Factory Floors, Birdhouses, and the American Dream

I was born and raised in New Hampshire.  I went to college here, and my husband and I are raising our three children here.  I have been a taxpaying resident of this state for most of my adult life.  My mother was an elementary school teacher, and my father is a Selectman.  I have a great deal of respect for them and how they raised us.

My dad is the classic example of someone who lived the American dream.  The son of Albanian immigrants, he worked his way up from sweeping factory floors to Vice President of the plant.  He is generous with his own money, yet fiscally conservative with others.  He is one of the smartest people I know.  My mom, the daughter of Irish immigrants, taught in the basement of a three room school house for ten years.  Her classroom served as a lunch room, art room and even a woodshop, because once a week a volunteer came in and taught the kids how to use tools.  She is an excellent teacher and is proof that children can learn in any environment if they have a great teacher.

I come from solid, humble beginnings.  Yet I want more for my children.  I really do.  Not material things, but opportunities.  One of the reasons we moved to Windham was to give our children the best education possible in the best conditions possible.  Yet how do we do this without spending our hard earned dollars on education? We live in tax free New Hampshire, but the money has to come from somewhere.  Do we still trust the American dream and hope that our children’s future will be better than ours?  Tough to sweep floors in a factory oversees.  Do we hope that a volunteer who comes in to make birdhouses with the class in our small, overcrowded classrooms will prepare our children to compete in a global economy?  It was enough for me, but I am not convinced it will be enough for my kids.  

I am willing to sacrifice, as my parents did for me, so that my children may have what they need to be successful adults.  Believe me, I wish it were different.  I wish they had the freedom I had as a child, with fewer electronics, and no knowledge of standardized tests.  But it’s not that simple anymore.  Gone are the days of sweeping floors and building birdhouses.  We need to prepare our children for a much different American dream, and it begins with providing them with the best education possible.