Making Childcare A Priority by T. Lynn Weston, Ed. S.

As we were preparing for the parade, we wanted to make sure every staff and every child had a customized t-shirt, were at the site of the float, and were seated on the float ready to head down the parade route. We did not want to leave one child out. We wanted every childcare professional to be visible. As we patiently waited for parents to bring the child to the float, my husband and I counted heads and shirts to make sure we had enough. However, we were short. The shirts weren't a priority though. But each child being there, to represent Noah's Ark was a priority. The only shirts left were too big for the preschoolers. As the last of the children arrived, we told the parents that we were out of t-shirts, but we still wanted the children to participate. They were more important than everyone having the same attire. The children represented the childcare center's mission and goal. They were a product of our staff's determination and hard work. The children that graced the float were our future doctors, lawyers, teachers, preachers, politicians, citizens, etc. Whether they had on a Noah's Ark shirt or a plain t-shirt, they were vital to our program.

Childcare is more than just parading down the streets. It is about the effects of a program's curriculum on the children it serves. It is about making sure children participate in hands-on learning and developmentally appropriate activities that foster their growth. Childcare is about the foundation of learning. It is about preparing a future child who is strong cognitively, socially, physically, and emotionally to be productive citizens. Childcare is about educating a child from the womb until it's time for them to reach the next milestone in life.

Our center has gone through many changes. Ever since hearing about funding ending, it has been difficult trying to figure out how to maintain our status as a quality center. We know that childcare is imperative in any community. In our small town, where the median household income is $32,294.00 (dateusa.io), affordable childcare is just as important as quality. One thing the pandemic taught childcare providers is that a solid foundation is dependent upon childcare being prioritized at the federal as well as state levels. Due to funding, our center was able to purchase materials that we would have never been able to afford on our own. Our staff was able to receive an increase in pay, due to funding. With a decrease in enrollment, we were able to pay for utilities and mortgages without fear of having to close our doors. We slept knowing that our services, for our families, were secure and available.

Our government officials made a decision to help childcare programs across America remain open. They provided funding and made sure that programs were secure. Now that funding has ended, childcare centers are hearing crickets in the night. Those same centers that were able to give their staff raises are now cutting back on hours. Those same centers are contemplating raising tuition in order to remain open. So, I ask you, if the public school that educates our children are important, then why are the childcare centers that prepare children for public school left to fend for themselves?

The same government that prioritizes healthcare should prioritize childcare. Data proves that children who attend quality childcare have stronger immune systems when entering public school (Mann, Denise, 2010). The study shows that children who are exposed to large groups at an early age tend to get fewer illnesses later in life. This research and others argue the importance of childcare to the developing body of our children. As a parent, I can agree that my son, who attended childcare, had fewer illnesses than my daughter who did not attend childcare. A lot of her illnesses came after entering elementary school which impacted her attendance.

We can go on and on about the benefits of childcare. But many of our politicians take their children and/or grandchildren to childcare centers every day. They are greeted by childcare workers who depend on funds to take care of their families. So, why is childcare left to hear crickets? Because those same individuals believe that something else is more important than the program that allows them to fulfill their job duties. Nevertheless, as childcare providers, we must continue to put childcare in the front. We must continue to let our politicians know that childcare is just as important as the item at the top of the agenda.

References:

Mann, D. (2010, December 6). Day care babies: More infections now, fewer later. Www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/. Retrieved November 10, 2023, from https://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/12/06/daycare.kids/index.html

Dawson, GA. Data USA. (n.d.). https://datausa.io/profile/geo/dawson-ga/#:~:text=In%202021%2C%20Dawson%2C%20GA%20had%20a%20population%20of,grew%20from%20%2432%2C113%20to%20%2432%2C294%2C%20a%200.564%25%20increase.