Overwhelmed in the Daycare World

I've been at war within myself this past little while. After 10 1/2 years of running a daycare from my home, I'm running out of steam.

It all started when I had a 6 week 'work slow down' after surgery last fall. I wasn't able to lift for 6 weeks, so I was granted a 6 week reprieve from my 3 year olds and under.

It was great. It was the first time since the birth of my son 10 years prior, that I didn't have to assist anyone with any 'bathrooming' of any kind. It was the best holiday ... ever!

This change of pace in my daycare days had me thinking that it was time that I wean myself out of the business. I took on a book keeping job and I thought that this was definitely the direction that I was ready to take.

The long winter, added to some new personalities and dynamics (to adjust to) in my days has made for a very stressed-out 'me' lately. Last week, I started actively pursuing other career options. It was a bad week (more like, I was very tired and worn out and I didn't handle the days very well).

I have mapped out a long term plan in my mind and I plan to take steps to achieve my goal. But it will be a gradual process.

In researching my plan, it has reinforced just how fortunate I am in the role of daycare provider.

Working from home started out as a way to raise my own child instead of handing him over to someone else 9 hours of every week day. It has resulted in a completely different way of life.

In being a full time parent to my own child and being available to take care of many others, we have created a different home environment. A home where there are all different ages and stages and personalities coming and going throughout the years. There have been many challenges along the way, but in dealing with the many differing behaviours that we have run into, it has created a tolerance within both me and my child who has been raised in this environment.

This 'career' allows me to multitask throughout the day and tend to many mundane chores during my work day (although most of this work is created because I have a house full of children every day) which frees up my evenings. The inability to run errands or tend to doctor appointments and the many other things that I used to fit into my lunch hours when I worked out of my home is the down side. But there is an advantage to every disadvantage in this life.

Unpaid sick time, vacations, lack of health benefits and pension are the disadvantages of being self employed. But the quality of life that I am living is a hundred times better than it was when I worked for someone else.

Being accountable for children and available to tend to them for 11 hours of the day has its pitfalls. But being able to squeeze in personal phone calls, house work, making supper and having quiet/nap time to fit in things that I may otherwise not have time to do during the day is the up side of that. The ability to multitask throughout my long, committed days provides the balance that is required to 'live a life' with the few waking hours that I have left in the day after I lock up for the night.

The noise and energy levels of the kids drives me batty some days. But I am 'the master of my domain' and I've structured our days/life here, so that there are rules of conduct that (when followed) keeps the behaviours of the kids that I tend within manageable levels. Yes ... we have bad days. But all in all, there are many more good days than bad ones.

Yes ... I am overwhelmed a lot these days. As this blog entry has sat unfinished all morning, I am overwhelmed once again (after the morning started out so well). Such are the ebbs and flows of a daycare day. What seems unmanageable becomes manageable as time/schedules/shifts of the behaviours move along with the day.

Fresh Air and Sunshine

About a month ago, I wrote about feeling burnt out. It was just before the sun started shining on our days and created the ability to spend a great deal of time breathing fresh air and absorbing some sun shine.

What a difference a month makes! We have been outside on a regular basis since that time and I feel like a new person.

You can take a bunch of 'wild and crazy kids' outside and the air simply seems to calm them. And if it doesn't, that's okay too. I like for them to spend their energy outside anyway.

More often than not though, after a surge of energy and noise is expended they find something that has grabbed their attention and they are content and happy.

Ladybugs are the best and cheapest form of outdoor entertainment that I have ever come upon. Other bugs are interesting and worth exploring but there is something about the ladybug that keeps them coming back.

The playground and sandbox that I invested in, the first summer I ran my daycare has been worth every single penny it cost to buy and assemble. Kids are natural born climbers and I let them climb as far as their age and agility allows (it's not that tall, but it takes a while for the 1 year olds to conquer). The high vantage point from the platform has been everything from pirate ships to a safe zone to a fort and anything their imaginations come up with. The sand provides endless entertainment for every age.

Simply going for a walk and enjoying the sights of the season is a treat after a long, cold winter. Checking out the neighborhood parks, going to the library if weather and number of kids allows, water fun ... these are a few of my favorite things.

As I have sat out and soaked up the sun and fresh air since our spring weather finally arrived, I gaze over to the contended group of kids in my care and think that this ... is like a little piece of heaven right here on earth.