Regina Teer says running a childcare center is stressful. But she says it’s not a whole day stress, rather a series of moments. The secret is not letting those moments get the better of you.
Teer is using a grant funded pilot program called Circle of Security to help her staff at Bays Childcare meet the emotional and social needs of the kids at the center.
"We are all some of these kids have got. We are the only emotional, social setting they get," says Teer.
She says adopting the program wasn't a huge step for the teachers at the childcare center.
"It was just learning how to be a little bit more open, a little bit more receptive and saying to the parents, 'You know what? This works for us, why don't you try it too.'"
The program has also helped staff in their interactions with each other.
"In the past we just kind of, leave each other alone," says Teer.
"Now we can see, hey maybe she needs a hug, maybe she needs to talk about it. Even as adults, we have to remember that we need those important connections as well."
We visited the Bays Child Care Center in Pine Hills and spoke to Teer and other stakeholders including UCF associate professor of psychology Kimberly Renk, who is leading the research on the pilot program, Cindy Jurie, director of research and special projects at the Early Learning Coalition of Orange County, and Leslie Hartog, co-chair of 100 Women Strong which provided seed money for the program.
Education reporting on 90.7 News is supported by Helios Education Foundation