As time flies... in the eyes of a foster care child.

Another summer, fall, and winter have passed and we are almost at the end of another school year with homework, extra curricular activities and tons of stuff to rush around and do almost completed.  My kids have been enjoying their days and are excited for the summer holiday break to arrive and have some down time again.

Down time?!  I always wonder about those words and how they play out in a child's mind... down time for us adults seems quite obvious -- we need some time to rest, relax, not think about anything and hang out.  What is it that kids are thinking... it seems their down time usually happens every day when school is done -- they are then either off to a fun filled time at a sports practice or game; off to enjoy some type of artistic experience; or even home to watch a bit of tv or play video games, either on the computer or tv.  These all sound like down time items to me -- as a parent, we adults are usually working long days to ensure our kids have the warm home to go relax in; provide them with rides to the variety of activities usually chosen by those same kids and generally have to provide meals for these kids to consume on a daily basis.  Down time -- sheesh!  As a parent of four energetic children, from tweens to teens, I want more of this so called down time and now!!  :oP


Even though I am currently off work, due to this lingering illness, I still am required to ensure I am able to provide my children with the home they need, the food necessary to stay healthy, and be available to drive them to various activities or friends homes so they can enjoy their down time without any glitches.

A big glitch for me -- I am not always on top of my own game, health wise, and tend to want to have some extra down time for me when the kids are home.

Right now, I am learning to focus on one commitment at a time compared to the twenty things I know I need to do, or at least feel I need to do at one time.  Running myself down has been a large contributor to my feeling less than my usual energetic self.


When I focus in on the one area that gives me energy and strength, I always feel pumped!

That area, of course, is writing the stories for the children!!  The next children's book is titled When Is It My Turn, and has actually been in my head for a long time.  The story is about a group of children who are in the foster care system and have not been selected to be a part of anyone's family.  Children who sit every day wondering why they are not in their own forever family as they see other children around them who are chosen to leave and join a family.

How does a child know it is okay to feel what he/she is feeling -- to know the thoughts of getting older is not always a good thing when you are a part of the "system?"  Children need to have some reassurance about who they are and what is inside of them when they are the ones who are still waiting... they need to know it's okay to feel what they feel as they are growing up without a family around them.

This book speaks to them in a way they will understand because some of the emotions they feel, every day while waiting, are brought forth in this book for them to read and figure out.  I am excited for someone to pick up this book and be amazed at the impact it will have on a child who feels alone inside.  These words are powerful words, strong words for the children.

As summer comes, I will await what happens with this story and go from there.  If I am still unable to find a professional publishing company to take this story and run with it, I will take it by the reigns myself and fly!  So many children deserve to not only read the words, hear the words, and believe the words, they need to know these words are for them, for each of them, to start their own healing as they live each new day with themselves!!  I will never stop what I do because there are always more children to come!

 I love what I do and I can't wait for so many others to read this story and love what I do too!!!!

Ola Zuri launches new books!

Starting off the new year by ending the last year with a bang! 


What a wonderful turnout for the release of the latest book in the series, book three titled What Is A Part Of Me.

So happy to see so many people come out to support what I am doing for the children!  

Providing autographs...

 The launch of the new anthology, Somebody's Child, was a success and all copies were sold out!  

  Passages read...

Being able to speak with the people who came out to support me and what I am doing is a wonderful part of the experience.  

Questions asked...

Smiles and laughs shared...

 

Total support in what I am doing...

 

All in a day's work!!!

Meet & Greet Local Author - Ola Zuri

UPCOMING EVENT

Book Release - Mosaic Books

"What Is A Part Of Me"

Where: 411 Bernard Avenue

  Downtown Kelowna

When: December 16, 2011

Time:  3:00 - 8:00 

I sit here wondering how each day can continue to pass and I still have heard nothing from the many, many people who were so impressed by what I am continuing to do for the children - the children who are growing up in our communities who do not have the full confidence within themselves that we parents believe they do, the self esteem that is needed to grow into well rounded individuals, the strength to stand on one's own two feet and feel from within that there is nothing one can not conquer by staying strong and believing in oneself.  Each day I wait, I dream, I hope someone, anyone, will look at what I am doing and say, yes, this is something that matters, what can I do to help!?  Yet everyday I still wait, still wonder, still hope, and still dream.

One hundred percent, 100% of what I do is not for me, is not for the parents, is not for the social workers, or the adoption and foster care workers, it is all for the children!  The children who are trying their best to grow up in a world that hides things, shelters things, and distorts things so that children will not be hurt, so that the parents continue to look the best, to be their ever guiding protector and the children do what the parents want because after all "mother and father know best."

So many times I keep hearing from others about what I am doing and how it sounds so good and it is what children need and, as many times as I hear those words, I also hear it must be hard for you to do this alone.  I don't ever hear how someone would like to help me, how someone would like to sponsor me, how someone would be interested in finding me a professional publisher or agent to take the books I have to many more places than I can do on my own.  No, for some reason I keep hearing how it must be hard and how can I continue to do what I am doing when I am trying to raise four children alone.  Where is the money coming from Ola??!!  How can you do this Ola??!!

I will tell you how I can do it --- I do it, end of story!  These books are important enough to me to get into the hands of children that I will continue doing what I am doing and struggling with financial issues because I believe all children deserve to have these books in their hands.  I see too often how many people are out there wrestling within their adult lives with issues from the past that have gone unresolved and are unsettled in their lives and I know with the positive literature in the Believe In Me program, children can start to believe in self, work on the issues that could already be eating away at them, and ask the questions, receive some answers, some guidance, and learn to trust themselves throughout their whole childhood.  Why, oh why, would I want children to grow up and not have the inner strength to see the answers to their questions have always been inside of them all along when I can provide them with a way to work on those questions, those insecurities as they are growing and maturing instead?!




The time has to come for others to realize what I do is not about me, not about being an "angry adoptee" or an angry daughter but it is all about what I can do to assist others with how to aid the children in their lives with some resources to bring forth the courage to stand on one's own two feet and feel good about it, from the youngest age and up!!

Heartfelt reviews of children's literature

A couple of months ago I was befriended on Facebook by a young woman, Erika Ives, who is an adoptive mother of a 20 month old daughter from Uganda.


I was recently invited by Erika to join a Facebook group, Adoptionhair_skincare, and I find it to be an amazing support system of families wanting, and willing, to look after their children's hair.  What a great group and there are always lots of fabulous tips for styles you thought you knew all about...


As it turns out, Erika had ordered my books and has thus received them and written a review for both.


Feel free to join the above group and click on the links below to read the reviews - wonderful words from the heart!



Here is the post to what Erika said in her review of the first book:

http://www.facebook.com/topic.phpuid=109425222412663&topic=275

Here is the post to what Erika said in her review of the second book:

http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=109425222412663&topic=276

Summer Interview Series

Sally Bacchetta, Author, Freelence Writer, Adoptive Parent, is doing a series of interviews with people who's lives have been touched by adoption.  

Sally was kind enough to invite me to be one of the candidates and I shared with her my answers.  Please follow her series - you may find yourself quite intrigued by who she has as guests and may possibly find some answers to questions you didn't know before... 

Feel free to check out the first two weeks of interviews here at the following link:    http://theadoptiveparent.blogspot.com/

True Colours Mentoring for children

The True Colours Mentoring Group - photos of children, parents, families, mentors - all enjoying their time together at each session - all celebrating a variety of cultural activities, from enjoying the crafts and colouring, having fun in the gym, taking part in preparing various ethnic foods, hanging out with each other and listening to music from each culture.

Angela Krueger, the Adoption Feature Writer with Suite101.com, has been kind enough to interview me and has written another article - this time featuring the True Colours Mentoring Group that I have been facilitating for the past three years.

The program has been a huge success and the children and families here in BC have been benefiting ever since it's inception. I am so happy to be a part of this positive resource for the families who are wanting to ensure their children are taking part in the cultural activities and enjoying the time we share together each month.

Click on the link below to read more:
http://adoption.suite101.com/article.cfm/interview-with-adoptee-ola-zuri-about-true-colours-mentoring

What a fabulous book tour!

McNally Robinson is an amazing bookstore! What a fortunate person I have been to be able to take part in readings and book signings with one of Canada's top booksellers!! On location in the Winnipeg location, I was very proud to read from my books, talk with the many people who stopped to listen and sign copies of my books!




Over the past two weeks, I was fortunate to be able to speak with so many families, educators, and people in the community about what the importance of family, children, belonging, fitting in, adoption, foster care and building a child's self esteem and self confidence levels from within.

It was so beneficial! Not only was it a benefit for myself and being able to speak with so many people - it was also a huge benefit for the people I spoke with to see how useful and necessary the Believe In Me program with the literature it is providing for the people in every family, every community is. There were many comments about how important the messages I am providing for the children is in today's schools, today's families.

Success on tour so far...

In the photo: Cindy Xavier, Executive Director of the Adoption Support Centre of Saskatchewan, Ola Zuri, Leona Wasserman, Board of Directors for the Adoption Support Centre of Saskatchewan.

Having been invited to many events across the country has been very uplifting and extremely important at this time. With so many stories in the news about children needing families and families needing children - the opportunity to bring the Believe In Me program to so many people, in all sorts of communities, has been fantastic!!

Saskatoon was great and there were a lot of families, educators, and support workers who came out to hear what I had to offer and were very keen on obtaining the literature to start making a difference in their families, schools and workplaces.

The books are on sale at the McNally Robinson's Saskatoon location.

In case you don't know - the overall purpose of the Believe In Me program is to provide positive literature to encourage and empower all children to believe in who is inside of themselves. Believe In Me will give parents the support they need to raise confidence levels in their children; will provide resources for the educators, support workers, and others in the community while helping children develop as individuals; and will ensure children, in every part of every country, are building a positive self esteem from within.

Books are being displayed and sold at the Saskatoon location of Indigo books

Off to Oakville for another wonderful presentation and reception by many children, parents, educators, and support workers. The media coverage in each city has been fantastic and being able to open up and discuss the areas of concern with everyone and ensuring they all were learning about what the program is doing, where it is going and the benefits to all, has been so rewarding for me and ultimately, for the children!

In the photo: Pat Convery, Executive Director of the Adoption Coucil of Ontario,Ola Zuri, Susan Crawford of the Halton Multicultural Council.

Why Can’t You Look Like Me and Where Do I Belong, are the first two, of six, titles in the program. These books open children up to having to deal with their feelings when they are unsure of how to feel. They offer a distinctly broader view of dealing with situations any child may experience, on the level of the child, and then emphasizes the role to actively teach, and encourage, the child to believe in what is inside of himself/herself and not on what others may say or want for him/her.

In this photo: Ola Zuri, Angela Kreuger Freelance Writer for Suite101.com. I finally met the woman who wrote the beautiful words in my reviews of Why Can't You Look Like Me and Where Do I Belong.

Children, parents, educators, and support workers have all been coming to me and letting me know how important it is that I continue with this program. The need is there - the families are there - and most importantly - the children are there! Who could ask for anything more?

Now that’s what I am after!