Moving from early years to school age can feel like an identity crisis.

In preschool, you’re needed constantly — tying shoes, regulating emotions, leading the room. Then suddenly you’re in a school-age program, and no one wants your planned activity. They’re building forts, forming friend groups, and asking, “Is it mandatory?”

What happened?

In this episode, we unpack the “independence shock” educators experience when transitioning to ages 4–12. We break down why autonomy isn’t rejection — it’s development. Grounded in Self-Determination Theory and school-age research, we explore the shift from directing to offering, from compliance to choice-based programming, and from being the center of the room to becoming the architect of the environment.

You’ll walk away with:

• A clear understanding of why school-age children resist adult-led control
• The difference between offering invitations and directing participation
• Practical strategies for planning without micromanaging
• A new way to measure success in before and after-school programs

If you’ve ever thought, “They don’t need me like preschoolers did,” this episode is your reset.

They don’t need you the same way.

And that’s exactly the point.

Your ticket to elevated school-age PD is one click away! Join me at Camp North of Ordinary for a Summer Camp Leadership Retreat, designed for educators who work with School Agers! Whether that is before and after-school programs or summer camp! More information here: missjamieconsulting.com/campnorth

Families may only see us at the edges of the day — at drop-off and pickup — but trust is built in everything that happens in between.

In this episode, Jamie explores the often-invisible work of family partnership beyond face-to-face moments. From emails and newsletters to documentation, tone, and transparency, this conversation reframes communication as one of the most powerful tools educators have to build trust, advocate for their profession, and create a true sense of community.

Rooted in How Does Learning Happen?, the CECE Code of Ethics, and relationship-based practice, this episode challenges educators to see communication not as an extra task — but as intentional professional practice.

Because when families aren’t in the room, our words, documentation, and tone become the program.

Morning drop-off is more than a transition — it’s a threshold moment. It’s where children transition from home to community, where parents entrust them, and where educators subtly establish the emotional tone for the entire day.

In this episode, Jamie explores the professional, emotional, and developmental importance of morning drop-off in before- and after-school programs. Drawing on attachment theory, co-regulation, and reflective practice, she reframes drop-off as one of the most powerful — and underestimated — moments in school-age care.

Rather than focusing on perfection or routines alone, this episode centres presence, tone, and intentional connection — and how educators’ responses in the first minutes of the day shape children’s sense of safety, belonging, and readiness to engage.