Carmen Severino - April 2024 Shero

Congratulations Carmen Severino, Lawrence, MA

My name is Carmen Severino. I arrived young, from my country the Dominican Republic, with a three-month-old child. I had no family, only the father of my son, and I tried hard to work myself up. During this time, I had to leave my son with a neighbor while I worked, but when I returned, I saw my son with his eyes swollen from crying; he had never been left alone with a stranger. Someone told me about the option of pursuing family care in the house, and I did not think twice. At that time in 1997, I started with a company called Merrimack Valley. It was very small, and I remember my first check had no funds. 

After this, I applied to another family care system, where I finished preparing myself to offer better service. Studying from home, I was able to finish my High School Diploma (GED). After obtaining my GED, it opened the door for me to start attending college courses. I took it one step at a time. By studying on weekends, I achieved my bachelor's degree in early education at Springfield College of Human Services, which I am proud of.

Before graduating and continuing my work as a family childcare provider, I went through a divorce, which left me with two wonderful boys, one of them diagnosed with autism at the age of 2. However, I never neglected my work through these tough times, no matter what inconveniences and challenges life gave me.

Today, I have a stable partner and a beautiful daughter who attends college and wants to be a future psychologist. I had always dreamed of being a teacher or a lawyer, as well as having the opportunity to explore and learn about the development and growth of children. I love encouraging children to explore and develop new skills. My experience and education have allowed me to be a full-time educator. Our childcare programs consider each child's individual needs, supporting diversity and culture.                  

Thank you to Share Services of Massachusetts for allowing me to grow more. They provide tools that will help family childcare develop new skills and allow us to recognize that we are business owners. Shared Services of Massachusetts also provides resource tools for the families we serve and for our business. We can find the tools and resources to run our business on the Shared Service website.