First Full Day Providing All Day Care

[Butter Biskets]

So I have been doing before and after school daycare only for the last 2 years and have decided to go to full days. Today was my first full day with 2 one year olds, a 3 year old and a 5 year old. Holy bleep! It was crazy all day long. Please tell me that things will get easier as time goes by and just how long would you say it takes for things to settle down. btw, the babies are on pretty much the same sleep schedule, except the length of sleep varies. Any tips on making my days easier? Thanks in advance.

[starz0123]

I couldn't help smiling as I thought about my first day it was a nightmare & a everything I had painstaking cleaned, organized was in the middle of the room. I was exhausted by pick up time & sure nobody would bring their kids back the next day ::

It does get easier just don't expect much this first week or 2. I found those weeks were really about everyone feeling secure, learning to be with different people, making relationships. It was a good time for just being & learning about each other. By week 2 I was slowly implementing small routines (hand washing song, setting table, cleaning up before lunch, quiet time when they woke from nap before their friends etc)

By week 3 I think I stopped looking so dishevelled & probably a good 6 weeks before I had a good routine down pat. I did loads of observations those first few weeks which helped with programming & knowing which equipment was literally a waste of space etc it was about then that I reorganized the play space moved everything out to a storage area, put 2 cube bookcases on their side back to back to create room dividers, created a reading corner, literacy station, home corner, small world area. Now I rotate toys once a week & we have 2 small world's a dinosaur world & a fairy garden

[CraftyMom]

I couldn't help smiling as I thought about my first day it was a nightmare & a everything I had painstaking cleaned, organized was in the middle of the room. I was exhausted by pick up time & sure nobody would bring their kids back the next day ::

It does get easier just don't expect much this first week or 2. I found those weeks were really about everyone feeling secure, learning to be with different people, making relationships. It was a good time for just being & learning about each other. By week 2 I was slowly implementing small routines (hand washing song, setting table, cleaning up before lunch, quiet time when they woke from nap before their friends etc)

By week 3 I think I stopped looking so dishevelled & probably a good 6 weeks before I had a good routine down pat. I did loads of observations those first few weeks which helped with programming & knowing which equipment was literally a waste of space etc it was about then that I reorganized the play space moved everything out to a storage area, put 2 cube bookcases on their side back to back to create room dividers, created a reading corner, literacy station, home corner, small world area. Now I rotate toys once a week & we have 2 small world's a dinosaur world & a fairy garden

It takes time to get things figured out.

Do not have any big expectations of how things should go right away. In time you'll fall into your routine.

Let the first few weeks be your trial and error weeks. Some things that you think may work well may be a flop and that's ok. Live and learn

[AmyKidsCo]

It will get easier.

Take a deep breath, relax, and concentrate on caretaking routines for now. Don't worry about activities or anything, just feeding, diapering and napping is enough for now.

[Butter Biskets]

THANK GOD it isn't me. Holy geez - today was rough! My body is aching and my spotless house is no longer spotless. I attempted to take all these kids to the park and yeah...that won't be happening again for a while, . Thanks for your advice and it is nice to know that it doesn't have to be perfect right off the bat. As for the playroom and toys, I already have plans to eliminate lots of the toys - it was just a chaotic mess and the one 1 year old is a holy terror - into everything. I guess I was expecting it to be easier than it was. To top it off the other one year old was sick with a fever and not feeling well at all, so that didn't help either. I have had her for a few months already so I knew that she was sick and luckily for me I was able to have dcd pick two up early because of it. ::

[Butter Biskets]

btw, one of the parents even commented on how it looked like I had a rough day. . Really? Was it really that obvious?!

[CraftyMom]

The park is what made it hectic for you. Not the best on a first day. Once you get things well established the park will be easier if you decide to go. For now it's just the basics.

[SignMeUp]

btw, one of the parents even commented on how it looked like I had a rough day. . Really? Was it really that obvious?!

:::::: Emphasize the positives with the parents. And the kids
It will all fall into place.
I still warn new parents that I may have a deer-in-the-headlights look the first couple of days with their new baby :: I could hide it when I was younger, but now it seems to show more It just takes a bit to get everyone incorporated in to the 'new' group.

My suggestion (if you choose to accept it : is to implement 'spring training' when you feel ready to leave the yard again. Start by walking to the corner and back. Then around the block. Do that for a while, until you feel like you have your controls in place. (I have macrame rope handles tied onto the sides of my strollers for kids to hold when crossing streets. Or if not compliant or listening to rules.) Once you have everyone listening and aware that streets are for being careful, try the park. (I am assuming that you are walking. But if not, try the same type of thing in your yard: Call each child in turn: Xxxx, where are you? Expect that they respond: Here I am!! It's a game. And it's spring training )

[TickleMonster]

OMG walking to the park on your first day? You were brave hun! I remember my first day. Well technically I had 2 first days. When I started I was just babysitting for a friend of a friend. No plans to make this a business, just needed some extra money to make it through college. So I did not really have a circulium or daily activities but right away I noticed how bored the kids were so I started planning the days out better. It was hard with having my own 3 kids plus 3 more but I found it so rewarding that I decided this would be my business and it has been for 3 years now. My second 1st day I had 5 extra new kids all from different families and I was exhausted! It takes time to "break in" new families and when you are doing 5 new ones at once, it can feel impossible! Just stick to basics. Get to really know the new kids. Sit on the floor and ask them what their fave toys or games are and then just start playing with them with whatever they like. I always make out About Me charts when I have new kids starting and I ask them all their faves, you know foods, colors, Tv characters, books, toys, crafts, ect. I write down whatever answers they give me and then try to have these things available to them if possible. It really makes the kids feel right at home and comfortable. After a week or 2 you can get into a good schedule and start branching out your activities from there. Good luck and remember that a clean house at the end of the day looks nice but sending kids home with big smiles on their faces looks even better!!

[debbiedoeszip]

Every first day on a new job (and this being your first full day makes it a new job) is overwhelming and super tiring. It won't be long until this becomes your "new normal" and it's no longer exhausting.

[Butter Biskets]

Going to the park wasn't what made it so bad. I guess it was just an adjustment. By day three, everything was so much better. Both babies are napping at the same time and for about the same length of time, which is a huge help. I haven't taken them to the park since day one, but they are spending a tonne of time in the backyard and are having a blast. Thanks again for telling me just to go with the flow for the first few weeks. Once I had that in my head, things instantly got easier.

[nannyde]

If you had a kid with a fever you will probably have a house full of sick kids next.

[Butter Biskets]

I just heard from my new family, and yes, the new baby now has a fever of her own. The parents of the original family claimed that the baby just had a fever because she was at the beach all day over the last weekend, but obviously, that isn't what it was. I knew that it had to be something else other than heat stroke or something because the wasn't getting better. On Friday, the mom of the original baby, saw a rash on the babies arm and thought maybe it was a reaction from her immunizations. Idk, but I have made revisions to my sick policy and just have to get them printed up and signed. The thing that gets me is that the dad was just laid off and was home all day, all week, so why didn't he just keep her home with him? Honestly, I know the answer to that, but geez!! I also am just getting my "backbone", but it's not completely fully formed yet.