Check out our Spotlight for this month!

How many years have you worked with children?

9 years

What brought you to work with children? Have you always wanted to or did it just happen?

My mother has been a never ending source of inspiration. As a young child I grew up watching her start our daycare business and putting in the sweat equity to make it what it is today. She started small with an in home center and then opened up her first daycare location in Conway in 2008. Then we expanded to Greenbrier and Vilonia. At 16 I started working in the center as a floater, doing anything and everything that was needed. Then at 18 I became a school age teacher. I did that for a few years and then moved into admin assistant work. Finally, when we opened our second greenbrier location I had the privilege of being the director. I used my lifetime of experience to inform how I would run my center and my mother was the greatest inspiration of all. I have been blessed again and with our ever growing school system I have been appointed as the regional director. This is a new role that started just this year so I am thrilled to see where it takes me and how I can bring our school system to the next level. I am also working towards my masters in early childhood services at the same time!

What are some of your hobbies?

I am an avid reader and I always have been. I love to read fantasy, historical fiction, and more! I also love to sew and embroider.

What is your most treasured accomplishment?

My work as director of the Clubhouse. I am so proud that I was able to create an environment where people genuinely feel loved and appreciated. Daycare is a hard field and I have had bad directors myself before who made me feel like my contributions didn’t matter. I also had wonderful directors who set great examples for me to learn from. I took my teaching experience and used it to create the best working environment I could. I can proudly say that my routine check ins with staff are almost always positive and when they’re not that when I know I need to step in and make something better!

What is your favorite thing about working with children?

The relationships we build with them. There are quite a few students who I have watched grow up from 6 weeks old and are now in my school age classrooms. There are kids who I have helped in hard times and have been a support for them. Most of all, I love it when they make me laugh. Sharing joy with the kids is the most meaningful part of my work and it keeps me coming back everyday.

What has been the most significant or memorable moment in your job?

Opening the Clubhouse location! It opened doors for me and allowed me to try new things in our schools. I’ll never forget the day we had our ribbon cutting ceremony, I almost had to pinch myself to believe it was real.

Do you have any dreams or aspirations you want to share?

Yes, my next big dream is finding a new perfect home for our private school program and guiding its growth. We currently house it within our main location but our vision for the program is to turn it into a nature school.

If you have a toddler who inspects every bite before eating or a preschooler who loves the same three meals on repeat, you’re not alone! Many young children go through phases where they prefer familiar foods, making mealtimes feel like a challenge.

March is National Nutrition Month, a great time to explore new ways to help kids build positive relationships with food. The good news? You don’t have to cook separate meals or persuade them to take “just one bite.” A few simple strategies you can share with families to make mealtimes more enjoyable for everyone.

Keep Offering Without Pressure: It’s common for children to need multiple exposures to a new food before they’re comfortable trying it. Instead of urging them to take a bite, serve it alongside familiar favorites. Over time, their curiosity may grow!
Involve Kids in the Kitchen: Children are more likely to try foods they’ve helped prepare. Let them wash veggies, stir ingredients, or choose between two options at the store. This small shift can turn mealtime into a positive, hands-on experience.
Make Food Appealing and Fun: Presentation makes a difference! Try serving foods in different shapes, using colorful plates, or offering dips. Sometimes, a little creativity can make unfamiliar foods more exciting.
Offer Simple Choices: Instead of asking, “What do you want for dinner?” (which can lead to requests for snacks), try, “Would you like carrots or cucumbers with your meal?” Offering two choices helps children feel more in control while still guiding them toward balanced options.
Create a Relaxed Mealtime Environment: Mealtimes should be enjoyable, not stressful. Keep the mood light and focus on eating together rather than how much your child eats. Avoid pressuring them to finish their plate—just keep offering a variety of foods and trust that they’ll explore at their own pace.

Want More Support? We Can Help!

At Curricula Concepts, we know mealtimes can feel tricky both at home and in early childhood programs. That’s why we offer trainings for families and educators to help create positive mealtime experiences for young children.

If you're interested in learning more, reach out to info@curriculaconcepts.com for details on our nutrition-focused trainings.

Mark your calendars! You will now find Well-Being Wednesday at the Be Well Care Well Facebook page.

April 2nd - The Great Outdoors
August 6th - Positively Professional
November - 5th- Resilience through Gratitude

If you missed January's Well-Being Wednesday, or any of the previous ones, you can check them out on our YouTube channel or our Facebook page!

Find Well-Being Wednesday!

Facebook

YouTube

IMPORTANT REMINDERS!

Curricula Concepts Inc. is offering trainings in person and online via Zoom for families and educators! Go to our Training Calendar to sign up! Have questions or problems with registering for trainings? Contact Deborah below!

Childcare Provider Call Highlights! We know how busy you are and want to make it a litlte easier on you! Every month we email out a summary of highlights of the OEC's Childcare Provider Call. Make sure this is getting to you! If not, reach out to Deborah to stay connected!

Contact Deborah!

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"That is one good thing about this world–there are always sure to be more springs."

–L.M. Montgomery

Keep Offering Without Pressure: It’s common for children to need multiple exposures to a new food before they’re comfortable trying it. Instead of urging them to take a bite, serve it alongside familiar favorites. Over time, their curiosity may grow!

Involve Kids in the Kitchen: Children are more likely to try foods they’ve helped prepare. Let them wash veggies, stir ingredients, or choose between two options at the store. This small shift can turn mealtime into a positive, hands-on experience.

Make Food Appealing and Fun: Presentation makes a difference! Try serving foods in different shapes, using colorful plates, or offering dips. Sometimes, a little creativity can make unfamiliar foods more exciting.

Offer Simple Choices: Instead of asking, “What do you want for dinner?” (which can lead to requests for snacks), try, “Would you like carrots or cucumbers with your meal?” Offering two choices helps children feel more in control while still guiding them toward balanced options.

Want More Support? We Can Help!