by admin | Jun 17, 2021 | Blog, Uncategorized
Childcare inspections: two simple words that give day care owners the heebie-jeebies! I remember feeling really worried about the prospect of childcare inspections when I first started out in this industry. We’ve all heard stories from strangers on the internet and all sorts of anecdotes about how mean inspectors can be.
However, I’m here to set the record straight about why inspections aren’t as scary as they seem and help you see things from a different perspective.
If you’ve not had your first inspection yet, it might be worrying you. Or maybe you’ve got the inspection blues? Either way, read on to find out why we shouldn’t see the inspections as a negative.
Why do we even need to have inspections?
In my opinion, there are three main reasons that inspections matter.
Firstly, the kids’ health and safety. Research shows that states with strong licensing regulations, but lacking in routine inspections, don’t protect children from harm. Inspections of childcare programs by licensing agencies etc are important because they help to make sure that the State’s rules are being followed. This is vital for protecting children’s safety. And we’ve all got their best interests at heart, right? That’s why we’re here doing what we do best!
Next up, parental choice. Imagine you’re a parent trying to choose a day care for your precious little one. You need to make a shortlist of settings without spending hours driving around your local area. How are you going to do that? Wouldn’t it make sense to have a quality rating that helps you compare day care centers? Exactly! That’s part and parcel of what inspections can help with.
Finally: they can help you shine. I like to think of inspections as a way of figuring out where I can improve. Try and twist it into a positive experience – something to look forward to. How can I demonstrate that I’m the best?! What can I do to get to the next level of quality rating?
Annnnnnd breathe…
The inspection process can feel super stressful but it doesn’t have to be. Speaking from experience, I find that if you take a minute to practice inhaling and exhaling slowly it can really help you calm down. I know that these inspections can feel like a massive inconvenience, or like they’re out to get you but if you focus on the job at hand and put certain things into play, you can get through them.
Sort out your inspection mindset
Yup. Mindset matters for this too! Often we approach these sort of things with a negative mindset, assuming the worst and overthinking before the inspector has even set foot in your establishment! What good is being negative for the inspection? Is it going to help you get a good rating? No!
So, it’s really important that you take some time to step back and detach yourself from the situation. Take your emotions out of it and understand that this inspection is absolutely nothing to do with your abilities as a human being or anything at all personal. It’s purely about whether your childcare meets the regulations required by your state.
If you feel the negativity creeping in, remind yourself of your why! Tell your inner critic that you’re going to prove to the inspector what a badass childcare business owner you are!
They’re not the enemy!
We need to understand that the inspector isn’t the enemy! I know we hear those dreadful horror stories all about bad inspectors finding the tiniest of issues with how owners run their businesses – i.e. nit-picking! – but they really aren’t all “bad eggs”. So, while the rather irritating nit-picking behaviour can happen on occasion, it’s more helpful to go into it with a different approach.
So instead of assuming the worst and predicting that they’re coming to tell me what’s wrong, how about making the conscious decision to view it differently?
Gain valuable insight
What amazes me is that we all seem to forget that these inspectors are a.) human and b.) often experts in the field themselves! As such, they might even have been childcare business owners once upon a time! So why not make the most of their support?
Surely you could begin to see an inspection as a chance for someone from the outside to give you tons of valuable input and ideas. Actually, inspections are a rare chance to get an external perspective from someone who might help you make things better in your day care.
I found that reframing the way I thought about inspections and how I approached them was an absolute game changer! When you’re able to focus on the truly important thing: preparing things rather than worrying unnecessarily. When I looked at it from that perspective rather than seeing them in a negative way it was became a fantastic opportunity for growth!
Have you had an inspection yet? How did you prepare for it?
Mindset comes up so much in business, even in this there’s a chance to have a growth mindset. So don’t make yourself overwhelmed, get out of your head and see it in a new light, it’s a game changer! I’ll be talking about this and how to get over the inspection blues over in my Facebook group, so come along!
Want to get more involved in the childcare business owner community and really ramp up your business to the next level? Join us for more tips on how to make your childcare business the success it deserves to be! Or if you prefer Instagram, we share ideas and tips there too! We’re an army of childcare professionals who are sharing ninja-sharp skills to transform our businesses into childcare empires! This is Childcare Ownership all Grownup!
by admin | Jun 10, 2021 | Blog, Uncategorized
What does your summer childcare program look like? Do you do anything different to your usual schedule in the summer months?
It’s that time of year, in most places here in the USA, where we are smothering kids in sun lotion and ensuring they’ve all got their hats on! But how can we differentiate the summer time in our childcare settings to make it stand out from the usual school times?
I know it can be really easy to do the same old thing year in, year out. But I want to help you break that dull old cycle and get your kids BUZZING about your daycare!
This blog is full of tried and tested tips and strategies to boost your fun this summer! Read on to discover how to make your childcare stand out and bring joy to all your families!
Why is summer any different to other times in the year?
The year can feel really boring, monotonous and uninspiring, so I like to use the summer to break up the year. It separates out ‘term time’ from ‘holiday time’, and —because it’s warmer—there are tonnes of opportunities to mix things up, especially by heading outside!
Switching up your program compared to how it is in the school time helps to break up any boredom for the kiddos and also your team. They get a rest from all the traditional school time learning activities, and it’s more likely that you’ll feel able to make a more creative timetable!
Off-the-curriculum fun!
Summer is a chance for you and your team to unleash your creative sides and go wild. Now is the time to really have some fun! Summer can be a time to break rules!
Take it as your permission slip to totally reinvent your program, drawing on all the experience and wisdom of your team and completely go for it – no generic teaching of math and English! Think right outside of the box! There are so many fun projects you can do that are exciting yet still encourage the kids’ academic skills.
When you have a creative and joyful learning program your kids will have so much fun, they’ll be telling their parents all about it!
Rejuvenate your summer childcare program!
Summertime is absolutely one of my favorite times of the year. I love the freedom that it brings to step away from the normal activities we can all find super dull after a while. But most of all, I adore seeing the kids playing outside and exploring. None of them complain about being cold or hungry or tired because they’re too busy exploring!
Take today, for instance! We were making drums! And, because the sun is out, we can make these drums and play with them out in the garden so the noise doesn’t reverberate in your ears quite so much! The summer makes all those louder activities much more appealing to you and your team right!?
Bring back the old skool games
Outdoor play doesn’t need to cost the earth. There’s no need for new swing-ball sets or a climbing frame! It’s amazing what you can do with some chalk! Bring back those oldies-but-goodies like hopscotch and tick-tack-toe (noughts and crosses)! A lot of the kids won’t have played these games before and learning them feels fun and new! Plus these are life skills!
A classic idea that really gets them thinking involves water, a bucket and some old paint brushes! It’s actually super for teaching kids about evaporation and the water cycle! Get the kids to fill up a bucket and “paint” your fence or wall outside. It soon dries of in the heat and you can ask them questions like, “where do you think the water goes?” or “what happens if you do that again?”
Get out some hula-hoops and show the kids how to use them. Can the beat you with the number of loops they can swing? Get them to keep a score with chalks on the paving. They can have races with them and use sticks to make them go faster. Aaaah the memories!
More ideas for outdoor play
Ask families to bring in rolls of painter’s tape, cardboard and containers for the kids to make junk models outside. Set them challenges! Who can make an aircraft for a Paw Patrol character to rescue someone? How tall can you make a tower of boxes without it falling over?
Make an area for water play. Gather a bunch of buckets and measuring spoons and cups, and that will keep kids entertained for hours while also experimenting with the concepts of volume and capacity! Another great idea for water play is asking local builders to donate some tough trays and rain gutters for the kids to play with.
What do you love about your summer childcare program?
Share your ideas below and head over to the Childcare Ninja Facebook group to find more tips and strategies for making your childcare program summer-tastic this year!
Interested in becoming more involved in the community and to grow your business? Join us for more tips on how to make your childcare business the success it deserves to be! Or if you prefer Instagram, we share ideas and tips there too! We’re an army of childcare professionals who are sharing ninja-sharp skills to transform our businesses into childcare empires! This is Childcare Ownership all Grownup!
by admin | Jun 3, 2021 | Blog, Uncategorized
This week we launched The Club and boy oh boy it has been incredible to see the caliber of women who are on board! Woop woop! So I thought it might be a nice idea to share with you some empowering quotes from phenomenal women to inspire you to up your game. Y’all know this is the sort of blog post you gotta share with your fellow business owners, right?!
Supporting childcare business owners like you to grow and build your empires and help and inspire your communities is my jam!! I can’t think of anything I’d rather be doing.
And if you’re ready to create the childcare business of your dreams, you’ve still got a chance to join The Club!
Here are 8 of my favorite empowering quotes to give you a boost today and beyond!
Empowering Quote 1:
Who else to start us off by one of the fiercest women to roam this planet?! None other than the tennis queen herself, Serena Williams.
Every woman’s success should be an inspiration to another. We’re strongest when we cheer each other on. Serena Williams
Phenomenal Quote 2:
Next up is the Queen of Pop, Beyoncé, whose music inspires and encourages us to all be ourselves and become the leaders we were born to be! Who run the world?! GIRLS!
We need to reshape our own perception of how we view ourselves. We have to step up as women and take the lead. Beyoncé
Inspiring Quote 3:
An inspirational and empowering list would not be a proper list without the icon that was Rosa Parks. We are grateful for those that fought hard for our rights and we’ll continue to follow in their footsteps!
I have learned over the years that when one’s mind is made up, this diminishes fears; knowing what must be done does away with fear. Rosa Parks
Yassssss Queen Quote 4:
We couldn’t compile this list without the First Lady who’ll forever be in our hearts and inspiring us daily, Michelle Obama!
There is no limit to what we, as women, can accomplish. Michelle Obama
Girl Boss Quote 5:
When you’re the first African American Woman to lead a Fortune 500 company we had to have her! Ursula Burns smashed the glass ceiling when she became CEO of Xerox in 2009. Proof it’s possible, right?!
Believe that there are no limitations, no barriers to your success — you will be empowered and you will achieve. Ursula Burns
Royalty Quote 6:
What’s an empowering quotes list without Oprah? The woman is a living legend, right?!
Think like a queen. A queen is not afraid to fail. Failure is another stepping-stone to greatness. Oprah Winfrey
Kickass Quote 7:
I love this quote from Indie film producer and singer, Gina Carey! It’s my approach to challenges for sure! Go on, give it a try.
A strong woman looks a challenge in the eye and gives it a wink. Gina Carey
Illuminating Quote 8:
I wanted to finish with a quote that inspires you to be yourself. No matter how hard things get, remember you are a shining light, Ninja!!
Nothing can dim the light which shines from within. Maya Angelou
I hope these empowering quotes will inspire you to strive to achieve your goals, in your business and in your life!
And that they remind you that if you’re learning from all the things that you’re doing, even if the outcome isn’t quite what you planned or hoped for, you’re always learning! And when you’re learning from your mistakes and everything else that you’re doing, you’re definitely winning!
Which leads me to tell you a little bit more about The Club. It’s my brand new learning and community platform for Childcare Ninja Bosses to be inspired, learn, grow and build a business that enables the life of freedom they want!
We’ll be working our way through everything you need to succeed! From getting your first clients, finding and setting up a location, planning, staffing, creating systems, and oh so much more!
I wish this had been available to me when I first set out to run my own childcare business! But hey, I was put here on this earth to help others and that is what I’m gonna continue to do! It is absolutely my mission to inspire, educate and support women to create successful childcare businesses so that they can live a life of freedom, flexibility, and financial success!
by admin | May 27, 2021 | Blog, Uncategorized
None of us go into the childcare business lightly. And we certainly don’t tend to enter this industry if we lack passion for children and families! We love the kids we work with, right? To a point, the job itself is a reward. But what are the other rewards of being a childcare business owner?
There are plenty of reasons —outside of the families we work with— that make owning a childcare business awesome. I wanted to share them with you because I think sometimes being a childcare owner is underrated and underestimated! Not only do we get to have fun occasionally, but the potential to make more than just a decent living.
So what are the top 5 rewards of being a childcare business owner? Read on to find out…
Reward 1: Family
I’d bet my bottom dollar that you and I both share our why. Is your raison d’être family too? My family was the the spark that lit the fire in my belly and kept me pushing through the challenges. As a single parent, I knew I needed to build a stable life for them. I wanted to be at all of their sports games, attend every recital — I didn’t want to miss a thing! And because I started my day care instead of slaving away in a low wage desk job, I was able to do just that! I could treasure family time.
Coming back to your why is incredibly powerful. When you have a strong why, you have the strength to persevere. You have a motivator that makes you try that little bit harder! If you haven’t watched these two TED talks, here and here, I highly recommend you do.
I honestly believe that starting your own day care business gives you the flexibility and freedom you deserve to have with your family. I want that flexibility for you too, Ninja! Which leads me nicely to the second reward of being a childcare owner…
Reward 2: Flexibility
Being able to enjoy your family and put them front and center is top of the agenda, but to do more of that we need more time. And that is a huge factor that you can gain once your childcare business is up and running.
Y’all know that time is precious. In fact it’s the most priceless commodity we have. What would you give to gain more time with your family, and doing the things you love? Of course there are challenges to get to the stage where you’ve got more free time, but when you get there it tastes so sweet! Trust me!
In my Facebook group you’ll find that I’ve shared how I overcame the challenges to get to where I am today. Do you want flexibility too?
Reward 3: Financial freedom
Here’s the tea: It’s hard to get wealthy just with a job by itself. When I was working my 9-5, the thing that stood out to me was that I earned a set wage. I could work harder and be more productive with my time, but it would still be the same. If I was lucky I’d maybe get a 3-5% increase and the odd bonus on occasion. I didn’t want to be stuck in a job I hated struggling to get by, knowing that my daughters were missing out on the things they wanted.
When I started my childcare business (almost 15 years ago!) this is something I desperately wanted and needed! I barely thought about anything else but FREEDOM! So, I wonder if you dream of FREEDOM? Freedom to set your own schedule? Freedom to take time off knowing your income isn’t just relying on you? Freedom to spend money on what matters, when it matters? Freedom to go to your kids school events without asking for time off?
Earning more and having these opportunities has been another wonderful benefit of being a childcare owner. With hard work and self-belief, my business grew and became more successful. Holidays, nice clothes, or a spacious home weren’t an option before I started my biz.
I’m here reminding you today that it’s really possible to OWN your finances! YOU can determine your income. If I can do it, I know you can too. You got this!
Reward 4: Legacy
One of the biggest reasons I started this business was to leave a legacy for my girls. I wanted to create something amazing that I could pass down to my children. Something that they can inherit and build upon. Something successful that enables them to live a fulfilling life that they love too!
I am driven by a passion to pass on generational wealth, which is POWERFUL. Particularly as women. And even more so if you’re a woman of color. These things matter! Leaving a legacy is a massive reward of being a childcare owner.
Dunno about you, but I never want my kids to burn out working a depressing 9-5. I don’t want to see them busting their gut all day long just to put food on the table. I want more for my kids. Don’t you?
Do you have a legacy to leave to your children yet, Ninja?
Reward 5: Empower women
It is an absolutely amazing feeling when you get to a stage in your business where you literally have EVERYTHING you want. The house, the car, the money, the freedom, flexibility…I mean EVERYTHING just falls into place. The peace of mind, the security — it’s nothing short of life-changing. As my business shifted a few years back to this new place in the grand plan, I just knew I had to give back. I had to pay it forward so other women could also live a life like this!
My team is made up of brilliant women. I love working with them and providing them with the tools they need to excel. But I craved being able to help more women. Women like you. Women with a dream of something bigger. It’s why I began working on group programmes and now I’m opening my Ninja membership – so I can support more women to achieve what I’ve done!
Which rewards of being a childcare owner are you looking forward to most?
It is an absolutely amazing feeling when you get to a stage in your business where you literally have EVERYTHING you want. The house, the car, the money, the freedom, flexibility…I mean EVERYTHING just falls into place. The peace of mind, the security, it’s life-changing.
As my business shifted to this place I knew I had to give back. I had to pay it forward so other women could also live a life like this! This is why I have created my Club membership for Childcare Ninjas. It is all the learning you need to start and grow your childcare business, all the inspiration, motivation, and kick in the butt you need to keep going, and it is direct access to me so you are not alone.
I am also offering the Founding Members lifetime access at this incredible price of just $28 per month!
Yaaassssssssssssssss!! You did indeed read that correctly!! You ought to snap this incredible offer up pronto! We kick off on 1st June so hurry scurry now! Invest in yourself as a founding member…
by admin | May 13, 2021 | Blog, Uncategorized
You might be wondering whether an advertising plan is relevant to you as a childcare business owner, especially if you run a small day care center. After all, you’ve got a great reputation and word of mouth clients are keeping your business afloat.
But I have learned over the years that living on a wing and a prayer when it comes to finding new clients doesn’t always work. So I want to take a moment to explain how valuable having an advertising plan can be.
Read on to find out why you should have an advertising plan – even if you run a home day care!
Okay, firstly: what is an advertising plan?
As you already know, I do love a plan and being organized. But this one is extra awesome. Essentially, an advertising plan is the blueprint for how you can use advertising to promote your childcare business. It’s how you’re going to reach out to new clients.
Having a plan in place means that your childcare’s marketing budget isn’t wasted and that the money is put to good use! By creating a plan, you can also make sure that your advertising reaches the correct audience! Yay!
Why does my childcare business need one?
Every business needs an advertising plan! I like to think of it as a kind of guide to promoting your business. Your plan will tell you who your target clients are and how you can reach them. Most importantly, it’ll point out where things aren’t working and what needs more focus.
Instead of struggling on doing the same old thing, having a plan allows you to correct your direction and helps your childcare business to thrive. Putting together a plan means you can save yourself time and money. It’s going to get you attracting your dream clients – you know, the families that you really want to work with! The ones that will be a good fit for your services and the ones you want to support.
What if you’re a home day care?
There are benefits to creating an advertising plan for your Childcare business whether it’s a smaller or a larger center. Sometimes when you’re running smaller business you can feel a little bit like a small fish in a big pond. So you wonder how you can pull clients in when you don’t have as much money to allocate to it. And you’re limited on the time you have to spend on marketing. You can’t afford to waste time or money on the wrong things.
Don’t make the mistake of thinking an advertising or marketing plan is only for bigger providers or centers. Because if you have goals for your business then you should make a plan. Just because you may not be as big as them, it doesn’t mean you can’t put together a plan!
You can create a plan that’s right for your childcare business. One that will help you bring in the ideal clients that you’re looking for within your allocated budget!
When should I make an advertising plan?
Don’t do what I did and wait years before creating a plan! Do it as quickly as possible so you can start to grow at a faster rate, and call in the right clients from the get-go! It’s not impossible to create a plan once you’re established, but it’s much easier and you’ll waste so much less cash if you plan your advertising properly right from the beginning!
How do I begin to create an advertising plan?
First thing’s first: what do you want your advertising plan to achieve? Are you trying to attract new families to your day care or are you trying to encourage current customers to book more sessions? Or maybe you’re offering a new service or are opening a new center? I’ve learned that the best goals are super specific. For example, what kind of increase in enquiries are you looking for and in what time period?
Next you need to figure out what your budget is. How much do you want to spend on promoting your business? If you already have some ideas in mind, how much will these ideas cost you to execute?
Now it’s time to get super clear on who your ideal client is. What are they like? Where do they hang out? What problem are you solving for them? It’s really important that you know how they tick!
What next?
Once you’ve established who you’re speaking to, it’s time to put together your messaging. This is where you communicate all the benefits that your services can provide your clients. You want to make sure your advertising is perfected so that it resonates with your audience and entices them. You want them to feel an urge to learn more about your day care and maybe even book a tour or call with you. (Remember your goal!)
And then you can start to plan how you’ll advertise. What medium will you go for? Purely digital ads or will you have some printed pamphlets as well? Will your budget stretch to bill boards or radio? So many options!
Once you’ve created the plan and implemented your strategies, it’s then time to analyse how you’re doing. But that’s all for another time!
I hope this blog has helped you to see why having a plan for your advertising will help you to achieve more in your childcare business. By creating this plan, you’re going to be able to grow at a quicker rate.
Want to find out more about how advertising plans can help you build a successful childcare business?
Join me in the Facebook group tonight where I’ll be talking about how to make an advertising plan. I’ll be going into more detail about what you need to include and why! I’ll be sharing some things to consider whenever you’re working on that plan and the additional benefits of having an advertising plan for childcare business whatever your size.
We’re an army of childcare professionals who are sharing ninja-sharp skills to transform our businesses into childcare empires! This is Childcare Ownership all Grownup! Interested in becoming more involved in the community and to grow your business? Join us for more tips on how to make your childcare business the success it deserves to be! Or if you prefer Instagram, we share ideas and tips there too!
by admin | May 6, 2021 | Blog, Uncategorized
As if it’s nearly halfway through 2021 already?! And this month is a great time to celebrate your team and yourself! We had International Workers Day on May 1st, Mother’s Day is coming up, and it’s soon to be Teacher Appreciation week. All of which are relevant to you and your staff. So why not celebrate the progress you’ve made so far this year!
At this point in the year, I like to take some time to reflect on how far I’ve come, and to assess where I’m at in relation to the goals I initially set in Q1. I know how easy it is to get swept up doing the day job, so much so that the wins can slip by unnoticed. Or the dreams we had at the start of the year are forgotten.
It’s time to take stock and celebrate the steps we’ve taken!
May the Joy be with you
Every year, May seems to be a month of celebration. Singing the praises of teachers and moms and workers! Yay! But I wanted to shout out all the brilliant things you’re doing too! As childcare business owners we step into our families’ parenting shoes and we do quite a lot of teaching as well.
You are amazing community leaders, supporting parents to do their jobs in difficult times, and nurturing their babies! You’ve helped keep your country’s economy going. We are superheroes! Where’s your cape!? Let’s celebrate the last few months together!
Where did you begin 2021?
We all had high hopes for 2021 after 2020 and the Covid-19 drama…we thought we’d have moved on by now. But the reality hasn’t been as great as we’d hoped maybe. In January I remember me and my teams all sat down and went through plans for the next few months. Not just the day-to-day learning and care stuff, but I wanted to encourage them to be a part of my vision.
It’s easy to get caught up with the business of life and the Childcare Business but make sure to take stock of all those amazing plans we made at the start of the year. So what did you set as your goal earlier this year? Revisit your vision board and your goals list. Are there any bigger goals that got left behind? Because there’s still enough time to do them, choose to go all in!
Did you have a foolproof strategy in place to ensure that you took action? I’d love for you to reflect on the goals you set yourself. Where are you at in your journey towards them? Have you been meeting your SMART targets?
Where are you at now?
We’re almost halfway through 2021! Can you believe it? It’s like I blinked and FebMarchApril happened! Anyway, time is flying! So as we approach the midpoint, now’s a good time to reflect and check in and assess where you are.
Check your progress in detail. Imagine your goal as a destination; Whereabouts are you on the road to it? Reflect on some things like what’s working? Where have I gone wrong? What changes do I need to make? We need to look at all these things and push forward and put in place the things that need to be done so we can accomplish our dreams for 2021.
Make a note of the steps you’ve got left to take. Perhaps as we’re almost 6 months in it’s time to buckle down and zoom in on the bigger goals. Let’s take those dreams – the ones we are passionate about – and shout out: “Yassssssssssssss!! I’m going to finish it this year, I’m going to smash it!” Now we’ve got to get laser focused, give it 110% and throw everything we’ve got at these goals and go for it!
What can you celebrate?
So please use this month as a time to give yourself a pat on the back for making it through such a weird year, for being a shining light in the darkness! Clink a glass or two to celebrate how far you’ve come since January. Even if the wins seem small, it doesn’t matter!
I also want to celebrate and thank all the Childcare Business owners with it being Teachers Appreciation Week and Mother’s Day coming up!
As day care and childcare providers we definitely teach like teachers and care for kids just like moms do! SO this is my big thank you for EVERYTHING you do for your families and for the community you serve.
One of the ways I say thank you is via my freebies! So please head over and download resources that you’ll find useful. I think you’ll love my Weekly Planner – so you can stay on track to achieving your goals!
Interested in becoming more involved in the community and to grow your business? Join us for more tips on how to make your childcare business the success it deserves to be! Or if you prefer Instagram, we share ideas and tips there too! We’re an army of childcare professionals who are sharing ninja-sharp skills to transform our businesses into childcare empires! This is Childcare Ownership all Grownup!
