Burn-Out

I've had very little to contribute to this blog lately. At the end of every winter, it is typical for my energy levels to be drained and for my enthusiasm to be low. After a long season of being cooped up in the house, we are all ready to get outside and breathe a fresh season of air. It is like oxygen being pumped into your soul. It usually cures the winter blues.

This year, I can't seem to drag myself out of the winter season. I am constantly questioning whether I should remain in the daycare provider role.

What I love about my job ...

I absolutely love working from home, being my own boss, I don't have to worry about comfortable shoes and I work for the most incredible parents.

I feel like I do a good job of keeping our days running smoothly. I'm organized, have routines, expectations and I feel like I run a 'pretty tight ship'.

I am dependable, honest, fair and try hard to keep the lines of communication open between myself and my parents.

I have started up our daycare blog in order to give the parents a 'look' at our days and to keep me focused on the positives. I write up semi-regular newsletters to talk about outstanding issues, any information the parents need to know and just a briefing at our life here.

I'm flexible with the many changes that are thrown my way. From varying schedules, unexpected turn of events, last minute changes and late payments. I am perhaps too flexible because this wears on my patience when too many families have too many changes.

Lately though, I haven't been happy with the person that I have become throughout my days.

We are in a state of flux at the moment, with the start of a new family. As we get used to each other, there is frustration on both sides of the equation that makes for some tense moments.

I have a high girl to boy ratio at the moment. I have 3 sons. I'm used to boys. I relate to boys. Girls ... are a challenge to me. This is taxing.

I'm starting to feel overwhelmed in my daycare world. Mostly because of the life that I have going on outside of this 'world of kids'. I have a lot of balls in the air, so my patience is not what it should be.

My long term goal is to lighten my daycare load and take on other ways of earning an income from home. Unfortunately I can see this in my mind's eye but it is not my reality yet. So I'm feeling stuck in between the place that I must be right now and the place that I want to evolve to.

In the mean time, I know that the kids that are in my care deserve a better me. I need to re balance my priorities and focus on where I am ... and make the best of that.