ChildCare Conversations with Kate and Carrie

Hosted by Carrie Casey and Kate Woodward Young

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Episodes

385

Latest episode

Aug 2026

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EN-US

About the show

Kate and Carrie have over 62 years in the childcare business industry and bring that background to their conversations. Having worked with over 5000 childcare programs across the country in the last 30 years together they are a fun and powerful team - ready to help you tackle your problems with practical solutions.

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60 recent

August 25, 202625 min

373: 5 Ways Early Educators Can Lead With Confidence and Clarity with Jessica Van Hoose

Send us Fan Mail What does it take to go from early childhood educator to CEO? Jessica Van Hoose, CEO of The Nest Schools, joins Kate to talk about early childhood leadership, business strategy, personal branding, and executive confidence . They explore why ECE leaders need to understand both quality and the business side of childcare, from operations and financials to revenue and profit. Jessica shares how mentorship, LinkedIn, executive presence, and being willing to raise your hand helped shape her career. If you’re an early childhood leader, director, owner, or aspiring executive ready to step into greater authority and lead with confidence, this episode is for you! Learn more about Jessica: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessica-van-hoose-a388029a/ Check out this episode's sponsor: tryplayground.com/partnerships/childcareconversations Thanks for Listening 🎧 Want to learn more? Check out our book; "From Overwhelmed to I Got This: Guaranteed Success Route to Directing Your Childcare Center" 📖 Join our Facebook Group for Childcare professionals! Join our Podcast Newsletter ! Want to be a guest on our podcast? Go to our website to learn more. Are you looking for director training in Texas? Check out our Texas Director Website for our training and additional resources!

August 20, 202626 min

372: You Can’t Have a Yes Without a Why With Carla Ward

Send us Fan Mail What if the behavior you’re trying to manage isn’t really a child problem—but an environment problem? Kate Woodward Young sits down with Carla Ward, early childhood educator, director, entrepreneur, and host of The Everything EC Podcast , for a candid conversation about challenging the “way we’ve always done it” in early childhood. From creating “yes spaces” that give children more autonomy and agency to replacing pre-designed toys with open-ended materials, Carla shares practical ways to rethink classroom environments, reduce power struggles, and understand what children’s behavior is really telling us. Carla and Kate also explore why more rules and control can sometimes create more challenging behavior, how to turn a safety-based “no” into a meaningful “yes,” and why Pinterest-perfect classrooms don’t always support real learning. Whether you’re an educator, director, owner, or administrator, this episode offers a fresh lens on behavior, leadership, and responsive teaching—and plenty of practical ideas you can put into action. If you’re ready to create classrooms where children and teachers have more freedom to learn, explore, and thrive, this conversation might change the way you see behavior forever. Learn more about Carla: YES Spaces Masterclass- https://carlatheece.com/yes-spaces-masterclass Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carlatheece LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carla-ward/ Check out this episode's sponsor: tryplayground.com/partnerships/childcareconversations Thanks for Listening 🎧 Want to learn more? Check out our book; "From Overwhelmed to I Got This: Guaranteed Success Route to Directing Your Childcare Center" 📖 Join our Facebook Group for Childcare professionals! Join our Podcast Newsletter ! Want to be a guest on our podcast? Go to our website to learn more. Are you looking for director training in Texas? Check out our Texas Director Website for our training and additional resources!

August 18, 202621 min

371: Finding Your Fire in Early Childhood Education with LaTroya of The Preschool Posse

Send us Fan Mail What happens when the passion that brought you into early childhood education starts to feel like burnout? Kate Woodward Young sits down with LaTroya B. of The Preschool Posse for an honest, energizing conversation about finding your fire again—and realizing you don't have to do this work alone. They talk burnout, mentorship, leadership, and the kind of practical support educators really need when the pressure of the classroom and life outside of work start piling up. From recognizing the warning signs of burnout to stepping into leadership with skills that go beyond teaching, this episode explores how community and connection can help educators stay in the field with purpose, confidence, and less isolation. If you've ever felt overwhelmed, stepped into a leadership role and wondered, “Now what?” , or simply wished you had a community that truly understood the work—this conversation is for you. Learn more about Preschool Posse: www.thepreschoolposse.com Check out this episode's sponsor: tryplayground.com/partnerships/childcareconversations Thanks for Listening 🎧 Want to learn more? Check out our book; "From Overwhelmed to I Got This: Guaranteed Success Route to Directing Your Childcare Center" 📖 Join our Facebook Group for Childcare professionals! Join our Podcast Newsletter ! Want to be a guest on our podcast? Go to our website to learn more. Are you looking for director training in Texas? Check out our Texas Director Website for our training and additional resources!

August 13, 202621 min

370: Game-Changers for Managing Staff Training and Compliance in Childcare with Cindy Morgan

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Childcare Conversations, Kate and Cindy Morgan tackle something every childcare director needs but few actually have: written Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for staff training and compliance. They dig into why keeping training records organized is such a common violation across states, and how easy it is to lose track of CPR renewals, background checks, and training hours. They share some really practical tips, like having staff swap files during meetings for a fresh set of eyes, and how automated reminders in tools like One Place Childcare can seriously save your sanity! Check out this episode's sponsor: tryplayground.com/partnerships/childcareconversations Thanks for Listening 🎧 Want to learn more? Check out our book; "From Overwhelmed to I Got This: Guaranteed Success Route to Directing Your Childcare Center" 📖 Join our Facebook Group for Childcare professionals! Join our Podcast Newsletter ! Want to be a guest on our podcast? Go to our website to learn more. Are you looking for director training in Texas? Check out our Texas Director Website for our training and additional resources!

August 11, 202615 min

369: Are You Really Preparing Your Early Childhood Staff or Just Checking Boxes?

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Childcare Conversations, Kate Woodward Young drops some serious truth bombs about why handing a new hire a handbook and saying "let us know if you have questions" just doesn't cut it. She breaks down the real difference between orientation, training, and onboarding, and why completing a training checklist doesn't automatically mean someone is competent. Kate walks you through a practical 90-day onboarding framework and reminds us that great staff doesn't rise to the role alone: they need modeling, practice, feedback, and genuine support. Check out this episode's sponsor: tryplayground.com/partnerships/childcareconversations Thanks for Listening 🎧 Want to learn more? Check out our book; "From Overwhelmed to I Got This: Guaranteed Success Route to Directing Your Childcare Center" 📖 Join our Facebook Group for Childcare professionals! Join our Podcast Newsletter ! Want to be a guest on our podcast? Go to our website to learn more. Are you looking for director training in Texas? Check out our Texas Director Website for our training and additional resources!

August 6, 202628 min

368: The Greatest Career Moves for Longtime Early Childhood Leaders With Erica Saccoccio

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Childcare Conversations, Kate and Erica sit down for a really inspiring chat about what's next when you've spent decades in early childhood education. Erica shares her incredible 27-year journey from furniture sales to childcare director in just four months, to opening her own chain of schools! They dig into recognizing early childhood as a true profession, finding your successor, and exploring new paths like speaking, coaching, or pursuing further education. Whether you're feeling stagnant or just curious about your next chapter, this one's definitely worth a listen! Check out this episode's sponsor: tryplayground.com/partnerships/childcareconversations Thanks for Listening 🎧 Want to learn more? Check out our book; "From Overwhelmed to I Got This: Guaranteed Success Route to Directing Your Childcare Center" 📖 Join our Facebook Group for Childcare professionals! Join our Podcast Newsletter ! Want to be a guest on our podcast? Go to our website to learn more. Are you looking for director training in Texas? Check out our Texas Director Website for our training and additional resources!

August 4, 202627 min

367: What’s the Real Problem Holding Your Childcare Center Back? With Danielle Credeur

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, you'll meet Danielle, who has spent nearly 35 years in early childhood education, and her story of how she got there is genuinely heartwarming! She sits down to talk about leading multiple childcare centers, the real challenges of managing diverse teams, and why listening to understand beats listening to respond every time. The big conversation? Switching childcare management software after some serious billing nightmares. Spoiler: they landed on Playground Software, and that little blue support bubble? Total game-changer. Thanks for Listening 🎧 Want to learn more? Check out our book; "From Overwhelmed to I Got This: Guaranteed Success Route to Directing Your Childcare Center" 📖 Join our Facebook Group for Childcare professionals! Join our Podcast Newsletter ! Want to be a guest on our podcast? Go to our website to learn more. Are you looking for director training in Texas? Check out our Texas Director Website for our training and additional resources!

July 30, 202623 min

366: The Greatest Secrets to Managing Change and Growing Your Childcare Center with Confidence with Cindy Morgan

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Childcare Conversations, Kate sits down with Cindy Morgan from One Place Childcare to dig into a topic every early childhood leader needs to hear — "Change is inevitable. Growth is optional." Cindy shares her incredible journey from family childcare to running a massive nonprofit food program, and now helping centers ditch the paper chaos with smart, cloud-based compliance tools. They get real about why we kick the can down the road on tough decisions, how dashboards save your sanity across multiple locations, and why your "bench" — coaches, vendors, mentors — matters more than you think. To learn more: 1PlaceChildcare.com , link to join a webinar , book a 1-1 meeting with me here Thanks for Listening 🎧 Want to learn more? Check out our book; "From Overwhelmed to I Got This: Guaranteed Success Route to Directing Your Childcare Center" 📖 Join our Facebook Group for Childcare professionals! Join our Podcast Newsletter ! Want to be a guest on our podcast? Go to our website to learn more. Are you looking for director training in Texas? Check out our Texas Director Website for our training and additional resources!

July 28, 202625 min

365: How Can Women Lead Boldly Without Apology in Early Childhood Education? With Amy Cowan

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Child Care Conversations, Kate chats with Amy Cowan, CEO of Ivy Brook Academy, about her incredible journey from public school teacher to leading a franchise with 60+ locations! Amy shares how a strong female mentor helped shape her leadership style, why saying "yes" to uncomfortable opportunities is where real growth happens, and what it means to be bold but not bossy. Whether you're just starting out or ready to level up, this conversation is packed with practical wisdom and genuine encouragement for women in leadership. You're going to want to take notes! https://www.linkedin.com/in/amy-cowan-8748aa8b/ https://www.ivybrookacademy.com/ https://www.ivybrookacademy.com/franchising/ Thanks for Listening 🎧 Want to learn more? Check out our book; "From Overwhelmed to I Got This: Guaranteed Success Route to Directing Your Childcare Center" 📖 Join our Facebook Group for Childcare professionals! Join our Podcast Newsletter ! Want to be a guest on our podcast? Go to our website to learn more. Are you looking for director training in Texas? Check out our Texas Director Website for our training and additional resources!

July 23, 202625 min

364: The Surprising Truth About Vendor Hall Swag, Discounts, and Building Genuine Relationships with Alisha Kriege

Send us Fan Mail Get ready for conference season! In this episode, Kate and Alisha break down how to make the most of vendor halls at early childhood education conferences. Think of it less like trick-or-treating for swag and more like a strategic opportunity to find the right partners for your program. They share smart tips like coming prepared with questions, knowing your budget and inventory, supporting local vendors, and always asking for a discount! Whether you run one center or many, this episode will help you shop smarter and build relationships that truly benefit your program. Fill out to set up a demo: https://3cup9.share.hsforms.com/2evTRRs78SLeEOmq71DWGiw Here is the link as well for more info The Harmony Method Alisha's link: Schedule a Meeting with me aberg3718@gmail.com alisha.kriege@freenotesharmonypark.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/alisha-kriege-51bb9a4b/?skipRedirect=true Thanks for Listening 🎧 Want to learn more? Check out our book; "From Overwhelmed to I Got This: Guaranteed Success Route to Directing Your Childcare Center" 📖 Join our Facebook Group for Childcare professionals! Join our Podcast Newsletter ! Want to be a guest on our podcast? Go to our website to learn more. Are you looking for director training in Texas? Check out our Texas Director Website for our training and additional resources!