Annette Eberhart began her career caring for children in her own family child care home — and that everyday, hands-on work still anchors everything she does. Over the years, that foundation grew into a broader mission: helping not just children, but the parents, caregivers, educators, and leaders who shape their lives.
Today Annette is a renowned author, speaker, and mentor in early childhood education with a passion for fostering positive child interactions, promoting self-care, nurturing creative minds, and advocating for diversity and inclusion. Her aim is to empower parents, educators, and children to collaborate and create intentional, positive experiences that enrich their lives.
Her journey hasn’t been without challenge — and that’s the point. Much of her advocacy and speaking centers on building resilience through adversity, because she’s lived the work she teaches. “Let’s embark on a journey of growth and discovery together.”
What ties it all together is a single belief: positive interactions inspire growth — for children, for the adults who care for them, and for the communities around them.
My journey into early childhood education and leadership began long before I ever opened the doors to Kidd’s R Us Family Childcare. As a child, I often felt unheard and struggled to find my voice. Those early experiences shaped the leader I am today and ignited a passion for ensuring that every child, family, and educator feels seen, valued, and supported. They also taught me that leadership isn’t about having the loudest voice, it’s about creating space for others to discover theirs.
When I founded Kidd’s R Us, my vision was to create a place where children could thrive, families felt like partners, and quality was the standard. Over the years, that vision has grown beyond my program. Through speaking, writing, mentoring, advocacy, and hosting Best Practices Unveiled, I’ve had the privilege of connecting with educators across the country, sharing strategies, encouraging resilience, and helping elevate the profession I love.
Today, every role I serve, is grounded in the same purpose: creating positive interactions that inspire growth, wellness, and community empowerment. I believe change happens through authentic relationships, open conversations, and a willingness to continue learning.
Annette’s leadership reaches well beyond her own program, into the councils, boards, and training systems that set quality standards for the field.
Annette Eberhart is a dedicated advocate for advancing quality in early childhood education through policy, accreditation, and professional leadership. Her advocacy focuses on strengthening family child care, promoting quality improvement, expanding professional development opportunities, and elevating the voices of early childhood educators in local, state, and national conversations.
As a member of the 2025–2026 Florida Early Childhood Advocacy Fellowship (FECAF), hosted by The Children’s Forum, Annette strengthened her knowledge of early childhood policy and legislative advocacy while collaborating with leaders committed to improving outcomes for children, families, and educators across Florida. She is also pursuing advanced studies in Early Childhood Policy through the University of Florida, further expanding her expertise in systems change and policy development.
For more than six years, Annette has served on the NAFCC Accreditation Council, where she contributes to the Standards Revision Committee. In this role, she collaborates with national leaders to review and revise the NAFCC Quality Standards every three years, ensuring they reflect current research, best practices, and the evolving needs of family child care educators and the children and families they serve.
Through every leadership role, Annette remains committed to influencing policies and practices that strengthen the early childhood profession and create lasting, positive change for educators, children, and families.
