I am mad. No… I am FURIOUS. I am scared, worried disappointed… How did we get to this place? A place with metal detectors… always closed blinds… always closed and locked doors, curriculums banned, history distorted… It’s so dark. It’s so lonely. It’s so scary.

Just a mere 10 years ago I was a bright eyed excited eager and ready to go college graduate. Ready to take on the world… to bring a classroom to life! Bring early childhood to life. Full of sunshine, friendships, freedom, energy and fun. Learning was happening just because we were together. We laughed, we loved, we learned.

Now… I’m exhausted. I’m overworked. I’m burnt out. Underpaid. Others are too. What once began as a passion is now a source of stress sadness and fear. I’ve spent so much time energy blood sweat and tears to give up now. I am challenging myself to dig deeper. I’ve done it before and I’ll do it again.

We are always changing, growing, learning just like the field, the classroom and the students and colleagues we surround ourselves with every day. . We need to remember to slow down take time for ourselves understand ourselves be kind to ourselves

I am moving in a new direction. Just like the curriculums, educators, young learners, and environments we surround ourselves with every day… We are constantly growing, learning and changing. It is ok to move a new direction. It’s ok to change the path.. to individualize for yourself. We need to remember to take care of ourselves especially in the times we face today. We cannot “take from an empty bucket” as the saying goes. What are you doing to fill YOUR bucket? Invest in yourself. Me? I’ve taken an L.O.A. from work, found a therapist, found a neurologist, exercise every day, I wrote a children’s book, I started this blog.

I want early childhood to thrive. I want to help others to find their passion and themselves. I want to help educators to be the best they can be. I want to help parents/guardians/family members understand their worth and their role in a child’s development. I want to make learning safe, fun and true. I want to help connect educators/families/and the early childhood field to nature, action, and the world!

I am excited for my new path and journey. As Ghandi once said, “Be the change you want to see.” Let’s BE the change.