June 14, 2010

June is Children’s Awareness Month.

It marks a time for everyone to remember the importance of protecting and nurturing our young children.  Each and every one of us, from caregivers to parents to legislators and advocates… need to prioritize the safety and well being of our children.  Not all children grow up in ideal environments.  They grow up in environments marked by violence inside the home and in their neighborhoods.  They grow up in environments where families are struggling to keep food in the cabinets and where parents cannot find a neighborhood to live in where the children can safely play outside.

As I tour people through our centers and explain to them what we do on behalf of vulnerable children and their families, I am reminded of the significance of the work that we do.  We work with children at a critical point in their development: one which provides them with the essential building blocks for success in their future.  Children will only celebrate themselves if we celebrate them.  They are reliant on the adults around them to instill hope for their future and confidence in themselves and their dreams.  The work we do every day at Children’s Friend is about supporting families in celebrating the wonders of this time in a child’s life, nurturing them, and  finding ways to protect them.

Each of us needs to find a moment to be with a young child…celebrate with them…and watch their face light up with joy. 

Every child deserves an opportunity to succeed and every family deserves the support to make this a reality.