A successful early education program or child care business depends on four essential pieces. The first and foundational of those pieces is a Healthy Director.
Being a childcare center director is an occupation that is built on so many others! You wear this hat of staff morale officer, you wear that hat of child development specialist, you wear the other hat of parent engagement encourager! So many roles every day…not counting cook, driver, custodian or nurse on some days. How do you do it? I’ll bet you wonder that yourself!
One of the ways you manage all the responsibilities is by being the professional that you are…managing multiple tasks and requests with a smile; supporting staff, parents, children with whatever they need. Being a true professional is being skillful, competent and efficient. You rely on the experiences and training that you have had to solve challenges that arise, you take care of situations as they come up daily, and you manage and maintain situations to the best outcome. You have learned to count on yourself in most circumstances as the best answer to most things that come up.
“While taking care of business in the best way, though, you need to remember to take care of YOU!”
Dr. Sharon Jackson
Making everything else work well means you also need to have YOU work well in every way…body, mind, spirit. Taking care of each part of who you are—setting boundaries, recognizing supports, finding balance in your life—each of these enable you to be a flourishing and strong personality and leader.
Whether things are going well and everything is running smoothly or if things have gone topsy-turvy and you are still able to have a successful day, your confident self is a big part of that. Because you are a strong leader, because you are truly a professional, because of the actions you put into place throughout your life to flourish, you can
approach every situation as a confident leader. Your confidence inspires the same in others around you and ensures their trust in what you do in their worlds. As a director,
you are surrounded by people who need your strength and those who appreciate your interactions with them.
Finally, when you are a true professional who understands the value of personal care and is willing to confidently undertake the business side of things, you are able to face
your days with an organized mind and well-defined systems. These clearly organized steps give you back-up when you need it, allow others to take care of business when you are not available and turn daily chores and situations into growing opportunities for staff and families.
Taking the time to reflect and evaluate yourself and the work that you do is a gift to yourself and the people you work with and for. When you ensure that you have a
professional mindset, a flourishing physical, mental and emotional life and confidence in the way you have organized the environment around you, you are clearly a healthy
director…and one who leads both the program and the people in it to success!
Join us next time as we look at the next step for successful programs!
©EarlyEssentials2023
