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Balancing The Scales Of Justice

 

Sherry
LEWISTON, MAINE

This is a typical Monday for Sherry, a single mother of four who left her abusive husband two years ago. All four of her children have special needs, which means Sherry needs a lot of time to care for them. Two of her children, as well as Sherry herself, take part in counseling, which also requires a lot of Sherry's time.
6:30 a.m. I get up and start breakfast. 2 of the kids are usually already awake.
7:00 I have served breakfast and am reminding the kids to get ready to go. I get Teddy (age 3) dressed for school and pack his backpack.
7:15 I take James (age 5) to the bus stop.
7:25 I am back home to make sure that the last things are done for the other 3 to get to school. I pick up from breakfast.
7:45

I put Teddy on Western Maine Transportation to go to speech therapy (I don't have a license or a car).

8:15

I have Stephanie, (age 9), Dianna (age 7) and myself ready for our ride from Western Maine Transportation to go to therapy.

9:00 Stephanie, Dianna and I either go into a meeting together or I go alone with Dianna (every other week all three of us go).
10:00

I am putting Dianna and Stephanie on Western Maine Transportation to go to school and then I go back into my therapy until 11.

11:00 I get picked up and go home and clean up after the kids.
12:30 p.m. I go to one of the Head Start centers, where I do my volunteering for ASPIRE.
3:30 I start calling for a ride to go home, usually a taxi.
4:00 I start dinner and wait for the children. I put in a load of laundry to wash.
4:15 Teddy is brought home.
4:25 I am switching the washed clothes into the dryer and putting in another load.
5:00 Stephanie, Dianna, and James arrive back home. I keep preparing dinner.
5:30

Dinner is on the table. I am usually working around dinner, taking clothes out of thedryer and folding them.

5:45 I start to ask about homework. I usually work with Dianna, Stephanie and James on homework. Dianna and James have to work on sight words. Stephanie usually needs help with math.
6:30 I start a round of showers.
7:30 James is usually asleep my now. I start to get the others ready for bed.
8:30 I put the rest of the children to bed. Stephanie and Teddy go easily most of the time.
8:30 Dianna has finally decided to stop fighting about going to bed.
8:30 I do all the dishes left over from the day.
9:00 I am working on my own math or grammar from my classes.
10:00  p.m. I go to bed with things still not done. Tomorrow is another day.

"My children's special needs consume most of my time and energy. I don't have enough time in the day or week. I try really hard to do my ASPIRE hours but I usually can't do more than 15."

I am a single mother with four kids. I was married but left my husband two years ago because he was physically abusive. Since my children and I left the shelter for our own apartment, I have struggled to meet my kids' needs.

All four of my children have special needs. My two sons require speech therapy and my two daughters, both of whom have been diagnosed with ADHD, receive counseling. I myself have severe asthma, for which I take three different kinds of medications. I have landed in the hospital 4 or 5 times in the past two years with severe attacks. Every time that happens, my doctor orders me to stay home for the week and take care of myself.

I spend most of my waking hours taking care of my kids, taking them to therapy and medical appointments, and participating in their activities. I try to volunteer as much as I can in order to meet my ASPIRE requirements, but I am generally able to complete only about 15 hours per week at my son's Head Start.

I also have difficulty getting around because I don't have a driver's license. I have had some driving lessons. I need practice before I can do more, but I have trouble finding someone with time to help me. I also go to tutoring to improve my grammar and math skills. My dream is to go to college and study early childhood development.

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