Dear Parents and Children,
I know I'm pretty fantastic. I know I am the queen of multi-tasking. I also know I have the patience of Mother Theresa and probably just a deaf as well; years of screaming toddlers on their first day will do that to you. In short, I know you think I am super human. Or maybe you don't. Maybe you just think I should be able to do it all. Sadly, or maybe not so sadly, there are some things I am not capable or willing to do. Let it be known from this day forward that I am NOT the following:
Chief Potty Trainer - as prestigious a title this might be I am not the commanding officer of all things potty. It is your job, as parents, to initiate and secure a good potty training foundation before you expect me to assist your child with their washroom needs.
Chauffeur - no, I don't own a little black hat with a shiny visor nor do I strive to. It is not my job to shuttle your child to the the pre-school, grandma's house or back and forth to Montessori while your child is transitioning out of my care to the care of pre-school. Besides, the simple fact that you had the nerve to ask me to do this makes me want to run you down with my car.
Spoon Feeder - yes, I realize you have been spoon feeding your now twelve month old their entire existence to the point the child wonders why she has hands but please know I am not a spoon feeder. Never have been, never will be. Your twelve month old will have to use the fingers God gave her to pick up her own food and eat it.
Nurse - contrary to popular belief you can stay at home and care for your own sick child. I do realize when you relay to me how much your child misses me when she is not here it is a feeble attempt to sway me to take you sick child. I am not a nurse. I do not like cleaning up my own vomit let alone the vomit of your child. I do not get paid $35 an hour like the nurses I know so please, do not call me Florence.
Short Order Cook - vegetables are good for your child. I'm sorry that your child complained they were hungry at pick up for the fifth day in a row despite the fact I serve two snacks and a hot lunch every day. And no, I will not prepare a special meal for you prince or princess so please stop asking me.
Teacher - who cares if your two year old can not recite Whitman or Poe? I am not a teacher. I do not have the protection of a union, I do not get full medical benefits and I actually have to work over the summer if I want to get paid. I am a daycare provider not a teacher.
Dry Cleaner - if you are handed a tied up plastic grocery bag at pick up don't give me that "look". I don't get paid to launder your child's poopy clothing. Maybe next time you will reconsider sending your child to nursecare in a pair of overalls.
Lay Away Plan - Walmart might let you put stuff on lay away but daycare doesn't work that way. I expect payment in advance for your daycare use purchase. Don't come in, drop off your child and tell me you won't have payment until later in the week. And no, unlike Walmart you do NOT get to leave your child here until you pay. No, take little Johnny, turn around and come back WITH your cheque.
Psychic - my abilities are multifaceted. I can tell by the way you say you will be "working from home" you are really going for a pedicure. I'm insightful that way. But my psychic abilities stop there. I will not know if there will a spot for you in a year when you come back from mat leave with two children. Oh, wait, I just had a vision......if you PAY for those two spots for a year then yes, they WILL be available. Hey, maybe I AM psychic!
Please add the aforementioned job titles to your list of contract No-Nos. Your ability to abide by the terms of the contract and the previous amendments will permit me to carry on providing daycare and prevent me from wearing the title of Terminator. And trust me, Arnold has nothing on me!
Sincerely,
Your Daycare Provider
For concerns, advice or suggestions I welcome your email at judytrickett@yahoo.ca
Monday, March 29, 2010
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Daycare Jail
I recently saw a documentary on jail house conditions. The entire segment was presented from the perspective of the inmate. Of course, being incarcerated and convicted of many crimes ranging from petty to violent the inmates complained about how appalling and restrictive their conditions were. I couldn't help but notice a glaring assimilation between jail and daycare.
While watching that documentary a light bulb went off in my brain. It dawned on me that my days were like those of the inmates. Really and truly I am living the life of a convicted felon and like those convicts I also answered to the wardens of my life. Only in my life the wardens are plentiful and under three feet tall.
Let's take a look at some of the similarities between jail and daycare. First, and most obviously are the washroom conditions. Yes, through the day I have no privacy. Just like those inmates who have to poop while being watched I too have been known to take along an escort; those one or two children who can't cope without my presence being within their range of sight along to the bathroom with me. Yes, I attempt to set them outside the washroom but that door is still open a crack so as not to have them lose a visual. I mean really....would it not be better to lose sight of me then to witness those things we all must do in the bathroom? I am certain that by providing daycare to these types of dependent children I am in fact, contributing to the future inmate population. I'm probably responsible for scarring many a child for life with their reoccurring visions of Judy in the bathroom. Well, at least I will die knowing I try to teach them how to be discrete as possible when a small crowd is watching you poop. My list of lessons taught is never ending. Wow, what a martyr I am!
Not long ago I was in Walmart and purchased a number of divided trays to serve lunch to my ever starved crew. At the time I was excited with such a find as we all know many children do not like their foods to touch each other. Score for me, was my thought at that moment of purchase. But watching the cafeteria segment of the documentary made me laugh as I thought of how often I have simply plunked some food on to a divided tray for myself and sat down to eat with the kids. And they said in the documentary that the cafeteria is often the most violent area of the entire prison. Hey, I can commiserate. Have you ever seen little Johnny try to sneak a piece of bread from Suzie's plate only to have Suzie stab him with her plastic fork? Sure you have! See, the similarities are amazing!
Personally, I think those prisoners have it easy. Sign me up for some free time and meals I don't have to cook. Hell, they even have time in the day to watch television. I would kill (hey, maybe I'm on to something here!) to have time in my schedule to view Oprah every day.
And those death row guys? Wow! Now that is living the life! Not only do they have their own rooms they have their own toilets in those rooms! And they do not have to sit and eat with others. No one is blowing snot bubbles while they enjoy their tater tots or expelling last nights meal while consuming the next. Nope, just blissful solitude with staff that waits on them hand and foot. Sign me up for that.
I used to think criminals were just stupid. I'm beginning to wonder if my theory is flawed. Maybe they are all smarter than we think. It seems to me that much of my day is similar to theirs - only they don't have to prepare meals, change diapers, pay bills, walk the dog or wipe double-barrelled snot. Nope, they just sit there watching Oprah waiting on chow time.
The knees of my jeans keep wearing through. Since I do not get the benefit of a free uniform like the documentary inmates I am thinking of purchasing the same set of clothes for all of the five days of the week. Perhaps something in bright orange or black and white stripes might work. Hey, if I have to poop with an audience I might as well look the part.
For concerns, advice or suggestions I welcome your email at judytrickett@yahoo.ca
Monday, March 22, 2010
The Zen Approach To Daycare
I like to think I'm on top of things. And in the warped little world of Judy that usually means I try to control just about any environment. And by environment I really mean undesirable behaviour. Hell, I can even admit that I get to decide what is and what is not "undesirable". I mean, sure, hitting your friend over the head with the plastic cash register is undesirable. But where is that line in the sand that gives us a clear indication of what we should and should not control?
Not long ago I had a day from hell. I don't have to go into detail here because there are two types of people who are currently reading. The first group are fellow providers who understand that hell is not just the place that priests and ministers threaten with eternal damnation but an eternal reality in your every day world. And the other group of people reading this blog are parents who believe, like those priests, that I am in fact, going to a very warm vacation spot one day in the future. But regardless of who you are trust me when I tell you that my HELL day was just that - HELL.
It was while in the midst of my living hell that I wondered how it was that my head had not blown clear off my body. It seemed my control mechanism was on overload and the kids were not picking up on my not so subtle clues that they were pushing me over the edge. I had to ask myself right then and there how much I was willing to give. In short - where do we draw the line? What battles do we pick?
As I stood there in this moment of realization that I could not, as previously believde, control everything in my daycare universe I took a deep breath and let go. I started my own movement; it's called the Zen approach.
The Zen approach is quite simple. The mantra of the Zen approach is "if it doesn't affect me, it doesn't affect me". See? Simple, eh? So, for the rest of the day I tried my hardest to observe the principles of the Zen approach and I realized a few amazing things.
Did you know that it won't actually kill a kid to pick their boogers and chew on them? I'm serious. I watched little Johnny have an all out picnic as he sat in the corner and ate his snot. Normally this would make me cringe and feel the need to go over and wipe his nose and hands wherein little Johnny would produce even more snot as he cried at the site of the approaching Kleenex. So, instead of defeating the entire purpose of decreased snot production and control upon my part I just let him do what he wanted to do. Not my snot - not my problem.
And perhaps the best part of my day came when the soon to be four year old decided to use her Pull-up, despite being completely independent in the washroom, as her personal sanitary disposal unit. Normally such a display of laziness on the part of a child would get you a spot to reflect in the corner of my playroom. But nope, not during a Zen moment. What do I care? It doesn't affect me. Hey, I'm not the one skipping off to school in my ten pound glorified diaper in five short months. I'm not the one who will be called "baby" by my new school friends who all wear panties with princesses on them. And I sure as hell am not the one the school will call when lazy little Lilly poops in her "big girl diaper". Hey, the Zen calls for no care on my part. Remember, if it doesn't affect me, it doesn't affect me. Besides, it appears the parents of Lazy Lilly take the Zen approach to heart as well or their precious pre-schooler would be in underwear by now. So, as calmly as I could I handed her another Pull-up and a plastic bag, lead her in the direction of the bathroom and told her to come out when she was changed. And with a big, cleansing, but stink-filled breath I let it all out and went along with my day.
The Zen approach came in handy at pick up time too. When otherwise angelic little daycare girl decided to throw a fit and not put on her coat I simply wished them a good night and walked away to another part of my home. Unlike other days when I would have scolded the child and subsequently helped out the parent I imagined my head staying attached to my shoulders and took another big breath. What doesn't affect me, doesn't affect me. Hell, what do I care if mom has to struggle to get the child dressed. You make your bed you lie in it.
I've definitely taken on a new outlook. Sure, I am still the same daycare provider who does and will employ the Guantanamo tactic for manipulative criers. I am still the provider who will refuse to offer you a restaurant menu at lunch time. But for those things that parents fail to instill in their children that really, and honestly don't affect me I could care less. I am done killing myself so others can reap the benefit of something they are too weak to instill themselves.
I have to wonder how many times I will walk away from tantruming toddlers at pick up or how many times Lazy Lilly's parents will have to leave work to change the diaper of their kindergartner before they wake up and realize that what DOES affect them DOES affect them? Because Zen-like Judy is done doing the hard work without support.
For now I am going to pick my battles - and only those I can win. And while I do that I will continue some deep breathing and maintain a steady blood pressure. And then when the struggling parents ask "how do you do it" I will simply respond, "I don't" and walk away.
Why? Because it doesn't affect me.
For concerns, advice or suggestions I welcome your email at judytrickett@yahoo.ca
Not long ago I had a day from hell. I don't have to go into detail here because there are two types of people who are currently reading. The first group are fellow providers who understand that hell is not just the place that priests and ministers threaten with eternal damnation but an eternal reality in your every day world. And the other group of people reading this blog are parents who believe, like those priests, that I am in fact, going to a very warm vacation spot one day in the future. But regardless of who you are trust me when I tell you that my HELL day was just that - HELL.
It was while in the midst of my living hell that I wondered how it was that my head had not blown clear off my body. It seemed my control mechanism was on overload and the kids were not picking up on my not so subtle clues that they were pushing me over the edge. I had to ask myself right then and there how much I was willing to give. In short - where do we draw the line? What battles do we pick?
As I stood there in this moment of realization that I could not, as previously believde, control everything in my daycare universe I took a deep breath and let go. I started my own movement; it's called the Zen approach.
The Zen approach is quite simple. The mantra of the Zen approach is "if it doesn't affect me, it doesn't affect me". See? Simple, eh? So, for the rest of the day I tried my hardest to observe the principles of the Zen approach and I realized a few amazing things.
Did you know that it won't actually kill a kid to pick their boogers and chew on them? I'm serious. I watched little Johnny have an all out picnic as he sat in the corner and ate his snot. Normally this would make me cringe and feel the need to go over and wipe his nose and hands wherein little Johnny would produce even more snot as he cried at the site of the approaching Kleenex. So, instead of defeating the entire purpose of decreased snot production and control upon my part I just let him do what he wanted to do. Not my snot - not my problem.
And perhaps the best part of my day came when the soon to be four year old decided to use her Pull-up, despite being completely independent in the washroom, as her personal sanitary disposal unit. Normally such a display of laziness on the part of a child would get you a spot to reflect in the corner of my playroom. But nope, not during a Zen moment. What do I care? It doesn't affect me. Hey, I'm not the one skipping off to school in my ten pound glorified diaper in five short months. I'm not the one who will be called "baby" by my new school friends who all wear panties with princesses on them. And I sure as hell am not the one the school will call when lazy little Lilly poops in her "big girl diaper". Hey, the Zen calls for no care on my part. Remember, if it doesn't affect me, it doesn't affect me. Besides, it appears the parents of Lazy Lilly take the Zen approach to heart as well or their precious pre-schooler would be in underwear by now. So, as calmly as I could I handed her another Pull-up and a plastic bag, lead her in the direction of the bathroom and told her to come out when she was changed. And with a big, cleansing, but stink-filled breath I let it all out and went along with my day.
The Zen approach came in handy at pick up time too. When otherwise angelic little daycare girl decided to throw a fit and not put on her coat I simply wished them a good night and walked away to another part of my home. Unlike other days when I would have scolded the child and subsequently helped out the parent I imagined my head staying attached to my shoulders and took another big breath. What doesn't affect me, doesn't affect me. Hell, what do I care if mom has to struggle to get the child dressed. You make your bed you lie in it.
I've definitely taken on a new outlook. Sure, I am still the same daycare provider who does and will employ the Guantanamo tactic for manipulative criers. I am still the provider who will refuse to offer you a restaurant menu at lunch time. But for those things that parents fail to instill in their children that really, and honestly don't affect me I could care less. I am done killing myself so others can reap the benefit of something they are too weak to instill themselves.
I have to wonder how many times I will walk away from tantruming toddlers at pick up or how many times Lazy Lilly's parents will have to leave work to change the diaper of their kindergartner before they wake up and realize that what DOES affect them DOES affect them? Because Zen-like Judy is done doing the hard work without support.
For now I am going to pick my battles - and only those I can win. And while I do that I will continue some deep breathing and maintain a steady blood pressure. And then when the struggling parents ask "how do you do it" I will simply respond, "I don't" and walk away.
Why? Because it doesn't affect me.
For concerns, advice or suggestions I welcome your email at judytrickett@yahoo.ca
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Daycares Don't Care
There is an interesting site I came across many years ago. The name of the site is Daycare's Don't Care. This site was created by, what I can assume, is a mother who is anti-daycare. It might seem strange that as a daycare provider I am including information about an anti-daycare site on my blog. And stranger still is that I think the site has some merit. There are many points of concern and comment that are undeniably true.
I visit this site often. I like to read any new articles on the detrimental effects of daycare on children. It has been known for many years that the younger a child enters daycare and the more hours a child spends in non-family care the more aggressive that child will be or become. These are not opinions - they are fact. And Daycares Don't Care is quick to point this out.
The other section of this site that is interesting are the comments by daycare workers. I encourage you to pour yourself a cup of coffee and browse those comments. You might be surprised by how true those comments are and how many of them ring true in your own head. If anything, those comments, made by real, honest to goodness people, tell the real story of daycare. Some of those comments are resentful, some of them insightful, but most of them are simply sad. These comments, more than anything I have ever read about daycare are true. Granted, a lot of these comments refer to commercial or centre-based daycare and not the home daycare environment but all in all they do not paint a very pretty picture.
The main objective of the site owner can be found in the header of the site's title - How Can A Daycare Love? And I think the site does a fairly good job of dispelling the myth that anyone, other than a parent can truly love a child with the same capacity. And children need, above all, love. Not just a passing love that consists of compassion or empathy but an unbridled love. A love so great their caretaker would risk life and limb for them above all others. And, as asked by the site, can this level of love be found in daycare?
Some of my favourite comments:
Seem heartless? Maybe. But how many of them, if you thought long and hard ring true in some small way or another? Sadly, this site points out the undeniable truth. And I am for the truth regardless whether it is disadvantageous to me or not.
Daycares Don't Care has hit an raw, uncovered nerve in a way that exposes truth and asks real people to back up that truth. And surprisingly, it is the very people being paid by the industry who are breaking the silence. And to them I offer kudos for having the fortitude to stand up and speak the unpopular notion that daycare is great for society. It never was and it never will be.
Yes, I provide care to children. And, despite what you might have just read I will continue to do so. It seems counter intuitive to provide care while singing the praises of sites like Daycares Don't Care. But the simple fact is that nothing I say, or others like me might say, will change the reality that children all over the world will show up at daycare tomorrow. And I know that what I provide for those children far surpasses the environment and care level where many other children spend their days. So for now, I will give what I can to those I can legally care for. At least in some small way I am ensuring that five children will not be forced to spend their days in some of the care situations commented on by those daycare workers on Daycares Don't Care.
Maybe one day we will all wake up and realize that we don't need to live the way we do. That we don't need multiple vehicles, the latest and greatest electronics, cellphones, extended cable packages, hair styles that cost more than our food bill and restaurant meals every single week. Maybe one day we will wake up and realize that the Jones' had it all wrong; that our children are more important than material possessions that make us feel good only until the newest version debuts wherein we will have to work overtime to afford it. But until then I'll continue to offer care because sadly, there are children who need it.
For concerns, advice or suggestions I welcome your email at judytrickett@yahoo.ca
I visit this site often. I like to read any new articles on the detrimental effects of daycare on children. It has been known for many years that the younger a child enters daycare and the more hours a child spends in non-family care the more aggressive that child will be or become. These are not opinions - they are fact. And Daycares Don't Care is quick to point this out.
The other section of this site that is interesting are the comments by daycare workers. I encourage you to pour yourself a cup of coffee and browse those comments. You might be surprised by how true those comments are and how many of them ring true in your own head. If anything, those comments, made by real, honest to goodness people, tell the real story of daycare. Some of those comments are resentful, some of them insightful, but most of them are simply sad. These comments, more than anything I have ever read about daycare are true. Granted, a lot of these comments refer to commercial or centre-based daycare and not the home daycare environment but all in all they do not paint a very pretty picture.
The main objective of the site owner can be found in the header of the site's title - How Can A Daycare Love? And I think the site does a fairly good job of dispelling the myth that anyone, other than a parent can truly love a child with the same capacity. And children need, above all, love. Not just a passing love that consists of compassion or empathy but an unbridled love. A love so great their caretaker would risk life and limb for them above all others. And, as asked by the site, can this level of love be found in daycare?
Some of my favourite comments:
I know most of the children at my daycare seem happy, but I also see a loss because they are not with their parents very much. I do agree that being in a place for 11 to 12 hours, 5 days a week without your mom or dad has to be so hard emotionally.
I have done Daycare in my home...it may sound ironic but I agree with a lot of the views on your site.
I feel sorry for the kids that are at my house from 7am to 6pm on the dot.
...I try to show love to the kids that I watch, but when you have 4-6 of them...it can be hard.
I would NEVER put my own kids in daycare.
...As far as the feelings toward the children in the daycare where I worked, I freely admit that I did not and could not care as deeply for the children as their parents. In fact, as...I speak with brutal honesty, there were children that I was very fond of and others that got on my last nerve on a regular basis. Many of my co-workers admitted that they felt the same way. I can not say truthfully that I LOVED any of them...
Seem heartless? Maybe. But how many of them, if you thought long and hard ring true in some small way or another? Sadly, this site points out the undeniable truth. And I am for the truth regardless whether it is disadvantageous to me or not.
Daycares Don't Care has hit an raw, uncovered nerve in a way that exposes truth and asks real people to back up that truth. And surprisingly, it is the very people being paid by the industry who are breaking the silence. And to them I offer kudos for having the fortitude to stand up and speak the unpopular notion that daycare is great for society. It never was and it never will be.
Yes, I provide care to children. And, despite what you might have just read I will continue to do so. It seems counter intuitive to provide care while singing the praises of sites like Daycares Don't Care. But the simple fact is that nothing I say, or others like me might say, will change the reality that children all over the world will show up at daycare tomorrow. And I know that what I provide for those children far surpasses the environment and care level where many other children spend their days. So for now, I will give what I can to those I can legally care for. At least in some small way I am ensuring that five children will not be forced to spend their days in some of the care situations commented on by those daycare workers on Daycares Don't Care.
Maybe one day we will all wake up and realize that we don't need to live the way we do. That we don't need multiple vehicles, the latest and greatest electronics, cellphones, extended cable packages, hair styles that cost more than our food bill and restaurant meals every single week. Maybe one day we will wake up and realize that the Jones' had it all wrong; that our children are more important than material possessions that make us feel good only until the newest version debuts wherein we will have to work overtime to afford it. But until then I'll continue to offer care because sadly, there are children who need it.
For concerns, advice or suggestions I welcome your email at judytrickett@yahoo.ca
Monday, March 15, 2010
Bubbles Are For Blowing Not Housing
At what moment did daycare providers become accountable for all things that happen in this vast Universe of ours? It simply amazes me some of the unrealistic expectations and burdens of responsibility that are cast upon daycare providers by the very parents of the children for whom they care.
Just last week I read about a daycare provider having a child pulled from her care due to a simple injury to the child we might have seen occur in any park in North America. The injury was not life threatening. The injury will not leave a scar. The injury did not even cause a trip to the emergency room. What is this injury you ask? You will be astounded by the answer. The child tripped on the cement while out playing and scratched her chin. Yes, a simple scratch.
What is it that parents think we are capable of? We are not super human. Okay, okay, maybe in some respects we do have super powers. I challenge any of the parents of the children in my care to corral seven children and get them all to the park and back in one piece still following instructions as we walk back into the front door. Yes, that does take a little bit of super human capacity! Seriously, are we to be blamed for minor cuts and scrapes that are the natural consequence of a childhood of exploration and limits testing? What does such a parent recommend instead; children sat safely, strapped into booster seats in front of a television set all day? I know that sounds facetious but I ask that question with all the seriousness I can muster? What then, do parents such as these see as an alternative?
Children get hurt. It's a fact. I would wonder about the quality of any child's life should they never have sustained a scratch or a cut or a bruise. I would worry about their ability to explore and learn how things relate to one another in this world. For it is only in falling and watching things fall that we learn about gravity. It is only in tripping and scratching one's knee on the side walk that we learn about momentum. And it is only by riding our bike so fast we are unable to stop and make contact with a fence or garage door that we learn first hand about velocity. Scrapes and scratches are lessons in life that are valuable and should, in some small way, be treasured. For it is a child with a scraped elbow and mud-caked knees that is happiest in the world.
I sincerely hope the parents of this child come to their senses sometime soon. If not, they are in for quite a shock upon the day that child starts school. I can only imagine their outrage the first time their child comes home having received a fat lip in dodge ball or a scraped knee at recess. What will they do then - sue the school?
We are not superhuman. We can not warp speed to your child mid-fall. We can not magically heal a scrap. And we certainly will not keep your child on the sidelines of life. We could but then it would only be the parents, and not the child, who benefit.
Perhaps these parents might want to reinvest in a bubble. No doubt with the recent chin scrape their old bubble has popped. However, while shopping they will discover that bubbles only come in tiny little sizes. There's a reason for that - because children should not be kept in bubbles. They should be kept in sandboxes and playgrounds and sidewalks - all those places that are readily waiting to scrape and scratch and bruise them. And, in my opinion, they are all the better for it.
For concerns, advice or suggestions I welcome your email at judytrickett@yahoo.ca
Just last week I read about a daycare provider having a child pulled from her care due to a simple injury to the child we might have seen occur in any park in North America. The injury was not life threatening. The injury will not leave a scar. The injury did not even cause a trip to the emergency room. What is this injury you ask? You will be astounded by the answer. The child tripped on the cement while out playing and scratched her chin. Yes, a simple scratch.
What is it that parents think we are capable of? We are not super human. Okay, okay, maybe in some respects we do have super powers. I challenge any of the parents of the children in my care to corral seven children and get them all to the park and back in one piece still following instructions as we walk back into the front door. Yes, that does take a little bit of super human capacity! Seriously, are we to be blamed for minor cuts and scrapes that are the natural consequence of a childhood of exploration and limits testing? What does such a parent recommend instead; children sat safely, strapped into booster seats in front of a television set all day? I know that sounds facetious but I ask that question with all the seriousness I can muster? What then, do parents such as these see as an alternative?
Children get hurt. It's a fact. I would wonder about the quality of any child's life should they never have sustained a scratch or a cut or a bruise. I would worry about their ability to explore and learn how things relate to one another in this world. For it is only in falling and watching things fall that we learn about gravity. It is only in tripping and scratching one's knee on the side walk that we learn about momentum. And it is only by riding our bike so fast we are unable to stop and make contact with a fence or garage door that we learn first hand about velocity. Scrapes and scratches are lessons in life that are valuable and should, in some small way, be treasured. For it is a child with a scraped elbow and mud-caked knees that is happiest in the world.
I sincerely hope the parents of this child come to their senses sometime soon. If not, they are in for quite a shock upon the day that child starts school. I can only imagine their outrage the first time their child comes home having received a fat lip in dodge ball or a scraped knee at recess. What will they do then - sue the school?
We are not superhuman. We can not warp speed to your child mid-fall. We can not magically heal a scrap. And we certainly will not keep your child on the sidelines of life. We could but then it would only be the parents, and not the child, who benefit.
Perhaps these parents might want to reinvest in a bubble. No doubt with the recent chin scrape their old bubble has popped. However, while shopping they will discover that bubbles only come in tiny little sizes. There's a reason for that - because children should not be kept in bubbles. They should be kept in sandboxes and playgrounds and sidewalks - all those places that are readily waiting to scrape and scratch and bruise them. And, in my opinion, they are all the better for it.
For concerns, advice or suggestions I welcome your email at judytrickett@yahoo.ca
Friday, March 12, 2010
Daycare Make Over
'Tis the season for new and fresh. It is this time of year that providers everywhere, on every forum, start to chat about boredom and an incredible impatience to try something new or give up daycare all together. Who can blame them? If you live in North America chances are you have been cooped up inside for the better part of most days for months on end. The crying is intensified in your tiny space, the poop odor is stronger than ever and the walls feel like they are closing in around you. You ache for spring if merely only for the distraction of sitting on park benches and seeing anything but the four walls you have come to know so well.
Whenever I start to feel burned out or disenchanted I ask myself what I can change to give myself a new vantage point. And the easiest, most cost effective and fastest way to do this is to complete a daycare makeover.
There are a number of aspects to the daycare makeover and it is really up to the individual provider how many things she wishes to change. My first choice is always the daycare space. Now, for those of you who are blessed with a separate daycare room(s) this is really an easy feat. Rearranging furniture, a few new toys and some new wall art are interesting ways to make your daycare space fresh and new. If you have the time and money you could also throw a fresh new colour on the walls over a weekend.
It always amazes me how the children react to a new daycare space. It is as if they too are inspired once again and the days following the makeover are fun and lighthearted as they rediscover the space and all its contents. I believe that the children also become as bored as their provider over the long, cold, winter months. Old toys come alive again in their new location and the few additions provide hours of uninterrupted play.
If you do not have a dedicated daycare space a little organization can go a long way. The biggest complaint of daycare providers who share their living space with their daily charges is that they can not get away from the daycare at the end of the day. Investigate and invest in a few living room pieces that can double as storage containers that, once closed, will keep hidden their daycare contents. Ikea has some fantastic options in this regard. Simply replacing plastic toy bins with wicker bins adds a more homey feel rather than a daycare feel to your living room.
Once you have completed your room makeover it is time to reflect on other areas of your business that might require a change. Is your contract comprehensive? Do you have any families causing you grief on a regular basis? If this is true for you then it is time to decide to make a change. Enforce your policies and demand what is due based on the terms of the contract. Perhaps a termination is in order. Whatever it is that needs to change to make you happy is waiting for action.
I challenge everyone to take a few minutes this weekend to complete their daycare makeover. If you are not ready to get to work then at least take a few minutes to reflect on those changes you do need to make. Decide today what is not working for you. What is it that would make all the difference in the world to your attitude and enjoyment every day? Find those answers and make changes based on some honest truth and reflection.
Let's move into Spring not only as a season but with some spring in our steps too. Let's set up our environments and our minds in a practical, manageable fashion. Let's start with the boss and work our way down. If the boss isn't happy then really, no one is happy. Be happy. Do whatever it takes. You might be surprised by the families and things that come your way when you make yourself open to receive them.
For concerns, advice or suggestions I welcome your email at judytrickett@yahoo.ca
Whenever I start to feel burned out or disenchanted I ask myself what I can change to give myself a new vantage point. And the easiest, most cost effective and fastest way to do this is to complete a daycare makeover.
There are a number of aspects to the daycare makeover and it is really up to the individual provider how many things she wishes to change. My first choice is always the daycare space. Now, for those of you who are blessed with a separate daycare room(s) this is really an easy feat. Rearranging furniture, a few new toys and some new wall art are interesting ways to make your daycare space fresh and new. If you have the time and money you could also throw a fresh new colour on the walls over a weekend.
It always amazes me how the children react to a new daycare space. It is as if they too are inspired once again and the days following the makeover are fun and lighthearted as they rediscover the space and all its contents. I believe that the children also become as bored as their provider over the long, cold, winter months. Old toys come alive again in their new location and the few additions provide hours of uninterrupted play.
If you do not have a dedicated daycare space a little organization can go a long way. The biggest complaint of daycare providers who share their living space with their daily charges is that they can not get away from the daycare at the end of the day. Investigate and invest in a few living room pieces that can double as storage containers that, once closed, will keep hidden their daycare contents. Ikea has some fantastic options in this regard. Simply replacing plastic toy bins with wicker bins adds a more homey feel rather than a daycare feel to your living room.
Once you have completed your room makeover it is time to reflect on other areas of your business that might require a change. Is your contract comprehensive? Do you have any families causing you grief on a regular basis? If this is true for you then it is time to decide to make a change. Enforce your policies and demand what is due based on the terms of the contract. Perhaps a termination is in order. Whatever it is that needs to change to make you happy is waiting for action.
I challenge everyone to take a few minutes this weekend to complete their daycare makeover. If you are not ready to get to work then at least take a few minutes to reflect on those changes you do need to make. Decide today what is not working for you. What is it that would make all the difference in the world to your attitude and enjoyment every day? Find those answers and make changes based on some honest truth and reflection.
Let's move into Spring not only as a season but with some spring in our steps too. Let's set up our environments and our minds in a practical, manageable fashion. Let's start with the boss and work our way down. If the boss isn't happy then really, no one is happy. Be happy. Do whatever it takes. You might be surprised by the families and things that come your way when you make yourself open to receive them.
For concerns, advice or suggestions I welcome your email at judytrickett@yahoo.ca
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Scratch That Itch
Bored, bored, bored. Sometimes I swear my brain cells are in a state of rapid depletion. I know all my fellow daycare providers would tell me I am making a difference in the life of a child but at what cost to me? Do you ever feel like your brain is turning to mush?
I remember a long, long time ago I was considered smart and savvy. I could read flow charts and financial forecasts. I attended business meetings requiring countless hours of PowerPoint presentation preparation. I managed statistics and people and places. Now I have been reduced to a wanna-be librarian reading Green Eggs And Ham and When You Give A Moose A Muffin. I get excited over pieces of felt shaped like people and animals. I become giddy when tempera paint is on sale. I browse toy aisles at Walmart just for fun. What in the world have I become?
Every year during the change of the seasons I feel a familiar itch. It's the type of itch, like the one you get in the middle of your back, that you just can't quite reach. Try as you might that damn itch drives you to madness. Finally, unable to stand it any longer you find the kitchen tongs, look around making sure you are alone, and you scratch, scratch that itch. Yes, I have the itch again. And I know that the itch means I need change. No pair of tongs, regardless of their length, will ever reach this itch.
Sometimes the itch can be scratched with a few Scholar's Choice purchases, a new wall mural or a few new tubs of Play-doh. Or other times the scratching of completely rearranging your daycare room will quiet that itch. And then, other times still, the itch remains and you wonder what that itch is telling you. With your depleted brain capacity you wander around for weeks short tempered and miserable, unable yourself to identify the exact location of that itch. And the kitchen tongs seems so very far away in those moments.
Have you ever felt the itch? I'm sure you have. In fact, I am currently feeling like I have been plagued with a bad case of poison ivy. And trust me when I tell you that no kitchen utensil is going to cure that itch. I have spent countless dollars in my playroom, hour upon hour rearranging furniture and many moments of quiet reflection asking any powers that be to help me through this time and find peace. Nothing worked.
It came to me that perhaps it was time for a real change. When we feel the itch it is our two remaining brain cells, along with our now, burgeoning hearts, quietly whispering that we need to do what it is WE need. We need to stop worrying about pleasing others and please ourselves. We need to stop feeling guilty for wanting a change. We need to step out of self-pity and into action. We need to check our guilt at the door and start drafting letters to families with our intent to change. We need to advertise to find what we want. Or perhaps, if all else fails, we need to look elsewhere, beyond the limitations of daycare, for a career with meaning and fulfillment for US.
Lately I have read so many forum posts pertaining to providers who ache for a change. Providers who want so badly to finally do something for themselves. Sadly, these givers have forgotten how to ask for what they want. We need to change that. We are only as much a servant to others as we are to ourselves.
I ask you - no, I challenge you to look within. Ask yourself what YOU want. You might be surprised by the answers. Do what it takes to make you happy and everything else will fall into place in time.
Easier said than done? Perhaps. But for me, it is worth finding out.
For concerns, advice or suggestions I welcome your email at judytrickett@yahoo.ca
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