Where Practicality
Meets Peace of Mind

When I first started working in childcare, I was just beginning college. I thought my background as a former camper at the same daycare would give me an edge—like a built-in cheat sheet to navigate the job. While that experience was certainly helpful, the real turning point came when I became a parent myself. That’s when my perspective on childcare shifted entirely, as I truly began to understand what matters most from a parent’s point of view.

I recently came across a story about President Woodrow Wilson regarding repetition. He once asked his mom why she repeated the same thing 20 times. Her response: “Cause you haven’t learned it after 19!” Repetition is key to success—whether in life or within any organization.

2020 tested us all in ways we never could have imagined, and childcare was no exception. Every day brought new challenges—navigating cohort regulations, managing staff shortages, and keeping up with rigorous cleaning protocols. As a director, I often felt like I was just holding things together by a thread.

Last summer, Maria, a childcare director with three years of experience, found herself staring at her overflowing inbox during lunch—her first real break in days. Between managing staff call-outs, fixing what seemed like endless problems, and fielding parent concerns, her once-passionate outlook on her role was fading. The joy she felt when watching children thrive was now overshadowed by sleepless nights and mounting stress.

Years ago, I found myself in a situation I’ll never forget. A small claim had been brought against us by a former employee we’d terminated. While the claim never made it to court, it became a pivotal learning experience that shifted how I approached leadership and policy implementation forever.

When Christina started at a California-based childcare center, she was thrilled to onboard her first new staff member. She asked the owner what training processes were in place, only to hear, “We just have new staff shadow our current team for a couple of weeks.” Christina’s excitement quickly turned into uncertainty.