Local mom Jolene Paquette is one of the top 20 finalists in Walmart's Mom of the Year.
She made the final list out of 12,410 women nominated for the honour.
Being a finalist means she's already getting $500 for herself and $500 for the charity of her choosing, the northern branch of the BC Autism Society.
There will be six winners chosen, each getting $10,000 for themselves and $10,000 for their charity. One winner will be chosen strictly by online voting, as well as a Community Champion, Environmental Superstar, Smart Saver, Loving Caregiver and Jolene's category, Everyday Hero. The online vote winner will be announced July 5 and then each week until Sept. 1. Of the four moms in each category, a winner will be announced.
Paquette has three sons, Jeaden, 12, Landen, 10, and Teagen, 7.
Best friend Jennifer Waldner nominated Paquette because of her strong advocacy for her eldest son as he struggles with developmental disabilities and last year's diagnosis of autism.
Because Jeaden struggles socially, Paquette wanted him to feel accepted and part of the Prince George community so she decided to hold a birthday party for Jeaden's 12th birthday at the Roll-A-Dome in March. She invited the whole community. More than 200 people took up the cause, attending the party and sending along birthday cards and well wishes, thrilling Jeaden on his special day.
Because Paquette and the family now know what they're working with, she is able to make life a bit easier for her oldest son.
"To finally get diagnosed was not just a big relief for me as a mom or the school but for Jeaden because through his whole life he was always asking why am I like this, why do I do this and none of us had answers for him," she said.
Jeaden was diagnosed in time for last year's spring break so Paquette had those two weeks to explain to him what conclusions were drawn during the seven month assessment process.
"Then when he went back to school after the break teachers would come up to me and ask me what I did with Jeaden over spring break because he's a totally different boy," said Jolene. "He's happy. We all came to the same conclusion that there was a big weight lifted off of him because he had answers for himself."
This last year has been a lesson in self awareness for Jeaden.
"He's doing awesome," said Paquette. "Jeaden likes to have a heads up when it comes to his schedule and if I can do it days before, that's helpful."
Jeaden is sensitive to sound, so Paquette has noise canceling headphones at the ready.
There are a few quirks to Jeaden's personality that make him who he is, she added.
"Jeaden is obsessed with the word fart," laughed Paquette. "So the school is working with that and bases some of his education around that - so they're getting him to write fart poems. Peden Hill school is awesome and they have a great team there. They all love Jeaden."
Along with her three sons, Jolene also has her mother and brother living with her and they all work as a team to make a life.
The Walmart Mom of the Year finalist finds all the fuss a bit overwhelming and the children are very excited for their mother, she said.
"My girlfriend texted me a couple of days ago and told me I was in the top 20 for Walmart's Mom of the Year and I said no, I'm not," laughed Paquette, who got an e-mail from Walmart May 6 asking her to accept the nomination. The email explained if she made it into the top 20 she would be notified by May 30. When that date passed she just chalked it up to a compliment that she was nominated among thousands of others and then put it out of her head.
"I'm still trying to wrap my brain around it," she said..
To vote for Paquette visit http://www.momoftheyear.ca.
