Family Action Network Member Spotlight: Bethany Henry

Meet Bethany, a Miami County parent and member of Groundwork Ohio’s Family Action Network (FAN). As a young parent and early childhood professional, Bethany has turned her own experiences into a passion for advocacy, using her voice to speak up for stronger support for young children and families. In this FAN Spotlight, she shares what inspired her to get involved, the challenges families face, and why she believes collaboration is key to creating a stronger future for Ohio’s children.

Q. Tell us a little about yourself and your family. Where are you from, and what does family life look like for you?

A. I live in a small little town called Lena, located in Conover in Miami County, Ohio. I live with my mom, dad, and my son. Typically, my days are full of work, college, and of course family time. Much of the time my son and I spend together is outside when we can with our mini goldendoodle, Topper.

Q. What inspired you to get involved in advocacy for young children and families? What’s your “why”?

A. I was inspired to get involved with advocacy after going to Capitol Hill with Child Care Choices to advocate for better child care at the Child Care Aware of America Symposium. I was beyond blessed with the opportunity to be a parent advocate focusing on hardships teenage parents face. This was all made possible through my early childhood instructor at the Upper Valley Career Center, Mrs. Heath, who has also contributed to my passion for early childhood advocacy.

Q. What are some of the biggest issues you care about as a parent or caregiver?

A. The biggest hardship I face as a parent is the struggle of finding help. As a teenage parent, many places that offer help focus on the whole family income. While this is needed, it makes it difficult to get help where needed. I notice many peers who are not as fortunate as me, get into tricky situations where they need help yet get declined. As a caregiver, I feel there is a lack of partnership between everyone in the early childhood field. This includes parents, early childhood professionals, pediatricians, and even policymakers. I feel if we were to work more together toward one goal, young children would get more support than they do now.

Q. What was your first experience with advocacy like?

A. My first experience with advocacy was with Child Care Choices at the Child Care Aware of America Symposium in Washington, D.C. I felt not only inspired by the presence of other early childhood professionals and parents but also empowered to do better. I had the opportunity to go to Capitol Hill and talk to different policymakers for Ohio about the need for better child care. I was able to communicate my personal hardships along with my hardships as an educator.

Q. What are your hopes for the future of Ohio’s children and families?

A. My hope for the future of Ohio’s children and families is to feel supported and together. I feel as though right now there is so much disconnect between early childhood educators, families, and the government. Working together to nurture each child's brain and growth is the first step to creating a loving and caring environment. Rather than taking the lead, collaboration should be the start. In Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA), I learned that leadership is not necessarily about bringing power but more so about collaborating.

Q. What message would you share with other families who feel like they’re alone in this work?

 A. My message that I would share with other families that feel alone in this work is to advocate. This sounds like a big and scary word, but advocating can be something as simple as expressing the same concern repeatedly to your pediatrician. This can mean talking to the director at a child care center.

Advocacy does not have to be an elaborate practice. I feared this word as well, until I began to realize, you do not have to be a powerful person, you just need to collaborate and be confident within yourself.

Q. What does it mean to you for every young child to reach their full potential?

A. For every child to reach their full potential, it means the start of a new world to me.

Children are our next big leaders. As role models for children, we can begin this by practicing the same morals we teach. As an early childhood professional, this means offering support to any family and child despite backgrounds or families. This means being there for each other and giving the children a safe environment and help adults work to learn the skills they need to lead the world.