Expanding Horizons/ Expanding Resources

 Expanding Horizons/ Expanding Resources

            The National Head Start Association http://www.nhsa.org/ and The Global Fund for Children http://www.globalfundforchildren.org are the two podcasts that were highly intriguing to me. The reason why I choose these two was because the National Head Start Association is on a local level and The Global Fund for Children is worldwide. They both demonstrate the needs of the children and what priorities are imminent to help their families and the societies they dwell in.

            The National Head Start Association provides, “comprehensive health, nutrition, and education services to children in poverty” (http://www.nhsa.org/, n.d.). I became aware of The National Head Start Association through my daughter attending the Durham Early HeadStart program. It opened my eyes to several things necessary for a child to succeed. One of which is early intervention. My daughter needed physical help with crawling and walking in the beginning years something that was detected early. If I would have waited until kindergarten or 1^st grade I don’t know how detrimental this could have been. Many beneficiaries of Head Start excelled in the working world with successful professions. Head Start helps Veterans. The holistic being of the child is the core of why the National Head Start Association exists. Cornell William Brooks President & CEO of the NAACP and a beneficiary of the Head Start program states, “Head Start not only seeds the aspirations of young people but also seeds the aspirations of their parents in terms of their investments in their children’s lives and well beings” (nhsa.org/documentary, n.d.).

            Global fund for children, “is the only global nonprofit dedicated to finding, funding, and coaching truly local organizations that empower young people worldwide. To help children and youth reach their full potential and advance their rights”. (http://www.globalfundforchildren.org, n.d.). The global fund for children not only focuses on minimizing AIDS, tuberculosis, and Malaria but they save children from drugs, sex trafficking, homelessness, and female circumcision to name a few. In America, the global fund for children has 48 local partners and 10 countries total. The service; Brazil, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Peru and the United States.

            Once I acquire an MS in Edu, I would like to take part in making a difference locally as well as worldwide and these are the two foundations, I want to take part in. I look forward to researching this further to help become more equipped in servicing areas for the betterment of children and their families as a whole.

References

National Head Start Association. (n.d.). http://www.nhsa.org/

The Global Fund for Children: An organization that provides capital to communities worldwide to improve the lives of children. http://www.gloalfundforchildren.org/

My Supports

            In knowing I have a reliable alarm clock (phone), a minivan for transportation, and steady income to fluently support my household operation and livelihood is a blessing. This is crucially important because I have children from ages 1 to 8 years old that have individualized diverse needs. Isabelle attends a Durham early head start childcare center, Christina, Maddison, and Gabrielle attends the Duke school and my two great-nephews that my husband and I take care of attends Spring Valley Elementary school. All of these schedules have different start times but, my husband and I ensure they are there on time every day. “Children are influenced and motivated by the way significant people in their lives respond to them” (Empowering Children and Families Through Strength-Based-Assessment, 2014).

            My mother assists with getting my two great-nephews on the public-school bus. Syariah, our nanny comes three days out the week assisting my mother with the children’s homework, exercise and extra activities scheduled while my husband or I get dinner ready. Girl scouts help my girls build character and therapy helps my great-nephews transition from their former dysfunctional home to a more structured, secure loving environment. “Behavior management, problem-solving, and communication skills through in-home family preservation services would interrupt the pattern of escalating conflict in the family and thus increase family involvement” (Empowering Children and Families Through Strength-Based-Assessment, 2014). I appreciate Carla for teaching my children Spanish twice a week and Jasmine who braids all my girl's hair as needed. Even though these services are paid for, the enhancement of the children’s growth and wellbeing allows my husband and me to facilitate the business operation for running a home of six children, two adults, and one senior. An example of these facilitations is, paying bills, grocery shopping, cooking, washing laundry and household maintenance.

            When raising six children I do not have enough adult hands to help facilitate maintaining a healthy balance in keeping on schedule.  This would be ten times more stressful and nearly impossible if I didn’t have a community that renders a wealth of support. I can’t be all things to all people at one time and still maintain some sense of personal identity. I would feel depleted and inept to meet the daily emotional, phycological, cognitive nurturing needs of my family. I wouldn’t be able to identify my own quality of health and fulfillment. As I aspire to achieve my MS. Edu, I need my community and support system now more than ever. I keep the Sabbath as a respite to put all the demands of life down so I can reflect and renew my energy to excel at my most impactful effort in the upcoming week. I am so blessed to have these supports in my life. “When assessment is used to focus on strengths, it provides a method for mobilizing competencies and resources that can make a positive difference for children and their families” (Empowering Children and Families Through Strength-Based-Assessment, 2014).

            If I could have additional support systems, I would have a 24hr live-in nanny, a housekeeper, chauffeur, personal workout coach and chef along with the financial substance to support my wish list. This would free me up tremendously so I could focus more on my children and give them the nurturing attention that they crave.  “Areas targeted for skill development included improving interpersonal and affective skills as well as increasing family involvement” (Empowering Children and Families Through Strength-Based-Assessment, 2014). This wish list will simultaneously allow me to schedule dedicated un-interrupted time to focus on my personal business ventures.

            Currently, my wish list does not exist however, I’m truly thankful and blessed for the things that do exist in my life. To have what I have and to be without the things on my wish list motivates me to press forward and be a model for my children. This allows me to live a fulfilling and blessed life establishing a positive blueprint for my children.

Reference

Empowering Children and Families Through Strength-Based-Assessment. (2014). Retrieved        2019, from https://rhyclearinghouse.acf.hhs.gov/library/2000/empowering-children-and-         families-through-strength-based-assessment.

My Connections to Play

Dramatic Play from 1994 to the present

As a child, I remember being a sponge absorbing everything my Mom told me trying to emulate all that she did or said. This is why dolls were a huge part of my dramatic play. “Dolls and figures also help toddlers, both male and female, practice problem-solving and real-life skills in a safe, fun way” (Brown, 2019). My mother would always buy black dolls for me to play with and say, “In my day they never had black dolls to buy.” I couldn’t understand where she was coming from until I was older because, she was born in the ’50s and wanted me to feel safe, equal and inclusive in every environment I encountered.

            When I was younger Erikson’s stage theory in its final version regarding “the play age” allowed me to express initiative vs. guilt. I would play with my dolls and give examples of humor; empathy; and resilience. I remember my man and woman doll marrying, having children and living in a beautiful home. This was a perfect, safe and happy place for me to express myself and feel comfortable. Today dramatic play has broadened so many ways for the better. One of which is represented in the pictures above. I have a little girl who has a doll that was made to look like a mini version of her. They now have barbie dolls made of all colors, shapes and sizes something that certainly did not exist in my time. For example, I can buy a variety of different foods for my children to enjoy the dramatic play by exhibiting different cultures. I can also purchase different dolls in a wheelchair representing an unforgotten population.

            I hope to see dramatic play continue to progress leaving no population going unaccounted for including every aspect of life. To allow it to be equally available the same way general stereotypes are today. To emulate all occupations and cultures worldwide.

           

References

Taylor, T., & Taylor, T. (2018, September 19). Early Childhood Quotes. Retrieved November     (2019), from https://educationlearningtoys.com/fun/early-childhood-quotes/.

erikson's adult stages. (n.d.). Retrieved November 24, 2019, from   https://images.search.yahoo.com/yhs/search?p=Eriksons+adult+stages&fr=yhs-rotz-    001&hspart=rotz&hsimp=yhs-001&imgurl=http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-       omyZgGoKBeA/UOi1vXIC77I/AAAAAAAAAlM/4M8-            _5JlPmI/s1600/erikerikson.jpg#id=0&iurl=https://middleadulthood.weebly.com/uploads/ 2/3/7/5/23752362/5369313.jpg?700&action=click.

Relationship Reflection

            This is my mother, Diane Bailey who means the world to me. I will always appreciate the peace she keeps at all times. My mother is the reason why I have a calmness for any problem or uncomfortable situation that may arise. She will never allow anything, or anyone to bother her to the point of losing self-control. She would say, “All things can be worked out; it just takes a level head for it to happen.” In the article, A relationship-based approach to early intervention it states, “Current early intervention practice recognizes that children’s relationships with their parents and other consistent caregivers are critical to development” (Edelman, 2004). In ECE I’ve noticed that the parents who were most engaged in their children’s education the more successful outcome were had. The child seemed more well-rounded, fully developed emotionally, more prepared for social endeavors. This reminds me of how my mother stayed involved in everything I engaged in.

            My mother is an example of, “Nurturing relationships provide an emotional refuge for children, fostering the development of a healthy sense of belonging, self-esteem, and well-being” (Weiss, Caspe, Lopez, 2006). When I was younger, I was overweight. My mother never made fun of me nor allowed others to do so. She gently taught me about healthy nutrition which is a part of parenting. Healthy nutrition will minimize a lot of diseases that can cause an early death. At age 9, I told my Mom that I was being made fun of at school because of my weight. She came up to the school and rectified it immediately, so professionally. I noticed that some family members didn’t resolve situations in the same manner as my Mom. I was truly thankful for her leveled headiness witched showed me that you catch more bees with honey.

            While working as an early childhood educator my mother keeps me in the mindset of. although this may be a big matter to a child and highly upsetting what I can do is show him/her how to resolve it positively. In my mother's eyes, nothing was ever the end of the world. If you’re still breathing, you still have a chance to fix it as my mother would say. I always try to impose this thought to the children that I serve. It’s not the end of the world things can always be fixed.  

          My brother Ferris (in the blue shirt) is and will always be A one in my book. Looking back on my life I don’t ever remember a time when he wasn’t there for me. I can even remember when we were younger, I would say, Ferris I don’t want to stay at aunt Stacy’s house. Can you come to get me? His answer would be, “Sure!” My brother is almost 10 years older than me, so I always remember him as being an adult to me and never a child. If anyone needed my brother's help, he always made a way to be there. When I first started to drive, I asked him if I could drive his car. Now If that was me, I would have said, no way! A new driver in my car, NEVER! My brother Ferris's response was, “Just be safe. It’s some crazy people out on the road.” I remember my brother would accompany my Mom to my parent-teacher conferences. I remember this way back from when I was a child that both my mother and brother always had my back, and this stands true to this day. “Teachers must actively reach out to and invite parents to share both their child’s and their own experiences in a previous setting, as well as how they would like to be involved in the present” (Weiss, Caspe, Lopez, 2006). I’m so thankful to have a kind caring supportive brother. I’m thankful for my mother and how she raised us to be so supportive of each other.  

Resources

Edelman, L. (2004). A relationship-based approach to early intervention. Resources and Connections, 3(2). Retrieved from:

 http://cacenter-ecmh.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/relationship_based_approach.pdf

Weiss, H., Caspe, M., & Lopez, M. (2006). Family involvement makes a difference. Retrieved from https://archive.globalfrp.org/publications-resources/publications-series/family-involvement-makes-a-difference/family -involvement-in-early-childhood-education.