The July Momma of the Month, curriculum specialist Catrina Glasco-Gooden, has learned that home is where the heart is.
Tell me about yourself:
Catrina Glasco-Gooden, age 48. I grew up in Birmingham, Alabama the sixth of nine kids. I have two boys: LaBrandon who is 30 and Jabari who is 14. My husband, Kenneth, and I have been married 15 years. I am an educator with Birmingham City Schools
What do you want your children to learn from your life?
Being the mother of two children with exceptional needs, my circumstances are different. In trying to help them make their way through the world and pondering on what I want them to learn out of life, I have learned some lessons of my own. I have learned that there is beauty in even the worst of us. I have also learned the meaning of pure, perfect and unconditional love. I have also learned that every person, no matter their condition or circumstances wants what every person wants… acceptance… to be treated with kindness, compassion and humanity. Finally, I have learned that if we were all made the same, what a boring world this would be! We are all uniquely, perfectly and beautifully made. This is what makes life so exciting and worth living.
What are the best and worst things about living in Birmingham?
The best thing about living in Birmingham is this is home! All my memories are here, my family is here, and you can’t beat the cost of living. People can say what they want about the south, but there is no place I would rather be. I think the worst thing about staying in Birmingham is people don’t understand and appreciate the treasure that it is.
If you could change on thing about Birmingham, what would it be?
I would change the mindset of the “powers that be.” Sometimes when making decisions about our city, and the future of our children, they forget the human element and the long-term effects of their [poor] decision making.
What is your proudest mom moment?
I have several, but I am proudest when my sons overcome some of their pitfalls and reach some milestones in their life. As a mom of special needs children, you learn to celebrate the small things because tomorrow brings with it a whole set of circumstances.
What is your proudest wife moment?
My proudest wife moment is when my husband and I sat down and had a heart to heart about our relationship and we both learned what we appreciated about each other and our union.
What advice do you have for women juggling a career with raising kids?
The best advice I can give is find a balance and remember what is important. If you were to leave your job for whatever reason, there will always be someone to finish what you started. You are expendable no matter how much we want to believe we are not – no matter how important your position is with your job. But, when it comes to family, there is only one you. No one can replace who you are as a mother and wife. Finally, always find some time out to take care of and pamper you. You deserve it!
What’s next for Catrina Glasco-Gooden?
I’m weighing my options. My goal is to find a career that is lucrative but also allows me the flexibility to meet the growing needs of my family.
