E - Encyclopedia of me

At Bella Dia I came across a great idea: An Encyclopedia of Me.

E for Education

I've always enjoyed going to school. It was my safe heaven, my brainfood.
Even though I was bullied I found a way to focus on new learning material.

I thought university would be a thrill, but soon I found out it was just a race to get your head stick out above the crowd.

So I just went my own way... studied what I liked, and when it finally wat time to graduate I had so much paperwork from all the courses, exams and laboratory research that we had to throw out a lot.

I still love to educate myself. Internet is heaven for me.

Educating others just happened.
I worked and studied at the same time, so I was always looking for a better job.
Friends knew one... pushed me past the door and I just had to ask the job to prevent to look foolish.

The guy asked me why I applied...being the youngest applying for a staff-job ever.
I said I needed the money and.. I got the job.

Lecturing at the university was one of the greatest job I ever had. I enjoyed it so much!!

It was in the years of great auditoriums of 300 to 400 students and practicumgroups of 20.

I lectured in researchtechniques.

Education for my children is a complete different world.

That one of the main subjects I graduated in was "learning difficulties" is a great help, and works also terribly against me.
People sometimes don't like me and feel threatened if they know it (I don't tell them if not absolutely necessary), even before they have seen me. Ugh.

It's a help for my children, because I know what they need, and I can see what they get.
It's a help and a burden for me as a mom, because I have to fight the system so often...

I went through it all: years of teachers telling me my seriously dyslectic son isn't dyslectic at all, teachers telling me he should have done his homework, teachers telling me that I should read at home with my son, I should have read them books before bedtime from an early age on.

Oh, they knew so well... they thought.
Only one followed my advice to come and have a look at my home and the boys' room.
She was stunned because we had so many books, educational material... and it was used.

A few years later I went through the same with one of the girls. She's dyslectic as well.

Trying to get my children the right education and educational approach is very difficult. The system is changing continuously and not always for the better.

E is for Empathy.

Commonly defined as one's ability to recognize, perceive and directly feel the emotions of someone else.

I think the educational system works best when there's more empathy for the parents and the children.

E is for Efficiency.

The only way to run a family of 8, with 4 kids with autism spectrumdisorder, is being efficient.

I don't make appointments when they're not absolutely necessary.
I don't have lists or plans, because they leave no room for spontaneous actions, and all those unexpected things that happen here.

To be efficient means to me to do what needs to be done, quick and well. If possible do two things at the same time.

E is for Email.

So I hate the phone, well, others hate email.

Because what is written lasts, unless the provider goes down.

I love email!

It's my lifeline to other people.

E is for English.

It's not my main language.

But my dad was in England with the RAF in WW2 and he took me to meet the family he stayed with.
They were such loving and kind people. They taught me the love for the language, and it has always been the language of my heart ever since.

Ofcourse I make lots of mistakes, but hej... who can speak and write Dutch the way I can?

E is for Eyes.

One of my girls had the most beautiful grey eyes there are in the world.
The others have honey-brown and deep-brown eyes.

Mine are dusty blue.

E is for Eventful.

My days are never boring.

So many things happen each day, that there are days I don't have time to clean or hang the laundry.

How I wish to be able to have a day at the beach... or to sit and stare...

E is for Evening.

When everyone is to bed, there's finally some silence. Some time to turn inward.

Or time to reach out to friends online.

I try to make a walk each evening. Looking at the stars, the moon.

And feeling nature at the borders of the lake.

It's different there each night.