High Performing Childcare Employees: Practice, Study, Repeat

I recently came across a story about President Woodrow Wilson and his mother. He once asked her why she repeated the same thing 20 times. Her response: "Because you haven't learned it after 19."

Repetition is the foundation of just about every kind of mastery — whether in life or in any kind of organization.

Think about a football team. They run nearly identical practices each week leading up to a game. The same drills. The same routines. The same plays. Game film gets studied. Strategies get refined. The pattern repeats. The result is a team that performs at a level the average viewer doesn't get to see most weeks.

It's the same for performers in sports, music, dance, and drama: practice, study, repeat.

The Basketball Story

My son has played basketball since he was very young. I remember him complaining about all the drills at practice. "Why can't we just scrimmage?" he'd ask. My standard coach answer: "You have to learn the tools before you can be successful with them."

Over the years, his team has taken plenty of losses. Some were close. Some were blowouts. Those losses left the kids frustrated. They kept practicing.

One year, his team played a tournament game against a team from Los Angeles. Several of our boys were playing up — competing in a higher age group against older, more experienced players. From the opening minute, the other team had every visible advantage: bigger, stronger, faster. I'll never forget marveling at one kid on the opposing side who was sporting a full-blown mustache.

By the end of the first possession, I thought I knew where the game was going. Another blowout.

Except this time, the blowout went the other direction. We won 58–13.

Why? Because they had practiced, studied, and repeated. The result was a performance that didn't match what the matchup looked like on paper.

The Same Idea, Applied to Your Center

Success at work isn't different. Like a team running set plays, programs thrive when they have clear Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) — structured, repeatable processes that let staff operate consistently.

A football team doesn't run plays randomly during the game. They memorize them. They drill them. They adjust them based on the opponent. The same applies in your center. You can't expect staff to "figure it out" mid-shift. They need structure, repetition, and real practice.

When SOPs are treated like a team playbook:

• Staff know exactly what's expected of them.
• They can anticipate challenges and respond with confidence.
• The team works together more effectively because they're running the same playbook.

How to Build SOPs That Actually Work

A coach wouldn't expect a team to win without drilling. Don't expect your staff to perform without training and repetition either.

1. Define the play. Identify the key tasks that need clear procedures (opening and closing routines, safety protocols, parent communication). Write clear step-by-step instructions. Keep them simple — avoid jargon or unnecessary complexity.

2. Train like an athlete. Hold regular training sessions, the way a sports team practices. Use real-life scenarios to reinforce learning. Role-play common challenges so staff know how to respond when they show up live.

3. Watch the game film. Gather staff feedback on what's working and what isn't. Refine the SOPs based on what you see in practice. Reinforce with periodic refreshers throughout the year.

4. Make the playbook accessible. Store SOPs in a shared digital location so staff can pull them up in seconds. Post visual reminders in high-traffic spots — a checklist by the front desk, safety procedures in the classroom.

5. Measure performance. Observe staff in action — are they actually following the SOPs? Recognize the people who apply them consistently. Adjust the SOPs as needed to keep improving.

Why It Compounds

Your preparation happens when you plan, organize, and reflect. It's built during meetings. It's reinforced through feedback. It's strengthened when you and your team review what worked and what didn't. It gets perfected in the quiet moments on the drive home, when you replay the day and think about how to make tomorrow better.

Practice. Study. Repeat. That's how a team that looks ordinary on paper produces extraordinary days on the floor.

Worth Sitting With

• Which recurring task at my center is my team still "figuring out" instead of running like a play?
• What's one SOP I've written that's gathering dust because it never made it into the practice routine?
• If I watched the game film of last week, what would I see my team doing differently from the playbook?

Your Team Deserves a Real Playbook.

SOPs are only as good as the practice routine behind them. Director Zen's Growth Academy gives you the operational frameworks to build a real playbook, and the Resource Hub stocks you with the templates to drill it. So you don't have to write yours from scratch. Start Your Membership →

This blog is for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal, financial, or regulatory advice. Childcare regulations vary by state — check with your local licensing agency to ensure compliance.