Is this Chaos Normal?? Should I Downsize??

[My4SunshineGirlsNY]

I just started my daycare a few months ago...I have 4 of my own children (all girls, ages 12, 10, 6, and almost 4) and all my slots are full. I take in mostly school age children and have a 2 year old and a 17 month old during the day. Lately I'm feeling like I may have taken too much for what I can handle.

I have crafts I get out for the school kids after school, or I make them do homework if there is any to be done.

But some days when I have parents pick up it seems like total chaos and I feel they are thinking secretly that I have way too much to handle.

So I was just wondering if your daycare gets crazy at times or am I doing something wrong...or maybe I just need to downsize a bit??

Yesterday I had a parent picking up her 2 year old and my almost 4 year old decided to be mischevious and wouldn't listen, then I had a lot of the older kids trying to talk to me, and the 17 month old was super tired and crying...and I was just learning that my 6 year old was running a 102F fever and wanted it quiet but everyone was being so loud despite me trying to calm them down. It was rather interesting and I just wanted to crawl in a hole. It's not always like this but there are several times it does get like this.

[My4SunshineGirlsNY]

Anyone??? Do you find it crazy at times?

[AmandasFCC]

In my experience, totally normal. As soon as another adult is around - parents picking up, or worse, a prospective family coming to check things out - the kids get nutty. It's like they know exactly how to make me look bad, and go all out at it.

All you can do is grin and bear it. I've found most of the prospective parents understand the child's mentality there, and I tend to consider it great if a parent picking up their child sees how badly behaved their children can be. It makes me NOT a liar.

For me the absolute worst time of day is snacks. They all want something from me at the same time and none of them want to wait. Typical. What do I do? Go around the table, one at a time, and basically "take their order". I've learned not to sit down at all because as soon as I do, someone wants something.

You've just started in the last few months? Me too. I've always found the first couple weeks with a new kid is a nightmare. It's like starting over again from the beginning (with all of them, not just the one). As soon as the new kids learn the routine, and the old ones realize that new kid isn't going to turn the whole place upside-down, things settle down.

I know out here it's required that kids have 2 hours of active play. Mine are outside twice a day for an hour (unless of course the weather completely makes that impossible), otherwise they have active play inside where I let them just have at it and eliminate all that pent-up energy. I've found that works wonders for behaviours too.

[judytrickett]

Periods of chaos are normal. Somedays are easy and blissful and others are just crazy. Same group of kids, different day. It's just the way it is.

As for downsizing??? I always say that only YOU can know what YOU can handle. It's a personal decision.

[sarahtheresa02]

Crazy is normal yes! I used to feel like I had taken on too much... and it was always within in hour or so of parent pick up.

I decided to adjust our schedule to see if that would help.

We used to have movie time just before lunch (to keep the kids busy while I make it). Instead now I give them a stack of books. They can't read but they love to pretend they can. Then after lunch/nap they are outside for an hour. They come in and its a zoo!

About 20-30 minutes before parents start to arrive I start a movie that the majority enjoy. Most of them are engrossed in the movie by the time parents start to arrive and they arent all running around crazy. It doesnt work for all the kids but it makes pick up time less stressful for everyone.

[Unregistered]

When I first started daycare (7 years ago), the first six months were just awful. It was total chaos. I even doubted the fact that I quit a great paying "career" to do this. Now, seven years later, I wouldn't have traded it for anything in the world. You have 4 kids of your own, and the valuable time you are spending with them can't be measured. Hang in there, it does get much, much, better. What I do now, is at 4:00, all toys get cleaned up and put away. The last hour of the day is spend, calming down, either reading a book, or watching tv quietly. If I leave all the toys out till the last minute, I find it gets very chaotic, because the kids don't want to go home when their parents get here. Then they run away and get the other kids all worked up.

[SimpleMom]

Yes, crazy times are certainly part of it. I notice that it's right after coming inside, sometimes getting ready to go outside, after or right before lunch, and parent pick-up/drop-off times, or whenever another adult is here.

I have found that finding a fun activity that is only taken out during those times work great. For my group, a different type of block, puzzles, coloring, or water colors each week is taken out at pick-up time and that has worked great.

I did downsize this Fall (because I am pregnant and know my energy limits will not exceed 6 children at one time) and it helped me out a lot, but it's a personal choice that only you can know. You may want to try transition activities first.

Good luck!!

[mrs.meg]

It gets chaotic here at times, but not every day. The kids know that I expect them to behave and they are not allowed to act like wild animals when they are in the house. When you have a bunch of kids around, you have to be in charge or they tend to take over like a bunch of cats or something! Also if you are spending lots of time entertaining them yourself, then you are going to have it much harder. When all the kids are out of school, like now for fall break, I have 6 here. They play really well together and are so fun to watch! They have music time and the 9 and 7 year old play school with them, they really use their imaginations. They also do better when we stick to a routine. I don't let them watch tv but a little while in the morning, that way if it is not pretty outside and we have to stay in the house, they watch something while we are waiting on their parents. Most of the time, we go outside and wait, but no every day.

[jen]

Crazy is normal! Only you know if it is a bit crazy versus out of control...out of control isn't good. I like to think of it as controlled chaos. I have found that there are two very important factors that go in to making the day run smoothly...

1. Ya gotta be reasonably organized
2. Flexibility

LOL! Seriously, its a fine line!

Oh, and if I were to pick a 3rd...when you make a rule make sure you stick to it!

[My4SunshineGirlsNY]

Thanks ladies...I'm glad this is normal for some because I was beginning to wonder if this is how it is at other daycares. I'm pretty easy going and let the kids be kids and I think that was working against me.

The past few days I have been much more strict and it seems to be a lot less chaotic...I don't want the kids to go home and say "she's mean" but wow, I need control. I guess I just need to adjust and realize I can't always be the "nice girl".

[sarahtheresa02]

Trust me... the kids won't think you are mean. Just stick to your guns. Kids behave better in a structured environment. They know what is expected of them and they actually appreciate it. Of course they won't tell you that but you will see by the way they act and treat you in return.

I am very strict... our schedule is set and we very rarely divert from it. The kids know what comes next in our day. When I need to discipline its short and sweet and we move on. My parents tell me the kids get excited in the morning knowing they are coming to my house and they are reluctant to leave in the evening.

Good job for switching it up! It will all work out.

[AmandasFCC]

Trust me... the kids won't think you are mean. Just stick to your guns. Kids behave better in a structured environment. They know what is expected of them and they actually appreciate it. Of course they won't tell you that but you will see by the way they act and treat you in return.

I am very strict... our schedule is set and we very rarely divert from it. The kids know what comes next in our day. When I need to discipline its short and sweet and we move on. My parents tell me the kids get excited in the morning knowing they are coming to my house and they are reluctant to leave in the evening.

Good job for switching it up! It will all work out.

Good point, Sarah. I've always felt like I'm mean to the kids, but a support worker I have tells me I'm actually pretty easy on them LOL. One kid that I've had problems on and off with, I was pretty sure he hated coming to my house. Well, last week his Mom said to me, "**** said to me this morning, I really like Amanda" and I almost cried on the spot LOL. The structure truly does pay off.