Teaching in early childhood is such a dynamic, complex, and creative process–with no two days ever truly the same. You have the joy of celebrating all sorts of milestones big and small, like losing the first tooth, first days of school and last days of school, learning to read, or feeling those lightbulb moments in each kiddo in the classroom. It can be exhausting and exciting all at the same time!

But in working with young children come many other challenges: changing tides in policy, curriculum, leadership, family engagement (or disengagement), opinions on what children should be learning, and when.  All of these contribute to the mental load: that running ticker tape in our minds, the constant to-do list, and active decision-making, on top of those sweet children’s voices asking questions nonstop.  It can be a lot to manage–-and a lot to maintain sanity.

I want you to take a moment to think about all of the challenges you face and write them down on a piece of paper in two columns: label one column “THINGS I CAN CONTROL” and the other “THINGS OUT OF MY CONTROL.”  

For example, as classroom teachers and the leader in the classroom, we can focus on being mindful, answering children’s questions, or saying a quiet prayer when we get overwhelmed.  Those are all things we can do or control in our own day.  

In things out of my control, you can put things down like policy changes, upset families, or a child coming into school in an upset state.  Here is the distinction I want to make–we have to be careful of the things we cannot control and focus on how we can respond to them.  

We cannot control policy changes or when a parent or family has become upset. We can adapt, reflect upon, and change how we respond. Taking a quiet moment to breathe, pray, or be present can help us to respond positively to the challenges of our days.

Many teachers have growing frustrations with teaching.  A recent survey by the National Association of Educators mentioned that nearly half of teachers surveyed plan to leave the field sooner than they had anticipated. 

A primary source of this frustration is trying to control too many things, and burning out as we work to be everything to everyone.  Remember that list of things you can’t control?  Tear it off your paper and throw it away.  Focus on the things you CAN do, and channel your energy into building strong relationships with students and their families, having open and positive conversations with your administrators, and you’ll be amazed as God rolls that stone away.

About the Author

Amy S. Kronberg is an early learning consultant and adjunct professor at the University of Dayton. Mrs. Kronberg began her work in early childhood education at the University of Michigan-Dearborn Early Childhood Education Center, where she learned about the Reggio Emilia philosophy, child-centered curriculum, and playful learning environments.  She moved to Dayton in 2013 to complete her Masters of Science in Education, studying early childhood leadership and advocacy so she could learn to support children and families in understanding the value of and celebrating play.  She is currently all but dissertation in Educational Leadership at the University of Dayton and specializes in early learning consulting for local nonprofits, infant and toddler learning, and social-emotional development.