Quotes that Inspire Me

Bill Clinton-

Bill Clinton was the 42nd President of the United States. During his term in office, he increased the budget for Head Start up to 90%. The Clinton family still remains advocates for children.

The Clinton Family in the 1970's -Google Images

The Clinton Family: Today-Google Images

Bill Clinton's Famous Quote about Children:

Date: September 29, 2012

“Individual character involves honoring and embracing certain core ethical values; honesty, respect, responsibility… Parents must teach their children from the earliest age the difference between right and wrong. But we must all do our part."

- Bill Clinton

Clinton said this quote in a speech he gave in 2012. This quote is important to me because it clarifies the quote, "It takes a village to raise a child"- Hillary Clinton. Sometimes we place a lot of pressure on the parents, but we are apart of the children's lives as well. According to Urie Bronfenbrenner's Bioecological Model of Development, teacher, caregivers, child care centers and schools are just as important as the family of the child, because they are all located in the microsystem, the level closest to the individual. So the part of the quote that says, "But we must all do our part." spoke to me as saying, we all have a part in the child's life, it's a team effort. 

Susan Bredekamp

Susan Bredekamp is also known as "Sue". Sue has written several books over developmentally  appropriate practices, and helping children to learn how to read and write.

Susan Bredekamp- Google Images

Google Images

Susan Bredekamp Quote about Children:

 “Learning to read and write is the key to success in school and later in life (2001).” 

-Sue Bredekamp

Sue wrote this comment when she was writing to the House of Representatives, the letter was informing them House of Representatives how important reading and writing is for young children. I agree with this because I never realized how much I read and write in one day, just to function daily. In order to help children to be successful in life these skills have to be taught, but in a timely fashion, and in an age appropriate way. 

Raymond Hernandez MS ED.

Raymond Hernandez is the Executive Director of the School of Early Childhood Education at the University of Southern California.

Google Images

Raymond Hernandez Quote about The Passion for Early Childhood:

"I feel like I have a commitment to the service that I want to give them, because of the experiences I've had growing up myself."

-Raymond Hernandez

Hernandez said this quote when he was talking about his passion for the early childhood field. This quote resonated with me, because I believe that is one of the reasons I am in the early childhood field. I can still remember the child care center I attended as a child. The building is no longer there, but I remember the teachers I had and the experiences I had while I was there. I can remember taking off my shoes at nap because my feet were hot, and when I would wake up, they were mysteriously back on. I want to give back, and do my best because of the women in the child care center who took care of me did.I want to ensure that children receive similar experiences that I had when I was growing up.

Renatta M. Cooper

 Renatta is a program specialist for the office of child care at the LA County Chief Administrative Office.

Google Images

Renatta M. Cooper Quote about The Passion for Early Childhood:

"I always felt like I've owed other families my best"

-Renatta M Cooper

Cooper said this quote when she was talking about her passion for the early childhood field. I picked this quote because I felt the same way when I was a teacher in my preschool classroom. I wanted to be a support system for parents, and often parents look to the teacher for insight about their children. I remember always trying to do my best, to not let the children or their families down. I always felt honored that families chose to allow me to teach and take care of their most valuable thing on this planet, their child.

Personal Childhood Web

People Who Care about Me: I will be the first to admit, I am not an easy character, I am loud, active and very outspoken! But I am so happy that these people love me anyway, and they are all apart of my Microsystem because they all have had a direct impact to me!
1. My Mother: 
I have been so blessed to have this woman as my mother! Everyday I thank God for allowing us to be a pair. I am who I am because of her, she is the foundation in my life. Over the years we have grown closer together and been able to communicate effectively together. My mother is my biggest cheerleader and without her I don't know what I would do. Go MOM!!!

2. My Grandmother (Granny):
There is no bond greater than a granny and her grand-baby. My granny is my favorite person on this planet. I can call her about anything and she will listen, and it doesn't hurt that she likes to keep me in fashion. This is another person that I thank God for daily, because she has made me the person that I am today and the woman I am going to be. Go Granny!

3. My Aunt Mona:
Can I say "partner-n-crime!?!?" My aunt Mona is the one person I can shop and laugh with until we drop. She is my also my biggest supporter. Every time I have thought about doing something life changing, she has always given me the advice to push forward and do it. GO AUNT MONA!!!

4. Kendrick:

Many people are blessed with siblings, I was blessed with cousins! Kendrick is the brother I never had. We are extremely close and share all secrets with each other. Now since we are both in college, we talk about our experience as young adults trying to make it through this life. GO KENDRICK!!!

5. My Bestfriends (Erica and Brittany):
I have known Erica (right of photo) since I was born, her mom and my aunt Mona are bestfriends. There isn't one memory of my life that Erica is not apart of. We have so many memories of growing up and hanging out. She has my back no matter what I do and she doesn't judge me when I make mistakes, I am so glad that she is my bestfriend. I met Brittany (lady in white shirt), six years ago. She and I were working at a child development center together working in the toddler classroom. One thing that is great about our friendship is that we both work in the child development field, so we speak the child development language. GO ERICA AND BRITTANY!!!

Lets Take This Moment For Introductions!

    Introduction

Welcome to my blog! I am so excited to have you read all the crazy things that comes and goes through my Adult-Toddler brain.  Ever wonder why I would named this blog the Adult-Toddler Brain? I truly believe that we have a little toddler inside of all of us!

(google images)

   Blast from the Past

This is one of my favorite pictures of me, I would be the dancer in the front of the picture with the blue shorts and flower bows, the little girl standing next to me staring into the camera would be my wonderful bestfriend! What's great about this picture is that not much as changed. I can still match my clothes to a tee and still love to dance no matter who is watching!

     Living in the Present

This is me now! Oh how I've have grown! This picture was taken on the journey of finding myself, a journey that I still find myself on. 

        Favorite Book: 

  The Giving Tree 

      By: Shel Silverstein

google images

This is my favorite book of all time. I was introduced to this book when I was in the first grade, and every since then, I have love this book. Ever children's book teaches a lesson of some short, and this book taught me relationships, and how strong relationships can last over time. I can't wait to share this book with children of my own someday.

"I Believe that Children are Our Future, Teach Well and Let them Lead the Way..."- Whitney Houston

So lets jump back into the time machine, and go back to (I won't say what year, don't want to state my age just yet) to the fourth grade, at T.A.Brown Elementary school in Austin, Texas, to the end of the school year talent show. On the stage there is a 10 year old little girl singing  her heart out to the "Greatest Love of All" by Whitney Houston. Who is this girl, (wait for it, wait for it)...me! That's right I sang this song at my fourth grade talent show, not as good as Whitney (come on it's Whitney), but I sang with just as much heart and passion! I should have been a super star, I had skills...kind of!

My Passion: Early Childhood!!!

YES and MORE YES! So I didn't plan for this to happen. It really did just sort of happen. Here is the story. 

I was in high school working at a supermarket, and my friend told me about a job at a daycare down the street from my high school.  I was excited because the supermarket was about 20 minutes and the daycare was only 5 minutes away.  By this time, I was already accepted to college and my major was going to be Mass Communications. 

My first day at the Child Care center was unlike anything I had ever imagined. I had never taken care of a child for more than 2 hours at Sunday school, and suddenly my main job was to take care of children for at least 4 hours. I was placed in the infant classroom with ten crying babies on different schedules with two other teachers. I can still remember the pain in my right arm from holding the children. I don't know the exact moment I knew I wanted to know more about child development, but I remember when I was at college orientation and when the guy said, "Is there anybody who wants change their major?" I shot up and waved my hand, and almost broke my neck running to the registrar office. 

The rest is history! I have been an assistant teacher, lead teacher, high school teacher and Supervisor of a childhood program. I am now working as a Director Mentor for a non-profit organization. My job is to work with Child Care homes and centers to help the program become a quality program and for the center to become accredited through our state's quality rating system, NAC and NAEYC.