Seattle's Child

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Congratulations Unsung Hero: Sayuri Foster

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 14: Sayuri Foster – Oak Harbor, WA:

I facilitate a Play and Learn group called Baby Connections in Oak Harbor, WA. Three years ago, a new Oak Harbor resident attended with her two year old child. As the wife of a deployed Navy Sailor, she, like so many others in our Oak Harbor community, faced the challenge of parenting a young child alone while her husband served his country. As a Japanese national who was not confident about her English, the parent of a child in an unfamiliar culture, and the new co-owner of a fixer-upper home, she had to call upon her inner strength to survive and thrive. When we first met, it was difficult for Sayuri to feel comfortable enough to talk in English with strangers. Her voice trembled while she worked hard to express herself and understand others. She showed great courage as she pushed through her initial feelings of shyness to connect with other mothers.

Sayuri continued to attend Baby Connections with her daughter Karina, and strengthened her connections with other families, supporting Karina's friendships and social skills. After the earthquake in Japan, she made an announcement to the whole group, informing everyone about opportunities to assist in the rebuilding. At the time, I was impressed with her persistence in overcoming a feeling of shyness and fear of public speaking.

When Karina outgrew Baby Connections, I asked Sayuri if she would like to continue coming as my assistant. To my joy, she said "yes!" She has been assisting me since September of 2011, volunteering 3-4 hours every Friday during the school year.

Since that time Sayuri's help has been wonderful. For instance, it was Sayuri who took the time to focus on welcoming a child into the group. The child was too afraid to come into the room. Sayuri went out and played with the girl on the staircase. Sayuri's personal experience with shyness gave her a deep understanding of this little girl's need to take her time getting used to the new experience. This is a wonderful example of a person using her own personal challenges to know how to open doors for others. Sayuri's gentle presence enables others to feel comfortable and safe.

When we have discussions with mothers about common parenting concerns like sleep, eating, and separation, Sayuri has the generosity to share her story, which enables others to share theirs. The learning from each other develops into a reflective way of thinking. Friendships develop, and the community connections grow.

Sayuri helps with the practical work, too…we set up and clean up together! She works hard, all as a volunteer!

Sayuri's assistance has allowed me to expand the number of people we serve. When she first attended, the typical group size was 3-7 families. Now we serve a range of 28-35 children from about 30 families each week!

Sayuri Foster deserves to be honored and thanked. Her husband's assignment will change to another base in another state in March. We will miss her terribly. She will be arriving in a new community with more confidence and knowledge, and much to contribute. I would love to be able to send her off with official recognition from DEL.

Nominator: Janet Staub

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