As part of SEIU’s nationwide “Walk a Day in My Shoes” program to ensure that candidates running for political office experience firsthand what life is like for working people in America, U.S. Senate candidate Rep. Tom Allen on Jan. 28th walked a day in the shoes of SEIU member and family child care provider Kay Mishkin in South Portland, Maine.
After an early morning preparing Mishkin’s home for four babies and infants, Allen assisted Mishkin in feeding the children, putting them down for naps, and providing routine care.
About Kay Mishkin:
Mishkin is one of more than 2,000 child care providers across Maine who united with SEIU last year. (On Wednesday, Minnesota Senate candidate Jack Pallmeyer walked a day in the shoes of a Minnesota child care provider who took time off to come to Maine and help providers like Mishkin unite in SEIU.) For nearly 30 years, Mishkin has opened up her home to care for children in her community. She became a family child care provider after her own children were born, offering to care for some other children in the neighborhood. Her business quickly expanded and today she even mentors child care providers who are just starting out. She currently cares for five children all under the age of two. Mishkin’s son decided to follow in his mother’s footsteps by getting a degree in Early Childhood Education. He now works fulltime beside his mother. Mishkin begins her morning before most people get out of bed, transforming her living room into a children’s playroom. Parents begin dropping their children off around 7:30am and she starts the day with story time, nap time, a walk outside and some dancing. After the children leave at night, Mishkin transforms the playroom back into her living room to enjoy the rest of the evening with her husband and son.
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- SEIU’s video on YouTube
- Read about Mishkin
- Check out the press release
- WBLZ-2 Bangor coverage
Kay Mishkin: “Every day, I open up my home to care for children at the earliest stages of their lives. It was important for Rep. Allen to learn what family child care means to parents and the development of their children.
“Here in Maine, thousands of child care providers like me united to make a difference in family child care. I told Representative Allen that I’ve been a provider for 30 years and I’ve seen too many providers who’ve had to close their doors because they couldn’t make ends meet. By uniting together, we’re winning a voice about the care we provide, affordable health care, and the funding we need to continue to care for the children in our community.”
TELL CANDIDATES RUNNING FOR POLITICAL OFFICE WHAT LIFE IS LIKE IN YOUR SHOES »
Candidates for Political Office Invited to Walk A Day in a Member’s Shoes
Allen is the third Senate candidate to walk a day in the shoes of an SEIU member. SEIU members across the country have begun inviting candidates for political office – from Mayor to Governor – to experience firsthand what it’s like to work and raise a family in America.
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