Do You Feel Obligated When....

[KIDZRMYBIZ]

I was about to ask, "Why? What happens on January 3rd??" but it must be when your daycare resumes. Got it!

I, too, am having a "willingness to participate" problem. My 4 preschoolers are 4 last sept, turning 4 in jan, turning 4 in mar, and the youngest turned 3 last july. Most days, none of them want anything to do with preschool hour. Circle time they are great, but once we sit down at the table to create something to take home (and this IS fun stuff!), they either jack around a great plenty or they slop through it very, very quickly to get back to playing.

I only do preschool mon-thur, and now I'm thinking of cutting off mon to just t,w,th. Really, I don't think they need structured curriculum until the yr before kindy, but parents start getting frantic about it just before they turn 3.

Am I just running out of patience, or are all of you struggling with this for the 3yo and young 4yo age groups?

[Blackcat31]

I was about to ask, "Why? What happens on January 3rd??" but it must be when your daycare resumes. Got it!

I, too, am having a "willingness to participate" problem. My 4 preschoolers are 4 last sept, turning 4 in jan, turning 4 in mar, and the youngest turned 3 last july. Most days, none of them want anything to do with preschool hour. Circle time they are great, but once we sit down at the table to create something to take home (and this IS fun stuff!), they either jack around a great plenty or they slop through it very, very quickly to get back to playing.

I only do preschool mon-thur, and now I'm thinking of cutting off mon to just t,w,th. Really, I don't think they need structured curriculum until the yr before kindy, but parents start getting frantic about it just before they turn 3.

Am I just running out of patience, or are all of you struggling with this for the 3yo and young 4yo age groups?

I am not necessarily struggling with this particular group of 3-4's I have...I am more or less struggling with myself.

I am in the middle (like Catherder) of what the state wants me to do, what the parents want me to do, what the kids want to do and what I want to do.

I do NOT like the state telling me that I HAVE to provide specific curriculum, do things a specific way and only follow specific guidelines.....

I went into business so I could work for myself and do things MY way.

I abhor this new age way of thinking that academic education begins with a child's first breath of life

I did structured curriculum for many many years.... These last few years I am recognizing and embracing the natural wonderment and awe of the world around us and the learning opportunities that happen naturally.....

Unfortunately while I am having this epiphany, the state is finding ways to go the opposite direction and dragging me along.

[snbauser]

That is what I did last year and it was a HIT!!! (most were passed to Grandma, but still a win!!)

I sent foam reindeers with a "Rudolf" book, cookie dough mix/cookie cutters with "If you give a Mouse a Cookie", and a pack of muffin mix/rubber baking cups with "If you give a Moose a Muffin". (based on age)

The evil side of me is having much fun deciding what to send with "Llama Lama Holiday Drama" this year...... Perpetual kid has spit balls that swell to 1000 times their size in water....

Love this idea!!! I am going to "borrow" it this year. I have been stuck on what to get them.

And to the OP, I have never had a parent suggest any type of craft to me but if they did I certainly would never feel obligated to do them.

[spinnymarie]

I don't feel obligated, it annoys me. It happens about 3 times a month. Rarely are they age appropriate.

I used to respond, but now I silently delete them and go about my day.

I want to tag nutritional info, bedtime recommendations and marriage counseling sites to their pages..... but I don't.

::::

The holiday crafts as gifts is an awesome idea! Love it!

[MissAnn]

Whoa! Wish I had time to read all of these.....I will at nap! It's funny, one of my parents sent an ornament we made last year. I'm thinking....don't you remember it? I do a few really nice "keepers" and then several that aren't as extensive.....or should I say expensive???? I do at least 2 with the kids pictures. If that isn't good enough....too bad. thanks for the replies......it's good to know that misery loves company. LOL

[Cat Herder]

::::

The holiday crafts as gifts is an awesome idea! Love it!

Thanks... I am thinking of also adding a Snow themed book and giving them packets of instant snow. (along with a "product" craft)

Maybe if they experience how much 3-4 year old kids prefer "open ended" projects, they'd understand????

Maybe worth a try....

[daycarediva]

I don't feel obligated, it annoys me. It happens about 3 times a month. Rarely are they age appropriate.

I used to respond, but now I silently delete them and go about my day.

I want to tag nutritional info, bedtime recommendations and marriage counseling sites to their pages..... but I don't.

hahahahahaha, ohhh goodness this made my day!!!

[Blackcat31]

Whoa! Wish I had time to read all of these.....I will at nap! It's funny, one of my parents sent an ornament we made last year. I'm thinking....don't you remember it? I do a few really nice "keepers" and then several that aren't as extensive.....or should I say expensive???? I do at least 2 with the kids pictures. If that isn't good enough....too bad. thanks for the replies......it's good to know that misery loves company. LOL

So one of your DCP's suggested a craft ornament you already did with her child last year?!

Um, yeah....that would kinda set me off... Nice that she remembers all the hard work you and her child do.

[morgan24]

Parents send Pinterest ideas to your Facebook and ask you to make such and such Christmas ornament? I already do a lot of ornaments and they are very cute. Also, the ones they want me to make are ones the kids don't have much of a part in making. I like the kids to make their own ornaments.

I also have a dcm sending me ideas. She would comment this is cute. The next time I seen her I thanked her for letting me know what ornaments she was making so I didn't make the same ones. She didn't have anything to say. I like to let the kids help me pick out what we are going to create and it's a surprise for the parents.

[Annalee]

Parents send Pinterest ideas to your Facebook and ask you to make such and such Christmas ornament? I already do a lot of ornaments and they are very cute. Also, the ones they want me to make are ones the kids don't have much of a part in making. I like the kids to make their own ornaments.

This is why I do not do FACEBOOK! I deactivated my account because I got tired of learning things I did NOT want to know....or getting suggestions from parents for all the world to see....or reading posts from mothers acting like mother of the year when I knew different. I actually read where one of my dcp was asking another dc lady about pricing and hours once....

BUT I love, love, love pinterest which I spend way too much time on!

[sharlan]

So far, none of my parents have.

[Annalee]

I am not necessarily struggling with this particular group of 3-4's I have...I am more or less struggling with myself.

I am in the middle (like Catherder) of what the state wants me to do, what the parents want me to do, what the kids want to do and what I want to do.

I do NOT like the state telling me that I HAVE to provide specific curriculum, do things a specific way and only follow specific guidelines.....

I went into business so I could work for myself and do things MY way.

I abhor this new age way of thinking that academic education begins with a child's first breath of life

I did structured curriculum for many many years.... These last few years I am recognizing and embracing the natural wonderment and awe of the world around us and the learning opportunities that happen naturally.....

Unfortunately while I am having this epiphany, the state is finding ways to go the opposite direction and dragging me along.

You hit the nail on the head!!!!!!

[Annalee]

I am not necessarily struggling with this particular group of 3-4's I have...I am more or less struggling with myself.

I am in the middle (like Catherder) of what the state wants me to do, what the parents want me to do, what the kids want to do and what I want to do.

I do NOT like the state telling me that I HAVE to provide specific curriculum, do things a specific way and only follow specific guidelines.....

I went into business so I could work for myself and do things MY way.

I abhor this new age way of thinking that academic education begins with a child's first breath of life

I did structured curriculum for many many years.... These last few years I am recognizing and embracing the natural wonderment and awe of the world around us and the learning opportunities that happen naturally.....

Unfortunately while I am having this epiphany, the state is finding ways to go the opposite direction and dragging me along.

Now if we could convince the state to allow us to go back to having fun/enjoying our jobs, the children would definitely benefit. It is like a roller coaster right now due to the drastic/out of nowhere pop-up expectations we are under here in my state.

[EntropyControlSpecialist]

hahahahahaha, ohhh goodness this made my day!!!

Hahahahaha. Mine, too.