Jayda* is a mom who has two children attending House of Ruth’s Kidspace Child and Family Development Center. She is expecting, and is looking forward to enrolling her third child as well. Jayda has been through many challenges and traumas, and Kidspace has been an important constant in Jayda and her children’s lives.
Jayda says, “Kidspace has been great to my family. Being a single mother is not always easy, but having the support from my Kidspace family has been a tremendous help. They help provide my kids with food, milk, diapers, wipes, bibs, and more.”
Jayda has formed strong relationships with Kidspace staff and with other Kidspace parents. She is a very active, loving, and supportive parent. She is a good advocate and will speak up about shared concerns from fellow parents. She utilizes the resources available at Kidspace — seeking out advice on how best to support her children’s development, and willingly connecting to resources to help improve her own well-being.
When Jayda has a question or a concern, she reaches out to our Family Engagement Specialist. She is open to parenting advice and she effectively implements newly learned parenting techniques at home. At one point, Jayda had some concerns about her daughter’s ability to manage emotions and express herself. Jayda now says Kidspace was instrumental in helping her daughter communicate more using words. Our staff sees her children thriving, and we are proud to partner with Jayda on her parenting journey.
Our staff is here for Jayda in many ways. When she went through a domestic violence situation, we were able to connect her to House of Ruth’s Domestic Violence Support Center to receive counseling. As her family expands, we are working with her to try to find a living space that will meet her family’s needs. She recently lost her job at a social service agency due to the ongoing effects of the pandemic, and has just begun receiving unemployment checks. After she recovers from the birth of her third child, we will be there to provide encouragement and support as Jayda looks to secure a new position.
*Name has been changed.