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| B.E.W.A.R.E. PARENTS Protect Your RIGHT's to Protect Your CHILDERN A mother from western Michigan watching her friends' kids before the morning bus said on NBC's "Today" this morning that she can't believe state officials claim she's running an illegal daycare. "To me, this is just a friend helping a friend," Lisa Snyder of Middleville told "Today" host Matt Lauer. Snyder received a letter from the Michigan Department of Human Services that she either needs a license or must stop watching three neighborhood children for 15 to 40 minutes before the school bus stops in front of her house. The state forbids regular childcare for more than four weeks without a license. Snyder told Lauer she was flabbergasted when she received the letter, and called the state to complain. "I said the children should be able to come in my house from the rain or snow," Snyder said. "The lady said to me plain and simple 'Tell the parents to buy an umbrella.'" State Rep. Brian Calley, R.-Portland, also appeared on the show to discuss new legislation he's sponsoring to allow people like Snyder to watch a friend's child for free. He said he's equally shocked at the state's position. "It takes a village, but I guess in Michigan it takes a licensed village," he said to Lauer. |