Have You Had Your Sprinkle Today?

I love working from home. I love commuting to my coffee pot. I love being home with my own two kids. I love being able to smell that sweet smell of the top of my dog's head when I plant a kiss as I walk by her bathing in the sun on the end of the couch. I love my patio and sitting on it drinking coffee while the kids run in the yard. I love having my own private executive washroom. There isn't much I don't like about the working from home aspect. I love my home. But, even someone who loves their home can start to feel the walls closing in sometimes. It is during these times that I find myself getting out with the kids more.

This week we have been to the park on an impromptu Muffin Day. Yesterday we ventured out to Wal-mart and picked up some household items, party supplies for my daughter's party tomorrow and some special treats for the day. And this morning my small group and I took off for the splash pad. It is a beautiful day where I live and one must take advantage of the nice weather when we can. So, after a half an hour of prepping a snack, filling up sippy cups, gathering towels and slathering sunscreen we were off to the splash pad.

It was a great morning. The kids had a blast. It was especially nice the first half hour of our frolicking as we were the only group using the splash pad. It was our private playground. Half way through our stay a large group of children arrived. Being a daycare provider I easily spotted the two daycare workers and identified them as such. And, then, inevitably I started to count. One, two, three, four.....eleven, twelve, thirteen, fourteen. Wow! Fourteen children all under three years old in the care of just two daycare workers. Geesh, I thought I was good. These women must be superheroes.

It didn't take long for me to realize that this large group of children to the duo of caretakers was a disaster in the making. There were clearly just too many kids all of the same age to keep one's eye on at all times. One child would fall down and then all of the attention of that daycare worker was devoted to the wounded toddler. The responsibility of thirteen children just shifted to the only other adult there. I myself found it quite stressful. A few times I had to shout out that they "had a man down" or that someone was wandering, to what I felt, was just a little too far away from the action. And, I will also say that these were great kids too. No tantrums, no hitting, biting, or lack of co-operation among the lot of them. They were just buzy having fun.

I had to wonder why it is deemed as appropriate by the mandated regulations of the Ontario government to allow one caretaker to a group of eight children in the 30 month to five year age range in a centre-based daycare wherein the law allows for only five children to the same number of home daycare providers in a home setting. Why is this? Does the government think that centre-based daycare providers are more capable? Because if the government assumes this fact to be true I would like to invite Mr. McGuinty to the splash pad on our next trip. It was apparent that even fourteen children, which is two LESS than legally allowed, under the age of three is far too many for two adults to manage in an outdoor setting that lacks physical boundaries. Yet, if I had one extra child in my home, with the door closed, in a kid-proof playroom I would be operating an 'unsafe and illegal' daycare. It doesn't make sense.

In the province of Alberta they recently changed the rules to add one other child to all home daycare operations. Alberta daycare providers can now care for six children in their homes. I think this is a realistic, fair and manageable number. I only wish Ontario would follow suit. I know that many providers could easily handle another child if given the opportunity. Many of us handled far more when providing daycare when our own children were also in diapers.

Yes, I really did ponder all of these things while standing there on the sidelines of the splash pad becoming soaked by the misty streams of water the wind carried my way. I looked at my group who were joyously happy and full of life and once again felt gratitude for my ability to enjoy this glorious day, with my own kids, outside of the confines of four office walls. I also knew that arriving back home would be chaos. There would be five wet bodies to change, a load of towels to wash, bathing suits and sun hats to hang to dry and lunch to be made for these ravenous kids. But it was all okay. I can't complain that today I went to the park, splashed in the water and returned to my deck and got paid to do so. Nope, no complaining here.
For concerns, advice or suggestions I welcome your email at judytrickett@yahoo.ca