Perspective

If you keep focusing on what you don't like about a situation, all you see is the negative. The more you think, the worse it feels. It can start a cycle of negativity that is hard to find your way out of. And that ... is what I have been working to overcome, this week.

As the week wound to a close, I wasn't feeling too great about it.

With there being a holiday on November 11th, I surveyed my parents these past few weeks to see who would be coming on Monday (the 10th). It took a while for everyone to find out - some work Monday and get Tuesday off ... others are taking or have both days off (or one parent had Monday off; the other parent has Tuesday off) ... others have other arrangements for the day ... In the end, one person needed me. And because I had one child coming, I have others that have decided to come for the day (even though a parent has the day off), just because I am here. I believe when all is said and done, I will have 5 kids here. Here, I had silently hoped for a 4 day weekend ...

Oh well ... I digress. These are the thoughts that I was weighed down with, when I closed my door for the evening. I was a little down and frustrated with the thinking of these parents. It's simply something that I never did when I was a working parent.

I stepped away from it all. I went to my dance lesson, I finished watching a show I had taped. Then ... I thought I would start putting together my Friday Video for my daycare blog. I wasn't really in the mood for it. I was more intent on focusing on the negative ... but I started.

Because I started it ... I finished it. What I ended up with, was 3 1/2 minutes (of my 52 1/2 hour week). 3 1/2 minutes of kids on their best behaviour, doing sweet things, laughing and smiling and having fun. I put it to the music "The Greatest Love of All" and the music soothed me. I watched my little movie over and over. And I started to feel like that is the week that I had!

The other thing that I did, was to start to write down the events of 2008 so I could start my Christmas 'poem' that I write up for the kids. When I looked back on the year, there had been very few transitions in our world. The only family that left over the course of the year, is that of a boy that outgrew his need for daycare. I took in 2 new families. And other than that ... there were no other changes (other than the various changes of schedules and requirement of how much or little their kids need to come here).

I have very little turnover when it comes to families in my daycare. There have been some that have come for a short period and it doesn't work for one reason or another. But for the most part, my families come and stay.

That is such a gift. It makes me feel good to have people bring their children to me year after year.

The kids love the stability - not only for themselves, but in the friends that they make when they come. I have often said that I feel that 'my kids' like coming here because of the friendships that they have with each other.

It is also nice for me and the parents. I have gotten to know most of my parents very well. We talk about everything, but I think the thing that makes it all work is that we are of like minds when it comes to the care the child is getting. I'm not saying that I am right for everyone (I'm not a very lovey dovey kind of care giver, I'm afraid) ... but for the parents I work for ... I seem to be a good fit.

I look at my 3 1/2 minute recap of the week, know that I've aired my frustrations in my newsletter and I feel rewarded by a group of families that have come here for many years.

There is a lot more good in my daycare world, than not. It's all in the way you perceive it.