Entertainment Specialist

[morgan24]

I don't entertain either but I will move in and out of their play. If they are having a tea party I will join for a little bit or I'll build with the blocks with them. I also do my paperwork, laundry, cook, clean sometimes they will help a little. I agree they need to see these things being done.

I volunteer at the school when I have the day off. I'm usually in the lower classes. Their are so many kids that can not do simple tasks for themselves or when they are doing centers they haven't a clue how to get started. The one class has 4 of my former dcks and when it's time to move on to the next thing they all do it smoothly and when it's time to get ready to go home they can pack their bags and put coats and boots on with out being directed. Most of the class needs help. We work on being able to do things for themselves from the time they start with me.

[PitterPatter]

I do play with my DCKs. Not all day but I do interact with them a lot. Circle time I do the exercises right along with them. We learn a new song and steps every month and we usually make up the steps together. Music, same thing I use the rhythm sticks with them to teach dif beats and such. Blocks I play along to teach how to build and steady them for height. Even the cars I play with them showing how to build ramps and roadways set up stop signs etc. They love it when they are traveling down the road and I bring in the fire truck and sound the siren telling them to pull over. Sandbox teaching them the dif between wet and dry sand so they can build better and sift better. Even when I had older kids I helped with hopscotch and turning the jump rope etc. I don't think there is an activity where I haven't participated in. Back when I only had 1 kid in care he would have been bored to death had I not sat and played with him. Also I am a single Mom to an only child so if it wasn't for me getting on the floor and playing with him in his early years he wouldn't have had much fun or interaction.

I too do the food program, that takes me 5 minutes to do online. I do that and most of the cleaning, toy swaping, fixing etc all when the kids are gone. I will spot clean if a spill occurs and do lunch dishes when kids nap but other than that the big stuff like sweep and mop, dust, and vaccume all wait until evening. I guess that's why I am always so late to bed.

As for doing my own things during daycare time, I was actually told by the state monitor that my crocheting while children are in care would be frowned upon if I was actually caught doing it during daycare hours. He saw it laying on the couch when he came in. I explained I only do it while napping or after hours. He said they are "paying me to provide quality child care not knit blankets". It was CROCHET! I wanted to correct him just to be smart.