The Director's Planner: Week of September 30, 2024
Give child-friendly tours, spruce up your entry way, and try AI!
1 weekly challenge, 2 thoughts to consider, and 3 action items written exclusively for Childcare Directors!
*Note: I’ve updated my "Tips and Tricks" section to "Thoughts to Consider" as I felt my previous format resulted in adding too many “to dos” to your plate. This new format allows me to continue to share tips and tricks while also incorporating additional support such as inspirational quotes, ideas, and thought-provoking questions. My goal is to ensure you receive a wholistic approach to support without feeling inundated by too many tasks at once.
1 Weekly Challenge
Ask FIVE Questions on Your Next Tour
When you give your next tour, challenge yourself to ask prospective parents and their children five thoughtful questions. This strategy will help you uncover their priorities and concerns while ensuring the child feels included in the conversation.
Engaging children during the tour is crucial; it not only makes them feel valued but also gives you insights into what excites them about the environment. By asking kids about their favorite activities or what they enjoy doing at school, you can better understand their preferences and interests, making it easier to highlight aspects of your program that resonate with them.
By actively listening to both parents and children, you can tailor the tour to address their specific needs and interests. Today I encourage you to create a list of questions that you believe will enhance your upcoming tour experience. Also, Insiders can be on the lookout for my recommended questions later this week!
2 Thoughts to Consider
I. "People rarely succeed unless they have fun in what they are doing." — Dale Carnegie
Take a moment to reflect on your role as a childcare director. Are you finding ways to have fun? Are you enjoying what you do? And if not, can you pinpoint the source(s) of your discontent? Remember, the grass isn’t always greener on the other side. Instead of fixating on dissatisfaction, think about one action you can take to reignite the excitement that originally drew you to this role. If you’re currently thriving, how can you share that enthusiasm with your team?
And remember, while it’s not realistic to love what you do every second; you can find joy in the journey and stay connected to your purpose.
II. What is one belief you hold that might be limiting your potential?
Along with reflecting on the above quote, work to identify any limiting beliefs that you’ve internalized over time, both professionally and personally. I encourage you to write these down. How might challenging these beliefs open new possibilities for growth, both personally and within your center?
3 Action Items
I. Send the monthly newsletter
Consistency is essential for fostering a strong sense of community between your team and the families you serve. If you didn’t have time to prepare the newsletter last week, don’t worry—Insiders can pull what you need from October’s Newsletter Toolkit!
II. Spruce up your entryway or common spaces
Consider how you can refresh your entryway or common spaces to celebrate the changing seasons or new month. Both children and staff love walking into a lively, festive space, and seasonal decor can bring a sense of excitement to start the day! If you haven’t done this before, start small with simple decorations that change with the season and gradually build your collection over time. As you grow your decor stash, categorize and store items by season for easy access.
Before you know it, you’ll have enough to decorate for the beginning of each new month! These small touches make a big difference and offer a fantastic way to connect with families and create a welcoming atmosphere.
III. Give ChatGPT a whirl!
A couple of weeks ago, one of your action items was to create a ChatGPT account. If you did that, great job! If not (or if you're new to The Director’s Collective), your first step is to sign up for ChatGPT.
Once your account is set up, login, click on the pencil and paper icon, and start a new chat. For this week’s challenge, let’s keep it simple. Type, “I am a childcare director, and the biggest challenge I’m facing in my role right now is [ENTER YOUR STRUGGLE HERE]. What are some innovative ideas I could consider to improve or eliminate the issue?”
Then, see what happens! Remember that you can chat back and forth with it like a human, ask it to clarify, or ask for more information. I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments if you’re open to sharing :) And if this got you excited, check out 3 Practical Ways AI Can Simplify a Director’s To Do List.
And that’s it for this week.
It’s as easy as A, B, C, 1, 2, 3!
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