Tired of waiting.
Change will not come if we wait for some other person or if we wait for some other time. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.
BARACK OBAMA
My resume contains an accounting of my development as a professional, yet it is missing a few important details about who I am, really.
I was born in central California. My mother wore me a soft light blue corduroy sling. I am not sure how we traveled by car. Although, we car camped on the coast of California in an army green canvas tent that smelled musty. The outside world was my only amusement; foundational to who I am as a person.
At age 22, I packed my Subaru and drove by myself from New Hampshire to Colorado following a dream, clearly ready to start a new. Happy and free.
I began teaching at 25 years old. Sealed in my memory is the awkward moment an overwhelmed parent asked, “You don’t have kids, do you?” as I was eagerly handing out homework packets. My intentions were good. My comprehension was lacking.
I taught for two years before moving to Montana. Both my sons were born in this beautiful and wild place. I recall the infant and toddler years with deep affection. The parenting missteps, sleepless nights, and uncertainty of how to navigate the unknown keep me grounded in my humanness as a mother and early childhood educator.
After my graduate degree and consequently my divorce, I worked as a trauma therapist for adolescents on probation. I re-committed to the belief that families are stronger through caring, connected, and authentic relationships.
Especially when life gets tough.
The more I learn more about brain development for young children, the more outspoken I become. The vital role of high-quality early childhood experiences is essential for the growth and development of our most precious resource, our children.
The time has come to be an advocate, a catalyst for change, in the field of early childhood education.
I guess I just got tired of waiting.