A Note Of Thanks From a Resident

When I was going through my divorce and hard financial times, for two summers between the start and finish of the new school years, I took summer jobs working as a teacher in a childcare facilities. One year I worked with the Two-Year Olds (my favorite!!!) and one year with special needs Four-Year Olds (very challenging and rewarding.)

At nap time, I would write notes to each of the children’s parents telling them all about how their child’s day had been. I would write things like, “Micah enjoyed the story we read at Story Time so much! I suggest you take Micah to the library and check out these books.” Then I would list some books to be read together. Or, I might write a note about Elizabeth "seems very interested in learning to tie her shoes. We practiced this morning together – she was so interested in learning that she chose this activity instead of playing in the Housekeeping Corner! Her fine motor skills are well ahead of her age level.” Sometimes I would have to say that Benjamin had had some sadness that morning so I helped him work through his aggression by letting him play at the Water Table for an extended period because the water play seemed to lessen some of his stress. Pretty soon he was happy with his whole underwater sea adventure. Maybe he was a bit tired? He went to sleep right away!”

These notes apparently were much different from what other teachers wrote. Theirs usually consisted of “We played, had snack, lunch, no potty accidents.” My parents loved the notes and told me they kept them in their children’s Baby Books and oftentimes thanked me for writing so many details of their children’s days.

When I fell into property management, I continued to write little notes to Residents. Generally these were little notes of cheer if I knew someone wasn’t feeling well, or notes of condolence if someone’s loved one or pet died, or even thank you notes for planting flowers in the community’s empty container (admittedly it takes me a while to get to all the containers in the community!) Since the news has now broken through the veil of silence about the impending property sale, Residents have started to come in to ask me if I am staying or going. One wrote me a particularly touching note that in part, I will share:

 The note reads: “You’ve created a community of care and consideration, of respect for residents, a place (especially your longer-stay residents like me) are happy to call home. If the new owners or managers let you go, they’re crazy and losing one of the best things about living here.”

I know though that all the time spent writing those little notes do make a difference in our Residents’ lives. We touch lives every day. No one may tell you this, but it doesn’t make it any less true. My entire goal as a Manager and the one aspect of community management I hope to instill in others is training the teams I work with to think of each Resident as a vital part of the community. Sometimes all it takes is a smile or the special little note slipped into the door jamb to make our Residents feel appreciated. After all, we ALL need to feel appreciated every once in a while. And I am grateful of this little note I received!