As a mom and an educator, I can see both sides of the fence. I needed childcare, and I sought a degree in it. At first, I said, “Let me just drop my daughter off. They have a teacher, that's like a babysitter.” By the time I finished my education, I learned that it's way more than that. We as child care providers and educators are there to set the foundation for education, social and emotional development, and fine motor skills. There are so many people outside and within my community that lack the knowledge of what good educational child care agencies can provide. We need partnerships with parents. We are not babysitters. We are setting foundations for the education of your child. We are giving your children the best start. Achieving socioemotional development goals trickles down to all the other educational skills, like talking, writing, going on to preschool, and even high school. If parents realize that, partner with us, and think of us as educators and not babysitters, then there’s no limit. If we are paid equitably and receive acknowledgement from the state that we are professionals who provide solid educational foundations for young children