Hello and welcome to this week's podcast. It's a very special day. It's my birthday. So I wanted to ask you a big favor that, uh, if you felt you would like to, To share amongst our community at the summit, because the more people that can jump on for free and join in the better and the greater our community becomes.
So that is my special birthday requests. I don't often ask much within the community. prefer to be the one that's giving, but being that it's my birthday today, I thought I would just put it out there on the off chance that you might like to share the good news of the summit. Because after all, this is what connections and communities are all about.
how we can support and grow from each other. And when you jump into your community, there is often opportunities for you to network amongst your community and with your peers, but also people outside of your profession and the people that have different expertise to you. So it kind of flows. And I Feel a bit cheeky asking, but I'm going to do it anyway because you never get what you never ask for.
So on that note, let's jump into talking about today's topic, which is how to connect connection and community and why it's a good idea. So, being part of a community, it provides you with a, um, opportunity to connect with like minded individuals, to connect with professionals and experts in your field, but also outside of your field, people that can assist you and help you, uh, as you will see.
In the summit, uh, when you meet all of our speakers, uh, because they come from a broad range of areas, but they each have something to offer and to share with you. So networking can lead to collaborations and partnerships, different opportunities and access to resources that you may not have encountered otherwise.
So when we jump into our community, Like networking sometimes can feel a little bit ick. So when we really look at it, what it is, is it's, it's, it's opening the doors to opportunity and you will never have doors of opportunity open to you or as many open to you. If you don't engage outside of yourself.
Now that sometimes means that you need to give a little bit of yourself in order to get things in return. Because that's the way that energy works. That's the way the universe or God or whatever it is that you want to subscribe to. That's, that's the nature of humankind is that you can't just always take, take, take, take.
We have to be able to give back at some point as well. Having those connection opportunities and those networking opportunities allows us and affords us that space and time to be able to give back to our community, but then to put your hand up and ask for help when you need it too. So, and support, uh, so that's what combining the connection and community together can do for you.
It can also lead to learning and skill development. So communities often, community groups, such as Big Hearted Education, often will offer workshops like free summits. seminars, webinars, and discussions that allow you to learn new skills, stay updated on industry trends and broaden your knowledge base. So interacting with others who have different perspectives can also help you to gain fresh insights and ideas.
And you never know who they know, too, and you never know what they know. How many times have you met a person and then been chatting with them for a little while, maybe a couple of months, maybe a couple of years, and they drop this super random fact on you and you just go, What? I never knew you knew that, or I didn't know you knew how to do that.
And yeah, so super random fact, I used to run a day spa years and years ago when my children were little. Um, I used to love doing facials, massages, pedicures. I've always been a little bit woo woo, so being in that space was probably one of the favorite jobs that I've ever had. I used to be able to do massages for eight hours a day without a break and not go home feeling tired.
I would be like completely energized. So I've always had that giving nature and love being in service to people. So. You never know like what people know and you never know who they know too. So it could open you up to being able to um, fulfill needs that you might have within your business. You might be looking for someone to help you build a garden and then one of your families has an uncle who's a permaculture specialist or you just never know sometimes.
So. Opening yourself to those opportunities, um, of learning and skill development too is, is a really great way to combine connection and community. And as I've said all along, you're probably sick of hearing it by now, but only a few more weeks to go and then we'll move on, is that, uh, connection is the basis of community and you can't have community without having connection first.
So Connection and Community also provides a support system. So communities offer emotional support, encouragement, and a sense of belonging. So whether you're facing challenges in your personal life or you're seeking advice related to your profession, a community provides A community provides a supportive environment where you can share your experiences and receive guidance from others who have been through similar situations.
So that speaks straight to your service and being able to lean on your service as a support system. And I know some educators aren't lucky enough to have a service that they can feel that they can do that with, or a coordinator who they can feel they do that with. Therefore, it becomes really important to rely on your outer community networks as well, like Big Hearted Education or Family Day Care Australia, or any of the state based Family Day Care associations, or the educator associations that are around.
And there's other support networks that we are setting up as well, in terms of being able to connect to. Other therapies that can support us with the things that we we struggle with and have difficulties with generally around children's behavior and it's I really get this sense that it's not that the behavior is the problem It's our response to the behavior that becomes the problem because what we need to do is unpack and unlock what it is in that particular child that their behavior is telling us about them.
And when we get that key, then we can understand and relate on a different level with that particular child. So this is what community support systems can help us achieve and that has a positive benefit and outcome for the child, the family, and you because when you're not triggered and you're not Your buttons aren't pushed.
And we talk a lot about that with Lily Enrique from the Nurtured Heart Approach. She features on day one of the summit. We talk about how it's important to unlock those keys for children and to be able to really genuinely connect with them. to make them feel valued within the community that they're in, which is your family daycare.
So that was a really phenomenal conversation with Lillian and she actually made me cry at the end, not because she was mean to me, but because she really Touched me and gave me validation. I wasn't even looking for it, but she validated things that, uh, in me that was, it just was. Very heartfelt and obviously touched a nerve for me.
So, um, if you want to learn how to be able to connect heart to heart with children, I highly recommend that you watch that session. It's, um, Very eye opening. She comes from a wonderful story. She shares her story about her son, um, and the journey that she's had with him, which has been really intense. So that's one not to be, not to be missed.
So increased visibility and recognition is also a part that plays in connection and community. Now this comes from a business perspective. So we really want to be looking at our businesses and taking a forward thinking approach when it comes to our business. Now, some educators are in areas where they could work triple the amount of hours and still not be able to service the need in their area.
However, some educators are in areas that are saturated with child care, so it's a really important thing for them to be able to stand out from the crowd. and to make themselves, um, a really attractive choice for families. So increased visibility and recognition can only be achieved when you are making waves.
That's the wrong word, but when you are putting yourself out into the community, whether that be through social media and making posts, but you don't want to have your posts Be all about, oh, I've got vacancies, I've got vacancies. Take a leaf out of my book and start contributing. Start, like, providing if parents are jumping on and asking questions.
Be the first one to jump in and offer advice. And say, as an educator, an early childhood educator, I've come across this numerous times with numerous children. And the best way that I've found to, uh, counteract that or to work through that is blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. Uh, and, and, you know, really be giving with, with a little bit of your time.
Because what will happen then is people will start to recognize you. People will start to see the things that you provide in your community. And they will feel safe. that you know what you're talking about. They will feel like they have a connection to you, that you've been able to be helpful for them.
And so when they start looking for childcare or they know someone that's looking for childcare, they'll be like, Oh, that lady, she comments on Facebook and on the group. And Oh, let me go. And send your details to somebody. So it's a marketing strategy as well. Um, and, and it's helpful because we're all in business.
And as you learn from the session with Marie on sales, because I'm sure there's a heap of you going, why are we talking about sales and family daycare? If you want to know, you're going to have to listen to that episode, that, that session, because it is awesome. Marie is fabulous. It has so much experience and is a bit of a gun when it comes to sales and marketing and things like that.
So. If you're an educator that's struggling with filling your spots, you definitely don't want to miss that session with Marie Kirkpatrick. And I can't remember off the top of my head what day she is on. She is on day three. I've just looked at my notes. She's on day three. So you don't want to miss that.
Um, so that, that Marketing piece and increased visibility is really important and definitely something that you can benefit from. And as I've always said, it's not about taking from your community. This is the part where you get to give back and you get to be known as the family daycare educator, the one that answers the questions with authority, but with awareness on child development and things like that.
You get to share your professionalism through that, uh, and recognition. It's always great to be out in the community for recognition too and sharing when you are recognized. So If you've been nominated for family daycare awards, you make the next part of the nomination process, definitely be sharing that if you have, um, oftentimes when you've donated something or given time or services to a community organization, they will give you a thank you appreciation.
So be sure to be sharing that and then tagging those services to say, hey. Thanks so much. It's always nice to be recognized. Uh, I, I really enjoyed doing X, Y, and Z with you because that puts your name out in front of all of their people as well. So, uh, and you're recognizing them for recognizing you. And it's just this lovely recognition circle.
So it's. It's, it's definitely in some people will go, Oh, it doesn't feel right to be tooting my own horn. And when it comes to business, you've just got to get over that. Like you've literally just got to get over it because there's no point in being the world's best kept secret. Especially if you're struggling to fill your spots.
So you've got to get over that and really put yourself into a position of going, okay, well, if I'm going to make my business successful, what I'm currently doing now, isn't working. What's the opposite of what I'm doing now. And if you're not like out on social media, advertising your business any way you possibly can that straight away, the first thing you can do, if you're not contributing, to other community groups and organizations that's something that you can do straight away and they don't have to cost you a lot.
All it's going to take is your time and if you're not full you've probably got a little bit of that up your sleeve anyway. So these are things to definitely consider and the next thing will flow on beautifully from that is the personal growth and confidence. So Joining a community exposes you to diverse, uh, sorry, diverse viewpoints and cultures.
It helps you to develop a broader perspective and a more open minded attitude. Interacting with others can boost your confidence, improve your communication skills, and help you to become an effective and empathetic team player. So even though we are running individual businesses, we are still part of a team and that team is Family Day Care within Australia.
We want to be representing family daycare in a positive and beneficial way. So we want to make sure that when we are posting on social media and we're using our, um, our public profile, whether that be your business one or your, just your name, that you're wanting to make sure everything that you're posting is of high integrity.
So you don't want to ever be caught in a slanging match on social media. Uh, you want to be seen all the time everywhere as a positive, beneficial, uh, person within the community. You know, if you have a robust friend group and you go out drinking every weekend and All that sort of stuff, like, is that going to be the best thing for your business?
Is that going to give families a really good sense of who you are? So it's, it's very important that the, the, the persona that we have out there, whilst it's who we are, is it going to be attracting the families that you want into your service? So being very aware. of, of that. Uh, once you get that right, uh, and you are an active contributor to your community, you're going to feel better about yourself.
Your self confidence and your self worth is automatically going to grow as people appreciate what you do and share their appreciation for you. It truly does help to bump your confidence up. You can't help but feel better about yourself when people are appreciative of the work that you do. So this is how bringing that you.
for the children you work with, for the families that you work with, and for your community as a general rule. So remember that the benefits of joining a community are often reciprocal, so they go both ways. So whatever you give, you will get back at some point. It may not look exactly the same. But it will come back to you in one form or another.
So your active participation and contributions can also positively impact the community itself. And that can help to create an environment of collaboration, growth, and mutual support. Which is what connections and communities are all about. So I just wanted to give you a little bit of a perspective on that to see how we can bring things together.
So in the summer, we're going to have day one will be all about connections. Day two will be all about community. And day three is the things that bring those together as much as I possibly could. So. There's 15 speakers in total, and then there'll be a special masterclass for those who register with the VIP.
So that's a really, I'm glad I brought that up actually, because that's, I think, a really great, um, Option for you. So we've just done spring planning. Uh, this last Saturday, we had over 40 educators register. So not everybody can attend on the day, but everybody gets the recording. So if you think that I'm never going to be able to attend on a Saturday, it's no point for me.
Just like wipe that out of your brain because there is a point for you and that is that you can definitely get the benefit out of the planning sessions. So every 12 weeks we gather and we have this great session where I talk about intentional teaching and the importance of it and how it can look and how simple you can make it within your program.
And then you go off, some people go off into group chat rooms into, um, what do they call the breakout rooms in Zoom? Or you stay in the quiet room and we just get our head down and bum up and we work and we get our work done and completed. So by the end of the three hour session, you've got a really great idea on the things that you're wanting to touch on for the children in your group over the next 12 weeks.
Pardon me. Uh, so you can, if you've got your skates on, you can get all of your planning done for the next 12 weeks, which means that you're uber organized. You know what you're doing. It's going to save you time and energy and effort, and you're going to be prepared. And that's such a great place to be in.
So you hours throughout the season. Uh, So actually as a VIP you get access to four of those for the year. So every 12 weeks you're going to touch in with a group of committed educators who are on the same page as you and ready to elevate their business. You actually get that every 12 weeks. So that's a really, and you'll be surprised how quickly that 12 weeks comes around.
But what it is, it's a little boost every 12 weeks for you for the next 12 months. They cost normally 39. You're getting them for, plus the summit, plus the printables, plus the special masterclass, for 97. So you're saving so much. I think it's 220. is the cost of the, uh, seasonal gatherings altogether. Um, so you're making a massive savings on, on that.
It's 156, I beg your pardon, 156. Uh, if you purchase all of the planning separately, uh, and you're getting them for 97. Plus 15 hours of summit via no brainer to me anyway. Um, so yeah, that's that's kind of like a benefit of of joining into the VIP and I think that whole thick piece of creating this lovely community.
of like minded educators who are committed to raising the level of their business and ready to really invest in their business as a business owner. Uh, and the things that get shared on these days, like all of the educators come back into the rooms going, Oh, it was so great. We had all these conversations.
We do a lot of sharing and a lot of problem solving and and it's just really beneficial for everybody. So. Anyway, that is the podcast for this week. We've got one more podcast, two more podcasts, actually, because the summer opens on the Thursday and podcast day is the Wednesday. So yeah, if you felt in your heart that you would like to share, if you see any of the posts that are coming in the next couple of weeks about the summit, please feel free to share them everywhere you possibly can.
I'd really, really appreciate your help getting, getting, getting it out there. We've already got a couple of hundred people registered. There's 15, 000 family daycare educators in Australia. It would be phenomenal if all of them could find out about it and be able to jump on board. There is the free option, too.
So this is literally a summit for everybody. So. Yeah, I just wanted to jump in today and share that with you. It's short and sweet. Normally, I'm a bit of a chatterbox, but, uh, being that it's my birthday today, I'm having a slow day and my brain is a little bit switched off. So, uh, I'm going to have a cup of tea now with my love and, uh, enjoy the rest of the afternoon.
So wherever you find yourself. And whatever you find yourself doing, I hope that it is blissful. I hope that it is bringing joy to you. And I look forward to seeing you very, very soon somewhere around the place. All right, my friends, thank you very much for tuning in until next time. Big love.
?Hi friends, thank you so much for joining us today. I hope you got a lot out of today's episode. When we work on our own we can sometimes be in a silo so having new perspectives and different ways of looking at things is vitally important for the growth of our individual selves and our professional selves as well.
