Two Women

@NoelineL tweeted:

The March edition of Canadian Living, p. 13, issues a challenge, to guys too: to share a story about two women, one personal and one historical, who have motivated you.  Would you consider sharing?

Doug Peterson posted his response on his blog: Chris Stephenson, a salesperson who had challenged his thinking and Joan of Arc.

So I went to Canadian Living to read the whole challenge:

Did you know that, according to MerriamWebster, "feminism" was among 2017's most looked-up words? In honour of International Women's Day (March 8), here are some ways that men, women and children can celebrate MerriamWebster's word of the year. Get inspired. Notable Canadians in cities from coast to coast will have talks and conferences. Explore history. Host your nearest and dearest (men, too!), asking each to have in mind a story about two women (one personal, one historical) who've motivated them. Be empowered. Do what we do best: rise to the occasion and take on a completely new task that even you thought you'd never do!

There are so many women who have motivated me personally - my mother and grandmothers, many teachers in high school, and principals and superintendents that I worked for throughout my career. But, the two who motivate me the most are my daughters, Shelby and Madison.  I often joke that I am 'the world's okayest mom.'  I'm never going to win 'mother of the year.' I make lots of mistakes.  But, because of my girls, I am motivated to do the best I can do, and to seek forgiveness when I screw up. Shelby had an interview recently, and the interviewer noted how hard working she was and commended her for her initiative.  Shelby said she told the interviewer, "My mom is retired and she's almost done her doctorate plus she's writing a book.  That's just the kind of people we are." Madison called me a few weeks ago and said, "I want to go to Tokyo in April. Want to come with me?"  I'm so glad my girls aren't afraid to chase their dreams and invite me along for the ride!

Historically, I would choose Indira Ghandi, who was prime minister of India from 1966-1977 and again from 1980 until her assassination in 1984.  When I went to school, history was mostly about old, white guys. I don't remember learning about any notable women. But when I was a kid growing up, Indira Ghandi was prime minister of India.  At that time, the idea of a woman prime minister in Canada was unheard of, and let's face it, Americans were making a HUGE deal about the possibility of a woman president in the last election. The glass ceiling is still unbroken for Hillary. I was too young to understand Indira Ghandi's policies and politics, but the idea that a woman could be prime minister of a country was very inspiring to me.

(Source: Art by Tanya Leigh)

Resources for World Down Syndrome Day

On March 21st people across the world will be wearing their mismatched colourful socks to celebrate Rock Your Socks for World Down Syndrome Day.  Rock Your Socks is held on the 21st day of the 3rd month because the triplication (trisomy) of the 21st chromosome leads to Down Syndrome.  

So wear your brightest, craziest, mismatched socks and post your pictures on social media!!!! When someone asks "Why are you wearing those socks?" you'll have the perfect opening to tell them that March 21st is World Down Syndrome Day and that you are celebrating all the great things that people with Down Syndrome can do, as well as helping to advocate for inclusion and respect.

#worlddownsyndromeday #wdsd2018 #rockyoursocks

Children's Picture Books about Down Syndrome

World Down Syndrome Day

Down Syndrome International

Group Hug Apparel

Global Down Syndrome Foundation

International Down Syndrome Coalition

Special Olympics

Happy Soul Project - Facebook

Chasing Hazel blog

St. Clair College Play Group

Born this Way on A&E Network

Why Do People Come To Work When They Are Sick?

"Every person needs to take one day away. A day in which one consciously separates the past from the future. Jobs, family, employers, and friends can exist one day without any one of us, and if our egos permit us to confess, they could exist eternally in our absence. Each person deserves a day away in which no problems are confronted, no solutions searched for. Each of us needs to withdraw from the cares which will not withdraw from us."
~ Maya Angelou, Wouldn't Take Nothing for My Journey Now

I can only speak from my own experience. Perhaps this is prevalent in other professions too.  Why do teachers push themselves to go to work when they are sick, tired, and in need of rest and recuperation?  Some would say it's because it's more work to prepare for a supply teacher than it is to come in when you are sick.  Yet when I worked in the central office, and there was no supply teacher to prepare for, people still came to work when they should have stayed home.  In this age of technology, when you can still deal with much of the work at home via email, why not stay home when you are sick?

Part of my desire for people to stay home when they are ill is selfish.  You are sick.  You are sharing your germs with everyone else here at work.  We are trying to stay healthy. Teachers complain when parents send a sick child to school but then they themselves come to school when they are ill. 

Is Maya Angelou right? Is it ego?  Do we think that things will just not get done right if we aren't there to do them. The school/classroom/students can't manage without me, even for just one day?

Is it the 'cult of busyness' where we equate our value with how busy we are?  

Is it the 'teacher as martyr' stance?

I asked a co-worker, "if your child was this sick, would you send him to school?" 

"No, but....."

I interrupted her.  "Why not? Why would you make him stay home?"

She thought.  "He's not going to be able to learn so what's the point of being in school. It's not fair to the other kids."  After a moment, she added, "And it's not fair to the teacher."

I wish I could say that she then reframed her own behaviour using this same lens of compassion for herself and her co-workers.  That she realized that she wouldn't be able to work to her full potential, and that coming to work sick is not fair to herself or her co-workers. That she went home for the afternoon.  But I'd be lying.  She went back into her desk, coughing and hacking and probably full of aches and pains and fever, and went back to work.

Try to remember the survival advice they give you on an airplane - first you have to put the oxygen mask on yourself, then you can help others.