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:
Shylo Oakley – Silverdale
Shylo embodies the kind of resilience to which we all aspire. The stress of military life is great and her ability to cope with the added responsibilities of managing a household solo are commendable. Her husband leaves with little notice, for unknown periods of time. While other spouses with young children take the opportunity to move "back home" while the submarine is away, Shylo stays in the area for a plethora of reasons.
Shylo has a toddler who, through early intervention, was identified as having expressive speech delay. Instead of hiding from the diagnosis, she has become a strong advocate for early intervention and an inspiration to other mothers facing similar situations. In the Navy, it's easy to let a child go undiagnosed because doctors are often being rotated in and out of the clinics. Shylo aggressively sought screening and embraced the services available to ensure the best outcome possible for her child. She is committed to making sure her son never misses a speech appointment or school.
Another reason Shylo stays in the area is because of her involvement in her husband's command's Family Readiness Group. As the FRG President, she's responsible for creating a healthy and positive social support network for spouses and loved ones. She coordinates all of the Sunshine Committee efforts organizing supports like meals, house cleaning and emergency child care during crises. Deployed service members are not always able to come home immediately when bad things happen. Sometimes children, parents or spouses die. Sometimes a house may be robbed or catch on fire. When these things happen, the Sunshine committee steps in to assist and support.
In addition to the Sunshine committee, Shylo facilitates monthly meetings with guest speakers that present a number of topics such as "The Emotional Cycle of Deployment." She also organizes events like "Baby Mingle" where new moms bring their infants to a cafe for a couple of hours to get out of the house and talk to adults.
Shylo participates in a voluntary program called the New Parent Support Group, which is a visiting program that works to educate parents in the development of their children (birth-3). She works very hard to be the very best mother she can for her two children. Her commitment is praiseworthy.
Shylo is an unsung hero. I hope this is the time when she'll be recognized for her service to others.
Nominator: Tiffany Stutesman
Shylo also puts forth an effort to make new families who come aboard the USS Maine extremely welcome. Being a new family of a boat or ship in a new place can be overwhelming, and scary if you are just new to military lifestyle in general. With every move, you have to start over with making friends for you and your children. You have to rebuild that awesome support system you just left that you used so frequently when your husband was deployed to get that break or for an emergency.
And if you are new to the military life in general, everything seems twice as hard and you feel like a ship lost at sea. But Shylo is there at hand with a Welcome Aboard Packet, every important phone number you need along with her very own. She throws out the lifeline of hope and friendship. She is the compass and the beacon of light that provides you direction with the unlimited resources that many of us never knew existed. Shylo unknowingly just started your support system and provided you with hope, relief and the understanding that you were looking for amongst your arrival at your new home of duty. She makes it known that you are not alone in the new stormy sea called home.
Shylo is an unsung hero at heart with many new and old families who come to USS Maine. There needs to be more people like her in the military spousal community. Especially for the wives who are new and who need to be shown the ropes of handling the emotional cycle of deployment ups and downs.
Nominator: Bobbie McQuinley
