The Child Care Directors Chair Podcast

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You can be the best boss someone has ever had, support a family for years, extend grace, make exceptions, and genuinely care—and still become the “bad guy” the moment someone does not get what they want.

In this honest episode of the Child Care Director’s Chair, Erica talks about one of the hardest parts of leadership: being criticized by employees, families, or community members who were once some of your strongest advocates. She shares how to process the hurt without reacting emotionally, separate facts from feelings, protect your program’s reputation, maintain professional boundaries, and keep leading with integrity.

You may not be able to control what people say about you, but you can control how you respond, what you learn, and how you continue moving forward.

Support the show

The Child Care Director's Chair Podcast is proudly powered by WatchMeGrow, our premier podcast sponsor and a trusted partner in early childhood education.

WatchMeGrow helps child care programs strengthen family engagement through secure live-streaming, classroom video access, and communication tools that build transparency, trust, and peace of mind for families. Their innovative technology empowers programs to enhance safety, strengthen relationships, and showcase the incredible learning happening in their classrooms every day.

To learn more about how WatchMeGrow can support your program, visit www.watchmegrow.com.

Thank you to WatchMeGrow for supporting our mission to inspire, equip, and empower child care leaders around the world.

Send us Fan Mail

One of the biggest mistakes leaders make is assuming everyone on their team needs the same kind of leadership. They don’t.

In this episode, we’re talking about why strong leadership means knowing your people well enough to understand when they need direction, encouragement, accountability, space, support, or simply a little more trust. Your standards can stay consistent while your leadership approach changes based on the person in front of you.

We’ll also talk about the employees we sometimes overlook—the strong ones who seem to have everything handled—and why they still need leadership, recognition, and opportunities to grow.

And before the episode ends, I’m inviting you to join us this Wednesday, September 16th, for the Early Education Empowerment Conference, a live virtual summit featuring an incredible lineup of early childhood leaders and speakers. You can attend live for free or upgrade for $97 to receive recordings, downloads, and VIP giveaways. The registration link is in the show notes.

Support the show

The Child Care Director's Chair Podcast is proudly powered by WatchMeGrow, our premier podcast sponsor and a trusted partner in early childhood education.

WatchMeGrow helps child care programs strengthen family engagement through secure live-streaming, classroom video access, and communication tools that build transparency, trust, and peace of mind for families. Their innovative technology empowers programs to enhance safety, strengthen relationships, and showcase the incredible learning happening in their classrooms every day.

To learn more about how WatchMeGrow can support your program, visit www.watchmegrow.com.

Thank you to WatchMeGrow for supporting our mission to inspire, equip, and empower child care leaders around the world.

Send us Fan Mail

School-age children need more than supervision, snacks, homework help, and activities. They need connection, belonging, respect, and adults who truly see them.

In this episode of the Child Care Director’s Chair Podcast, Erica talks directly to school-age directors and teachers about how relationship-building looks different with older children than it does in preschool. She explores why belonging matters so deeply during the school-age years, how our energy impacts children, and why simply saying “welcome” is not the same as making a child feel known.

Erica also challenges school-age teams to think differently about engagement. When a child says, “I don’t want to do anything,” does that really mean they are not interested, or have we just not discovered what they care about yet?

This conversation looks at empathy, respect, autonomy, reciprocal relationships, and the importance of giving school-age children a voice in how they spend their time. Most importantly, it asks every educator one question: How are you showing up for the children who walk through your doors every day?

Support the show

The Child Care Director's Chair Podcast is proudly powered by WatchMeGrow, our premier podcast sponsor and a trusted partner in early childhood education.

WatchMeGrow helps child care programs strengthen family engagement through secure live-streaming, classroom video access, and communication tools that build transparency, trust, and peace of mind for families. Their innovative technology empowers programs to enhance safety, strengthen relationships, and showcase the incredible learning happening in their classrooms every day.

To learn more about how WatchMeGrow can support your program, visit www.watchmegrow.com.

Thank you to WatchMeGrow for supporting our mission to inspire, equip, and empower child care leaders around the world.

Send us Fan Mail

The quiet advantage in childcare ownership is not scale—it is fit. A director in Atlanta shares how she built a center around real demand, a homey culture, and the kind of trust families feel the moment they walk in. Erica Saccoccio catches up live at the ECE Pep Rally with a six-year childcare professional who bet on herself during COVID, opened a program for 25 children, and then expanded into a second shift when she saw a gap in her community. What starts as a simple Director’s Chair conversation turns into a sharp look at what it actually takes to run a center that works for families, staff, and the owner. You’ll hear how she thinks about serving working parents, why her favorite age group is pre-K, and how a smaller, converted-home center can create the kind of connection families keep coming back for. She also shares how she builds trust with parents, why being active and present matters, and what makes a program feel personal instead of transactional. 

Erica also digs into the hard realities of ownership: pricing in a market where you’re competing with free care, using security cameras, balancing day-shift and after-school care, and leading a team like they are your own family. If you’re an early childhood owner, director, or aspiring program leader, this episode gives you a grounded look at what happens when purpose meets practical leadership. It is especially valuable if you’re trying to grow without losing the family feel that makes families trust you in the first place.

Support the show

The Child Care Director's Chair Podcast is proudly powered by WatchMeGrow, our premier podcast sponsor and a trusted partner in early childhood education.

WatchMeGrow helps child care programs strengthen family engagement through secure live-streaming, classroom video access, and communication tools that build transparency, trust, and peace of mind for families. Their innovative technology empowers programs to enhance safety, strengthen relationships, and showcase the incredible learning happening in their classrooms every day.

To learn more about how WatchMeGrow can support your program, visit www.watchmegrow.com.

Thank you to WatchMeGrow for supporting our mission to inspire, equip, and empower child care leaders around the world.

Send us Fan Mail

Miranda Moore on the child care policies that protect your business, your staff, and your sanity If you are a child care owner who is ready to grow but knows you need stronger systems first, Miranda Moore delivers the mindset shift that can save you from expensive mistakes. She explains why running a center with your heart alone is not enough, and why standing on your policies is the difference between a smooth operation and constant chaos. Miranda runs a small center in Valdosta, Georgia, serving about 18 children with a 23-child capacity, and she brings the perspective of an owner who is building carefully, not recklessly. She shares what she is focused on before expanding, including staffing, leadership, and the foundation every new owner needs if they want to scale without losing control. You'll discover why Miranda believes great leadership starts with modeling the behavior you expect, how she builds trust with families through open communication and community connection, and why she treats policies as a non-negotiable rather than a suggestion. She also breaks down practical systems that still work in the real world, including her binder-based organization method, monthly safety routines, and the family events and date nights that keep parent relationships strong. 

Miranda also gets honest about modern child care risks, especially the pressure of cameras and social media. She explains why not every incident looks the way it appears on video, why constant surveillance can damage trust with staff, and why protecting privacy matters just as much as transparency. Her perspective is a timely reminder that what happens in child care settings is often more nuanced than a clip online can show. This conversation is especially valuable if you are opening a child care business, trying to tighten your policies, or working to build a center that lasts. Miranda also speaks to the pride of carrying a three-generation child care legacy and building something small that is making a big impact in her community. Strong, practical, and grounded in real ownership experience, this episode is a must-listen for child care providers who want to lead with purpose, protect their program, and grow with confidence.

Support the show

The Child Care Director's Chair Podcast is proudly powered by WatchMeGrow, our premier podcast sponsor and a trusted partner in early childhood education.

WatchMeGrow helps child care programs strengthen family engagement through secure live-streaming, classroom video access, and communication tools that build transparency, trust, and peace of mind for families. Their innovative technology empowers programs to enhance safety, strengthen relationships, and showcase the incredible learning happening in their classrooms every day.

To learn more about how WatchMeGrow can support your program, visit www.watchmegrow.com.

Thank you to WatchMeGrow for supporting our mission to inspire, equip, and empower child care leaders around the world.

Send us Fan Mail

Leasing can look cheaper on paper, but in child care real estate, the wrong move can cost you your business. Todd Harris, known as the Nursery Navigator, breaks down how directors and owners can protect their centers, negotiate smarter, and build real long-term value instead of pouring money into someone else’s building. Todd is a child care real estate specialist, broker, and owner who has opened multiple centers himself. He explains the real tradeoffs between leasing and owning, including when a lease gives you flexibility, when ownership gives you control, and why the most expensive mistake is signing a deal without understanding what’s at stake. In this episode, you’ll discover:

• Why tenant improvement allowances can help cover major expenses like HVAC, plumbing, fire systems, and other buildout costs

• The differences between a turnkey space, an empty turnkey, and a going operation

• How to evaluate culture, standards, and parent expectations when taking over an existing child care business

• Why a lease can become vulnerable when a stronger buyer makes an offer to the property owner

• How ownership can help you control your business’s future and build generational wealth

• What Todd learned from owning and leasing multiple child care properties

Todd also shares candid lessons from operating large-scale centers, enforcing professional standards, and building a child care portfolio in Tennessee with his wife, Dr. Daphne Booker Harris. Whether you’re opening your first center, expanding your current operation, or considering a property purchase, this conversation offers valuable insight before you sign your next lease or mortgage.

Support the show

The Child Care Director's Chair Podcast is proudly powered by WatchMeGrow, our premier podcast sponsor and a trusted partner in early childhood education.

WatchMeGrow helps child care programs strengthen family engagement through secure live-streaming, classroom video access, and communication tools that build transparency, trust, and peace of mind for families. Their innovative technology empowers programs to enhance safety, strengthen relationships, and showcase the incredible learning happening in their classrooms every day.

To learn more about how WatchMeGrow can support your program, visit www.watchmegrow.com.

Thank you to WatchMeGrow for supporting our mission to inspire, equip, and empower child care leaders around the world.

Send us Fan Mail

Change is one of the hardest parts of leadership, especially when you care deeply about your program, your team, and the families you serve. Staff leave. Families move on. Children transition to new classrooms. Plans you thought were solid suddenly shift, and sometimes those changes can leave you feeling hurt, disappointed, frustrated, or even angry.

In this episode of the Child Care Director’s Chair Podcast, Erica has a real conversation about what it means to lead when things do not go the way you hoped. We talk about allowing yourself to feel the emotions that come with change while also asking an important leadership question: What can I learn from this, and how do I move forward?

As directors, we will not always make decisions that everyone agrees with. Our responsibility is to make the best decisions we can with the information we have, while staying grounded in our policies, regulations, responsibilities, and core values.

Nothing in this field stays the same forever. Teams change. Families change. Children grow. Programs evolve. The goal is not to avoid change. The goal is to become the kind of leader who can learn from it, grow through it, and keep moving forward.

Support the show

The Child Care Director's Chair Podcast is proudly powered by WatchMeGrow, our premier podcast sponsor and a trusted partner in early childhood education.

WatchMeGrow helps child care programs strengthen family engagement through secure live-streaming, classroom video access, and communication tools that build transparency, trust, and peace of mind for families. Their innovative technology empowers programs to enhance safety, strengthen relationships, and showcase the incredible learning happening in their classrooms every day.

To learn more about how WatchMeGrow can support your program, visit www.watchmegrow.com.

Thank you to WatchMeGrow for supporting our mission to inspire, equip, and empower child care leaders around the world.

Send us Fan Mail

If you’re waiting to feel confident before you lead, this episode is your wake-up call. Erica Saccoccio breaks down why confidence in childcare leadership is built through action, not personality, and how John Maxwell’s leadership principles can help you become a stronger director right now. For childcare directors who are juggling staff conflict, licensing stress, enrollment pressure, hard conversations, and the daily weight of keeping a center running, this conversation hits exactly where it matters. Erica connects real-world early childhood leadership challenges to practical mindset shifts you can use immediately. You’ll hear how the law of the lid can expose the hidden limits in your center, why “I’m not good at that yet” is a more powerful leadership mindset than “I can’t,” and how growth becomes evidence that you can handle more than you thought. Erica also unpacks why influence matters more than title, how adding value to your team builds your confidence, and why strong directors stop trying to be liked by everyone and start leading from clear values. 

Support the show

The Child Care Director's Chair Podcast is proudly powered by WatchMeGrow, our premier podcast sponsor and a trusted partner in early childhood education.

WatchMeGrow helps child care programs strengthen family engagement through secure live-streaming, classroom video access, and communication tools that build transparency, trust, and peace of mind for families. Their innovative technology empowers programs to enhance safety, strengthen relationships, and showcase the incredible learning happening in their classrooms every day.

To learn more about how WatchMeGrow can support your program, visit www.watchmegrow.com.

Thank you to WatchMeGrow for supporting our mission to inspire, equip, and empower child care leaders around the world.

Send us Fan Mail

In this episode of Childcare Directors Chair, Erica makes the case that many childcare centers don’t need another policy, memo, or handbook update—they need clearer leadership. She explains the difference between managing people with rules and leading with expectations, relationships, coaching, and accountability. Erica walks through why repeated problems often point to unclear standards, weak follow-through, or avoided conversations, not a missing rule. She shares practical examples from childcare settings, including attendance, uniforms, cell phones, classroom cleanliness, and staff communication, to show how leaders can address the real issue instead of adding blanket policies that punish the whole team. If you’re a childcare director tired of sending reminders that don’t change behavior, this episode will help you think differently about culture, accountability, and staff development. Learn how to model expectations, coach your team, and build a center where people know what to do even when you’re not in the room.

Support the show

The Child Care Director's Chair Podcast is proudly powered by WatchMeGrow, our premier podcast sponsor and a trusted partner in early childhood education.

WatchMeGrow helps child care programs strengthen family engagement through secure live-streaming, classroom video access, and communication tools that build transparency, trust, and peace of mind for families. Their innovative technology empowers programs to enhance safety, strengthen relationships, and showcase the incredible learning happening in their classrooms every day.

To learn more about how WatchMeGrow can support your program, visit www.watchmegrow.com.

Thank you to WatchMeGrow for supporting our mission to inspire, equip, and empower child care leaders around the world.

Send us Fan Mail

Family child care is not babysitting, and this conversation makes that impossible to ignore. Erica Saccoccio and Dacia Dumas unpack how home-based providers can lead with warmth and operate like the professionals and business owners they are, without apologizing for policies, tuition, or boundaries. Erica opens with the reality so many providers live every day: families may come through your door because of the love and personal connection, but that does not mean your program runs on chaos or goodwill alone. Dacia, known as Coach D, brings 22 years of family child care experience and shares how she went from seeing child care as a passion to realizing it was a business that needed structure, standards, and a stronger professional identity. You’ll discover why a strong parent handbook can transform difficult conversations, how to set boundaries around late arrivals and communication, the difference between being homey and being unprofessional, and why branding, environment, and language shape how parents value your program. If you’re a family child care provider who feels overextended, underpaid, or misunderstood, this episode is a reset. It’s a reminder that your program is a licensed learning environment, your work is essential, and your standards deserve respect.

Support the show

The Child Care Director's Chair Podcast is proudly powered by WatchMeGrow, our premier podcast sponsor and a trusted partner in early childhood education.

WatchMeGrow helps child care programs strengthen family engagement through secure live-streaming, classroom video access, and communication tools that build transparency, trust, and peace of mind for families. Their innovative technology empowers programs to enhance safety, strengthen relationships, and showcase the incredible learning happening in their classrooms every day.

To learn more about how WatchMeGrow can support your program, visit www.watchmegrow.com.

Thank you to WatchMeGrow for supporting our mission to inspire, equip, and empower child care leaders around the world.