Motorcycles and Protecting Children

I had an incredible day yesterday because I saw something that combines two things I'm passionate about: cruiser motorcycles and protecting children from abuse.

Yesterday morning right before my alarm went off I was having a dream that I was going to race my cousin on motorcycles on a racing course.  Then a few hours later I hopped on Facebook and one of the "suggested posts" was one about a biker gang, and so I clicked on it.  And I was so surprised about what I saw.

There is a motorcycle organization called "Bikers Against Child Abuse", and they go around helping children who are victims of abuse.  I'm bad at paraphrasing, so I'll just show you the YouTube video I saw:

While watching this video I began to cry and even to tremble because I'm very passionate about both of these things and I was amazed that they could be combined this way.  Let me tell you why I feel the way I do about this.

Motorcycles
I've always loved cruiser motorcycles.  Even when I was a kid, whenever I'd see a group of bikers riding down the road together I'd smile and sometimes even squeal with joy.  Now that I'm older the squealing with joy has stopped (for the most part) but I still smile every time I see a cruiser and my heart leaps when I see a group of riders together.  That's how I want to travel, that's how I want to get from point A to point B: on a cruiser.  It's my dream vehicle.

About 10 years ago during my first summer at UC Davis, I took a basic riding course and passed it and I got my motorcycle license.  I forgot to add M1 to my application when I renewed my license and so ever since then I've only had a car-driver's license.  But about once a year or so since then I have very realistic dreams about riding a motorcycle-- like the one I had yesterday-- and the desire to ride is still very strong in me.

Protecting Children
Also at UC Davis, I took a Women's Self Defense class just for fun.  It teaches the Rape Aggression Defense program and I was surprised to find out that I'm very passionate about this.  I became a TA for the class for the next two quarters, and when I graduated from college I went down to Los Angeles to become a certified R.A.D. instructor.  Mc and I moved to Minnesota shortly after that, and I taught a few classes and I was working with the University of Minnesota to get the R.A.D. program reestablished there.  Their budget didn't work out for it and I was discouraged, and then I became pregnant with our first child and so I gave up on teaching.

Ever since becoming a parent, every now and then I have a hard time falling asleep because I'm thinking step-by-step about what I would do to someone if they ever hurt my child.  Anyone who even tries to take or hurt one of my kids will find themselves pummeled into the ground by me.  I know how to fight and I won't hold back.  I never thought about this before I had kids because I'm not a "kid person" and in general I didn't enjoy being around them.  But I've changed a little in that regard.  Adults can hurt each other and they can fight back, but kids are so small and often helpless.  Kids are also trusting, and I know that if my kids were in danger they would look to me with pleading eyes for help and they would trust that I could help them, and I would do everything in my power-- which is a lot-- to get them out of danger.

Watching this video made me cry because children are being abused everywhere-- in their own homes and in the foster system-- and all too often they have nowhere they can turn for help.  But bikers are tough, many people are scared of them and intimidated by them (and they should be!), and if a child knows they have a biker gang looking out for them and who will ride to them if they call and need help, then think of how much power and confidence it gives those kids!

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For months now Mc and I have been talking about getting me a motorcycle.  We've looked at prices, gas mileage, and insurance, and in many ways a motorcycle is cheaper and more practical than a second car.  It's also has its dangers too, and I'm well aware of them.  But the reason we haven't gone past the "thinking about it" stage is because I'm too practical and I can't justify the expense when the only time I'd get to ride is maybe to the store for something or with the family somewhere when Mc could drive the kids in the car.

But now, this is a perfect reason to finally get a motorcycle!  After watching this video I felt filled with purpose and a desire to become part of this organization.  I want to do this.  I want to release my inner motorcycle chick so that I can ride a vehicle that I've always wanted and so I can be a part of a biker group who's purpose is to protect and empower children against abuse.  It's not a job I'd be getting paid for, but this combines two things I'm very passionate about and the thought of it is very fulfilling, and this is what I want to do.

I've started looking for riding courses here in Washington so I can get my M1 license again, and then I'll look into buying a motorcycle.  I'm so excited about this!

Our Little Girl's First Day of School!

Mc and I never wanted to put our kids into preschool.  We had talked about it, and we both felt that it was just glorified (and expensive) daycare.  But a couple of months ago we decided that we should put our daughter in a preschool, for a few reasons:

1) She loves social interaction.  I take the kids to the park at least once a day, and she's always happiest when she makes a friend.  But the friends she makes don't go to the park regularly at all, and she's sad when she doesn't have anyone to play with.  At school she can make friends and know that she'll be seeing them every weekday.

2) She is very ready for learning things at school.  She soaks up information like a sponge, and she's ready to learn a variety of things, and more than I can teach her at the moment.

3) Our son needs one-on-one time with me.  There is a lot I can teach him and that I will have to teach him so he can improve his speech and cognition skills, but I need a quiet space with just him and me so I can teach him, and our daughter doesn't allow for that when she's home.

Mc asked around work to see what are good schools around here, and the Montessori program was highly recommended.  (You can read about their philosophy here:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montessori_education ).

We found a Montessori school in our city that had a last-minute opening for her age range (3-6 years old), so we got her in.  It's a small school with about 20 kids + 2 teachers in each of the 5 classrooms, and I like that small, close-knit feel to it.  The school also takes great precautions with the kids' safety, which I was very impressed with.  I'm also happy that the kids in her class are 3-6 years old because although she's almost 4 years old she tends to make friends with girls who are a year or two older than she is, and so she'll have those girls in her classroom.  She won't be held back scholastically or socially because of her age the way she would in a public school.

We have her there only in the afternoons from 12:30-3:00 to test out the school and see how she does for this first year.  If all goes well, we'll have her attend next year as well and we'll get our son in there, too.  The hands-on approach to learning will be essential for our son because that's the way he learns, but our daughter will benefit from it as well.

I didn't post these pictures on Facebook, but I'll do it here.  Here she is on her first day of school (last Wednesday) in front of her classroom:

She's giggly because I'm taking a picture of her.

Ready to go into the classroom and start her day!

Today was her 4th day of school.  Her teachers say she's doing great, and she loves it and today she told me that she made a friend.  I'm so happy for her.