Provider Fatigue

[Annalee]

Had a text from a provider this morning with a question...so I called her to clarify her question. While I was giving her info, she started crying uncontrollably.... I said "xxxx, are you ok"....she said..."no, I'm just so over this year....". She has only been in business a couple years, but I assured her that her feelings were normal and even us old-timers were dealing with provider-fatigue as well due to crazy issues this year.

Point being....it's hard to hang on. I think I have said before on this board that daycare has always been something i could control amidst this crazy life, but this year has so many variables, some of us are barely hanging on. There are those in so much worse shape.....I felt guilty after I got off the phone as I do have a large family, most are healthy, I do have vacation coming up (she doesn't, still new in the business), I do have many, many blessings.

Just needed to get this out! :hug:

[Alwaysgreener]

Had a text from a provider this morning with a question...so I called her to clarify her question. While I was giving her info, she started crying uncontrollably.... I said "xxxx, are you ok"....she said..."no, I'm just so over this year....". She has only been in business a couple years, but I assured her that her feelings were normal and even us old-timers were dealing with provider-fatigue as well due to crazy issues this year.

Point being....it's hard to hang on. I think I have said before on this board that daycare has always been something i could control amidst this crazy life, but this year has so many variables, some of us are barely hanging on. There are those in so much worse shape.....I felt guilty after I got off the phone as I do have a large family, most are healthy, I do have vacation coming up (she doesn't, still new in the business), I do have many, many blessings.

Just needed to get this out! :hug:

Yep, I got it. I missed my vacation during the spring lockdown. There was no point keeping the time off when we could not go anywhere.

So when my next planned break rolled around, it was so overdue that I had to take another one the next month and the following, I took a long weekend.

Honestly, If I did not love my T/Th family, I would have just quit.

[Unregistered]

Logged out for privacy.

I so feel this!

I also feel like this time of year is harder for me. For some reason, I feel like parents are more difficult to deal with, the kids are more difficult, I have very little patience, etc.

For me, I think this pandemic has shown (even more) which parents appreciate and respect us, and which ones don't. I've learned over the years I've been doing daycare, that the majority of parents don't care about their providers or how anything affects them - it's all about the parents and how inconvenient things are for THEM, and how can we help THEM.

I had a dcm slip up last week and say that her oldest child had been home from school all week because of a fever, a place where another dcm works had 5 positive cases and she never told me, etc. It's been so frustrating for me and I'm just over it.

The daycare world is hard in general IMO. It's a very unappreciative and thankless job.

Counting down the days to Christmas break.

[Annalee]

:hug:to everyone!

I have found myself at times 'wanting to cry out of nowhere' or 'laugh uncontrollably' or even 'angry and unkind to those around me'. My church friend told me that was 'depression' which, if anyone knew me, would know I'm usually the one saying "pick it up, and let's move on and quit whining"....but this year has pushed my limits.

[Cat Herder]

I have been self-medicating with carbs.

So.

Many.

Carbs.

[Gemma]

Had a text from a provider this morning with a question...so I called her to clarify her question. While I was giving her info, she started crying uncontrollably.... I said "xxxx, are you ok"....she said..."no, I'm just so over this year....". She has only been in business a couple years, but I assured her that her feelings were normal and even us old-timers were dealing with provider-fatigue as well due to crazy issues this year.

Point being....it's hard to hang on. I think I have said before on this board that daycare has always been something i could control amidst this crazy life, but this year has so many variables, some of us are barely hanging on. There are those in so much worse shape.....I felt guilty after I got off the phone as I do have a large family, most are healthy, I do have vacation coming up (she doesn't, still new in the business), I do have many, many blessings.

Just needed to get this out! :hug:

I find it so uplifting whenever I read notes of gratitude, I wish we had a "Gratitude Thread"
As for your friend, does she know about this board? I know I would not have lasted this long if it wasn't for the knowledge and support I received over time, on this Forum

[Annalee]

I have been self-medicating with carbs.

So.

Many.

Carbs.

Me, too! Weigh more now than I EVER HAVE. I stayed at 125 for years....now pushing 140....well 139 but who's couting...

[Cat Herder]

Me, too! Weigh more now than I EVER HAVE. I stayed at 125 for years....now pushing 140....well 139 but who's couting...

:::::::hug:

Same. 140. The weight I was when I gave birth. I have got to do something about it, but I just don't want to.

I go for insurance labs in February. I have to get off my rear and put down the garlic bread. It is out of control. 125 is where my doc wants me, and is usually pretty easy for me, but not this year.

[Annalee]

:::::::hug:

Same. 140. The weight I was when I gave birth. I have got to do something about it, but I just don't want to.

I go for insurance labs in February. I have to get off my rear and put down the garlic bread. It is out of control. 125 is where my doc wants me, and is usually pretty easy for me, but not this year.

Hang in there:hug:

[Cat Herder]

Hang in there:hug:

I will. Thanks! I've pulled the stupid recumbent bike and meal replacement shakes back out for use during naptimes (my worst binging).

My husband rolled his eyes because he knows what that means. :: He will also be back up at 430 am to go to the track with me in the mornings, again. We got out of the habit after the power outages and storm flooding. He has been complaining because he matched me two to one in weight gain this year. ::::

We will get it back on track, together.

[Annalee]

I will. Thanks! I've pulled the stupid recumbent bike and meal replacement shakes back out for use during naptimes (my worst binging).

My husband rolled his eyes because he knows what that means. :: He will also be back up at 430 am to go to the track with me in the mornings, again. We got out of the habit after the power outages and storm flooding. He has been complaining because he matched me two to one in weight gain this year. ::::

We will get it back on track, together.

I like to walk outside. I have a treadmill inside but nothing like clearing the head outside BUT I've been doing neither::

[Blackcat31]

I have been self-medicating with carbs.

So.

Many.

Carbs.

I am laughing out loud at this ......as I fill my face with cheesy risotto and spiced apple pork tenderloin

[Cat Herder]

I am laughing out loud at this ......as I fill my face with cheesy risotto and spiced apple pork tenderloin

I say it is a healthy coping strategy. I know I am wrong, but that is what I am going with this year, so far. ::::::

[Annalee]

There's a great steak place in town and when we get carry out, I tell them to give me half loaf of their baked bread with all that good butter they put on it.....they know me as the bread lady now! ::

[Valerie928]

I have been self-medicating with carbs.

So.

Many.

Carbs.

Same here. Not only self medicating but possible overdoses have occurred. I've put on 10 pounds. But, there's always time to look ahead to the new year and make diet and exercise my resolution.