Taunya Sims
Owner, Jus Us Kidz Childcare and Family Services
Lansing, Michigan
“I never want a young mom to feel like I did.”
When Taunya Sims began her career in early childhood education, it was strictly out of necessity. “I was working at a convenience store, and I told my boss, ‘I have to quit. I have no one to take care of my son,’ ” she recalls. “And she said, ‘Maybe you can talk to some of the other women here.’ ”
Discovering that several of them also needed dependable, safe care for their children, Taunya began providing child care in her home for $35 a week. “I hadn’t gone to college,” she says. “I had a high school diploma.”
That was in 1995. Today, Taunya owns three early childhood education programs in Lansing, Michigan. These include a 24-hour family child care home that partners with Early Head Start; a preschool center; and a summer program that she offers in partnership with Ingham County and Delta Township, her local government. In 2021, she purchased a 14,000-square-foot building and plans to rebrand her business by adding apartment units and a family resource center. Recently, Taunya and her husband bought a 29,000-square-foot elementary school that will be transformed into a child care center with community resources housed inside the building. Plans are moving forward, with hopes to open this fall.
Taunya currently serves 88 children and employs 14 educators. She also is just a few credits shy of earning her master’s degree in educational leadership. Following, she reflects on her career journey and the roles NAEYC and her Affiliate, the Michigan Association for the Education of Young Children (MiAEYC), have played.
You didn’t plan to enter early childhood education. What led you to this career?
I was newly married, and I had a son. I took him to a child care program, and it wasn’t pleasant for me. I was afraid to speak up as a 21-year-old mom. I needed someone to watch my child, but I didn’t ask questions. I didn’t know the rules. I didn’t know how to advocate for my son.
I was working at the convenience store, and my boss said I could bring my son to work until I found someone to care for him. Then I started watching other workers’ children, and I realized that this is what I wanted to do—to encourage families. There have to be resources especially to help first-time moms.
That commitment has carried you through several settings.
My husband was in the military, and I worked as a family child care provider at bases in Virginia, Georgia, and Michigan. I was an extended care provider: I watched children when the parents had to go on training. When we moved to Michigan, I watched children during drill weekends while soldiers were at the base.
In 2003, I had to become a civil child care provider, which has different training requirements. On the military base, they offer training modules for family child care providers. But now I needed to go to school. I got my CDA [Child Development Associate Credential], and I said, “I want to learn more.” I went to school as an adult and earned my bachelor’s degree in early childhood education. I’m three classes away from earning my master’s. I’m so ready to have those letters behind my name!
Twenty-four-hour care is a hallmark of your practice. What does it look like?
My 24-hour group home is licensed and provides critical support to families who need flexible, high-quality care beyond traditional hours. I serve three families: One with three children who need care from 11:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.; one with four children who need care from 6:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m.; and a family with one child who needs care from 3:00 to 11:00 p.m.
I have a 1,300-square-foot walkout basement with rollaway beds, so the children have a comfortable place to sleep. If they get off the bus, they eat their dinner here. They do their homework here. The children who come later come in their pajamas. Bedtime is 9:00 p.m. at the latest.
In the mornings, I wake the children up, get them dressed, and give them a light breakfast. They’re just part of my family. I always say to my husband, “Tell me if you’re done,” but he says, “Baby, this is what you do!” His support makes this work easier.
How did you learn about NAEYC?
I dug in deep when I was earning my bachelor’s degree. Great Start to Quality [Michigan’s quality recognition and improvement system] does trainings on NAEYC’s early learning program standards and developmentally appropriate practice. As a member of MiAEYC, we also look at NAEYC’s position statements, including the “Code of Ethics for Early Childhood Educators.”
When I first joined the Affiliate, they recommended we attend a NAEYC conference. And I thought, oh, that’s over my head. But I attended my first Annual Conference in November 2022 and saw that it was people just like me! Educators, owners, employees, and family child care providers. I did an interview with a NAEYC staff member about what it was like during COVID-19—I never shut my doors during the pandemic because I had essential workers who needed me. There were so many people at the conference and so many sessions. There’s something for everyone!
You received a scholarship in 2024 from MiAEYC to attend the Public Policy Forum (PPF) in Washington, DC, and you also attended in 2025. What is PPF like?
PPF is so informative. We get to hear from so many different people. I remember that first year, someone talked about advocacy and that it starts where you are: Advocacy starts with your passion and your purpose. It starts with your program, in your home state. I got to meet with one of our state’s representatives, Republican Tom Barrett. I said, “Tom, listen. We need you. We need your support! Our whole world depends on you fighting for Michigan children.” (For more on advocacy, see “Advice for First-Time Advocates.”)
As you know, NAEYC celebrates its centennial this year. What does that milestone mean to you?
NAEYC’s centennial is more than a celebration of 100 years; it is a testament to a century of advocacy, leadership, and unwavering commitment to children, families, and the early childhood profession. For me, this milestone represents the countless professionals who have dedicated their lives to ensuring that every child has access to high-quality early learning experiences. As someone who began this journey out of necessity and has spent nearly 32 years serving children and families, NAEYC has been a source of inspiration, professional growth, and a reminder that our work matters.
This is a big year for you. What are your hopes for your next steps?
This next chapter is about expanding a vision that has been growing in my heart for nearly 30 years. My hope is to create a place where children feel safe, valued, and inspired to learn and where families feel supported, respected, and connected to a larger community. As a young mother, I remember the challenges of trying to find quality child care, support, and someone who truly understood the weight of balancing family, work, and life. My desire has always been to be to families what I desperately needed someone to be for me during that season of my life. I hope to continue breaking barriers, advocating for children, and creating spaces where every family feels seen, supported, and empowered. If families walk through our doors and leave feeling that they have a village standing beside them, then I know we are fulfilling our purpose.
Photographs: courtesy of Taunya Sims. Copyright © 2026 by the National Association for the Education of Young Children. See permissions and reprints online at NAEYC.org/resources/permissions.