 |
February is Parent Recognition Month. Strengthening Families Washington, of the Department of Early Learning for Washington State, believes there is no better way to recognize a parent, grandparent, foster or adoptive parent than by acknowledging the numerous and impressive things they do to strengthen their family and those around them in their community.
Seattle's Child is proud to sponsor the Washington Unsung Hero Awards, recognizing our everyday heroes and honoring the important role caregivers play in children's lives. There are 28 nominees for the 28 days of February, and Seattle's Child will highlight each and every one.
Congratulations to the Unsung Hero for February 7:
Dawn Harrison – Yelm
Dawn Harrison is an amazing mother of two boys. Eric is 8 and was born with cerebral palsy as well as hearing loss and vision impairment. Zac is in high school and Dawn and her husband gained custody of him when he was quite young, so Dawn is "bonus" mom and primary caregiver for him as well. Dawn embodies all of the characteristics of this award and is a strong example to other parents of how a parent can deal with the challenges of having a child with special needs and also fully enjoy a rich life.
Parental Resilience:
Dawn participates in support groups, recreational activities for the whole family and for her personal self-care, has used the Helping Parent one on one match system for years and has been an HP for others for a long time. While she gets understandably upset over the challenges faced with Eric, she bounces back quickly and has an amazingly positive "can do" attitude.
Social Connections:
Dawn's extended family is strong and very involved in helping with Eric's care. Dawn and her husband stay connected in the community through his work and hers. She helps with fund raising and public awareness of the supports for her son. Dawn is very involved as a Helping Parent through South Sound Parent to Parent and she also attends the Mom to Mom support group which keeps her connected to other parents.
Social and emotional competence of children and child development:
It is my honor to see parents every day who understand and support their child's needs. Dawn is amazing with her son Eric and her step son Zac. One stand out moment was at a reading event when during the song time; Dawn was doing each of the movements for Eric and involving him physically as much as he was able. His smile and laughter were wonderful indicators that his mom knew exactly what his needs were and she gave him the gift of being able to participate with the other children rather than allowing him to be just an observer. Additionally, Dawn is the go to person for her step son. He is in high school and plays football and she and her husband are always there for him which can be a challenge when you have a child with the high needs that Eric has. Due to her experience as a parent and her empathy and knowledge, Dawn was recently hired as a Family Resources Coordinator!
Concrete Supports:
Dawn is a go getter. When she needs help, she has learned to ask for it. When she started having difficulties with the school, she attended a Wrightslaw conference to gain new understanding of the laws and is now working to bring a conference to Thurston County next fall. She calls on the staff at Parent to Parent when she needs help. When she needed to expand the size of the bathroom in her home so that Eric could be more easily bathed, she asked for help in getting a grant through Home Depot. Parent to Parent wrote the grant and it was awarded so they now have a bathroom that Eric can access. She is connected with Eric's doctors and seeks understanding of what needs to be done for her son. She is never afraid to ask for and receive help for her family.
Dawn clearly exhibits every protective factor and works to achieve them and increase them. Her family is strong, her marriage is strong and her children are happy and well adjusted. She gives back to the community and receives needed supports as well. She is an excellent candidate for the Unsung Hero Award!
Nominator: Kim Smith
