ECE Unhinged

Description:​Welcome to the very first episode of our new series, Sandbox Confessionals (aka Crisis in the Sandbox). This week, we are pausing our financial transparency series to dive deep into the raw, unspoken realities of working in Early Childhood Education.​In this episode, we share the true story of "Dani," a former toddler teacher in Colorado who reached out to us after leaving a center plagued by severe licensing violations, emotional abuse of children, and direct workplace retaliation. To protect her identity, we are sharing her story anonymously-but the violations she experienced are a reality for far too many educators.​Inside This Episode:​The Reality of Crowd Control: What happens when a legal 1:5 toddler ratio stretches to an unsafe 1:11.​Institutional Betrayal: How directors protect abusive, long-term staff members and reframe internal documentation as "hostile."​The Broken Licensing System: Why underfunded state agencies allow bad actors to run out the clock.​ECE Trauma Bonding: A candid conversation on how centers use teachers' love for the kids as leverage to keep them silent.​🚨 Your Action Plan: How to Move the Needle​If you see something wrong at your center, vague complaints won't cut it. Here is the exact blueprint discussed in today’s episode to protect yourself and the children:​Document in Real Time: Do not rely on memory. Record the exact date, time, direct quotes, and witnesses in a timestamped notes app or email to yourself.​Create a Paper Trail: Always follow up phone calls to licensing with a written email. Demand a case number.​File with Multiple Agencies: Report both to state childcare licensing and your local Child Protective Services (CPS) hotline-they operate on different thresholds.​Contact your Local CCR&R: Child Care Resource and Referral agencies carry institutional weight that individual complaints often lack.​Involve the Labor Board: If you face sudden write-ups or termination after reporting, file a retaliation claim immediately.​Inform the Parents: Facts speak louder than rumors. When parents know the truth, enrollments drop-and that gets management's attention.​Remember Your Mandated Reporter Status: Your legal threshold is reasonable suspicion, not absolute proof. Protect the kids first, and sort out the rest later.​Connect With Us!​Have a "Crisis in the Sandbox" story of your own? Or some wild "ECE After Dark" admin/parent drama you need to get off your chest? Our inbox is completely open, safe, and anonymous.​Email/SpeakPipe: [Insert Link]​Follow the Show: Don't forget to like, share, and subscribe to help us expose the cracks in the system and protect ECE professionals!​Resources Mentioned in This Episode: Colorado CDHS Licensing Portal, National CCR&R Locator, Child Protective Services Hotline, and the NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct. (Links available in your podcast app's show notes section).

This week on Teachers After Dark, Crystal and I are diving into the hilarious, bizarre, and downright unhinged world of toddler logic. We aren't talking about typical classroom management here; we're talking about the moment a child has a full-blown meltdown because their grilled cheese was cut into squares instead of triangles.​If you've ever felt like you were negotiating with a tiny, unreasonable terrorist when all you wanted was for them to eat their lunch, this is the episode for you. We’re unpacking those "unsolicited confessions" about their parents' habits, why they think the shower is a human car wash, and how we keep it together when the "laws of logic" are completely suspended.​Grab a drink and join us for the unfiltered, behind-the-scenes stories we usually only share with each other.​#ECEUnhinged #TeachersAfterDark #ToddlerLogic #EarlyChildhoodEducation #UnhingedMedia

In episode 2 of our wage transparency series we're joined by center owner Katie McDonald for a raw no-filter conversation about the financial realities of running a private preschool. From the weight of commercial rent to the impossible struggle of balancing fair wages with tight margins, we're exposing the truth behind the "secretive" ECE industry.#EarlyEdInsights#TeacherSupport#EducationReform#RespectTeachers#SystemicChange#ChildhoodEducation#TeacherVoices#EducationMatters

What do you do for self care?

In this episode of "ECE Unhinged," hosts Brittany and Crystal introduce a new series focused on wage transparency in early childhood education. They discuss the financial challenges faced by teachers, such as low wages despite high tuition fees. The series aims to uncover where the money goes by interviewing various center owners and directors. They emphasize the need for transparency and open discussion without blaming directors, who often struggle to pay fair wages due to financial constraints.The episode also includes a segment called "Red Flag Green Flag," where they discuss various classroom scenarios and their implications. The hosts encourage listeners to participate by sharing their questions and experiences, aiming to create a supportive community for educators.

This weeks Teachers After Dark gets it's own episode! Are you drowning in the chaos of a lively classroom, desperately wishing you could hit pause or hit the delete button on some of the daily mess? Imagine if you could choose what stays, what goes, and what’s instantly forgotten-without the guilt. In this episode, teachers spill their most hilarious and relatable “room, exit, or burn” decisions, revealing the chaotic truths behind what we really want to get rid of in our classrooms-and what we secretly love to keep.

In this episode, we talk with Tiffany Chacon, a teacher who left the classroom and is now behind the scenes, about burnout, the realities of early childhood education, and the deep purpose behind caregiving. She shares honest stories about the challenges educators face and the moments that remind us why this work matters, including how “the smallest little smile or song is going to form a child's life” and why “you need to have a full cup” to keep showing up with intention.Be sure to check out Tiffany’s podcast Nature to Nurture, a thoughtful show for parents and caregivers filled with guidance on nature based learning, intentional parenting, and caring for yourself while caring for others.As always, please like follow and share! Our Facebook group has all the new updated information and we also have a new speak pipe feature so you can join us live!https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1FP4a7dCrj/

​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.​Inside This Segment:​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.​The Reality of "Center PTSD"​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!

This hour long episode kicks off our mini-series, Leading With Humanity- "Rethinking Teacher Burnout," starting with a conversation with our very own owner and director. The first few minutes set the stage but bear with us, the heart of the conversation delves into one directors perspective on teacher burnout, leadership behind the scenes and what it really looks like to support educators in todays world. We also kick off our new segment "Teachers After Dark!" so stay tuned after the music and join us for a game of Would You Rather? to decompress!If any of this episode resonated with you please like and follow us for more!

You sent them, we read them and wow! This episode is a collection of real stories from teachers, some hilarious and some completely unhinged, and some that just make you question how you survive the day. We're recording this one from the car, reading and reacting as we go. It's messy, It's honest and it's a reminder that none of us are alone in the chaos of this work.Have a story of your own? We're talking about them in our Facebook group over in ECE Unhinged- A podcast for Todays Early Childhood Educator