My own Capacity

Which issues impacting young children and their families and or the field of early childhood fuel your passion?

Issues concerning children’s wellbeing, education, and health fuel my passion. I know of a family that had a child prematurely and the child had to stay in the hospital for quiete some time. The mom’s maternity leave was up she had to return back to work before the child was release from the hospital. Any additional time needed for the mom to spend caring for her child was denied through the employer and therefore the mom quite the job. An additional financial strain was placed on the family’s already emotional journey. An issue such as this needs attention brought to it and allow parents paid leave in situations like this. 

What special skills do you have that will contribute to your advocacy efforts? How will you incorporate these skills into your work?

I possess skills of advancing my own interests of curiosity, taking action to influence social, political and risky topics in this diverse field. All the while remaining eager and energetic. 

In what ways do you hope to grow in order to be a more effective advocate? 

I hope to expand my knowledge of more issues plauging young children and their families. While asserting myself into a range of topics that focus on policy making, serving the peple by joining community committees and utlizing my knowledge to advance my career. 

My Role as an Advocate

      What motivated you to start advocating for young children?
I have always had a passion and love for children, what continued to fuel that love was the birth of my nephew Justice. It was through his attendance in a series of childcare facilities; one in particular that deemed his behavior as " too much to handle" and wanted my sister to have him evaluated by a certain date. My sister refused and by doing so the center told her she had to find some place else for him to attend.
I can recall my sister being so stressed and worried that something was "wrong" with her child. Doctors could not seem to find anything wrong with him other than he was a thriving toddler. I admired my sisters story and how she did not waver at someone else's ability to use their position to make her feel inadequate, yet she fought to maintain her values and found a location for my nephew a place in which would respect his creativity and challenged him in more ways than one.



      When is it essential to acknowledge and foster advocacy efforts at the micro as well as the macro  level?
 I believe advocacy for an individual child and or family begins with someone identifying a need, and that need being catapulted into a larger relm of not only affecting those locally but families everywhere. " Early childhood professionals, particularly early interventionist and early childhood education professionals, are most familiar and feel most comfortable because it occurs within their own sphere of influence". (Keiff, 2009 p.g 22) Being organized, efficient, and well prepared through research, documenting concerns, and ensuring children and families are well informed.



      What does it take to be a community leader on early childhood issues?
I believe it take someone that is actively connected to the community through there efforts and resources, someone who is not afraid of attending meeting or rallies to know what the issues are. Maintaining an awareness of what is happening in the community on all sectors school, church, childcare facilities, and community resources building, will keep an advocate abreast and will foster healthier environments for children and families.

What resources does it take to be a state leader on early childhood issues?
It takes someone that is willing to listen to there constituents, -"people that elected them, without their feedback of a problem existing he/ she will not be aware of the needs of the communities". (kieff, 2009 pg. 78) I believe rallying the support of others with similar interest can influence positive change.



      What tactics or strategies do you use to mobilize others?
 I use my personal experiences to bridge the gap with others in hopes of fostering a better future. My mission in working with others is to create trusting relationships which energizes others to be able to articulate the message of advocating for young children and their families.



      What advice would you give to someone who was interested in taking a leadership role advocating for young children and their families?
I would fully encourage their efforts and seek to assist those interesting with resources and or agencies that can help support their cause. Recently I shared a website I used in gathering information for an assignment with a participant on my case load that recently became a mom to a child born with a birth defect. When passing on the information to this new mom I shared with her she is not alone in her journey and sought to review the site with her to encourage her spirits and provided information about coping with being away from your child.

Resource:
J. Kieff ( 2009) Informed Advocacy in Early Childhood Care and Education. Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle Rive, New Jersey.

Personal Advocacy Reflection

I find it quiet helpful to be able to assist others with connecting with local resources and services. Information can be at our finger tips yet some need a little bit of extra assistance and or  guidance getting to what it is he or she needs.

I can recall a situation in which a teen mom that I was working with had a need for childcare. It was important that she had childcare because she was still a student in high school and did not have much family support to assist her in caring for her daughter during the day while she was at school.

I transported her to the local department of social service building and we grabbed a number and waited until her number was called. Once called she had to go to the back and speak to a case worker and complete an orientation and was informed of the program guidelines and the process of obtaining a childcare voucher.

In the meantime the young lady and I called around to childcare facilities to find out if they had any openings, or how long the waiting list would be. Some locations she was able to complete an application to have on file for when her voucher from dss became active she could use it.

The process proved to be long and sometimes disappointing however to see the look on her face the day she received the call that she had received the child care voucher sounded like music to my ears, it was through the efforts and hard work that in the end proved to be successful.

Lets keep pushing

We are almost there, can't you feel it?

When I reflect about my collegial, professional Learning Community

I. Patience in my perspectives allowing time to take it's course, although all impactful changes happened over time and those changes in the works will eventually come to pass, I am a firm believer that when one is focused on the process of something the results will not solely matter yet the experience indeed will.

II. Not marginalizing people due to the lack of information, each person is an individual and it is important that they experience learning in a safe, supportive learning community. No one person should be the spokes person for a group of inviduals. In honor of World Aids Awareness month I am reminded of  how people talk about Hiv/Aids and always reference Magic Johnson and label his status as the ideal situation, because he appears "cured" and looks healthy;yet everyones reality will not model his. Many ignore the facts that Mr. Johnson has been living with the virus for 22 years, his lifesyle includes regiments of excersing, clean eating and taking his medication.

III. Enabling families or systems to feel powerful and competent with knowledge . It is my belief in doing these things I will strengthen my skills in being a competent advocate for children and their families. This can be achieved through welcoming children and displaying respect for their families. As a child I would always look forward to my 3rd grade teacher standing in the doorway in the morning ready to greet each and every student by name, she smiled, gave high fives or pats on the back and made me feel excited about someone anticipating my arrival at school.

I strive to be a chapion for all children and their families. To fight with the gifts I have been given to speak up and out on behalf of those that struggle with doing so for themselves. It's a gift and a curse somethimes becuae there are times that the asistance can be taken as enabling however I view it as a fine line of gathering parents towards self suffiency.

My Hypothetical Family Situation

Don't judge a book by it's cover, rang loudly in my ears as I sat on the floor in my bathroom with the pregnancy test in my hand and it read positive. On March 9 I found out I was pregnant. My life as a once knew it would forever be changed, a high school student, it's was my senior year i was ready to graduate, everyone always said i had a bright future ahead of me. Four mouths after finding out I was pregnant and the inital shock subsiding I not only found out the baby i was carrying was going to be a girl but would also be born with a birth defect called gastroschisis.

Gastroschisis is a birth defect of the abdominal (belly) wall. The baby’s intestines stick outside of the baby’s body, through a hole beside the belly button. The hole can be small or large and sometimes other organs, such as the stomach and liver, can also stick outside of the baby’s body.

Gastroschisis occurs early during pregnancy when the muscles that make up the baby’s abdominal wall do not form correctly. A hole occurs which allows the intestines and other organs to extend outside of the body, usually to the right side of belly button. Because the intestines are not covered in a protective sac and are exposed to the amniotic fluid, the bowel can become irritated, causing it to shorten, twist, or swell." (cdc, 2014
My belly grew larger and larger and my pregnany journey consisted of many doctor doctor appointments because of the baby's condition. There were so many test performed, I had to leave school early lots of times to make the doctor visits. While looking online at what to expect there were so many stories many in which scared me to read because i kept thinking what if my child's situation is worse.

In december I gave birth The defect was very complicated and no one knew how things would turn out. I remember the doctors letting me hold my precious baby and thinking all that i want to do was take the pain away from her.

Reference
Centers for Disease control and prevention (2014) Facts about Gastroschisis. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/birthdefects/gastroschisis.html

The Political will to improve Early Childhood Systems

First Lady Michelle Obama has used her position and stature publicizing to the public about the impact of raising a healthier generation of kids, through eating healthier, getting active, taking action, and joining in. 

To me it’s about taking your personal strengths and teaming up to make a difference, everyone has something that they can add to this society in making it a better place to live, especially for our young people. The pillars of the First Lady’s initiative consists of 

1. Creating a healthy start for children

2. Empowering parents and caregivers

3. Providing healthy food in schools

4. Improving access to healthy, affordable foods

5. Increasing physical activity 

In doing these things and creating bench marks to check status for sucessfulness it means it’s a step in the right direction of families making smarter food choice decisions and giving children long and lasting life style habits to show their children. What drives anyone to do something and be sucessful at it is passion. In the words of Harriet Tubman, “Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world”.