Written by Eboni Delaney, Director of Policy and Movement Building
When asked why she chose family child care, Lenise Parker answers without hesitation: “Family child care chose me.” It is a response that defines her entire approach to the field, blending her deep-seated commitment, community support, and an intuitive understanding of what families need. Long before she became a licensed family child care educator or stepped into the arena of advocacy, Lenise understood the weight of family and the necessity of community.
Growing up surrounded by strong influences who taught her that looking out for one another wasn’t just a kind gesture but a way of life, she found her calling in serving others. When she first began caring for children, it didn’t feel like launching a business venture. Instead, it felt like opening her heart and her home to families who needed a sanctuary.
That vision eventually took root as MiMi’s Home Away from Home Nursery. For Lenise, the name itself is a promise of the environment she meticulously cultivates. As she explains, “I want families to feel like their child is entering another home, another family. A place where they are known, where they are safe, and where they are loved.” This intentionality is what sets her program apart. Over the years, her living room has been the stage for some of life’s most significant milestones. She has been there to witness the shaky courage of a child’s first steps and the pride in their eyes as they take their first words at circle time. She has watched shy, hesitant toddlers blossom into confident preschoolers, ready to take on the world. “Those moments may seem small to some people, but to me they are everything,” she shares.
Family child care is uniquely special to Lenise because it is inherently personal. It is a profession that goes beyond simple supervision; it requires supporting entire families. She learns their rhythms, their struggles, and their triumphs. “Parents trust us with the most important part of their lives, and that trust is something I never take lightly,” she says. Yet she is candid about the fact that this journey is not always easy.
FCC educators often work in the quiet shadows, opening their doors before the sun rises and closing them long after it sets.
On any given day, Lenise wears the many hats of teacher, chef, counselor, business owner, and a listening ear for parents. The trend of opening doors before the sun rises and closing them after the sun sets is a common theme in family child care. According to the NAFCC Annual Survey Report, 72% of FCC educators work more than 50 hours a week.
For a long time, Lenise noticed that, despite the heavy lifting educators performed, the profession was often overlooked. She saw policymakers making decisions that directly affected her small business, yet the voices of the people doing the work were missing. “That realization changed something in me,” she reflects. She understood that if family child care educators wanted to be heard, they had to be the ones to speak up.
This spark led her into advocacy, where her leadership continues to grow. As the National Association for Family Child Care (NAFCC) State Representative for Tennessee and a graduate of the Leaders Shaping Leaders Cohort program, she is ensuring that family child care has a permanent seat at the decision-making table.
Her advocacy efforts receive the same hands-on dedication she brings to her family child care business. Lenise recently hosted her first advocacy day in Tennessee alongside State Senator Charlane Oliver, and through NAFCC’s August Advocacy efforts, she opened her home to congressional staffers to provide a firsthand look at the field. Whether she is participating in Day Without Child Care or meeting with legislators on the Hill, Lenise is driven by the belief that “advocacy isn’t just about policy, it’s about people.” When asked what she advocates for in these spaces, Lenise responds, “I advocate for home-based child care to be recognized as essential to the early education system, which means ensuring equitable funding, fair reimbursement rates, streamlined licensing support, and inclusion in decision-making.”
Recently recognized as a recipient of the Women in Leadership Award, her focus remains on the collective. She works to ensure no provider feels like an island, facilitating roundtables and sharing resources across the state. For Lenise, the mission remains clear: family child care comprises educators, small business owners, and community anchors. Every child who walks through her door reminds her why she started this journey, and every educator she meets reminds her why the work must be valued.
If you’re interested in starting your own advocacy journey, reach out to the NAFCC State Representative in your state.
