Just Another Manic Monday

Monday. Ugh. Is there any day of the week worse than Monday? I dread Monday every week. Sunday night I find myself the victim of the tiniest bit of anxiety because I know what awaits me the start of the next day.

Mondays are terrible for many reasons. The main reason being that most of us have had the privilege of two days off. Getting back into routine is always hard but made even harder with whiny, over tired kids.

I have to wonder what the hell parents are thinking on the weekend. I know they have not been wearing their parenting hats concerning sleep times because I can read the results on the faces and bleary eyes of their children Monday morning. Why is it that every Monday all the kids are overtired and over the top? The answer is simple - sleep. Why can parents not find the time to maintain the normal sleep routine of their children on the weekend?

Every Monday I deal with the fall-out of the general lack of parenting of mom and dad. It is I who deals with the tantrums and the lethargy. It is I who has to put my program on hold and maintain a state of survival until the one o'clock nap time arrives. All week I manage to care for five kids and get them all down to sleep at the same time - not to mention that they stay asleep. Thursday, caught up on sleep, these children are mere angels. Their moods are better, they whine less and everyone gets along. Then at 4:30pm I hand them off and allow the parents the benefit of my hard work knowing full well that when Monday rolls around my goodwill will not be reciprocated.

I've decided that from here on out I will no longer do all the hard work. Today in my care a special activity was planned. All the parents are surely aware of the special activity as it was marked on the calendar. Unfortunately, given the groggy, tired state of the children they passed on to me this morning the activity gave way to a quiet morning and my constant reassurances that the world was not, in fact, going to fall apart because one's sippy cup was momentarily empty, or that the Little People Fireman was missing.

I look forward to pick-up time tonight. The parents will undoubtedly ask where the product of the activity is and will surely scoff at my reply. They will be told that due to their overwhelming lack of preparation on their part that their child was not ready for the day as planned and therefore the program suffered. And no, I will not be rescheduling the activity.

It's funny, really, how sometimes you need to treat the parents like you would their toddler. I have no doubt that there will be conversations in the car that include my name and some choice words. I'm okay with that. Some times tough love is tough. I'm guessing that for the next few Mondays the children might arrive more ready for the week ahead. One can hope I guess.








For concerns, advice or suggestions I welcome your email at judytrickett@yahoo.ca