How AI Automation Gives Leaders Back the Time to Lead

The biggest mistake a growing leader makes is trading productivity for capacity. AI is the only tool that gives you both. This is how you stop managing chaos and start managing time—the most precious resource in childcare leadership.

I used to think "automation" was just for tech companies—something distant, full of wires and blinking lights. But in truth, it’s anything that helps you do the right thing, the right way, every time—without having to think about it twice.

When I became a director, the idea of saving ten minutes here and fifteen minutes there suddenly felt less like technology and more like magic. A reliable system could keep things running smoothly—while freeing me to focus on my team and the families we serve.

We already use automation without even thinking about it. Your morning safety checklist? Automation. Tuition auto-pay? Automation. These aren’t robots; they’re quiet helpers.

AI is simply the next kind of helper—a way to automate the thinking side of repetitive work. It’s not here to replace your judgment, your experience, or your voice. It’s here to make sure you have more of the one thing you never have enough of: time.

• Time to lead your team.
• Time to observe classrooms.
• Time to connect with families.
• Time to think clearly.

If you’ve ever rewritten the same memo for the fourth time, stayed up late formatting a flyer, or stared at your screen wondering how to respond to a tough email—this article is for you.

So, What Can AI Actually Do for You?

When ChatGPT first came out, I was intrigued—but cautious. I figured it might be another passing fad. (Remember Blockbuster? I never imagined Netflix would take it down—but here we are, living in a world where the tools we use can change overnight.)

But I gave it a try—and before long, I was using it daily. I saw how it could save me hours each week on everything from tricky parent emails to reworking staff schedules. The time it gave back was too valuable to ignore. That’s when I knew: if this could work for me, it could work for my directors too.

So in fall 2023, I decided to put it to the test—with an audience I knew would be a tough sell. I had all my directors pull out their phones, download the free ChatGPT app, and get ready for a live experiment.

They were skeptical, just as I expected. Which was exactly the point—if AI could win them over in real time, I knew it had a place in their day-to-day work.

Once everyone was set up, I texted them this simple, real-world challenge and had them paste it into ChatGPT:

Scenario Prompt

“I have a parent, at our childcare, Jane Doe Preschool, who continues to have returned payments. His balance is starting to grow and, unless he makes payments, care may be suspended.Please write an email to him reminding him of our payment policies:

-Unpaid tuition of more than two weeks (10 days) will result in removal from the program until full payment is made.
-To avoid a late fee ($7 per week), payments must be made by Wednesday of each week.
-Returned payments (either check or electronic) will be subject to a $25 returned payment fee.
-Please write the email in an empathetic and kind tone. You can include a section about inquiring if a payment plan can be discussed, but that should be secondary to the overall message.”

In seconds—literally seconds—ChatGPT produced a professional, empathetic draft ready to send.

Compared to the 20-minute mental tax of drafting a high-stakes, empathetic email from scratch, this skipped all of the staring, deleting, and second-guessing.

Here’s the instant result ChatGPT gave us:

Subject: Tuition Reminder & Next Steps for Continued Enrollment at Jane Doe Preschool

Dear [Parent’s Name],

I hope this message finds you well. I wanted to reach out regarding your account balance at Jane Doe Preschool, as we’ve noticed a few returned payments and an outstanding balance that is starting to grow.

We understand that financial challenges can arise, and we’re here to work with you. That said, I wanted to gently remind you of our tuition policies to help avoid any disruptions in care:

• Tuition must be paid by Wednesday of each week to avoid a $7 late fee.
• Returned payments—whether check or electronic—incur a $25 returned payment fee.
• Most importantly, if an account remains unpaid for more than two weeks (10 days), we must pause your child’s enrollment until the balance is resolved in full.

Our goal is always to support families, and we’d love to keep your child in our program. If you’re experiencing financial hardship, please feel free to reach out to see if a short-term payment plan might be an option. While this won’t change the current balance due, it may help in working toward a solution that works for both of us.

Please let us know how you’d like to move forward, or if you have any questions about your account. We're here to help however we can.

Warmly,[Your Name][Your Title]Jane Doe Preschool[Your Contact Information]

The room was stunned. Sure, it needed a little polishing—but it was instantly usable. And yes, the directors already had some templates for situations like this—but not for everything.

From there, the team took off, exploring ChatGPT with their own prompts—testing ideas for both their childcare admin work and their personal lives. By the end of the session, we had a room full of skeptics into a room full of AI believers.

‍“AI is not here to replace your judgment, your experience, or your voice. It’s here to make sure you have more of the one thing you never have enough of: time.”

Real Ways Directors & Owners Can Use AI

AI’s capabilities are pretty endless. While you can’t clone yourself, ChatGPT can be the assistant you never knew you needed but now won’t want to work without.

Here are four practical ways to make it a leadership tool—reducing your admin load, increasing clarity, and saving time.

1. The Executive Communication Accelerator

From staff memos to HR emails, AI can help you:

• Draft messages from scratch
• Soften your tone—or make it more confident
• Turn long paragraphs into bullet points
• Check tone and grammar
• Reword tricky or emotional messages
• Revise endlessly—without complaint

Important: Always proof and personalize before sending. AI is helpful, not human.

Pro Tip: Train ChatGPT to match your tone of voice and writing style. With the $20/month Plus plan, you can save your style and get replies that sound like you—fast. (I am NOT affiliated with ChatGPT—just sharing what works for me. Before paying for Plus, try the free version. It has almost everything you need.)

2. Creative Brainstorming & Content Multiplier

Feeling stuck planning your next event, meeting, or newsletter intro? AI can help you brainstorm faster—so you’re never starting from scratch.

Try asking ChatGPT:

• “Give me 5 curriculum ideas for a rainy preschool week.”
• “What’s a kind way to remind parents about late pick-up?”
• “Share 10 ways to improve staff morale.”
• “List creative back-to-school night ideas for families.”

It’s not magic—but it sure feels like it when your creative block disappears.

Pro Tip: Treat ChatGPT like a brainstorming partner, not a perfectionist. Start messy. Ask follow-up questions. Tweak your prompts. The more conversational you are, the better (and more human) the ideas will feel.

3. On-Demand Visual Asset Creation

Need a flyer for next week’s event? A fresh job post? A reminder notice for parents?

AI-powered tools like Canva’s Magic Design or ChatGPT with image plugins can help you draft visual content fast—no design background required. Just describe what you need, and it will offer layouts or wording to build from.

You can quickly create:

• Event flyers
• Job ads
• Parent notices
• Staff shout-outs
• Social media graphics

Pro Tip: Pair ChatGPT with Canva. First, have ChatGPT help you write your flyer copy (tone, wording, structure). Then drop that text into Canva’s templates. It’s a time-saving combo that helps you look polished and professional—without hiring a designer.

4. The 24/7 Policy & Knowledge Assistant (The Custom GPT)

This one might be my favorite.

How much time do you spend answering the same policy questions—over and over?

We’re not talking about complex one-off concerns. We’re talking about things that already live in your handbook, like:

• “What’s our toddler sick policy?”
• “Can I use sick time for jury duty?”
• “How much do we charge for late pick-up?”

Now imagine those answers being available 24/7—clearly, consistently, and instantly. This means guaranteed, uniform consistency in policy answers, eliminating director time spent on repeatable questions.

With ChatGPT Plus ($20/month at the time this article was created), you can train an AI assistant on:

• Your employee handbook
• Parent policies
• Licensing procedures
• Internal workflows

Once it’s set up, your team can click a private link, type a question, and get an instant, accurate answer—based only on your content. You can even embed it on your website or staff hub for easy access.

Need help creating your own GPT? Click here for more: How to Create Your Own GPT for Child Care →

How to Get Started Using AI (Without Getting Overwhelmed)

If AI still feels a little intimidating—that’s okay. You don’t need to build a custom GPT to start. Just dip a toe in.

Here’s a simple way to begin:

1. Edit One Message a Week: Next time you’re writing a memo, email, or staff update—ask ChatGPT to revise it. Need it friendlier? Shorter? More professional? You’ll get options in seconds.
2. Brainstorm Together: Stuck on a newsletter intro or meeting agenda? Ask ChatGPT for a few ideas to spark inspiration. It’s like having a brainstorming buddy on standby.
3. Ask for a Recipe (Work or Home!): Whether you need a crockpot dinner idea or a sensory bin recipe for toddlers—AI’s got you covered. (Sadly, it still can’t do the grocery run. Maybe someday.)

Final Thought: You Don’t Have to Hustle Every Minute

AI won’t lead your team.It won’t connect with families.

But it can take some of the mental load off your plate.It can help you say what you mean—faster.It can help you serve your team—better.And it can give you just a little more breathing room in a job that asks everything of you.Let it.

Key Takeaways & Your Next Step

• AI can save you hours on everyday tasks—but only if you let it.
• You don’t need to be “techy” to start using AI tools today.
• Automating repeat tasks is not outsourcing work; it is reclaiming your leadership capacity.
• A custom GPT can be your team’s go-to for policies, processes, and reminders.
• Start small, stay curious, and let AI support—not replace—your voice.

Your Practice: Choose one internal communication—a staff memo, a tricky email, or an agenda summary—and commit to letting a free AI tool draft the initial version this week. The goal is not perfection; it's recognizing the time the AI saves you from staring at a blank screen.

Helpful Tools

• Create Your Own GPT for Child Care →
• “AI Prompts for Beginners”—Quickly learn how to work efficiently with ChatGPT

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