Lifestyle
For the first time, my son is starting the school year without his best friends
I grew up as a military brat in the 80s and 90s, attending schools on bases in Frankfurt, Germany from grades 1 to eight. My friends and I’d go to school in Germany during the year, then return to the United States for summers, staying with relatives around the country. Since this was a time before the web or social media was widely used, I didn’t check with any of my friends until we returned to Germany for faculty.
While I am unable to say I spent a whole lot of time interested by whether or not my friends could be there on the first day of school, I actually have to confess that I felt just a little sad after I returned for the first day of school and discovered that a certain friend (or friends) had stayed back in the States, because I normally never saw that person again. You get used to that as a military kid; your friends is likely to be there one year after which gone the next, because their parents were stationed some other place or decided to let their kids stick with relatives for the school year, wherever home was in the States.
But like I said, as a military kid in the 80s and 90s, I got used to it. It didn’t make it any less painful, because I had no way of finding them generally, however it was an comprehensible a part of military life. As an adult, I began Googling the names of high school friends, especially, and I used to be in a position to find and reconnect with just a few — and unfortunately, I discovered that just a few of my childhood friends had passed away. It’s natural to miss your friends when you will have real bonds and made real, core memories, especially whenever you’re just a little kid.
That’s all I could take into consideration this morning as my 9-year-old began a brand new school year as a fourth grader. He’s a tremendous kid. He’s an amazing soccer player, smart, funny, and if he knows you and trusts you, he’ll provide you with every a part of himself. His little friends are the same. He has a bunch of friends who’ve been together since kindergarten (most of them). Because of the way his school works, they’ve all been in the same class since kindergarten, so the bonds and relationships are real and real. They’re… buddies.
This year, in my son’s fourth grade, his three closest friends—his buddies—are all going to different schools. And after I say different schools, I mean all 4 kids at the moment are going to different schools. When you reside in an area with as many good schools as we’ve got in Washington, you are always having to make decisions about the best decisions on your kids’ education. Sometimes meaning enrolling your kids in several schools.
Lifestyle
As you may imagine, my son wasn’t looking forward to this school year in the same way. He knew two of his friends weren’t coming back; one discovered on the first day of school. When we took him to school that first day, we could tell he was…alone. That’s to not say he didn’t produce other friends in his class—he did. But there was something about those buddies. Even though he knew two of them weren’t coming back, the realization of standing in line at school, alone but in a bunch, seemed depressing. He tried to smile. He tried to be completely happy, but I believe he kept looking around, hoping that what he knew to be true wasn’t true.
I feel for him. I know the way much fun I had going to school with my crew. We may not have been in the same classes, but we had time in between classes and before and after school to hang around and construct our world. I do know what it’s like when one or two friends aren’t coming back, but when all of my closest friends aren’t, it’s hard. I cried after I graduated because my very adult friends were presupposed to be elsewhere — and that was me as an adult, and I had the ability to process my feelings and the means to see my friends when time allowed. My son and his friends must depend on us as parents to search out a strategy to ensure that they’re still friends. Sure, due to iPads and games like Roblox, they still check with one another, but my kids can’t even use their iPads during the week; their relationships will probably be largely limited to once they’re home on the weekends.
I told my wife, who was understandably very emotional about our son’s latest life in elementary school without his friends, that we would have liked to ensure that we saw them as often as possible and remind him that his friends didn’t leave, they only weren’t at the same school. We also needed to remind him that he still had friends at school, even in the event that they weren’t his core group. Still, I understand her emotional response. Honestly, it’s just a little heartbreaking. You want your kids to be okay, and you wish them to return to school on their first day and be enthusiastic about what’s ahead. You definitely don’t need them to begin the school year sad.
I also needed to remind my wife that a year ago we were parents trying to make your mind up whether to enroll our youngsters in a special school, and although we ultimately decided to remain, we were seriously considering changing schools. We were essentially considering creating the same situation for our youngsters in a brand new school for our very personal reasons.
I’m sure my son will probably be tremendous; he knows all his classmates and I’m sure that after this latest thing is out, all the pieces will probably be tremendous. As a parent, I am unable to help but wonder how he feels and what he means by saying the things he doesn’t. I would like my son to be tremendous because that is the most significant thing.
Now, if you happen to don’t mind, let me take a take a look at this crazy school and soccer schedule and see when these kids can get together in order that they can come back like they never left.
Lifestyle
BlaQue Community Cares is organizing a cash crowd for serious food
QNS reports that Queens, New York-based nonprofit BlaQue Community Cares is making an effort to assist raise awareness of Earnest Foods, an organic food market with the Cash Mob initiative.
The BlaQue Cash Mob program is a community-led event that goals to support local businesses, reminiscent of grocery stores in Jamaica, by encouraging shoppers to go to the shop and spend a certain quantity of cash, roughly $20. BlaQue founder Aleeia Abraham says cash drives are happening across New York City to extend support for local businesses. “I think it’s important to really encourage local shopping habits and strengthen the connections between residents and businesses and Black businesses, especially in Queens,” she said after hosting six events since 2021.
“We’ve been doing this for a while and we’ve found that it really helps the community discover new businesses that they may not have known existed.”
As a result, crowds increase sales and strengthen social bonds for independent businesses.
Earnest Foods opened in 2021 after recognizing the necessity for fresh produce in the world. As residents struggled to seek out fresh food, Abraham defines the shop as “an invaluable part of the southeast Queens community.” “There’s really nowhere to go in Queens, especially Black-owned businesses in Queens, to find something healthier to eat. We need to keep these businesses open,” she said.
“So someone just needs to make everyone aware that these companies exist and how to keep the dollars in our community. Organizing this cash crowd not only encourages people to buy, but also shows where our collective dollars stand, how it helps sustain businesses and directly serves and uplifts our community.”
The event will happen on November 24 from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at 123-01 Merrick Blvd in St. Albans. According to the shop’s co-owner, Earnest Flowers, he has partnered with several other Black-owned brands in the world to sell his products at the shop. Flowers is comfortable that his neighbors can come to his supermarket to purchase organic food and goods from local vendors like Celeste Sassine, owner of Sassy Sweet Vegan Treats.
At the grand opening three years ago which was visited by over 350 viewersSassine stated that the collaboration was “super, super, super exciting” to the purpose that the majority of the products were off the shelves inside hours.
Lifestyle
Keke Palmer Recalls the Key Advice Will Smith Gave Her as a Child: “It’s Hard to Be First”
Like many young people, actress Keke Palmer went through a phase wherein she clashed along with her parents. Recently in a performance at “Toast” podcast.Palmer revealed that fellow actor Will Smith helped her take care of the situation along with her family.
As a child star who has appeared on Nickelodeon and Disney productions, the “Akeelah and the Bee” actress explained how juggling fame has affected her and her family relationships — a lot in order that she admits she once considered emancipating herself from her parents.
Although her lawyer tried to get her into counseling, Palmer said it was Smith’s words that ultimately modified her mind.
“A couple of weeks go by, I’m on the set of ‘True Jackson, Vice President’ and I get a call from a very, very unknown number. And I said, “What? If it was strange, I would not answer,” she said, mentioning that she simply went back to work. Later, while retrieving her phone, Palmer received a voicemail from the “Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” star.
“Hey Keke. This is Will. We’re here filming ‘The Karate Kid’ with (my son) Jaden and I just want to let you understand that I’ve talked (to your lawyer),’ Palmer continued, impersonating Smith. “He let me know every little thing you are going through and I need you to know that sometimes it’s hard to be the first, but you may do it. Just stay focused, love your loved ones and every little thing shall be high-quality.
Palmer remembers struggling as a child with the attention and fame that got here with climbing the ladder in the entertainment industry. While trying to adjust to the demands of her burgeoning profession, the actress recalls feeling that fame meant she would have to “throw (her) family away.”
“It’s something that happens when you leave and you can become a child artist, you can be the first person in your family to go to college, or you can be the first person in your family to get married,” Palmer said: explaining her feelings at that moment. “There are so many firsts that can happen as the generations of your family grow and evolve.”
Ultimately deciding not to undergo the emancipation process, Palmer emphasized the importance of getting a healthy community when navigating the entertainment industry.
“I think I’ve always felt like a lot of people, whether they’re big names or whether they’re my lawyers, have been a good community,” she added. “Also, my parents made sure I was around (people) who would encourage community rather than discord and separation.”
Lifestyle
Issa Rae will be honored at the British Fashion Awards 2024
Issa Rae gets flowers – in style.
The 39-year-old author, actress and producer will receive the Pandora Leader of Change award at the upcoming British Fashion Awards 2024, which will happen on December 2 at London’s Royal Albert Hall, the British Fashion Council announced.
Actress and former “Insecure” co-star Yvonne Orji will present the award to Rae at the event, which serves as a significant fundraiser for the council’s foundation, in keeping with Women’s on a regular basis clothing.
“We are thrilled to honor Issa Rae with the Pandora Leader of Change Award at the Fashion Awards 2024,” Caroline Rush, chief executive of the British Fashion Council, shared in an announcement.
“Rae’s work has inspired and resonated with people around the world. “She is a staunch supporter of the civil and women’s rights movements, always advocating for equality and social justice in her acting and writing,” Rush continued. “She consistently uses her platform to highlight the lack of diversity in Hollywood and advocate for greater representation in the industry, including meeting people of color behind the scenes.”
She added: “She is wholeheartedly committed to moving the conversation forward and galvanizing voices that are typically absent and underrepresented to open doors for others. She truly embodies the principles of this award and we are very excited to celebrate her in December.”
According to the British Fashion Council website, the Pandora Leader of Change award recognizes individuals who “lead innovation” to extend representation in arts and culture. Rae will be the second-ever recipient of this award. According to official details about the award, one other actress and author Michaela Coel was honored in 2023 Elle Magazine.
“Issa Rae truly embodies the spirit of the Pandora Leader of Change award,” Berta de Pablos-Barbier, Pandora chief marketing officer, said in the release. “In this second year of presenting this award, we are (honored) to celebrate a woman whose love for her craft and community shines through in each multi-dimensional character she brings to life.”
Pablo-Barbier added: “Her passion and purpose make her a natural candidate for this award, which fits perfectly with our values at Pandora, where love is always at the center. Issa’s commitment to meaningful change and uplifting others makes her an extraordinary change leader, and we are proud to honor her.”
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