My mother was the biggest advocator that I know. I can remember being younger and her bringing children home with her from the day care she worked at all because she felt in her heart that they needed someone to be there for them. We did not have much to offer but she gave all she could to children who needed her. I remember one little girl in particular. My mom took her in and she practically lived with us. My mom kept her, clothed her, and fed her for many years until my mother asked the girls mom to give her at least temporary custody. The girl's mother had major health issue which she died from a couple of years ago. I have not seen the young lady since the day her mother took her back. She is now 16 or 17.
After witnessing my mother advocating for young children, I realized how passionate I really am about being an advocate. Now that my mother is no longer around, I need something to focus my time and attention on and what better than to focus on helping children and families. Advocating, at this point in my career, is very important to me because it makes me feel like I am keeping my mother's memory alive.
What a great reason to keep your mother's advocacy efforts going. It is the great advocacy efforts of others that can make a powerful impact on a young child's life such as you describe. My father shared a siilar experience as a child being brought into a home that had a family with slightly better abilities to care for his basic needs. He was still able to maintain his relationship with his bio family but was given an opportunity to make a change for himself through the love and guidance that other adults showed him. Thank you for keeping your heart open and helping children in all ways possible.
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