As a mother, I know what is best for my family. That’s why I’m voting for Kamala Harris.

From the moment I learned I was pregnant with my first child, my focus was on giving them the best: researching the safest car seat, finding the most nurturing preschool, and even using the least toxic laundry detergent. But no matter how carefully I make those choices, the decisions our leaders make – especially in healthcare and education – have an even greater impact on their future. That’s why choosing a leader who will truly act in the best interests of my family is one of the most important decisions I will ever make.

As I look ahead to the upcoming elections, I am confident that Kamala Harris is the best choice for American families.

Kamala Harris understands the challenges American families face and is committed to making our lives easier and more affordable. She doesn’t just have “concepts for a plan,” she has real, pragmatic solutions to address rising costs, improve education, ensure safer communities, and ease the burden of child care.

While Trump’s economic policies prioritize corporate interests and billionaires, Harris has a proven track record of fighting for policies that help working families. Her plans will lower the cost of living for millions of families. And her proposals to cut taxes for 100 million Americans, expand the Child Tax Credit, provide down payment assistance to first-time homebuyers and ensure that no one making less than $400,000 a year pays more in taxes, will help the middle class not just make ends meet. but move forward.

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As a mother, this is what keeps me awake at night

Donald Trump is fundamentally disconnected from the reality of the average American family because, quite frankly, he has never been part of it.

I don’t know a single parent who sends their child to school and worries about coming home a different gender, but I know many who lie awake at night worrying about school shootings or about their children learning what they need to to succeed. .

Although Trump has bragged during his presidency that he has “done nothing” on guns, Harris is committed to investing in schools, expanding mental health initiatives and supporting common-sense gun regulations such as universal background checks and red flag laws. She understands parents’ concerns and will do everything she can to ensure that our children not only receive the best education, but that they are also safe while doing so.

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Climate change, reproductive rights, security

Another threat to the future of our children is climate change. We are at a critical turning point and I worry about the future my children will inherit if we do not address it with the urgency that requires. While Trump denies the reality of climate change, Harris is determined to tackle it head-on. As part of the Biden administration, she has already taken important steps to protect the environment and invest in clean energy to ensure our children grow up in a safer, healthier world.

I am also deeply concerned about the erosion of reproductive rights and women’s health care. It is unacceptable that women in one of the most advanced countries in the world are denied essential healthcare and die from preventable causes related to pregnancy. While Trump proudly takes credit for the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, Harris is fighting to restore our right to make our own health care decisions without government interference.

I want elected officials to work together

When it comes to our country’s security, Trump cannot be trusted to put aside his personal agenda for the greater good. The bipartisan border bill was the perfect example of how real solutions can be found when we work together, and Trump’s refusal to support it, instead using it as political leverage, shows exactly why he is unfit to lead.

With three young children, life indoors can be chaotic and unpredictable, so I need a sense of stability in the outside world. Trump’s leadership created an environment of chaos through reckless deregulation, erratic foreign policy decisions, and escalating political tensions. Instead of providing a sense of security, Trump is sowing confusion and uncertainty, which only increases the stress parents are already experiencing. Harris provides the steady hand we need. She is committed to upholding our democracy and building a future where families don’t have to worry about the next crisis or policy decision that could turn our lives upside down, making life a little less chaotic and a lot more would become more stable.

I want our president to be a role model

While Trump’s harmful policies are reason enough to fire him, it is his character that concerns me most. As a parent, one of my most important responsibilities is to teach my children the values ​​of respect, honesty, compassion and integrity. I want them to understand that the way we treat others and the choices we make really define us as people.

So I have to ask: What message are we sending when we view Donald Trump as someone worthy of admiration? Our children are always watching, listening and internalizing what they observe. When they look at Trump, what do they see? A man whose actions and words often contradict the values ​​we want to teach them. Our children deserve better. They deserve leaders who inspire them to be the best they can be – not those who reflect the worst in others.

Kamala Harris is the leader we can trust to act in our best interests and uphold the principles we value as a nation. She provides the steady leadership and stability American families need while focusing on solving the real problems we face by lowering costs, providing affordable childcare, ensuring safety in our schools, reproductive protect rights and tackle the climate crisis. So as I consider the future I want for my family and our country, Kamala Harris is the clear choice to lead us forward.

Brooke Van Nitishin is a resident of Oakland County and founder of Moms for Michigan, a grassroots organization that encourages parents to take an active role in shaping the policies that impact their families. Send a letter to the editor at freep.com/letters and we can publish it online and in print.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Opinion: I’m an Oakland County mom. I’m voting for Kamala Harris.