Needing a Break??

[SimpleMom]

Country kids, I'll do that. Funny thing is that i'm always in a great mood about doing childcare --after--they leave. really. during the day, it's up and down. but there are times I want to pull my hair out. I feel awful.

However, I wonder what new changes I could make?? Big or small types? what have you done?

[Country Kids]

I will get back to you at naptime! Its a pretty long list and everyone has decided its a day to be busy-

[lolaland]

Country kids, I'll do that. Funny thing is that i'm always in a great mood about doing childcare --after--they leave. really. during the day, it's up and down. but there are times I want to pull my hair out. I feel awful.

However, I wonder what new changes I could make?? Big or small types? what have you done?

I have been feeling the same lately : love my daycare & kids 1 hour after they're gone... but most of the day is a struggle to keep them safe and not fighting! (5 kids under the age of 3, all in diapers and all boys)

[Country Kids]

OK, here goes:

OUTSIDE:

Once/twice a year I buy something new. This year I have bought a teetor/totor helicoptor (used my birthday money-) and a kitchen set.

The kitchen set I got for $10 and its a homemade wooden set. Has a formica top, with a metal sink and a real faucet (doesn't work, just for looks). The stove has a formica top with wooden burners. Lovely little set, worth its weight in gold. I painted it with new colors and it absolutely gorgeous. The kids will play with it for hours. I have a chest next to it that we keep all the kitchen stuff in.

Sandbox turtle-I have turned it into a water table. Another toy that they will literally play with for hours. Yesterday I filled it up with shaving cream and when they were done with that, filled it up with water. They were in heaven!

Sponges/paintbrushes-these are so much fun to have with the watertable. They will wash/paint everything for a long, long time.

Laundry detergent containers with the push button. I fill these up with water, then they can push the button and get the water out.

Chalkboard wall-Took a wall of my shed and painted it with chalkboard paint. Then next to it I put a little table with a wicket basket of chalk. Hours of fun!

I have another area with concrete and I put another basket on a table and filled it with more chalk. Another basket holds bubbles for blowing.

I have playhouses, swingset, picnic table, slides,balls,jumpropes. I'm in the process of getting a dirt/sand table built. We can be outside for hours upon hours and they still keep playing away. I'm going to take my basketball hoop (kids size) and put it in the back so it will be played with more. Just need to find a spot for it.

Inside:

I put blank newsprint over the kids table and they can draw, draw and draw some more on it.

I filled a larger plastic tub up with beans, seeds, pasta and just stuff for a sensory bin. Next week I'm filling it up with pencils, erasers, letters, numbers. I leave this down all the time now. Put a checkered tablecloth underneath it, looks so cute.

Redecorated my room with apples/buses for the back to school part. Put them on the windows also. Rearranged the room and it looks very big now.

All my toys are in wicker baskets or apple baskets. I like the real natural look.

Took a big dry eraser board and turned it into a magentic center. Put a basket of magnets (letters/numbers/shapes) by it. I leave that down all the time now also.

Going to hang a coat rack in my kitchen on the kids level so they can hang their coats up. Two wooden crates below will hold outdoor boots and their shoes. This will help in cleaning up the shoe/coat area as it is now.

Put cloth cubbies on the shelves in my bathroom. Each one holds a childs change of clothes, diapers, wipes, etc.

The biggest change of the year-No TV! Thanks blackcat and others. We only turn it on when I'm getting ready for lunch. 30 min a day and no more.

So thats some of the stuff I do!

[Blackcat31]

OK, here goes:

The biggest change of the year-No TV! Thanks blackcat and others. We only turn it on when I'm getting ready for lunch. 30 min a day and no more.

Sometimes kids need less of something in order to be 'encouraged" to do other things.

No TV for us here has meant better relationships among peers, more support and encouragment from friends, longer play periods and more in depth play as well.

Fewer arguments, less rough housing and gun/sword or knife pretend fights.

The kids seem to want to be creative and imaginative and without the TV on, it is abundantly clear that it was the TV that stole their ideas and thoughts.

[Country Kids]

Sometimes kids need less of something in order to be 'encouraged" to do other things.

No TV for us here has meant better relationships among peers, more support and encouragment from friends, longer play periods and more in depth play as well.

Fewer arguments, less rough housing and gun/sword or knife pretend fights.

The kids seem to want to be creative and imaginative and without the TV on, it is abundantly clear that it was the TV that stole their ideas and thoughts.

Just started this week and its weird. Everyday they would come in and ask for me to turn it on. I rearrange and adda few things and they don't even ask for it. I can't believe how easy it was!

[sunlight]

Wow

Country Kids you sound amazing! Reading your comments here have totally inspired me. I have been doing child care for almost 12 years now. Every now and then I too feel burnt just DONE. A friend of mine who also provides care for over 17 years said that I should take off more time. Boy, just to stay in business I am lucky to get my weekends free! My husband who used to own 3 quick lube centers for years reminded me that they only closed for Christmas and Thanksgiving. Work was 7 days a week for many many years. I started to schedule one Friday every couple of months off. Sometimes if a holiday falls on a Monday I can turn it into a 4 day weekend. This has helped me tremendously!

I don't have a boss breathing down my kneck, I get to work from home, I can make as much or as little money as I want to depending on how hard I want to work, I am home when my kids leave for school and when they come back, I don't have to deal with traffic etc. LOTS OF POSITIVES!! Yes, the responsibility and trust placed on our shoulders is tough. But the rewards out weigh it all.

Country Kids all the things you listed to do out doors is inspiring!! I hope to incorportate many of your ideas into my own daycare. Thank you for posting them!

[Country Kids]

Country Kids you sound amazing! Reading your comments here have totally inspired me. I have been doing child care for almost 12 years now. Every now and then I too feel burnt just DONE. A friend of mine who also provides care for over 17 years said that I should take off more time. Boy, just to stay in business I am lucky to get my weekends free! My husband who used to own 3 quick lube centers for years reminded me that they only closed for Christmas and Thanksgiving. Work was 7 days a week for many many years. I started to schedule one Friday every couple of months off. Sometimes if a holiday falls on a Monday I can turn it into a 4 day weekend. This has helped me tremendously!

I don't have a boss breathing down my kneck, I get to work from home, I can make as much or as little money as I want to depending on how hard I want to work, I am home when my kids leave for school and when they come back, I don't have to deal with traffic etc. LOTS OF POSITIVES!! Yes, the responsibility and trust placed on our shoulders is tough. But the rewards out weigh it all.

Country Kids all the things you listed to do out doors is inspiring!! I hope to incorportate many of your ideas into my own daycare. Thank you for posting them!

Thank you! I'll try to post more if I think of anything else we do.

[Sprouts]

I just heard that if a person dreads going back to work every Sat. or Sun. week after week then thats pretty much a sign of burn out.

I thought that was real interesting as sometimes I feel this way and then I make one teeny tiny change and can't wait for the kids to see it. So I was actually thinking maybe every weekend seeing what I can change and see if it helps my attitude.

You might try something like that!

Did you just hear that on a Christian music station? Lol I just heard and was thinking of the same thing