Check Out Melissa Hartley’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Melissa Hartley

Hi Melissa, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Good afternoon I am Melissa Hartley and a single mother to four young adult children and Nana to a beautiful six year old girl. I started saving on traveling when my children were young is when my love of traveling began. As a way to get away to relax and have fun with my kids without the stressors of the world. So began my love of traveling as a single mother and learned ways to save money and tips on traveling with kids. Also I got into advocating for children in the Early Childhood field. I already had a passion for Teaching preschool and began advocating when my children were little, I was advocating for my children and all other children to be the voice for them and other parents.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Has it been a smooth road? Heck no what is a smooth road when everything is all on you and you carry all of the burdens. Did I make it look easy yes at times , but there were times that I would cry at night when my kids were a sleep. No one sees all the things that single mothers do or have to do just to provide for their children. I worked two jobs and was attending college to make life better for my children. Was I a perfect parent no but I did my best and never missed a parent teacher conference or anything my children did. Also the most important thing that kept me together was my Faith in God I prayed and prayed and went to church and God Blessed me through it all. Days were rough and hard where I was tired from going from one job to the next to make sure my children were provided for and kept a roof over their heads. So yes there where days I struggled but I pushed on and my children were my motivation to provide them with a better life.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I specialize in Teaching Preschool and my own traveling business showing single mothers how to travel on a budget and my advocating for Early Childhood Education. Teaching preschool takes a special kind of person for not everyone is equipped to teach or have the passion and love for it like I do. Teaching and inspiring young minds to make them children who will advocate for themselves and become children who wont be afraid to challenge their teacher with questions on what they are learning. When I started traveling and made a business out of it I would use my traveling into my teaching for a lot of my students haven’t even traveled to the library or local places in their own city. I would take lots of pics and use them in the classroom to help children expand their minds and families. I would put together a list every year of affordable or free things for families to do during the summer to keep kids minds busy and not stuck in front of the television. My advocating ties all three together for advocating you travel and teach all in one. MY advocating allows me to fight for the voiceless who cant fight for themselves. I am most proud of how far I have come in life my with my hardwork and determination to make a better life. What sets me apart from everyone else is that Im a different type of woman where I don’t wanna be like everyone else I wanna be known for what I did and what I contributed to society and the education world and also helping single mothers save for their first family trip and create memories with their children.

What matters most to you? Why?
What matters most to me is my Faith without God I wouldn’t be where I am today. All my trials and tribulations have set me to the woman I am today. it has made me strong, motivated, determined and to keep pushing for the single mothers who are afraid to advocate for themselves and their children. Then my children are my greatest blessing and motivation I don’t want them to experience all the things that I have experienced in life. I want them to be better then me and become great productive citizens of the world who goes after what they want in the world. alot of people think single mothers children will be unsuccessful which is not the case for my oldest is a college graduate with her social work degree and all of my children have graduated high school and are in college. so I want to prove the sitgma wrong that single mothers children cant achieve high goals I’m here to prove that wrong and that single mothers cant obtain their degree or make something of themselves for we are alone. For me I have great support and friends who pray for me daily and my children.