What It Takes to Run a Heart-Led Daycare And Why We’re Reimagining Early Childhood Education

Running a daycare is often described as a labor of love, and while love is essential, it’s only part of the story.

At Ready Set Prep, we believe early childhood education deserves to be seen for what it truly is: meaningful, skilled, impactful work that shapes lives. A heart-led daycare doesn’t just care for children, it also cares for families, educators, and the community as a whole.

Heart-Led Doesn’t Mean Unstructured

A heart-led daycare is not about doing everything “out of love” while burning out behind the scenes. It requires intention, planning, and courage.

It means:

• Designing environments that are nurturing and developmentally sound

• Building systems that support children and the adults who care for them

• Making decisions rooted in values, even when they’re hard

Heart-led leadership recognizes that quality care can be both compassionate and professional.

Honoring Families as Partners

For families, childcare is trust. Parents and caregivers are placing their most precious people in someone else’s care every day.

We aim to change the perception of daycare from “a place to get through the day” to a collaborative learning community. That means:

• Clear, consistent communication

• Respect for family cultures, schedules, and realities

• Transparency in how children learn, grow, and are supported

When families feel respected and informed, children feel secure—and that security fuels learning.

Elevating the Role of Early Childhood Educators

One of the most overlooked aspects of early childhood education is the workforce itself.

Educators are often expected to pour endlessly from their hearts while being underpaid, undervalued, and unsupported. At Ready Set Prep, we believe that caring for children starts with caring for the people who teach them.

Changing the narrative means:

• Treating educators as professionals, not babysitters

• Investing in training, tools, and growth

• Creating workplace cultures where staff feel seen, supported, and respected

When educators are valued, they show up with confidence, creativity, and consistency, and children feel the difference.

Reframing Early Childhood Education

Early childhood education is not a stepping stone or a placeholder. It is foundational.

We are actively working to shift the perception of early learning by:

• Integrating innovation and thoughtful technology in age-appropriate ways

• Centering social-emotional development alongside academics

• Showing that early education can be both high-quality and accessible

This work matters because the early years shape how children approach learning, relationships, and self-worth for the rest of their lives.

The Real Work Behind the Heart

Running a heart-led daycare requires balancing empathy with sustainability. It means navigating regulations, budgets, staffing, and systems—all while holding space for tiny humans and the adults who love them.

It’s not easy work. But it’s necessary work.

At Ready Set Prep, we are committed to building an early learning environment that reflects care, dignity, and possibility—for children, families, and educators alike.

Because changing early childhood education doesn’t start in policy alone.
It starts in classrooms, in leadership, and in the belief that this work deserves respect.