The Overnight Walk in Washington, DC on June 1-2, 2013

Since before my daughter, Siwe Monsanto, ended her life on June 29, 2011, we walked as a family for the smaller community walks sponsored by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. This being the 2nd anniversary of her death. I felt the need to have a bigger voice. I have lobbied in Albany with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention in Albany on March 13, 2013 shortly after Siwe's birthday (3/8/1996) for Mental Health Matters Day. I have been intrigued by this walk, the Overnight, since I first learned of this walk in 2007. I have never run a marathon, but walking seems a bit more manageable. 18 miles though... WHEW! In the words of a fellow coach, Lauree Ostrofsy, "I am scared & doing it anyway."

If you choose to donate you can do so via the secure link below. If you cannot donate or choose not to donate, please share a smile with a stranger and be gentle with yourself.





Be KIND for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle. -Plato

INjoy,
dionne

Work-Life Balance - OBSOLETE

Can you dig it?



Made me laugh and made me think.

I have a life. I am important. Make sure you schedule time for what is important in your life. Oh yeah, make sure YOU are in the top 5 of that list. If you do not take care of yourself, you cannot take care of anything or anyone else.

INjoy,
dionne

Engaged Parents, Books Are the Keys to Student Achievement

Wonderful example. I have 3 children and have read more stories than I can recall to them at home and at school. Their rooms might not be clean but they always have a book or two that they are reading. It is truly important that parents are empowered to educate their children. Another mother and I discussed this today. We discussed the superior statistics on education in Finland, how they have less HW and the children do not start school until they are 7 years old. What a novel thought, parents being the first teachers for their children. I agree that reading to your child each day makes a tremendous difference in building lifelong readers. I would like to add that you can continue to do this well into their teenage years. We currently pick a book to read as a family and take turns reading to each other. We might read as much as a chapter a day. When we have family gatherings we also have a reading circle and the older children will read a book to the younger children. This holiday season we are looking forward to my 6 year old niece reading aloud to us.


We desperatel­y need to impact change in the culture/va­lue of education in general and reading in particular in this country. We can impact change through on our youth one book at a time. I believe this country's future depends on it.

Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

DREAM Act Vote Fails In Senate

I was deeply impacted when I heard this. It is about YOUTH. It is about DREAMS. It is SAD. I talking to my daughter about it and we both felt that it does not make sense. We were like the "WHOs" in Horton Hears a Who. We were in our home yelling, "They are here! They are here! They are here!" Use your voice people, let your local politician­s know how you feel about this and other issues. Posting on the internet is not enough. Our elected officials only represent us if they hear from us. Call, fax, email and/or write your elected officials.

"We are here! We are here! We are here!" USE YOUR VOICE.

Read the Article at HuffingtonPost