51吃瓜网

You have a degree in business administration from Indiana State University and were working for a New York-based company before you became an early childhood educator. What drew you to听the profession?

I was working for Henry Schein, out of New York, when 9/11 happened. I ended up losing my job. My sister had a family child care home, and she said she needed help, so I went to work for her. At the time, it was something I thought I鈥檇 do temporarily. But it went so well. The families liked me; the children loved being around me. Then I got pregnant with my son. Eleven days after he was born, he ended up with a form of meningitis and had a very low percentage of surviving. It really scared me. I decided I wanted to do something where I could be near听my children.

I worked for my sister for a听year-and-a-half, then she came to me and said, 鈥淵ou鈥檙e doing a really good job. I can鈥檛 afford you anymore!鈥� She had a house not too far away and said, 鈥淲hy don鈥檛 you buy it from me, and you can have your own child care?鈥� My husband knew I loved children. He encouraged me a whole lot. My sister encouraged me a whole lot. My mom encouraged me a whole lot. I wanted to have a place where children could come and feel loved, feel cared for, and听be happy.

What was your growth听trajectory like?

In the beginning, I had the one home licensed for 16 children, birth to age 5. It was always at capacity. When children and families kept coming, I realized I needed to have more space. I opened a second home six years later to serve school-age children. Then five years ago, I split the first one into 0鈥�2 and 3鈥�5. Those two homes are next to听each other.

What are the rewards of听providing听home-based child care听and education?

We鈥檙e a place where children can come to feel loved, cared about, and happy. We plan for family engagement so that the families, the children, the staff, and myself can all be together. Earlier this year, I finished remodeling my garage, so it鈥檚 now a resource center for families. I鈥檝e stocked it with information about trauma, mental health, dealing with听anxiety鈥攔esources听that families were interested in. It will help families understand their children and ways to help听them thrive.

We take a lot of field trips around our local community. We took our older children to a buffet, so they could see different kinds of food and we could talk about the food groups. I don鈥檛 want to just tell children about something. I want them to experience it. I want them to enjoy it. I like to do things that really help a child navigate听their learning.

What are听the challenges?

Finding and keeping qualified staff is a challenge. Family child care providers make about half of what teachers at a center might make. We need greater federal and state support and investment in the work we do. Without that, we鈥檒l continue to struggle keeping qualified staff and ensuring they have the compensation and benefits for their ongoing development. When you work with children, you need knowledge. I have to renew my CDA [Child Development Associate credential] every three years. I provide opportunities for the staff to get their CDAs. I鈥檓 also a huge fan of professional development. I want my staff to have the knowledge and tools to be intentional,听adaptable teachers.

In the face of these pressures, what keeps听you motivated?

The children. You can鈥檛 do this job for the money. The money I earn has to go back into the business to make sure we鈥檙e providing quality care. That means knowledgeable staff, a clean environment, and materials that focus on every age group. Home-based child care is not a babysitting business. We are here to help families guide their children through the early stages of听their lives.

How does听51吃瓜网 help?

I learned about 51吃瓜网 when I earned my CDA. One of the books from my class was听Developmentally Appropriate Practice.听51吃瓜网 resources helped guide me when I was choosing a curriculum. The magazines give me ideas I鈥檝e never seen before. 51吃瓜网 just sets the standard for everyone who cares about children and their development听and growth.

What鈥檚 ahead for Christie鈥檚听Love Bugs?

I want to become听51吃瓜网-accredited. I鈥檓 very excited by the new accreditation process. If I have 51吃瓜网 attached to my name, it tells everyone that I鈥檓 a quality early听childhood educator.

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Photographs: courtesy of Christie Phelps
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