Welcome to Thrive!

60, 1,285, and 43,800…… these 3 numbers signify the number of months, days, and hours in the first 5 years of life. We have all heard the statement “The first 5 years are the most important years of a person’s life”. As an Early Childhood Professional, I have grappled with the weight of the impact that I can make in the lives of children in my classroom. I wanted to take advantage of every day because I believed that every day mattered; giving my very best so that each child could have the best chance going forward. While I am no longer in the classroom, and I reflect back I realize that the impact that I make in the lives of the parents of those children far outweighs the impact I make in the children themselves. You see, in my 10 years of teaching I have learned that teaching children is great and beautiful and at the same time imparting to parents is great and beautiful too. Parents frustrated with the uncertainties of their child’s development, unsure of the transition from early childhood program to grade school or how to handle tough conversations with administration.

Now a year out of the classroom, I am still imparting to parents I interact with. I find myself grieved with the desire to provide answers many parents desperately seek. Now I do not believe that I have all the answers but I do believe that I have been graced with a level of wisdom to help ease the weight of 1,285 days. In today’s world, there can be many options, choices, belief systems, social media telling us how to parent. I believe that while the first 5 years come with many challenges, they are meant to be more than something that we survive but thrive. This blog was created to be a resource for families to advocate for and support the needs of their little one; free of judgment or ridicule. No parent is perfect, nor method is right yet I do believe that we can all glean and learn from one another if we are willing. Whether you are on day 1 or 1,281 I believe there is still time for you to ‘thrive’.