We're getting close to afternoon. It's great to have you here at Camden County College at day care or child care as we now call Center where those who want to attend school place to put their children or child at affordable accessible and it's quality some place you can certainly trust and that's remarkable so mission. I went to College here a few years ago in 1970 - eight today exact few years ago and I was a single day and I can tell you this didn't exist and it was an incredible challenge to find something where you trust somebody to take care of your child and the fact that matter is had I not had understanding parents. I wouldn't made it so the idea Repair here we go to share their stories and what they encounter today almost 50 years later, it just tells you what kind of a challenge our country is facing by will start out with a push like one. The other President Donald board, who has been a remarkable infusion of insight as I wanna call who understands the struggles of what the average person goes through day in and day out and takes the school like Candy County College and opens the door to so many folks so Donald first of all, thank you for your invitation and I wanna also talk about we are Kitty jump. this was nothing more than the field when I came here and now and take beautiful well-liked place that you can trust and drop your children or child off and we have Karen Mcdonald, who's the director Yes and your father Paul and your official title is or. So that means so much when the owner showed up and not all child care is created equal trustworthy or successful, and unfortunately from time to time you read this horrific stories of what happens and anybody who's had a child in daycare, child care understands what that means that fear that goes through you. but we have Doctor Lisa Patti that got that okay. Who takes her their early childhood education and then we have three wonderful parents all the women and as I mentioned, I was a single dad and I will tell you they are not many single dads doing what I did back then or connect dominantly by women. In fact, there's a couple of statistics that are just nothing sure to remarkable, but I wanna talk about but we have with us State Naomi word. Is that in terms of White so that means I am missing Kimberly forgive me and then you can tell I've been around for a while, but again as I mentioned that 40 years ago, accessible, affordable and quality. We know the nuts and bolts of dollars and cents and accessibility, but having the comfort that your child is being taken care of what Trump's all of that we're gonna go into that that one in five undergrad good are raising children. One in 540 -, four percent are working full time. So when we talk about jumping what real life stories are that certainly is one and I would bet that number is even higher for I was 60 -. two percent of mothers are single parents tough enough having to take care of their children, but to have the single and we're gonna hear about that today. This is what we wanna talk about. you shouldn't have to choose between child care and your education. You know how to pull yourself up by your food straps. you gave we'll do it. We'll do that try to raise a child. Try A few bucks so you can take care of them and and progress opportunity. So that's when you call this a teamwork from the child Care Center that we're in today to the school that we're going to understands us to the federal government who hopefully quite group of the funding for this and open up a number of things. So we're gonna just a few minutes. go around the table here each of these stories, but I just wanna bring up two pills up working on Is called the prospect guide myself Corey Booker in the Senate and representative phase have introduced that talks about quadruple dollars going into here so that you can pull yourself up by your bootstraps, but the idea that we understand that your children come first and you know your education is important, but your children come first. So if you can't afford it, you're gonna take care of your kids, which we all understand so doing that and the amendment that we were able to put in into our College Affordability Act right now the Extends is there are certain type considerable allowed to have for your children but in the evening and before school was not allowed the amendment that we added to bring it to the reality is sometimes you need early in the morning. Certainly I did and then at evening if you come evening classes. so where I'd like to start out with this first of all to President Don Ford talked about his experience while you're doing to help the students. College and then we'll work right around certain extent. you stole some whatever you know the the pillars of our Mission and Strategic Plan Center on the terms that you've already used affordability, accessibility and quality, not just quality of education the quality of support programs for our students. so this these pieces of legislation absolutely support everything that this College is about in this College stands for you know we. Talking a lot about young people it is we're heading into Sensus count time and it's really important that and I know we're on social media today being streamed live. so I just wanna encourage everybody to make sure that you fill out the census forms. It's safe. It's easy. We can help you if you need to the most undercounted individuals in the census are zero to five year olds and that equates to about $40000 in federal money over the life of that 10 year period. Kind of money can support programs like this, so I throw that in this is an editorial comment. I'll also say when we invest in our parents who are going to school, We're also investing in their kids long term and everybody who's listening to this or participating in this could see that. if you can educate a parent provide better opportunity for them to earn a living wage, they're gonna be in a better position to support their their children for their education is not just when they're going to public school but when they transition. High Red, They're gonna be better position to support them not just physically, but also having been through the process themselves. So I see the ripple of this ripple effects of this legislation being far beyond just helping parents get their education you know in here and now you know this is an opportunity to build prosperity, not just for a single generation but generations to come and I certainly thank Congressman Norcross and and Senator Booker who represent our. Faith and the other legislators who see the benefit of this in the long term, you know whenever you talk about money, you know you talk about giving people food or teaching them how to grow food. Well, it's to me is that grow food kind of thing. We have an opportunity to really build capacity and move this forward in a way that this investment just doesn't happen in here now, it has a lot of power and legs for our future. So you know we're we're really honored to have you here talking about this it absolutely. Who we are and what we believe in and anything we can do to help. I hope you hope you let us know again. Thank you for pointing to do as I say to reach everybody who is interesting that education. so my mother and I actually graduated Candy County College at the same time, which at the time was a bit off where. but now it's one of the greatest moments of my life because she didn't start to go to College until the four boys were old enough to take care. So she put literally her life on hold her education because sending four boys daycare was not in the cards back. then now Jimmy County College set the stage that yes, mom and son can go together and those opportunities to really pursue your Dream in life at a higher GPA. So one of those. One of us had a four point. Oh, I'm one of us did. challenge actually so what do is take ah couple of comments from the parents today we're gonna go doctor and then we want to hear from the operators and how this works so tell us your store here yeah if you want to pursue your education yes thank you We started going back to school at first, it was like a little child. My six -year-old was not in kindergarten. He was funny daycare and I was not getting funded by Really hard and now I have my daughter, she's won I just started going back to school. My son is in kindergarten. I am getting a little bit of funny from childcare. So hard, but it is easier, especially now that the kids the kids come here. I've grown a nice relationship with the directors so I trust them with my kids. what would you say your biggest challenge for us? was it deciding to go back to school? but we need did develop both say I know I gotta have my kids taken care of because trying to study in class while they're running around what was your biggest challenge. See that. Figure out what. Where they gonna go the logistics yeah, but now I gotta figure it out so I can ask a question. If this wasn't here would you be able to manage it? It would be rough because it's hard to trust so have a campus Super that I trust everyone here. that makes it a lot easier a lot of stress. So, Doctor your studies you spend your life. Early in childhood important to have a quality dead care not just babysitting and I use that to very loosely but the idea of taking care of your kid here and then giving them an environment that the child learns what happens well next 10 years. There's been a lot of research on quality child care and the differences between quality child care and child care that are not considered a quality experience and the number one. result of having a quality experience is children to do better in life. They're better prepared for kindergarten. They're happier. there's less issues with aggression. There's less issues with behaviors negative behaviors, and that has been proven time and time again. as more mothers going to the workforce, which is happened over this last generation. the need for quality child care is increased and I can't tell you from early childhood perspective. Those first five years are the most important five years of a child's life, and if they can. Quality child care when their mother is working or going to school or doing both and honestly has a lifelong impact and that's what I teach my students as they're going out to be early childhood educators. That's what I know as a parent. I was, I have four children. I was a full time here at Camden County. I used child care for my children and I knew that if I found a quality experience, they would then do well when they are now teenagers and they're doing very young. From that experience that they had speaking from a fat as a faculty member here, I have many students that utilize kitty junction for child care. they're most half of my students. I'd say with him whether they're nontraditional students coming back a little bit later or traditional coming right from high school. The convenience of this. The accessibility of this on campus is not. To them and many of them expressed the idea of the peace of mind they have going into College as a student knowing their child is taken care of while they are in class is a very nice concept that they have as they as they are students. So we'll talk again to some of the parents because while you're in class for your child is here some level of comfort. but then I think College you still have to do some work at home. That is my understanding that a lot of times I understand and when your child's or kids are being kids my schedule, I pick my kids up. My youngest here, she's two years old and she's being very taking care of a lot of staff. I love how they're treating her and when I do go home, try to prepare for my school. It's a little hard because I have to attempt to them my oldest word to help her with her homework. so I really have to like wait until they go to sleep at night. It's better for me because you know. I can fully concentrate on my school work and I guess it mostly don't like this like staying up to like two in the morning, you know, so that's my schedule how I do because my kids. I have to help me to work and get dinner prepared stuff like that. So that's how I work every time that's real change and certainly so one of the first questions I brought up schools. Schedules generally not every day and week Tuesday Thursday, Monday, Wednesday and Friday. It's in the morning and evening, and when my kids were in child care, one of the issues we dealt with is whether my child is there or not I had to pay for that slide and that's incredibly expensive. So Karen. How do you deal with that sort of issue here so really depends on the parent and how they kind of set up their week. I always tell parents if they're signing up, you know our full time schedule is four or five days so. Tell them even if you only have classes four days a week get that fifth day schedule so that you can have that day to kinda do whatever you need to do you might not have class but you're gonna have to go to library. You're gonna have to get things done. You might have errands to run that you couldn't run during the week so we try and keep it pretty similarly priced for that discrepancy of days. a lot of the parents that are on the current assistance program. get a full time schedule. If they're going to classes and do it happen to do all their classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays. They still be availability have us for the five days 23. Offer two days a week option we offer three day week option. We offer a whole day week so they get the option if they only go to classes two days a week. They only have to pay for those two days a week and at any point if they wanna go up in a week if they have a tough exam coming up where they have a busy schedule that they can always add a couple of days and we keep that open for them. so they have the option to come additional days if they need it. big change. Yeah. How do you deal with this? There's your each morning? What's your biggest worry A into my homework? I'm not healthy to go to school. make sure transportation works everything being a parent and put it in school. What do you find that challenging so definitely enrolling him with the most challenging. I'm one of those moms who like to stay off the first year. So that's exactly what I did. So once I wrote him, I let the staff know like I was scared. Just because you see everything on Facebook and it's like it's terrible everything happened in the school. so I just I was talking to them. They made me feel comfortable and also she let me know like look that fifth day just get some rest. do some studying and I can get tutoring so stuff like that. Having that option is good. Then I don't always have to come and rush to come and pick them up because I'm worried about the environment that they're in like it's. It feels happy here my son, he loves coming here. He walks through your door immediately heavy with your friends and he's excited like you don't want your kid to walk into place and the vibe they don't feel it so that was very important to him. They made me feel comfortable with the staff and everybody I feel like they made it a lot easier for me cuz going to school. I mean, I've always thought work had to come first. so it's like now. Take a little break and focus on better in myself like working up the ladder in these companies, I mean that's that's fairly hard and then it's like maybe I can just go to school and things will come a little bit easier to me and adjacent to what you just said. I feel like. Like these schools and everything like. It's a lot of just balancing it all cuz I also have an eight year old. so just yeah, make sure you because they don't even get off at the same times like around 40 'clock and then going to my job and everything is like I have to make sure that 60 'clock care here. that's perfect for me cuz then if I'm getting off at five and I know somebody's at home to at least let my daughter in the House so she can get situated. I know that I can come Well taken care of I don't have to worry about brushing cuz you know a lot of schools closed at 50 'clock and if you're Phone calls extra exactly and they're always happy and smiling when I come in. I love it. This is a very homie and that's what you always want. so you had the after school. I had I was in the construction. So starting at seven or eight o 'clock that night, six or five, they were doing it at all one of our challenges. So how do you connect with the student of potential student who's coming down here trying to sideways coming back? So you know one of the things that's happened in State of New Jersey is the Community College Opportunity. Grant has provided money for us to add support in our Student services Center. so we now have more kinda we called the navigators and students support counselors. so when students meet with those individuals, it's not just about putting a schedule together. Really trying to look holistic holistically at a student's needs and how can we then help you with that? so they are as intermediaries between you know, it could be tutoring service. It could be the child care Center here at Kitty Junction. so we are trying to do a better job of not just being teachers and imparting. The great knowledge that we all have. We're also trying to provide more support for all of those life issues. I mean we have food banks now here in Canada. Canvass cuz you know a lot of our students are challenged by food insecurity. so we try to provide services related to counseling as much as possible. So all of those things are part of our approach and again in my mind that's a part of being accessible in a high-quality education opportunities for students cuz they bring a lot. They bring a lot to the campus every day, not just talent and desire and and want they also bring all of those. Issues you're talking about life goes on. They bring that with them as well and I think it's incumbent on us to try to help them manage that. so from your studies for those parents who wanna come back to school and they don't have an environment like this generally speaking what happens what are their outcomes? is it not just heard, but the child pays were also there's been some research to say that their community adverse effect on the child's development. Don't have the proper environment on in which they are taking care of his mom face it. Most moms have to work and they have to find childcare. It's not a quality environment. it can have negative effects on the development going forward. Don talked about us thinking about the student as the whole student in trying to work with that student and understanding them as a whole person well, the idea in early childhood. The same thing where did you getting the whole child and we think of the whole child it is about the parents and the family, but also about the environment that they're in and how we are educating them will be need to we need to do in order to help them succeed in the best way possible and without having this type of environment on campuses and and when I say on on campus, I think I can't stress enough. how the accessibility of this on this campus makes a difference to our students and Can make a difference on any campus if possible, and I know the research that I've done, says that the child care opportunities on child care centers on campuses are doing on two and four year campuses. There's not as many child care centers, so that means that there's less accessibility and the possibility of child being in you know not the best quality placement. you see that they have adverse effects. Work precludes the opportunity for the practical back to school and and really make themselves be in a better position to earn a living wage job and have a career and not just help themselves but help their kids. You know there's it's like throwing a pebble in a pond. They're ripple effects to all of these consequences. Certainly so I wanna talk to the moms and I remember the idea of when I was very young but dropping him off. Maybe feel guilt, you know I should be there for him and I'm gonna guess that hasn't changed a whole life once they get there and they smile makes you feel better. but the idea from that that impacted you definitely what I used to do in the beginning was I would drop him off and then I will go to my classes. I would drop him off. Maybe about 90 'clock and my classes will be about about 12 and I would immediately come and pick And they're like yo have to. Baby and it took me a little bit maybe 34 weeks, but then after that and I saw him adjust to everything and made me feel a little bit better. The guilty feeling is always in the back of your mind, but it's like you you have to better yourself. you're doing something for yourself. This is self care. you have to do it. so it's also the babies again exactly we always tell parents too, because we're right on campus that they can always pop over in between classes or in between the day and that's I think what you do before you like a mother. I think for a little bit you then just before you she started just popping in and just look through the window. make sure he's kinda okay happy and then she would go home and make him feel better and we always tell parents you're right there. 10 minutes between class and you kind of upset you wanna come over and see them come on over. We have the open door policy for them. So I think that helps a lot of mothers that this is a first time thing for them. So so what do you say is the biggest challenge for these? Well, I would say that the the makeup of the student is not the same as it was. Society needs to as a whole change to reflect that, but there are a lot of people that want better themselves and have children and we have to adapt to that situation. As a result were I believe through our partnership, We're probably the greatest example of a situation that works in everybody's favor. we we are approximately 60 - eight percent enrolled by people who who go to College at the community College. we have one. Go to another community College and still come here because they're living situations closer to here than it is to the school. But overall they the vast majority would not be able to go to school. if if this partnership didn't exist and then you're right, There's still the issues in the first day of shooting call away but overtime. If we if we do our part to improve our part, obviously their comfort level becomes greater and and you know they end up telling stories like she just didn't earlier and thank you for that. By with where the whole have to have to adapt and realize that if if we want and in the older crowd, we want the generation before us to better themselves and and you know we have to we have to adapt and how we do the system and the system needs to change. It's not it's not like 1968 or 1970, - two and 1970 - five. I mean that system work and it just it's not the makeup So when a child sees their parents study, it's not a positive impact. That's the role model that often it's funny. I was thinking about that as you were talking as a moms, especially we're talking Who's our first and most important role model are parents, mom or dad, and then obviously our other caregivers that are around whether it's grandma on our teachers. but that is the most important role model and I think as parents students or children seeing their parents studying going to school working hardworking, I love when I have a student who is a mom and again, I teach each other education so gender wise and most of my students are female and it grab. They bring their their children and their children see them walk in a cap and gown, and they take a picture with their mom or their dad in a cap and gown, and it really just makes me so happy cuz that is the role model and I cannot stress the importance and the value of that to a child and we talk all the time about the challenges of being a first generation College student. Well, this concept erases that concern cuz now when. Young women's children ask them about the registration process or what College is like you know with the effort is gonna be necessary to be successful. You know some of the difficulties of navigating that process, you'll you'll be able to answer those questions for your children and and that is a huge benefit again down the line not just as a role model, but as a resource and providing better economics support it if you successfully complete. I mean it's just a win win win and from every perspective that you look at how did you get connected to this facility? Did you find it through the College where you're driving down saying I need that or give us a real world and how that work for you. Really great relationship with the director, so that's how I knew this was here and I'm like cuz there's three locations right. This is actually the most convenient like right here. You can just drive across the Street and like like she said, Like they like us to feel a pop in my daughter's first couple terrible like dropping her off. she just Scream and it was just it was. I actually would text her like in class she doing she should I come back and get her. She will be fine. I promise you the pictures. It was just it was so stressful, but now it's like how do you class cuz when you're thinking? It was it was it was really upset when he doesn't wanna leave at the end of the day hold on. We're kinda making light of it, but that's the challenge. Yeah, so schools, school loan is stressful and then on top of that, I know my daughter at school screaming and crying, and I'm like what is she doing? She got the front desk with Greg glad, but you know, I know that she saved one way or another whether she's at front desk when she's in her classroom she safe. And that's why I love it. That's why I love about this place. What's your biggest challenge today? Even just your concern about school is the kids is that your job isn't everything, but is there one thing that you could change? what would you do? Washington Nice atmosphere The Capitol. We're trying to figure out how to make things better now, so I'm a little bit different and unique. I started so I have some insight, but that's what today is important to hear from you. What do you need to change? How can we help you better? Is it more funding for opportunities in the school, visit funding or expanded availability here for child care. or yes, probably love all the only thing we can't help you with this study. I couldn't do that either. so yes. What do you find the most challenges finding that time at 20 'clock in the morning 20 'clock in the morning is this part? Yeah get enough sleep. you know like I said you know during the daytime after I leave school and pick my children up This little challenge for me, but I do it. I do it in this grace of God is helping me. It's a little. yeah. You don't always hear that Washington. That's why actually the first time we had the amended or colleagues on the outside of elegance. Are you kidding me? You know you talk about family children? How you gonna do this If we don't what do you find challenging for their parents? Coming in for the first time, is it that they're not sure how that they want to put the kids here? What what do they see when they come across first year and what they find challenging. I think a lot of times they don't know about a lot of the assistance programs or help that they can get and it's we kinda the same as you that you like to look at the whole student we look at the whole parent and what we can do to help them is there some sort of tuition breaks some sort of situation that that we can help them with to get them started. a lot of them say you know I didn't even know this was here. I didn't know if I knew this before I went back to school last year. so it's. Getting them kind of in through that enrollment process that they don't know how to get through and how to navigate some of them don't know whether they're you know funding through College helps with this or if you know which way to go and we're kind of there to help them direct and navigate that area to get them started also partial schedules I I think that they'll come in and say like why don't like class Tuesdays and Thursdays. absolutely you know and I I I no offense. I don't want my job my job so you know and I'm sure. Comments 00 that you'll do that so that that makes them feel a lot more comfortable so and we've seen parents. Obviously, it's comfort grows. They'll come in and they'll say like I study for a big exam. I'll be in library. You know. I'm just gonna drop my child up to three. That's fine so interesting statistic doctor Ellie to hear from you. students. parents have higher GPAs, which means you do well but are also more influence likely to drop out Yes and I've read their statistics and I think it's close to 50 percent. Drop out because of the extra responsibilities that they have, but what I always find when I always say is my non traditional students. so I actually deemed as you know whether it's coming a little bit later and also maybe being a parent are the hardest working group of students hands down. I will tell you that if I had, I should probably shouldn't have I should have done some more research with my own students looked at their GPAs, but I will tell you that they all have exceptional GPAs. They are my. Students they come prepared to class. They know exactly what they need to do and they know what to do. It's almost multiples. they have to double the better prepared. They come to class which I find fascinating and so adorable and amazing. You wanna be here right. It's not like you know I graduated high school. I need something to for your coming here as a parent, you really trying. they're all here to do. they have a call and the goal oriented they want. This is what we try to find better their family. This is absolutely. What's your biggest challenge? is it more money to individual students finding connection finding a huge issue and and you know it's connected almost anything you try to do. I mentioned the fact that we brought on more students support personnel as a results in the state Grant money that we received well Community College is very well known as the most underfunded of any higher education institutions. Everybody tells us what a great job we do which is great. Academy birthday Nobody gives you a present so we really battle with those ancillary services you have to have instructors and and we maintain that obviously we have to maintain facilities. so when you have cost issues, the things that end up being affected are counselors and advisers and tutors those are those services that I think are critically important to help you navigate the process and again so many of our. Are recipients of financial aid have so many life issues that really contribute to their ability to be successful or not successful here and you know the funding to support those personnel that can support our students would be a big help to us and it's a need that we struggle with every day Little bit better right now. it's not guarantee that we'll see that on an annual basis, but all of that money that came through the community College Opportunity Grant that was given to us directly when right the student services because we feel so it's so critically important to kinda try to help these young ladies and all of our young men and women who have these life challenges. So here's looking back one of the biggest challenges any pair with faces. You wake up that morning and your child's sink. Skip class and skip work These take care how do you make that like to hear from your perspective and from the parents perspective you're trying to balance this. you're tough it out. I wanna go to work for your sake. Because you know are the other kids say they show up. They have a fever so sometimes when the children are here with us and we see they're kinda coming down with something or a little wheel and the parents at class we'll pull the child is my office and hang out for a little bit if they just wanna get through class and get through the day. come pick them up in an hour so but at least you know if you can finish off your exam or whatever you have if you have something all kind of take them in my office to get them out of the classroom for the other children, but still here in the comfort of the school with them so they have that option. I see a lot of parents. Try to use the route before coming here of family members and things like that and a lot of times it doesn't work because family members get sick or they have doctor's appointments or they have things to go to and we're almost more reliable and more there on a constant basis than having them with moms or dads or things like that, grandparents and things like that. so we try and help out as much as we can help build the immune system. We are five and when my kids are school age, I always felt like look somebody got you sick. You need to go back and see benches pass this on, but it says real as you get right. Oh. yeah you wake up in a day have dropped at all. When they end up in your class, do you see them relate so much more to the subject matter because of what they're studying like? Oh, yeah, we would absolutely if you are a mom studying early child of education. Your perspective is so unique. so a lot of most of my students also worked part time many of them work in child care centers in the area and her mom and their students. so they have the lens of the teacher of the lens of the mother and the lens of the student, enrolling childhood education and being a mom. Absolutely visual perspective about young children and the value of quality care and looking to do to bring what you as a teacher need to do to bring into that classroom as well. And I always say this to all the folks out there in Facebook land is dad. You got a job to do too even though Donald mothers that it's part of your job, too, you need to be part of that equation. You know it was unusual back then, but I look at it. it was. Such a deep obligation as being parent to try to do that, and we worked well with it. yes, I was a room mom and but I'll tell you why you were the best. It's the best guy here. But how important that was to play a role now that everybody's blessed with that sort of makeup, but the fact that matter is you know it should be played. That's that's part of that Bowl like dropping your kid off. That's part of what we're supposed to do so I I just wanna give everybody a chance to either make a comment or a question that you have and we'll try to wrap things up within the hour. let's start out with the President. I'll just start out saying. Sad is it that some students have to make a decision between getting an education and improving their quality of life for provides child care for their kids. The fact that these women are here today and are able to do both. Is a blessing, but the fact that too many students don't have that option and can exercise that option. I think points to the need for legislation that provides universal access so that we can move everybody in the direction we'd like to move them in and that they like to see themselves move in. so we create a better country, a better economic opportunity, and I think a younger generation is gonna have more options as a result of providing them support. So thank you. And I'll just make a small victory coming if we can suspend 730 - three billion dollars a year on the defense of our country. We can also in defense of our children and that's something we can do. Both. We have the ability anything you like The news you know unfortunate that some parents mom or dad, you know I have to choose. I don't have childcare. I can't go to school better myself, but I would say I am extremely grateful that I you know not just the money issue but that you know it's a comfort level that I'm able to have my daughter here or if you know my son has a teacher and services school. They allow me to bring him here as well, but I do have school so I bring both here if I have to and I can't say my GP has never been so hot. You know, thank them for that. you know young able to go to school stress free and. Let's be generous like moms do better than that women in general anymore. Congressman It's pretty bad right now to step up a little bit the gender. I think this ledge legislation is wonderful in terms of helping to break down barriers that some students have and I think that's our goal and if we look toward the next generation not only workers but their children, I think that this is really invaluable to help with that and I I. I know personally that this would be a value here on our campus with our students, but I think nationally it goes without saying that this would just be unbelievable for everybody in this situation for all parents in this situation that you need child care to pursue their Dream of higher education, which frankly I believe is necessary in today's economy to have a College degree and beginning a two year or four year two year than going on for four years, I think is is really kinda the baseline of what all Americans. We talked about the auto repair, which is now like how Green that is, you know some some consultation, some mystery recognized certification or degree is essential economic viability that I know question, but it's also educating perspective, students or parents that this is even available. So what would you share? I will share. Some come here and drop my daughter. She gets so excited and she says bye and I feel so comfortable having my daughter come here every day and I can go to class and feel relax and knowing that my child is being taken care of properly and it's just a it's just a blessing like my comeback. She's like so excited. I always ask her. How was your day? How was your day? so you? It's a really really great for somebody for you know children come here and be able to learn and she's our ABC and I'm just seeing like the difference in my child now since you've been coming here and even when I go to my class, I'm so relaxed cuz I know that she been taking care of very problem and that's all I wanted to say. Thank you speaks value. This is not babysitting. No. no. This is about educating the child soul comments but first of all, thank you for for coming today and thank you for having a passion about this subject that you do. the reality of the situation is is they as so many people here have said today, the parent quality education and for a child and the and the ability of a parent have to make a decision between their. And bettering themselves, and obviously the society improves raises all boats in the water as we all know. this this formula works funding for this formula largely becomes the obstacle of the of the quality child care. so if if funding could be appropriated not here to ask for money. but if I may be appropriate, we're here for things like this, then then it would give obviously parents A better opportunity to educate themselves and like I said before we're just not the same society as 40 years ago, we have to we have to change the the makeup of how we approach this. Thank you. final word the smile on your face. I believe that the funding for this is very important not only because we want a better ourselves, but because it does take a village to raise a child like is we can't do it alone and to say that we have to do it alone is that shouldn't even yeah it shouldn't even be brought out on the table. Everything should be put together well enough for everybody to get funding everybody to be able to go to school. They go to work whatever you need funding for if you just like, he said the five -day program. If you just need a day to relax and take It works and I believe that the funding if we get the funding, it will definitely help not only myself and help everybody single mother single fathers everybody. It's an investment in the future. Yes the future. Yeah. We're investing our children of our country and I can't thank first of all the moms and God bless you and I can see smiley face value your children. And your educational out to me how proud. There are some tough times aren't they at 20 'clock in the morning when you study for the test, but you know we're with you in spirit and we certainly want to help this move forward and maybe the research for those who have funding and those who don't and let those long term outcomes as you mentioned the first five years, but you know they're seeing their mom tank on school For a beautiful facility, so we don't have to redo those headlines. We're gonna put all those kids in those outcomes. Not just scared the hell out first thing I did is I looked to smoke. The child yesterday, Yup, Yeah, just happened and present port for you do here and keeping your foot in why I call reality and understanding how education is important for and to all your dads out there. step up your part of it, but thank you for being with us today and we appreciate it.