After a somewhat calm morning at Mainspring, this is what I encountered in my day…
11:40 A surprise visit from one of the foundations that funds a wonderful Fine Arts program at the School. As I walk them through the school, everywhere we look wonderful things are going on. Children are being read to, teachers are playfully and imaginatively teaching, kids are being held. Every child is fully and happily engaged. Every teacher is doing a fabulous job. There is beautiful kid-produced art everywhere. I’m so proud of this staff that my pride goes full-circle into humility that I get to be part of it.
12:30 We just interviewed and hope to hire a new school social worker who seems full of E’s: experienced, enthusiastic, eager, and speaks Espanol. She is replacing our former school social worker who is leaving for many reasons, one of which is that it is a big job that can wear down your spirit when you try and try to intervene for a child who’s parents are in denial or non-responsive. That doesn’t happen often here, but we’ve had a really troubling case that has ended in disappointment. Mainspring is surely among the most ardent child advocates, but there is only so much we can do when a parent won’t participate. .
12:40 I realize we haven’t done anything for a dear employee who is leaving us for her dream job as a teaching fellow at KIPP. We hurriedly send around a card for the staff to sign. Oh, do we hate losing her! But it is a reality that when we cannot pay a decent wage that bright, young, committed staff can only work for us for so long; they must move on to better paying jobs. Low wages are a problem in all of childcare, but especially so for centers like Mainspring where we serve a majority of low-income children whose tuition payments are so low. And the irony of that is that the most important task in a young child’s development is to develop trust and relationship with their stable caregivers which they can later transfer to other situations in their lives.
1:00 A board member calls me to see if I can find a family who would enjoy five tickets to the Longhorn game. Yeah. Our families are generally very low-income and to get to go to a Longhorn game is in their dreams but beyond their capability. I run through our list of children and think of two different father/son duos that would enjoy a special event.
One of the dads is the divorced father of a little boy at our school. Mom just remarried AND had a new baby. The son, who was surely the center of her world, has had to make room on his throne for two others. He has been acting out at school (where it is safe) and the adults are getting concerned. A very special time with dad seems to be just what is called for.
The other dad is the guardian of his sister’s boy….the sister is under the spell of drugs. This dad is a true dad to the boy; he is supportive and firm and fun all at the same time. Observing them, I often wonder, “Who saved who here?” Both dads are thrilled beyond words.
1:10 A dear and generous donor calls to tell me that her monthly bingo group raised $400 and 9 hams for us to give to families. I hung up and immediately called a mom who I know is living on the edge financially and emotionally. This young mother had three children of her own. Her brother and his wife had three boys. The brother’s wife chose to leave….another mother under the spell of drugs. The father is in a half-way house. Our young mom all of a sudden has six kids; three of whom are suffering the emotional fall-out of having been abandoned by their parents. Her husband just got a $1 per hour pay cut when his business was bought out by another. It was close to a 10% cut. Her response to the donations was, “I have enough food for Saturday, but I didn’t know how I was even going to feed them on Sunday.” And then she asked, “Why are people being this nice to us?” I don’t know, but if I were getting to add to the Sermon on the Mount, I would surely add, “Blessed are the donors; for in giving, they receive.” They may not always see what they receive, but I get to witness it; and what they create with their generosity is nothing short of life-saving.
2:00 It is quiet for a moment and I get to put the finishing touches on a proposal to United Way for funding for next year. United Way—and their Success By Six program—are big funders and even bigger supporters of the effort to provide quality early education to disadvantaged children in our community. They know that early interventions (while young brains are still forming) that provide rich language, varied experiences, and social-emotional supports, can make a lifelong difference is the prospects for a disadvantaged child. Maybe I would also add, “Blessed is United Way; for they are plugging away to do the most for the least in our community.”
3:10 I go get one of the older infants that teachers are worried about. The child isn’t producing any words yet and, in frustration at being unable to convey wishes and needs, has been poking and grabbing other children beyond what is typical at this age. Mom told the teachers in the parent conference that she spends only an hour a day with the child and that hour is spent feeding and bathing. This little one needs extra holding and language. I’m resolved to find 10 minutes a day to spend in one-on-one time with the child.
3:45 The pre-K teacher comes to me and asks for an envelope. As I get it, she tells me she is mailing a child’s drawing and shows it to me. The child had asked the teachers to write these words on top of the drawing: “Dad, I’m sorry you’re in prison. Hang this on your wall and think of me. I miss you.”
5:50 The rest of the afternoon flew by. I don’t think I got to check-off one thing on my ever-expanding To Do List. But that doesn’t matter. I got to laugh with children, support families, witness incredible bravery in the face of big struggles, and so much more. It is a blessing and an honor to spend my days at Mainspring and the wonderful people who walk through our door.
~ Rudi Andrus, Executive Director
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