GRRR

I have been so aggravated today. The list could go on and on about what I have been so aggravated about but I will only share one, well two. The first is adoption. I know you are shocked but I am just freakin irritated. If you google "available adoption situations" you will get lists of children that are available for domestic adoption. Many of these children are the ones that are not in high demand. (I hate that I even said that but it is sadly the truth. White girls are the most "desirable" while black males are the "least desirable" - doesn't that make you want to vomit!!) Anyway, some of these children have been born, have no family match, are living in a temporary home and the agency still wants $35,000! What happened to their oh so Christian message of helping those in need? Can't you meet your overhead on the "desirable" children and simply help all the others?! I could go on but I will spare you. Moving on to my next aggravation of the day. I know that you just can't wait to hear me complain about something else!

I am so glad to see that education has been discussed at great length in the media recently. Our education system is struggling in so many ways and failing many students. I am not speaking to everyone with this rant but I wish that more people would take a community view! It seems that many Americans are only concerned with themselves, their spouse and their immediate family. Where is the community responsibility? What are you doing to help your community including your school and the children that attend that school? There are many many children that don't have enough school supplies. Don't have uniforms. Don't have enough food. Don't have anyone to read to them. Don't have anyone to enroll them in football. Don't have anyone to help them. What have you done to help them? The teacher can't do it all. The school can't do it all. The community needs to help carry the burden of the school.

The school in your neighborhood may be wonderful. The PTA may raise $30,000 in one day (Jake's school). There may not be children in your local school that sleep in their cars, live in a shelter, have to wear the same clothes everyday....but make no mistake their are a HUGE amount of children that fall into that category. I would be willing to bet that every single public school has students that are greatly struggling with basic needs.

Do you send extra school supplies to your child's school at the beginning of the year? Have you contacted your schools family resource center to see what size underwear and socks they need? Have you volunteered to read with a struggling student? Have you offered to pay for an extra field trip for a student who may not be able to? Have you donated craft supplies to a class so they can make a holiday craft? Have you donated time or money to Dare to Care to help support the Back Pack program that sends food home with children on the weekend? Have you sponsored a child for your local little league? Picked him/her up since their parents don't have transportation? Has your successful PTA joined with a struggling PTA to share the wealth? What have you done as a community member to help YOUR community school or the school in a local community? We are all responsible for the sucess of our local school and it's students. Imagine the benefits of every child having enough school supplies, clothing and food. I understand that everyone cannot help but there are many people who can help who simply are not. What is an extra bag of socks to you? Or one extra uniform shirt? It may not mean much to your budget but if every family who was able bought an extra package of socks, a shirt or two and $10 worth of school supplies would make all the difference in YOUR community school and the children in YOUR neighborhood.

What would your community look like if every child had what you want for your child?