The essential art of not giving a *uck

When we advocate for kids we often get to a point where we have to make a soulful choice between giving up or continuing the fight.

What do advocates for kids fight for? Among other things we fight for things like equity, access to learning that is purposeful and meaningful, access to materials and assignments that are worthy of a child’s time. Or we advocate for access to facilities that are clean and well-kept and well-stocked with everything that will nurture a child’s curiosity. We advocate for health, wellbeing, and safety.

Why is there a soulful choice to be made for so many advocates? Because usually those that work on behalf of or for children are intensely passionate. Their drive (their “end game”) is the improvement of the lives of kids.

Their frustration lies in the complexities of the systems and services that are intended to serve our children well.

Systematic change takes up to 10 years to be fully realized. Top that with the fact that some of our most accessible advocates are underpaid often undervalued and highly important to our children and you have a bit of a situation.

How can it not be hard to advocate when you are facing an uphill battle?

When you’re advocating for kids it becomes hard. Hard, because you essentially have to…