Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, October 22, 1993 TAG: 9310230234
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: VICTORIA CARROLL CORRESPONDENT
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
Hand in hand, father and son walk into the building where they hang up the boy's jacket, hug goodbye and then go their separate ways for the day.
This scene at Rainbow Riders Childcare Center in Blacksburg is played out hundreds of times every morning at dozens of day-care centers and private homes across the New River Valley.
Almost 2,760 area children each day are cared for by 540 licensed child-care providers, The New River Valley Association for the Education of Young Children estimates.
Today marks Virginia's fifth annual day of recognition for early childhood and day care providers.
Good care providers know that finding the right child care is one of the toughest parenting decisions there is.
``It's very stressful. Parents can get extremely upset,'' says Ann Francis, director of Virginia Tech's Resource and Referral Service and a member of the Child Care Regulatory Oversight Committee of the Virginia Department of Social Services.
``There are parents who just haven't even thought about it before, then it scares them that they have to almost relinquish their children to this system at this very young age, and I think that's heartbreaking'' for them, adds Lynn Hill, owner of Rainbow Riders.
Parents say emotions range from heartbreak to fear and frustration.
David and Lynn Everett's first child is due in November. Lynn Everett already has spent about four months researching day care in the New River Valley.
``We think about it all the time,'' she says. ``We not only worry about finding somebody but also worry about what we'll do when that person is sick and whether that person is responsible enough, dependable enough.''
Last month parents withdrew at least 85 children from Mount Tabor Day Care Center and Nursery School in Blacksburg when the center's Board of Directors announced plans to add religious instruction to the curriculum.
An additional 85 children in what many describe as ``an already oversaturated market'' sent ripples through the child care community and stressed out parents who suddenly had to come up with substitute day care for their children.
David and Nancy Lotts withdrew their daughter from Mount Tabor's after-school program. With two phone calls, they found a center with one opening available, which they took immediately.
``I considered myself very lucky,'' says David Lotts, even though he's paying more for child care now.
Lotts says other parents he knows are still looking. ``There is certainly a need for additional day care in this area.''
Bonnie Graham, president of the New River association, admits to a shortage of quality child care in the valley.
``As a parent, I don't have enough choices,'' says Graham.
The local association is working to license more providers and to educate existing providers.
Graham sums up the day care dilemma: ``Parents can't afford to pay more, but centers can't afford to provide quality programs. The field is kind of a community service and not a profit-making business at this time.''
Hill readily opens Rainbow Riders' books to show the center's $3,376 net loss last year and more than $7,000 the year before.
``Most people who are operating really high quality day care are not making a lot of money,'' says Va. Tech Resource and Referral's Francis.
That profit problem exists even with salaries as low as $5 an hour for a child care provider with a college degree.
Edna Leonard opened Precious Moments Daycare in August. She hesitantly admits she's volunteering her 60-plus hours a week until the church-affiliated center in Christiansburg is up and running.
For many child care providers, their's is a labor of love. For Leonard, it is also a dream 17 years in the making.
A 15-year, assembly-line veteran at Industrial Drives in Radford, Leonard accepted a voluntary layoff package that allowed her to pay off debts and enroll in New River Community College's two-year Early Childhood Education program.
Leonard is backed in her day care venture by Lighthouse Baptist Church, which is furnishing a four-year-old building, toys, furniture and other supplies.
When Elizabeth Laughlin opened her home to family child care, she started from scratch.
An accountant by training who once had her son enrolled in day care, Laughlin entered the child care business so she could be at home with her son and daughter.
She cares for five children in her home, including her own two.
``You have to be really committed to children to do this,'' says Laughlin. ``I'm really sad that it's not given the professional recognition it deserves.''
The payoff for child care providers is often emotional.
``I just truly love it,'' says Hill, ``I find a lot of gratification in what I do and you can see it every single day in the faces of the children.''
``I feel good in the afternoon when the children are ready to go home,'' explains Leonard. ``Some of them don't want to go home and there's not one that goes out the door that I don't get a hug.''
The two major complaints among child care providers continue to be a lack of professional recognition and low pay.
The General Assembly is helping with recognition but the debate over pay continues.
Memo: ***CORRECTION***