Face Up

Facebook, Myspace, Twitter. Step into the millennium and share your every thought, burp and flatulence moment with the world. What more could you want than every person previously in your Rolodex to know your every movement every second of the day. Ah, heck, who needs privacy anyway?

It amazes me how self-absorbed people are these days. Not a day goes by wherein I open up my Facebook account to learn of every detail of some one's daily happenings. Do I really need to know that you plan a trip to Wal-mart tonight because your socks have holes in them? Did you think it a good idea to post that you were drunk? Oh, yeah, you were drunk. Thanks for clearing that up. Nothing warms the cockles of my heart more than to know you were high on mudslides and you missed your child's sippy cup while pouring milk. Geesh.

Social networking sites are somewhat of a pet peeve of mine. I use my own sparingly but do admit to peeking into my account on a daily basis to occasionally get insight on lives lived that are far more exciting than my own. But, my number one reason for having, and maintaining a Facebook account is solely for surveillance purposes.

Whenever I enroll and new child in my daycare I immediately enter the parent's email address into my Yahoo account. The miracle of the Internet always seems to work it's mysterious magic and once logged on to my Facebook account I am notified that I have an additional "friend" that might be graced with access to my thoughts and actions. Of course, I always send an invite to daycare families. I have never had anyone deny my request but then again asking to be your friend is pretty passive aggressive. What you are really saying is, "hey, let me into your life. If you ignore or deny my request I will know you don't like me and that will lead to a whole lot of drama". Alas, they click the "accept" button and you are now privy to the number of squares of toilet paper they use for every wipe along with intimate knowledge of their marital problems. But who cares about that stuff? The best stuff is yet to come.

Having an avid Facebook poster as a daycare parent can be very useful. For example, I can not tell you how often I have logged on to Facebook on a Monday morning to learn that on Sunday a daycare child had revisited the contents of their lunch. Being the savvy, passive aggressive, yet contract policewoman that you are, you reply with, "Oh, poor baby. I hope he feels better soon. I guess I'll see you Tuesday". Ah, yes, Facebook is handy.

Facebook can also be a tool in relaying your thoughts, if even indirectly, to other daycare parents. I have one family who, despite all of their time off, refuse to ever stay home with their children. Everyone knows I have pretty strong opinions about parents who see the need for personal days but never once consider the same for their children. So, when I do get the occasional day when another daycare family keeps their child home I am certain to post something nice about them for all the world to see. My personal favourite stated something to the affect, "Judy is enjoying an easy day today but missing little Johnny whose parents are spending a special day with him. It is wonderful that parents take so much time to spend with their children". Rude? No. Passive aggressive? Most certainly!

As daycare providers sometimes we need to be inventive. As much as I might enjoy knowing that little Mary ate her boogers during nap time on Saturday I am much more interested in how your life away from daycare affects me while here. I'm not proud. I'll take any advantage when I can get it. And if that means sharing the odd trinket of information concerning my mundane life then so be it. The return on my investment is ten fold.

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

Cute Kids Make More Caring Providers?

To be human is to be animal. There is no question that we are, at the heart of it all, just animals sharing the planet with other animals. What makes us different is our unique ability to reason and communicate as such. In the animal world there is the underlying notion of survival of the fittest. It is ingrained. It is evolution. It is written into our DNA.


In 2005 a study was released that discovered that cute children receive more time, love and attention from their parents. The premise of the research finding is that "Humans have evolved to give the most attention to their children who are most likely to survive in our world and therefore to pass on genetic material". One must wonder if this is true, and if true, does this also affect those who care for children not their own.

I am neither a sociologist nor have I studied evolution and the concepts presented by Darwin at length. But I do have some knowledge of basic biology and an understanding of how the animal kingdom operates. I understand the animalistic predisposition to prefer some inherent genetic traits over others. I am knowledgeable of the allele factors at play in the animal body and I also know that some gene combinations are more favourably accepted than others in their outward expression. If human beings are animals why then should we be so arrogant to think we would be exempt from that which has proven to dominate the instincts of the animal kingdom?


The greater point to be made here is that we have life experience to draw upon. If we were perfectly honest would be answer that, yes, pretty, cute babies and children are easier to grow close to and care for then those who perhaps lack the traits that their attractive playmates possess? The raw question is - are attractive kids really and truly cared for better? Be honest.


I am brave enough to pose this question as a daycare provider and take responsibility for the backlash it might create. I am an honest individual who has the courage to look inside myself and answer with the basic and unembellished truth. Yes, for me, good looking kids do make their way into my heart with much less effort than others. It's the truth. It's carnal and it's raw but it is the truth.


Over the years I have had many children in my care. Some of them have been children who could easily support the allure of the cover of a parenting magazine. Others not so much. The attractive kids pull on my heartstrings in a fashion different from their less attractive playmates. There is more tolerance toward them. I am less annoyed by their crying and quicker to respond to their distress.


These revelations I place in print are new to me. It wasn't until I recently stumbled upon the articles of the study that I had the epiphany of actualization. For even I was unaware of my preference until I took the time to look inside myself and demand a truthful answer. The question is, can you, the reader, look inside yourself and answer the question with truth and honesty?


There is no wrong answer. There is no blame to cast. It's innate. You can not win in a battle with evolution. But you can answer the question with honesty and go forth with the knowledge of your humanity and the fallibility that comes with it. One can not grow without truth. We, as a humanity, can not change our perceptions without first recognizing them. Read the link provided and give yourself the freedom of truthfulness. Are you just an animal or are you celestial and bigger than the rest of us?



Link to CTV report on the study











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

Thanks, But No Thanks

What are we worth? We are certainly worth every penny of our pay cheques. In fact, we are probably worth at least double the fees we charge on a daily basis. Are we worth more than money and reputation? I think we are.

It always amazes me when I hear stories of daycare providers who have families in their care for five or more years who, upon leaving their daycare, don't offer as much as a card of thanks. I have to wonder how it is, as a parent, that you can leave your precious child in the care of someone for five years and not feel that more than a cheque is warranted for the services provided. Where is the common courtesy of a simple demonstration of gratitude?

I am the first person to admit that daycare is business. As a daycare provider I provide a service and the parents pay me for the service. However, even I can see that the lines are somewhat blurred on many levels. It is not "business" when I purchase birthday and Christmas gifts for children. It is not "business" when I bake a cake and host a party for a child on their last day of care. It is not "business" when I collect small trinkets while on vacation to give to each and every child in my care. These acts are of my choosing. They are not only courteous but thoughtful, conscious undertakings on my part. I do the aforementioned things because I want to and because they bring joy to the children in my care. Why then is this courtesy so rarely reciprocated?

Today, on a daycare forum I read about a friend of mine who, after caring for a child from the age of eight months did not receive so much as a card when the parents left her home for the last time. Is it too much to ask for the slightest recognition for a job well done or the gratitude from one parent for providing a warm, loving environment for their child? Apparently, for some parents this is not a thought worth consideration. Are we not worthy of thanks and appreciation? The last time I checked there were no kind words of thanks on a personal cheque or a twenty dollar bill.

There are many people who would argue that it is business. I beg to differ on that premise alone. Because if every dealing between humans that involved an exchange of money were strictly business then there would be little compassion in this world. We pay school teachers through tax contributions. Teachers spend a mere ten months with our eight or nine year old child but most parents still find the time to send a thoughtful card and small gift to thank them for their service. One might assume that the care of a child from infancy to pre-school might warrant a small thanks in itself. After all, are we not as important as school teachers in the growth and development of children? I could argue we are much more pivotal than a school teacher to who that child becomes. Where is our card?

Not all parents are so selfish. I know that in my care I have had plenty of families gift beautiful items topped with card of kind words. Every once in a while a family will surprise me. They will show up at my door on their last day of care with nothing more than a "good-bye" and "are all his things here?". Of course, I am sure to hold out the gift I have, in fact, wrapped and ready for little Johnny as a thanks for allowing me the privilege of caring for their child. Sadly, there is no card handed to me.

Daycare providers are people. We are human. We have feelings. We hurt, we laugh and we too grow a little bigger and prouder when the work we do is recognized and appreciated. We applaud your child every time they do a great job. We congratulate them when they learn a new skill. And sometimes, just like that two year old to whom we just gave the high-five, a little recognition goes a long way. So, if you are a parent take a minute and thank your provider. She will swell with pride and you, my parent friend, will become one of the "Golden" parents.









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

Over The Rainbow

No one would argue that being a daycare provider requires a lot of tolerance and patience. There are times, in the world of daycare, when even the most patient person can become overwhelmed and feel the urge to tear out one's own hair. The question begs to be answered as to whether one's patience and tolerance grow or wane with every additional year of providing care.

I know some pretty terrific providers who have been in the business a very long time. If I were to examine their general attitude when speaking about daycare I would surmise that those in business the longest generally are most fulfilled and happy providing daycare. One could argue that perhaps years in the business speaks less about experience equating happiness and more so that those who stay in business longer do so because they always had a passion for the calling they chose.

Every time you meet with a fellow provider you will always here some grumbling or another. There is rarely a time when face to face contact with a colleague will not include some negative comment pertaining to the interaction with a parent or the behaviour of a child. I understand that as providers we are also extremely isolated and rarely get the opportunity to vent our frustrations in person. Therefore it makes sense that when providers do have an empathetic audience they are prone to finally get off their chest those issues that have frustrated them for so long. All this aside I made an interesting observation over the course of the summer.

Park days are common in my neighbourhood from June through September. It seems, that once the warm weather graces us with its presence, the daycare providers start to appear on every sidewalk, every park playground and every spray pad in the city. It is nearly impossible to visit one of these locations and not encounter a fellow provider. Being the kind, friendly folk that we are there is an unspoken magnetism of sisterhood and shared understanding that ties us together. Within five minutes at any park two daycare providers, previously strangers, will become fast friends in minutes swapping rate information, stories and anecdotes. It was during a few of these meetings this summer that I made a revelation ; older daycare providers complain less and appear far more patient then younger providers.

It has taken me a few months to absorb and decipher this new information. Granted, the sample is small and open to debate but I think it lends itself to question why this is. And so began a summer of acute park and provider forum observations.

I have a theory as to why this seems to be true. Being a mother myself with children who are now growing to be more independent I too, have found that I am more empathetic and tolerant of the children in my care. No, I still do not enjoy the logistical components of my job. I hazard to forecast I will never love changing poopy diapers. I will never love wiping snot. And I certainly will never love being puked on. It's just not going to happen. There is no way to sugar coat vomit despite all the claims by those ever positive gurus like Anthony Robbins or Wayne Dyer. No, I will never enjoy those specifics of my job but I have come to enjoy the kids more. Why is this?

My daycare career started when my own children were a mere three and one years old. I was in the throws of my own personal potty training, diaper days and sleepless nights. There was little left of me to give to the children in my care. When they went home for the day I was not done work but just continuing my 24/7 shift of motherhood and all things domestic. However, since my children are now nearly ten and six I find that I have more energy and emotional capacity to care for a child who is crying non-stop for their first two days. I can better deal with the diapers and the snot because at 4:30pm every day I get a break from it for the next fifteen hours.

Does age, experience and years served in motherdom make you a better provider? Perhaps. My small sample tells me it does. The problem with this theory is that far too many providers never get the chance to be in the ranks of those who are happy and fulfilled providing daycare. Most providers I have had the chance to meet stay in the daycare business only long enough to raise their own small children with every intention of going back to the real world once their children are in full time school. These providers, should they have stuck it out long enough, might have had the opportunity to see the other side of the rainbow.

I can't say that I have all the answers. Anyone who knows me also knows that I have far more questions about life than I do answers. But I do know that for me daycare is easier now than it ever was in the past. Hopefully one day I can add my own name to the small sample of "old birds" I see at the park with their little flock of kids. At that time I'll let you know what the colours are on the other side of the rainbow. But for now I'll plug away and hope to see the rainbow as I sit on my deck in the sticky air after a soft rain holding my coffee cup and taking in the sound of the birds in the trees.

Speaking of which. My deck chair is calling.

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

Beans, Beans, The Wonderful Fruit

I love potty trained kids. Not only are potty trained kids usually old enough to reason with you also don't have to keep a daily accounting, even if forced, of what they ate for dinner every night this week. Potty trained kids are gems. They are self-sufficient little keepers that no daycare provider in their right mind would ever give up by choice. I love potty trained kids because I loathe poop.

There's just something nasty about poop. I don't care who you are or how much you might love your kids poop is just, well....it's poopy. It's smelly and gross and quite frankly makes you want to gag. In fact, poop is so vile to every person that even my three year olds in care have taken to using the phrase, "that's disgusting" when I change the poopy bottoms of their daytime friends. "Disgusting" is good word for it.

My personal favourite type of poop is the hard balls that just fall right into the diaper and take few wipes to clean the pink little bum that lies beneath. Hard poop is great (well, as "great" as any poop can be) and certainly takes favour over the other forms that poop can take on. Don't you just love it when you are sitting in the middle of the room and smell that familiar odor of dirty diaper? You stand up, step on the blocks you were building and curse Lego. Then you carefully pull out the diaper of each child just a tad to take a peek inside the dark cave of crap. There is always that one child that requires extra care when you pull back that diaper. This is the crack pooper. Yep, we all have a crack pooper. You know who he is. He is the child who, every single time he poops, manages to wedge the remnants of last nights dinner in a mud-like form up the crack of his butt until it eventually spills over the boundaries of his Huggies clad waist line. Yeah, the crack pooper is especially fun to change.

How many times have you changed the crack pooper and discover that despite your best attempt there is in fact, poop everywhere? It's on the changing pad and the back of his shirt. Half a pack of wipes later you have managed to clean the child up but are left with poop covered clothes to bag and hold onto for the remainder of the day. If you have a multiple time per day crack pooper you will find yourself silently cursing the poor child every time he poops.

Then of course there is the acid pooper. This is the child who always manages to smell like an open bottle of vinegar each and every time she poops. The smell of the acidic pooper makes you wish you had crack pooper on your change table instead. There have been occasions wherein I have thought of ordering masks just for acidic poop changes. I have both acid and crack pooper to thank for that wonderful waifing aroma that catches my nostrils every time I open my garage door. If you ever wanted to know why the sewage treatment plant smells the way it does then my garage would be a good first exercise in understanding just how easily a small amount of poop can make a large space smell like a latrine on a hot summer day.

They say that what goes in must come out. I guess 'they' have a point. It would be nice though if I didn't have such intimate knowledge of what exactly did go in to these little gaffers. I like beans as much as the next person but there is something not quite right about putting a fork full of chili beans in my mouth at dinner a mere two hours after having viewed them from the other end of some one's butt. That vision can put a damper on any prize winning chili dinner.

I doubt that I will be able to escape the bane of diapers any time soon. It goes with the territory. And as they say in the biz, "it's an occupational hazard". I just wish the territory smelled more like roses than a septic tank. And if the parents could just stop serving beans my days would be so much better.

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

Nothing Ventured Nothing Gained

One year ago today I lost the person, who for most of my life, was the individual most important to me in the world. She was funny and business savvy. She was brilliant and successful in every endeavour she ever took on. She was the most empathetic and caring person I have ever had the pleasure to know. She loved unconditionally and without the need for reciprocation. She was my Nana. She touched the world in so many ways and I have no doubt that on September 22nd, 2008 the spiritual world gained an angel and we mere mortals lost a little bit of our humanity.

Nana was an avid reader. Her vocabulary and literary genius rivalled no other. Nana never started a crossword puzzle she could not finish. This was a woman with an eighth grade education but a world of experience of self-taught lessons. She held no degree but her knowledge and accomplishments were immeasurable.

Today, on this anniversary of her death I find myself grappling with decisions that I have known for some time need to be made. Leaps that need to be taken and risks that must be chanced. And as I wrestle with my thoughts I have to wonder what it is she would have advised. Deep within me lives my Nana and I know the answers. I only need to muster the courage to speak those answers - those truths. And so it is that today I honour my Nana and attempt to make her as proud of me as I have always been of her. Today I made the decision to jeopardize my security of self. I will, as Nana always did, reach out and touch a dream and know, regardless of the outcome that at the very least I dreamt the dream. I may fail. I may be ridiculed for my attempts but in the end I will have the knowledge of having tried.

Today I took the first step in my lifelong, but unspoken dream of seeing my name on the spine of a published work. Today I queried for agents. Today I decided to be a writer. Wow, just typing those words sends shivers of excitement and anticipation down my spine. It is as though voicing my thoughts somehow makes them real.

This blog has been a stepping stone for me in so many ways. I hope it will continue to teach me lessons I never contemplated learning. I have gained experience, friends and so much insight.

Now I ask for your help. In my attempt to complete my life long dream I want your input. Reading this blog, right now are insightful daycare providers who have years of expertise and experience. I am interested in your stories - your anecdotes. Perhaps your short story or funny situation will be in print one day too! It is my intent to include and recognize the many women I have encountered both personally and online in my many years providing daycare. Because none of us, myself especially, ever get to the finish line without the assistance of another. So please, take my invitation to be recognized and contribute to what I hope one day will be a book for all parents and daycare providers to read and learn from.

Should you wish to contribute please write to judytrickett@yahoo.ca and include your short story or funny daycare moment along with your name as you one day wish to see it in print. And should you not wish to use your real name please supply a 'pen name' and location. I can not guarantee every one's contribution will make it into print but I promise to include as many as possible.

So, here goes nothing. Maybe one day I will be able to look to the heavens above and thank Nana for getting me here. And if not I will have the knowledge of having tried. And of that, Nana would be so incredibly proud.

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

Marketing Methods

Once upon a time I was reading a message board post wherein a few moms were discussing daycare. One of the posters commented that she thought it was not appropriate for home daycare providers to advertise. I thought this comment was a little strange and anticipated another parent piping in with a contrary view. Unfortunately that view never came about and other parents supported this poster's comment. I was astonished at this revelation. Why is it that some parents do not think that home daycare providers should be afforded the opportunity to advertise? The answer is simple - because these types of people do not view home daycare providers as business people.

I once attended a conference wherein the key note speaker said something interesting that I never forgot. What he said was this, "You wake up each morning on a name brand mattress. You get in the shower and wash your hair with your name brand shampoo. You step out and grab your name brand towel. You slather your name brand toothpaste on your name brand toothbrush. You jump into your name brand trousers and straighten your name brand tie. You then eat your name brand yogurt, get in to your name brand car and you head off to your name brand work place. And then you turn around and tell people that advertising doesn't work".

When I first heard that paragraph above I had an epiphany. Business is all about branding. And branding is all about reputation. And reputation is earned and fiercely protected. Therefore, we do what ever is in our power to build and maintain a reputation for service and quality that we then use to our advantage when advertising our business.

There are business niches even in the daycare world. It is fine to use your CPR training, your ECE training and your background check as additional reasons for choosing your daycare over another. But what is your niche? Do you offer a curriculum that is different from other area providers? Do you have some type of special certification or education that makes you a cut above the rest? Or perhaps your years of experience and therefore, dependability, are your marketing edge. Regardless of what it is you have to offer that is special it is imperative that you hone in on that specific and market it accordingly.

In this day of free Internet advertising on sites like Kijiji it is all too easy to get lost in the shuffle. There are far too many daycare providers, babysitters, and others, who have no business at all running a daycare, listing their ads right along side yours. Your daycare, as great as it might be invariably gets lost in the mountains of advertisements that are posted hourly. If you are serious about building a name, and maintaining a full daycare earning maximum income you have to advertise in areas outside of free Internet sites.

My favourite method of advertising is good old Canada Post. Not only have I used their free 'billboard' space on the sides of their many, many boxes ( much to my chagrin I was once called by the Post Master asking that I remove these posters. I did so only to repost them a few weeks later with no notice at all.) I have handed over hard earned cash with a hope of a return on my investment. When I have advertised via mail I have printed up post-card sized ads on brightly coloured card stock and had them delivered to each and every mail box in my area. This is by far, the most cost efficient means of advertising to a target group of people who live in your area. The cost to produce and mail 500 cards is around $120.00. People love card stock and when it's bright and cheery they feel the need to hang on to it for a while. I have had many occasions wherein a parent will call me six months to a year after sending out those precious cards having hung on to them for this long a period. Post cards are magic. Not only are post card effective they target a specific audience and remind everyone in your area that you exist and are open for business. And even if every card ends up in the recycle bin someone in that household had to have, at the very least, glanced at your name.

I often hear of providers who refuse to advertise but instead depend on word-of-mouth. I love personal referrals but I dare say it is not the best idea to depend on others to keep your bank account full. You must take some action to ensure your name and openings are well-known to every neighbour. Personal referrals are great but they rarely keep most daycare providers full when they need new clientele. Rely on and ask for personal referrals but always have an active advertisement out there in the world somewhere.

My favourite method of online advertising are sites that have area specific searches and lists of daycare providers. Two great sites that come to mind are daycarebear.ca (or daycarebear.com) and ontariohomedaycare.ca. Both of these sites allow providers to advertise and parents the ability to search areas specific to their needs. In this day when parents are so strapped for time any site or avenue that saves them time and narrows their search are sites that every provider wants to be part of.

It would be great if every provider could afford to plaster sides of buses with their daycare name. Unfortunately, for many of us this is not a financially viable option. However, advertising doesn't have to be big to be effective. Build your business on your good name and find your niche. Use your niche and your name to attract those clients you want to procure and retain.

Get your name out there. Tell others who you are. With enough work, a little bit of money and some luck, tomorrow there will be a mom on maternity leave opening the refrigerator to find her name brand milk who will once again see your post card attached to the front of the door. Get out there today. What are you waiting for?



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

Paid To Play

Yesterday as I sat in the park watching my own two children and one daycare girl play in the makeshift tree fort I had to smile. There I sat sipping my coffee and taking in the sunshine. Adjacent to the park was the hustle and bustle of parents dropping off their children at school to scurry off to work in their office buildings. Teachers' cars filled the parking lot and I watched many of them saunter aimlessly toward the school.


There certainly are days in the world of daycare that make you want to pull out each of your hairs by the root. There are days wherein you wonder what in hell you were thinking when you took on that very first child all those years ago. You wonder how it is that you made it this long in a profession that entails so much work with so little acknowledgement. And then, you find yourself at the park.


As I sit in the comfort of my own home and type this blog I have to smile. Here I am, on a Friday, blogging and drinking coffee. I do not have children to care for today because I have the opportunity to chose my hours and work days. And so it is.


Today I have gratitude for the luxuries my job affords me. None of them by accident and all of them by choice - but luxuries nonetheless. Yesterday I played at the park. I got paid to sit and sip my Starbucks and listen to children giggle. And today I enjoy the benefit of a four day week.


Enjoy your day. And when you are in the depths of hell as we have all been on many, many days come back and read this post and remember the "why" we continue to do this job.


Yesterday someone paid me to play at the park. Today I am off with my family to do a little geocaching. Yes, I am fortunate and I have tremendous gratitude.







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

Cloudy With A Chance Of Typhoon

This week has been one of those weeks I would have gladly welcomed death. If someone had knocked on my door, handed me a bitter little pill and informed me that all would be over with its consumption I would have been running to the faucet to wash it down. Sadly, no one knocked on my door with a prescription to salvation and I had to live out every wretched moment of my week.

It is no mystery why the week was so exacerbating. The fact that at least one of my snotty nosed daycare kids shared with me their cough particulate that festered into my chest is just one reason for my misery. Combine a rolling ball of chest mucous with a screaming fourteen month old who has suddenly been pulled from the arms of her mother for the first time in her short life to be stuck here with me, the stranger, and it's no wonder that my ears hurt as much as my chest. The cherry on top comes in the form of a three year old Princess (referred to here) who feels the need to be the ultimate buzz killer of anything fun and exciting. Is it any wonder I wished for the Grim Reaper to ring my doorbell?

It's funny how one child can make or break your daycare day. I know this to be true because my three year old buzz killer is not here every day. Like the nicely dressed weather lady on the evening news I too can forecast what days of the week will be sunny or filled with dark looming clouds. Monday through Wednesday was overcast with a chance of typhoon. I saw it roll in Sunday night as I laid my head down on my pillow. And as fast as it rolled in it left and the clouds suddenly parted and the rays of sunshine streamed down in glorious ribbons Wednesday at 4:30pm.

I know how to ensure good weather all days of the week. In fact, if Kijiji is any help at all I am sure that before long it will be sunshine and the warm fuzzies every day of the week. Sometimes you have to cut your losses and move on for the sake of yourself and the other kids. It's never easy but then neither is watching the clouds roll in. And the lightening is down right frightening and scary. Yes, a three year old Princess can be compared to a hot summer night's thunderstorm or tropical typhoon. What can not be compared is the general feeling that she provides for the whole group to the easy, screamless days ahead once she is gone.

I'm hoping the sun peeks out more around here very soon. I imagine the sun's frequent appearances will coincide with the departure of the Princess. Next week, and perhaps the week after I forecast more dark, cloudy skies. However, by the time Thanksgiving greets us so will clear skies and cool, crisp winds. Well, at least that's what I'm forecasting.

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

Share And Share Alike

Since the blog about choosing AP daycare was received with such enthusiasm I thought that today's blog could serve as a spin-off. The AP daycare blog certainly raised some eyebrows and mudslinging. I can only ask that perhaps this time all those who comment remain somewhat considerate of each other.

After that short disclaimer I will begin.

There are as many different styles of daycare as their are providers. Even two providers offering the same daycare philosophy will differ in some respect. I always find it interesting to speak with other providers about the attributes that make their daycare special. Being a provider who constantly strives to improve upon my business I often implement the best ideas from different providers into my own program.

Some providers offer a mish-mosh of styles and in essence, fly by the seat of their pants. These providers often have routines in place but not curriculum. They believe that young children learn best when done on their terms in their special time of interest. I fall into this camp. My personal philosophy is that children are innately wired to learn. There are many studies that show children do in fact learn many of the important academic lessons of the world without ever having had the benefit of instruction. Leave a child in the sand box and they will discover physics and architecture. Give a child an old peanut butter jar and a pair of tweezers and they will explore the world of entomology and science while absorbed in play. And a curiosity at the flaming red colour of ripe tomatoes is an opportunity for children to learn how agriculture and photosynthesis are instrumental to our very survival. Children soak up learning at every opportunity. The providers of these children rarely has a designated learning time or expensive curriculum but rather "teaches" all day long.

Other providers choose a curriculum based environment in which to provide care. These providers often have a set schedule of learning each and every day. The children are taught specifics and their progress is measured and the provider and parents are afforded the benefit of having quantifiable results. Many of the children in care environments that are curriculum based know the fundamentals of reading and math before entering the school system.

Emergent curriculum providers fall somewhere between the first two examples and offer a set curriculum based on the interests of the group at any specific time. Often, emergent curriculum are based on seasonal activities as children are very much in tune to the world around them and the changes that are presented as the leaves turn from green to red eventually leaving bare trees and the first few snowflakes. These providers also offer a lot of free time for the children to play and discover the world.

I am certain there are thousands of providers who fit neither category but are a mix of many different philosophies and styles. There are parents who also seek out and find what ever provider they deem to be most closely aligned with their own views and beliefs.

There is not one way to provide care. No philosophy or style is either right or wrong. Every manner in which a provider wishes to stimulate learning is acceptable and correct. As long as a philosophy includes a responsibility to care for and do what is in the best interest of children it can never, ever be wrong.

So, share. What is your approach? What are you most proud of as a daycare provider? How could others benefit from you and your approach?












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

Welcome To Oblivion

Would you like to know what could possibly be worse than a parent angry at you for cancelling a special baking day? I thought you might. Worse than a parent being angry is a parent not even knowing that it was a special activity day to start with. Yes, folks you read it correctly - not one parent knew it was a special activity day.

Yesterday, on the blog, I mentioned that my group was so exhausted that I made the decision to not carry out our plans for the day. I wrongly assumed that cancelling a special activity might also prompt the parents to ensure that next Monday their children came prepared for the day. Well, one can not be upset that an event did not occur if they were oblivious to its existence. How do parents become so clueless?

Every month I send out an email informing all the daycare parents of any upcoming events, changes or holidays. Attached to this email is a calendar that not only includes the menu for each care day but special activities throughout the month. As every provider knows, a lot of care and thought goes in to a monthly calendar. Each day's menu and activities need to have taken into account the group of children in care that particular day. We labour over the calendar and include activities and events that entertain the children and fulfill those specific for all the hoop-la we were grilled about one day in the past when the parents sat in our living rooms appearing to be concerned that their child would be "stimulated" enough. One must wonder; where are those same parents now?

I understand that the 2009 parent is very busy. I'm a parent too. However, I seem to manage my own childrens' calendar along with a daycare calendar. I remember every birthday of the children in care, shop for a gift and throw a party in their honour. I remember all holidays, and even some of the parents' birthdays. I find time to have children make home made cards for their parents' birthdays, Valentine's Day and the rest of the gamut of card-worthy days. Why then, is it not possible for parents to remember, if even for a fleeting second, that a special activity has been planned for their child? It is too much to ask that they, in the very least, remember the activity and feign interest upon pick-up and thus, make their child feel important? Being a parent is hard work. I know - I'm a parent to two children and day time parent to five others. That being said, I fail to see the stumbling block.

Next month I have given thought to not including any special days. I can only wonder if the parents will even notice. Maybe I'll not bother to prepare and cook all of the whole-foods, homemade lunches and snacks either. I'll replace meatloaf and potatoes with peanut butter sandwiches and chips, and the lasagna and garlic bread with Chef Boy Ardee and Pillsbury Crescent Rolls. My guess is the kids would be happier and the parents wouldn't have opened the attachment much less the email.

Ah, who am I kidding? We all know that as much as I would like to stop taking time to plan the special events and cooking those time-consuming meals I will continue to do so. Why? Because what I do is done for the sake of the kids. I stopped bothering a long time ago to do anything for the parents. I often complain about the parents not spending enough time with their children. Maybe it's better they are here with me. At least I know what they did all day. Sometimes I think I know more about them than their parents.

I'm already working on October's calendar. Perhaps I'll do a little experiment and include the special days on our circle time calendar but omit them from my emailed version. I hazard to predict they won't be missed. It would be a interesting experiment and in the end the kids would still get what they deserve - special days and someone who fosters excitement and anticipation at the arrival of those days. Oh, and in case you are wondering - that person would be me.

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

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

Service Fees

There are so many fees these days. I have to pay a fee for the telephone company to get the line from the street to my house. I don't understand this one. I offered to place a personal phone booth at the property line to avoid the fee but Bell just wasn't going for it. Every month I pay that damn fee and curse it every time. Then of course there is the 'debt relief' fee I get the pleasure of paying to the hydro company because their accountant from 1960 - 2000 apparently failed grade three math and didn't understand that a negative number is a profit loss. Great! I love paying for my grandparents' and parents' hydro savings. And one can not forget the 'line maintenance' fee that covers the gas pipes that carry all that yummy, overpriced, fossil fuel to my home to warm my toes on a cold winter night. One would assume that maintaining the lines might be a cost of running a business. But hey, who am I to judge their business model?



I've been thinking lately about how I can recoup some of these fees. As we are all so accustomed to additional fees we are forced to pay why not make up a few of our own? I know there are plenty of avenues to take advantage of additional revenue.



How about the 'second portion' fee? Every time I have to dole out more food for a child who has already eaten more than my daily calorie allotment will be subject to a fee. Of course, following that fee with be the 'restocking fee' as I will have to buy more groceries and thus, carry them from the store to the car to the pantry. If I don't restock the additional items then how would I have them on hand next time the child needs seconds. Seems like simple logic to me.



And for the kids who are assessed the 'second portion' fee they will surely take in so much food that it will result in the 'feculence towelette' fee. It stands to reason that if your child eats so much that it takes fifteen wipes to clean their nasty little butt you should have to cover that cost. And undoubtedly that extra wipe usage will increase the amount of garbage and therefore result in the 'trash transfer and transportation' fee. I'll give them a break and not charge them for my effort to pull the fifty gallon receptacle to the curb. Okay, maybe I won't. I'll have to think about that one!



From the months of October through April I will assess each child a 'snot swabbing' fee which of course, will include not only the constant wiping of their double-barrelled boogers but the two boxes of tissue I use every day. And we all know that by swabbing that snot we are sure to get sick ourselves so we will have no choice but to implement the 'peaked provider' fee. On top of that we will also have no option but to charge 'sick day' fees too while we rest our weary, snot ridden heads in bed for the day.



In order to ensure my personal care and comfort after many years of providing daycare it will also be necessary to assign a 'sanity saver' fee. This will be held in escrow for the day the men in white coats do actually find me talking to myself in incomprehensible babble and take me to the big building with the soft rooms and barred windows. Those accommodations don't come cheap and I want to make sure my padding is the best you can buy.



The most frequently applied fee will also be the most important - the 'asshat' fee. I'm quite sure this will be the most lucrative of all fees. Every time a parent is an asshat a fee will be applied to their weekly rate. No doubt many of us will be able to put even more money into the 'sanity saver' escrow account with the income from the 'asshat' fee.



Oh, I have to go now. My favourite program is on. I have to run to the curb to watch Oprah. Apparently you can negotiate the 'road to residence' fee with Rogers Cable. Now I save ten dollars a month. Yeah, I do have to watch Oprah from the driveway but as they say, "a penny saved is a penny earned".







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

Karma Is A Bitch

How many times have you heard a parent tell you that good daycare is hard to find? My guess is that you stopped counting a long time ago. You know, I don't know whether I agree with this opinion or not. On one hand I do think that as a parent it is likely very hard to find a provider that meets your expectations but on the other hand I have to wonder if, with respect to securing "good" daycare, the parents are their own worst enemy.

I am going to be upfront, as always, and admit that today's blog is a bit of a bite back at some recent comments left on the site. I think we all know to what I am referring. As you also know, I am not one to mince words and I have no problem putting into words, and voicing, the unpopular yet valid thoughts many of us have. Someone, somewhere has to stand up and tell it like it is - even if it's unpleasant to hear.

Good daycare providers are not hard to find - at least they shouldn't be. In my years of providing daycare myself I have seen quite a few daycare providers come and go. Sadly, there have been many wonderful, giving, caring and loving individuals, who although, the best of the best, did not have the leathery skin necessary to stay in this business. It is a detriment to the profession and parents when a kind and loving daycare provider closes her door for the last time. How is it then, that society does not see their actions were pivotal to this happening?

Last week a truly great daycare provider said good-bye to a family for whom she provided care for five years. I think we can all agree that if a child is in the care of a daycare provider for five years that provider had a significant impact on the life of that child. These children were the product of normal, every day, great parents and people. One would think that if the parents weren't pleased with the quality of care they would not have kept their children in that care for half a decade. I can only assume then, that they viewed her care as exceptional and advantageous for their children. Why then, on their last day could they not have taken the time to find a heart felt card and a short note to thank her for the care and love she provided all those years? And worse yet, why is it that on their last day they had the audacity to ask her how much they owed her for the week's care? One would think that after five years, as a parent, you might already know that information. In the end, they were 'short' twenty dollars owed to the provider. It took this wonderful, giving provider FIVE days and much harassment to obtain the money she was owed.

I would like to know when society is going to stop seeing daycare providers as disposable. You sit in our living rooms, grill us on the quality of care and inform us that you want only the best. But, then, in return when we are no longer needed not only are we not viewed as "the best" but as an invisible entity that scarcely existed. And then parents wonder why quality care is hard to find. Geesh, it doesn't seem like rocket science to me.

The number of quality daycare providers IS in fact dwindling. And, if you want to know my opinion as to why it is then you know I will be more than happy to share it with you. The simple fact is that most (and I mean most - not all) parents are selfish, rude, small-minded people with unrealistic expectations. Most parents have absolutely no idea and therefore, no empathy for what it is the average daycare provider does each and every day for their child. They can not, even for a minute, step into her shoes and imagine her side of the story.

Yesterday someone had the audacity to comment that a daycare provider's job was "easy". It is people like you, anonymous commenter, that drive great providers out of business. I hope you are sitting at home right now with that smug smile on your face reading that last line. It is YOU who are to blame for the substandard care most parents are forced to place their child in to. So, it also makes sense that it is YOU who is hurting the emotional and mental health of children everywhere. Because if even for one minute every parent like you took time to consider what it is the provider down to street gives of herself to each child in her care then maybe she would still be in business and the children would still be in her care instead of the lady, two blocks over who couldn't give two cents whether the kids are fed well, played with or given adequate time to rest during the day.

Home daycare providers work harder than any other segment of the population. They give up their homes, their hearts, their silence, their adult connections, and on some days their sanity so that YOUR children have a safe, warm, and caring place to spend their days so you have the luxury of going to work worry-free.

Get off your high horse and come down from your holier-than-art-thou stance and take responsibility for your role. "Good" daycare is not hard to find. But people like you are very quickly changing that fact. Every time you insult your provider via your subconscious actions you kill a little piece of her daycare heart. And pretty soon that heart will so full of holes that she will close up shop and find a job in a place that, at the very least, will thank her for a job well done. And then YOU - YOU will be the parent who complains that you now have to find another provider. Hey, what goes around comes around. Welcome to Karma.





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

At Your Request

I have heard some pretty odd requests in all my daycare years. Some of the requests are common sense even if a general pain in the butt. Others make you go "Hmmm" and others still make your eyes pop out of your head.

It must be difficult to be a parent who utilizes daycare. Having never placed my own children in care I can not imagine how uncomfortable it can feel to not know what your child is doing each and every moment of the day. Were they comfortable? Did they eat enough? Were they happy? I am sure these are questions that come to mind at some point during the day for any parent. I sometimes wonder if the above questions are the reason many parents have odd requests. If a request is carried out then the parents have some control over the day and can fill in a few of the minutes between drop-off and pick-up if only in their imagination.

My most common request is for children to brush their teeth after the lunch hour meal. Most parents don't bother to ask about this but I am surprised by how many do see this as important. Dental hygiene is an important factor in over all health. So, although brushing the teeth of a defiant twelve month old is not high on my list of favourite things I carry out the request and thank God when it is finished and I still have all my digits.

The request I always laugh to myself about came from a micromanaging mom who just felt the need to control every second of every hour that her child was away from her. I remember with amusement when summer rolled around and the mother arrived with not only sunscreen (which I already supply) but those small stickers you can now put on your child to detect when re-application is necessary. Although anyone who has seen my children will readily know that their very fair complexions is a sunburn waiting to happen this mother obviously could not see that not only were my children not tanned, they were not burned either. Regardless, I lathered and stickered the child up so much that she was her own personal slippery slide. Of course, all she needed was a sloping patch of grass - no water or plastic sheet required.

Just when you think you have seen it all you talk to another provider and find yourselves shaking your heads as you compare stories. Today, while talking to my friend I learned that perhaps now, I had heard it all. You see, this provider was given a note about her diapering technique. Apparently, the parents were not happy with the amount of space left between the tabs of the diaper when in their fastened position. In fact, this parent went so far as to stipulate that "two inches" was necessary between both ends of the tabs for the diaper to be properly fastened. Holy Moly! Just when I thought I had heard the strangest of requests. Now we have to located a ruler and measure the child's diaper after every change? Good gravy people.

After hearing all the requests I have to wonder how the parents think we get anything done during the day. If we have to spend twenty minutes brushing teeth, ten minutes, twice a day slathering extra sunscreen, five minutes rechecking sticker patches, and then an extra minute or two at every diaper change to measure tab distance plus the myriad of other seemingly small requests when the heck do we get time to play with the kids, hold circle time, read a story or go for a walk? Enough already!

When my provider friend and I talked I suggested she teach her daycare boy to say, "Oh, when I get changed Miss Susy uses a ruler". I thought that might be a gentle yet humorous manner in which to convey to the parents how ridiculous was their request. One can only hope.

I think that perhaps I need to have a new sheet that I hand out at the interview. It would be titled, "At Your Request". Parents would be required to complete the sheet before leaving. At least then I would know in advance how much time I would have to conduct the normal daycare routine. If the request list was long enough I could amend the contract at that time to exclude circle time or daily walks. I could just spend my days being a personal request meeter instead of a daycare provider. Whatever - either one works for me.




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

Attached At The Hip

There are as many different parenting philosophies as their are parents. What method we choose depends upon our personal beliefs, limits and family style. Some of us actively read and choose a philosophy while others wing it and learn and adapt as we all grow as parents and children alike. There are some parenting styles I would never personally employ and others I would consider should I think they could benefit my child. Whatever philosophy parents adopt there is one constant - that you should be setting your child up for survival in the real world - the adult world.

It always pains me when I hear parents adopting some controversial parenting practice and then in the same sentence being told that they fully intend to immerse their child into the world of daycare. Now, generally, I do not see this as a problem. Assuming you can find a daycare provider who also shares your philosophy and goals then you should have not a care in the world. Sadly, this is often not the case. Parents choose to raise their children in one particular, rigid manner and then, at the age of one year, drop them at the doorstep of a daycare provider that does not practice their parenting philosophy. Shocked, and suffering from separation anxiety the child is inconsolable and desperate for normality.

It never ceases to amaze me the number of parents who practice attachment parenting. Admittedly, my views on attachment parenting are not in line with those who choose this philosophy. But, as I previously said, every parent has the right and should choose that which best suits their ethical views. However, I think that most parents who choose to practice attachment parenting should either stay home and raise their children themselves or do everything in their power to locate and secure a daycare provider who also practices this method.

In all my years of providing daycare services I have had the pleasure of caring for a number of children. Most of these children were wonderful, easy going and delightful little people. But, every once in a while I would take on a new child and be thrown into the depths of hell. These children were so accustomed to being carried, slept with, soothed, coddled and spoon fed that they were ill prepared for the big old world of daycare. Daycare, in it's most basic definition is group care. Being part of a group means that you share the attention of one caregiver and there is not one child who is the centre of the universe but five. As much as a daycare providers might want to give nine hours of undivided attention to five children it is just not mathematically possible. Therefore, a child who has, up until his first day in daycare, experienced mommy or daddy doting on his every need will suddenly feel the panic of a world of reality.

These days I have grown to be somewhat wiser. In interviews I always ask perspective parents how they handle parenting issues. I ask if they co-sleep, and if their child knows how to sit in the next room, a mere ten feet away and realize that the world will not end. I ask if their child knows how to self soothe when put down to nap. In short, I am asking them if their child is "daycare ready". If the answers lead me to believe that the child is the product of attachment parenting I politely inform them that although they might be wonderful people I am not equipped mentally or emotionally to deal with a screaming child who needs to be held the entire nine hours of his day.

The premise of attachment parenting is such that in forming a strong bond between parent and child that child will, in actuality, feels safer and more confident when they do venture out into the world alone. Perhaps this is the case when the child reaches their teen years but it certainly, in my personal experience, is not the case when the child is a toddler. Attached children suffer immense anxiety at suddenly being dropped into what is the equivalent of a parallel universe of solitude. They find themselves searching for that hip that they are accustomed to riding.

The longer one provides daycare the smarter and more savvy they become. Just this summer I have said good-bye to a few long time children who were the product of attachment parenting. When interviewing for their replacements I was sure to ask the appropriate questions and provide myself with a guarantee of never, ever, having to deal with the screaming and crying for months on end that attached children experience.

It's smooth sailing around her these days. No more tears. No more clinging to my legs. Long naps and independent play time are the norm. And none of this occurred by accident. I simply refused to accept any child who was a product of attachment. I'm worth it. I'm worth not having to deal with daily bouts of rapid heartbeat and anxiety. The kids in my care are worth it too. They no longer have to listen to little Johnny scream all day or wail for the entire two hours of nap time when all they want to do is rest their sleepy heads.

I'm happy these days. Gosh, if only I had known, years ago, that detaching myself from the attached families would be so beneficial. Live and learn. Live and learn.

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

Good-bye Summer

Well, it's official. The long weekend is upon us. Where did it go? What happened to our warm days of blissful freedom? Where were the days of giggling children aglow with sprinkler water and drops of sunshine? Why am I still applying sunscreen from the same bottle that made its debut in May? Oh summer, why did you fail us? Was it something we said? Did winter simply push you aside for so long that you could not muster the strength to fight the good fight?

Labour Day in the unofficial mark of a summer passed by - no longer present but forged into memory. It is the start of all things routine and blustery days of wet leathery leaves and windblown hair. The thermometer starts its anticipated decent and grandmas in far off provinces start knitting sweaters again. Beach side sunsets and short dips bid their adieu. And like the sunset, we watch it slip away beyond the horizon as the darkness encroaches our days.

Oh summer. This last glorious week of your presence will be exploited and pillaged to the extent of your use. Back yard barbeques, final beach forays and drinks on the patio will be enjoyed at your expense. We will drink you in like martinis at happy hour. The next day we will curse you for your wrath. Tired, cranky and dehydrated we will wave a back handed good-bye and thank you for your final act. And then we will look toward the fall.

Summer, thanks for the memories!

To everyone - have fun and stay safe this weekend. Enjoy our last few days of summer. I'll see you all Tuesday!







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

Yes, You CAN Pick Your Friend's Nose!

Kids are vile creatures. Honestly, I don't care how cute they are (or aren't) there are some things that simply can not be overlooked. Just imagine if we, as adults, were at a party picking food out of our teeth with our fingers and then threw out our appendage for a handshake. The recipient would be appalled at our behaviour. But kids, ah kids, get away with it all the time.

Yep, kids can be down right disgusting. Take for example my youngest daycare child. Just today he was sitting at the park, hands down the back of his pants and then, as quick as lightening putting those grubby little germ infested hands on the railing of the slide to share the contents of his butt crack with the other thirty kids at the park. Now if that doesn't merit disgust I don't know what does.

Why are kids so vile? My guess is because along with one disgusting attribute comes a positive one - the lack of inhibition. Wow, how great would it be to have no inhibitions at all? I know that it sure would be nice to sit at dinner with friends and not have to worry if that hard, crusty booger you can feel is on show for all your dinner guests to see. If we had no inhibitions we could just jam our pinky finger up there, scoop the sucker out, flick it across the room and save ourselves an hour of worry and an eventual trip to the Ladies' room. Because, if you were a kid, digging for a golden nugget is exactly what you would do.

Kids are gross. My least favourite thing to watch is the one child who can not, for his life, remember that his sippy cup is the purple one. All of the kids in my care have colour coded cups. Unless you are the proud recipient of the two recessive genes for colour blindness it is damn near impossible to confuse your cup with that of your daycare friend. But there is always one kid who just doesn't care. Down the row he goes taking a sip from every cup as if he was a municipal city worker checking water quality. Gross, gross, gross. This type of situation used to make me run with all the cups, toss the water, sterilize and refill but eventually I faced reality and put up my hands in defeat. Heck, if they are going to suck on their fingers and then play patty-cake what the hell did it matter?

There are certain things that as a daycare provider you become accustomed to overlooking. Spit and snot are two of those. Now, I'm not advocating for free-flung snot or errant spit but there is only so much I am capable of each and every day. And I am not going to pick their buggers for them so I have to give them some slack somewhere. But I will admit that I touch as little as possible and have hands as dry and cracked as the Gobi desert most days. Between soap and Purell I am quite sure I am to blame for the rise of antibiotic resistant bacteria all by myself.

The reason I make the children clean up the daycare toys has less to do with teaching them responsibility than my own paralysing fear of having to touch everything they have. The thought of handling the tea cup set or the well-mouthed Little People is enough to send me into my own little Obsessive Compulsive Disorder world. I KNOW they are germ ridden. Sure, they get their weekly wash but those toys get their fair portion of spit. I know - I see it. And if I see the spit I have to wonder what it is I don't see. All I know is I'm not touching it!

I would love to take a swab test of a playground some day. Perhaps even my toy room. I can only imagine the disturbing and down right revolting remnants that would show up on those results. After all, I'm quite certain that thanks to my eighteen month old daycare boy there is sure to be a small surprise of butt crack in that swab test. No, I changed my mind. No thanks. I really don't want to know.

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

This Is Classified

Loving Home Daycare......blah, blah, blah. Daily curriculum......blah, blah, blah. Warm, inviting, smoke-free environment......blah, blah, blah. Nutritious meals and snacks......blah, blah, blah. Receipts and references.....blah, blah, blah.

The above snippets can be found in any home daycare ad on Kijiji. In fact, we are all the same. Same information - different text and words used. Every time I see a Kijiji ad, mine included, I have to roll my eyes and wonder what the provider really wants to say. After my last two years of daycare hell I told my husband that I was going to release the ad below. He wasn't quite sure about it. I'm curious what you might think.

Wanted: Families With Well-Behaved, Polite Children

I am a mother and an experienced daycare provider. Currently I have availability for two children who meet my specifics. No, I do not have my ECE. I am a mother with two children of my own . My respectful, polite and well-mannered children are proof of my ability to care for and help raise your children in a similar manner.


I am looking for like-minded families who value their children's societal role and are interested in raising kind, considerate, and unselfish future adults. I am interested in only those families who foster self-esteem and self-respect for their child without being at the expense of others. Children who exhibit independence and a sense of accomplishment at having performed a task rather than an anticipated pay off with a trip to the Wal-mart toy aisle are welcome.

Listed below are a few of the benefit of care:

1. A nutritious, wholesome, organic menu. You will not worry about your child eating Kraft Dinner and hot dogs accompanied by Sunny D and Peak Freans each and every day.

2. A disciplined environment where in children are encouraged to share, be kind and use their WORDS instead of their tears to obtain what it is they desire.

3. A sense of independence and knowing that the reward for a job well-done is having done the job itself.

4. A daily nap time to ensure your child is getting the adequate rest they require to develop and grow at optimum potential.

5. A fair and marketable fee of $35. Rest assured that I will provide the best care for your child at this fee. The $20 provider down the street will not.

If you and your family values the points above please feel free to contact me to set up an interview.

Should you believe that children should be molly-coddled, manipulative, spoken to in a baby voice, soothered and diapered until the age of three, carried in to care every morning at the age of two, rewarded with material possessions, treated like a "Princess or Prince", or is, in any other way selfish, rude or self serving you need not apply. Go to the $20 provider down the street and bank the difference for the counselling your child will need later in life.

All interested parties please apply to: judytrickett@yahoo.ca

I look forward to speaking with you! Together, we can raise a respectful, polite and well behaved child you will be proud of.





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