Observations

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As professionals it is important to be committed to the well being of all children. One of the best ways to ensure our choices and decisions are the best for them is to become expert observers. When we recognize exactly what is happening with a child and his/her environment we can make educated decision that foster appropriate developments for them. Please view the clip on observations.

Special Needs

In my opinion all early childhood and educational professionals should make a conscious commitment to look at all children holistically. It is good that tools exist to measure abilities of children, but this can be a problem when diagnosis and labels becomes the element by which a child is defined. By all means every resource available should be used to diagnose a problem. All areas should be look at like, physical, emotional, mentally and intellectually. This information should only be used for reasons of obtaining the best service/care possible to help the child reach his/hers highest potential. By receiving help early chances are greatly improved for a disability not to become a life handicap.

In the United States we have the best of services for children that have been diagnosed with special needs. Special need services are becoming more readily available in developing countries as well. For example, in the Bahamas special education services are much like those in the US. They are not as advanced in diagnoses, treatment or training for personnel, but they are providing services and practicing inclusion.  This is not the case in countries like Africa. Very little is being done by ways of special services for disabled children. Regular education is still a struggle for many in there.

Stressors for Young Children

Hurricane Katrina posed many threats to its victims other than killer winds and flooding waters. The wait for promised rescue efforts crated a dangerous and stressful time few days for young children of families stranded in the sports dome. For the family of one little girl named Bazy, six years old, the dangers presented at this designated safe place from the category five hurricane became a reality. The trauma of Bazy's encounter with a rapist in the dome's restroom compacted with stresses of losing their home and close relatives caused emotional damage for her and her family still struggle to overcome. After being rescued and relocated to a new home and school, Bazy became fearful and started to withdraw emotionally. Bazy's family sought psychological help for their daughter through an organization called Social Science Research Council. Through this organization's help Bazy received services to address the rape. The whole family also received help for all the psychological stresses that came along with their Katrina experience.
     This is a similar story of a young girl named Pauline, six years old, currently residing in Haiti. She also experienced rape during the chaotic aftermath of a record earthquake. The difference between Bazy's story and Pauline's story is Bazy had her family and Pauline was left orphaned by the quake. She did not have the protection or support of her family. Another difference is Bazy’s rape was a one- time event, while Pauline's was an ongoing event, happening almost daily by the same man. It ended when she was found months later by an uncle that lived in a distant village. Pauline also became withdrawn and fearful to the point she stopped talking all together. The good news is, though years later; she is now receiving psychological help for Post -Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Services are provided through a psychological organization set up in their country specifically for earthquake victims. In a country that has to rebuild existence is day to day and even children are expected to contribute to their households. There is no place or afford of an emotionally delayed child. Pauline's uncle has since placed her for adoption. She now resides in an orphanage.  

Immunization

Immunization is a public health service that has been under attack in our country for some time. It was once thought to be a contributing factor to increased cases of Autism, however this connection has not been proven. Fortunately for the well being of the whole population laws are in place to ensure all children are properly immunized in the U.S. Although some risks are involved when young children are immunized, the risk are far less than the benefits of a healthy childhood. Being U.S. citizens allows certain freedoms like making personal health choices, but I don't think this should be one of them.

This topic is of interest to me because of my recent imvolvement in local ministry for Haitian orphans. Children in Haiti are facing diseases that are controlled by routine immunization in this country. A simple trip to your doctor's office or a free clinic where the medication is readily available. Polio, measles, rubella, diptheria, and pertussis are to name a few diseases that threaten the lives of Haitian children. I was touched to learn that such small financial contributions can go a long way in getting the needed medications. Fifty-three American dollars can immunize over one hundred children. Organizations that are trying to help are also faced with other conditions like lack of refrigeration for medicines, political red tape that hold up the medicine from getting to the children and funds to purchase it.

Haiti is just one country that is faced with this problem. I encourage all professionals that are concerned about the well-being of all children to contact some organization, working to provide needed immunization to some children somewhere in this world. A little goes a long way.

Evloving Childbirth Experiences

On September 3, 2008, my grandson “ Eli” was born. He is my daughter’s first child. I had the privilege of being with her during the last two months of the pregnancy, present in the birthing room when he was born and allowed the honor of cutting the umbilical cord. It was an experience I will always cherish and never forget. As I watch him grow I often think back on the day I first held him minutes after his birth. I sang a song to him when I held him at two minutes old. It was the same song I sang to him while he was still in my daughters womb. I wanted to see if he would respond. I was not surprised when he turned his head toward me as if he recognized my voice, then tried to open his swollen eyes.

I also remember my surprise at the major differences between my daughter’s birth experience and my own when she was born. My overall feeling was disappointment. It seem that the birth was technology- controlled and my daughter was just a bystander, the same as Eli’s father and myself. We made it to the hospital when her contractions were about fifteen minutes apart. She had one really hard labor pain and they hooked her up to an IV and monitor. Within a few minutes she was calm and chatting with us as if nothing was going on. She only knew she was having a contraction when the monitor told her she was having one. The nurse was able to read the monitor and estimate a time the baby would be born and was accurate almost to the minute. My daughter never experienced labor as I remembered doing. Her father and I worked to prepare for natural childbirth and that is how we did it. The beauty of our birthing experience was the moment our baby was born, the pain and struggle immediately became a distant memory in light of holding our little girl. I often think my experience made me a stronger woman and strengthened the bond between my husband and myself. Realizing I could endure such pain, with joy, to bring my child into the world elevated my maturity level. Also it was an humbling experience for William (my husband/her father). He came to appreciate what a woman endures to bring a child into the world. At the end of my daughter’s birthing experience I was disappointed and left thinking that she has a baby, but missed the beauty of the whole experience.

After Eli’s birth an initial assessments were made that determined he was fine. My second surprise came when the focus immediately shifted from the baby to my daughter. It was not because anything was wrong, but because she agreed to donate the placenta for research. They wanted to harvest it safely so the baby, a nurse his father and myself were moved to another side of the room while my daughter and her surroundings were re-sanitized for the harvest. We held the baby before she did. Remembering back they barely let her father in the delivery room when she was born.

It seems that childbirth experiences in Africa are evolving the same as they have since my daughter was born and the birth of her first child. Traditionally fathers were not active participants in the birth of their children. Now African men have started to take more active roles like participate in classes and present during the births. Birthing experiences are also evolving from birth in huts to births in labor-and-delivery rooms designed specifically for natural births. I am sure as time passes and technology becomes more available they will also experience the change to painless childbirth.

My Supports

Within my daily activity there are many people and things that are of suppot to me.

Family: My family is a major support.
My husband has been a constant support emotionally, relationship, stability and financially. My children are adults with their own lives, but I know that if I need any help I can call on them for support. My sisters and brother are also available for support in any area if I need it.

Professionally: My co-workers are supports at work. We work as a team in our classroom. Besides the people I work directly woth in the classroom I recieve support from the proncipal, office staff and human resourse staff.

Spiritually: My church family are a network of spiritual support that I depend on prehaps more than the other forementioned.
None living supports:
I think I depend more on my car than any other. My computer would be a close second.

One scenerio that sometimes crosses my mind is if I outlive everyone or for some reason end up alone. I see this with a man that has outlived his wife , children, siblings and friends. He often describes the world  unfamiliar and frieghtening. He gets very sad and cries. His only comfort is telling his stories of a live long gone to any one that will take time to listen. I think about this scnerio happening to me . I cannot imagine being without a child, sibling, or companion. The loss of support as I have come to know and live by would really decrease the quality of life for me. My hope is that I have planted seeds of support to others that will be my garden of support when I am old.

My Connection to Play

"Do not...keep children to their studies by complusion, but by play."
                                                                                     ~Plato

 " Children are never more serious than when they play."
                                                              ~MONTAIGNE, Essays

My mother was a great supporter of my play when I was young. I have two older sisters that were much taller than myself. When we played Hopscotch they would tray the pattern so big I could never make my jumps.  Of course they would always win. The days my mother was home early from work, she would draw the pattern so that I would have a chance to successful on some jumps. When my interest would change , like the time I wanted to be the best marble player. She never told me that it was a boy's game (like my sisters did), she just made me the best looking bag to hold my marbles.

The games we played as children (30 years ago)  can still be played today, like baby dolls, marbles and hopscotch, with much fun and imagination, if children are allowed outside to play them. I understand our society is very different today as it was when I was a child. All the neighborhood children gathered to play and knew automatically to go home when it was getting dark. There was always a mother around for all of us. Unfortunately, safety is a much bigger issue today than it was way-back then. More mothers are working and children have to stay inside with electrronic entertainments, like video games, internet and television.

I believe that when I was young we were allowed to run freely, explore and experiment. My favorite thing was to play school, which has followed me into adulthood. My understanding of the world I lived in prepared me with a solid understanding of the world I lived in for when I wnet to school. I was allowed to pretend, using my imagination. My brain developed my use of imagination, unlike the television thinking and telling me how to feel.