This piece was written by Jackie Dudock in March of 2016 to commemorate PATCH’s 40th Anniversary

During the late 1960’s and early 1970’s, I was a young mother who had just realized our household needed a second income. I had degrees in Education and Psychology so there were options. I loved being a mom and had a serious interest in providing the best experiences possible during the earliest years for my child. A search for a care situation outside of my home was actually discouraging, even frightening at times. On a visit to one facility, I approached the fence surrounding a dusty, open area of red dirt. Clinging to the gate were four small keiki in underwear, tear stains on dirty little faces. They reached out, holding on to my skirt as I made my way up the cracked cement walk, toward a smiling, attractive, pregnant young woman. As I approached her, I noticed one of my companions had a strong odor and his BVDs were full and hanging low. I laughed a little and said, “it looks like this little guy needs a change.” “We don’t do that here”, she replied, “they’re supposed to be toilet trained.”