What will YOU be when you grow up?

I remember adults posing this question to me as a child. “What do you want to be when you grow up?”

What does one answer? Is growing up a state of being? Do you arrive after you’ve achieved your goal? Is there a formula to ‘success’, whatever that might be? As a mother, is growing up a reflection of my career or is it an end result of parenting?

For me, personally, it was a journey – with one step leading to another, which led to another and then, voila…somehow, here I am in this place, in this season…for however long that might last. And how did I travel this journey? Did I have any idea of where I’d be at this moment of time? Of course not! My life’s path has been windy and curvy and even tumultuous at times. But, I know this…hind sight is clear sight and I can look back to see God’s hand nudging me along. Perhaps it’s my grey hairs or the experience of becoming a grandmother or the ‘empty nest’ that helps me look back in reflection and in awe of the wonders of Growing UP!

Welcome to my first blog post!

After much encouragement from family and friends and colleagues, I’m taking the plunge. I want to have a place for us, as moms, as educators, as friends to share ideas and thoughts about our parenting and educational endeavours. I want this blog to be a place of encouragement for your ‘growing up’ journey.

First, as an Early Childhood Educator for the Developmentally Handicapped, teaching and working with students that struggled physically, emotionally and/or academically. Then, teaching adults at a Community College, before I switched careers to teach our own children at home, from K-12. And on the side, I represented a curriculum company (KONOS, Inc.) and presented workshops across the country at homeschool conferences.

Fast forward about 23 years. As I was coming to the end of my homeschooling years, this question reared its head again: “What will I be when I grow up?”

In my last few years of homeschooling, I began to look for specific ways to help our youngest son who was struggling with Auditory Processing issues. As he and I worked together to find solutions, we stumbled upon NILD Canada. And, we were both blessed! He received the help he needed to understand his limitations and to address his struggles, and I enrolled in their training courses to train as an NILD Educational Therapist. Win – Win!

GeerLINKS Educational Therapy was launched and to my surprise, I am now teaching and helping other students on their life’s journey – academically, emotionally and physically. Who would’ve thought? Who could’ve planned this? It is GOD who directs our path and I’m grateful to be where I am today.

Now with NILD Professional Certification behind me, as the Marketing Director for NILD Canada, and as Director of GeerLINKS Educational Therapy, I look ahead to how God will direct my path.  And I continue to wonder, “What will I be when I grow up?”

Many years ago, I cross-stitched this verse on my homeschooling planner book. (How did I even have time for that?)

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart; Lean not on your own understanding…In all your ways, acknowledge Him and He will direct your path”.  Proverbs 3:5,6 NIV

Somehow, this became our family’s theme verse and we were reminded of it many, many days and months and years. We held onto this promise.

I hope that you will join me as I post bi-weekly parenting reflections and ideas to encourage you and your children on your ‘growing up’ journeys. These blog posts are written to ALL parents, but certainly will have my own homeschool experiences intertwined within them. Please join me in the discussion.

I wonder… “What will YOU be when you GROW UP?”