An Abusive Relationship

     A childhood friend was in an abusive relationship as a teenager. Obviously, this was not her early childhood but since teenagers are still children, it had a significant impact on her identity as an adult. She began dating a man much older than her and eventually moved in with him. Much too young to be in a serious relationship, she did not realize the trap she was walking into. In short time, he began to throw punches, push, shove, and rape her.  One night he beat her and put her in the hospital.  She tried to commit suicide while in the hospital and was placed on a three day hold.  She moved back home and began a medication regimen that left her tired and dazed.  She pressed charges and he was placed in jail. Unfortunately, he was released and beat his new fiance with an electric guitar on their wedding night until he nearly killed her.

     How has this affected my friend's adult life more than 15 years later? She still talks about the beatings she received, the fear she has of running into him in our town, and the PTSD she experiences when her now husband raises his voice or hints at being upset.  Although her husband is an amazing, even tempered man, he still has emotions just as we all do.  However, he knows to be careful about any sudden physical movement, yelling, or getting angry in her presence.  It sends her into a physical and emotional spiral of crying and self doubt. She has issues with lacking confidence and questions her own ability as a mother and wife quite often. Because this boyfriend also cheated on her, she has an underlying fear of that happening again. As a result, she has learned to be very honest with her husband if she thinks a friendship is getting out of hand. 

     The adult she is today would never consider entering into that kind of relationship now. She has become a strong, wise woman. She works in social services, and I often wonder if this experience is what makes her so passionate and great at her job.  She is able to connect with mothers and wives that are abused. She shares a true empathy and gives them hope for what the can become.

                               

                               Violence in Juarez, Mexico and Children's Health

     Juarez was once (2010) considered the murder capitol of the world for its excessively high rate of deaths related to drug violence.  Since then, children's mental and physical health has been a concern.  A comparison study between Juarez (3000 murders in a year) and El Paso (5 murders in a year) was conducted on the two neighboring cities.  Child behavioral checklists were completed by parents for over 600 children.  The children in Mexico had a higher prevalence of aggression, depression, anxiety, withdrawal, and attention deficit disorder. Their rates were three times higher than those in El Paso.  The behavioral issues of the children in Juarez closely aligned with the behaviors of children with brain injuries and those exposed to drug use.  Lanier (2015) also notes that Mexico does not censor violent images such as mutilation on the news. Even children not exposed directly to violence are indirectly exposed through media.  Lanier (2015) writes that "behavior issues like aggression may become an issue as the chidlren grow older" (https://www.sciencedaily .com/releases /2015/12/ 151211145100.htm).  

   
                                      
                                      12 year old killed on drug related crossfire

     The majority of the images were too gruesome to upload. I had to stop looking after only a few minutes.  Children are exposed to mutilated and dismembered torsos, decapitated heads,and bodies strewn on the sidewalks.  As you can see from the map, this is not happening across the world somewhere. This is happening just minutes from the United States.  So, here is my pro immigration stance: Rather than build a wall to stop the flood of people into the United States and thereby trapping thousands of innocent children in this torture chamber, we should spend the money on assisting Mexico with cleaning up their streets from the cartel.

                                                                          References

Leiner, Marie. (2015). Science Daily. Violence in mexico affected children's mental health.
     Retrieved from: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/12/151211145100.htm

Child Maltreatment: A Public Health Concern

Maltreatment of children is a public health issue throughout the world with lasting mental and physical health effects into adulthood.  Merrick and Latzman (2014) write that "child maltreatment has been linked to a variety if short and long term health consequences including poor physical and mental health, changes to brain architecture and development, altered biological factors, reduced cognitive ability and educational achievement, and impaired psycho social functioning" (p. 1). Throughout the article, they point out that child maltreatment due to neglect, physical abuse, and sexual exploitation increase visits to the emergency room, doctor's offices, and clinics. This abuse not only harms the child but places an additional strain on the already overburdened medical care system.

Child maltreatment is also becoming an increasing burden on my school system. We are currently training on providing trauma informed care to our students who have been victims of abuse, neglect, domestic violence, and malnutrition.  These students show decreased emotional control, cognitive delays, and an inability to connect with peers.  There behaviors cause us to seek mental health care and special education services.  Again, this places a burden on an already overwhelmed mental health care system and education system due to an issue that is 100% preventable.

Child sexual exploitation is a growing concern everywhere but especially in India. The India Times published an article in 2007 about the increase in sexual exploitation of children stating that in 88.6% of children were exploited by parents ranging from rape to fondling.  Another article in the same paper published in 2016, recounts incidents of child rape by staff of a group home for children.  One child was infected with HIV at age twelve due to rape from a 58 year old male manager.  Obviously, there is still much progress to be made in India regarding child maltreatment in all areas including sexual exploitation, child labor, physical abuse, and neglect.

Anwar, Tarique. (2016). Sexual exploitation, rapes& abuse. a look inside india's hellish juvenile
     correction homes. The India Times. Retrieved from: http://www.indiatimes.com/news/india/india-      s-hell-holes-sexual-exploitation-forced-lesbianism-and-physical-abuse-children-take-it-all-at-              juvenile-homes-261747.html

Latzmen, N. & Merrick, M. (2014). A public health overview and prevention considerations.
     The online journal of issues in nursing. 19, 1-12. DOI: 10.3912/OIJN.vol19No01Man02.

The Times of India. (2010). Over 53% of children face sexual abuse: survey. Retrieved from
     http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Over-53-children-face-sexual-abuse-                                      Survey/articleshow/1881344.cms

Birth Experience
The birth of my first son nearly ended in my death. He was fine, but I was not.  The birth of my second son, however, nearly took us both.  Both of my pregnancies were high risk as I had preeclampsia. Doctors were monitoring me the second time because it caught them by surprise the first time. At the first sign of fetal stress, I was placed on bed rest for a month and then placed in the hospital for observation with 8 weeks left to go.  After monitoring my levels, it was decided that an induced labor would be best as my blood pressure had not yet begun to rise but I was showing signs of kidney and liver damage from the pregnancy. They began to prepare for a delivery within 24 hours when his heart rate suddenly dropped.  The room went from calm to chaotic in less then 10 seconds.  I found myself being unplugged and rushed to the operating room while signing a permission form for a c-section all while rolling down the hallway still in bed.  Within 45 minutes of the heart rate drop, my son entered the world.  He didn't cry, and he didn't open his eyes. He had no body fat and weighed only 3 pounds. They immediately wrapped him up, showed me his face, and ran down the hallway to the Neonatal intensive are unit.  Somewhere just outside the operating room doors, he finally gasped for air and let out a scream. He was angry!

The placental pathology report revealed that the placenta had been operating at half capacity for two weeks.  We were told by his pediatrician to consider him to be 10 weeks early rather than 8.  In addition to my physical inability to carry a child to full term (his brother was 5 weeks early), he had been exposed to magnesium sulfate for two days prior to birth as well as the overwhelming stress levels of his mother throughout the pregnancy. His brother is only 15 months older than he is. Do the math: I was pregnant only 7 to 8 months after I had his brother. He was not planned and I was still not fully recovered form my first pregnancy.  It took months for me to figure out I was even pregnant. I was still nursing and had not yet had cycle.  I suspected many times that I was pregnant and took multiple pregnancy tests. My hormone levels were so low, that I did not have a clearly positive test until 3.5 months.  I was told at my first appointment, that I might want to consider an abortion.   That wasn't an option for me.

I chose to share this story with all of you because despite this experience and the struggles we still endure, I do not regret having my son.  His level of autism is low, and he's actually quite entertaining. He is literal and truthful. Anytime I need to go shopping for an outfit for a public appearance, I take him with me.  If it looks terrible, he tells me.  I have watched that child fight and struggle his entire life but he never quits. He could truly care less what other people think of him. He's different but he's amazing.

Development Related to Birth Experience and Prenatal Experiences
      Within his first few weeks at home, it was obvious we had prenatal and birth related trauma to contend with.  He cried all the time, ate constantly, and had a difficult time bonding with me. In addition to what we later discovered was autism, he and I had been separated for several days after his birth making our initial bonding time non existent. Clearly, his birth experience had an impact on his development.  His unhappiness led to frustration and his inability to effectively communicate led to violent anger as he grew older.
      When we register children with our Head Start program, we have parents complete a health assessment. A sizable portion of this assessment is about prenatal healthcare, prenatal drug use, birth weight, prenatal nutrition, and the delivery method.  Several years ago, my teacher's assistant and I began to notice odd behaviors in our students after just a few weeks of school.  The new student behaviors should have passed. We noticed and inability to grasp the rules, the routine, to maintain self control. We also noticed high levels of anxiety in certain children despite our peaceful setting.  She walked straight to the file cabinet and pulled the health assessments. Over the course of the next two hours, she charted similarities and discovered that over half of our students had prenatal substance exposure ranging from alcohol to heroin to marijuana.  Needless to say, we changed our approach, decreased our expectations, and extended our timeline for learning.

Puerto Rico
Birth in Puerto Rico has some slight differences despite Puerto Rico being a United States territory. Mothers report receiving an ultra sound at every appointment to monitor fetal development.  They also report that most obstetricians are male and female obstetricians can be requested.  Mid wives and doulas are not as common in Puerto Rico as in the United States.  Regulation of midwives is still an area that many believe needs improvement. Currently, there is only one regulated birth setting and that is solely a clinical one in a hospital.  Fertility rates have been on the decline for many years. In 2003, the average woman was estimated to have 1.9 children. In 2013, this number was down to 1.3 (Krogstead, Lopez, Desilver, 2013, p. 4).  Krogstead et al. (2013), claims that this is due to the increase in people moving to the United States and delivering here.  Currently, however, Puerto Rico and the United States only differ in 5 births per one thousand people.

                                   

References:
Krogstad, J. Lopez, M. Desilver, D. (2013). Puerto Rico's losses are not just economic, but in people         too. Retrieved from http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2015/07/01/puerto-ricos-losses-are-             not-just-economic-but-in-people-too/

 

Code of Ethics Statements:

The following statements stood out form both NAEYC and DEC given many of the situations I have encountered these past few weeks in my professional life.

NAEYC

P-3A.1 When we have concerns about the professional behavior of a co-worker, we shall first let the person know our concern in a way that shows respect for personal dignity and for diversity to be found among staff members, and then attempts to resolve the matter collegiality and in a confidential manner.

I have had some serious concerns with the behavior of someone above me in my current position, which makes the situation awkward. However, I will soon be forced to address it because her behavior is having a significant effect on staff. This is an extremely difficult person to approach as there is little to no desire to self-reflect. However, this statement makes it clear that this has to be handled despite the difficulty.

I-3C.2 To create and maintain a climate of trust and candor that will enable staff to speak and act in the best interest of children, families, and the field of early education.

 

The staff within my facility feel free to speak candidly about concerns as long as they remain  professional. the same can not be said for large group, all staff meetings.  Staff are "shot-down" for expressing concerns and often labeled as trouble makers. I am determined to change this attitude while still teaching staff to express concerns in a constructive manner.

I-3C.4  To encourage and support continual development of employees in becoming more skilled and knowledgeable practitioners.

I encourage employees training and attend seminars and conferences all the time. I want them to learn. I have often received feedback from upper management that a topic, seminar, or conference is above that employees understanding. I just don't believe this is true.  Even if the employee doesn't have the background to understand the entire subject matter, they should decide that for themselves. Employers that deny others learning are simply employers that do not want their employees to know more than them. Maybe they haven't kept up or perhaps they are insecure. Either way, the employee pays the price.

DEC

We shall support professionals new to the filed by mentoring them in practice of evidence and ethically based services.

I have recently observed professional behaviors that are in need of some fine tuning particularly regarding the support of new staff.  Mentoring is so important and it is often difficult for non education personnel to grasp the idea that on-the-spot teachable moments with education staff are not forms of correction but forms of coaching.  I have come to realize that coaching can be an odd concept to someone outside this field.

Division of Early Childhood. (2009). Code of ethics. Retrieved February 22, from http://www.dec-            sped.org/

National Association for the Education of Young Children. (2005). Code of ethical conduct and
       statement of commitment. Retrieved February 20, from http://www.naeyc.org/ files/ naeyc/                  file/positions/PSETH05.pdf

Early Childhood Educator Resources

Videos:

·         Video: Laureate Education, Inc. (2010). The resources for early childhood. Baltimore: Author

NAEYC Statements:

·        NAEYC. (2009). Developmentally appropriate practice in early childhood programs serving children from birth through age 8. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/dap

·        

      NAEYC. (2009). Where we stand on child abuse prevention. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from  http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/ChildAbuseStand.pdf

·        NAEYC. (2009). Where we stand on school readiness. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/Readiness.pdf

·        NAEYC. (2009). Where we stand on responding to linguistic and cultural diversity. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/diversity.pdf

·       

      NAEYC. (2003). Early childhood curriculum, assessment, and program evaluation: Building an effective, accountable system in programs for children birth through age 8. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/pscape.pdf

·       

      NAEYC. (2009, April). Early childhood inclusion: A summary. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/DEC_NAEYC_ECSummary

Other Early Childhood Groups

·      
      Zero to Three: National Center for Infants, Toddlers, and Families. (2010). Infant-toddler policy agenda. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://main.zerotothree.org/site/PageServer?pagename=ter_pub_infanttodller

·        FPG Child Development Institute. (2006, September). Evidence-based practice empowers early childhood professionals and families. (FPG Snapshot, No. 33). Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://community.fpg.unc.edu/sites/community.fpg.unc.edu/files/imce/documents/FPG_Snapshot_N33_EvidenceBasedPractice_09-2006.pdf

·        
      Turnbull, A., Zuna, N., Hong, J. Y., Hu, X., Kyzar, K., Obremski, S., et al. (2010). Knowledge-to-action guides. Teaching Exceptional Children, 42(3), 42-53.
Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.

·        
      Article:

      UNICEF (n.d.). Fact sheet: A summary of the rights under the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.unicef.org/crc/files/Rights_overview.pdf

International Organizations: 

·        World Forum Foundation

•         http://worldforumfoundation.org/wf/wp/about-us

 World Organization for Early Childhood Education

·    http://www.omep-usnc.org/

·   

·        Association for Childhood Education International

·        http://acei.org/

United States Organizations 

·    
           National Association for the Education of Young Children
http://www.naeyc.org/

·        The Division for Early Childhood
/http://www.dec-sped.org/

·        Zero to Three: National Center for Infants, Toddlers, and Families
http://www.zerotothree.org/

·        WESTED
http://www.wested.org/cs/we/print/docs/we/home.htm

·        Harvard Education Letter
http://www.hepg.org/hel/topic/85

·        FPG Child Development Institute
http://www.fpg.unc.edu/

·        Administration for Children and Families Headstart's National Research Conference
http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/opre/hsrc/

·        HighScope
     http://www.highscope.org/

·        Children's Defense Fund
http://www.childrensdefense.org

·        Center for Child Care Workforce
http://www.ccw.org/

·        Council for Exceptional Children
http://www.cec.sped.org/

·        Institute for Women's Policy Research
http://www.iwpr.org/

·        National Center for Research on Early Childhood Education
http://www.ncrece.org/wordpress/

·        National Child Care Association
http://www.nccanet.org/

·        National Institute for Early Education Research
/http://nieer.org/

·        Pre[K]Now
http://www.pewstates.org/projects/pre-k-now-328067

·        Voices for America's Children
http://www.voices.org/

·        The Erikson Institute
http://www.erikson.edu/

     Head Start Resources 
     
     Head Start: Early Childhood Learning and Knowledge Center Performance Standards 
     https://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/policy/45-cfr-chap-xiii
     https://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/tta-system/teaching

     Teachstone Blog
     http://info.teachstone.com/blog
     http://teachstone.com/class-trainings/class-observation-training-programs/

   
     Conscious Discipline videos
     https://consciousdiscipline.com/videos/
     https://consciousdiscipline.com/

     Kentucky Department of Education Resources 
     http://education.ky.gov/CTE/cter/Pages/default.aspx
     http://education.ky.gov/Pages/default.aspx
   
     Office of Head Start Data and Research 
     https://www.acf.hhs.gov/ohs/reports
     http://education.ky.gov/Pages/default.aspx
   
     National Head Start Association Center for Effective Practice 
     https://www.nhsa.org/center/effective-practice
     https://www.nhsa.org/



   

A few words of wisdom:

From Marcy Whitebook's speech on Workforce and Professional Development given April 26th, 2010:

"The method of delivery of higher education has to change to accommodate more so-called “non-traditional” students---those like many Head Start teachers now seeking degrees. Many are low income, working full time while attending school, parents and/or caregivers of other family members, and among the first generation in their families to attend college. More often than not they are women of color, in their thirties, forties or fifties, and often English language learners. Community colleges have been at this for quite some time, but we need more upper division and graduate programs geared to the working early learning workforce."

This was me. I went back to finish my undergrad at 32 years of age.  Northern Kentucky University is a great school but my advisor truly did not understand why I could not come to class during the day. At the time, I was a single mom with two children, rent and bills to pay, and working full time for Head Start. The only reason I was completing my undergrad was because of the Head Start mandate. In truth, he simply did not understand the degree I was seeking, and I was given a different advisor. However, I've always believed that should not have been a necessary argument between the two of us.  At one point during the conversation, he told me to quit work. Obviously, my new advisor and I found ways to work around my schedule, but his attitude was simply a small representation of the issues we face when seeking a degree.

From Lyndon Johnson's speech in the Rose Garden on May 18th, 1965:

"Five and six year old children are inheritors of poverty's curse and not its creators. Unless we act these children will pass it on to the next generation, like a family birthmark."

Head Start is a family. I have seen multiple children and grandchildren from the same family come through my school over the past seven years.  Many of the families have become self-reliant enough to no longer qualify for our program.  I love the relationships that I have developed with the community that I serve.  However, there is always a tiny, painful twinge when a mother walks through the door with her 3, 4, or 5 year old to register them for Head Start and says "Oh! I went here as a child!" Part of me feels failure.  The cycle of poverty was not broken for this family, but at least we have been given another chance.

From Sandy Escobido in The passion for Early Childhood:

"We as professionals in the early childhood field have an opportunity to shape a child's life for the better."

There is nothing sweeping or grand about this statement. It is simple and meaningful, truthful and pure.  Just as in any education field, early childhood professionals can truly make a difference in a child's life.  We set the foundation for the attitude about school, and school is a precursor to college and employment.  If any one doubts the importance of your work in this field, remember the following: You will forever be a child's very first teacher.

Personal Childhood Web


My Mother--Annette
My mother was by far my biggest supporter.
She was by no means perfect, and we fought often.
Her support did not come in the form of "you can
do it" and "good job." Instead, it sounded more like
"you can do better" and " that was adequate." This
sounds harsh, but it wasn't.  "You can do better"
simply meant "That was good, but you're smart                  
enough to push yourself."  So, I learned to push,
to persist, and to be resilient. Self pity was never
allowed in my home.  She made me tough enough
to stand up for myself and soft enough to help
others in need.  She made me reflect on my
imperfections and find areas for improvement.
She was an impressive and gracious no-nonsense    
lady until the day she died.

My Father--Hilton 
Contrary to my mother, my father was my cheerleader. He taught me to play football, change a tire, build things, make repairs, and work on cars. I am an only child. I'm sure he wanted a boy, but he got a tiny, mouthy little girl instead.  My life was filled with Barbi dolls living in lego houses. My room was filled with frilly lace curtains and power tools.  I'm not sure he made a conscious decision to raise me this way, but none the less that's what happened.  Because of him, I can paint walls, fill holes in drywall, build a deck, and throw a football.  When God gave me two rowdy boys, the drywall repair knowledge became extremely useful!

My Grandma--Barbera 

     I didn't realize it as a child, but my grandma (my mother's mom) was an extremely quirky person. I thought she was funny, but now I realize that she was REALLY funny.  She taught me to cook, to clean, to recycle, to create, to walk, to garden, and to sew.  I still sew on her sewing machine which is now 50 years old.  I was fascinated by how many sewing pins she could hold between her teeth. It wasn't until I was an adult that I realized she was holding them in the gap in her front teeth. There was very little she couldn't do, and everything she did she did well. My Grandma also gave me a place to go. My mother and I fought a lot, and my mom needed frequent breaks from my strong personality.  My grandma rarely agreed with me, but she gave me a place to land, and she taught me to work with my hands to sort out my worries.

My Great Aunt Betty--My mother's aunt

     My aunt Betty was and still is the most strong willed, formidable woman I have ever met.  She was the first woman in our family to earn a college degree.  She was also one of the first female executives in the city of Atlanta. She was sharp, intelligent, and quick witted. She taught me to be discerning.  At 95, she is still an active member of the Pilot Women's Club in Atlanta. She took me to meetings as a child and introduced me to some of the most powerful female executives, attorneys, judges, and politicians in the city.  She made me brave enough to speak up against injustices and to fight for the rights of my employees to work in and fair environment.  She recently (at 95) told me that she needs to sell her house and move to assisted living because home ownership is slowing her down.  She has truly lived to accomplish her goals and set a phenomenal example for me.

My Aunt Debbie--my Father's sister 

    My aunt Debbie gives all new meaning to the word 'head strong.' She is the oldest of five children and by far the most in charge. She's also the reason I chose to go into preschool education and to work for Head Start.  Growing up I watched her move from a high school graduate and stay at home mother to a well educated Head Start director. She lead with strength, firmness, kindness,and compassion all to improve the lives of children.  I have never wanted to be anything but a teacher and she set en example like none other.  Since my mother has passed, she has been my cheerleader as I navigate this rewarding but difficult journey with the best program ever to have been created during the War on Poverty.

As I'm sure you notice, all of my influences are strong, intelligent people.  A trailblazer, a nurturer, a leader, and an educator.  I admire them all deeply and appreciate the attributes they have each given me.  Because of each of them, I can advocate, speak up, lead, create, and, of course, fix my own plumbing! Any given day, you can find me leading a seminar, creating play-dough snakes with a three year old, or helping my janitor scrub the bathroom.  From them, I learned that no job is too big or small and you're never too important to do what needs to be done.