Omaha, NE – Each month, the Nebraska Early Childhood Collaborative highlights a passionate provider from our Child Care Network who goes above and beyond for children and families. Meet this month’s provider!
Amy Mosher
She’s been a child care provider for 15 years—and her program has its own floor in her home.
Her kids are only 13 months apart, which inspired her career path
She’s a big fan of play-based learning (and Husker football).
Tell us a little bit about yourself, your background, and your family
I’ve operated a Licensed In-Home Child Care in Gretna, Nebraska, for the past 15 years, which is truly the highlight of my day. I enjoy life with my husband of 20 years, Noah, and our two teenagers. Our daughter, Brynlee (16), and our son, Westin (15). Both are busy with High School sports and Softball/Baseball travel sports teams, which keeps us busy, busy.
As a family, we love taking on house projects, spending time camping with friends, and traveling for our kids’ activities. We sneak in vacations whenever we can, and we never miss cheering on the Huskers during football season.
How did you become a Family Child Care Provider? Have you always worked with children?
I’ve always had a deep love for working with children. As a teenager, I spent countless hours babysitting and nannying for many families, and that experience shaped the path I wanted to follow. In high school, I was honored to receive a scholarship to study Early Childhood Education and continue my training after graduation. During college—and for several years afterward—I worked in two different daycare centers, gaining hands-on experience and building confidence in the field.
Although I stepped away from child care for a few years, everything came full circle when we decided to have our children close in age, as they are just 13 months apart. That became the perfect moment to pursue my dream of running an in-home child care, allowing me to stay home with my own kids while doing what I truly love.
What early childhood or business credentials have you earned?
Associate’s Degree in Early Childhood Education; Step Up to Quality Child Care Provider; Graduate of the Business Training Series and the Getting Down to Business Series.
What is unique about your program?
My child care space is completely separate from our family living area. I have an entire level of my home dedicated to child care, including a full kitchen and a private entrance for smooth drop-off and pick-up for parents. We also enjoy a spacious backyard that gives children plenty of room for outdoor play, exploration, and valuable time enjoying nature.
What have been your biggest business challenges?
Time — there never seems to be enough of it. After a full 10-hour workday, then family life, errands and dinner… There’s still a long list waiting for me to do: cleaning, food prep, cooking, paperwork, curriculum planning, grocery runs, and supply shopping. It’s a constant balancing act, but one that is necessary to keep everything running smoothly.
What do you attribute to your success?
Our local networking group of State Licensed In-Home Child Care providers here in Gretna. I personally know nearly all of them and proudly call them my “co-workers.” We maintain an active networking group, complete continuing education trainings together, and stay in close communication. If there is a new provider in town, we are all happy to help them through the licensing process.
When a family reaches out in search of child care to any of us, or one of us has a child care opening, we immediately help connect those families and providers with each other. In a community growing as quickly as ours, this collaboration is essential. Most importantly, it gives families a supportive, reliable point of contact during what can be a stressful and time-consuming search.
My fellow providers mean so much to me—they’re not just colleagues but true friends who offer support, ideas, and a sense of teamwork in this career that we all love.
What is a business accomplishment you are proud of?
I’m sure many can relate… Running a small business through the COVID pandemic was an experience that was trying, scary, and uncertain. It became clear just how essential child care providers are to keeping parents working for their family and their community. I adapted to constantly changing state and health guidelines, navigated new obstacles, and handled challenges that shifted by the day. At the same time of watching daycare children, I was homeschooling my own children when school shut down. Welcoming other families into our home and doing everything possible to keep everyone healthy was the main goal.
It was demanding, but it also strengthened my appreciation for this profession and the vital role we play in supporting families and keeping our community moving forward, happy it’s now a distant memory
What is your vision for your child care business?
Open-ended play and Learning through Play are my main focuses. My next goal is to create a nature-based outdoor playground experience—complete with a mud kitchen, children’s garden, flower beds, and nature area. I want to design imaginative play spaces that inspire creativity, physical activity, and help children discover the environment around them.
If you had one piece of advice to give someone, what would it be?
Enjoy the moment. Take the time to slow down, sit back, and really watch those “aha” and light-bulb moments unfold. Talk with them, listen to them. They are little, but their minds are incredibly curious, creative, and full of surprises. I love to challenge them sometimes, just to watch the joy on their faces when they realize they can do it! They’re so proud of themselves, and it’s so rewarding that I got to experience that with them.
About the Nebraska Early Childhood Collaborative
Since our inception in 2014, the Nebraska Early Childhood Collaborative has grown into a leading organization that addresses the diverse needs of the child care workforce and the children and families they serve. Learn more at nebraskaearly.org/our-impact/