Stumbling Through Work
Working in education is to stumble through your everyday! We love what we do, but staff, families, policies, regulations and sometimes even the children make us quit everyday then come back the next day. Just remember, you are not in this alone.
Stumbling Through Work
SNAP!: How A Shutdown Hits Childcare, Families, And Teachers
A shutdown stalls SNAP and shakes childcare, leaving families, teachers and programs scrambling for stability while kids lose consistency. We also confront bias against male ECE teachers, name red flags in constant staff reassignments, unpack real answers to stress interviews, and explain why harassment policies protect everyone.
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Welcome to Stumbling Through Work, where educators figure shit out. I'm your host, Jarek Huff, and I'm here to explore and share the complexities of our work and to let you know you are not alone. Before we start though, please follow this podcast and share episodes with others. You can find me on my website www.jerekhuff.com where you can find links to my social media and where I share information and tips for educators. Now let's jump into today's episode. Hey team, welcome to another episode of Stumbling Through Work where educators figure shit out. We are still in a government shutdown. And now we're at that point to where the SNAP benefits aren't being reissued. So let's start with the facts. SNAP is how millions of families put food on the tables. When the federal government shuts down, those benefits freeze. Or are delayed, either or because SNAP is federally funded. That means families who are already juggling tight budgets now have to decide between groceries and gas or food and child care cost. And let me tell you, when families can't afford food, tuition is the first bill to go unpaid. For preschools and child care centers, that translates into more late payments, unexpected withdrawals, empty spots you can't fill fast enough. Some families might just pull their kids for a few weeks to save money, but that few weeks can make the difference between a program surviving and a program shutting its doors. And while parents are panicking, so are we, so are the directors, so are the owners. Because every missed payment means juggling payroll, it means juggling supplies, rent, and the other 17,000 bills that come from running a center. The phrase no child left behind doesn't work so well when the whole family is being left behind. Even when we talk about home-based providers, these are the people running programs out of their homes. They're caring for six, eight, maybe even 12 kids. They don't have a finance department. They don't have big savings accounts. So when even one family stops paying, they fill it immediately. And the families they serve, often the same ones who are most affected by snap delays. Working class families, single moms, essential workers trying to make ends meet. But when benefits stop, the ripple effect is instant. Groceries go first, then gas, then child care, and the provider, the teachers, who've been feeding everyone's kids for years suddenly can't pay their own bills. We always talk about the financial impact, but let's talk about the emotional one as well. Imagine being a teacher or director watching parents cry because they can't afford care. Imagine trying to run a program and knowing your teachers are also on Snap, and they're not getting their benefits either. You've got families and staff both struggling, and somehow you're supposed to stay professional, you're supposed to stay open, and keep smiling through circle time. The shit don't make sense. It's heavy, and yet this is what we do. Every time a shutdown happens, we go through the same thing. Every time funding stalls, every time policy gets debated, real people have to wait. Here's what we have to remember. Child care does not live in isolation. When Snap stops, child care doesn't stop immediately. But it starts to wobble just a little bit, just a little bit. Because families lose stability, providers lose income, teachers lose hours, children lose consistency. And we're all in this because of the children. And they're the ones that are suffering at the end. It almost feels like cruelty is the point. And it's all connected because childcare is an infrastructure. It's what makes every other job possible. You can't have a functioning economy if the people who feed and teach young children can't feed themselves. So what can we do right now? I know it may not feel like much, but talk about it. Talk about it to everyone you know. Use your platform. Social media, newsletters, staff meetings to remind people this isn't a small convenience. It is a major disruption. It's what I'm doing right now. I'm talking about it on my platform. You can support families. If you can, connect them with local food banks, resource centers, emergency programs. Just like for us, right now we are supplying meals for anyone, not just our families enrolled who needs them. Check on your staff. Many of them rely on Snap and Wick too. It's sad the fact that I have to say that they rely on Snack and WIC too, but as I've said in many episodes, this shit doesn't make sense, but okay. A little empathy goes a long way. And advocate, tell your local representatives why funding childcare like a private luxury doesn't work. This is a public necessity. Because when federal systems stall, childcare programs become the safety net. And that net is already freed, if we're gonna be honest about it. So my takeaways from this as of today is that when SNAP stops, childcare shakes. When families can't eat, they can't pay. And when families can't get paid, they can't stay open. We can't stay open. It's not just about benefits. It it's we're almost it's really about survival. It's survival for families, for teachers, for every provider out there keeping the lights on and the snack bins full while the system plays politics. We are the backbone, we are the infrastructure, and you know what? We're all just stumbling through this together. And on that note, we'll be right back. We all want our schools or programs to be the best, and although every school is different, all successful programs have the same fundamentals. Best practices for high-quality preschool, after school, and enrichment programs by Jarek Huff share standards to foster a high-quality program. These tips will help you put your best service forward, focusing on your children, families, and communities. Best practices for high quality preschool, after school, and enrichment programs by Jarek Huff is available on Amazon and Amazon Kindle. And we're back with Asking for a Friend. Hello group. I was a male teacher in ECE in Brazil and started to study ECE again here in Canada. I had some bad experiences back in my country, such as the rules that I couldn't take children to the restroom or nap room, change diapers, etc. I came to Canada and during my courses I felt so empowered because I felt that finally I will be able to be in a field that would not look at me as a predator and advocate for the education of children. And my last practicum site showed me the opposite. As I arrived on the first day, I had to hear that I should put the toilet seat down because there's only women here. Not to mention not being treated as an actual staff not being used in ratio. Then I speak with the sponsor teacher and she shares that the center already had problems with male practicum students in the past because families have no trust in males in the nap room or helping children to change. Unfortunately, I felt triggered again. How do you overcome that? Is this really a matter of acknowledgement of the social problems that have that we have when it comes to child abuse and potential predators? In the end, I think we unfortunately send real messages to children. Messages that men cannot care for them and should not be able to be a part of the early development and well-being. Sorry for the vent. Huh. Well, obviously, I have a lot to say about this because apparently the most dangerous thing in early childhood education isn't germs or burnout or licensing inspections showing up during that time. Nope. It's me. It's a man within 10 feet of a diaper. Because let's be real, the field love to say we want more male educators. We love it. That's what we want. We love to post about inclusion, diversity, we love to post about representation matters. But the second a guy walks in wearing a lanyard, people start whispering like he just walked into the set of CSI daycare edition. Yeah, I've heard some of those rules before. You know, no bathroom breaks, no nap rooms, no diaper changes, no hugs, no high fives without supervision. Like, what the hell? It's like we're running a background check every time someone says good morning. And the irony is the kids don't even care. They just see another adult who's kind, funny, and someone who actually listens to them. They see someone who builds block towers and reads the hungry, the very hungry caterpillar with enthusiasm. The problem isn't the kids. The problem is never the kids. It's the adults with the side eye. They always putting off their trauma on us. You spend years in school learning about child development, emotional regulations, attachment theory, only to be told, actually just stick to the playground and don't interact too much. Wait, wait, what? Like, yeah, sure, like we'll we'll let you run a Fortune 500 company, but circle time? Absolutely not. That's where we draw the line. And by the way, I'm gonna say all that shit is crazy, but okay. But the truth is it's not funny, even though I'm laughing and keep from rolling my eyes too hard. This really isn't about children's safety, it's about our social comfort. It's about decades of conditioning that told men nurturing was suspicious and told women nurturing was their job. It's everyone's responsibility. And some people aren't just good nurturers, and I know some women that are not, it just is what it is. We put these social norms out and then we expect for there to be change. And every time we enforce that, every time we say men can't change diapers or parents don't feel comfortable, we teach kids lessons they remember way longer than story time. We teach them that care has a gender and that men can protect but can't comfort. That makes no sense. I've had that happen at one of my centers, and I told them, quote, this just may not be the place for you. And they asked stayed. So shoutouts to every guy who still shows up in the field, still sings Baby Shark with enthusiasm, still deals with the weird looks and awkward pauses that we get because you're doing the hard work of changing the narrative. And honestly, maybe one day being a male early childhood educator won't feel like a plot twist in a true kind special. Maybe it might just be normal. But moving on to the next one. I started at a new center a while back, and they have me baffled. They originally told me I was hired for a preschool assistant when I first joined. However, two months in I was moved to lead in the older infant room. A couple months later, and now I'm the toddler lead. It has led me to having to adjust to a new room only to have to start over again. It all feels rushed and unplanned. When I asked my head of school, I was told we all have to be team players and they may keep people where they need the most. I'm certified to teach all ages in the center, so that's not an issue. However, the constant changes are hard for me and have to be unsettling for the children who need consistency and security in the classroom. I agree. So I am curious, is this common and I've just been lucky so far? And what I should do. I don't have to excuse me. I don't want to have to look for a new job mid-year, but I'm also worried I'll be moved to another room in a few months. I have no time to prepare for these switches. Also, for context, curriculum is not provided. I have to make it up myself and submit it each week. I was told each classroom has two assistants, but I've only had one in either room as lead. And lastly, turnover is high here. In only half a year, only seven people have quit. Sorry, in only half a year, over seven people have quit. Any advice, welcome. So you basically just described childcare version of musical chairs, except instead of fun and music, it's just chaos and burnout. First off, you're not crazy. And you're definitely not alone. What you're describing happens way too often in centers that are short-staffed and poorly managed. The team player line is management's way of saying, we're disorganized and understaffed, but please make it sound like a team. Let's break this down just a little bit. Yes, it is somewhat common for educators to get shuffled around occasionally. Notice I use the word occasionally. You know, like to cover for a leave or fill in for a new class from opening, something like that. But constant reassignment without notice or planning, that is not normal. That is a red flag. And is usually a sign of high turnover and poor leadership structure. When the curriculum staffing and stability are all inconsistent, it's not just stressful for you, it is developmentally harmful for the kids. You are absolutely right about that. Children need constant relationships to feel safe and to learn effectively. You've been moved every time you start to find your rhythm, and that is mentally exhausting because you can't build routines, you can't build connections, a kind of a flow in your classrooms, and to make it worse, you're expected to write your own curriculum? Hell no, that's a lot of damn work to be developmentally making new curriculums each time. No, I'm not here for it. And then seven people of quit okay. So, what I want to know is how many staff members work there? Because, like, is seven like a bad number? Are there like 60 people there? Seven's not that bad, or are there like eight people there and seven is bad? I have way more questions. So, all I can tell you is to document, keep a log of everything that's happening, you know, set boundaries. I would even say, you know what? I want to be a team player, but I want to provide stability for the children and my classroom. Constant movement makes that very difficult for me. Can we create a long-term plan where I can be placed? See how that sounded? See how I did that shit? That just flowed out right just that way. If you stay for now, just simplify your lessons. I know that sounds bad, but it makes it a little bit easier so that you're not giving so much detail to keep changing time and time again. So I get it, you have every right to feel frustrated. You sound like a good teacher, and someone that actually cares about quality, and I definitely don't want to lose you. So and our final one, which is my favorite. Age range of educators at my site are from mostly college kids to just a small handful into their late 30s. And I'm in my early 30s and feel so old compared to staff that share the same job as me. Ooh, girl, I felt this one deep in my knees. See, you've hit that magical point in your early 30s where everyone around you is still in that just I just rolled out of bed and came to work vibe era. You're over here with like a chiropractor, a favorite cleaning spray, strong opinions about nap schedules, and you know what? And I love it. But girl, you're not old, you're seasoned. See, you've got experience, emotional regulation, maybe a retirement plan, or at least you have anxiety about thinking about a retirement plan. Those 19-year-olds out there are still heating up their coffee three, four times a daytime. I need my self-care. Honestly, though, programs do need that balance, they need the energy of new folks keeping things lively, but the calm of the 30s something for the ones to be like, baby, it ain't that serious, it ain't that deep. You're like the backbone, the adulterer, adulterish, the one who actually brings like pens to meetings. That's when you know that you're old. So you're really not old though. You're just in your mentor area. Yeah, you're in your mentor era. You've officially reached the I can't go out after work, and that's fine. There is nothing wrong with that, and we'll be right back. I love sharing information with educators and program administrators. I have had so many successes, but also so many failures in my education tenure. I want leaders to know what not to do, but better than that, what to do. So, I decided to write a helpful guide. Best practices for center program and activity directors. It's short and to the point. It's a compass to guide education leaders. These best practices will give you a foundation to lead your school, program, or organization. You can find best practices for center, program and activity directors by Jared Cuff on Amazon or Amazon Kindle. Welcome back to Stumbling Through Work, the podcast for people who have professionally handled stress by crying in their cars and buying snacks and Starbucks that they can't afford. Here is our interview corner for today. You ask the question, how do you deal with stressful situations? And they say, I don't get stressed because I put everyone and everything in a place. I keep shit together, shit don't fall on my watch. That's how I handle it. Don't hire them. Do not hire them. I'm telling you to not do it, but some of y'all will because you don't see the red flags and y'all hire out of desperation. What the question is really asking is, are you going to be com are you going to completely unravel the first time someone emails you with the subject line urgent in all caps? And yes, of course, answering that question, we all want to be truthful. You know, I disassociate for a few minutes throughout the day and then I stare into the abyss. And then I do nothing for the rest of the day. And then I get home and fix everything at 3 a.m. when I'm watching forensic files while eating cold French fries. But apparently that's not the professional answer. I want you to lie to me. See, here's what I want you to say. I stay calm under pressure. I focus on solutions and maintain a positive attitude. Now, I know what you're really saying is I panic silently, making a to-do list I'll never finish, and smile like I'm in a corporate hostage video. That's probably I I I know that I know the game. But see, let me tell you something. I really do enjoy when people answer stuff and they say words like resilient, composed, and team oriented. See, that really makes me feel like you know how to play the game, but I digress. So now let's talk about what stress looks like in real life, especially in childcare, in education, or you know, any job that deals with humans. Stressful situations are not occasional challenges. It's just a Tuesday. The fire alarm is going off during nap time, a toddler throws up during storage circles circle time, your assistant teacher calls in sick, licensing walks in the door five minutes later, you're out of ratio, but sure, tell me again about staying calm under pressure. Now, for the overachievers out there, the big liars, the ones that say I thrive under pressure. First of all, no, you don't. You a lie. You just have trauma responses that look like productivity. Oh, that was good. I gotta write that one down. You have trauma responses that look like productivity. I can be deep sometimes. That shit was good. But you're you're not thriving, you're just caffeinated like all of us. Let's just call it what it is. It is what it is. We love to romanticize being good under stress, but nobody asks why you're good at under stress. Because you've had years of practice, you survived meetings that could have been an email, policy changes midweek, and that one co-worker who always has an attitude, but the director is like, they're valuable to the team. This is what creates our stress. So if you really want to answer that interview question like a pro, try something like this. This is what I want to hear, truly. I've learned to assess the situation, take a breath, and handle what's most important first. And I try not to take stress personally. I remind myself that chaos is temporary. Even if it doesn't feel that way in that moment. Then smile politely and sip your water, period. Don't say shit after that, because that was the best answer that you could give. If you work with kids, staff, or just the general human being public, your stress tolerance isn't something you develop, it's something that's been forced upon you. You don't manage stress, you absorb it, you breathe it. You've probably named it. I named it Brenda. So next time you're interviewing somebody, you want to hear something like, I prioritize, I stay calm, I communicate clearly, I learn from every challenge, and even if they turn around after that and said, then go home, put on sweatpants and scream into the void, I might hire them actually for entertainment purposes because at the end of the day, we're all just stumbling through stress, and somehow we keep showing up like professionals. It's now policy time, and remember, something became a policy because someone didn't mess this shit up for all of us. Today we're talking about that policy. You know, the one everyone pretends they already know by heart. The harassment policy. And why is this a policy? Now listen, harassment policies didn't just fall from the sky one day. They exist because somewhere, somehow, a group of grown adults with jobs, bills, Wi-Fi passwords decided to act like they were on a reality show called Inappropriate at Work. Somebody said something wild in the break room, and then boom, we have policy. Now let's be real. These policies exist because someone always pushes the limit. There's always that one co-worker who starts every sentence with, don't take this the wrong way, but sir, lady, if you have to say that, you already know what's about to come out of your mouth is foul. Keep that shit to yourself. Or that one who says, We're like family here. Like that gives them permission to talk about people's personal shit. We are not family. We are trapped in this building together trying to survive with these kids until payday. That is it. See, harassment policies are like seatbelts. Nobody thinks they need them until something goes flying. Then suddenly everybody's like, oh, and that's why we have this rule. See, these policies protect people who just want to come in, do their jobs, teach their kids, and go home without needing therapy afterwards. They keep things professional because believe it or not, not everyone enjoys unsolicited shoulder rubs, playful comments, or hearing you describe your weekend adventures at the club during circle time, Brenda. We just want to remind everyone that discussing personal body piercings at staff meetings is just considered inappropriate. Wouldn't y'all die if that was really in somebody's handbook right now? But nobody's saying that you can't be friendly. You can laugh, you can joke, you can compliment somebody's new hair color. Just don't make it weird. Policies like these exist because the workplace is full of different people. And everyone's version of normal is interesting. So when someone says, I didn't mean it like that, the policy says, Yeah, but that's how it felt. Intent doesn't erase impact. Damn, I dropped another good gem for y'all today. Intent doesn't erase impact. Let me write that one down too for y'all. See, that's why these rules are here. Not to ruin your fun, but to make sure nobody's fun becomes somebody else's trauma. See? We don't need no more trauma. The truth is, we're all just trying to make it to the end of the week without catching a write-up, a lawsuit, or having a nervous breakdown. So, yeah, next time you roll your eyes at another harassment training, just remember that policy exists because someone before you said something so out of pocket, it made it into the handbook. You're welcome. Because you're listening to stumbling through work where we talk about all the rules that exist because somebody couldn't act right at their damn job. Just remember that. Well, on that note, that is all that I have for y'all this week. I want you to go throughout your week and remember this. Stop moving your teachers around all the time. It's chaotic. And it looks like you don't know what the hell you're doing. Two, work is not your family. I hate when people say that work is not your family. Keep 95% of your thoughts to yourself. And third, childcare is infrastructure. And tell Congress to get their shit together. Bye. That's it for today. If you like this episode, it would mean so much to me if you left a rating, review, and subscribe to the show. I'd love to hear from you. You can visit my website, which is in the show notes, to contact me, and I hope you have a great rest of your week and speak to you all soon.
