“Show you care about care by voting as if care for families, child care and leave policies are as urgent as any pressing issue our country is facing.”

—Gary Barker, president and CEO of (Formerly Promundo-US)

“Be emotionally courageous! Our kids want and need emotional support from us, so vocalize what you are feeling and help your kids understand that you are fully human!”

—Brian Anderson, cofounder and executive director of

“I challenge every dad to identify another dad (preferably one you are not related to) that they know and admire and reach out to them (in person, call, email, social media, text) and let them know how their fathering practice inspires you. I challenge all dads (especially those who don’t do it often) to share a moment of vulnerability with your child or children. I challenge all dads to make a new memory with your child or children. Be creative!”

—Hakim Bellamy, activist, author and of Albuquerque

“As the dad of a daughter with special needs, I would urge other dads to talk about inclusion in sharing life lessons with their children. So many kids with physical and cognitive special needs may think less of themselves because others make fun of them or single them out because of their health conditions. Inclusion fosters kindness and brings people of differing abilities together for a better understanding of one another.”

—Gordon Hartman, founder of Morgan’s Wonderland

“It’s rare enough in our country for fathers to be granted paid family leave, and it’s unfortunately even rarer for them to take it;  showed that as little as 5% of new dads take at least two weeks of parental leave. We need to enact policies in our country that give every parent and caregiver the opportunity to bond with their newborns, but we also need our dads to take advantage of those opportunities. Those first few weeks and months of fatherhood are a rare and special time for dads and babies alike. Dads, we’ll keep fighting for your rights to take that time with your children, but it’s up to you to make those moments count.”

—Matthew Melmed, executive director at

“Step up and speak out for issues of care — especially child care and paid family leave. Policymakers and the public need to know that dads care, too!”

—Elliot Haspel, author and columnist at Early Learning Nation

“Let your children see you struggle. Let them see you fail. If you’re struggling with assembling one of their playsets, let them know. Tell them where you went wrong or admit that you should have followed the directions more closely. Letting your kids know that it’s okay to fail as long as you learn from it and keep trying is a valuable lesson they’ll carry with them and benefit from for a lifetime.”

—Mark Bezos, cofounder at HighPost Capital and director of the Bezos Family Foundation

“I challenge dads to be as involved in their children’s lives as possible. This challenge is especially important for dads of infants and toddlers. Reading, singing and playing with children at that age are profoundly important to their healthy cognitive and emotional development. Engaged fathers play an important role in the healthy development of young children.”

—Barry Ford, president and CEO of

“Municipal leaders play an important role in ensuring that fathers across this nation have what they need to lead in their families, neighborhoods and cities in which they call home. As a dad to a college freshman and a junior in college, and as a former city manager, I challenge dads to stand up as purveyors of hope to your children, families and neighbors, and work toward a vision of America as a ‘shining city upon a hill,’ a land of opportunity where all young children and their families thrive.”

—Robert Blaine, senior executive of the  at the 

“Vacuum, empty the dishwasher and run the laundry machine now and again. As a #GirlDad, I want my girls to know that what they do — or what they might be expected to do — isn’t limited by their sex, and these little household moments matter in conveying that confidence.”

—Gregg Behr, coauthor of When You Wonder, You’re Learning: Mister Rogers’ Enduring Lessons for Raising Creative, Curious, Caring Kids

“Savor as much as you can — as fathers we may not understand how fast childhood flies by until it’s over. As fathers, if not parenting alone, we can challenge ourselves to balance our focus on our children with attention to our relationship to the person we are raising them with. Can we be strong enough to open up to our mistakes, to forgive ourselves and learn from them?”

—Joshua Sparrow, executive director of Brazelton Touchpoints Center

“Take time this summer to reflect on who you want to be as an ancestor. What are you leaving behind for your children and their grandchildren down to the seventh generation? How do you want to be remembered and what kind of world do you want to leave? Hint: you will be remembered for your virtues, not the time spent at work or on the golf course. Answering these questions thoughtfully and firmly, and then living according to the answers you give is the greatest gift you can give your kids (and future generations!) in 2022 and beyond.”

—Joe Waters, cofounder and CEO at

“Most of us have underestimated the threat that digital devices pose to the healthy development of children’s brains. For Father’s Day this year, my hope is that dads can learn more about the harmful effects that digital devices pose to young brains and receive the support they need to create and uphold age-appropriate limits on device use for their kids.”

—Jim Winston, director of the Winston Family Foundation

“Dads of America! From Coney Island to Winnetka, from Dallas to Portland. Here’s a challenge that’s guaranteed to create a lasting memory with your kid and help them grow: Find a spot outside somewhere. A park bench, comfy grass under a shady tree…. a place that’s hidden away. Bring a book to read together with your kid and pause every now and then to ask about their favorite parts of the story and what the characters experienced. And make sure to give your new reading spot a name and make it a shared secret between the two of you. Go there once a week on the regular. It will have a real impact—on their development, their love for reading and your relationship with them. That’s my Yoda advice. Good luck!”

—Sean Farrell, senior vice president of content and strategy at

“Work when you work, Dad when you Dad. It’s harder than ever to do. Long before COVID, when one of my daughters interrupted me, I made sure she was okay and then said, ‘Give me two minutes to finish this.’ They got used to it—even learned a bit of patience—and I kept my word, turning my full attention to them and away from work.”

—Paul Sullivan, founder of

“Be the dad you want your child to be when they’re raising your grandkids. Science shows that children are learning from us, whether we intend to teach them or not. Children are little ‘pattern detectors.’ If we act in a prejudicial way, our child will, unconsciously, absorb this pattern. If we act in a generous and altruistic way, our child will pick up that. We may tell our kids to ‘respect and be kind to others,’ but our children will often learn, remember and imitate how we acted, not what we said. The challenge is to think about how your child sees you. Your grandchildren will thank you.”

—Andrew N. Meltzoff, professor and codirector of the University of Washington and co-author of

“My challenge to American dads and father figures—indeed, to men around the world—is to have the strength to cry in front of their children and to acknowledge the importance of being vulnerable. Being a dad/granddad is more than just who you are, it’s what you do.”

—Allan Shedlin, dad, granddad, ,  & 

Disclosure: The Bezos Family Foundation provides financial support to Early Learning Nation.

“As a new mom, I’m grateful for early learning champions in our homes, classrooms, libraries and community centers who intentionally leverage every opportunity to engage in early learning. Bringing early learning to our young people, specific to their care situation and accessibility needs, is critical in growing minds regardless of social and economic barriers. We all can be an early learning champion.”

—Koy Saeteurn, chief of staff to Sacramento councilmember Eric Guerra

“I am most thankful for this past year that my coworkers and myself were able to stay healthy to be able to stay open for the young children and have a safe environment for them to go to.”

—MaryBeth Holloway, teacher, ACCA Child Development Center, Annandale, Virginia

“Despite the significant and ongoing challenges of this year, we have increased public awareness of the crucial importance of early childhood, and the will of policymakers to make significant and sustained public investments needed to rebuild and strengthen the early childhood care and education system.”

—Barry Ford, president and CEO, Council for a Strong America

“These past couple of years have brought on many new challenges, such as virtual learning and mask wearing—neither of which are conducive to teaching young children. The teachers have been heroes during this time and many children have benefitted from their efforts.”

—Meredith Rowe, Saul Zaentz Professor of Early Learning and Development at Harvard Graduate School of Education

“The early educators who have served as a lifeline for our young kids, families and communities in the COVID-19 crisis.  I’m also thankful that finally a light is being shined on their critical roles in shaping the next generation and allowing parents to work.”

—Dr. Christina Weiland, associate professor at the School of Education, University of Michigan

“Educators’ unwavering commitment to their kids. The pandemic showed that even in the presence of unfamiliarity and discomfort, teachers keep on teaching.”

—Malcolm Mitchell, Share the Magic Foundation

“I am most thankful for the brave, inspiring, innovative educators who have kept my sons Shaan and Sai engaged over the last year, through books, music, art and more. They’ve kept my sons close to knowledge and curiosity and I’m so grateful for this critical support.”

—Reshma Saujani, founder of Girls Who Code and the Marshall Plan for Moms

“Throughout the pandemic, our early care and education workforce has worked diligently to help families and to provide safe nurturing places for our youngest children. This underpaid, underappreciated workforce cannot be thanked enough.”

—Jillian Herink, executive director for the Iowa Association for the Education of Young Children

“The dedicated early care and education workforce continues to demonstrate outstanding commitment to our nation’s children through the most challenging circumstances. It is past time for us as a society to recognize their vital work through equitable compensation and benefits.

—Emily Sharrock, associate vice president, Bank Street Education Center

“I’m most thankful to contemplate the opportunity for equity in early learning across the county, and that we are beginning the conversation that every child has equal access to quality pre-K in order to drive educational and social outcomes for all communities.”

—Dr. Robert Blaine, senior executive and director for the National League of Cities’ Institute for Youth, Education and Families

“The rest of the world finally realized what early childhood professionals and child care providers have known for years—that the early years matter and that care givers need to be respected and valued through recognition and wages. There has never been more public funding and emphasis on changing the system and creating financing structures that work for families, providers and employers. We now need to build the bridge between a dying system that never worked that well for anyone and a kinder system where child care providers are equitably compensated, families have equitable access and children can flourish.”

—Jackie Counts, director of the Center for Public Partnerships and Research at the University of Kansas

“The dedication, patience and hard work of early childhood educators that spark curiosity and provide the critical foundations of learning for children to thrive in school and beyond. The relationships and connections that children form in the early years—at school, at home and in the community—are essential for healthy development and I’m grateful to the many teachers and child care workers who provide a nurturing and safe environment for our youngest learners.”

—Helen Shwe Hadani, fellow at The Brookings Institution

“Persistence of the advocates who have championed young children for decades; parents of young children who weathered the COVID storm—balancing so much everyday; providers of care who worked throughout it all, under difficult conditions and deserve so much more support! And people around the world who are working to assure children are protected from crises, conflict and climate.”

—Joan Lombardi, director of Early Opportunities, LLC

“The incredible marriage—right now—of the world of early learning science and the world of national public policy. For the first time in a very long time, there is a way forward to focus resources (people, knowledge, time, marketing and money) on the very early years of a child’s life within the context of their families and communities. Finally, we are looking at our historical track record in racial, economic, health and educational inequity with the powerful commitment of policy behind it. It feels like we have the wind beneath our wings, at last.”

—Janice Gruendel, senior consultant to Bridgeport Prospers and research professor at the University of North Carolina Charlotte

“The early learning educators and caregivers are truly the ‘unsung heroes’ of the COVID era. Through personal commitment and sacrifice—financial, personal and health—they have stood up for America’s children every day.”

—Michael H. Levine, senior vice president of learning and impact for Noggin

“It is becoming safer for children to be in a variety of settings with caring adults focused on supporting them to grow and learn. I’m also thankful that the conversation is now centered on what kinds of learning experiences are possible and necessary for early learners, rather than whether early learning could/should happen and who should get access to it.”

—Elizabeth City, senior lecturer on education at Harvard Graduate School of Education

“All the champions for children who exist within the early learning field—from caregivers and early childhood professionals, to researchers and local leaders across community settings. We have such gratitude and respect for the dedication, commitment and compassion displayed by early learning champions who rally together and support a child’s most critical early years of life, ensuring they have a strong foundation to thrive as learners and in life.”

—Lesley Graham, managing director for U.S. programs & resources at Save the Children

Although I am not a fan of the struggles we’ve faced during the pandemic, I am thankful for the spotlight that has been placed on early childhood development and education. The field has spoken up and the nation has taken steps towards helping better the infrastructure.

—Nicole Lazarte, teacher, ACCA Child Development Center, Annandale, Virginia

“We’re at a time in history when we’re recognizing through independent, separate fields of study and thought that we’re talking about the same basic core concepts around early learning, including the primacy of shared, supportive, nurturing interactions and relationships as essential. Recognizing this ‘jumping together’ (what biologist E. O. Wilson called ‘consilience’) offers a framework to collectively walk in the same direction towards meaningful positive change.”

—Dr. Dipesh Navsaria, associate professor of pediatrics at the University of Wisconsin–Madison and medical director of Reach Out and Read Wisconsin

“The early educators who create the responsive, nurturing environments where young children learn and grow. These educators are essential for children, families and the broader economy. Yet they often do it all without access to the fair pay and robust professional supports they deserve and that educators in school districts receive.”

—Nonie Lesaux and Stephanie Jones, the Saul Zaentz Early Education Initiative

“The ingenuity, persistence, and love that early childhood educators and caregivers bring to their work every single day, and especially during the pandemic. May we finally begin to grant them the respect and rewards they deserve.”

—Gregg Behr, executive director of The Grable Foundation and co-author of When You Wonder, You’re Learning: Mister Rogers’ Enduring Lessons for Raising Creative, Curious, Caring Kids

“American mothers have lost nearly 30 years of progress in the workforce over the last year. This Mother’s Day, let’s build a robust care infrastructure: child care and early learning for all; paid leave for all and long-term services and supports for our aging population and people with disabilities. We have a lot of lost ground to make up and it’s past time we got started.”

—Julie Kashen, director of women’s economic justice and senior fellow at The Century Foundation

“To be listened to, valued and supported so that they can have reproductive and sexual well-being. Mothers deserve justice and joy.”

—Joia Crear Perry, president of National Birth Equity Collaborative

“Grace. The ability to be vulnerable is one that often times mothers are discouraged from doing and after a year in a global pandemic we need to give more grace to moms to be able to feel all the emotions of 2021.”

—Blanca Goetz

“Not just words but actions. I especially want to thank all the Black mothers, community Mamas, and early education providers who continue to help us heal during all the grief, trauma and tribulations, but also find joy and hope. I want for our country to truly thank our Black mothers and community Mamas by taking the burden, called racism and sexism, off their shoulders. Words of thanks are just not enough; actions that protect, promote and preserve their health, economic security and cultural excellence are needed even more so today.”

—Iheoma U. Iruka Thompson, founding director of the Equity Research Action Coalition, FPG Child Development Institute at UNC-Chapel Hill

“A lot more than flowers and gestures of gratitude. Despite this one day of celebration, our mothers are taken for granted every other day of the year. We need a national reckoning that acknowledges that in order to achieve gender equity we must value women’s unpaid labor. We need to compensate moms for the work we do, we need high-quality, affordable child care, we need paid family leave, we need pay equity, and we need policies that make it possible for the millions of women who had to leave the workforce during the pandemic to return to work if they choose to.”

—Reshma Saujani, founder of and the

“National policies and federal investment in families and children, and changes in the way we think about and value caregiving.”

—Lynette M. Fraga, CEO of Child Care Aware of America

“Our ongoing emotional support, resources and time to balance all of today’s demands on families.”

—Joan Lombardi, director of Early Opportunities

“Policies that allow them real choice in how to align their work and caregiving responsibilities, and a culture that doesn’t expect them to do each perfectly.”

—Elliot Haspel, author of and a contributor at Early Learning Nation

“A long nap. And after that, a supportive, well-paid village to help them care for and educate their children. It’s been more than a year of mothers working triple-time to provide for their families, school their children and run their households. Our child care system was abysmal and stressful before the pandemic, but for the last 14 months, it’s been absolutely unreasonable. I hope that this Mother’s Day, people pair their tokens of thanks to mothers with taking action to support policies that will help mothers thrive, 365 days a year.”

—Casey Stockstill, assistant professor of sociology & criminology at the University of Denver

“To get half a day off where they have no responsibilities and can go do whatever they want without any distractions or interruptions.”

—Claudia Bojorquez, director of Univision’s Social Impact Unit

“Moms all across America are their children’s first and most important teachers, and they deserve to be celebrated this Mother’s Day for all their tireless efforts in helping grow and develop our country’s future leaders.”

—Shane Garver, associate vice president of rural education at Save the Children

“To live in a truly family-friendly country. We deserve to be treated as full citizens where we make the same as our male counterparts, where there is no longer legislation with the goal of limiting our reproductive freedoms, and where our work at home and in the workplace are both valued as work.”

—Diana Limongi

“Understanding and support as they take on the tough and rewarding job of raising a baby. Paid family and medical leave to care; access to high quality, affordable child care; guidance and support in identifying and addressing developmental questions and concerns; and material support through tax credits and direct assistance programs, when needed, to navigate through those economically challenging years. In short, a society that cares about them, their babies and their family.”

—Matthew Melmed, executive director of ZERO TO THREE

“A hug, a nap, and a vacation… and policies that better support parents and families.”
—Marley Jarvis, Institute for Learning & Brain Sciences at the  University of Washington

“As the pandemic has highlighted, American mothers deserve equity. They deserve fairness in the workplace and equal compensation for equal work. They deserve access to affordable, high-quality preschool settings that permit for both their participation in the workforce and the safety and education of their children. They deserve paid family leave and access to health care. Above all, they deserve our unending respect.”

—Dan Wuori, senior director of early learning at The Hunt Institute

“To live in a country that is fulfilling its humanitarian duty to protect mothers and families seeking protection in the U.S.”

—Jennie Guilfoyle, deputy director of programs at (and my wife)

“The public’s gratitude as the too-often unrecognized heroes of the coronavirus pandemic. In the past year, mothers have borne a disproportionate share of the burden of work, domestic responsibilities, and managing their children’s learning and social emotional development. We have them to thank in perpetuity for the positive impact they will have had on this generation’s children during this time of global uncertainty.”

—Philip A. Fisher, Philip H. Knight Chair & professor of psychology at the University of Oregon

“Permission to take time for self-care. Over the past year, we’ve been running around, doing so much that it’s easy to forget that if you can’t take care of yourself, it’s hard to take care of others. That’s why I encourage the agency leaders, educators and parents that I work with throughout our Early Head Start & Head Start Network to come together to take care of ourselves, whether that be taking time at the beginning of a meeting to discuss what’s in our minds, fitting in a quick lunchtime walk or accessing available mental health supports.”

—Diana McClarien, vice president of the Early Head Start & Head Start Network at Start Early

“Summer is a great time for parents and caregivers to do fun activities with children that can also promote learning. For example, cooking together and talking about measurement can connect math concepts for children. Helping children do art projects that involve marking out shapes with tape and then coloring them in with chalk is a good way to talk about geometry and shapes. Planting seeds with children is a great way to talk about science and how things grow. Finally, writing a children’s guide to summer fun together is a great way to promote writing and literacy and have fun together.”

—Megan McClelland, director of Oregon State University’s

“For young children, the most important skills that parents can build all come packaged in playful learning. Building with blocks and doing puzzles promotes spatial reasoning, a critical component of math. Playing games like Simon Says and engaging in pretend play fosters executive function skills (e.g., planning, self-control, memory). And talking about emotions and other mental states when watching movies or reading books can help boost social-emotional skills such as empathy and altruism.”

—Helen Shwe Hadani, fellow at Metropolitan Policy Program, , The Brookings Institution

“There’s a well-documented antidote to slow and reverse the summer slide: kids who read, beat the summer slide! When kids don’t read over the summer, they fall further behind. The best thing that parents and caregivers can do is to let kids select books that interest them. And adults need to get involved, too, by modeling the behavior. So set aside family reading time. There is nothing better than ending your day by sharing stories with a child you love; it will change their lives—and yours, too!”

—Kyle Zimmer, president, CEO and co-founder of

“Parents can prevent their child’s summer learning loss by reading a book every day. They can reread a child’s favorites often and add different storybook genres, such as fairy tales, folktales, fantasy and fables. Families can also engage in book talk during and after reading, act out the most exciting parts, make silly character voices, and discuss reasons why the book should become a new favorite. All these activities will build comprehension and vocabulary.”

—Kathy Hollowell-Makle, executive director of

“There are three simple activities parents and caregivers of young children can do to slow and reverse the effects of summer slide: (1) Talk together and use words to describe the things you do and see around you; (2) read books every day and take time to discuss the stories and characters; and (3) sing your favorite songs. Children are naturally curious and love to play, so parents can follow their child’s interests to spark new conversations, stories, songs and games to enjoy together!”

—Jane Park, director of , the early learning program of the

“Young children learn through play. Seize the teachable moments that arise through your day together to read street signs, talk about the emotions they are feeling and measure out ingredients. Let children guide the learning you encourage so it is a joy, not a chore, for them.”

—David Lawrence Jr., Chair of

“Investigate programming options in your area; we’re hearing about many districts and non-profits across the country planning special programs this summer. Don’t forget your local library’s programs, and be sure your child is checking out books and you’re talking with them about the books. If you’re not sure, a librarian can help you choose age-appropriate titles. And always, always, always, talk with your children about anything and everything.”

—Claudia Miner, executive director & co-founder of

“Parents should make sure they approach reading as fun reading, meaning let kids pick any type of book they want about any topic they are interested in and letting them choose the genre—graphic novels, chapter books, picture books, etc. The other thing that can help with the summer slide in terms of math is playing more board games at home, particularly those that involve counting money. But there are also board games that are specifically focused on math activities. Another important thing to remember is that having family conversations about world events and history are important ways to foster children’s critical thinking skills and language expression.”

—Stephanie Currenton-Jolly, director of