Ebony Latina Inc. Latino Express Sept 2019 | Page 19

f/t daycare
closed!
Admit it ! If I had pictures of just children and
Aleida Castillo's old tired look after a 13 hour
day of caring for children and listed complaints
about a daycare crisis, you probably would not
have stared as long or perhaps I would have
missed your attention. Right? The truth is the
images on this page are not as interesting.
Some how caring is not as cool anymore,
perhaps it has never been!
Aleida began implementing after school programs in New
York and Dade County Florida back when George Bush
increased the No-child Left Behind Grant. After many
years of traveling Aleida had to stop when she became a
mother of two.
After failing to find possible solutions for
earning living wages and paying for childcare without
traveling I gave up.
After years of secretly dealing with
domestic violence a friend suggested I start a daycare
program to leverage my time and become completely
independent and free to care for my children at home
and still earn a decent living.
Aleida thought about but not for too long, she had
experience running programs and now was a mother she
jumped at the chance.
She grew her program the old
fashion way knocking on doors and introducing herself.
Her friend was right, it did create a level of
independence but it also created new restrictions. None
the less she loved children and spending all day with her
own children was a dream come true.
Fast forward nine years and all full time daycare services
had to be closed. It has become impossible to operate a
profitable childcare business without sacrificing your
health, your financial future and the fun of teaching!
WORDS BY CAMILLE INDIA
PHOTOS BY FRANKIE STELLAR