beckroda1964

FOMO and why Nonna Becky?

July 28, 2025

The first days back without kids could be frustrating. All I ever wanted in those days was to get my room ready for the kids. The meetings, at least some, were necessary and helpful. But this day, the Monday back with your co-workers was typically full of hugs, summer reflections, sharing time with your school family, and a shared excitement for the new school year to come.

Yep, I am admittedly having FOMO, the fear of missing out. I awoke eager to text my former 8th grade team, and other teaching friends. I know what this day looks like, and I’m not there sharing in it—right now, I miss this day. I miss the smiles and hugs. I miss the energy in the room and the hope and inspiration that often comes with the first day back.

Nonna Becky?

At 61 nicknames have been both temporary and permanent.

“Becky B” to my husband in our early years of marriage, “Beck” to family, La-Beckstra to my sister in law, “Beck-roda” to a dear friend from high-school, “Momma J” to some, “Jones” to a family near and dear to my heart, “Ms. Becky” to my children’s friends, “Aunt Becky” to my beloved nieces and nephews, “B” to my former student turned foster son, “Bebe” to his children, and “Nonna Becky” more recently to my former co-teacher and sweet friend Allie.

She says, I remind her of an Italian grandmother, a Nonna, and while I am only an honored to be an adoptive grandmother to Austin’s children (former student, now foster son-more later) I will happily serve as a gramma figure to Allie and anyone else that wants to hop aboard that ship. It’s sweet and an honor; I like how it makes me feel and how any part of me makes Allie feel loved, seen, safe, and heard.

Much gratitude to my gem of a friend and rockstar teacher for adding a most special nick-name to who I am and who I am becoming. I love you Allie Moss!

Hugs a plenty,

Nonna Becky

beckroda1964 July 28, 2025 No Comments

Musings from the Bungalow

Retirement Holds Both Joy and Sorrow

…where my soul plays and rests

Retirement holds both Joy and Sorrow

Sunday. July 27, 2025

As I started moving through the feelings of being a newly retired teacher after 37 years, I started thinking putting the metaphorical pen to paper might help me process this new phase of my life.

As a newly retired teacher, emotions of joy, sorrow, melancholy and even a mourning of sorts, are alive in me. For 37 years, this day has been the Sunday before I, along with thousands of public school teachers, co-workers, and friends, head back to school.

However this year hits differently. Stressful dreams, like clockwork have begun. I wake up and for a split second my thoughts begin to race with the usual stressors accompanied by twinges of excitement, when suddenly I remember… there is no first day, not this time, not this July. Becky, I think to myself, you aren’t going back, you’re retired.

I feel confident many, if not most, believe both relief and excitement are the only emotions that follow.

I understand that notion. I will no longer live in the daily stress of planning and adjusting my sails for each class, while trying to meet the needs of my young students, who are sometimes struggling, emotional, eighth graders. No more planning, grading, meetings, emails, new programs, paperwork, rude behavior, helicopter parents, observations and losing sleep over 100+ teens weekly, sometimes daily, for 10 months out of the year. Collapsing on the couch to fall sleep after arriving home with little left to give will surely end; unlike teaching, the job that never ends.

It does bring a sense of relief coupled with excitement for what is to come. But today, and no doubt many days and moments moving forward, I feel sad, more specifically, melancholy. I grieve the end of being Mrs. Jones, “Nonna Becky,” and “Mrs. J”; a friend and mentor to co-teachers and students, alike. I anticipate missing the parts I love most; building relationships, loving, mentoring, and teaching children on the best of days, while walking with them through difficult ones, when we often needed each other the most.

This transition is more than leaving the classroom; it’s saying goodbye to that part of me and allowing myself to feel sadness and grief while also embracing the future and invitation to explore new experiences with excitement and joy!