Sometimes our superheroes prepare lunches, guide us in how to properly wash our hands and help us set up for naptime. Sometimes they do storytime, they teach us our ABCs and they help us learn a second language. Sometimes they provide 50 hours a week of loving care so parents can go to work knowing their child is loved and cared for. Sometimes, they become a second home. 

All of the time, these superheroes are family child care educators. 

Every year, the Friday before Mother's Day, we celebrate Child Care Provider Appreciation Day. May 10, 2025 is a day to acknowledge and thank the child care providers, teachers, and educators who support the well-being and development of our young children. This day recognizes the significant impact of child care professionals on families and communities. Acknowledging their dedication not only shows appreciation for their hard work but also raises awareness of the essential contributions they make, helping to support and elevate the profession of early childhood education.

To honor the incredible work our family child care educators do, here are 10 things we appreciate about our educators:

1. Our educators show up everyday. Through rain, snowstorms, lack of sleep, and migraines, they show up. They are there delivering radiating smiles and thoughtful curriculum everyday.
2. Family child care educators are master multitaskers. Not many of us are tasked with being business owners, educators, caregivers, chefs, janitors, nurses and mentors all in the same day, everyday. Family child care educators juggle these roles daily with grace, unwavering patience and endless dedication. 
3. Providers are invested in their professional growth. ESF has seen educators take hundreds of hours of courses in early childhood education topics, leadership development and small business development, to name a few. Many times, they go above and beyond the required hours needed to renew their license. They learn because they believe in the importance of education.
4. The family child care community in RI is small, yet mighty! Despite being a community of only 400, educators make their presence felt by participating in groundbreaking initiatives, attending important conferences, and advocating for themselves at the state and national levels. Educators have been advocating for decades and will not stop anytime soon.
5. Providers are incredibly thoughtful. When a fellow colleague is in crisis, they rally around them in support. During classes and meetings, providers bring food and snacks to share with each other. One provider even donated a coffee machine to our pantry! They are always looking for resources and tools to better support the families they serve.
6. They teach more than colors and shapes. Educators teach social skills, emotional intelligence, kindness, curiosity, patience–The skills that last a lifetime.  
7. They are quick learners. When the pandemic hit in 2020, our largely tech-inexperienced community had to quickly adapt to virtual learning. Though hesitant at first, educators rose to the challenge, rapidly gaining skills. Now, we see educators confidently leading virtual classes and supporting colleagues with tech issues.
8. They embody resilience. One guaranteed constant in work with children is the endless changes, challenges and curveballs. Educators always bounce back with strength, compassion and commitment to the children in their care. 
9. They are the experts. If you ever have a question about early childhood education, state regulations, educator needs, city ordinances, referrals–ask a family child care educator. They’ll always have an answer. 
10. They care from the heart. What makes family child care educators truly exceptional is the love they bring to their work. Their days are long, but their impact lasts forever. They love, nurture, encourage, and empower—because to them, this work is more than a job. It’s a calling.