By Hannah W. Wever

Published: April 17, 2008

To the editor,
There are no words to describe how disappointed I am in the Orange County Board of Supervisors. I presently have a child who attends the Child Garden, a daycare center run by the Orange County Parks and Recreation Department.
Several weeks ago, I dropped my son off for daycare as usual and as I was signing him in, noticed a petition taped to the binder asking for signatures to help keep the Child Garden open. I was taken aback, as I had not heard anything about this. As the days went on, I learned that the board of supervisors had announced that there is no budget for the upcoming year for this daycare. The comment was that the daycare center is not making money, but instead, losing money for the county.
The decision has not yet been made official, as this will have to be done at the April 15, 2008, Board of Supervisors meeting. However, we as parents, as well as staff members, have been told that the Child Garden will close its doors August 1. We have also been told, that should many children and/or staff begin to leave, there is also a possibility the center will close earlier.
For those of you with children, I know you will agree with me when I say finding someone to watch your child is not an easy thing to do. There are many things that you have to consider. You want somewhere that will provide learning, healthy meals, playtime, and loving staff. Despite little help from the county, the Child Garden has been able to provide all of these things for many children. It is not an easy thing to place your child in someone else’s hands for several hours of the day. You hope they will provide the same loving care that you would yourself. And now, all of us are being forced to look elsewhere to find these things again.
It is not just the parents and children that are being affected by this decision. The staff members are also affected. They are being encouraged to stay, yet they are not being offered any hope that they will have a job much longer. Some of the staff members have been with this childcare center for close to 10 years. They have watched several of these children grow up.
So why is it such a big deal that this daycare is closing? To the best of my knowledge, one of the biggest concerns these days across the country is the education of our youth. Daycare facilities such as the Child Garden help to prepare our children for school. They work on letters, colors, shapes, reading, listening, arts and crafts, and many other activities that they will be doing in kindergarten. Closing a facility such as this takes us back a step in education. The earlier we get children excited about learning, the better they will do in school. My son loves learning at the Child Garden, and can’t wait until he gets to go to the school for “big kids.” He comes home and proudly talks about how a caterpillar turns into a butterfly, or sits and tells me what letter all of his friends’ names start with. Through this daycare, at the age of 3, he can sound out a word/object and figure out what letter it starts with. How many 3-year-olds can do that? I’d like to say this is because my child is a genius, but in reality, it is due to the teaching of the Child Garden! It is here that children are encouraged to ask questions, to use their imaginations, and to explore everyday things.
In short, please think about this when you think of our board of supervisors. Think of all of the parents who have to find someone new and trustworthy to watch their children while they work to provide food and clothing for these children. Think of all of the parents who are now looking to send their children and their money to other counties because they are unable to find anywhere else for their children to go. Think of the people who are losing their jobs as this daycare is forced to close. But, most importantly, think of all the children who now may not be receiving this much-needed education to put them on the path toward successful learning.
Is this who you want deciding the educational future of your children?
By the time this letter is printed, the meeting will have taken place and the decision will have been made. I hope they choose our children.
Dr. Jennifer M. Heiston, DPT