Kristin White is a mom and early childhood professional from Saint Joseph. Kristin has many years of experience in the field of early care and education and has also navigated Missouri’s systems as both a biological and an adoptive parent. Kristin knows how important parents are when it comes to advocating for their children, and she encourages all parents to learn as much as they can about these systems and ECE in general so they can express the needs of their kids in an effective way and put them on the best path in life. Get to know Kristin here!
How did you become an advocate for early childhood education?
I began working in Early Childhood in April of 2008, I was a teacher to begin with & became a Director in 2014 to 2021. In 2021 I took on my current position as an Infant & Toddler specialist where I work with & coach teachers in Early Childhood programs to increase the quality of interactions between the children & teachers, not just coaching them but also being a support to them. From 2014 to 2022 I was a licensed Medical Foster Home this put me directly into the path of our most vulnerable children. These children were not easy & I worked very closley with their teachers, teams of professionals and biological parents to help them be the best that they could be. It was then that I knew that our families, children and teachers deserve to have a voice to represent them and I felt that I could do just that.
Why do you think it’s important to be an advocate as a parent?
As a parent of 4 adopted children and 2 biological children I am the one that is in the trenches, I am the one that knows what I need, what my children need, and what resources are working and not working for me. Who better to be an advocate for parents…. than a parent.
Why should Missouri invest more in child care and early education?
The children that are in our programs will eventually grow up to be our doctors, chefs, nurses, police officers, firemen, teachers, childcare providers… among other careers. They deserve to have a good foundation to build those lives on. In order to have a strong healthy future, we have to have strong healthy families and in order to provide for those families, parents have to have quality childcare.
In one sentence, what does the ideal child care and early education system look like for Missouri families?
An ideal system would be accessible, affordable, inclusive, staffed by qualified & compensated professionals, that provides a safe, stimulating environment with a developmentally appropriate curriculum.
What is one thing you’ve learned about advocacy that you’d like to share with others?
That you have to tell your “WHY” you have to tell your story & you have to be willing to communicate it to others. My story is powerful and I belong here to tell it.