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Holly came into my class wondering if this course would be worth the effort. Many workshops on administration had left her with little new knowledge and a feeling that no one seemed to appreciate what she did each day. She had been the director of a child care program for eight years, and as she said, she “didn’t want to take a class just to do her job.” She crossed her arms, sat back in her chair, and gave me a look that dared me to tell her anything she didn’t already know.

Introduction

I greeted the class of 25 child care directors, telling them that we have seriously and systematically underestimated what it takes to do their jobs. We were here, finally, to talk about what it really takes to run a child care business.

We talked about how hard it is:

• To hear that “anyone” can do this job, and then find thatbecause there is so little money and such minimal requirements that we sometimes actually look like just ‘anyone’ after all.

• To tell a mom that she can’t bring her daughter anymore because her bill isn’t paid, when we know that we are so important to her child (and she to us), and that we know that we are a major part of Mom’s support system.

• To support teachers who are good-hearted, but don’t really know what to do; others who work for us for six weeks, then leave; and ads in the paper that bring no applicants.

• To offer someone supporting a family a $9.00 per hour job with no benefits.

• To offer high-quality programs for children and families.

• To supervise teachers as they work with children and families and recognize that this is different than teaching in your own classroom.

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