PennAEYC

This question is the traditional greeting that members of the Masai tribe in Africa use each time they meet.  Instead of a greeting with a reference to themselves, they instead ask, how are the children? Starting off a new year, a new decade - What if this was the one question we wanted to be sure we asked of each other. 

Would you think about children in your immediate family?  Would you think about children in your extended family?  Would you think about children in your community, county, state, country or across the world?  And how would you answer?

Those that work with and advocate for children could probably give you many different anecdotal and research driven answers to that question.  But I think although the answer is important, asking the question is equally as important.   We need more people to want to know about the children.  We need to expect that everyone should care about their well being.  And we should be able to expect that we not only care about them but that we all want the answer to be, “the children are doing well.”

We are already beginning the second month of the new year, the new decade – we have so much going on around us and so many ways to get information.  We have the ability to have all the answers and everyone’s opinions at our finger tips to any question we can think of…..but of all the questions we will ask, what is it that we must know in order to truly make a difference in this decade and for years to come.   I ask you, how ARE the children? 

Over the holidays I asked my two young children what they remembered most about 2009........so what do you think they mentioned?  Maybe our successful move across the state? Making friends at a new school perhaps? Mommy's new job?  Daddy's new job? Passing to the next level at swim lessons? Nope.  What they recalled, at that moment, was not what happened, but instead what didn't happened.  We still don't have a dog.  That's what they remembered about 2009 - we said we were going to get a dog and yet at the end of the year...no dog. 

 

As I was about to begin the "be happy for what you have lecture" I realized that this is not just an issue of "wanting" with which my children struggle.  Of all the things that have happened in my personal and professional life in 2009, I also tend to focus on what I have not yet accomplished. ....the things that remain on the to-do list.....the items or activities that would be completed if there were only another hour in the day or day in the week or week in the year. 

 

I am going to start this year with a different mindset.  My self-reflection will now include the things I have checked off the lists, the improvements and progress that has been made and I will allow myself some time for celebrating the victories. 

 

If I may include my work along with all of yours, I would like to suggest that as an example, we should all take time to acknowledge the amazing effort that has been made to improve programs serving children and families across our state.  Sure we have a long way to go and there were stumbling blocks in 2009 that took some of us a couple steps back, but when you really think about it, Wow.  I bet there are many kids that would say we have done more than we allow ourselves to remember and many lives we don't even realized we touched.   

 

I am excited about the possibilities of 2010, the new dreams, the new ideas and all of the yet undiscovered.  As I push myself and our organization to reach new heights I am going to make sure that my to-do list each day includes "respect what you have done today and give yourself some credit".  So how about it, will you take some time to improve on your credit in 2010? 

 

I, for one, have more things than I can count for which I am thankful.  Throughout my life I have also had equally as many things for which I would prefer not to blog about.  As I thought this past week about the life I live and how I got to this place, I realized that I am as thankful for the struggles and challenges as I am for everything wonderful. 

We are who we are because of what we have been taught, the people that been a part of our lives and what we have endured.  Sometimes we are who we are in spite of those things but either way the good and the not so good have brought us to today.

I hope today is a good day for you.  If is it not, then my hope is that you will do something to change that.   Despite our ability to make mistakes and poor decisions we also have the ability to make a difference, a difference for ourselves and for others.

Adjust your mindset.  Don’t be embarrassed or ashamed of what’s not so perfect in your life.  Don’t hide behind your fears or past problems.  Embrace what is yours, what has made you who you are and if there is something that you need to work on – then work on it. 

Don’t be afraid of your dirty laundry.  Go get some detergent and clean it up. 

Today we thank those who have fought for our country and our freedom.  My husband is a veteran and as we talked this morning about his time in South Korea I became overwhelmed in thinking about the people who willingly to give so much of their life and sometimes literally their lives to make sure that each one of us can live as we choose. 

 

I want to share with those that have served in the military, that there are many people who do not take your service and our freedom for granted.  We try each and every day to make our lives worthy of your sacrifices.  While there are days when I have not done the best or the most with what you have given to me, please know that with all of my struggles the life I choose to live is one designed to make a difference. 

 

Your support of my freedom has allowed me the privilege to serve those who positively impact the lives of children and families every day.  And I am not alone. 

 

Thank you for your service, for giving so much of yourself and for fighting for me so that I can fight for them. 

What a weekend.  Our PennAEYC board retreat left me exhausted and rejuvenated at the same time.  So much so that it took me a week to write about it.  Oct 24 and 25 was the first PennAEYC board retreat for which I was responsible for the event.  As many of you know (OK probably the four people reading this know but let's pretend we have a bigger audience) I have only been in my position since Feb of this year. 

 

The decision to move my family to begin a job that had never existed before me was not an easy one. 

 

This past weekend made the struggles all worth while. 

 

It wasn't a particular moment, although there were many that stand out in my mind, but rather how all of the moments fit together that weekend helping to define the direction we will go.  Even better than having the direction is knowing that that are so many others not just willing to go along for the ride - but wanting to help lead the way. 

 

Leadership. I have been a part of many conversations over the past few years in which the subject turns to leadership.  More times than I can count I have heard....."There aren't enough new (or young) leaders"....."We need to bring new leadership to the table".  What I have noticed however, is that although the words are spoken the invitation never seems to reach those who might actually be interested and for those that somehow do find their way "to the table" it often feels like there really isn't anywhere to sit. 

 

Well, I would like to say that not only did we send out the invitations but we made plenty of room at our table and had name tags to boot.  

 

I am so proud to be a part of an organization that is able to embrace change and welcome new people with new ideas.  For those that participated for the first time I hope the experience, energy and sense of community brings you back and for those of you that participated as you have done for many years, I hope the new voices re-energize your passion.  

 

For those of you reading this that did not attend our retreat, there are many ways to get involved and we want you to join us.  Be active in an organization where those that are get up everyday and make a difference. 

 

I am excited about our journey together and although we may not know every path we will go down or each course we will take - I do feel that there is a good sense of the direction we are going and so I hope that you aren't afraid of heights........

 

 

For some of us, either for those whose job (or abnormal curiousity) has them following every legislative move in the Capitol or for those who have/had a desparate need for state funds to begin to flow again, yesterday may just go down in history as one of those moments in life that you will always remember exactly where you were when it happened. 

 

You did know that Pennsylvania finally has a budget now, right?  Well in case you didn't know.  We do, the Governor signed it last night - without any fanfare I might add.  Seems so anticlimatic at this point especially since the money doesn't exactly get into the hands of the people that need it immediately.  The Governor's pen of course, is just that, a pen........not a magic wand. 

 

So where were you when you found out?  That's what I'd really like to talk about.....where I was when I got the e-mail with the subject line "It's DONE!".   

 

I was in Philadelphia.....well kind of.....I mean, it was Philadelphia, but not exactly the area of Philadelphia that springs to mind when you mention the city's name.  We, a group I will introduce you to in a mintue, were at an incredible urban green space, Fairmont Park at the Chamounix Mansion.  Although seconds away from the highway, it was as if we were in the middle of miles and miles farm land in Central PA.  Just beautiful.  And I had never been to a hostel before.   You should check it out if you ever have the chance. 

 

The "we" that experienced this retreat was the first class of our Pennsylvania ECE Fellowship Program- a program for emerging advocacy leaders in the field of early care and education.   I am honored to be one of the instructors/facilitators for this class and am excited to share my initial thoughts about our time together.  So my first thought..........OUTSTANDING!  What a diverse, energetic, intelligent, dedicated and passionate group of people we have.  I was struck by the willingness of all those in the group to challenge themselves right from the beginning and look for opportunities to grow.  There were expectations of things "to be learned" but at the same time an openmindedness to experiencing the process.

 

I hope that the members of the class will also share their initial thoughts of the weekend experience and I would invite all of us as leaders and advocates to be thinking about what we can do as individuals and as a community to prevent next year's budget passing from turning into yet another "where were you when" life moment. 

I must admit that this is my very first blog entry, ever.  I am thrilled that it is for our new website and will hopefully give you another opportunity to communicate with me, other AEYC members and those passionate about building a better future for our children and stregthening the families that live across our Commonwealth.  

Unfortunately the hot topic is still the absence of a state budget here in PA and the turmoil it is causing in the lives of many Pennsylvania families.  What can you do when you feel powerless and ignored?  Although it may feel like there is nothing you can do, let me suggest that you share your story, either for the first time or again for the tenth time.  I have heard amazing tales of how individuals and organizations are holding on through the budget crisis and how communities have come together to give in this time of need. 

 

 

People are volunteering, donating and complete strangers are walking in off the street to pay the rent to keep our child care doors open, keep children safe and keep families working. 

 

Who has helped you or someone you know?  How have you been able to keep going?  We want to know about your children, your families, your staff and what you have done to continue to fight against all odds. 

I have great admiration for you and the work you do everyday on a "normal" day.  I want you to know that you have a community of advocates that takes "to the Hill" everyday to keep your story fresh in the minds of those determining our state's priorities.  We are committed to have a child's face be the first and last thing they see in their minds everyday.  We want them to know that although they have put us in a terrible situation, that we are more than the tears and pain and struggle.  And we will endure this time and every time because we fight for our children, our families and our future.