My Supports

• Here is the basic rule for winning success. Let's mark it in the mind and remember it. The rule is: Success depends on the support of other people. The only hurdle between you and what you want to be is the support of other people.
  ~ David Joseph Schwartz 
  
  
  
  
  My family has always been my biggest supporter.  Support can be in many forms, it can be emotionally, physically, intellectually, domestically and sporadic!  As I think about my daily supports, it would begin with the custodial staff in my building.  My boyfriend supports me in my career decision and during stressful times.  In the office, it is often times very stressful.  I believe that we support each other, in the office, through humor, lending a hand and friendship. My administrative assistant makes my daily work life much easier.  She supports me in the highest way possible.  As I sit here and think about my life without these supports, there is no way possible I could achieve the things I do.  As I reflect on this assignment, I am really humbled by the level of support I have received consistently throughout my life. 
  It's kind of hard for me to think of a challenge, but it was deaf, I would need hearing supports.  Due to my career, I would definitely need someone to communicate via sign language  to attend all of my meetings, with me, everyday.  I would also have to make sure that my staff were introduced to sign language, as well.  These supports would be needed, as they would enable me to communicate effectively with staff and and in meetings.  
  
  

"My Connections to Play"

"Play is our brain's favorite way of learning."
Diane Ackerman, Contemporary American author

"Play gives children a chance to practice what they are learning."

Fred Rogers, American television personality, 1928–2003

Play was supported tremendously in my childhood.  During my entire childhood, I was fortunate enough to have a play room.  This was a separate room, which was located down the hall from my bedroom.  I can remember spending numerous hours just playing! I had a dramatic play kitchen area, China tea set, pots, pretend food, my fabulous wonder horse (it made all the sounds of a horse, trotting, galloping, everything!), my milking jersey cow, easy bake oven, my Barbies, my Baby Alive, Baby Magic, Walking Doll, my Barbie head, puzzles and many more.  My friends would come over and play in the play room with me, as well.  My parents allowed me to enjoy my childhood and provided me with many opportunities to enter and create my "own" world within my play room.  When I have a child, I am going to do the same thing for him or her. They also taught me that it was my space and that I had to keep it clean, as well. I am pretty sure, as a matter of fact, I know I never cleaned it spotless like an adult would have; however, I was learning the concept of responsibility and taking care of property.  As I grew older, my parents home was the one that everyone in the neighborhood visited.  After homework was finished, everyone would make it to my house and we would play kickball in the yard.  We would play until dawn everyday! 

Play is very different today, as the majority of play involves digital media and watching television.  Children are so absorbed into hand-held games, X-Box's, online activities and fewer outdoor play games.  This is very different because when I was a child, I feel that I had more "hands on" experiences with toys (puzzles, cooking pretend food, making mud pies, easy bake oven, playing outside, lots of outdoor play).  I did not feel like I "had" to be entertained, as I was comfortable exploring the toys and activities that I had in my possession.  My hope is that toy companies would place more emphasis on toys that allow children to imagine, explore and strengthen their curiosity.

The role of play throughout my childhood was critical in the person that I have become today.  It is quite funny, because as I was working on this assignment, I noticed that all of my play experiences are connected directly to my present hobbies, which are cooking, hair styling, reading, interior decorating, hosting event gatherings and fashion.  I believe that through play, I was able to discover my interests, my likes, as well as, dislikes.  Who knew that this would transcend into my adult life? lol...Play is what makes us all "tick"...it enables us to have those rich, "aha" moments, even as adults.


http://www.thestrong.org/about-play/play-quotes

Relationship Reflection

Keith and I have been friends since Junior High. We have known each other for 24 years. Over a span of 10 of those years, we kept in touch sporadically. The relationship Keith and I share was built on mutual love, innocence and mutual respect. I really do not believe that it was not until later in our adult life that we really got a chance to "know" each other for the individual we had developed into as an adult. Knowing as much, we still had a sound foundation from which to build a "new" relationship, as I always loved him so very much. Keith is important in my life because I am going to spend the rest of my life with him. Our relationship is important to me because I can draw strength, support, acceptance, peace and comfort from our relationship. Our relationship is a constant source of "calmness" to my mind, body and spirt. With him....I am alright. Our relationship has been able to remain positive and healthy despite a few challenges. I believe the factors that has made our relationship remain positive attribute to our true, genuine friendship, allowing each other to have personal space/time to reflect during disagreements/disputes, forgiveness, respect, ongoing communication and true love. (yes, what we share is rare and it is definitely true love). In order to maintain our relationship, lots of communication has always been required, as for many years, our relationship was a long-distance relationship. For the past four years, we have had the opportunity to live approximately 20-30 minutes within each other! At first, that was a challenge, as we were use to speaking on telephone, email and texts. We were still in that mode! lol! We would spend time together and not say a word and when we would depart, we would burn up the phone and text messaging! lol! How funny when I think about it now! So in order to maintain healthy communication within our relationship, we had to adjust our habits. One of the challenges that we had that was detrimental in maintaining our relationship was time. With Keith being an opera singer and me being a Director of a Head Start program, mapping time out, to spend together, can be extremely difficult. From my experiences, I have learned that all relationships go through stages which include, initiation, rapport building, acceptance, adaptation, establishment of an agreement and scheduling. Special characteristics would be common goals/beliefs, mutual feelings and stability.

Consequences of Stress on Children’s Development

A close friend of mine had an unfortunate childhood.  This was due mainly to growing up in impoverished conditions.  His environment consisted of extremely poor living conditions, verbal abuse, raising his younger siblings (forced to be an adult at a young age) and an environment that was not conducive to the positive development of a child. My friend had an outlet that provided him with ongoing opportunities to cope, as well as, survive.  These coping and survival opportunities were granted during his visits to his grandmother and father.  The visits would take him "out" and "away" from his impoverished environment.  Although, he had opportunities to see and experience a positive and healthy environment, it was not enough, as what he needed was to experience a positive, healthy and loving environment in a stable, consistent manner, especially from his mother.  The ramifications were extensive. Although, he has done quite well for himself, (graduating from college, as well as, graduate school and having a successful career), he has severe trust issues, is a survivor verbal abuse and has trouble initiating relationships.  He is a great guy and has a big heart.  Despite such, he admits to having a "fort knox" built around his heart, which is evident.  On the positive side, he is very loyal, honest, a workaholic (blessing and curse) and great team player.  He is blessed because he knew his weaknesses and was able to find  resources through therapy and counseling that are constantly enabling him to improve his quality of life.

 Although, child poverty is prevalent everywhere, I struggle with concentrating my research in other countries, as child poverty is"right here" at home, in the United States.  "Nearly 15 million children in the United States – 21% of all children – live in families with incomes below the federal poverty level – $22,050 a year for a family of four. Research shows that, on average, families need an income of about twice that level to cover basic expenses. Using this standard, 42% of children live in low-income families" (http://www.nccp.org/topics/childpoverty.html).  "Most of these children have parents who work, but low wages and unstable employment leave their families struggling to make ends meet. Poverty can impede children’s ability to learn and contribute to social, emotional, and behavioral problems. Poverty also can contribute to poor health and mental health. Risks are greatest for children who experience poverty when they are young and/or experience deep and persistent poverty"(http://www.nccp.org/topics/childpoverty.html). 

I believe children that grow up in poverty develop resilience, determination, mistrust, chronic stress and self-dependence.  I believe that learn how to survive by any means necessary.  

• Child poverty rates are highest among black, Latino, and American Indian children (http://www.nccp.org/topics/childpoverty.html).
• Across the states, official child poverty rates range from 10% in New Hampshire to 30% in Mississippi (http://www.nccp.org/topics/childpoverty.html).
• Some stressors of Child Poverty can include size of family household, education status of parents, marital status, employment status and the surrounding community.

"Research is clear that poverty is the single greatest threat to children’s well-being. But effective public policies – to make work pay for low-income parents and to provide high-quality early care and learning experiences for their children – can make a difference. Investments in the most vulnerable children are also critical" (http://www.nccp.org/topics/childpoverty.html).  Investments in America's most vulnerable children that can help address poverty include, increased and secure funding for Head Start, increased and secure funding for high-quality child care and child care workers, secure funding for adequate public housing and law enforcement, increased and secure funding for job training programs and public policies that will allow reasonable, healthy, logical and realistic opportunities for uneducated parents/families to achieve true self-sufficiency and asset development.

Child Development and Public Health

For my public health topic, I selected Child Maltreatment, but my emphasis is on Neglect.  I selected this topic because many children are neglected on a daily basis.  In my opinion, neglect is a silent killer of children, as physical neglect is the most prevalent cause of death in children. I often feel that anyone can do "anything" to a child and receive very little punishment, if any.  There's much to be done to improve policy and law to protect all children.  Based on everything I know and have experienced, it usually left up to educational staff, concerned family or neighbors, medical staff or concerned friends to report neglectful situations to the proper authorities. 

Child Neglect: The Story of Jordan Heikamp (Video)

Neglect is the failure to meet a child’s basic needs. These needs include housing, food, clothing, education, and access to medical care (www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention).

 

Many researchers include neglect or harm caused by a lack of care on the part of parents or other caregivers as part of the definition of abuse (as cited on http://www.who.int/en/). Conditions such as hunger and poverty are sometimes included within the definition of neglect. Because definitions vary and laws on reporting abuse do not always require the mandatory reporting of neglect, it is difficult to estimate the global dimensions of the problem or meaningfully to compare rates between countries. Little research, for instance, has been done on how children and parents or other caregivers may differ in defining neglect. In Kenya, abandonment and neglect were the most commonly cited aspects of child abuse when adults in the community were questioned on the subject (as cited on http://www.who.int/en/). In this study, 21.9% of children reported that they had been neglected by their parents. In Canada, a national study of cases reported to child welfare services found that, among the substantiated cases of neglect, 19% involved physical neglect, 12% abandonment, 11% educational neglect, and 48% physical harm resulting from a parent’s failure to provide adequate supervision  (as cited on http://www.who.int/en/).      

There are Four Types of Neglect:

Physical neglect (the most prevalent cause of child death)

Physical neglect accounts for the majority of cases of maltreatment. Physical neglect generally involves the parent or caregiver not providing the child with basic necessities (e.g., adequate food, clothing and shelter). Failure or refusal to provide these necessities endangers the child’s physical health, well-being, psychological growth and development. Physical neglect also includes child abandonment, inadequate supervision, rejection of a child leading to expulsion from the home and failure to adequately provide for the child’s safety and physical and emotional needs. Physical neglect can severely impact a child’s development by causing failure to thrive; malnutrition; serious illness; physical harm in the form of cuts, bruises, burns or other injuries due to the lack of supervision; and a lifetime of low self-esteem (www.americanhumane.org)

Educational neglect

Educational neglect involves the failure of a parent or caregiver to enroll a child of mandatory school age in school or provide appropriate home schooling or needed special educational training, thus allowing the child or youth to engage in chronic truancy (www.americanhumane.org)

Emotional/Psychological neglect

Emotional/Psychological neglect includes actions such as engaging in chronic or extreme spousal abuse in the child’s presence, allowing a child to use drugs or alcohol, refusing or failing to provide needed psychological care, constantly belittling the child and withholding affection (www.americanhumane.org).

Medical neglect

Medical neglect is the failure to provide appropriate health care for a child (although financially able to do so), thus placing the child at risk of being seriously disabled or disfigured or dying (www.americanhumane.org) 

Although medical neglect is highly correlated with poverty, there is a distinction between a caregiver’s inability to provide the needed care based on cultural norms or the lack of financial resources and a caregiver’s knowing reluctance or refusal to provide care (www.americanhumane.org).

These situations do not always mean a child is neglected. Sometimes cultural values,  

the standards of care in the community, and poverty may be contributing factors,

indicating the family is in need of information or assistance. When a family

fails to use information and resources, and the child’s health or safety is at risk,

then child welfare intervention may be required. In addition, many States provide

an exception to the defi nition of neglect for parents who choose not to seek medical care 

for their children due to religious beliefs that may prohibit medical intervention (www.childwelfare.gov).

Athough I focused my research on "neglect", the physical abuse rates in other countries were quite disturbing and might be higher than the United States  Please see below.

Available research suggests that the rates for 

many other countries are no lower, and may be 

indeed higher than the estimates of physical abuse

in the United States. The following findings, among

others around the world, have emerged recently:

In a cross-sectional survey of children in

Egypt, 37% reported being beaten or tied up

by their parents and 26% reported physical

injuries such as fractures, loss of consciousness

or permanent disability as a result of being

beaten or tied up (as cited on http://www.who.int/en).

In a recent study in the Republic of Korea,

parents were questioned about their behaviour

towards their children. Two-thirds of

the parents reported whipping their children

and 45% confirmed that they had hit, kicked

or beaten them (as cited on http://www.who.int/en).

.A survey of households in Romania found that

4.6% of children reported suffering severe and

frequent physical abuse, including being hit

with an object, being burned or being

deprived of food. Nearly half of Romanian

parents admitted to beating their children

‘‘regularly’’ and 16% to beating their children

with objects (as cited on http://www.who.int/en).

 In Ethiopia, 21% of urban schoolchildren and

64% of rural schoolchildren reported bruises

or swellings on their bodies resulting from

parental punishment (as cited on http://www.who.int/en).

PLEASE READ: What are the Signs of Child Neglect and its Effect on Children

American Humane Association.  (2011).  Child neglect.  Retrieved from www.americanhumane.org

Center for Disease Control and Prevention.  (2010).  Understanding child maltreatment fact sheet.  Retrieved from www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention

Child Welfare Information Gateway. (2008, April).  What is child abuse and neglect?  Retrieved from www.childwelfare.gov

World Health Organization. (2002).  Child abuse and neglect by parents and other caregivers.  Retrieved from http://www.who.int/en/

Here's additional information regarding the cesarean rate in the United States.

Cesarean rate in the United States (CDC Data)

Childbirth-In Your Life and Around the Word

I do not have children.  Two years ago, in the month of August, I had the honor of being present during the birth of my niece.  I was not in the delivery room, as my sister-in-law had a cesarean delivery.  Her original birth plan involved an epidural.  However, after many attempts, the epidural was unsuccessful.  My sister-in-law was definitely a trooper, as she endured many attempts of trying to secure an epidural.  She was really a sweetie. She wanted, so badly, for my brother (her husband) to be able to participate in the delivery.  Unfortunately, she had to have a cesarean.  Nevertheless, I, waited in the waiting room for my niece, Kalea Olivia Williams, to make her arrival.  OMG!  What a wonderful day!  I still remember when my brother and the nurse were carrying her from the delivery room to the nursery! I was so happy. I remember thinking that I was going to be the BEST aunt possible for this baby.  Being in the field of early childhood education, I was eager to ask the nurses for her APGAR scores. I remember writing it on a note and holding "What's her APGAR scores?" up the nursery window! lol.....The nurses all laughed and were nice to  tell me the scores! I do want children very badly.  When my boyfriend and I get married, we plan to start a family immediately.  As far as my childbirth option, due to my fibroids, my OB-GYN has already informed me that I will have to have a cesarean birth.  (please enjoy the pictures of my niece, Kalea!)

Cesarean Births in China

I discovered that in China, nearly half of all births are delivered by cesarean section.  China is known to have the world's highest rate of cesarean births.  This is due to many Asian women requesting to have a cesarean versus natural birth.  Although, doctors and hospitals encourage selecting to have a natural childbirth, as this is the ideal way, many women still choose to have a cesarean birth.  This brings another topic to the forefront.  Unnecessary cesarean section are costlier than natural births, and also raise the risks of complications for the mother.  Again, in China almost half of the births are C-sections.  A quarter of them were not medically  necessary.

Examining Code of Ethics

I have selected three ideals from DEC's and NAEYC's Code of Ethics.  I selected them because I believe all early childhood professionals should practice the highest level of professionalism, honesty and competence when interacting with children and their families.  I believe it is our responsibility to be an effective and strong advocate for the families, as well as, populations we provide early childhood services to on a daily basis.  I believe it is our responsibility, as early childhood professionals, to remain knowledgeable and abreast the current research in early childhood education.  As program administrators and supervisors, it is our responsiblity to ensure that appropriate ongoing monitoring and annual program self-assessments to ensure children and families receive high-quality programming and optimal service delivery.  I believe that early childhood administrators should implement appropriate practices and systems to ensure facilities are safe, welcoming, nurturing and clean.

3 Principles and Guidelines from The Division of Early Childhood (DEC) Code of Ethics: 
I. PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE
Professional and Interpersonal Behavior

3. We shall strive for the highest level of personal and professional competence by seeking and

using new evidence based information to improve our practices while also responding openly to

the suggestions of others.

4. We shall serve as advocates for children with disabilities and their families and for the

professionals who serve them by supporting both policy and programmatic decisions that

enhance the quality of their lives.

II. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND PREPARATION

1. We shall engage in ongoing and systematic reflective inquiry and self-assessment for the

purpose of continuous improvement of professional performance and services to young children

with disabilities and their families.

3 Ideals from the NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct:

I-1.1

childhood care and education and to stay informed

through continuing education and training.

1.5

that foster children’s social, emotional, cognitive, and

physical development and that respect their dignity

and their contributions

I-1.9

including those with special needs, have access to the

support services needed to be successful.—To advocate for and ensure that all children,—To create and maintain safe and healthy settings—To be familiar with the knowledge base of early

One More!!! Another Resource!!!

Y of Central Maryland
http://ymaryland.org/

Ken's Additional Resources

http://nbcdi.org/

• ECLKC
• Early Childhood Learning & Knowledge Center
• A Service of The Office of Head Start
• Toll-Free: 1-866-763-6481
• http://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc

http://www.getreadytoread.org/


http://www.teachingstrategies.com/


http://www.readingrockets.org/


http://www.fatherhood.org/

National Head Start Association
http://www.nhsa.org/

Course Resources

• NAEYC. (2009). Developmentally appropriate practice in early childhood programs serving children from birth through age 8. Retrieved May 26, 2010, fromhttp://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_A.pdf
  
• Zero to Three: National Center for Infants, Toddlers, and Families. (2010). Infant-toddler policy agenda. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.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://www.fpg.unc.edu/~snapshots/snap33.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.
  
•  UNICEF (n.d.). Fact sheet: A summary of the rights under the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Retrieved May 26, 2010, fromhttp://www.unicef.org/crc/files/Rights_overview.pdf

• 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/main/about.cfm
  
• 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//AM/Template.cfm?Section=Home
  
• Institute for Women’s Policy Research
  http://www.iwpr.org/index.cfm
  
• 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.preknow.org/
  
• Voices for America’s Children
  http://www.voices.org/
  
• The Erikson Institute
  http://www.erikson.edu/

PROFESSIONAL JOURNALS:

• YC Young Children
• Childhood
• Journal of Child & Family Studies
• Child Study Journal
• Multicultural Education
• Early Childhood Education Journal
• Journal of Early Childhood Research
• International Journal of Early Childhood
• Early Childhood Research Quarterly
• Developmental Psychology
• Social Studies
• Maternal & Child Health Journal
• International Journal of Early Years Education

Quotes or Writings from Two Professionals in Early Childhood Education Passion Video Segment

Louise Derman-Sparks, Professor Emeritus, Pacific Oak College, CA

As a child, Louise Derman-Sparks always wanted to be a teacher.  As she became older, she still had a passion to teach.  She felt as though she had a built in passion to make a difference in the world.  She wanted to make a difference through teaching. Her passion was in making sure that ALL children were taught in environments and in ways that truly nurtured their ability to grow and fully develop. Her passion was in creating a safer and more just world for all children.

Sandy Escobido, Deputy Field Director-Los Angelas Preschool Advocacy Initiative, California Community Foundation

Growing up, she observed her parents being actively involved in her education.  This alone made her want to be involved in the education process. Upon entering the field of Early Childhood Education. Sandy was able to see the unique opportunity individuals have in working with children. Her passion comes from having the opportunity to shape a child’s life for the better.

Raymond Hernandez, MS. Ed, Executive Director, School of Early Childhood Education, University of Southern California

His passion comes from his belief and desire to give back to children, the experiences and opportunities that were afforded to him as a child. He is dedicated to helping parents learn about the many resources that are available to children. He became an administrator because he wanted to do more, as in having an impact of benefiting children and families. His passion comes from wanting to make a difference.  He expressed, “I am not here to save the world, but to make a difference in the community he is serving.”

Renatta M. Cooper, Program Specialist, Office of Child Care, LA County Chief Administrative Office

 As a Master Teacher in the Infant and Toddler Parent Program, at the Pacific Oaks Children School, Renatta stated, “working intently with children and families was almost like earning a doctorate., because every year there was almost a specific challenge that had to be met.”  She always felt like she owed families her best.  Renatta stated, “It’s not all about you, you got to take your ego out it and do what is best for this child, and you care of them enough to help them transition to what comes next and for what’s best for them.”  

Leticia Lara, LCSW, Project Manager, Outreach and Professional Development, Zero to Three

Her passion has evolved through the years.  She explained that it’s like a ripple, as it continues to grow.  At an early age, she realized that families need support.  Today her passion, as a professional, is within affecting policy and conducting research to promote change.

Quotes from Two of My Favorite Contributors to Early Childhood Education

MARIAN WRIGHT EDELMAN

"If you don't like the way the world is, you change it. You have an obligation to change it. You just do it one step at a time." Marian Wright Edelman.

"Service is the rent we pay for being. It is the very purpose of life, and not something you do in your spare time."  Marian Wright Edelman.

SUSAN BREDEKAMP, PH.D

“Effective teachers are intentional in everything they do–they are purposeful, they’re planful, they know why they’re doing what they’re doing and they can explain it to other people." Susan Bredekamp, Ph.D

"We are decision makers. As adults caring for children, it is our responsibility to seek out and intentionally plan the best opportunities for children that support their over-all well-being and healthy development. Developmentally appropriate practice, commonly known as DAP, is a comprehensive educational perspective that supports optimal healthy development for every child. Understanding DAP - its meaning and intentional practices - is essential in guiding the decisions we make for young children."   Susan Bredekamp, Ph.D

PERSONAL CHILDHOOD WEB

My Grandfather -  "Big Daddy"- This man has been the "main" man in my life.  He is more like my father than a grandfather.  He has always been there to support me in ANYTHING.  He instilled in me the importance of education, having a voice, being inquisitive and fearing God.  He also demonstrated that it is okay to excel above the status quo or the "norm".  I love this man so much.  I am grateful to still have him in my life. This year, in November, he will celebrate his 80th birthday!!!  My grandfather was an example of charity. He believed in helping individuals from all backgrounds.  I inherited my grandfather's ability to infuse humor in every situation, giving to others in need and the ability to advocate on behalf of others effectively.

My Grandmother - "Granny"- OMG...I can not begin to describe the many qualities that this lady helped to mold and shape into my life as a child. She demonstrated to me how a woman could maintain a career, while supporting her husband's preaching ministry, caring and nurturing her family and being a pillar of strength in the community. My grandmother has always made me feel like I was the ONLY person in the world.  I have always been priority in her life.  She has always been there to provide her support.  We still talk on the phone, at least, once a week. Today, I'm so glad that my grandmother instilled in me the importance of valuing family and working hard.  Today, I'm a hard worker.  Sometimes, I work too much, but I always manage to have time to stop and recollect myself and energy.  Many people say that I have a "sweet" personality.  I know this comes from my grandmother.  My grandmother was nice to everyone she met, regardless of their race, creed, origin or socioeconomic status.

Aunt Roy Ann- "Aunt Runie"- Aunt Runie was my second mom.  I hung out with her A LOT! I guess you can say I was her shadow! She taught me how to be practical, straight forward and creative.   Aunt Runie cared for me whenever I was not with my mama.  She looked out for me and always kept me safe.  Today, I definitely have her sense of creativity.  I enjoy arranging flower arrangements.  I am also known for speaking my mind effectively. Anybody can "run off' at the mouth, but it takes courage to speak from the heart.

Uncle Wayne -  Uncle Wayne was Aunt Runie's husband. I spent a great deal of my childhood with the two of them.  Before they were married, I was the "third" wheel on many of their dates! LOL! (My grandmother was a smart woman!) Uncle Wayne was loving, caring of protective of me.  He always listened to me.  He always took time to let me explain my thoughts or ideas.  He never gave a "quick" answer.  He took time to research and give me the best possible advice and guidance.  Uncle Wayne demonstrated the ability to not judge. He believed in giving everyone a fair chance.  He believed in believing in one's God-given abilities.  He always supported me in my endeavors and ideas.  Through him, I learned what peace feels like. Throughout my life, I always strive to look at people for who they are and not what "I" think they may be.  I am not judgement, as we are all humans; therefore capable of making "many" mistakes.

My Mother - Catherine-  My mother has always been a source of love, strength and guidance. My mother taught me that the choices you make today will impact your future. That was mom philosophy about ANYTHING (finances, friends, peers, life decisions, etc)  My mother made always dressed me "to the nines". She sewed those big, poofy, fluffy dresses with a huge "can-can"! LOL!!  Yes, I guess you can say that I always looked like a little porcelain doll! Because of my mother, I am quite fond of interior design.  I have also remembered her philosophy.  It has helped me to become the lady that I am today.

I'm extremely blessed to have these individuals in my life.  With the exception of Uncle Wayne, I talk to each of them on a weekly basis. Uncle Wayne passed away, unexpectedly, in March of 2000.  My Aunt Runie remarried last year in 2010.