(State of Washington)As child care providers and advocates, we’ve learned that good ideas alone are not enough to change policy. Child care educators are teachers, not babysitters, and they deserve to be respected and compensated as the professionals they are. Thanks to their efforts, a handful of education grants were restored, and the cap on Working Connections Child Care was not put in place. They earned our support because they've committed to protecting child care, public schools, gun safety, and a juvenile justice system that treats kids like kids. *Shelby Silva-Martinez, a child care provider and leader in Grandview, also contributed to this article and organizing effort.