Live feeds are not neutral tools. They are not simply modern conveniences. At best, they represent a significant shift in how we understand childhood, professionalism, and trust. At worst, they’re a significant danger to children.

Research shows how young children are being transformed into data profiles, simplified into measurable “doubles” of their human form that can be compared and tracked. Teachers report designing activities to generate evidence instead of curiosity, excitement, and engagement.

The name remains. The website remains. The five star reviews remain. The director may remain. Five new locations in a year? Maybe. Expanding to different cities under the guise of a “naturally growing small business”? Sure. From the outside, nothing appears to change. Families enroll believing they are joining the same community-based organization that earned that reputation over years of relational care.

But ownership has shifted. With it, priorities.

One of the more sweltering questions I catch from teachers, when I describe my philosophy, is how on earth I could possibly approach children who “do not follow directions”.

There is very little need for teacher intervention in power play. When it comes to living out scenarios with alcohol or smoking, there is virtually no need for teacher intervention. We just observe, make a mental note of it in the event that patterns have to be assessed, and move on.

When I started teaching preschool, I remember colleagues and supervisors telling me I had a gift for early childhood education