The Director's Planner: Week of October 6th, 2025
“How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives.”
💡 This Week’s Thought
“How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives.” —Annie Dillard
Fall always has a way of sneaking up on us. I have definitely been feeling more overwhelmed than normal over the past month. Between partnering with frustrated parents and working through challenging classroom behaviors, it has been exhausting. And it is so easy to get stuck in the cycle of just managing what’s in front of you instead of actually enjoying the parts of the job that make it worth doing.
So this morning on my drive into work (while listening to the new TSwift album for the one-millionth time) I challenged myself to re-discover what lights me up in this role, and to actually make time for it each day. I’m still deciding what that will be… but I’d love for you to join me.
So think for a minute… what first drew you to this role? And how can you bring a little bit of that back into your day? Sit and color with the preschoolers. Decorate your doorway for Halloween. Bring your camera and capture the classrooms in action. Host a “dance party” with the toddlers. Whatever it is, make space for the parts that remind you this work can be fun. Because yes, it’s a job, but it’s also a big part of your life and your story. And happier people lead happier people.
And if there’s something that’s been bringing you joy lately, I’d love for you to share it in the comments to inspire others!
✨ Something to Use
The October Resource Toolkit dropped last week! 🎃 It’s a free, downloadable PDF packed with ideas, ready-to-use templates, and easy timelines to help you find the joy and time to connect with families and staff throughout the month.
If you haven’t grabbed it yet, you can download it here:👉 Get it here
If you find any of my resources to be beneficial, the best way you can show your appreciation is by sharing The Director’s Collective with other leaders in the ECE field. Thank you so much!
📅 What’s Coming Up
Each week I break down your to-do list into bite-sized tasks so you can stay on top of running your program without feeling overwhelmed.
I. Spruce Up Your Entryway
We are now one week into October, and if you haven’t done so yet, it is the perfect time to give your entryway a touch of the fall season! Grab some pumpkins or jewel-toned mums to put out front, hang a garland of fall leaves near the door, or add some spooky spiderwebs for a touch of fun. These seasonal changes make your center feel like home!
II. Prep for Fall Parent/Teacher Conferences
Many early childhood programs are required to host two conferences each year to connect with families. If that’s the case for you, your fall conferences are likely approaching soon. Which means now is the perfect time to make sure everyone has the correct evaluation or progress report form, understands the timeline for completion, and knows when to turn them in for review! You may also want to set a few quick check-ins over the next couple of weeks to help teachers stay on track.
III. Send out Blank Recipe Cards to Families!
If you are following along with any of my October family/staff connection ideas, now is a great time to print and send home your blank recipe cards for families to fill out and return next week in celebration of World Food Day (October 16th.) You can find these in my October Resource Toolkit!
🌟 Director Spotlight
Don’t forget to hit reply and tell me what you (or a fellow Director) are doing that you’re proud of, big or small. I want you to brag! Let me hear it!
And that’s it for this week! Easy as A, B, C, 1, 2, 3.
As always, I am so grateful to all of my readers who share my work with other Directors in the field. Together we will do wonderful things!
