I'm not frustrating you, you're feeling frustrated," wise words from a three year old that perfectly capture the emotional rollercoaster of ECE. After our series on burnout, we're flipping the script to focus on why we stay. This episode is grounded in the research article "Early Childhood Teachers' Well-Being: What We Know and Why We Should Care" by Kyong-Ah Kwon, Diane M. Ahorn ( University of Oklahoma-Tulsa) and Chris Amirault (Tulsa Educare MacArthur)

In this episode, we discuss:

The "small wins", Why Developmental milestones outweigh the daily stressors

Professional Identity: How tools like Conscious Discipline and professional development empower us to stay in the field

Support Systems: The vital role of colleges and supportive administrators

The Research: Breaking down the 0-3 journal findings on meaningful work and teacher retention

Join the Conversation! Share your "Why I stay" moments in our ECE Unhinged Listeners Lounge facebook group and like or subscribe to us on spotify for more real talk from the classroom! Also, join is after this episode for our Teachers after dark segment! This will be our first call in show and we get real with some crazy admin stories!

​We had to separate this segment because the conversation took a much heavier, more raw turn than our main episode. Welcome to the first-ever Teachers After Dark Live Call In session, where we stop talking about the research and start talking about the "living hell" that exists behind some classroom doors.

Listener Discretion Advised: This episode contains raw, unedited discussions regarding workplace toxicity, surveillance, and substance abuse in childcare settings.

In this segment, Brittany and Crystal are joined by live callers to expose the toxic administrative hurdles and "abusive relationship" dynamics that make staying in ECE a daily battle.

• ​The Kitchen Needle Scandal: A shocking account of a teacher finding a needle and drug paraphernalia on a kitchen counter, only for admin to dismiss it as a way for the staff member to "de-stress".
• ​The Keylogger & Shady Promotions: An owner who used keyloggers to steal staff passwords and track job searches, then promoted the teacher who caught her to "hush" the situation.
• ​Social Media "Insubordination": Caller Diana shares how she was written up for "insubordination" simply for unfriending toxic coworkers on Facebook while pregnant.
• ​Office Surveillance: We reveal a past center that used hidden cameras to secretly record "confidential" staff interviews with licensing officials.
• ​Monopoly Go vs. Medical Emergencies: A director who ignored radio calls for a child's medical emergency because she was busy playing mobile games in the office.
• ​Emergency Neglect: Caller Fernanda discusses the anxiety of being denied leave during a partner’s ER emergency while admin sat nearby making fun of staff.

​We often stay for the children, but we leave because of the leadership. This segment dives into the reality of "center PTSD" and the internal struggle of wanting to protect your students while needing to save yourself from a toxic environment.

​Join the Conversation:

Do you have a story that belongs in the "After Dark" files? Head over to the ECE Unhinged Listeners Lounge on Facebook to submit your story for our next call-in segment!

Leading With Humanity: The B Word

We’re wrapping up our burnout mini series with a conversation about teacher burnout in early childhood education and how it shows up differently for every educator. We share takeaways for recognizing burnout, setting boundaries, and holding space for your own experience without guilt.

Follow the podcast for more honest stories from ECE teachers and join our Facebook group ECE Unhinged The Listeners Lounge to connect with other educators, share your wins, and be part of the conversation.