30 hours of training later I’ve graduated and start my first case/internship next week. I am staying home with Jason to take advantage of this time with him but and eager to develop a career in child advocacy. Having a hand, and making an impact on the lives of children means so much to me. This is an amazing opportunity to be a powerful voice in a child’s life.
A child in the welfare system has been removed from so much more than their parents…their siblings, their home, their pets, their friends, and their school. Through no fault of their own, their entire life is turned upside down. Everything familiar is gone. When this happens, it is imperative that the child has a voice. That voice is the Guardian ad Litem Program. The Program is uniquely independent. Even as the volunteer learns the child’s wishes, and we express these wishes to the court, the Program is not bound by these wishes. Our only obligation, our sole mission, is to advocate for the child’s best interest.
The program’s volunteer base has grown to approximately 6,700 people over the last two years, and it currently represents more than 25,000 children. There are still thousands of dependent children who have no voice in court. If you are interested in helping children who have been abused, neglected and abandoned by their parents and family members, check out the Florida Guardian Ad Litem Program. If you are unable to volunteer, check out the non-profit organization tied to your local circuit program. The time and money contributed by these local organizations are essential to successfully meeting the needs of its children and volunteers.
The first blog I ever read, three years ago, was Dooce.com. She talked about poop, boobs, her dog, and her daughter. She defines Dooced as: to lose one’s job because of one’s website. I love reading her writing and checking in on her family and their new adventures. But what I really love is that both her and her husband stay home with their children and work on their blog and support the lifestyle that they were accustomed to.
I wanted to blog when Jason was born, the development is so amazing to watch and I wanted to document it for personal reasons. Brian bought me a domain and I never once wrote on it. I was pretty exhausted and was extremely critical of my writing. It wasn’t until my mothers recent visit that she was telling me how much fun her blog was, that we came up with Triple Martini Lunch.
The best part about the blog is that I’m turning my thoughts about getting involved in child advocacy efforts into a reality. I am midway through my Guardian Ad Litem, and found sponsorship to attend the Meeting the Needs of Young Children and Families Conference this month. In addition to focusing my child advocacy efforts while I’m at home with Jason and not in the work force, I am off of farmville. I was tucking Jason in at night, straightening up the house and checking on my crops. Farmville had me considering paying real money for a virtual house which ends up becoming a status symbol within their society. Now, at the end of the day, I sit down and write.
I was told by someone that I wasn’t going to get rich off of it. Last month I made enough on my google ads to get a manicure and pedicure. Since choosing to stay home with Jason my pedicures are few and far between. I will totally blog for pedicures. The industry is relatively new and there is a pretty large following. Unfortunately, we missed the 2009 Blog World Expo in Vegas, next year we’ll be there.
Today was my first day of training in becoming a Hillsborough County Guardian Ad Litem Volunteer. The program is based on a belief that every child has a right to a safe, permanent, loving home. Volunteers advocate for children who have been removed from their home as a result of neglect, abandonment or abuse. A voice is given to a child who would otherwise not have one. Together, with a program supervisor and program attorney, I will become familiar with the assigned child(ren’s) case and make recommendations to the court to help ensure a safe, stable and permanent home for the child.
Tonight we got a thorough crash course into Florida’s child welfare process and dependency court. Along with a TON of reading about the program and its standards of operation. We are going to embark into cultural diversity and understanding families next session. I learned quite a bit about Florida’s Foster Care Program and was introduced to the Heart Gallery of America. The Heart Gallery is a traveling photographic and audio exhibit created to find permanent homes for children in foster care.It has over 120 Heart Galleries across the United States designed to increase the number of adoptive families for children needing homes. You can find the local galleries in your state here.
The Florida Guardian Ad Litem Program is an extension of the national CASA Program. Both websites can help you learn more about how you can change the life of an abused or neglected child by becoming involved in your local program. Hillsborough County currently has 2700 children currently misplaced in the child welfare system and 1900 Guardian Ad Litem Volunteers. The volunteers are given a great opportunity to make a significant impact in the life of a child and it means so much to me to be a part of it. I’m hoping that this post will encourage at least one reader to check out the program and possibly volunteer.
On a recent trip to Parents Magazine’s # 1 rated zoo in the country, Lowry Park, I dropped our Nikon D60 and the lens resembled the picture above. Although it was still able to take great photos with no sign of the damage, it was dropped off today for repair. I couldn’t show you the actual damage but I found this image on istockphoto.com. My first introduction to the world of photography was in a magnet program in middle school. We learned to roll and develop our film, and process photographs in the darkroom. I really enjoyed myself and for many years I had an enlarger/dark room on my christmas list. Yes, there was an actual list addressed to Santa until I left for college. I would always end up removing the enlarger and replacing it with half a dozen other things. In high school I always had a camera around my neck and if it was missing from my neck it was always near by. I took a brief hiatus in college but always seem to have it in arms reach now that Jason is around.
After being reconnected with two old friends on facebook, and seeing their sucess with photography (Liz Lauren Photography & LH Photography) I too have considered venturing into the field of paid photography. While photography is one of my passions, my true passion lies with child advocacy. When I do decide to take a break from my day job and take on another role, its going to be a step in the direction of child advocacy….until then I will have to settle for being Jason’s advocate. However, if I were going to start a photography business it would be called Cracked Lens Photography.
And finally, the segue to the point that I wanted to write about tonight. I just finished the “about” section of my blog today and after reading it published am reminded of the Pollyanna world I live in. It is a conscious decision I make everyday to ignore the evil and the negative influences and surroundings, and gravitate towards the positive ones. I can’t watch a scary movie unless I go to themoviespoiler.com first and check the ending. I quite often cry listening to country songs and watching Publix commercials(especially the holiday ones). I prefer to avoid conflict, probably because I go just a little bit over the top once I am in it…all easily justified by the need to “stick up” for myself and loved ones.
The cracked lens on my camera reminds me of how perfect and how flawed Jason is at the same time. Today as Jason kicked me because he didn’t get his way, I thought I needed to make a note on my blog that Im not completely lost in my Pollyanna world…and am aware of just how imperfect this family is. When Jason indulges in a little bad behavior or rebells through a little self expression, I want to try and make sure he has a safe outlet to do it. When Jason does find his voice as a young child and a grown man I want him to have the confidence to express it. Thats my mission.
Thats enough expressing of my voice tonight. Goodnight.
