Kathy B. - Parent

Please share your childcare story.

“I am a parent, retired early childhood teacher, and Southeast Coordinator for Common Start MA. I have worked in the field of early childhood since starting babysitting at age 12, always having an affinity to young children. When I became a mother at age 18, I knew I had to go to college to be able to provide for my son and I and did so, patching together child care with relatives, friends and family child care providers. I had to accept welfare and a child care voucher to continue in school and it was embarrassing and humiliating. But I knew education was the only way I was going to be able to provide for my son and myself. My first job out of college was as a Head Start teacher making $7000 a year. The only reason I could continue teaching in the early childhood field was because my dad gave me a rent free place to live. Through the years, I kept going with trying to better my income while staying in the early childhood field finally relenting to going g to public school because the salary was so much better. I continue to work in this field now, as a common start coordinator and pray that finally wages for early educator will reflect the vital work they do.

What would affordable, high-quality early education and child care mean for your family? What would be different if you had access to such a program?

“Everything!”

What else should lawmakers and policymakers know about your childcare/early education needs, especially as we recover from the COVID-19 crisis?

“Pass the Common Start bill and every family and early childcare workers lives will improve by a lot!”