Claim OwnershipThe Child Care Directors Chair Podcast
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đïž The Child Care Directorâs Chair â Where Big Dreams and Bigger Leadership Collide! Â
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).
âš 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. đȘÂ
Pull up your chair, future leader. Letâs do this thing. đŒđ„
545Â Episodes
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Send us a text In this episode, Erica slows down the noise of day-to-day operations and invites directors to take a thoughtful look at whatâs really happening inside their classrooms. Are your teachers busy â or are they intentional? Are you leading a program that truly supports developmentally appropriate practice and inclusive curriculum? Through honest reflection and real-world leadership insights, Erica explores how directors can coach with purpose, build systems that support quality, and...
Send us a text I n this episode of The Childcare Directorâs Chair, Erica breaks down what confident coaching really looks like inside a thriving early childhood program. No fluff, no corporate jargonâjust real strategies you can use today to guide teachers, strengthen your culture, and raise the quality of your entire center. Youâll learn how to hold stronger coaching conversations, give feedback that actually sticks, and build trust with every member of your team. PlusâEarly Education Empowe...
Send us a text The holidays are here, and so is the chaos! In this episode of The Childcare Directorâs Chair, Erica shares her essential survival guide for staying grounded, organized, and joy-filled during Decemberâs whirlwind. From supporting overstimulated children to keeping your teachers energized and protecting your own sanity, this episode gives you practical, real-world strategies to navigate the busiest season in childcare. If youâre juggling events, parent expectations, glitte...
Send us a text Winter is coming⊠and so are snowstorms, sniffles, and frosty floors! âïž In this episode of Childcare Directors Chair, Erica Saccoccio shares practical tips to keep your center running smoothly all winter long. Learn how to prep classrooms for cold-weather fun, keep staff morale high when energy is low, communicate clearly with families, and handle snowstorms and winter emergencies like a pro (New England directors, this oneâs for you!). Stick around till the end for a Thanksgi...
Send us a text Ready to turn January inquiries into full classrooms? In this episode, Erica shares 10 practical, proven tips to capture every lead and turn them into enrolled families. From mastering your follow-up, refreshing your tours, and creating urgency without pressure, to polishing your first impressions and leveraging marketing updates, youâll learn exactly how to make the most of the post-holiday enrollment surge. Whether itâs reconnecting with cold leads, engaging your community, o...
Send us a text Ater finally getting over a stubborn cold and rolling straight into all the preâTurkey Day prep (because in ECE, the work never slows downâcold or no cold), Erica jumps on the mic to talk directly to early childhood leaders about gratitude, giving, and finding joy in the middle of everyday operations. Between enrollment, staffing, lesson plans, family questions, and holiday prep, itâs easy to forget to pause and appreciate the good⊠including yourself. And in true Erica fashion...
Send us a text Happy Thanksgiving, friends! Todayâs episode is full of gratitude, real-life laughs, and a HUGE surprise for my amazing listeners. Yes⊠I accidentally released yesterdayâs episode on the wrong date (cold-season chaos!), and yes⊠I even put the outro music in the intro. But if thereâs one thing we childcare leaders do well, itâs pivot with grace and humor! To make it up to you â and to celebrate the 16 listeners who tuned in the second the episode dropped â Iâm doubling my givea...
Send us a text Winter is coming⊠and so are snowstorms, sniffles, and frosty floors! âïž In this episode of Childcare Directors Chair, Erica Saccoccio shares practical tips to keep your center running smoothly all winter long. Learn how to prep classrooms for cold-weather fun, keep staff morale high when energy is low, communicate clearly with families, and handle snowstorms and winter emergencies like a pro (New England directors, this oneâs for you!). Stick around till the end for a Thanksgi...
Send us a text In this episode of the Childcare Directorâs Chair Podcast, Erica Saccoccio breaks down exactly how childcare leaders can close out the year with clarity, confidence, and momentum. Instead of coasting through December, Erica shows you how to use this season to sharpen your systems, elevate your culture, and prepare your team for a stronger year ahead. Youâll learn the five leadership moves that help directors finish the year strong â from tightening daily routines to evaluating ...
Send us a text In this powerful end-of-year episode, Erica Saccoccio takes you through a grounded, honest reflection of 2025 and the leadership lessons that shaped the childcare field this year. This isnât a surface-level recap â itâs a deep dive into who youâve become as a leader, what truly worked in your program, and where your growth is calling you next. Erica walks you step-by-step through five core leadership practices including claiming your wins, identifying costly blind spots, streng...
Send us a text Iâve been sick this week, so we decided to bring back one of our most popular episodes. In Case You Missed It, this is a replay from November 15th, 2024. In this episode, I talk about why diversity and inclusion matter so much in childcare. I share how we can create welcoming spaces by choosing multicultural books and materials, hiring diverse staff, offering language support, and celebrating the cultures represented in our programs. I also touch on addressing bias, involving f...
Send us a text Dr. Keena Rush Mosley breaks down her book Launch to Impact and shares her leadership framework for emerging leaders. We dive into the biggest misstepsâavoiding accountability, dodging hard conversations, and leading without clear standardsâand explore how to step boldly into leadership and make real impact. To hear more from Dr. Rush Mosley and other inspiring leaders, join us at the Early Education Empowerment Conference, May 7â9 at the Crowne Plaza in Warwick, RI. Get ...
Send us a text 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 conversation will help you shift from surviving to thriving. Learn five powerful strategies to protect your energy, model balance for your team, and refuel your passion for the work you love. Itâs time to stop earning your rest and start scheduling it. Becau...
Send us a text 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.â In this episode of The Child Care Directorâs Chair, Erica talks about why boundaries are your secret leadership superpower and how saying no can actually make your âyesâ more powerful. Youâll learn: â
How to set boundaries without guilt â
Why saying no helps your team grow ...
Send us a text 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 powerful, authentic leadership. Because when you know who you are, why you make the choices you do, and what truly brings you joy, you donât just lead better â you live better. Weâll unpack the tough questions every childcare leader and teacher should be asking:  ...
Send us a text Are you working hard⊠but not really going anywhere? Yeah, Iâve been there too. đââïž In this episode of The Child Care Directorâs Chair, weâre getting real about what it actually means to be intentional â not just busy. Iâm sharing a powerful lesson I learned from John Maxwellâs 15 Laws of Growth that completely changed how I show up as a leader, a mom, and a human being. Spoiler alert: growth doesnât just happen â youâve got to plan it, protect it, and pursue it. So, let me as...
Send us a text 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 difference every single day. From the joy of meeting longtime listeners to witnessing educators like Maris celebrate 50 years of impact, Erica shares powerful reminders about the strength of community and the real meaning of leadership in earl...
Send us a text 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 conversation explores the importance of storytelling in education, the challenges of funding, and the future aspirations for integrating technology in early childhood education. Support the show We invite you to join our community of dedicate...
Send us a text 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 teaching children to give back, and how acts of kindness can shape both young hearts and the broader community. Tune in for inspiring stories, practical ways to instill compassion in children, and insights into the powerful impact of servic...
Send us a text 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 growth. Amber shares her experiences and insights from her presentation at the njaeyc 80th anniversary conference, emphasizing the need for collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement in educational practices. The conversation a...
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Erica, what a heartfelt episode! I truly felt his passion for the children and their familiesâit was so moving. Thank you for consistently bringing such meaningful and inspiring content to your podcast. I always look forward to tuning in. đ„°