The Child Care Directors Chair Podcast
đď¸ The Child Care Directorâs Chair â Where Big Dreams and Bigger Leadership Collide!
Ready to level up your child care career? Whether you're a teacher assistant dreaming of that lead teacher badge, a lead ready to snag that director title, or a director with your sights set on owning your own center (or multiple ones đ)âthis is your seat at the table. And spoiler alert: leadership isnât a title, itâs an action.
Hosted by the one and only Erica Saccoccioâpart coach, part cheerleader, and full-time leadership hype manâyouâll get daily doses of real talk, big laughs, and bold leadership truths. Weâre talking practical strategies, mindset shifts, and serious elevation vibes... all served with love (and a little sass đ).
⨠New episodes drop MondayâFriday at 1 AM ESTâso you can sip your coffee, set your goals, and strut into your center like the boss youâre becoming.
This show is a great addition to your leadership toolbox or the perfect resource for your team onboarding sessionsâbecause the best programs grow their teams from within. đŞ
Pull up your chair, future leader. Letâs do this thing. đźđĽ
Episodes
534 episodes
474 Refill Your Cup, Sis â Rest Is a Leadership Strategy
You canât pour from an empty cup â and yet, so many of us in childcare leadership keep trying! In this episode, Erica breaks down why rest isnât lazy â itâs leadership.From battling burnout to reclaiming your âwhy,â this co...
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9:23
473 No, is a Complete Sentence! Stop Being a Doormat, Director.
Directors, listen up â saying no doesnât make you mean, it makes you a leader. Too many of us spend our days exhausted, stressed, and stretched thin because we think every request has to be a âyes.âIn this episode of Th...
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7:19
472 Do You Even Know You? Finding Your Direction Before You Lead
Letâs get real for a minute â how can you lead others if you donât really know yourself? đ¤In this episode of The Child Care Directorâs Chair, weâre diving deep into self-awareness â the secret ingredient to...
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10:41
471 Stop Running on Autopilot: Be Intentional, Baby!
Are you working hard⌠but not really going anywhere? Yeah, Iâve been there too. đââď¸In this episode of The Child Care Directorâs Chair, weâre getting real about what it actually means to be intentional â...
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7:30
470 Conferences, Community & a Little Bit of Therapy đŤśđ§
In this heartfelt episode, Erica reflects on 35 incredible days spent traveling to AEYC conferences across the Northeast â from Connecticut to New Jersey, Maine, and Massachusetts â connecting with early childhood leaders who are making a diffe...
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9:10
Bonus :AI Meets Early Childhood: Are You Ready to Innovate? njaeyc interview
In this episode of the Child Care Director's Share podcast, Erica interviews Malik, a vendor at the New Jersey AEYC conference, who discusses his innovative AI tool designed to enhance engagement and retention in childcare settings. The convers...
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8:31
469 Honoring Heroes: Veterans Day and Community Impact in Early Childhood
In this heartfelt Veterans Day episode, Erica Saccoccio sits down with Karen, Director of the Dear to Dream Ranch in Rhode Island, an organization dedicated to supporting veterans. They explore the journey of healing, the importance of te...
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30:17
Bonus: Teamwork, Growth, ImpactâAre You In? njaeyc interview
In this episode of the Child Care Directors Chair podcast, Erica and Amber discuss the essential qualities of effective leadership in education, the importance of team building, and the role of observations and assessments in fostering student ...
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8:31
Bonus Evolution of Early Childhood Education njaeyc interview
In this episode of the Child Care Directors Share Podcast, host Erica speaks with Cindy Tera Bush, a fellow educator and podcaster, about her journey in early childhood education. They discuss the evolution of Cindy's career from teacher to dir...
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13:57
Bonus: The Role of Environmental Education Nature in the Classroom njaeyc intervieew
In this episode of the Child Care Directors Chair podcast, Erica speaks with Hannah from Earth Friends about the importance of environmental education in early childhood. They discuss how to integrate nature into classroom learning, the signifi...
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11:13
Bonus- Building Brains Through Conversation njaeyc interview
In this episode of the Child Care Directors Chair podcast, host Erica speaks with Lewis from LENA, a nonprofit focused on early childhood development. They discuss the importance of conversation in shaping children's brains, the role of strengt...
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9:22
468 Great Leaders Build Bridges (and Tear Down Walls)
In this inspiring episode of The Child Care Directorship Podcast, Erica Saccoccio kicks off her âBuilding Bridgesâ series with a heartfelt message about connection â because in early childhood education, success isnât built on policies...
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10:50
467 The Art of Making Genuine Connections
In this episode of The Child Care Directorship Podcast, host Erica Saccoccio dives deep into The Art of Making Genuine Connections â because real leadership isnât about authority, itâs about authenticity. Erica...
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16:31
466 A Day in the Life: Halloween Chaos at the Childcare Center! đť
Itâs Halloween, friends â and if you work in childcare, you know what that means! Sugar highs, costume drama, glitter explosions, and at least one Elsa who refuses to take off her crown all day. In this hilarious and heartwarming...
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5:31
466 Hello Wendy from Cleveland Ohio. So You Want to Open a Preschool? Letâs Make It Happen!
In this special listener reply episode, Erica answers a heartfelt message from Wendy, an educator dreaming of opening her own nature preschool and launching a coaching business to support other early childhood professionals.
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10:38
Bonus Change Makers in Early Childhood Education njaeyc interview
In this episode of the Child Care Directorship Podcast, Erica speaks with Tirusha Dave, an early childhood educator and entrepreneur, about her experiences in the field of childcare. They discuss the importance of supporting teachers, the impac...
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16:33
465 The Power of Play in Early Childhood Education an interview with Dr Dan Wuori
In this conversation, Dr. Dan Wuori discusses the critical aspects of early childhood education, emphasizing the importance of play as a learning tool, the misconceptions surrounding school readiness, and the impact of policy on early childhood...
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32:49
464 Listen to Understand: How to Get Your Team on the Same Page
Are your staff on the same page â or just nodding along? In this episode of The Childcare Directorâs Chair, Erica Saccoccio dives into one of the most powerful yet underused leadership skills: listening to understand.Lear...
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11:56
463 Bridging the Gap: Educators and Hiring Practices
In this episode of the Child Care Directors Chair Podcast, host Erica speaks with Paul Buckley, founder of Ratio Staffing, about the challenges and innovations in staffing for preschools. Paul shares his journey from being a preschool teacher t...
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31:49
Bonus: Empowering Future Educators maineaeyc interview
In this episode of the Child Care Directors Chair podcast, host Erica interviews Addy Caron, a 16-year-old aspiring educator attending the AEYC conference in Maine. Addy shares her passion for early childhood education, inspired by her experien...
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5:02
Bonus: The Journey of a Family Daycare Owner interview at maineaeyc conference
In this episode of the Child Care Directors Chair podcast, host Erica interviews Desiree, the owner of Teachers House Child Care. They discuss the importance of community in childcare, the journey of starting a family daycare, and the challenge...
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9:34
Bonus: maineaeyc interview Exploring Science in Early Childhood Education
In this episode of the Child Care Directors Chair Podcast, host Erica speaks with Jane Banish, an expert in early childhood education, about the importance of integrating science into preschool curricula. Jane shares her journey from environmen...
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11:52
Bonus : From Passion to Practice: Stories of Childcare Professionals maineaeyc conference interview
In this episode of the Childcare Directors Podcast, Erica speaks with Dr. Cheryl Hovey from Fisher College about the various programs offered for early childhood professionals. They discuss the importance of emotional intelligence in education,...
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14:36
Bonus: Empowering Parents: The Journey of Advocacy maineaeyc interview
In this episode of the Child Care Director's Chair podcast, host Erica speaks with parent advocate April Tardiff about her journey into advocacy for parents with young children. April shares her experiences navigating the challenges of childcar...
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15:36
Bonus: The Courageous Steps Project: A Model for Inclusion maineaeyc conference interview
In this episode of the Child Care Directors Chair podcast, host Erica speaks with Connor Archer, founder of the Courageous Steps Project, about innovative approaches to early childhood education. They discuss the importance of inclusive educati...
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17:24