mothercristina

I'm a real kid person. I was always the one taking care of the other kids at family reunions and holding babies when I was less than double their height. When I was 16, I volunteered all my time at a mission center nearby after school. I was asked to help in the childcare department and usually took care of 5-15 kids at a time from the ages of 0-7.
Since I was still in school I knew nothing about being an actual teacher, so I studied in my evening hours about how to teach children.

When I turned 18, I joined the mission fulltime. I got married and had kids. I juggled teaching other children with my kids in tow. I was asked to be a chairperson of the mission's national childcare and parenting board.  I took leadership training classess and worked with young people who were having a hard time with their parents.
I now have 5 children, one who is soon to be 7, and I have learned so much about children, parents and people that I want to start putting it to "paper."
The biggest thing I've learned is to not be judgemental. You can't help anyone that way and you just never know what wonderful things people can go on to do if you take the time to see them as an individual and do your best to play the role in their life that they need you to play.