KidsPark offers flexible, affordable childcare solutions, helping low- and middle-income families while relying on a dedicated workforce largely composed of immigrants and their descendants.
KidsPark is a national franchise dedicated to providing accessible, responsible hourly daycare for families who either cannot or prefer not to use full-day childcare services. Founded with the mission to support working families, KidsPark allows parents to drop off their children at any time during operating hours for as little or as much time as they need, without requiring reservations. Parents pay by the hour, making it a flexible option for those with varying schedules.
Since its inception 37 years ago, KidsPark has expanded to operate daycare centers in nine states. Sisters Beth Christie and Heather Alanis joined the franchise 17 years ago, opening the first KidsPark center in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. “We have families who use us five days a week, or parents who just drop in as needed,” said Beth.
KidsPark aims to assist low- and middle-income parents, for whom traditional childcare can be prohibitively expensive. This financial burden can force parents out of the workforce for extended periods. Many families juggle conflicting work shifts to ensure that one parent is always available for the children. However, they still require affordable care during the overlap when both parents are working. “The hourly drop-off allows them to minimize their childcare costs,” Beth explained.
Currently, parents pay $12 per hour for one child, with an additional $6 per hour for each sibling, which is less than many independent babysitters charge. “Having quality staff that can take good care of your children and keeping rates low for parents, it’s definitely a balancing act,” Beth noted.
KidsPark typically hires young individuals, often college students, with all current teachers in their 20s and directors in their 30s. Immigrants have played a crucial role in the success of KidsPark Arlington. “We’ve always relied on people who have come here from another country, or are first- or second-generation,” Heather stated.
Many of these young employees are pursuing careers in nursing or education. Beth remarked, “It’s just fun to see caregiving as a personality type.” She added that the young women who work at KidsPark tend to be very family-oriented. “We have, over the years, hired cousins and sisters because we believe they work so well together, and all of them have come from immigrant families.”
In addition to their caregiving skills, immigrants and children of immigrants often bring bilingual abilities, which benefit children from diverse backgrounds, particularly in a multicultural area like Dallas. Here, immigrant workers play essential roles in various sectors, including construction, manufacturing, and healthcare. “We want our staff to reflect our customers,” Beth emphasized. “We’ve loved having teachers that are bilingual.”
Beth expressed admiration for the work ethic of the teachers who come from immigrant families. “The teachers that have come from immigrant families have generally been the kindest, most diligent, hard workers,” she said. “I have found myself in awe of some of the young women who have come through the center, their work ethic. And they’ve brought so much love to the center.”
As KidsPark continues to grow, it remains committed to supporting working families through flexible and affordable childcare options, while also valuing the contributions of its diverse workforce.
According to American Immigration Council, the impact of immigrant workers in childcare is significant, reflecting the broader contributions of immigrants to the economy and society.