The Roanoker - July/August 2018 - 28
written and photographed by DAN SMITH
It is a precise skill most of us aspire to, but fewer achieve. Here are some
success stories and a guide to how you can replicate their efforts.
O
U R S I S F R E Q U E N T LY
called a "child-centric culture," one where
kids are at the center of it all, draining
resources and attention from doting moms
and dads. That often means almost corporate levels of
organization (play dates, travel teams, huge expenses) for
children whose noses are stuck in cell phones and where
family dinners are something the grandparents did.
Raising good citizens has never been easy and some
would argue it is more difficult these days than ever-
with exponential growth of distractions and the heavy
influence of mass media. Some parents still get it right,
though, and we're going to give some examples of role
models for those of you who might be struggling.
Remember this: these examples are struggling, too,
but they have a plan and they are sticking to it. It is a
base source for turning out children who contribute.
Dara Hawkins
and Family
Dara Hawkins was born to be a mom. Just born to
it. She's never wavered, rarely doubted her skill, always
been a mother first.
When she talks about her five children-and three
stepkids-her face lights up and her enthusiasm level
crests. Their success stories are impressive:
28
JULY/AUGUST 2018
Cody Bushman, 24, is in med school at the Edward
Via College of Osteopathic Medicine in Blacksburg;
J.T. Roberts, 22, is getting his accounting master's at
George Mason University; Bailey Bushman, 19, is in her
sophomore year at Virginia Western with a law degree
her aspiration; Noah Bushman, 18, is on a wrestling
scholarship at Old Dominion, studying sports medicine;
Madi Bushman, 17, is a junior at Cave Spring High.
Dara's third husband is Jacob Hawkins, a Roanoke
police officer.
The future was always clear for Dara: "I didn't want
to go to college," she says emphatically. "I wanted to
be a cop or a hair stylist and I wanted seven kids." She
styles hair and wound up slightly below the seven kids
(or over it if you count the steps), though she's only 41.
She had her first child, Cody, at 16.
The family has never had a lot of money, but
education for the children has consistently been a
priority. Paying for that education-sometimes with
scholarships-has also been at the top of the list.
Having to work to pay for college, says Dara, has
made it more valuable to her children. "Noah's job
is wrestling," she says. It's how the three-time state
champion pays for school. Cody, a former football
player of note, has worked for his grandfather's heating
and AC business since he was 12 and was a cheerleader
in college at Tech, also on a golf scholarship. The
siblings all contribute.
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The Roanoker - July/August 2018
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of The Roanoker - July/August 2018
The Roanoker - July/August 2018 - Intro
The Roanoker - July/August 2018 - Cover1
The Roanoker - July/August 2018 - Cover2
The Roanoker - July/August 2018 - 3
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The Roanoker - July/August 2018 - Cover3
The Roanoker - July/August 2018 - Cover4
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