Not a Trick, Not a Treat; Finding Our “Why” Again as Leaders

Welcome😊

This week, as pumpkins glow and costumes fill our classrooms, I can’t help but think, this season isn’t just about tricks or treats. For many early childhood leaders, it feels like the treats, the joy, laughter, and excitement that once fueled our passion have been replaced by tricks we didn’t ask for: more regulations, more expectations, and more challenges.

What was once a career full of creativity and connection has, for many, become a constant balancing act. We’re tending to staff who are overwhelmed or underprepared, navigating children’s behaviors that are more complex than ever, and trying to protect everyone’s mental health, except maybe our own.

So, let’s pause and ask the question that often goes unspoken:
Who takes care of us, the caregivers, the leaders, the steady hands behind it all?

Almost five years post-COVID, our world has shifted. We’ve grown stronger, wiser, and more adaptable. But strength comes at a cost, and renewal doesn’t happen by accident. It takes intentional joy to return to the roots of why we began this work.

Remember that feeling when you first walked into a classroom, the giggles, the curiosity, the sense that what you were doing mattered deeply? That spark✨ is still there. It just needs a little oxygen.

Refilling Our Own Cups

As early childhood leaders, we are often the steady hands holding everything together: the encouragers, the problem-solvers, the ones who keep the doors open and the smiles going even when the day feels heavy.

But here’s the truth we often forget, we can’t keep pouring if we never stop to refill.

We spend our days caring for children, supporting families, and holding space for teachers; often putting our own needs at the very bottom of the list. Over time, that emptiness shows up as exhaustion, irritability, or a quiet loss of joy in work that once felt deeply meaningful.

What Does Refilling Look Like for Leaders?

Refilling our cup doesn’t always mean a spa day (though that’s nice, too). It means intentionally creating moments of restoration, moments that reconnect us to purpose, energy, and peace.

Here are a few ways to refill your cup this season:

• Schedule “no meeting” moments. Protect 15 minutes in your day for silence or reflection.

• Celebrate micro-wins. Pause to acknowledge the small successes; a teacher breakthrough, a calm classroom, a child’s joyful milestone.

• Lean on your leadership peers. Find a colleague who understands and can offer perspective and laughter.

• Get outside. Fresh air, a short walk, or time in nature can reset your energy faster than you think.

• Reconnect to your “why.” Keep a note on your desk or phone with your favorite quote, child’s drawing, or memory that reminds you why you lead.

Reflecting on our WHY as leaders

Think back to what drew you to this work, the spark that made you want to shape children’s lives, to nurture families, to build something that mattered. That’s not gone; it’s just buried under the noise of the day-to-day. Finding our “why” again often means slowing down, remembering the faces and moments that first inspired us, and helping our teams do the same.

I encourage you to pause and reflect:

🤔Why did I choose this work?
😃What brings me joy in my classroom?
🪞What moments remind me that I make a difference?

A few minutes of honest reflection can reignite purpose in powerful ways.

Supporting One Another as Leaders

Leadership can be lonely, especially in challenging times. Yet, just as children thrive in connection, so do we. Let’s check in with one another; not just on numbers and policies, but on hearts and hopes.

• Create local or regional leader meetups or monthly☕“coffee chats” to share wins, vent frustrations, and celebrate small victories.

• Pair up with another director or coordinator for a “leadership buddy system”; someone who understands your world🌍 and can offer perspective and encouragement.

• Celebrate progress, not perfection. Every step forward🪜, every teacher coached, every family supported, every moment of calm create- matters deeply.

Learning from Our Past to Shape Our Future

Early childhood education has always evolved; from the early days of simple playrooms and community care to today’s structured programs with high standards and accountability. Through every era, one truth remains: our field grows stronger when we adapt with heart.

We’ve weathered economic changes, policy shifts, pandemics, and generational transitions; yet the essence of what we do never changes. Children still need love, play, and belonging. Teachers still need encouragement and guidance. Leaders still need each other.

And just as history repeats itself, so does renewal. Each challenge brings a chance to grow something better to create a stronger foundation for the next generation of educators and leaders.

Leaders in Action:

As we move through this “not a trick, not a treat” season, may we:

• Reconnect🔗 with our why and help our teams do the same.

• Build communities of leaders who lift🏗️ one another up.

• Hire and develop people who align with our core values: compassion💞, curiosity, integrity, and joy.

• Remember that the heart of leadership isn’t in paperwork📃 or policies, but in the people we nurture.

This week, your treat isn’t in the candy bowl; it’s in the quiet rediscovery of why you do what you do and the reminder that you are part of a story still unfolding, one full of hope, growth, and light.

This Halloween🎃 week, maybe our greatest treat isn’t candy at all, it’s choosing to bring light into our work again. Let’s rekindle our “why,” celebrate the little wins, and recommit to the people who make our centers shine.

Because when leaders lead with joy, the whole community feels it🧡

Till Next Time,

Jen Sprafka📋

P.S.  Here⬅️is a team-building activity I did to refocus my why and the teachers’.