Hi Sparklers,
Sparkler Mom here! I’m super excited
to be writing this blog post for Mother’s Day. My official role in
SSS is currently Secretary and the Administrator behind our Facebook
page and the SSS Blog. What I really consider myself is THE SSS mom
and most importantly, Ciara’s mom. Like most moms, I think of
myself as the woman behind the scenes. Over the years, I’ve been
the one to run the last minute errands, print materials, get Ciara to
meetings with lawyers, spend money out of my pocket, make sure the
workshop storage tubs are full with what supplies, spend endless
hours looking for plastic Tiara’s and “occasionally” I take
credit for some of the awesome ideas we use.
Normally, it’s our children writing
about our moms, but today I’m reversing the roles just a bit and
writing about my daughter Ciara. What can I say, other then I
couldn’t be prouder of what she’s accomplished with the Shimmer,
Sparkle, Shine Project. With that being said, the dream and
inspiration behind SSS came from a place of pain. Looking back as a
parent, it’s normal to question what if and what could I have done
differently. Her story of why she started SSS and the day of her
greatest heartache includes me and how I let her down. We’ve had
many talks and she tells me, I did what I thought was best, but I
don’t think she really understood my thought process on that day
until just recently.
My Little Ms. Ciara
The teasing for Ciara started in
elementary and only got worse when she got to middle school. I was
not a vocal mom, nor did I show up at the school to cause a scene
when I knew some of the things that were happening. With that being
said, I listened daily, gave advice and what I thought were skills to
deal with the situations. I knew her teachers were aware and I
thought that would help resolve the issue and I was obviously wrong.
On the particular day she talks about having to leave school, she was
so excited to wear her new “Baby Phat” shirt, she had picked out
from her dad. From the moment she wanted it, I thought it was a bad
idea. Her weight and size had always been a main factor for bullying
and this shirt to me was just an open door for even more bullying.
When she came to me that morning and asked about wearing the shirt
with leggings or jeans, I was more focused on the shirt and not so
much what she was wearing with it. When she called that day, crying
and asking to be picked up, my heart broke. I immediately, thought I
should have been more vocal about my concerns, but what would I have
said to her that morning? That year, I probably picked her up
sick from school, at least once a week. She complained about stomach
problems constantly, we visited the doctor regularly to try and
alleviate the problem, but really it was an escape for her.
This coming Wednesday, May 13, is
Share Your Sparkle Day. I kept thinking about how I was going to tie
in my “Mothers Day” blog post to the event coming up and then it
hit me! While supporting Ciara during those hard times, I spent every
moment emphasizing how she could share her own sparkle. I fed her
interest, I redirected her thoughts to things that made her happy and
would lift her. I taught her that sharing HER sparkle with others,
was really the key to ultimate happiness. I tried to direct her
spiritually, so she alone could realize her own individual worth and
divine potential.
Ciara in the Percussions Band
Ciara Bridging in Girl Scouts
Ciara Running a Food Drive for Church
Ciara dressed as Nancy Drew for Halloween
Ciara being inducted into National Honor Society in Middle School
I might not have had the right answer that ONE day, but I think I got it right in the long run. Now sparklers, I challenge you to Share Your Sparkle this week. Sometimes it’s a challenge to find that inner sparkle, but we all have something that SHINES! Something as small as a smile or hug, is sometimes the only talent we need.
Love, Michelle
Being Silly, What We Do Best Together!
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