SAC534

Revitalize Your Staff
by Marge Schofield

"Those wintertime blues aren't going to catch us," vowed 16 caregivers as we contemplated how we can boost one another's spirits through a blustery season. As one toddler veteran admitted, "It's not the big problems, it's the little frustrations that catch you off guard after your vitamin C is low, and you've put on too many snowsuits."

In order to keep our sunny side up, we created a ten-week plan to help each other into springtime. it goes like this.

Week 1: Friday night after work, we celebrate with birthday wishes for a fellow staff member who loves to plan party games-in fact, she's planning her own party.
Week 2: Humor Week. Our names go into a hat. To the person we pick, we give a laugh a day-cartoons, jokes, friendly pranks, stories...anything to tickle a funny bone.
Weeks 3 and 4: A staff exchange takes place from 9 to 11 a.m. on Monday and Tuesday each week. Staff switch rooms as a way of seeing the Center's other classrooms, and it makes us more aware and appreciative of our coworkers.
Week 5: Sunshine Week. We take imaginative trips to Florida, Hawaii, or tropical Islands, using posters and theme decorations to enhance the room,s including pineapples for snack and hula dancing.
Week 6: Staff Appreciate Week. The director presents a small surprise to the staff each morning. It may be muffins, notes of appreciation, WOYC(Week of the Young Child)pins, tea bags, etc.
Week 7: Tuesday night at the movies. In our town, that's half price night!
Week 8: Hat Week. That's right! We all wear them-the sillier the better. Lots of parades, too.
Week 9: We bring a friend for tea, and share tea with the children and their favorite bears.
Week 10: Joan Haines, a special friend of our center, is our favorite "spring tonic" and comes to visit with her marvelous humor and wisdom. Our "We made it!" potluck lunch is on Friday. Everyone brings a favorite dish to pass that's low cal, low cholesterol and with the recipe attached.

Our favorite recipe: A happy staff equals happy children.

Happy Spring to All!