Submission #2480

As a mom to two young children, I am so grateful for the impact that each and every care provider has given us.

At Christmas time, I always write a note saying how grateful I am to have them as partners in my kids childhood. Leaving them at daycare every day, knowing they will not only be learning but also will be cared for, means so much.

As a young family, it is not possible for a parent to be home with the kids – financially, it just isn’t an option. I am so beyond grateful that having to return to work did not mean I had to allow my children to go somewhere that didn’t meet my own personal standards.

These standards wouldn’t possibly be met if it wasn’t for every single member of my child’s centre. Support staff are everything.

Having this cut back doesn’t just affect the workers and the children – it will also mean more parents (primarily mothers) having to find ways to help their children thrive – this could mean the inability to work, the inability to be active community members. These cuts are not just a cost to the providers and the children, but also to women who often take on the majority of set backs when having children, between the parents.

This work is imperative to children today, and also to who they are in the future.

We are so grateful for the staff who have helped our children, and are so hopeful that the cuts are reconsidered for the sake of all island families and communities.