Communication

I took action (any action, when a person feels overwhelmed in an all-kid-world is good) since my rant about pay days and ever changing schedules.

I did what I always do when I feel things are out of my control in my daycare world. I wrote up a newsletter.

My newsletters have become something my parents sort of expect and usually look forward to. I must have had outstanding issues in my last newsletter because my parents had a slightly wary look as I handed it to them this time around (I guess the next time, it is time for all good-news).

The positive thing for me, is that I get a chance to write about what is frustrating me. But I have to weigh my words and let them breathe for a while before I print them off. I came back at it 3 separate times, on 3 separate days before it was ready to go. By the time I was ready to hand out this newsletter, I had put things back into perspective. I had let small things get to me in a big way. The biggest frustration is probably because I am dealing with the same thing from so many different families.

It does me good to put a voice to my feelings and communicate this to the people that are affecting me. It also does me good to find a delicate way to word things so as not to offend. I guess the years that I have been in the daycare business are starting to show. I'm not as tolerant as I used to be.

It is my thinking that it is my responsibility to deal with the frustrations in my world. If I sit back and say nothing, nothing will change. People can't read my mind and it serves no purpose to let things pile up and add resentment to the mix to create a volatile situation. By dealing with the 'small stuff' and as it happens, it keeps things manageable.

When I take control, I feel in control.