How To Get It In In One Short (Long?) Day?

[Missani]

Okay, so I know we work 10-12 hours a day, so how do I have trouble getting everything done? Specifically, it is difficult in the winter.

I live where it's cold, and we are expected to go outside every day. When I asked my licensor what "weather permitting" meant, she said every day that the windchill is above 0. Okay, I LOVE going outside...but it takes a LONG time. So how do I get it all in?

Before winter, we had breakfast, did circle time, art, centers, story circle, free play, lunch, nap, more centers/free play, books, and they went home. I ran a fabulous preschool curriculum with fun activities and had busy, fun days.

Now that it's winter, we have so much less time because going outside takes 1.5 hours. Here is our schedule now:
8:30-10:00 breakfast (I have a late arriver who eats and I'm not going to mess with this-it will correct itself soon)
10:00-10:30 breakfast dishes, diapers, potty
10:30-12:00 outside (25-30 min. outside + dressing/undressing)
12:00 give baby bottle, start lunch (cooked or prepped in am before kids come)
12:30 diapers/lunch prep
1:00 lunch
1:30-3:30 nap
3:30 diapers
4:00 snack
4:30 diapers/clean up
5:00 books
5:15-5:30 organized activity while kids are picked up

We have lost all time to do anything but the basics. I miss running more preschool activities and have two 4 year olds that enjoy it very much. I don't want to skip it all winter, but what do I do? I enjoy being outside, but I feel like it is overtaking my life! How do others do it? I have 6 kids, 4.5 need help getting winter gear on, I have no assistant.

Today was so nice because it is too cold to go outside. I feel so much less stressed and rushed. We had a great morning, I feel like they may have "learned" something, we were busy, we had lunch and nap at a reasonable hour. There has to be a way to do this, and I know you can help!

[cillybean83]

i know what you mean...i'm still trying to understand why my house is messy when all i ever do is clean it

[Blackcat31]

I do the basics/necessities every day but I have learned over the years that curriculum and planned activities need to be split up over the week. I do 3 days minimum of curriculum and if I can fit more in, I do but I only aim for 3...if I try to do it all in one day...it is virtually impossible.

IMHO, I really don't think the preschoolers NEED 5 full days of curriculum....they need time to be just 'plain old kids' and explore and investigate and have fun in unguided activities from their own imaginations...

Our schools only recently (within the last 2 years) went to 5 day a week Kindy. A neighboring school district is still at M-R and another is at half-days only 5 days a week.

[WImom]

Could you do a little bit during that 8:30-10:00 and just not worry about that one child missing it since they are late arriving? Even if it's just 15 minutes? Can you shorten your time outside or is it required to be out that long. We go out only 15 minutes in the winter because otherwise like you I'd be getting behind.

[DCMomOf3]

I will not serve breakfast any later than 8:30 (my contract says 8). We have morning snack just before we go out (9:45ish). Looking at your schedule I would end breakfast and have preschool at 9am, then a snack at 10:00. Could you do that?

[Missani]

I know that a lot of this is because of the breakfast thing, but like I said, I would rather just leave it because it will correct itself. The child that comes late (9:30ish) does not eat breakfast before she comes. When she started, I asked dcm and dcd to have her here by 8:30 if she wanted breakfast. They said that they would try. 8:30 became 8:45, then 9:00, then 9:15-9:30. It hasn't changed with my reminders, and I'm not about to let dcg (who is tiny and underweight) go hungry. Dcd is losing his job at the end of the school year, and I'm sure he will not find another job that allows him to arrive at 10:00 , but if he somehow does, I will address it at that time. Dcm and dcd are a WONDERFUL family to work with, dcg is a great kid, and very soon they will be bringing me 2 FT kids (an infant and current dcg). I do not want to ruffle any feathers about something that shouldn't matter anymore in a matter of months, and so I feed her breakfast.

It is a good idea to do other things while we are waiting for her/she is eating, though. I have thought about that, but it seems like I am "doing breakfast" the whole time. I feed the kids about 8:30, the baby takes longer and eats until 8:45ish. Then I clean up the table and floor because it's a MESS and I don't want late arriving dcg to have to eat in the mess or have it look so bad when her parents come. Then, I do the dishes, etc. If she is still not here, I have tried starting circle time. That turns into a mess, though, because she comes and I try to talk to dcd then have to serve dcg (sometimes heat up food, etc.). Meanwhile the rest of the kids get squirrely, get up, run around, and everything is interrupted. Maybe I should just try not to start with circle time, but then many of our activities use the table and dcg is also eating there. I don't know. I should try it and see how it works. Thanks!

As for curriculum, I agree. 4 year olds don't need 5 full days of preschool, and they need time to be kids. I just don't like having NO time to do anything related to learning. That's what I advertise and I don't want kids to leave for "real preschool" when I know I should be able to do it here. I don't think it has to be "all or nothing," meaning ALL preschool or ALL free-play kid time. There has to be a happy medium...even in the winter.

[daycare]

I have kids that come in for breakfast and then kids that come in after. I only server breakfast at 8:30 and 8:45 is the last time is it served. The kids have until 9am to finish so that class time starts right at 9:15.
If parents bring the child after that, they have to be fed at home. I will unlock the front door and the parents come to the gated daycare area and quietly drop their child off, not distracting or disrupting the rest of the class. When they leave, they know to relock my front door.

If you wait on everyone, you will wait forever and lose out. I have to teach 5 days a week, because otherwise my part timers wont get a chance to learn..

[SandeeAR]

I serve breakfast from 8-8:30.

Could you end breakfast normal and just move snack time up a little? Maybe give this child a little more at snack, like a breakfast bar? Parents don't seem to concerned if the child eats or not, so a breakfast bar is better than nothing. (which is what the parents are doing)

[Abigail]

Can you offer a morning snack? You do have lunch really late and technically you are not feeding the kids breakfast from 8:30-10:00 am. That's a red flag. Yes, be concerned about the girl who doesn't get fed. 1. I would say that you can no longer serve breakfast past 8:30 am. I would move up lunch time an hour and everything else. I would also put circle time in the afternoon because if you can go outside between breakfast and lunch the kids will get out energy and sleep better.

If you don't want to move up lunch and everything an hour or add a morning snack, just tell the parents CHILD cannot eat until lunch is served. It's not a big issue and I know you're excited about getting another full timer with this family. Just don't let your excitement for your future be run by this one family....they're controlling the way you do your business and it's not fair to the other 5/6 kids.

BTW, you have 4.5 kids who need help getting dressed for the winter. A. Have the 1.5 child(ren) assist someone by making a buddy system each day. B. Make sure the wintergear parents give you is simple to for you to use because it's OKAY to ask parents for proper and easy-fitting clothing. It's worth the try.

[Abigail]

This is my schedule.

DAILY SCHEDULE
Welcome to our family child care home! Listed below is what your child will experience during a typical day. My philosophy is to provide a structured setting for children, so they know what to expect and feel secure. Within this structure, I allow for flexibility so that I can better meet the needs and interests of all the children.

MORNING ACTIVITIES

7:30 – 8:00 As children arrive, a variety of activities are available for them to do, such as table toys, blocks, books and story tapes.
8:00 – 8:30 Clean up, prepare and eat breakfast, and clean up again! Each child has an opportunity to help with meal chores such as setting the table or mixing the juice.
8:30 – 9:45 Children have a choice of joining circle time or selecting an activity of their choice. Circle time transitions into a group activity such as painting, water play or cooking.
9:45 – 10:00 Get ready to go outside: bathroom time, change diapers, wash hands.
10:00 – 11:00 Outdoor play – a combination of free play, and group activities such as walks in the neighborhood, a science project such as gardening or an outdoor art project.
11:00 – 11:30 Wash hands. Individual choice – dramatic play, blocks, board games.

LUNCH AND REST

11:30 – 11:40 Clean up for lunch. Wash hands.
11:40 – 12:30 Family style lunch and conversation. Again, each child has an opportunity to help with chores. After lunch, everyone brushes teeth, uses the bathroom or diaper change, washes hands.
12:30 – 12:45 Story time. This is a time to slow down before rest time and enjoy a good book.
12:45 – 2:45 Every one has a rest time. Children who can’t sleep rest quietly on their cots, looking at books for 30-40 minutes before they are allowed to get up and start a quiet activity.
2:45 – 3:00 Children wake up, put away cots, use the bathroom and wash hands.

AFTERNOON ACTIVITIES

3:00 – 3:20 Snack time.
3:20 – 4:30 Active outdoor play. Wash hands.
4:30 – 5:30 Departure time. Children choose activities such as coloring, reading or table toys.

[Missani]

If it helps, I do NOT usually feed the children lunch at 1:00. We normally eat between 11:40 and noon. It's only when trying to get outside that we eat late. We have to in order to get outside. I am required BY LAW to take them out EVERY single day the windchill is above 0-it is not a choice. Since it gets dark early in the winter, the only time I can take them out is in the morning.

[Abigail]

It should only take 30-45 minutes total to prepare, serve, and clean up breakfast. So after breakfast go into free choice play as they leave the table use the bathrooms and once you're done cleaning up and they're taking turns using the bathroom then you begin to dress them up using the buddy system to go outside for half hour. Do diaper changes once you get inside. This is only about 2 hours after all the kids arrive anyways so it's okay to wait to change diapers until 10 am when you're back inside. Hope something works out for you.

[Rachel]

Could you give her a snack instead of breakfast? If you normally serve lunch at 11:40 how about giving her something like a muffin and a banana to tide her over?

Can you go out at 9:00 and meet dcd outside and bring the kids in at 9:30, and then give dcg her snack (get her undressed first), and then while undressing the others she is eating, then do circle time after that?

[DBug]

I have 4 or 5 toddlers and 1 or 2 preschoolers to get dressed in full winter gear. Here's how we do it:

6-7:45 - breakfast
8:00 - potty/diapers
8:15 - get dressed for outdoors
8:30 - leave for bus
8:45 - return and play outside
9:15 - back inside, undress, diapers/potty
9:45 - am snack
10:00 - free play
10:15 - diapers/potty
10:30 - circle time
11:00 - craft time
11:30 - start prepping lunch/ free play for kids
11:45 - lunch

I would suggest taking the kids out earlier in the morning, and then feeding your late breakfast arrival at snack time. Maybe you could make the snack a hot one and make sure she gets extra so that it makes up for missing breakfast.

For getting the kids ready to go outside, I'd consider the amount of time you take getting them ready as learning time too -- they're learning how to dress themselves. I schedule an hour to be outside but only a portion of that ends up being outdoor time (probably 15 - 20 minutes all told). The rest is dressing time, which I think is fine since they're learning valuable skills. Of course, the big question is, are you required to be outside for a specific length of time?

Also, on a practical side, I dress one toddler at a time, in my lap. It takes about 2.5 to 3 minutes to completely dress a kid in winter gear (coat, snowpants, boots, hat, mitts, scarf) and then they sit by the door and wait for the others. If they're getting themselves dressed, it takes longer of course. So, if you do have to spend a specific amount of time outside, you could just do all of the dressing for them (that's what I do when we're rushing for the bus ).

[littlemonkeys]

DAILY SCHEDULE
Welcome to our family child care home! Listed below is what your child will experience during a typical day. My philosophy is to provide a structured setting for children, so they know what to expect and feel secure. Within this structure, I allow for flexibility so that I can better meet the needs and interests of all the children.

MORNING ACTIVITIES

7:30 – 8:00 As children arrive, a variety of activities are available for them to do, such as table toys, blocks, books and story tapes.
8:00 – 8:30 Clean up, prepare and eat breakfast, and clean up again! Each child has an opportunity to help with meal chores such as setting the table or mixing the juice.
8:30 – 9:45 Children have a choice of joining circle time or selecting an activity of their choice. Circle time transitions into a group activity such as painting, water play or cooking.
9:45 – 10:00 Get ready to go outside: bathroom time, change diapers, wash hands.
10:00 – 11:00 Outdoor play – a combination of free play, and group activities such as walks in the neighborhood, a science project such as gardening or an outdoor art project.
11:00 – 11:30 Wash hands. Individual choice – dramatic play, blocks, board games.

LUNCH AND REST

11:30 – 11:40 Clean up for lunch. Wash hands.
11:40 – 12:30 Family style lunch and conversation. Again, each child has an opportunity to help with chores. After lunch, everyone brushes teeth, uses the bathroom or diaper change, washes hands.
12:30 – 12:45 Story time. This is a time to slow down before rest time and enjoy a good book.
12:45 – 2:45 Every one has a rest time. Children who can’t sleep rest quietly on their cots, looking at books for 30-40 minutes before they are allowed to get up and start a quiet activity.
2:45 – 3:00 Children wake up, put away cots, use the bathroom and wash hands.

AFTERNOON ACTIVITIES

3:00 – 3:20 Snack time.
3:20 – 4:30 Active outdoor play. Wash hands.
4:30 – 5:30 Departure time. Children choose activities such as coloring, reading or table toys.

Your schedule looks structured and very organized!