The foundation recognizes two major concerns related to the upbringing of children. It is our firm belief that both of these concerns must be considered at all times by parents, teachers, social workers, lawmakers, judges and all members of society.

One concern is the environment in which children are raised. The lifelong impact of childrearing has been firmly established in the research literature.  If children are raised in an environment where their needs are met, their feelings can be safely expressed, and the eyes of others provide a healthy mirror for their whole being, they can grow into healthy, self-actualizing adults.  If children are raised in abusive, negligent households where their needs are not met, their voices are suppressed, and their rights are violated, they will,  for the most part, be emotionally scarred for life and it will be a challenge to grow up into healthy, truly happy adults.

Our other concern is that children have been too long and too often treated like people in progress – rather than people today. They are not going to become people tomorrow – they are people now. Yes, they are newer and  smaller but they are not less than adults. The fact that their upbringing will have an impact on their future does not diminish the fact that today – in the present – right now – they deserve the same inalienable rights as do all human beings. They are seldom given credit for the intelligence, wisdom, and innate knowledge they already possess.

In view of our philosophy, we list the following as our guiding principles:
 

1.	Children are born good, able and unique with a natural potential to self-actualize.
2.	Children should be granted personhood, now, rather than after reaching adulthood, with the same inalienable rights granted all other human beings.
3.	Children’s physical, emotional, and cognitive needs must be met.
4.	Children need love.
5.	Children should be allowed to live their own dreams, express their own feelings, and share their own thoughts and opinions.
6.	Children need to be allowed to participate in choices that relate to their personal lives.
7.	Children often require guidance and support; children never require oppression and violence.
8.	Childhood can impact a person for a lifetime – either negatively or positively – and we must seek to make it the latter.
9.	There should be parenting classes and family decision-making classes for young people before they finish high school and for all hoping and expecting to be mothers and fathers.
10.	Children should be raised in eyes that provide a healthy, loving, nurturing mirror.
11.	Children should be raised in households that are free of violence.
12.	Children should be raised in households that are free of neglect and abuse.
13.	Children should be raised in households that are free of sexual abuse and sexual/physical boundary crossings.
14.	Children should be raised in households that are free of gender neglect and abuse.
15.	Children should be provided an educational environment that is free from peer-abuse, racism, sexism, and favoritism.
16.	Children should be provided an educational environment and curriculum that is centered around their needs, abilities and experience.
17.	Children need laws that will protect their rights.
18.	Children should be empowered in all ways that are healthy and reasonable.
19.	Children are people, too.
20.	Kids are next.

View our Philosophy, Goals, Objectives, and Graffiti Walls