Radical Acts of Hope

In the past month, I've had the honor of keynoting two large early childhood gatherings -- the CAAEYC state "Cultivating Relationships" conference in Pasadena and the Alberta Family Childcare Association's "You Make a Difference" conference in Calgary. I relish the opportunity to be on the big stage where I hope to inspire early childhood educators, to make them laugh, cheer, and reflect on their vital work. But what makes these weekends special is the mingling, those moments in the hallways, over meals, and in the coffee lines, connecting over the thing that makes our work universal: the children.

I've had the privilege of doing this with ECEs from all over the world -- China, Greece, Vietnam, Australia, Kazakhstan, Iceland -- and everywhere I go, no matter the geography, culture or political system, I find myself swept up in the essential and eternal commitment, love, and unbridled optimism that characterizes the people who dedicate their lives to our youngest citizens. Perhaps our's is simply a profession that attracts these relentlessly hopeful people, but I think it just as likely that we are the product of working with young children.

Of course, we complain. Of course, we face challenges. Of course, we are bone tired at the end of the day. Of course, we despair over the state of education, of society, and of the world. That's only natural for anyone paying attention. But the blessing of working with young children is that they are a constant and profoundly persuasive reminder of the essential goodness and capacity of humanity. It makes us hopeful in a world that despairs. That is our superpower.

Every single day, we are witness to the kind of "progress" that contradicts the gloom of cynics. We are there as these young humans pick themselves up when they fall; do things that frustrated them only yesterday; show us how to take comfort and derive strength from one another; and find joy in the smallest of things. 

These women, and it's mostly women, know what it is to spend their days immersed in the only thing that really matters at the end of the day, making a difference and cultivating relationships. These gatherings always feel like celebrations of picking ourselves up, persevering, learning, and growing. We shake our fists together at the powers that be, at those who would rob children of their childhoods in the name of test scores, and who seem ignorant of what stands at the core of life itself.

As I mingle, I hear stories of courage and subversion (in the best sense of that word), about standing up to bureaucrats, pushing back against school boards, convincing policy makers, swaying elections, and challenging authority of all kinds. And just as often, there are stories of compassion, patience, and coming together, of dropping to our knees to wipe a runny nose or gather a child into the hug they need.

In a world that worships fame, power, and money, our very existence is revolutionary.

I am honored to be included in this sisterhood. I'm honored each time a child trusts me enough to allow me to pick them up when they're crying. I'm honored by the warmth of their tears on my shoulder. We know that the world simply could not function without us, even if the world itself is blithely unaware, or even dismissive.

Inspired by young children, we pick ourselves up, we persevere, and we do what's right even if it means breaking the rules. This is what unifies ECEs no matter where we are. These are the radical acts of hope that unite us across cultures and oceans.

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Even the most thriving play-based environments can grow stale at times. I've created this collection of my favorite free (or nearly free) resources for educators, parents, and others who work with young children. It's my gift to you! Click here to download your own copy and never run out of ideas again!

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