I am a single Mother of 3 great good kids. My husband passed away 7 years ago and I have managed to keep everything going, paying all the bills, hydro, Mortgage, feeding kids, car insurance etc. My youngest daughter was 6 when my husband passed, and took it very hard. She was traumatized after his death. She was barely 6 when he passed and I was working evenings at my job, so she always had her suppers with her father. After he passed, she slowly stopped eating as this was her trigger of sadness. Ultimately she ended up in hospital 1.5 hrs out of our community in the big city and I was given the choice quit my job and come stay with her in hospital or I would have to sign her rights over to the state as she was so young.
Today she is 12 and has been working very hard to maintain all the weight she gained so that she could join the gymnastic's club in our community. The doctors and nutritionists and psychologists have all worked with her every week, driving her back and forth to the city for the doctor appointments so that she could get stronger and maintain while doing a sport. She has never been able to play any sports as a younger girl because she did not have the weight and the doctors would not let her. So now that she is 12 and has worked hard to keep the weight on, she was given the permission to join gymnastics. She has been in the club for 1 entire year now and has flourished, she has won medals and glows with enthusiasm and has that spark any child would have doing something they love so much.
Today I received an email from the club stating, that the fee's for this coming year will be increasing to compensate for the increase in our new minimum wage they pay the coaches. Now this really puts me in a bad position because I can no longer afford to keep her in this sport she loves so much and has worked so hard to do. She has made so many friends and is what I would like to think normal again.
As most of you know I am a homesteader and avid gardener. I do this for the sake of my children. I can afford to feed them by homesteading. I am a mother, who does not get my nails done, and I only get my haircut once a year. I am selfless and buy everything I own second hand, just so that I can provide for my family. My two older children 18 and 20 are in University, and worked hard to get scholarships to attend school because I just could not afford for them to go. I started writing on STEEMIT so that I could continue to afford for her to join gymnastics again this year. It is mostly because of STEEMIT that she was able to do gymnastics last year.
So my plea to you all is to try and raise through my posts the $600 CAD more that I need to pay her fee for this year's gymnastics. She has sold all her things that she no longer feels she needs, and helps me on the homestead everyday to make a small allowance or wage as her contribution to her fees.
As many of you know me, this is not a typical or ordinary post for me, however I have to make the decision to let her join at the end of the month, or her position on the team will be given to another young lady, and I am really trying. I am going to continue to bring you the best content about homesteading that I can and I do love to write about all the fun we have here on my lil homestead. I thank you so very much for all your votes over the past year.
Happy trails
Upvoted
Thank you so very much
This post received a 1.7% upvote from @randowhale thanks to @mxzn! For more information, click here!
Just sent you Steem dollars I think🙂
How incredibly kind of you. Sending you a bug warm smiley hug. Thanks ever so much.
Let us make Steemit scholarships for the children ^^ DoGe & Friends LoVe that ^^ Everyone Upvote & Resteem...
OH hey that is a great idea. There are so many deserving fine young folks out there, that sometimes all they need is a little boost to get them to where their path leads them. Love this idea. Thanks
I really hope your daughter can continue with her gymnastics. She is good at it and it is doing her good. I hope that conscientious dads reading your post feel encouraged by realizing how important their role is in a family, because I think in our society they are often not given the credit or respect they deserve.
It is obvious, @gardengirlcanada, you are doing your best as a mom to provide for your children's needs under challenging circumstances. I wish you strength and courage!
Thank you so much for your kind words. Yes dad's sometimes feel that their role us undervalued, for sure. I do hope that this is a testament to them for encouragement.
a very beautiful daughter you have!
Thank You
@gardengirlcanada, when my daughters were young I was effectively a single parent, raising them on my salary alone. I did all the things you spoke about, and when both daughters (2 years apart in age) decided to try out for cheerleading the same year I had to do some creative thinking. We approached friends, family and church members and asked for "sponsorships" for each daughter. The sponsorships could be anything from $1.00 USD to the purchase of a uniform (around $150). I was amazed at how generous everyone was, and we placed an ad in the programs that are passed out at every game thanking those sponsors. When it comes to children following their dreams, and being willing to work for their desires, people can be so generous. I pray that your daughter is able to continue with her sport and excel.
Thank you so much for the idea. Unfortunately, we do not have any event locally as we are from a relatively small community, however, that is thinking outside the box and will put some thought around the concept. Yes my community was very supportive when my husband passed so I understand the power of a church congregation, and a small town.
Lovely girl! Upvoted 100% (which sadly is not as much as I wish) and resteemed!
Thank you so very much.....
Awesome story! Upvoted, hopefully we can get you the needed $600 CAD
Thank you. This is our story, and if it wasn't so important to her, I would not be sharing this story.
Kids and hard workers always get my thumbs up👍
Thank you my fellow Canadian. This damn raising the minimum wage in Ontario is making everything go up, including fee's for kids in sport. I understand and get why the minimum wage went up but it's killing me. Again thank you and will continue to work hard.
The kids are worth it. I'm heading out to the garage now to fix a friends van, it's crazy the extra stuff we do just to get by.
This is what life should be all about. I give away some of my preserves and left over produce from my gardens to seniors who are no longer able to garden and spent years and years gardening, in return they tell me all their gardening secrets. Every little bit helps and makes people smile. Thanks for just being you
Good luck! Sounds like you are an awesome mom!
Thank you I try very hard.
nice topic my dear
Thank you
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This post received a 1.0% upvote from @randowhale thanks to @jaymorebeet! For more information, click here!
It's not much but hopefully little by little gets you there! Stay strong mama.
Thank you so very much. May your kindness be returned 10 fold. If I knew where you lived I would bring you some of my homemade Blue Plum Jam. LOL again many thanks and yes I will keep blogging on until I reach my goal then try and help someone else out. I just want to reach my goal, then I am good to pay it forward.
I have faith you'll get there one way or another. Your daughter has all she could ask for in you as her mom. Have you posted on your jam?? Would love to see!
Not yet, I am waiting for my yellow plums to be ready to make a batch of them, as I ate all of them from last year, darn kids love the stuff on crumpets. I will do a post in the near future with recipes for both blue and yellow plum Jams. Easy Easy. Stay tuned.
You know I'll stay tuned :). Don't rush them on my behalf though :)