Inspirational and Empowering Child Care Business Owners To Build Successful Child Care Businesses

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How to Be a More Energized Child Care Business Owner

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There is one thing that I know for sure and that is….IT TAKES A TON OF ENERGY TO OWN A CHILD CARE BUSINESS!

The first time that I discovered how emotionally draining the business could be was in 1999. I was changing a babies diaper and while she was crying, I felt like crying too. I was new to the business and did not realize how much energy it took to care for children.

Thank God…today I have discovered how to be more energized, so that I am emotionally able to handle what comes with the business. In fact, I must say it has taken me 14 years to discover how to be more energized and my hope is that it will not take you that long.

Are you drained at the end of your day? Do you find that you just do not have the energy anymore to handle issues with parents, staff or even deal with fluctuating enrollment?

If you answered yes to any of the questions above, I want to share with you 4 ways to be a more energized Child Care Business Owner.

1. Focus

If your focus is on too many things at one time, this will drain you mentally. Try to focus on one thing at a time and refrain from multi- tasking. A focused mind is an energized mind.

2. Drink Plenty of Water

Water energizes the body! According to Live Strong.com, ” Have a glass of water early in the morning, as soon as possible after you wake up. Spend a few minutes meditating or doing breathing exercises as you sip your water. This will help you clear your mind and energize you for the rest of the day. Do the same before you’re going to bed as a ritual to clear your mind and body of the tensions of the day.”

3. Don’t Let small issues Steal Your Energy
When you intensely focus on an issue for a long period of time, it has the ability to steal your energy. For example, a parent may decide to withdraw a child from your program without giving a notice. If you get upset, you have given that situation too much energy. Simply, stop, focus, call the parent and figure out how you can solve this problem with out getting upset.
4. Think Positive
Positive thoughts + positive energy and feelings. I am reading a book called: The Power of positive thoughts by Normal Peale. In  the book, there is a chapter titled: How to have constant energy and I want to share an excerpt from that chapter of the book:
  ” How we think we feel has a definite effect on how we actually feel physically. If your mind tells you that you are tired, the body mechanism, the nerves and the muscles accept the fact. If your mind is intensely interested, you can keep on at an activity indefinitely.” ~Norman Peale
In summary, think energized thoughts, relax more, practice being centered, enjoy each day in your business, pay attention to your emotions and strive to be more positive!
I hope that I have empowered you to Be an Energized Child Care Business Owner!  I look forward to reading your thoughts about this blog post.
Shiketa
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Business Management, Child Care Center, Family Child Care, Self Care/Personal Development, Stress management

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How to Prevent Burnout

It is common for childcare providers to hit burn-out. In fact, many childcare providers hit burn- out and begin to lose interest in their role as a childcare provider.

There are many reasons why providers will hit a season of  burn-out including: working 12- hour days, caring for a variety age group of children, not taking enough days off and many other reasons. Whatever the reason may be for burn-out, you know you are at a point of burn-out when the passion that you once had for your business is starting to fade away.

There are many steps that a childcare provider can take to prevent burn-out and they are as follows:

  • Only conduct childcare business during the hours that your business is open, with the exception of routine store errands.
  • Relax when the children are resting. This include reading a book or listening to relaxation music.
  • Plan your day and don’t overload your day with a long to do list. Do what you must do today.
  • Get 30- minutes of excercise a day. Exercise helps the body to naturally fight off stress.
  • Have fun with the kids.  Tip: 15- minutes of pounding and squeezing playdoh is a stress reliever and it gives you a mental break.
  • Take a 1-week vacation a year or several 3-4 day weekend vacations a year. A vacation is a great way to take a break from the business of childcare and it will allow time for more creativity to flow for new childcare business ideas.
  • Schedule regular Pamper me days such as: monthly massage appointments, nail salon visits or spend a day with your friends at the mall for some retail therapy!

The tips above are simply suggestions and are meant to help you to avoid burn-out. When you choose to start incorporating many of the suggested tips above, you will last longer as a childcare provider and you will have more fuel to feed your passion for young children. 

Shiketa Morgan

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Self Care/Personal Development

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