Feeling Of Losing Control.. Need to Vent

[Provider_Manda]

I posted here a few days ago about toys and space along with undiagnosed OCD. Today I am at a loss, I feel as if I am lossing control. Not so much with the kids but with having a "business" in my home. I feel as if I am being pushed out of my house. The clutter is overwhelming, and I feel so unorganzied I can't even stand it.

I have been doing this for a year come August, and I feel as if I am back to square one. Paperwork is a wreck, toys everywhere..Sometimes I feel like my house is just too small to do this. I hate my setup, and I hate how it looks. I really have no clue as to organize this setup.

How do you seperate home/work. I don't know how to, and it's catching up with me. I love the kids, and I love staying home with my 2 year old..but everything right now seems to be crashing down on me and I'm ready to crack.

Any advice or helpful tips would be great..I have learned a lot for you all and feel that I can come here for anything.

[cheerfuldom]

It sounds like you are getting way burnt out. normally I would post ideas about set up and schedule and stuff but to be honest, with the OCD issue, are you SURE that this is the right fit job-wise for you? Have you sought out some professional help? Its just going to be so hard for us to know if these issues stem from just regular daycare issues or if it really is something personal that you need to address in your own life, and not really about the toys and paperwork. Do you understand what I mean? Because if I remember right, your space seemed fairly workable and tidy in the pictures you posted. I am worried that maybe this is really about something else and not really about daycare. Its a lot....we ALL get burnt out at times. But nothing is going to magically make every toy stay organized and every day run smoothly. Maybe your expectations are just not realistic with this job?

If I am way off base here, I totally apologize. But I have to be honest in saying that I am worried about you. As I said in another thread, I was diagnosed as OCD and have been able to overcome that......but I NEVER would have gotten to this point or made it through five years of daycare without professional help.

[Willow]

TOTES!

The cheap clear plastic ones are great. I keep only a handful of them upstairs in my playroom at a time, and a toy box for baby toys in my living room. I rotate anywhere from once a week to once a month.

It's like Christmas time every time I swap them out and very few toys actually seem to keep the kids occupied much better than a massive amount of ones that stay out everyday.

I have to explain it all at interview time as most parents are like what the heck, where's all your toys. Then they see my stock pile in the basement and are like OOOOhhhhhh. Most start doing something similar at home once they see firsthand how well it works.

What is your set up now?

[Michelle]

Go get a full body massage or a mani-pedi! lovethislovethis
I have always done this when I feel stressed out and felt like daycare was overcoming my life.
It's important to buy something for the house that's just for you!
Candles, a pretty picture, a new bed comforter ...something
So that you have a visible happy place to look at when the clutter is really bad.
Get organizer buckets, labels and air freshener's that plug in.
Hope this helps

[Blackcat31]

Here are some other good threads about provider burnout.

https://www.daycare.com/forum/tags.php?tag=burnout

[Provider_Manda]

It sounds like you are getting way burnt out. normally I would post ideas about set up and schedule and stuff but to be honest, with the OCD issue, are you SURE that this is the right fit job-wise for you? Have you sought out some professional help? Its just going to be so hard for us to know if these issues stem from just regular daycare issues or if it really is something personal that you need to address in your own life, and not really about the toys and paperwork. Do you understand what I mean? Because if I remember right, your space seemed fairly workable and tidy in the pictures you posted. I am worried that maybe this is really about something else and not really about daycare. Its a lot....we ALL get burnt out at times. But nothing is going to magically make every toy stay organized and every day run smoothly. Maybe your expectations are just not realistic with this job?

If I am way off base here, I totally apologize. But I have to be honest in saying that I am worried about you. As I said in another thread, I was diagnosed as OCD and have been able to overcome that......but I NEVER would have gotten to this point or made it through five years of daycare without professional help.

I done preschool teaching at center for 3 years and then I lost my daughter due to premature birth..went back and a year later stopped again due to losing my 2nd daughter due to the same thing. I honestly don't know what it is. I just feel so overwhelmed at this point. I know I need shelves and that would help, I am just unsure where to put everything. I wish I had a place other then "all" my home to do the daycare in. I may need to see a doctor, just not sure. I love the kids, and being home..just I need to learn how to cope with "stuff". I can vision the daycare I want, but that is not realistic for my space..and that makes me sad. I guess I remember back when I had my classroom and how I had it set up, and I just am not able to do that here and its hard to deal with. I just don't know how to set up my space, and I feel that I am at a loss with that.

[Provider_Manda]

Go get a full body massage or a mani-pedi! lovethislovethis
I have always done this when I feel stressed out and felt like daycare was overcoming my life.
It's important to buy something for the house that's just for you!
Candles, a pretty picture, a new bed comforter ...something
So that you have a visible happy place to look at when the clutter is really bad.
Get organizer buckets, labels and air freshener's that plug in.
Hope this helps

That would be wonderful !! Thanks for the tips

[bunnyslippers]

The first year was my hardest. I felt a lot like you feel, and felt very trapped and isolated. I also had a hard time separating the work from my home. My space is in my basement, so it is separate from my home. I still found it difficult.

Try to take some time for yourself. Close for a long weekend, take a vacation, go for a walk. Make a conscious effort at the end of the day to put work away. Use nap time to get some home stuff done. Let the kids have free play for a little bit longer and get caught up on the paperwork. Make meals ahead of time. Fold laundry while the kids are playing. Only put out a few toys at a time, and keep the rest tucked away out of sight somewhere. Spend the last hour of each work day cleaning up and organizing the child care stuff, so when that last kid leaves, you can become just mom again.

Hang in there. It is sooo hard to strike a balance, but it can be done!happyfacehappyface

[Blackcat31]

That would be wonderful !! Thanks for the tips

Sorry this is off topic but your posts are needing to be moderated.

I am unsure why so I think you should try logging out and then logging back in. Sometimes that clears up your cookies or whatever and "resets" stuff.

PM me if you are still being moderated after logging out/in.

[My3cents]

TOTES!

The cheap clear plastic ones are great. I keep only a handful of them upstairs in my playroom at a time, and a toy box for baby toys in my living room. I rotate anywhere from once a week to once a month.

It's like Christmas time every time I swap them out and very few toys actually seem to keep the kids occupied much better than a massive amount of ones that stay out everyday.

I have to explain it all at interview time as most parents are like what the heck, where's all your toys. Then they see my stock pile in the basement and are like OOOOhhhhhh. Most start doing something similar at home once they see firsthand how well it works.

What is your set up now?

Do you have pictures you could share? I like the idea of this-

[cheerfuldom]

I done preschool teaching at center for 3 years and then I lost my daughter due to premature birth..went back and a year later stopped again due to losing my 2nd daughter due to the same thing. I honestly don't know what it is. I just feel so overwhelmed at this point. I know I need shelves and that would help, I am just unsure where to put everything. I wish I had a place other then "all" my home to do the daycare in. I may need to see a doctor, just not sure. I love the kids, and being home..just I need to learn how to cope with "stuff". I can vision the daycare I want, but that is not realistic for my space..and that makes me sad. I guess I remember back when I had my classroom and how I had it set up, and I just am not able to do that here and its hard to deal with. I just don't know how to set up my space, and I feel that I am at a loss with that.

It sounds like you have gone through so much and I am sorry to hear of your loss. Why not at least try an initial appt. with a counselor and see if that would help? I really feel for you and wish you the best in finding peace in your personal life and your job. Lots of hugs

[Provider_Manda]

Sorry this is off topic but your posts are needing to be moderated.

I am unsure why so I think you should try logging out and then logging back in. Sometimes that clears up your cookies or whatever and "resets" stuff.

PM me if you are still being moderated after logging out/in.

Blackcat is it fixed now? Lol I was wondering what was going on..I thought Oh well they think Im a crazy so they are keeping an eye on me..

[Provider_Manda]

It sounds like you have gone through so much and I am sorry to hear of your loss. Why not at least try an initial appt. with a counselor and see if that would help? I really feel for you and wish you the best in finding peace in your personal life and your job. Lots of hugs

Thanks so much, I think I will look into it. And thanks for your condolence's that always means a lot to me.

[My3cents]

hang in there

post to the forums- great way to relieve the daily stress, make friends, and escape for a bit.

[B Lou]

I make sure that at the end of the day I have all my toys put away. I store all my toys in my basement. My outside toys all get put away. If you were to drive by my house after hours you wouldn't even know I did daycare. Except for the sign in my front yard.

I do my paperwork and computer work during nap time. That way at the end of the day, I'm daycare free.

Storing my toys in the basement helps me rotate the toys often also.