The Online learning can provide interesting insight into your child’s life. Sitting quietly in the other room listening to the teacher read aloud from their daily reading novel moved me.

Their novel of choice Jakeman by Deborah Ellis. This particular passage Jake and this fellow companions found their social worker’s reports. One for each child, they were all foster kids in the system.

The reports basically spelled out that without intervention jake and his friends “had no future” and “they were destined to prison”. The social worker used words like anger management, delusions, irresponsible, pathological liar….the kids were angry with their portrayal in the reports, and begin to talk about how the workers didn’t even take the time to know them as a person.

At the break I quietly asked my sons to follow me down to a big filing cabinet. Tucked away deep in our basement, I reached way in the back and pulled out an old purple folder. Old and worn with many photo copied documents and hand written forms. I sift through and find the one with my name written it.

“Has trouble completing any task….must be under constant supervision….little to no sense of responsibility…cannot think for herself….below average, likely will never excel. With the right Behaviour modification, she could change…

Yes, this was actually written on my own child service report. I wanted to point out that reports like this really did exist, just like in the book.

After each point, My children say “WHAT?! No, your the most organized person I know… and your so smart and always have great ideas. Didn’t you get accepted to all your universities?” When I was done my eldest asked why I bothered to keep that for so long, since “it was nothing but garbage”.

I said “I wanted to show you … because I want YOU to know you don’t have those labels…even if it’s written down in some legal file somewhere. Kids, adults, just cuz they say it or even write it , it doesn’t make it true – they can be wrong. I kept this because they were wrong”

You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.

1 John 4:4

Vegan Matzo Balls – Orig. By Jamie Geller

This recipe dough is fabulous ! It is much like cross between gnocchi and the French Croquette. Creates a tender potato based “dumpling” that won’t fall apart in your soup or deep fryer. Best of all it is Daniel fast & vegan friendly!

• 1 medium potato, unpeeled, boiled
• ½ cup matzo meal or ground crackers
• 1 tablespoon potato starch
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons soda water (seltzer)
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon chopped herbs, such as parsley and dill (optional)

1. In a medium mixing bowl, peel and grate boiled potato on the fine side of a box grater. Add in matzo meal and potato starch and mix well.
2. Stir in evoo, soda water, salt, pepper and herbs if using.
3. Cover and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or until firm.
4. Preheat oven to 275ºF.
5. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. With well oiled hands form matzo balls by gently rolling a spoonful of matzo ball batter to approximately 1-inch in diameter in the palm of your hands. A cookie scoop is perfect for this.
6. Arrange matzo balls on the lined sheet pan. Bake at 275ºF for 20-25 minutes, carefully turning after 10 minutes. Cook until firm to the touch, but not browned.
7. After baked they are ready for soup or to deep fry. enjoy!