Autumn didn't last long - at least not where I live. As I sat sipping my coffee during nap time yesterday I looked out the window to see the fluffy white stuff falling from the sky. I'm not really sure what was more horrific; the sight of snow in November (albeit better than last year when it made its appearance a month earlier) or the nightmares my mind played back to me as nostalgia of past winters came into view.
There was a time that each and every day I did a school run, seven kids in tow. School runs are the bane of existence of any daycare provider who is forced to load up five or more children and get them all to a specific destination on someone else's schedule. Let's be honest. School runs are hell.
I always tried my best to simplify the process as much as possible. I would warm up my van ahead of time in an attempt to save the donning of as many hats, mitts, and boots as possible. My thought process was that if I was taking a child from house to van from the confines of my garage then fewer clothing items were necessary. And this ideal does work as long as daycare parents don't have notions of their own.
It would never fail. Sometime during the winter, often after Christmas, some child would arrive with the most detested daycare piece of clothing imaginable - the one piece snowsuit. Of course, we can all assume that no parent in their right mind would purchase such a monstrosity. Surely this was the work of an evil, ill-intentioned grandma. Better yet was the fact that knowing the child had another winter coat you could deduce that the snowsuit was only used for daycare purposes. No mother with any sense at all would ever take the twenty minutes needed to shove the child into the suit when she could whip on his coat in a fraction of the time. No, the one piece was a special treat just for me. How lovely.
When a child has a one piece snow suit is imperative to dress him last. I would not want to bear the responsibility for his dehydration as a result of his twenty degree rise in body temperature while he waits for all his friends to dress. Of course, he will be the first child loaded into the car as it allows you to make a better estimate of the remaining time left to get to school once you are done with him. Putting a snowsuit clad sausage child into a car seat is nearly impossible. Having lost the ability to bend the child sits in the seat like a piece of lumber propped up against a wall. With the best of my abilities I buckle the belt and hope for the best. God forbid we hit a bump; he was bound to shatter into two pieces. Well, at least then the stupid one piece would no longer be an issue.
While we're on the topic of ridiculous kids fashions; who comes up with these ideas for footwear anyway? It never fails. There is always one little girl whose parents care more about fashion than comfort or practicality. In the door she arrives with knee high lace up boots I would liken to those worn by a dominatrix. Do shoe manufactures really think that four feet of laces in a two year old's boots is a good idea? Who, exactly do they think is going to deal with those laces? Oh, crazy me, the designer probably has a daycare provider too. What was I thinking? And you all know that the dominatrix boot clad child has a parent who, when wearing those boots, says good bye at the door and does not even attempt to remove the footwear and put it on the mat. Nope, no time for that. Must get to work. Well then, "come on over Vixen, oops, I mean Vivian, and Miss Judy will take those off for you.". Geesh people.
Winter can be great. I love the crisp air and the silence winter brings with it. In fact, there are times when the noise in here gets a little too much and I will slip on my garage shoes and step outside for a moment of peace and a breath of fresh air. And then I go back in to put on ten mittens, five hats, eight boots, two items of dominatrix wear, four coats and one one piece snow suit. By the time I'm done I hardly need a coat myself I am so hot and sweaty. Wait, that's not my sweat I smell. Oh, crap, someone pooped. Goody for me. It's the kid in the one piece. Sigh. Here we go again.
For concerns, advice or suggestions I welcome your email at judytrickett@yahoo.ca
22 comments:
As soon as you mentioned the one piece, I was wondering if you would mention how annoying it is when they poop in those. You never disappoint!
I love winter, I hate winter clothes, the finding, the donning, the getting them dry enough for the afternoon outside time when they are soaked from the morning fun in the snow. When will parents remember to send extra mitts? AND why do parents send their kids with the brand new snow pants or boots that they have never actually tried on them before? I feel so sorry for the little 15 month old laying on her back in the snow because her snow pants are 2 sizes too big to let her walk and her boots fall off with every step. AARRRGGGHHHH!!!!
Hey atleast teh one-piece parents never forget teh ski pants :0). The worst part of Winter for me is most definitely the number of people who don't seems to think it's necessary to bring hats, mitts, ski pants, boots that might actually be warm ( instead of pink and sparkly). The second worst part has got to be the clothes that don't fit or are completely impractical and you wonder how parents could not know that thier childs boots are 2 sizes too small or that the "winter coat" they provided won't keep the kids warm for even 2 minutes outside. It used to just boggle my mind until a very wise veteran to the world of childcare said to me " What, you don't actually think the parents take them outside do you?
A few new fun winter items I've noticed. Parents are unable to find mitts with strings attached, it's a choking hazard now. And, my new favourite are the big "stones" boots, they slip over shoes and make a kids feet look like an elephants feet. I hate them, they have two toggles to keep them on but they are so sloppy. How the heck is a kid supposed to walk in the snow with elephant feet? I know kids have small feet but I managed to find little boots for my girls, but I guess that was back in the day when mitts weren't a chocking hazard either. I also love the hats that are tight and slide up and pop off...no warmth there.
You would be horrified to know that Alberta got snow in SEPTEMBER! However....it's supposed to get to 16 degrees today ;)
You need adisclaimer on this one,.. potty before you read. lol
laundry
ok Creative Mind,.. that is entirely too cold for this Indiana Girl. I guess Im getting old,.. In my MUCH younger days (18 yrs ago) Northern Maine (Limestone) was cold enough for me! I do remember being so happy when it was over 0 because we would play outside! lolol
laundry
Laundry....16 degrees Celsius =)pretty good for Canada in November. That's 61 degrees =)
I have to laugh at the winter dress code that some of my kids come here in too! You have all reminded me of what we are in store for in the real near future!(WINTER SNOW SEASON) I don't do school runs so I fortunately do have a choice to spend 10 minutes per child dressing them to go out just so little Johnny can fall down in the snow and cry, all while Sally looses her mitt in the foot snow hill and she starts bawling too! Well - that's enough for our outing today kiddies - back inside for our 10 minutes per child to undress now! LMAO
Ahhhh, a reason I am thankful that here in Portland, Oregon we have little snow! But, we do have rain and my parents do NOT buy rain gear. No boots or raincoats so we could go out on a semi-dry day and not coat our nice, non-washable tennies in mud. Or get our stupid lightweight hoodie soaked in the mist and then we get sick the next week and blame the daycare provider.
Last year one daycare boy came in COOL rubber boots! His friend here loved them SO much that his Mom bought him a pair. I saw him wear them 1 time. When my kids were little, they had new rubber boots and raincoat every year so we could survive the constant wet and muddy winter and not be stuck inside. MAYBE if I let the kids get totally filthy with mud because parents didnt send proper clothes... do you think they would get a clue?!
Ahhhh winter......
I like the one-peice snowsuits! Lay it down, kid on top, leg, leg, arm, arm, zip, done. They can't run away as your trying to get their arms in their coat, or complain when they get snow down their pants.
I like the one piece too but understand ALL sentiments around winter clothing! Perhaps we should combine these thoughts with our policy revamping and issue "winter uniforms" to our day care children on November 1st of each year for a rental fee?! Don't forget the damage deposit in your contract either. It could be a nice little money grab AND a sanity saver.
Qwerty
Being stuck indoors with 5 screaming, highly energetic children is enough to drive anyone crazy. Then walking through the snow, pushing a quad, or triple with all their little faces snotty and pink--fond, fond memories. I had a parent insist I take her kids on school runs, I had an assistant at the time but she thought the fresh air would be good for them. Ah let's see: little Johnny has lost his mitten, Sally is running around and tripping, Timmy doesn't want to wear a hat, Lolly has no hat, and poor little sausage roll is crying cause he's hot as hell. 25 minutes later you are sweating, stressed and they are all grumpy as hell. Wow let's step into the blistering"frsh air", that'll help you. Oh no not really, because apparently smog and pollution doesn't really do a body good. D.A.
SOAC
Great post Judy!
Qwerty -- awesome idea...anyone want to try it out and let us know?
Well, 2 weeks ago I sent an email to all parents telling them what kind of mitts I want the kids to have and where the boots I like are on sale. Today I emailed them and told them I would do a mitt order and I have had 2 say yes so far (and another going to the store tomorrow to suit up) and some already have them from last year. I also have a one piece suit that I keep passing on to my youngest in care each year. So, I am almost there with the "uniform" idea! Then I keep extras from my kids and keep their stupid items in their bags and use the ones I like! Ideally, I would like to assign each child a colour and do seasonal "uniforms" but I don't see how I could get away with that. I just tell them what to go get. I was also thinking that if they bought certain items I would buy them back at the end of the season and sell it to the next kid. Something has to be done!!
Qwerty
I detest winter! Does anyone have any suggestions on where I can buy size 5 or 6 Wide Snow Boots for my son. He is 18mths old with sausage feet and I can't find any boots to fit him. I can get his feet into a size 7 but they are way to long for him. I am in Canada. I have looked every where.
Kamik and Baffin are good brands!
Sausage feet - I know someone bashed the Stonz, but I have a pair for my daughter, and they are great. Easy on, kids can't get them off.
Stonz are great for that age - I agree!
Are the stonz supposed to go over shoes or just sock feet?
They can go over socks if you are just in the stroller, car, out shopping etc. For the winter they sell liners (I would buy my own as they would be cheaper) but I usually just put them over the kids Robeez slippers or shoes.
I am going to see if I can find some in town here to try. Nobody sells boots in a wide here so I think the Stonz will be our only option this winter. Really its just to go from the car to the house, I don't anticipate he will be playing to much in the snow this year. Thanks everyone.
Gloves on a two year olds is my big gripe! Come on, if I have 5 of those kids then that is 50 fingers to try and direct into the little slots. While I am doing that child #3 takes hers off and it starts again.
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