Article Link: http://exchangepress.com/article/supporting-family-child-care-its-essential/5026642/
At 8:00 a.m., Emily Mingia Lewis is full of energy as she greets children and families at her child care program, Mingalew Family Daycare, which she and her mother run from her home in Bridgeport, Connecticut. As each parent drops off their child, she checks in on both. One parent is looking for a new job, so while Lewis’ mother ushers in her child to begin their daily routines, Lewis asks about the parent’s progress and provides any leads. As Lewis often says, “We care for the entire family.”
Six years ago, Lewis decided to follow her passions for working with children and opened a child care program in her home. She wanted to provide the best environment possible for her families, so despite working over 60 hours per week, Lewis participated in workshops with All Our Kin, a national nonprofit that supports and sustains family child care educators. She also attended evening classes to earn her Child Development Associate and successfully achieved national accreditation through the National Association of Family Child Care. Lewis ends every day feeling confident that the children in her program benefited from a safe and nurturing environment and strong foundation for continued learning and development.