Passion: An Eternal Flame

"Passion has been evolving through the years.  It is an on-going process.  It is like a ripple".
     Leticia Lara, LCSW
     "The Passion for Early Childhood"
   

It All Starts With Us

"Far less wealthy industrialized countries have committed to end child poverty, while the United States is sliding backwards.  We can do better.  We must demand that our leaders do better".
     Marian Wright Edelman
     http://www.brainyquotes.com/

Adequate Funding + Early Childhood Interventions = Success

"I've heard from criminal justice professionals around the country. They tell me that most of the children that end up in jail don't come from middle and upper middle class families. The come from poverty families. These professionals see the problems every day. They realize that if a child has a very slow start, or if they're far behind in kindergarten, odds are the criminal justice system is going to see them somewhere down the road, five, ten, fifteen years later."
     Arthur Rolnick
     www.childrenofthecode.org


"Solving the problem becomes more expensive once a child starts school. Most of the research says if the child starts out significantly behind, that's a good predictor of how they're going to end up in the third grade, the sixth grade and beyond. The good news is that ECD research tells us that interventions can work, and that investing in a child's early years of development yields a much better return than waiting to invest in later years."
     Arthur Rolnick
     www.childrenofthecode.org

Personal Childhood Web

Personal Childhood Web

The top five people who nurtured and cared for me as a young child were:

Julia Aline Heffron – My wonderful mother was the strongest influence on the person I am today. She was a child of the Great Depression and a Capricorn so she was incredibly practical and goal oriented. My mother grew up in Northwest Florida, seventeen miles from the Alabama state line, during the 1920s and 1930s. My mother was very fair-minded and taught all her children to look beyond race, ethnicity and social status when dealing with people. She supported the Civil Rights Movement and was opposed to the Vietnam War when many of her peers were not. She even voted for George McGovern!  My mother loved reading and learning and earned her college degree in her sixties. I remember many nights after she had come home from working as a cook at the local country club, snuggled up in her bed reading a book. The sense of equality she taught us is the most withstanding impact she has had on my adult life. I enjoy diversity in the families I serve and try not to be judgemental, and I owe this to my mother.

Gordon W. Rose - Mr. Rose was my step-father and the only father figure I knew growing up. Like my mother, my daddy grew up on a farm during the Great Depression. He served in WWII in North Africa and Sicily. When he returned back to the United States, he worked as a lineman for Kansas Power and Light. I remember my daddy taking me to the local cafe while he drank coffee with his friends and I had a Seven-Up. When I was three years old, my daddy had his leg amputated due to a lingering war injury. I will never forget the trips we made by car to visit him at the Veteran's Hospital in Wichita, Kansas. As a child I did not understand the challenges, both physically and emotionally, my daddy went through because of his amputation. My daddy's prosthetic leg was very crude compared to today's cutting edge appliances and he must have felt much pain. In my work with Head Start, I think about my daddy and his special needs. He gave me a lifelong empathy for those who are different and need our help. I believe my daddy is responsible for me choosing a helping profession as an adult.

Joseph Rose - Joe was my only step-brother. He was very intelligent and thirteen years older. When I was three and four, Joe had a part-time job and always showered me with coloring books and crayons (my very favorite). When I entered kindergarten, our family still lived in Emporia, Kansas. I can remember Joe carrying me on his back to the grade school when the streets were impassable with snow. One of my earliest memories was late at night and it was raining, my older brother was carrying me to the neighbor's basement because there had been a tornado touch down in our town. Joe was big and seemed larger than life to me. He taught me to compete and not be afraid. Joe, like my mother, was well read and encouraged me to never stop learning.

Mrs. Hedges - Mrs. Hedges was my first grade teacher at Maynard Elementary. She was elderly and extremely kind. She taught me phonics and how to read. I remember a time when I was to play Mary Todd Lincoln in our school play, and I got sick with a high fever. I was distraught because my mother had sewn a special costume and I didn't want to let Mrs. Hedges down. When I returned to school, Mrs. Hedges put her arms around me and told me it was okay that I missed the play. To this day, I remember Mrs. Hedges and how she made me understand we can't be perfect and it is still okay to love ourselves.

Rex Evans - Rex was my very best early childhood friend. His father was a chiropractor and his mother a housewife. Rex taught me about adventure and being a good friend. Unfortunately, my time with Rex also taught me discretion. Rex was adopted and like many families during the 1950's that subject wasn't discussed. Since my parents had spoken of the adoption, I thought it would be okay to discuss it with Rex. Not a great idea since his parents hadn't shared it with him. Even though I can still speak without thinking, I learned at four years old that just because we know information doesn't mean we can share it in every venue. 

No Paparazzi? Still A Rock Star!

I love early childhood for many reasons.  One of the most compelling is the children in the classroom.  They don't care how much money you make or that your boss is on your back.  They just accept you, warts and all.  When I go to the classroom, there is always lots of hugs and warm hellos.  I am a Rock Star with three and four year olds.  :)

"I meant what I said and I said what I meant, And an elephant's faithful, one hundred per cent!"

I loved this book as a child.  Horton doesn't care what others think because his word is his bond.

Words of Wisdom

Since new developments are the products of a creative mind, we must therefore stimulate and encourage that type of mind in every way possible.
George Washington Carver

Just Returned From NAEYC Conference

Hello All,
Just returned from annual NAEYC conference in Orlando, Florida. Huge convention center, great presentations. This is definitely the platinum standard for early childhood. I really enjoyed a session on working with the young children of parents who have been incarcerated. My Head Start center at the Museum of Science and Industry is NAEYC accredited.
Talk to you all soon.