Bill Mercer | RealiTeen

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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My name is Bill Mercer and I am the father of three children. Two sons, John and Drew, age 17, are my teens. My daughter Molly is a college student. They are great people and I am very proud of them. I am a widower for nearly 7 years. I am in a relationship with Betsy and Will Heath (her 12 year old son) and we are all family. I am an insurance representative with Mass Mutual Financial Group in the offices of Bartley Insurance Services here in Jacksonville, N.C. I have lived in Jacksonville since 1986. A native of Richlands, N.C. I graduated from Richlands High School and East Carolina University. I attend Trinity United Methodist church, along with a Mens Bible Study that I depend on. I am grateful for my family and friends and I'm ambitious about the future. Some very important people have played major roles in the lives of my children. I look forward to sharing this adventure with the readers of Realiteen. We are shaped by our experiences. Hope you enjoy. Talk with you soon.

A Strong Foundation

May 16th, 2012 Bill Mercer

John, Nana and Drew

If there were four traits that you could be assured of your children having as “second nature” , what would they be? That’s a great question I was asked recently. …
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Mama Says

May 14th, 2012 Bill Mercer

"Hey Willard!"

One of Drew’s very best friends walked in our house recently while Drew was in the shower. Seems that he was singing his character’s theme song from the musical Footloose.

He played …
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The Sound of Music

May 11th, 2012 Bill Mercer

Keys of life

I have been raised on the sound of music, my love for it simply being the ”constant” of my life. Music is the common thread that runs through my world, connecting my early childhood with now.

Music is the …
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Fare Thee Well Rachael

May 9th, 2012 Bill Mercer

Rachael as Ariel Moore

Rachael Tuton, with powerful performances as the lead in the three previous school musicals, sold as many tickets for this year’s “Footloose” as any student performer at Jacksonville High School in many years. She has already achieved a professionalism seldom seen at …
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The Intoxicating Stage

April 29th, 2012 Bill Mercer

That is the best way I know to describe what my son Drew is experiencing for the first time. He is finding out what a natural high truly feels like via his capitulation onto the stage for the upcoming musical …
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