Walking into Children’s Place and heading straight to the clearance rack because I have three children that were all going back to school was my first step in trying to ensure they didn’t stand out for having clothes that were not ‘cute’ or ‘cool’. We headed to the stores that had sales and I strategically left Walmart to the end of our journey. The socks, undershirts, paper, pencils, math sets were all necessities that I believed were going to be a vital part of my children’s success while in school.
I never wanted them to not have so there were a lot of personal sacrifices that I endured as their mom that to this day they don’t know about. This is the life of a single mother who wanted nothing but the best for her kids but felt restricted and limited more times than she could count.
One thing that I knew for sure was my children were going to be ten times better than me. Well, at least that’s what my dream was for them. Preparing them to start school on the right foot was KEY to their success in my eyes. But the struggle was real and I was in great need of help, with two boys and one girl. I realized once high school was a part of our world that I would need to intentionally find mentors for them, especially my boys. My community didn’t have many that my sons could look up to and the ones that we saw weren’t able to take the time for a young black youth. Luckily, a friend of mine told me about a mentorship program that my eldest son might be able to benefit from. I was a bit skeptical and unsure but after I heard of vulnerable sector checks and background checks and in-depth interviews, I thought ok maybe this might be a good thing.
We met MJ and our lives have never been the same. Not only did he mentor my eldest but he became a wonderful family friend. I realized that having someone who can teach my children leadership skills other than me was key to their growth and development as a youth. My daughter had her dance teacher, Tre Armstrong, my youngest had his soccer coaches. These people were integral parts of my child’s growth and I am forever grateful.
Now that they are all grown up, I can see how key it was to have mentors who cared about my kids and were willing to pour into them than give them opportunities. My eldest became a real-estate developer, my daughter became a dance teacher, and my youngest started his own business coaching children in soccer. They were led and are now leaders. If you’re reading this and wonder how you’re going to make it as a single parent, let me encourage you to find mentors for your children that care about their success and understand your sacrifice.
Sherri Sanjurjo
One Voice One Team
