Tia Bandavanis

My name is Tia and I'm very excited to join the Realteen team. I am a fun-loving, caring, and colorful person. I begin and end everyday with a smile. There is only one man in my life and that is my 15 yr. old son John. It's been my job to raise my son from a young age through his teen years. I am a single mom and I feel as though I have done my best to help my son become a responsible young man. I was born in Washington D.C. and grew up in the Maryland and D.C. area. I moved to Jacksonville, North Carolina in 1992. I now consider myself to be a native. I miss family dearly but find ways to visit often. My home and heart is here in Onslow County. This is pretty much due to the fact that I have raised my son here and found it to be a great place to live. I currently teach preschool at a local preschool. I have been teaching for over 20 years. I love children of all ages and could not imagine myself doing any other profession. I enjoy outings with my son to the movies, watching football, visiting local spots such as the Lynwood Park Zoo, going to the beach, and canoeing along our local rivers. I look forward to writing and reading the blogs. I feel this is a great opportunity to explore my parenting role and others. Parenting my teen son has been very rewarding and challenging. However, I have learned that being an effective parent is about learning and growing along with my son!

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O’ Brother Who Art Thou?

January 24th, 2012 Bill Mercer

There are all kinds of examples; good, bad and all the rest in between. Most families have members in the older crowd that are giving the younger crowd everything they can digest in all departments. My family is certainly no different, beginning with me where my own kids are involved. When you take the “entire tribe” into consideration, my family probably provides as diverse a concoction of “examples” as you’ll find anywhere on earth. I am referring here to individuals that leave no room for doubt regarding who they are.

I believe this to be truly valuable when it comes to the lessons my kids learn from their family elders. Honesty in its rawest sense is what they are exposed to and I would not have it any other way. My children can only gain from their love and association with all of us. They can also benefit from the fact that they don’t have to search outside the “walls” of the family compound for the “right way or wrong way” of doing things. Oftentimes they can find it in the same person. Lessons are not only learned from observing good behavior, I am proof of that. Aren’t we all?

By the time this is published my brother Ned will have undergone heart bypass surgery. The lessons this ordeal has provided for my family are many. He was stricken with “multiple heart attacks” while working and never stopped. He is a lucky man to be alive, having not sought treatment immediately. He has lived in a way that many could learn so much from simple observation, good and not so good. He is, however, very comfortable in his own skin, a definite family trait. Ned has been very influential to my kids and they love him very much. As we age and various ailments become part of our lives, we have a tendency to recede into the “cocoon” of family and the warmth provided there. We are who we are because of those that come before us. The lessons learned in times of trouble tend to stay with us the longest. Family is the home of our hearts and you can’t bypass that. Talk with you soon.

How has your family been influenced by someone?

2 Comments on “O’ Brother Who Art Thou?”

Mike Clark January 25th, 2012 5:08 pm
Meant to tell you how glad we all were to hear Ned was doing so good! I may not always comment on all your blogs here, but know I read and enjoy them. Take care my Brother!
Bill Mercer January 26th, 2012 2:54 pm

Thank you Mike!