Kerri Martin

I am incredibly excited to be writing for Self Reliance Works. As the mom of five, yes FIVE, incredible boys I am discovering a great deal on my journey toward self-reliance. I believe the most important step in that journey is maintaining a positive attitude even when life throws its curve balls.

I have a Masters in Education but decided to stay home with my children several years ago. My oldest four attend public school but, having been a teacher in both public and private schools, I am aware of the challenges present in our educational system.

At home I find many opportunities to provide fun, interesting, and challenging lessons to supplement what my kids learn in their formal classes. I hope that my experience in the field of education will help all parents educate their children.

I also hope to provide helpful information on parenting, especially single parenting. My journey into the world of self-reliance began many years ago but took a giant leap forward a relatively short while ago, although I did not see it that way at the time. I was five months pregnant with our fifth little boy (SURPRISE!) when I suddenly found myself facing the world as a single parent. I had to face shock, fear, pain, and an unnameable but very real pit in my stomach at the thought of confronting pregnancy, childbirth, and raising five boys alone. What I didn’t realize is the insight I would gain from these experiences about how difficult life can be and the injustices too often present in our system. Nor did I realize the strength and faith that my experiences and insights would give me.

Because I had stayed home, my teaching license expired and I needed 54 credits to even begin looking for a teaching job and with a declining economy, chances of getting a job were slim. To say money was tight would be an understatement and I learned what it meant to not be able to provide heat and food for my children and to worry about housing. Fortunately, I was blessed with an incredible group of family, friends, and an entire community that stepped up to help us. Food, including venison which I learned to cook, firewood, clothing, and Christmas presents seemed to show up at our door when we needed them most. I still don’t know exactly how that happened and I have to believe God was watching out for us.

In the two years after the baby was born I received my 54 credits, often circumventing traditional classroom settings, by teaching myself the material and then testing out of classes. I also started my own business, The Right Path, formalizing the college prep work and tutoring I had been doing since leaving the teaching profession. Through The Right Path I now teach study skills, test prep, all aspects of the college admission process, and life and financial planning to students in grade 6 through graduation from college.

It can be incredibly difficult to be a single parent especially of a large family, but that is also what makes it even more important to be self-reliant. I am determined to pay forward the blessings we have received and to help those less fortunate. I know I cannot do that by being needy myself. Single parents need to be strong and loving, determined and creative, and not let life’s hard knocks keep us down. Being self-reliant is a tough job with no end, much like parenting. To be that positive role model others can be proud to know, to inspire another to be his best, to develop confidence in your abilities, to go out on a limb physically, mentally, and emotionally, to know that sometimes you will fail but that it’s okay and that you are worth something…well there is nothing like that in the world.

I now live with my five boys (teenager to toddler) and if you’re wondering about that baby who was such a surprise? Well he was very well planned by someone who knows a lot more about what we all need than I do. He has strengthened our faith in God and mankind and our love for one another. He has brought such joy and love and light into our lives, and we are very blessed to have him. I thank God for all my boys every day and could not imagine life without any of them. I wish you all a wonderful journey on your own unique path to self-reliance.