Consider...Aliya and Mei

At age 25, Aliya has 4 children aged 7 and under. Aliya dropped out of school in Grade 10 because she was pregnant. She was a strong student up until that time. She grew up in a remote northern community but has lived in Winnipeg for the past 3 years. She is not married but for a long time she has been with the same partner who is the father of all her children. Recently Aliya enrolled in an Early Childhood Education program at a college in which she is doing extremely well. Her children appear to be thriving. The oldest, in Grade 2, is excelling in school and is well-adjusted socially. The middle two are in kindergarten and a preschool head start program respectively. Aliya’s mother and her partner care for the baby while Aliya is in school. Despite her busy life and many responsibilities, Aliya is a patient, nurturing parent most of the time who takes great pleasure in her “babies”. They do not have much in terms of material goods, but she takes the children to the library regularly and recently was able to buy a computer, which she can use for schoolwork and the children use for games. The family lives in a rough neighbourhood in the city, the only area where they can afford rent. There is a high crime rate and many local adolescents are pressured to join gangs. The local elementary school is renowned for community activism and attracts committed, innovative teachers. The head start program in the area is of high quality and emphasizes Indigenous language and culture as well as good early childhood practice.

Mei is a 32-year-old stay-at-home parent of two active preschool boys aged 5 and 3. She has been married to her husband Richard for 8 years. They live in a middle-class suburb in a city to which they moved two years ago. Richard’s career involves a lot of travel, so he is usually away several days a week. When he is home, he spends a lot of time with the boys and tries to give Mei a break. He loves sports and has encouraged his children in this area. Mei loves her children but often feels overwhelmed by their energy and demands. She has no family nearby and does not know many other mothers. The television is usually on in the home and in their van as she drives them to school and does errands. The eldest boy is not settling particularly well in kindergarten and the teachers have called the parents several times about incidents where he has been aggressive with other children. They are thinking of changing schools. He is not aggressive at home. The youngest is an easy-going child but he is just beginning to talk in sentences. The children go to a private school that emphasizes academic readiness and skills.