In Bemidji, Minnesota, the laughter of toddlers and the hum of busy classrooms fell quiet as Pine Pals Childcare Centers—two bustling hubs of early learning—shut their doors in protest. On Minnesota’s Day Without Child Care, part of Community Change Action’s National Day Without Child Care, their absence was not accidental. It was intentional, pointed, and urgent.
“Ultimately [we did this] to draw attention from our lawmakers and leaders that child care needs must be addressed,” said Lydia Pierszewski, director of Pine Pals. “We call for bipartisan support to address affordability for families, wages for teachers, and right-sized regulations.”
Child care providers and parents alike are grappling with a system strained by high costs, staffing shortages, and outdated regulations that don’t reflect the realities of running a child care center today. Many families can’t afford care, while childcare providers struggle to remain in the field. Leaders like Lydia are pushing for comprehensive solutions that include increased public investment, better compensation for early educators, and regulatory reforms that balance safety with sustainability.
Pierszewski, like many directors across the country, wears dozens of hats. Her mornings often begin with staffing updates and family check-ins before she even leaves the house. At the centers, she balances compliance paperwork, financial management, and the daily pulse of 130 children aged six weeks to five years. “If I’m lucky, I get to play with kids a little,” she said.
Her team of 35 runs two full-day centers—Pine Pals Intergenerational Learning Child Care and Preschool, and Pine Pals Nest Infant-Toddler Child Care—offering families reliable care that’s essential to their ability to work. “It needs to be made clear to everyone that child care challenges affect everyone,” she said. “That fact becomes more apparent to the general public when it is possible to list the numbers of families affected by not having child care (even for a day), and then in turn, how many businesses are affected by those parents, their employees, not having child care.”
In Bemidji, dozens of providers joined Pine Pals at a press conference and rally. Around 70 community members—parents, family providers, center directors, and small business owners—gathered in a public show of unity. “It was powerful to have these groups come together,” said Pierszewski. “We know that a mixed delivery system in child care is needed—it takes all of us—to meet the needs and preferences of families and children.”
State Support Isn’t Enough
In the wake of pandemic-era federal funding expiring, Minnesota stepped in with temporary relief. The state’s Great Start Compensation Support Payments helped Pine Pals boost wages and retain staff—but the gap between pay and the value of the work remains staggering.
“This has helped us retain staff, recruit more experienced and educated teachers, and put a drop in the appreciation bucket for our child care workers,” Pierszewski said. “It’s significant, but most of our staff could still choose a different line of work, frankly with less responsibility, and for better pay.”
It is devastating to know that the people who have the most influence on young children—during the critical years when brain development is at its peak and nurturing relationships with caregivers have lifelong impact—are often paid poverty-level wages. Public funding for early childhood education frequently falls short, covering only basic operational costs and leaving little to no room for fair, professional compensation. The numbers simply don’t add up: we entrust educators with one of society’s most important responsibilities, yet fail to invest in them accordingly.
Burnout, Bureaucracy, and Unfunded Mandates
The reasons early childhood educators are leaving the field are clear and heartbreaking. “Even though there are instant rewards like smiles, giggles, hugs, high-fives… it is work that can cause even the best teachers to burn out,” Pierszewski said.
But burnout doesn’t just come from the classroom; it comes from navigating a system that can feel overwhelming without enough support. “The excessive regulations, mandates, increasing costs, and paperwork can be discouraging when we are choosing this work to serve people,” she said. Rather than viewing these requirements as barriers, advocates suggest reimagining how states partner with providers—making it easier to demonstrate compliance with health and safety standards while offering support, training, or grants when providers fall short. A more collaborative approach could reduce burnout and strengthen care without compromising quality.
“It is devastating to know that the people having the most influence on young children, during the time in their lives when their brains are developing so rapidly and nurturing relationships with caregivers have the greatest impact, cannot be compensated with a professional wage equivalent to the work they do.”
One proposal by Minnesota legislative bodies has many child care providers deeply concerned: a potential requirement for video surveillance in all shared spaces, including infant and toddler classrooms. “Legislation that forces more financial-consuming and time-consuming mandates on child care centers is discouraging,” she said.
Pierszewski explained just how costly such a mandate would be. “If there was a mandate for video security cameras in all shared spaces and infant and toddler spaces, that would cost a minimum of $50,000 up front for our child care centers,” she said. “Because we provide care for up to 70 children in those age categories, this would likely cause our programs to shut down while infant and toddler care waiting lists continue to grow.”
More financial investment in the child care system isn’t just a policy ask—it’s a necessity. Without it, we’re stuck in a false choice between making child care affordable for families and paying caregivers a living wage. Real investment would mean we stop compromising safety and dignity in the name of cost-cutting and start building a system that truly works for everyone.
“We care more than anyone about children being safe, healthy, and given the best care possible,” She emphasized. “Instead of speculating that caregivers are doing something wrong and need to be monitored by video camera, why not invest money in the systems that will best support children and those providing care?”
A System That Works for All of Us
Minnesota’s newly established Department of Children, Youth, and Families, launched in 2024, offers a rare opportunity for structural change. Pierszewski hopes it will lead to a more collaborative approach—one that doesn’t just demand compliance, but supports care providers holistically.
“The licensing system ideally would shift to a more collaborative and supportive structure between licensors and providers and focus on common-sense health and safety regulations,” she said.
In the meantime, Pierszewski’s not waiting. She’s building coalitions with other child care directors, working parents, local employers, and state officials to advocate for a better future. “We have a lot more common ground than many people think,” she said. “Aligning our values and focusing on building communities that prioritize early childhood investments is not just the right thing to do, but the return on those investments will be healthier, more prepared students entering our school systems and healthier adults entering our workforce and society.”
National Day Without Childcare
Child care is not a luxury. It’s the foundation of our economy, our communities, and our futures. Yet childcare providers are paid poverty wages, families face skyrocketing costs, and the entire system teeters on the edge of collapse.
We have reached our tipping point.
That’s why on May 12, early childhood educators, parents, and caregivers across the country took action for Community Change Action’s 4th Annual National Day Without Child Care. Some providers shut their doors. Others called out sick or closed early. All of us stood in solidarity to demand what our families and educators need and deserve.
Together, we pledged to spotlight the true cost of care and demand the funding required to build a 21st-century child care system. This includes:
- A childcare system built on racial and gender equity
- Thriving wages for early childhood educators
- Affordable care for all families who need it
Because a day without child care isn’t just a day without convenience. It’s a day without the infrastructure that holds up our entire society.
Learn more at www.daywithoutchildcare.org.