up only 5% of the state's child population, yet they account for 20% of children in out-of-home care. This disproportionate representation raises questions about racial bias in the system and whether children of color are being unfairly targeted and removed from their families. Furthermore, the Minnesota child welfare system has been criticized for its high caseloads and inadequate resources. Social workers in the state are often overwhelmed with heavy caseloads, which can result in delayed response times and inadequate assessments of vulnerable children's situations. This lack of resources and support not only puts children at risk of re-abuse, but it also puts a strain on the already overburdened social workers, leading to burnout and high turnover rates. The consequences of these issues within the Minnesota child welfare system are grave. Not only are children being re-victimized, but their chance of living a stable and fulfilling life is also significantly impacted. Studies have shown that children who experience abuse and neglect are more likely to struggle with mental health issues, educational difficulties, and even criminal behavior in the future. By failing to adequately protect these children and provide them with the support they need, the child welfare system is setting them up for a lifetime of challenges. In conclusion, the abuse of children in the Minnesota child welfare system is a serious and ongoing issue that requires immediate attention. The system's flaws, including high rates of re-abuse, inadequate resources, and bias, have left many vulnerable children at risk and failed in its fundamental duty to protect them. It is the responsibility of the state to address these issues and make significant changes to prevent further harm to its children. Every child deserves to be safe, loved, and cared for, and it is time for the Minnesota child welfare system to live up to that duty. Start writing...
By Katie Stangel6 days ago in Families
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