Meet Mom

In honor of Thanksgiving I am going to give thanks by interviewing a person that I am most thankful for...Shauna Gee. Shauna is an educator, actress, apartment manager, newspaper columnist, newspaper deliverer, state delegate, Political activist, Relief Society President, Primary President, scout leader, missionary, and gardener. But most importantly she is the mother of 7 amazing children including several world famous engineers and economist (the two most noble professions). When she isn't grading reports on snakes, chasing children around the universe, or helping refugee's from Myanmar she can be found at the Hale Center Theatre where she has been enjoying plays for 20 years.
What is your current job?

(Insert strange stare with an expression of "Why are you asking me such a stupid question" here)
I am a school teacher, an elementary school teacher and a home maker. It is called Capital Hill academy. It is a private school that is a supplement to home schooling.

How did the school come to be?

Well, Jody [Millard]--the one who started it--had kids in her neighborhood who couldn’t read or do math .They were in 4th and 5th grade. So she thought she could do something to help them. She saw that their siblings had dropped out of school and she didn’t want that to happen to them. So she started having people met at her house for half the day to work on reading and writing and arithmetic. Then next year she had 4 then 8 then it was too big to do at home. So she started charging enough to cover the rent for the building. Then she needed to get another teacher (me) and then one other. She still doesn’t get paid. She teaches Latin in the afternoon at another private school to make some money.

What would your dream job be?

Writing and marketing religious education games and materials.

Why is that?

I think having a strong religious background is what helps you know who you are, what your doing, and where you are going.

What made you want to get a masters degree?

You should ask why I got a degree. I didn’t want to go to college. My dad wanted me to get a job, and NOW. He made me go look for a job everyday. I had to keep looking, he wouldn’t let me in the house until I had a job. So you had to pass this test to be a clerk, but I was so nervous that I didn’t do well. But I got a job at the snack bar at Safeway. I did that for about 1 month, and then I thought if this is the only job I can get I think I will go to school. Because, I didn’t want to do that. So I went to school and got a degree. When I got out I was teaching at a day care and it was a nightmare. So I thought well maybe I should go on. Then at that time someone asked if I wanted to go on a mission. I thought that was crazy. I was thinking of joining the peace core. But then I got a testimony, and I thought the real way to help people was to know God. So I decided not to join the peace core, but to go on a mission instead.
When I got back I wanted to learn some more. The next thing was a masters. I got a teaching certificate first, but then I thought I would like to teach at a college, so I got my masters.

Are there any things you wish you would have done differently professionally?

Let me tell you the first day I taught at Utah State. I was upstairs ready to go down to the class. I freaked out. There are 60 people down there, I don’t want to go down and teach them. I can’t go down there. But because I didn’t have money and I had this job I really didn’t have a choice. My parents expected me to support myself. So I had to go do it. It scared me to death. I remember thinking I don’t want to do this. I had a friend who had her masters who quit after a week. And I would have too if I had rich parents. That girl went from job to job, because she didn’t have that pressure.

But I thought that was good. I taught at BYU and Utah State and I really enjoyed that. As I look back. In 91 I quit. I wish I would have just taken 2 years off, and then gone back and taught one class. I think I could go back but it would be tough. But I feel it is something important that I could have given back, but at the time I felt that I was too busy with 7 kids. I didn’t feel like it would work to have an extra class.

You were 28 when you got married were you ever worried about that?

Yeah, when I was 25 I wanted to get married. But there weren’t a lot of good prospects around. And when I was 27 someone proposed (several had, but I didn’t feel right about it). Then I suddenly thought I might be getting to picky that I almost went back and said yes, but he got so mad I knew it wasn’t right. And that was the night that I met Dad.

What was the hardest part about raising 7 kids?

Trying to get them up in the morning. Teaching them to pick up after themselves and keep their hair kept. And just when you get the kids in some pattern then they have day lights savings time. That is the worst. It is the hardest thing for families with kids. After 10 years I finally caught on that is really the root of all our problems. Getting enough sleep is really important.

Do you wish you would have done anything different regarding raising the kids?

Make sure they went to bed on time and got up on time. And be more consistent with scripture reading and family prayer. Hugged and loved the kids more. Be more positive with them, instead of always correcting. To be a more positive loving influence.

What was your parent's reaction when you decided to go on a mission?

They thought it was awful. They said they wouldn’t tell anyone where I was at because they thought it was like being in prison. They thought it was stupid.

What made you join the Republican Party?

They seemed to be principle based.
What is that thing you read about them…their stand on things is good. Unfortunately the party doesn’t follow it.

How old where you?

I was probably 23. I had a boy friend (who was republican) at the time who really stood for principles and I noticed that they really had good choices.

If you could go on a vacation any where in the world where would go and why?

France and England. England only if dad came and explained everything about where our ancestors lived. I would like to go back and see my mission. It would be fun to see Germany and Italy too to see where Gardner served.