Chippewa Valley Village - Child Care Provider Network

Sharing for awareness and conversation. I’m always open to questions and discussion, and to helping others better understand the challenges facing child care today, including how its history as an informal system has shaped the realities we see now. This is not about blame, but about learning so we can do better moving forward.

I believe there is a place for all forms of quality child care including family child care like my own, group and center care, and lawful friend, family, and neighbor care. Supporting children and families takes all of us, not one path over another.

When we invest in quality early care, we invest in stronger children, stronger families, and a stronger future.

This only works when all voices are at the table: parents and grandparents, business owners, and government leaders working together to support children, families, and providers.

Stay engaged. Share your voice. Keep this conversation going in your homes, workplaces, and communities.

It takes all of us, and our children deserve nothing less.

Today is Day Without Child Care.

While I am personally remaining open today, I still feel it’s important to bring awareness to this movement and the critical role child care plays in all of our lives.

Day Without Child Care was created to bring attention to the child care crisis affecting families, providers, businesses, and communities across the country. Many providers are underpaid, overworked, and leaving the field at alarming rates, while families continue to struggle with affordability and access to quality care. Without child care, many parents simply cannot work, and our economy feels the impact.

Change starts with awareness.

The pandemic showed us just how essential child care is to our workforce, economy, and future. We also know that 90% of a child’s brain is developed by the age of 5, making early childhood one of the most important stages of life. Child care providers help build the foundation for lifelong learning, development, and future success every single day.

Now that we know better, let’s do better for our children, families, providers, and future.

Awareness can look different for everyone:
• Share a post about Day Without Child Care
• Wear a sticker or shirt showing you are working because of child care today
• Email your employer and let them know you’re able to work because child care exists
• Start conversations in your workplace and community
• Keep the dialogue going beyond today

Real change happens when families, businesses, communities, and government come together to support the people helping raise and educate the next generation.

Please share. Start conversations. Keep the dialogue going.

Awareness matters today, tomorrow, and far into the future.

Huge shout out to these amazing women tonight❤️ After caring for littles all day, they took time to connect with fellow providers, educate themselves to better their programs, and uplift the profession and importance of the work we do. Our future is brighter thanks to each one of them✨️

If you know of an in-home provider, licensed, certified, unregulated but caring legally, someone interested in starting a business, we'd love to welcome them😊

If you would like to do something amazing for providers who care for our future, please connect with me as I'd love to spoil those who care deeply and give freely so our littles have the best foundation to life possible😍

It takes a village and I'm grateful for ours🙏

Our dreams are ours for a reason.
Dr. King showed us that dreaming requires courage—and action.

This MLK Day, gift yourself one intentional hour to connect, reflect, and dream again in this free virtual experience.

Join us:
👉

PauseBreatheDream | Learning 4 Life In this free, one-hour virtual session, you’ll slow down, reconnect with yourself, and reflect on where you are and where you want to go. Through gentle movement, guided reflection, and intentional dreaming, you’ll identify what matters most to you right now and choose meaningful next steps towa...

Let's keep taking actions that help our community care for children, our future. Let's continue to come together and educate all on the importance of the first five years of a child's life💛

“Children are our most valuable resource.” – Herbert Hoover

I could not agree more.

I have been in education for 17 years, with the last 10 in child care. I have seen public education and I have seen early care up close, and lately I feel the heart of it all is being forgotten.

The heart of education is the children.
Without them, there is no public school system.
The heart of child care is the children.
Without a strong, safe, foundational upbringing, our society is hurt.

I know the majority of those who provide care and education have hearts of gold. It is not the people who are failing our future. It is the systems.

Anyone who knows me knows I do not take sides politically. I truly believe there should be no sides when it comes to our children. I also believe that when we know better, we should do better.

We build our society by turning toward our children and providing them with a foundation in life that is unshakable. To do this, it takes everyone.

We need to educate society on the importance of the first five years of life, when up to 90% of a child’s brain develops before they ever enter school. We need to turn back to play and allow children to be little and learn through experience instead of pushing academics too early. We need to give children the opportunity to grow as whole people, with strong emotional and social well-being.

We need to support parents by sharing education and best practices. Advancements are wonderful, but we live in a world where family and community are often lacking. We can talk to people all over the world in an instant, yet not have someone nearby who can step in and give us time to reset so we can show up for our children as our best selves.

We need flexibility so parents can be home with their children. We also need to educate society on the importance of child care, especially now that we have data showing the critical role it plays in our economy since the pandemic.

Tonight, I sat in on a meeting about what is currently happening in child care. I do not condone fraud, and I believe in accountability. But what is happening right now is hurting children, and it hurts my heart.

Child care spaces are meant to be safe places. We have families who are approved for assistance but now do not have funding. Without payment, children may lose their spots, not because providers are money hungry, but because providers have bills to pay too. Many child care providers already live at or near poverty-level wages.

Tonight, one provider shared that she will not be getting paid, and after talking with her husband, they are choosing to continue providing a safe, caring space anyway. Because those children matter. Because it is the right thing to do.

About five years ago, I stepped outside my comfort zone and began learning more about child care in my region. That grew into learning more about our state, then our nation, and now internationally. Because when we know better, we should do better.

I believe mountains can be moved, but it starts with action. That action may look big, like contacting legislators on any side of the aisle. Or it may start small, like sharing this post or having a conversation about the importance of a child’s foundation in life. No matter the size, positive action creates a ripple effect.

Let’s come together, young and old, parents and non-parents, employees and employers, left and right, to do what is right for our children and for our future.

“Children are the living messages we send to a time we will not see.” – John F. Kennedy

As we enter this Thanksgiving season, I’m feeling so grateful for our Chippewa Valley Village.

To our providers — thank you for the care and love you give our littles each day. To those who support this space in other ways — thank you for standing alongside our community. It truly takes a village, and I’m thankful for each of you.

🧡 Reminder: Our next gathering is Tuesday, December 9th.

No matter what side of the aisle you're on, if you're a child care provider and especially a family child care provider, it’s inspiring to see one of our own stepping up to make a difference. Someone who understands our work, our children, and the value we bring to our communities is going the distance to help ensure a brighter future for children and meaningful support for providers.

If you’d like to learn more or support her on her journey, you can follow or donate here:

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