WHY ME?

Advocate:  a person who pleads for or in behalf of another; intercessor.

Through the years I have found myself in the position of fighting for my children.  With schools. With their health care. And with others who don’t understand or value them.  My children have been diagnosed (and in some cases misdiagnosed) with ADHD, Ulcerative Colitis, Tourette syndrome, giftedness, learning disabilities, Bipolar Disorder, Hepatitis B, FASD, congenital heart disease and more. I have found that I had to step in (and up) in order to get the best care, soundest understanding and appropriate services.  Unfortunately, we have come in contact with many agencies and individuals that are more concerned with expediting, ease or expense than they are with our children’s needs.

Our children are vulnerable.  Through the ages children have been given voice and championed by many.  As Dr. Seuss says, “A person’s a person, no matter how small.” Frederick Douglass is famous for saying, “It is easier to build strong children then to heal broken men.”  Even scripture implores us to “speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves.” (The Message, Proverbs 31:8)

But one needn’t be a celebrity, an expert, an author, a politician or a miracle worker to give children a voice. In many cases we are in a position to help… help them get the education they need, a family who loves them, the healthcare that is crucial and the services that allow them to reach their maximum potential as children of God.  But in order to be effective as their advocate, we must be informed, equipped and resourceful.

Almost every day I come in contact with a parent, an extended family member, a teacher, a friend who is struggling with how to advocate for a child they love.  The Internet is full of an overload of information.  There are numerous books on just about every subject imaginable.  The world is full of experts it seems. 

I have found the most trustworthy, valuable resources are those that come from people who have been in the trenches.  That is how Be A Child’s Advocate was sparked in my heart and mind.  To offer a place where resources can be shared that will benefit the children for whom we are called to advocate.  Whether that be our child (by birth, adoption or foster care), a student, an orphan or a client.

I hope you will join me in this journey.  I am excited to see how ordinary people, like you and me, can be the catalyst a child needs to be who they are meant to be.

Questions for thought (feel free to share!):

1. Is there a child on your heart for whom you feel called to advocate?
2. What is your greatest obstacle to stepping up and stepping out to be their champion?