The Outdoor Classroom: Tiffany Madrid’s Nature-Based Approach to Childcare

Intro  

Welcome to another edition of inspired stories where leaders share their experiences so we can learn from their successes, how they’ve overcome adversity, and explore current challenges they’re facing.

Anthony Codispoti (07:05.474)
Welcome to another edition of the Inspired Stories podcast, where leaders share their experiences so we can learn from their successes and be inspired by how they’ve overcome adversity. My name is Anthony Codaspoti and today’s guest is Tiffany Ana Madrid, founder of Strong Foundations Learning Center, a childcare center in Thousand Palms, California. They post their rates directly on their website, which can be found at strongfoundationslearningcenter .org.

Their tuition includes all meals and snacks. They even serve a vegetarian menu. Theirs is a play -based center. They strongly believe that the workers of our country include children. Their play is not leisurely. Many of the materials they use resemble those that adults identify with leisure, but children don’t engage in leisurely activity. They build, they hit, they run, they test, they negotiate, they venture, they shout, they cry, they talk, they listen, they get hurt, they try again.

They cope endlessly with the tasks of being human. They believe that when a child works at his own level of interest, competence, and understanding, he is making steady progress toward independent thinking, creative flexibility, easy adjustment to new situations, and other important curriculum goals. Now, before we get into all that good stuff, today’s episode is brought to you by my company, AdBack Benefits Agency, where we offer very specific and unique employee benefits.

Anthony Codispoti (08:52.11)
that are both great for your team and fiscally optimized for your bottom line. One recent client was able to add over $900 per employee per year in extra cashflow by implementing one of our programs. Results vary for each company and some organizations may not be eligible. To find out if your company qualifies, contact us today at addbackbenefitsagency .com. Now back to our guest today, the founder of Strong Foundations Learning Center, Tiffany. I appreciate you making the time to share your story today.

Tiffany (09:20.51)
Good morning. I’m so happy to be here.

Anthony Codispoti (09:23.342)
So Tiffany, let’s go back to the beginning. When did you first start your daycare and what was the inspiration behind doing so?

Tiffany (09:31.221)
Yeah, so I opened in July of 2012. And prior to that, I had worked for a childcare center for eight years. And that childcare center was ran out of the same building that I’m currently operating in. The owner decided to retire and that left the building vacant. And I talked to the landlord and was able to work out a lease and got a business loan.

and started a childcare center.

Anthony Codispoti (10:04.344)
So it wasn’t that you were taking over the existing one. You didn’t buy the existing business. That one had wound down and then you were starting again having to find your own students. Is that right?

Tiffany (10:18.036)
Correct, yeah, I started off with 17 my first week that I opened and then by the first month I was at 30 children and then by the end of six months I was already at 125. So it moved, it filled real quick.

Anthony Codispoti (10:34.446)
Yeah, I did. How did you get those first 17 so quick?

Tiffany (10:38.963)
Those 17 were from the previous child care center. Those were the 17 that chose to stay with me.

Anthony Codispoti (10:46.798)
Okay, and then by the end of the month you were at 30. That’s not quite doubling, but pretty close. How did that happen?

Tiffany (10:54.693)
So a lot of families that are enrolled in my center are low income families. So they provide, they get substances from the county, which pays for their childcare center or their childcare. And so with the Riverside County office of education, I’m a provider that accepts that funding. So I’m on like a list. So when parents receive the funding, they’re given a list of childcare centers and I’m on there. So honestly, that’s the only advertising that I have to do.

Anthony Codispoti (11:24.566)
And is that still hold true till today? You don’t do any traditional marketing or advertising. All those folks are coming from that list that you’re on.

Tiffany (11:33.096)
Yes, correct. There’s just such a big need for childcare right now that advertising is really not necessary.

Anthony Codispoti (11:34.584)
What?

Anthony Codispoti (11:41.991)
What’s the process of getting on that list, being approved to accept these state subsidies?

Tiffany (11:51.421)
So there’s a website, which is the Riverside County Office of Education. They have locations in all of our local cities nearby, and parents would go in, or actually they could go online and fill out an application now. And then they’ll get a call back anywhere from a month to say six months, and then they’ll just complete the application process, providing their financial information. And then if they can prove that they’re in need, the county will issue them a certificate.

And then that certificate can be used at preschools that accept it.

Anthony Codispoti (12:23.446)
And so how do you get to be a school that can accept this funding?

Tiffany (12:28.795)
You have to obviously get in touch with Riverside County Office of Education and let them know that you’re interested and you sign up for it and make sure that you have qualified staff, you have the right environments. I mean there are basic qualifications that you would have to meet.

Anthony Codispoti (12:46.686)
Why don’t all day cares go through this process?

Tiffany (12:52.081)
because in a way they kind of tell you how to run your school. You know, you have to do things their way. And I think most schools do accept it though, to be honest with you. I only know of one or two in our Valley that don’t.

Anthony Codispoti (13:07.542)
And so this is a county by county basis, not a state program.

Tiffany (13:14.716)
To my knowledge, yes. It is a county.

Anthony Codispoti (13:18.444)
And so when you were first getting started, you got a business loan to help get things rolling. Was that difficult?

Tiffany (13:25.841)
I know because I had a friend that I was able to ask and was able to loan me the money.

Anthony Codispoti (13:32.221)
great. So you didn’t have to go through SBA or the traditional bank loan process.

Tiffany (13:37.178)
No.

Anthony Codispoti (13:39.404)
That’s terrific. That, makes things a lot smoother coming out of the gate. And the nice thing is that you had, I think you said eight years of experience working in the very same physical space in the same industry in this, in childcare. So it’s not like you were coming into this blind, like you, you knew how a center needed to run. I don’t know. Maybe you knew the software tools or the forms that you needed or the steps to follow. Like, you know, the infrastructure was kind of.

Tiffany (13:43.643)
Yeah.

Anthony Codispoti (14:09.25)
there for you already because you’ve been working in it so long.

Tiffany (14:13.937)
Yeah, and I actually started when I was 15. So I kind of was a helper. So I was like all around. And then I slowly just started working every area. I was the infant and toddler teacher, then the infant toddler director. I did the preschool and the preschool director, and then I did school age and school age director. So I got a little bit of experience in those eight years in every part of the school. And then I also ran the office for a year.

I ran the kitchen for a year. Like I was just that person that was thrown everywhere. So that when I was able to start the business, I didn’t feel nervous or scared at all because like you said, I knew the ins and outs of the business. What I didn’t know was the financial part of it, the business part of it. You know, that part I didn’t have as much knowledge as I wish I had.

Anthony Codispoti (15:03.372)
on the job training though, right? Like as you took over the business and you had to start figuring those things out, were there people that you could go to as mentors or advisors to kind of help you get up to speed?

Tiffany (15:06.254)
Definitely. yeah, definitely.

Tiffany (15:18.935)
Yeah, so the landlord actually was helping me in the beginning. And then now I have the person that does my taxes. She’s a lifelong friend and she really helps me out big time. So I go to her a lot.

Anthony Codispoti (15:34.306)
That’s great. I want to go back to the state subsidies that make it more affordable for folks to access childcare. Talk to me about what the landscape for that looks like today. Is there enough funding? Should there be more? Is there more on the way? Is it being pulled away? Talk me through that.

Tiffany (15:58.0)
Okay, so in the past the state would give Riverside County Office of Education dollars and those dollars would go to providing free childcare or low -cost childcare for families in need. Now the state has moved to something called transitional kindergarten. So they’re putting their funding in elementary schools.

who are now opening a new grade, which is called transitional kindergarten, which is taken the year before kindergarten. So basically that’s their way of providing free preschool childcare to our families. However, my issue with that, one, it really hurts private preschools because they’re taking our pre -K program. And two, in a preschool setting,

It’s one teacher to 12 four year olds with a class size of no more than 24. And the reason for that is they’re still young. They’re still four. They still need supervision. When you get into a school district, the ratio then becomes one to 28. The class size can go up to 32. The teacher may or may not have an aid. And if they do have an aid, they may not have them all day. These children at four are expected to be, you know,

very independent and not all children are. So I just don’t feel like the school districts are qualified and prepared environmentally and staff -wise to provide, you know, preschool education. Yet that’s where our dollars have gone. And I think that for me is the biggest concern is what happens to the children who don’t fit that perfect mold for a four -year -old in an elementary school.

especially with our huge numbers of children with special needs. They have just skyrocketed. So those children don’t fit. So now they’re coming to places like my school where it’s a private preschool. And I have qualified staff who can work with children at that age in those group sizes and children with special needs. And yes, the quality of care is better, but the cost is high. And if the funding is not there, how are they going to afford that type of childcare?

Anthony Codispoti (18:17.74)
And so how do they, what options are available to people in that situation?

Tiffany (18:22.671)
Right now there is still RCOE funding. However, I believe that those dollars are going down because the dollars are being sent to the elementary school. So we’re going to kind of see how this transitional kindergarten works for the elementary schools. You know, this is our third year of doing it and every year the window gets bigger and bigger. So the first year they only allowed kids in a birthday of these three months, the later months of the year, September, October, November, December.

Now, if you’re born June through December, you can, right? That was last year, sorry. And now this year, it’s open to anyone who’s four. So this is their first year where they’re gonna have, you know, full classrooms. So we’ll see. I’m not really sure what the answer is there.

Anthony Codispoti (19:10.446)
Do you, have you seen your enrollment numbers decrease then because some people are going to this free state sponsored version of the class?

Tiffany (19:20.002)
Yeah, I pretty much do not have a four -year -old classroom anymore. Yeah. And I think another big fear that I have is I think that the next step will be our COE telling these parents, we are not going to provide childcare funding for you because your child can go to TK. Because there is a transitional kindergarten spot available for you at whatever elementary school you can go to, we’re not going to provide.

funding for children at four anymore. think that that is definitely my biggest fear at this time. So it’s a waiting game. We’re going to wait and see what they decide.

Anthony Codispoti (19:59.242)
Is there any way to influence this process? Do they seem to be open to feedback from the owners of child care centers?

Tiffany (20:09.335)
I mean, there’s definitely opportunities for us to put our voices out there, which we try to do that. But at the end of the day, I really think it’s going to take our parents. They need to make sure they’re voting for the right people. election season is coming up. And I think it’s really, really important that people pay attention to what these candidates can do for them.

Anthony Codispoti (20:35.234)
And when you say our parents, you don’t mean my parents and your parents. You mean the parents of the kids that you’re serving, obviously. Yeah.

Tiffany (20:41.29)
Yes, yes, children, parents of children in the state of California, in the country. I mean, I’m not really sure what other states offer, but in California, we definitely have a lot of funding that goes to childcare. And I want it to stay that way. Our kids need it.

Anthony Codispoti (20:55.244)
Yeah, I can tell this is an issue that you’re pretty passionate about, making sure that early childhood education is accessible, not just to the children of the parents who can afford it, but all of the children. Is there an answer for how to make that happen? Obviously, it takes more dollars to take care of more kids, and it’s important, especially at this stage of life. But I don’t know, how do we get from here to there?

Tiffany (21:08.0)
Right. Right.

Tiffany (21:25.504)
like you said, allocating dollars towards that, making that a priority, taking care of our children, making sure that our children are always have education and food. Those are the two things that it’s important. All our kids should have fair equal rights to those two things. early childhood education has to be made a priority as well.

Anthony Codispoti (21:47.01)
Tell me about the food. Tell me about the menu that you guys offer, because it’s all included, all meals and snacks are part of the tuition. What can kids expect to have on hand?

Tiffany (21:58.731)
So we serve a vegetarian menu, which I know can sound a little intimidating, but it’s really not. We serve very typical normal things like quesadillas, spaghetti, oatmeal, eggs, scrambled egg burritos. We do a little bit of tofu. We do a little bit of soy stuff to mix it up. Everything is fresh fruits, fresh vegetables. We have a full -time chef. She makes all of our meals here on site. We serve breakfast.

an AM snack, a lunch, and a PM snack. We eat family style, which means that the children serve themselves. We all eat at the table together. I am funded by the USDA food program, so they do give me a little bit of dollars to help make sure that we’re feeding everybody with the healthiest, nutritious meals that we can. So that’s very helpful. But I think for me, the food, why it’s so important to me is because their diets play a big part in their

education and their development. So it’s important that our kids are not being fed a bunch of sugar, fake dyes, all kinds of liquids full of sweeteners. So we try really hard just to make sure that they’re eating a natural, healthy diet.

Anthony Codispoti (23:14.636)
That’s terrific. So tell me about the education part of it. Walk me through your approach to curriculum and early childhood education.

Tiffany (23:24.617)
Okay, yeah, so we’re play -based, which a lot of people feel like, we just throw the kids in the backyard and say, run wild, and that’s very much not what it is. So I like to make sure I clear that up in the beginning. So what play -based means is that we educate children through experiences, through activities. So yes, they have the freedom to choose their activities or choose their areas that they want to be in. However,

no matter what area or activity they choose, we will be fostering their education through that activity. So for example, if I have a child who’s all about cars and building with blocks, I’m not gonna force him to go paint. I’m gonna let him build with these blocks and these cars and think, how can I incorporate painting into the blocks and cars that he’s already interested in? So that way,

children when they are interested in a subject or something they want to learn. And it makes it so much easier for us as educators and also it creates a very relaxed environment which helps children learn. So we also spend a lot, a lot of time outside. So every classroom I have has its own playground outside, right outside their classroom sliding glass door. So…

In their yard, they have grass, mud, sand, trees. They have all the elements, all the loose parts, and they get to go and be outside. Why? Children are happier outside. They just are. So are we as staff, you know? And also there’s just so much out there to learn. Science, engineering, I mean, just so much endless possibilities. While it is hot out here, we do a lot of water play.

So we are outside all the time, year round. We just make it fun and safe for them. And it’s going really great. I think that having a play -based philosophy, the kids are happy. They don’t cry when they get dropped off. They cry when they have to go home. They love it here. So I think it’s the right way to raise children, educate children. I’m a big believer in play and not being so structured and rigid.

Anthony Codispoti (25:30.025)
you

Anthony Codispoti (25:43.0)
Well, that’s terrific. I don’t know what that does to the parents psyche to have their kids be upset to see them, but certainly reassuring that they’re they’re not sad to be there during the day, because I know as a parent who put their kids in child care for a number of years, it was always on the back of my mind. Like, what’s you know, what’s my son doing? Is he OK? Is he playing? Is he sad? Is he hurt? Is he tired? Is he eating? So, wow, it’s great that you’ve created an environment where the kids are so happy to be there.

Tiffany (25:53.657)
Yes.

Tiffany (26:12.526)
Yeah, and a quick note on that. During COVID, we made a big change and went to electrical or electronic communication. So I downloaded an, or I purchased an app called Bright Wheel. And it was one of the greatest things that came out of my COVID experience. This app allows me to communicate with my parents in real time.

So my teachers are logging when the kids are eating, when they’re going to the bathroom, when they’re sleeping, incidents that happen, fun things that happen, pictures, videos. And it’s all on this app that is safe and secure and allows us to share, like I said, in real time with the parents so that they’re not at work wondering what’s going on with my kid. They can go on and they can see and it makes them feel so much better. And I just absolutely love it. It’s one of the greatest things I’ve ever.

I’m done and I plan on continuing for sure.

Anthony Codispoti (27:07.328)
Yeah. Again, as a parent with kids at a childcare center that had a similar app, man, I looked forward to getting those pictures and those updates, especially, you know, when I knew that my son had had a difficult morning or, you know, tough time the evening before, and I wasn’t sure how they were going to do. Then, you know, communicate that to the teachers during the drop off. And they were even better about sending

updates to give me that reassurance. it’s great that you’ve got an app like that in place for parents because that does give us a lot of peace of

Tiffany (27:34.511)
Yes.

Tiffany (27:42.255)
Yes.

Anthony Codispoti (27:44.494)
So I’m kind of curious, what do you feel Tiffany sets your childcare center apart from maybe some of the others that are out

Tiffany (27:56.805)
I think that in order to have happy children, you have to have happy staff. And I’m very conscious and aware of my staff morale and also my staff’s relationship with me. I’m very hands -on. I’m the owner, I’m the director, I’m also the lead school -age teacher. I’m here every day in the trenches with my staff.

I also love what I do, so I don’t want to be stuck behind a computer just running the business. I want to be a teacher at the same time. And I think that as a team, we collectively have the same goals, but we all really just get along with each other. And I make sure that everyone is happy and we work our problems out and we’re a really, really great team. And I really feel like my team is what makes this place what it is.

Without my team, I don’t think I would be where I am today. A lot of my girls have been here with me since day one and they work so hard and they’re just so passionate for what they do. And I just, really believe that the team makes the environment. You know, if we can feel good and relaxed and happy and safe, the kids will feel it too.

Anthony Codispoti (29:16.376)
That’s great. The environment that you’re describing obviously sounds like one that, you know, once people get into that employment environment with you, they’re more likely to stay because they feel like they’re part of a team. Everybody’s getting along. They look forward to being around the folks that they work with. How do you find new people and bring them into that environment? What’s that recruiting process look like these days?

Tiffany (29:41.572)
That is my biggest struggle these days, for sure. Since COVID, I just feel like pre -COVID, if I put out a job, I’d go on Indeed or Care .com, you know, and I pay this monthly rate to put an ad out. Well, I would just pay one month and I’d get 25 applicants. I’d interview a few, find the one I like, good to go. Now, since COVID, in the last three months, I have paid

to have applicants and I’ve hired one. And I’ve probably had three people actually seriously come in and interview for the position and two of them I did not, I couldn’t hire. And so I only chose the one. I do get a lot of people that apply that do not have the units from college, which I can’t hire. So if you don’t have college courses, you can’t supervise children in the state of California.

So a lot of people apply for the job thinking they don’t need anything. Well, in order to be a qualified preschool teacher, you do, you have to have education. So that’s kind of been a downfall too. But I’m not sure, I just feel like a lot of people have left the field. lost, in 2020, I lost probably eight teachers that chose not to come back.

Anthony Codispoti (31:00.162)
That’s a big hole to fill.

Tiffany (31:02.847)
Definitely. So I’m at 154 is the most children I can have. And right now I’m at 90. I could go higher with my kids, but I’m not because I don’t have the staff. So right now my staff is what’s really, really hurting my business.

Anthony Codispoti (31:18.808)
Wow, that’s powerful. And do you think most of the daycares around you are experiencing the same kind of shortage of good labor? Or is it something that’s unique?

Tiffany (31:29.279)
ones who have survived COVID, yes, they are struggling just as much as I am.

Anthony Codispoti (31:35.739)
and that’s an interesting qualifier that you throw out there, the ones that have survived COVID, which says that there are many who did not.

Tiffany (31:43.037)
Bye.

was very blessed. I was trying to save to purchase a new location. I wanted to own my own location instead of lease it. So I had been saving a lot of money and I had about $50 ,000 saved up. And that is what got me through COVID. If I didn’t have my backup savings, I would have been, I would have been gone too. So between my savings and all the help and support that I got from the state of California and the federal government,

I don’t think I would be here where I am today, so I’m really grateful for that.

Anthony Codispoti (32:20.748)
Yeah, I’ve heard this story again and again from the survivors, not from the folks who didn’t make it that yeah, a lot of their friends, a lot of their peers had centers that that just couldn’t survive that couldn’t shoulder the debt burden couldn’t keep the doors open, couldn’t keep paying staff that you know, without the kids being there. And, you know, and it kind of goes back to your earlier point about, you know, needing some of these subsidies to be able to

Tiffany (32:41.939)
Right.

Anthony Codispoti (32:50.818)
you know, give access to child care to more people, you know, and it feels like it even a more foundational level, like there need to be some grant or loan programs that are available for people to open or reopen centers that got decimated during COVID.

Tiffany (33:08.542)
Yes, yes, yes, yes, I totally, totally agree with that. I think that we need to pay our teachers more money. That’s what I think. I think that if we could get some more dollars, that would really help us pay our teachers more money. It’s really hard for me to say, come work for me at $18 an hour and do this really hard job. I mean, this is not, this is a very hard job and it can be very thankless sometimes. So.

it’s difficult to ask them that when I know they can go work at In -N -Out for $25 an hour. And that’s where I struggle. And that’s where the ones that have stayed are here because their heart is here. And they can. And some people couldn’t. They had to leave because they financially couldn’t. And I understand that. my heart’s with them. But the ones that have stayed, you know, it’s time. It’s time that the state gives us money to help pay these teachers more.

All they talk about is elementary and, you know, school, public school teachers and getting them more money and getting them more money. But the conversation needs to be had about preschool teachers as well. They’re just as important as school teachers.

Anthony Codispoti (34:18.444)
Yeah, this is a point that’s been covered a lot on this show here is right. Why are, you know, once your kids, at least where I live, once they turn five or six and they go to kindergarten, why are those teachers paid so much more than the teachers who helped take care of, know, from infant up to that point? Those years aren’t any less important, arguably more important. But the pay structure is completely, completely different.

Tiffany (34:46.045)
Yeah, and benefits, they get benefits, you know, for a small business like me, I can’t afford to do that. If I could, I would. And I believe most childcare centers would. But it’s very difficult for me to raise my prices. You know, like I said, it’s $1 ,500 a month for an infant. And that’s just so can keep my doors open. If I want to pay my teachers more, I’d have to ask for $2 ,000 a month. That’s a lot of money to ask.

from a single mom with three kids doing the best she can, waitressing tables. So I morally struggle with the raising my rates too. And even if I did make that decision, who can afford that? We need help.

Anthony Codispoti (35:33.164)
You make a compelling case. Tiffany, what are some of the most common concerns that parents have when starting their kids at a new school like yours? And what can you tell them to put their minds at ease?

Tiffany (35:46.748)
I think that they worry that they’re going to cry all day and they’re not going to be taken care of. So I do tell my parents, know, some children struggle. The first two weeks there’s going to be a lot of tears, but don’t worry. We got a lot of hugs. We got a lot of arms. We’re going to be holding them and hugging them and encouraging them to play new fun things, go for a walk. Like I said, we’re very relaxed environment. And so the kids aren’t, it’s not so structured. So the kids are like so stressed out.

I feel like when a child comes in for the first day, very little is expected. We just kind of get through the day, get to know each other. And then the Brightwell app is huge. That’s how I feel parents feel comfortable leaving their kids. I also personally interview every parent, do a walkthrough with them, give them my cell phone number, tell them who I am, where I’m from, what I’ve done. I think that that personal connection and interaction means a lot.

If you don’t trust me enough to give me your car keys, you can’t give me your child. So if they’re going to leave me their baby, they need to know who I am. And so I think that’s really important. And a lot of child care center owners are not as hands on like that. And that is the number one thing I hear from parents that are new starting. The fact that we even are getting a chance to meet you, let alone you’re the one enrolling us is just crazy because most child care centers we’ve toured

Anthony Codispoti (37:08.044)
Mm.

Tiffany (37:10.214)
We have to set an appointment and we want to be able to meet the owner until a month after we’ve already started. And that’s, you know, makes parents feel a little nervous.

Anthony Codispoti (37:19.714)
Well, I like that. I remember when we first enrolled our oldest son in childcare. And it was a similar situation where it was the owner who gave us the tour. They were still a little bit smaller. They grew, you know, from that point. But it was so nice being able to talk to her directly and what she looks for in hiring people and just, you know, hear her story that that really gave us a sense of calm and comfort and was like,

Tiffany (37:31.686)
Nice.

Anthony Codispoti (37:48.79)
At that point, we were almost begging, please let us in. This is the place that we want to be.

Tiffany (37:55.162)
Yep, and I hear that a lot too from a lot of parents because we do have a waiting list, especially for our infants and toddlers. The need for infant and toddler care is just so big right now in this valley. I believe we just lost another infant and toddler center out here, so that’s another big downfall for our community. I offer a total of 13 infant and toddler spots.

And that’s not very much, and I consider myself to be one of the bigger ones in the Valley. So that really shows you a lot of preschools don’t even offer infant toddler care. So I think.

Anthony Codispoti (38:25.986)
Mm.

Anthony Codispoti (38:31.01)
because the ratios that are required for that are so much more of a financial burden. You need more teachers per kid, which means you gotta charge more for those kids. And like you said before, the parents are having a hard time affording this already.

Tiffany (38:48.332)
Right, right. But this is kind of what I tell myself is if I can keep that number low and I can get in a parent that can afford it and we can meet each other that compromise, once you get a baby, that baby’s with you until they’re five. And if you look at it as an investment, I really just feel like my infant and toddler, I make enough money to pay the bills, right? I don’t really make profit off my infant and toddler center. However, it provides enrollment.

long -term enrollment and it’s also providing a service to the community that they need that we need you know so if you look at it that way i really think it’s important that a child care center has an infant toddler program

Anthony Codispoti (39:30.508)
Now with transitional kindergarten going to the state, do you see increasing the younger age brackets? Yeah.

Tiffany (39:40.12)
That’s my plan, yes. I plan on taking my fours classroom, re -licensing it, which may take a few months, to an infant and toddler program, and then being able to open at least 12 more infant and toddler spots.

Anthony Codispoti (39:52.654)
Okay. Well, that would certainly be welcome news in your area considering that you guys just lost one of your centers there.

Tiffany (40:00.982)
Yes, definitely.

Anthony Codispoti (40:02.68)
Tiffany, what advice do you have for parents who are looking at multiple schools and trying to decide which one is best for them?

Tiffany (40:12.852)
In the state of California, you can look up any child care center through the Community Care Licensing Division website, which is the state website. And you can type in the child care center’s name and it will show you all the things that they’ve been cited for. And I think that’s really important because after you’ve been cited for something, you only have to share that for two years. And then after that, you no longer have to share it.

In our valley right now, we have quite a few schools that are under investigations. And so I always tell parents when they’re looking, it’s important to check the website because it’ll show you exactly what they’ve been cited for. And then you can ask questions on how did you fix that? What’s going on now that I don’t have to worry about that from happening again? So I would say definitely check that. Number two, how much are they getting to move their bodies?

It’s really, really important that children are able to move their bodies. So are they getting 30 minutes of playtime in the mornings, or are they getting an hour and a half of playtime? Because a lot of preschools only provide 30 minutes of playtime in the morning. The rest is sitting down in a chair. That’s not appropriate for a three -year -old. At least that’s not what I would want for my child. So things like that, making sure that they’re getting the time to move their bodies. And then last, discipline.

How are they disciplining your child? Because all schools do it differently, and you want to make sure that it aligns with what you’re doing at home.

Anthony Codispoti (41:45.016)
How do you approach discipline?

Tiffany (41:47.349)
For me personally, I believe that it is us working with the child in that individual moment. So I do not believe in timeout. If a child hits another child because that child took their shovel, it’s getting down on their level and saying, whoa, whoa, whoa, what happened here? you took his shovel. Why? Why did you take his shovel? you want one? well, where are the shovels? Can we all go find a shovel? How can we make this right?

you hit him, let’s say sorry, and just working with the children. So often we want to, you know, punish, punish, punish, and we have to remind ourselves they’re not criminals, they’re children, and they need to be told a thousand times it’s not okay to run in the classroom because they’re children and it’s okay. So patience too, you know.

As long as everyone’s safe, we can be patient and we can keep working on it. You know, when kids are not being safe, then that’s when we get a little bit more, use our mom voice, you know. But again, it’s still just having the conversations. If I do think a child needs time away, for example, if they are constantly hurting their friends, and we’ve tried and we’ve talked and we’ve talked, then yeah, they might need to do an activity by themselves for a little bit to cool down and relax and then come back and try again. But they’re never left with nothing and they’re never left alone.

So I think it’s important that children know that they have us to guide them and support them rather than throwing them in a corner saying, I don’t want to deal with you right now.

Anthony Codispoti (43:16.846)
Can you think of maybe a specific example of a particular child that has thrived under your care? Sometimes getting into something specific is kind of fun and interesting.

Tiffany (43:28.307)
Okay, so I kind of have a name for myself down here. I am one of the only preschools down here that will accept children with special needs and challenging behaviors. And I take a lot of pride in that because the numbers are growing and growing and growing. This is our job now. Part of the job description is being able to educate children with special needs. If any preschool teacher hasn’t figured that out yet,

they need to start educating themselves because these kids are not going away. The numbers are only increasing. So for me, a play environment is perfect for a child with special needs because if they need to scream, yell, move their body, have fidget toys, whatever it is, we make it to where they can do that. I can tell your voice is really loud and you need to get it out. Let’s go outside for a minute.

One teacher takes that child outside lets them run around and gets their energy out rather than forcing them to stay in the classroom and Getting in trouble for these behaviors that if they would just take them outside for a minute. They’d be okay They need movement. They need to be loud. They need gross motor. They need sensory They need all of that in order to learn self -regulation and so for me my story would be I have a child who has autism

and was kicked out of three preschools and came here and within I would say a month he was coming in the door just fine. The first month was a little rocky. I think a lot of kids are kind of traumatized by other schools and then they come here and it takes a minute for them to realize, we can take our shoes off. cool. You know, I feel like I’m at home. Little things like that. So this child now has been with us for two years.

And he’s now in elementary school and he struggles still in elementary school, but then comes here and totally fine. And I think for me, that’s just proof that the environment, the staff, the teachers, you know, we really play a big part in a child’s behavior. It’s not just about them, their children, you know?

Anthony Codispoti (45:48.534)
And so he’s coming there now as part of like an aftercare program that you have.

Tiffany (45:53.427)
Yeah, so our big kids are kindy through fifth grade. They’re with us after school every day from 2 30 until 5 30. And then in the summer and spring break and Christmas break we have them full time.

Anthony Codispoti (46:06.36)
Tiffany, what’s a serious challenge that you’ve had to overcome, either in your personal or professional life, and what did you learn going through that experience?

Tiffany (46:19.854)
man, there’s so many. I only get to pick one. Okay, I’m going to have to go with the financial burden. Not just financial, but also just the idea that as a business owner, you really are expected to know what forms you need to fill out for the government, for taxes. I mean, just all of it. There’s no class. There’s no training. I just figured it out.

as I went along and man, I messed up a lot, but I learned a lot as I did it. So maybe I wish I would have maybe hired someone to help me with that. But again, I was just starting off, I didn’t have the money for that. I wasn’t even paying my payroll taxes in the beginning because it was hard and that was the one thing I could not pay and continue my business. But then that debt becomes, you know.

a huge heavy thing on your chest and you have a hard time sleeping at night, you know? And I had to work years to dig myself out of that hole. Would I have done it differently? Probably not, because that was the only choice that I had at the time. Now, as I’m older and, you know, I’ve worked through it, I paid my debts off, I’m back to saving money again, I’m trying real hard to get another location so we can grow, and it’s going great. But man, I wish there was somebody

somebody that could hold your hand along the way, it would have been really nice. Just for the financial part of it and the state regulations and federal regulations, that part of it.

Anthony Codispoti (47:48.769)
Hmm.

Anthony Codispoti (47:55.948)
Yeah, no, I hear you. That’s a lot to take on if you haven’t had any background or education in it before.

Tiffany (48:02.618)
Right.

Anthony Codispoti (48:03.886)
What’s something you wish you could teach a younger version of yourself, Tiffany?

Tiffany (48:12.721)
Probably not to have so much stress and anxiety of what’s going to happen, having a little bit more faith in God and trusting Him because the older I’m getting, the more I’m doing that and the more peace I’m finding within myself. And man, He always provides and He always takes care of us. If you have your heart in the right place, I believe that. I believe that God will take care of you. And He’s definitely done that for me.

Anthony Codispoti (48:42.734)
It’s terrific. What’s a fun fact most people wouldn’t know about you, Tiffany?

Tiffany (48:48.315)
About me? Let’s see, I grew up in the mountains, so I’m very outdoorsy and I am very, I’m into hiking and camping and the river and I’m just a big believer in risk taking. Yeah, I’m just, very outdoorsy and I think that’s a lot of the reason why I’m so passionate about what I do is,

You know, my own personal children are now growing up in a city with concrete and, you know, a small little park. And I feel so guilty. I just feel so guilty that they’re not getting what I got as a child. And so if I could at least provide this for these children in this community, zero to five, at least they get that those first five years of their lives, they can have what I had. I think that makes that’s why I’m so passionate about it.

Anthony Codispoti (49:40.833)
Which mountains did you grow up in?

Tiffany (49:43.146)
The San Bernardino Mountains, I don’t know if you’ve ever heard of Idylwild area.

Anthony Codispoti (49:51.5)
No, but it’s a beautiful area that you grew up in and lots to do outdoors.

Tiffany (49:56.123)
Yeah, we had snow and weather, you know, in the desert down here, we don’t get any of that. So yeah, just, know, chickens and horses and, just freedom as a child, being able to go walk around your community, go on hikes, go on long bike rides by yourself, without your parents, things that these kids don’t get to do anymore.

Anthony Codispoti (50:01.623)
Yeah.

Anthony Codispoti (50:18.037)
Tiffany, are there any specific mentors, books, other podcasts that have helped shape you or your professional career?

Tiffany (50:27.215)
Yes, the queen of all preschool teachers is Bev Boss, and I absolutely love and adore her. Another really great one for parents out there is Janet Lansbury. She has a great website with amazing webs, with a bunch of resources, but she also has a podcast and it’s really good. It’s really short, simple. I always encourage parents to check her out, Janet Lansbury. So those would be my two big ones.

Anthony Codispoti (50:58.04)
Great. Thanks for sharing those. I’ll have to check out, I haven’t heard of Bev Boss. Where is she out at?

Tiffany (51:04.483)
She’s here in California. I don’t remember the exact city. I did go to her school. She recently passed away, but she has a lot of really great stuff on YouTube and she’s really big on the play philosophy. So that’s why I really, really love her.

Anthony Codispoti (51:06.071)
Okay.

Anthony Codispoti (51:19.838)
That’s great. Not to check that out. I just have one more question for you, Tiffany. But before I ask it, I want to do two things. If you’re listening today and you like today’s content, please hit the subscribe, like or share button on your favorite podcast app. Tiffany, I want to let people know the best way to get in touch with you. What would that be?

Tiffany (51:39.601)
You can give us a call here at the school. Can I give our phone number? 760 -343 -2163. I’m available in the mornings, in the afternoons I’m with my school aged kids.

Anthony Codispoti (51:43.21)
Absolutely.

Anthony Codispoti (51:55.106)
Great. Last question for you, Tiffany. I’m curious, how do you see your industry evolving in the next five years? What do you think the big changes are that are coming?

Tiffany (52:08.401)
I think we’re going to do away with the pre -K. I do believe that. I think that preschool will be 0 to 3. I think that’s going to be the biggest change for sure. Yeah. I’m also little nervous about staffing. I’m not sure what the solution is.

Anthony Codispoti (52:27.404)
Yeah, it’s tough when California has passed a law that mandates a much higher minimum wage for fast food restaurants. And that doesn’t apply to you and financially can’t even work for you if it were. Yeah. So like you said, a lot of your employees are just financially, they’ve got to make the decision to go somewhere else.

Tiffany (52:52.549)
Yes, unfortunately.

Anthony Codispoti (52:55.766)
And I lied, I actually have one more question for you. I noticed that you have quite a bit of artwork there on your arm and that takes a lot of dedication and commitment. I’m curious if there’s any good stories behind what you’ve got there.

Tiffany (53:11.853)
I have always been a very artistic person. I took a lot of art, ceramics and stuff like that in school. I do a lot of murals on walls. just, really love art. I’m really into it. I think it’s important that we express our emotions and our thoughts and our feelings through art, especially children, especially children who are going through things. And so I wanted to share my artwork with the world. So I put it on my body.

Anthony Codispoti (53:41.578)
It’s beautiful. Well, Tiffany, I want to be the first one to thank you for sharing both your time and your story with us today. I really appreciate it.

Tiffany (53:42.843)
Thank you.

Tiffany (53:50.799)
You’re welcome. Thank you for having me.

Anthony Codispoti (53:52.952)
Folks, that’s a wrap on another episode of the Inspired Stories podcast. Thanks for learning with us today.