Visual Journal Final Project

"TIS THE SEASON TO BE WITH THE ONE YOU LOVE."

Every year around Christmas time, I like to be a festive mom and attend as many events over the holiday break with my three-year old son. The visual content listed below are cherished moments and takes us on a journey of my son’s growth over the past three years during the Christmas Holidays, enjoy, and Merry Christmas! 


     
(DJ'S FIRST CHRISTMAS PHOTOS-SHOOT AND OUR FIRST PROFESSIONAL PHOTO-SHOOT AS MOMMY AND SON, 2016!)

                   
    (DJ’S VERY FIRST CHRISTMAS! CHRISTMAS DAY, 2016.)

(CHRISTMAS EVE, 2017. DJ WAVING AT THE CAMERA DURING OUR LAST MINUTE SHOPPING TRIP IN TEXARKANA, TX! )

(CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY ACTIVITIES, 2018.)

DJ VISITING WITH SANTA INSIDE OF TEXARKANA'S MALL A WEEK BEFORE CHRISTMAS!

DJ AND I TAKING A PICTURE AT CHEDDAR'S AFTER COMPLETING OUR SHOPPING TRIP IN LITTLE ROCK, AR. THREE DAYS BEFORE CHRISTMAS DAY!

THE SUNDAY BEFORE CHRISTMAS EVE AND CHRISTMAS DAY! DJ LOVED THIS SUIT SO MUCH. THE CHURCH SERVICE BEFORE CHRISTMAS DAY IS VERY ESSENTIAL IN MANY FAMILIES, LIKE MY OWN. 

                                             CHRISTMAS EVE, 2018. 

DJ HOLDING MY LIGHT NECKLACE, AND SITTING BY THE TREE! DJ LOVES SITTING BY THE MAIN CHRISTMAS TREE!

                 

OUR FIRST TIME WEARING MATCHING PAJAMA'S. TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS! 

                                                   CHRISTMAS DAY, 2018! 

DJ PREPARING TO RIDE HIS 4-WHEELER HE GOT FOR CHRISTMAS!

(DJ'S FIRST TIME AT SAU'S CELEBRATION OF LIGHTS ANNUAL CHRISTMAS EVENT, 2019!)

DJ AND I TAKING A PICTURE BY THE "BIG LIGHT TREE" AS HE STATED. 

DJ AND FROZEN'S VERY OWN OLAF! :)

https://www.instagram.com/p/B53wL2oAnpv/?igshid=is5b7v11kwz1

Wild Card- Single Mothers Raising Successful Sons

         

  
       There are currently 22 million children being raised by single mothers, and indications suggest these numbers won’t decrease soon. Although single moms struggle and often need support, their children reap benefits that serve them well. According to research, single mothers are responsible for what their son will become. As a single mother, I can relate to the previous statement simply because of the choices I have made as a parent of a boy. At first I was worried about whether I could teach my son the right things due to not being a man, but the reality of it is parenting is not anchored to gender, parenting is trying your best and making what seems impossible happen, parenting isn’t male or female. Of course there are some things that can be taught better by each gender based off of experiences and education, but parenting has no set gender, sometimes you just are forced to deal with the cards that were dealt, even if it requires being a single mother to a little boy, or even a single father to a little girl.

           

     

   As I thought about my own experience and research with being a single parent to a male, I discovered what other researchers have made clear, boys have an astonishing ability to grow up to be successful men, to establish a strong sense of ambition in their nature, and single mothers can nurture this by having strategic parenting habits, by planning and achieving goals that is necessary for their child to see. For example, as a mother I'm always sure to tell my three-year old why he got in trouble for something that was inappropriate, or a quote on quote "No, no.", I also make sure to tell him I love him afterwards. Another example is how seriously I take my education now that I have my child, I enrolled back into college 11 months after my son was born with the help of my parents and other family members who are a great support system to the both of us. I realize that my son seeing me work hard, graduate from college, as well as still making the obligation to him as his mother will benefit his work ethic, and character in the long run. I often see posts on social media about successful men on social media being honored and acknowledged for their success, almost every summary or article stated that each man was raised by a single mother. 

              

      Now I'm not saying that a male is most likely to be successful if he is raised by a single mother, but what I am saying is single mothers of boys, or even single mothers in general are stronger than we think we are. Some of us have different circumstances, but we are all the first to wake up in the morning and the last to go to sleep at night due to hard work and sacrifices. I am a firm believer that being a single mother, a caring single mother comes with more resilience and ambition as an individual for our children. No matter the gender of the parent, proper examples can still be set and right and wrongs can still be taught correctly. Should fathers be active in their son’s life no matter the situation? Yes, but regardless if one parent is present and the other one is, grandfathers, grandmothers, uncles, and aunts play a role and are a good support system when it comes to raising boys to become successful men as well. Though raising a child without the other biological parent present every day, or not present at all is hard, it still can be done and accomplished accordingly, and boys can still be raised as great men by a single mother. 

 The significance and meaning that a child is always watching. Sometimes while studying he will bring me a book, and I will stop what I'm doing to read to him. I call those moments "The best study breaks". :) 

 My son exactly 5 days before he turned one. Immediately after his one year old photo-shoot I had to return to school for class. 

 (Professor Reppert holding student's (Nashante Hopskins) new born son after class! Adorable and inspiring).

A mother hugging her child after graduating college. I use this photo and of course photos of my son as motivation. 

https://www.parents.com/parenting/dynamics/single-parenting/surviving-and-thriving-as-a-single-mom/

https://www.today.com/parents/single-mom-thanks-4-year-old-son-her-college-graduation-t93426

Classmate Blog Critique- Cameron Carter

                First and fore most I would like to say that all of my fellow classmates have a sense of creativity that is out of this world, and that touches base on who they are as individuals. Cameron Carter’s blog stood out to me the most during class periods, and as I did my own personal research on the creativity of her blog. The first thing I noticed about my classmate’s blog was the deliverance she gave about every concept of each blog. Her words were clear, and how she covered each story line was interesting as well, she kept my attention every time she spoke. In my opinion I believe that Cameron has the ability to grasp the attention of an audience while she is speaking and reiterating about the story she covered. 

            The other thing I noticed about Cameron’s blog is how well the visual concept is put together as far the format, and her assignment list goes. I can tell that she took out the extra time to format her blog exactly how she wanted it, as well as listening and studying and making necessary changes on her blog’s visual content. The thing I like most about Cameron’s blog is that it is detailed, and you won’t see the full details until you actually click on the blog, which means her titles and headings gave away enough, but not too much, you actually have to read her blog to find out information, which is something I really like and feel is important to do as a blogger, I feel it's important to find ways to make sure that your audience or reader has no other choice but to click and read your blog. The only suggestion I would make and the only thing that I would critique on my classmate’s blog is to add a little bit more color, and a few more visuals for the blog to stand out a bit more. Overall, I feel as if Cameron’s creativity, wording, and visual aspects of her blog, as well as her deliverance of each concept is outstanding.

https://camcarterscorner.blogspot.com/2019/11/no16-opinion-local-issue.html