We’ve heard the proverb “It takes a village to raise a child.” Many find that to be true. How many of us can remember when we were youth strolling or playing in our country streets and if we had any misconduct, local neighbors gave their verbal corrections and before reaching home, parents were already aware of what had transpired. Society took on the moral compass of the children for the immediate well-being and as part of “training up a child in the way they should go.”
Today our “Johnnies” and “Millies,” still need a “village” to assist with their upbringing. Writer Susan Brown for Kids Co., wrote, “The well-being and development of our youngest generation hold the key to a better future.” Having high-quality childcare available for families is the start of a child’s early development into a person who will, hopefully, become an honest, productive citizen managing our towns. Children are our future workforce and leaders. The “village” is a necessity to make that possible.
Local communities are coming together to make a brighter tomorrow with plans in motion to open Rural Roots Childcare in Lawrence with the ideal of also serving Nelson and neighboring areas. The following individuals listed have joined forces with vision, talent and concern for our children and growth of the community.
Andy Peterson, Lawrence-Nelson school fifth-grade teacher, president; Taryn Hoelting, a teacher from out of town, vice president; Alicia Kucera, banker and school board member, treasurer; Lisa Brown, a registered nurse, secretary; Dan Kennedy, Lawrence-Nelson principal; Alayna Hamm, Lawrence-Nelson teacher; Katie Bolte, business owner.
The early years of a child’s life is most impressionable. Children need a safe, healthy, nurturing environment where they can gain important social and emotional skills of communicating, sharing and empathy laying the foundations for their future self and society. Babies, toddlers and preschoolers need reliable caregivers to optimize the child’s development through structured activities and play time.
Having quality childcare has positive effects on families and the prosperity of a town. Parents are able to pursue careers in providing for their families. The circle of a thriving community continues as businesses are able to employ talented people increasing revenues for businesses which in-turn grows economics for our towns and then finances loop back to working families. If there is a part missing from this interconnected circle, it causes strain, hardship and decline on inhabitants in rural areas.
Not having adequate childcare available causes dilemmas for family units and society as a whole. Whether the family consists of two-parents or a single parent, they are faced with dilemmas in decision-making in career choices and care for their children while they work. Some of those predicaments may include being forced to have one parent stay home out of necessity and not choice. A single parent may also be cornered to opt for temporary dependency on the government to make ends meet until their children are of school age. In either situation, without childcare options parent’s experience stress from concern for the care of their children and financial constraints. They often turn to their family, friends and neighbors for support. One grandmother shares her experience, not as a complaint, but as an indication of the childcare shortage:
“I recently retired and because of the daycare crisis. I was needed to babysit full-time for my two-year-old grandson. Although I love spending time with him, the role of daycare provider and grandmother are very different. I had to be stricter and create more of a learning environment for him. As you get older, there are days it is a struggle just to keep up with active children. Nonetheless, I am happy I am in a position to help where many grandparents may not have that option.”
Amber Menke, owner of Sacred Heart Child Care Center of Lawrence, knows childcare well. She has been providing such services for more than 20-years there. Amber is at max capacity of 12 children and knows first hand the desperation of parents needing childcare. She has a long wait list. Children either outgrow their childcare needs and enter kindergarten or they move away with their families. If a child stays at the same daycare, they could potentially be there for several years, keeping others on the wait list at length before there is an opening.
In hearing the buzz of a new childcare center, Amber is not concerned of any business competition. On the contrary she is supportive of the endeavor.
Rural Roots Childcare board members are in the planning stages to resolve the crisis by establishing a childcare center. The greatest need is for children under the age of five so that is their focus. In the future they may add after school programs for youth. They have begun to make strides in their efforts.
One of their first projects was to reach out to the community with a survey which was done on Facebook to quantify the need. From the 79 survey responders, 64 have children ages 0-5 and 44 of those need childcare services.
At the Nuckolls County Fair, the Rural Roots Childcare banner suspended above a table caught the attention of the crowd. Alicia lead a fundraiser event with volunteers to make cold, tasty root beer floats to fair attendees to enjoy on a hot summer day. Free-will offerings were accepted and in just an hour and a half the event was a success. “It was well-received,” Alicia said.
A mailer will be going out soon which will describe the importance of daycare, the planning stages, request for the community’s involvement in monetary donations and in-kind contributions to make their vision a reality.
The immediate need is to secure a location. Board members are open to hearing innovative ideas from the community. Sometimes situations like this spark creative minds to think-outside-the-box. Thoughts like, is there an empty building somewhere? Or is there a facility where a portion of the building is not in use? Or a basement that could be finished? Is there a vacant lot that could be used?
In rural areas some of our cherished buildings have aged and need TLC to be brought up to current building codes. A potential remodel may or may not be cost-effective, but is certainly not out of the question. Other ideas discussed have been moving a modular building onto land or build new from the ground up.
Grants are available for childcare settings. However, one stipulation before an application can be submitted is having an actual physical address for the childcare facility.
These are just the beginnings of getting the word out and the efforts members are making to raise awareness and funds to grow a community by providing childcare for young families.
For those interested in sharing ideas, becoming involved and-or making donations the board welcomes hearing from you. They can be reached by writing to: Rural Roots Childcare,
PO Box 367, Lawrence, Nebraska 68957. Check donations may be payable to Nuckolls County Foundation and sent to the same address above in attention to the treasurer, Alicia Kucera. A GoFundMe page has been set up for electronic contributions at:
Our children are our future. If the family unit prospers, so will the community. It takes a village to raise children. What will be your part in the circle of life?
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