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Albie had to believe in himself despite people telling him he’s not good enough. With the help of his sitter and a teacher he started to grow and find himself.

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This article reminded me of Alvie and his job of cup stacking at the bodeg

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Giant-size sugary drinks will soon be vanquished, and smoking in indoor public spaces is already taboo. Now the latest enemy within, according to the Bloomberg administration, is the foam coffee cup. The mayor is looking to follow the lead of cities like Portland, and ban cups and takeout containers made of foam. (It's styrene foam, not Styrofoam; the brand-name stuff is mostly building insulation.) The idea is understandable: Foam packaging lasts forever in landfills, and breaks up and gets into the soil and water, where it also lingers. Styrene has also been 'd by the feds as a possible human carcinogen. But you know what? Banning styrene cups is a terribleidea.

The problem is that paper cups are in many ways just as bad for the environment as foam cups, and by some measures, they're worse. For one thing, although they seem recyclable, they are not. The interior of your typical paper cup is coated with low-density polyethylene, labeled grade 4, which is not collected for recycling in New YorkCity.

They're both going in the landfill, eitherway.

Environmental issues are complicated and systemic, and a lot of the damage caused by a product is invisible to the consumer. Paper-making is a pretty nasty process. You have to cut down pulpwood forests. The factory stinks horribly. It consumes a lot of clean water, and expels a lot of dirty water. One estimate says that making a foam cup uses one twelfth as much water as making a paper cup - and water, as every environmentalist can tell you, is the next petroleum, a great resource over which people will eventually go towar.

But, you say, what about the fact that foam itself comes from fossil fuels? Oh, please. It takes two and a half times as much energy to make a paper cup as it does to make a foam cup. Foam cups are also much lighter than paper cups, reducing the amount of fuel needed to ship them to the store and to cart them away as trash. Foam also produces a lot less manufacturing waste, because there are no paper offcuts todiscard.

And you use just one of them! Paper cups are often doubled up, or augmented with that sleeve meant to keep your hand cool, and that adds to the environmental impact even more. A foam cup, for all its flaws, is an excellent insulator. I might even propose that, because it keeps your coffee hot much longer, it wastes less energy that way, too, because you'll toss out fewer cups gone cold. The definitive study of the energy equation was done by a guy named Martin Hocking, from Canada's University of Victoria, and you can read a synopsis of it here. Suffice it to say that foam holds its own, and thensome.

The one argument that holds water (so to speak) is the cancer discussion. But even there, the problem does not appear to be at the consumer level. It principally affects the people who make the stuff. The solution there is not to ban styrene; it's to regulate the factories and keep employees from getting it into their bodies. does that, and potentially could do even more. (Lots of reading about that here.) And, once again, it's a question not of absolutes but of alternatives: take a look at 's page about paper mills, which are pretty dangerous places themselves. Wielding a chainsaw in a pulpwood forest is, arguably, about as life-threatening as handling creepy plasticschemicals.

If we're honest with ourselves, what is going on here is as much aesthetic as environmental. Paper cups feel cozy. The cardboard surface is pleasant in the hand; the rolled edge meets your lips nicely. If you happen upon a classic Anthora cup, you feel like a true New Yorker. If you're at Starbucks, the barista can misspell your name smoothly on a cardboard surface with a Sharpie, instead of carving it awkwardly into the foam. Paper cups begin life in the hands of the aforementioned chainsaw-wielding loggers, who wear worker-honest Timberlands and flannel shirts. Like the Starbucks guys do, come to think ofit.

Foam cups, by contrast, feel insubstantial and cheap. They blow around when they're empty. The top edge is scratchy and thick when it meets your mouth. Foam products still, even after 50 years, feel a little bit space-age and unnatural, something you don't enjoy touching. They're not from forests; they're reacted into existence somewhere mysterious, through processes you can't see. Put one down on a counter when it's empty, and it's silent; you don't get that nice little thunk that a paper cup produces. It's the difference between Starbucks and Dunkin' Donuts; it's blue-state-red-state. Converse canvas sneakers vs. puffy white Reeboks. Paper cups are artisanal Brooklyn; foam cups are Staten Island. And reuseable vintage mugs are Green Party, and hard-core Park Slope. (Though if you read Hocking's research, you may not even be sure of that, because it takes so much power to fire a piece of porcelain and then keep washing it in hot water. He found that you'd be better off using and discarding a thousand foam cups than one china mug, because of the energy costs. And don't even talk to me about your stainless-steel travel mug. From an energy standpoint, you may as well be making it out of baby spottedowls.)

I'm stunned that Michael Bloomberg, of all people, fell for this. It's not real technocratic policy-making, of the sort he excels at; it's a bunch of lingering, reflexive hippie shit, and it belongs in the same compost bin with the screeds that begin "George Washington grew hemp, man!" You'd think he would be the last guy to fall for it. Mayor Mike: Can we talk about this? I'll meet you at Viand, that coffee shop you like on the Upper East Side. Yes, they use paper cups. But we'll get it to stay, in those thick, indestructible dinermugs.

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Giant-size sugary drinks will soon be vanquished, and smoking in indoor public spaces is already taboo. Now the latest enemy within, according to the Bloomberg administration, is the foam coffee cup. The mayor is looking to follow the lead of cities like Portland, and ban cups and takeout containers made of foam.

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Albie was signed up for “math club” and wasn’t really happy about it at first. But after each meeting he was getting more and more comfortable with going and doing math. Each class Mr. Clifton would start with a joke and make the students think in different ways, just like he’d do with their math activities. Albie wasn’t realizing how often he was doing math because he was was comfortable with the class and it was all “fun and games” to him.

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Teaching can be a stressful job, so finding ways to laugh can help you distress. Check out these 20 teacher jokes on TeachHUB.com.

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Pain Ends

© Katy A. Brown

Published: October 2016

Breathe in the fresh air,
Put your mind at ease.
Let down your hair,
Let it flow in the breeze.

Let your eyes wander
To all the beauty to be seen.
If those toxic thoughts you still do ponder,
Then let out a scream.

Scream until the pain is gone,
Until you no longer feel afraid.
Open your eyes to a new dawn,
Let the darkness fade.

No longer compare yourself
Or your flaws to others' perfections.
Take the negativity off the shelf,
Focus on your direction.

Pick the sadness up off the floor,
Sweep it into the wind.
Close the door on self-hatred,
Never let it back in.

For the lies it would often tell you,
You will no longer agree.
Happiness and love are what you should hold onto,
They are whom you should give the key.

Pay no attention to the toxic thoughts,
Listen to those who adore everything you are.
Overthinking was what you once were taught,
But now those thoughts you put in a jar.

Focus on your goals,
Never lose your fight.
It's time to open new scrolls,

Source: https://www.familyfriendpoems.com/poem/pain-ends

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I read and listen intently to what others are saying and many times their words are more eloquent in capturing the essence of what is being said than my rephrasing. So I have captured a few texts that relate to the book I read this summer “Absolutely Almost” and the topic of measuring up (or not) to another's expectations and the art of fitting in...or not.
“Albie’s friends excel at all kinds of things not related to school...When you are happy with yourself, comfortable with who you are...nothing is half so important as being happy to be you.” -Lisa Graff

The Art of Fitting In...
“THE ART OF FITTING IN is not about making yourself invisible in the hopes that people will stop judging you or about molding your personality in order to earn social validity. It’s about being exactly who you are. Yes the world is hard and it kicks you in the curb most days but it is also real and the struggles make you who you are. Giving up on yourself just so the hypocrites might like you better is like giving up on all the hurdles that you overcame and all the nightmares that you faced so don’t give up on yourself, don’t walk out on who you are. Life is beautiful but it is too short to be wasting it on (being) anyone but yourself.”
-Sanchari Sengupta

"Human tragedies: We all want to be extraordinary and we all just want to fit in.
Unfortunately, extraordinary people rarely fit in.” - Sebastyne Young

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Eating doughnuts in a dream can mean that your trying to avoid dangerous situations. Albie eats a lot of doughnuts in the book and new people are coming in and out of his life...this could mean a dangerous situation because he's afraid to make a connection.

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What doesn't kill you makes you stronger.

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Within Absolutly Almost, Albi was influenced by the people he met. This book demonstrates that you meet people for a reason.

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In our book Albie faces many struggles throughout the book. At times he feels like giving up on himself. However, with support from others he learns to believe in himself and get through the hardships. The song lyrics I’ve included are all not giving up. “Don’t Stop Believing!”

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I think to some degree all parents have expectations of their kids

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Having children can be incredibly rewarding or a pain in the you-know-what, depending on the situation. I know there are those who say that parenting is always wonderful. I think we all know they're lying.

Our children mess up. They lie to us, they're sneaky, they don't listen and they know how to push all the wrong buttons.

I'm not telling you something you don't already know. However, despite what our kids do to make us mad at times, we do things that are probably just as irritating. I asked my kids about some of the things I'm going to talk about here, and they informed me that I'm guilty of every one of them.

We hope, and try, to raise our children to have a better life than we did, but too often, we cross the line with our hypocritically high standards.
1. Always be in a good mood.
Isn't it upsetting when you come home from a long day of work and your kids are in a bad mood? You worked hard all day to put food in their bellies; the least they can do is not add to your stress. Right?

I've felt this way, but the thing I had to realize is that they have bad days too. It might have been that irritating kid at school or a teacher in a bad mood, it could have even been their other parent, but our children experience things throughout their day that will put them in a bad mood, just like us.

We have to cut them some slack at times; they have issues to deal with too. Do you remember how crazy being young felt at times? They're not always going to be in a good mood, and we have to learn to accept that. Don't misunderstand me, if your child is ALWAYS in a bad mood, that's a different story.
2. Be perfect in school.
It's natural to want your children to study hard and breeze through school like Doogie Howser, MD, but you have to remember that was a TV show! In real life, children learn things differently. It's our job to guide them, not punish them because they may have a harder time learning.

We're not perfect at work -- at most jobs, it's not expected. School is our children's form of "work" until they go out into the world.
3. Never mess up.
It's frustrating when our children mess up. It could be a dish dropped, door slammed or something bigger, like a car accident. Hey, WE MESS UP TOO! Why do we try to hold our kids to a standard that we can't maintain ourselves? Mistakes happen, we ALL mess up, that's life. Don't hold being human against your children.
4. Be grateful for what I've given you.
We give our children so much, and yes, they should be grateful, but being a parent means putting your children's needs before your own. We can't just give them the scraps.

That goes for giving of yourself too. Just because you're in a room with them doesn't mean you're spending time with them -- especially if you're glued to the TV. They shouldn't be grateful for just your presence; they need your attention, too. Give them everything you have, not what you think you can afford to spare.
5. Ignore how we treat each other.
Our children see and pick up more than we think. When we have those "heated" discussions in what we think is private, chances are they know what's going on.

How you treat each other will affect what kind of people they grow up to be. If you talk down to each other in front of them, if you criticize or belittle each other, you better believe they will too one day.

Our children learn how to treat others from us. Not what we tell them -- how we actually treat people. Think twice before you let your emotions take over and cause you to say something that could affect your kids.
6. Don't try to get away with anything.
I remember trying to get away with so much stuff when I was younger. My mother would yell at me when she caught me. She would tell me daily that she couldn't wait for me to have children to see what she has to go through.

I use to think, Whatever, Mom... until I had children of my own. Turns out, mom was right. We have to remember what it was like at that age and not make every incident a nuclear explosion.

Yes, some things warrant certain punishments, but others aren't that big of a deal in the grand scheme of things. Please don't misinterpret what I'm saying. If it's a minor issue, letting your kids learn a "life lesson" might be a better approach.

Our youngest son worked hard all summer to buy a laptop for himself. When we moved here to Maui, he ended up dropping it and cracking the screen. We found out a few weeks later, and we were furious.

He lied to us, he hid things from us, he broke an expensive item. We had to take a step back, cool off and remember that this affected him more than us; he bought it with his own money. We talked to him about the lying, but him breaking his own laptop was a life lesson.
7. Always forgive.
You can't constantly treat your children poorly and expect them to always forgive. They might have a high tolerance for our issues, but there will come a limit.

There are some rough situations. Parents split up, maybe even divorce; there are money issues, stresses of everyday life, and lots of things that are out of your control. But you have to make the best out of every bad situation and not take it out on your children. In those situations, you have to do as much as you can to give them some sense of normalcy.
8. Do what I say, not what I do.
At the end of the day, our children learn more by what we do, not what we say. Actions do speak louder than words in parenting, and you have to lead by example.

When I told my children I was writing this, they informed me that I had a lot more than eight unrealistic expectations. I was irritated, but I'm sure they're right.

We have to let our kids be kids, not perfect robots. They're going to mess up -- that's life. Our job is to guide them and be there for them. If a situation requires discipline, then by all means do what needs to be done.

Here is what I challenge you to do: Take a step back first, and don't let your emotions control the situation. These years are vital in molding the kind of people they will become.
Do you have unrealistic expectations of your children? This article was originally posted on The Good Men Project.
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8 Unrealistic Expectations Parents Have For Their Kids

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Having children can be incredibly rewarding or a pain in the you-know-what, depending on the situation. I know there are those who say that parenting is always wonderful. I think we all know they're lying. Our children mess up. They lie to us, they're sneaky, they don't listen and they know how to push all the wrong buttons.

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This song makes me think of the book and how the character had to keep going with all the obstacles that stood in his way.

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In Absolutely Almost Albie goes to a new school and has to overcome a bully and the overwhelming feeling of failure from his parents. The only confidant he has is his babysitter Calista. She teaches him how to persevere and how to feel success and happiness in his life or "his home."

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This story highlighted one teachers efforts to instill hope in a child that needed more than other students.

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Absolutely almost highlighted perseverance, obstacles, and challenges.

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This fun poem teaches ways to be a pal!

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Below is an example of a pledge that might be used to co-create a kindness pledge with students. 

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Below is an example of a pledge that might be used to co-create a kindness pledge with students. 

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I’m thinking of the book Wonder that I’m reading now and the movie I plan to see over Thanksgiving break. Augie also is so fortunate to have people in his life to support him through his struggles as Albie does in our book.

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www.understood.org/en/learning-attention-issues/child-learning-disabilities/dyslexia/understanding-dyslexia

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BELIEVE IN YOURSELF - Motivational Video (ft. Jaret Grossman & Eric Thomas)