I'm a Teacher, Not a Babysitter

Yesterday I was talking with Denise, who is one the finest childcare providers I know. She has dedicated her life to working with young children, and she takes her work seriously, even as she has a good time with kids. She has used my recordings with her kids for years, and she brings them to concerts, so we are old friends. She said that she didn't like the song on my new CD, "I'm a Teacher, Not a Babysitter" because she felt that the parents of her kids understood that and treated her with respect. "It feels old and out of date," she said. I had to laugh. While I believe that's true for her, I had to tell her that when I play that song at Early Childhood events, I am greeted with shouts of "Amen" and loud applause. For most of the country, child care providers continue to be viewed with little respect or understanding about the importance of their work. And they sometimes don't feel much self-respect, either. So, Denise is lucky. But we still have work to do for millions of other providers around the world.