Kris welcomes Dr. Lauren Starnes this week, VP of Early Childhood Education at Primrose Schools, where she supports curriculum development, implementation, and evaluation. Lauren’s new book, Big Conversations with Little Children, helps provide tools and techniques to help teachers and leaders overcome the stress and hurdles in education. Dr. Lauren talks with Kris about the incredible growth of the Primrose franchise, now with 500 locations, the many hats that teachers wear, how we can build trust with children and parents, and the difference between honest answers and oversharing.   Key Takeaways: [8:27] As the VP of Early Childhood Education, Dr. Lauren’s job is to oversee everything that happens educationally within the four walls of Primrose Schools. With over 500 franchise locations, Primrose currently serves infants through kindergarten as well as before and after school. [10:02] Dr. Lauren’s team has many roles including diving deep into research and development of the curriculum, assessment accreditation, fixtures and equipment, and much more. [11:30] Lauren is the mother of two sons, both of whom keep her very busy with travel baseball. She also has a house full of assorted animals. [12:20] Fun fact: Lauren is a music lover of all genres, from country to R&B. [13:41] What are a couple of the top issues Lauren has seen taking place with teacher teams? How can we best set ourselves up to succeed? [14:28] We have to remember that teaching preschool is a difficult job already, and a stressful and multifaceted one. [15:15] Dr. Lauren discusses the importance of finding ways to support early childhood teachers, engage them, offer professional development, and pull them out of isolation. [17:30] The more we can relate to the family on a personal level, the more we’re going to be able to connect the chat on an educational level. [19:02] How can we help both children and parents develop and maintain trust? [20:19] Dr. Lauren discusses her book, Big Conversations with Little Children, and gives examples of a few questions children may have that warrants a conversation that is supportive and builds trust. [27:02] How do we give honest answers without scaring the child? [27:43] Teachers wear many hats. Families see teachers just beyond the classroom. Sometimes they are a physical therapist, behavioral counselor, personal therapist, doctor, and almost everything in between. Dr. Lauren’s book helps teachers develop a system where they can provide resources when the child or family needs a professional. [29:51] Dr. Lauren and Kris are both strong believers in mentorship. Kris talks about how her third-grade teacher helped set her up on a path of believing in herself.   Quotes: “We have to remember that teaching preschool is a difficult job. It’s difficult, multifaceted, stressful, and that’s the work environment. We have all been living in a stressful environment in our personal lives as well as through the pandemic.” — Dr. Lauren [14:28] “I think it's really about finding ways to support early childhood teachers, engage them, offer professional development and pull them out of isolation.” — Dr. Lauren [15:15] “The more we can relate to the family on a personal level, the more we’re going to be able to connect the chat on an educational level.” — Dr. Lauren [17:30]   Mentioned in This Episode: Kris Murray The Child Care Success Company The Child Care Success Academy The Child Care Success Summit Big Conversations with Little Children: Addressing Questions, Worries, and Fears, by Lauren Starnes Ed.D. Primrose Schools The Gift of Struggle: Life-Changing Lessons About Leading, by Bobby Herrera The Importance of Being Little: What Young Children Really Need from Grownups, by Erika Christakis Doing the Right Thing for Children: Eight Qualities of Leadership, by Maurice Sykes