Do You Ever Do Yard Work

[SilverSabre25]

I find that when we are outside it's better if I just step back a bit and let the kids be kids. So sometimes I pull weeds, sometimes I rake, sometimes they like to help with these chores too so I let them. Sometimes I just like to watch them play or I read a book. But I'm always listening to them even when they think I'm not.

I love the reaction you get when you hear them plotting something they can't/shouldn't do and you let out a, "NO" or "I don't THINK so" or "No, A, give it back to B, he had it first!"

[Meyou]

I bought all the kids little garden gloves from the dollar store and let them help.

[PitterPatter]

while the kids play outside?

Today we went outside and the kids were SO occupied. That I just began raking. They were right there and we were talking the entire time - but I got a LOT of raking done and I was very proud of myself.

But then I started to worry that my dc parents are going to arrive and see my nice lawn and be unhappy with the fact that I was doing yard work while watching their kids.

I'd love your thoughts on it.

It depends on whaty the kids are doing. If they are on the swings I usually stand and push them because they are all toddlers and don't get the 'pump' yet. Sandbox I try not to turn away as it only takes a second to get into a sand fight.

If they are playing with water squirters, chalk, or riding around on the ride ons or picking flowers (dandelions and the lil purple flowers that drow up everywhere) etc then I might pull the weeds from the flower bed and things like that.

I do the same though, worry the parents will show up and say something like "i'm not paying u to weed your garden" I can really see a past client saying something like that!

[DancingQueen]

I had someone (not a client, but a friend) say to me once.. "you cleaned your kitchen?" I said "yes - it was dirty"
She said "but they are paying you to watch their kids and play with them and take care of them, not to do your chores"
Ever since then I wonder if parents are thinking the same thing.

I will admit this is why I do not do any laundry at all and I don't do any major cleaning at all during the daycare day - just picking up etc..

[thecrazyisout]

I had someone (not a client, but a friend) say to me once.. "you cleaned your kitchen?" I said "yes - it was dirty"
She said "but they are paying you to watch their kids and play with them and take care of them, not to do your chores"
Ever since then I wonder if parents are thinking the same thing.

I will admit this is why I do not do any laundry at all and I don't do any major cleaning at all during the daycare day - just picking up etc..

I will do yard work if the kids are occupied and are having a good time outside (which is every time we are out!), AND I will pick up and clean the floors and etc etc....I think it is important to play with the kids too, which I do and we have a scheduled day, but at the same time, if a floor is dirty, and you have a child crawling around, you need to clean it....I would hope a parent would appreciate that as well. But, who knows what they are thinking. In addition, if we are inside, I will put my little ones up off the floor and clean while they are doing an activity with play dough, or a musical toy. This gives them some structured play while you can get this done....

My house is not tidy, but I hope it is clean when a parent comes home. There are dishes in the sink at times, but I try to make sure the dishwasher is unloaded by the morning so I have somewhere to put those immediately after use (cooking pots and so forth), I am by no means perfect, but I just tried to be prepared to have my day go more smoothly...now that we are outside more, I am hoping the dirty floor thing won't be as big of an issue!

[Unregistered]

I wash sheets every week (pulled off beds prior to daycare start in am). When kids are napping I put them back on the beds. I wipe dirty windows/sliding door while kids are playing about 1-2x a week (takes 5 min max) and I always put away/fill dishwasher while kids are eating lunch or playing. I vac with a hand held vac after every meal (the kids are used to waiting for their friends to finish). This takes about 1 min total and I swiffer every other day after lunch- kids are reading a quiet book and settling onto their mats. I clean my bathroom 1x a week while kids are sleeping and may deep clean some toys or one area of the house while they are napping. I do not feel bad. I would however if my house was as messy as it would be if none of that got done during the day.

Only occassionally do I do outdoor chores like the ones the others listed- MOstly because I have babies/toddlers and have to watch every second what they are mouthing.

[PitterPatter]

I had someone (not a client, but a friend) say to me once.. "you cleaned your kitchen?" I said "yes - it was dirty"
She said "but they are paying you to watch their kids and play with them and take care of them, not to do your chores"
Ever since then I wonder if parents are thinking the same thing.

I will admit this is why I do not do any laundry at all and I don't do any major cleaning at all during the daycare day - just picking up etc..

Good for u cleaning your kitchen! I like a neat tidy kitchen with counters all wiped down etc. I would think parents would appreciate that as well. I always make sure the dishes are all done and counters cleaned and the floor clean at least! If I can't sneak it in after circle time I get it done while they are napping. What are we supposed to do watch them drool as they sleep or count the nummber of times the roll over? Goodness!

[PitterPatter]

I will do yard work if the kids are occupied and are having a good time outside (which is every time we are out!), AND I will pick up and clean the floors and etc etc....I think it is important to play with the kids too, which I do and we have a scheduled day, but at the same time, if a floor is dirty, and you have a child crawling around, you need to clean it....I would hope a parent would appreciate that as well. But, who knows what they are thinking. In addition, if we are inside, I will put my little ones up off the floor and clean while they are doing an activity with play dough, or a musical toy. This gives them some structured play while you can get this done....

My house is not tidy, but I hope it is clean when a parent comes home. There are dishes in the sink at times, but I try to make sure the dishwasher is unloaded by the morning so I have somewhere to put those immediately after use (cooking pots and so forth), I am by no means perfect, but I just tried to be prepared to have my day go more smoothly...now that we are outside more, I am hoping the dirty floor thing won't be as big of an issue!

Thecrazyisout LOL great name!!!

I am super jealous of those of u with a dishwasher! I could never afford 1 and now that I can I don't have room for it. Figures

[kidkair]

I work on the yard too, but I stick to hand tools and brooms when out there without my husband. Here's why: I was moving dirt from one part of the yard to another and the kids were playing nicely about 20 feet away from the path I was taking to get between the two spots. Then one decided to get a better look and was next to me asking me questions. So I'm talking and digging and then I lifted the shovel to carry the dirt and he ran around behind me so fast that I couldn't get the shovel down fast enough. He ran head first into the shovel and got a deep gash between his eyes. He had to get stitches and all was fine but I learned that I can't trust the kids to stay put even when I tell them too. My exception is when I'm moving snow in the winter. Then I am very very careful to move slow and repeatedly warn the kids to stay back.

[JenNJ]

I did it today. I pulled weeds, raked, and even overseeded the moat walked area of my yard while the kids played. I also turned over the soil in the veggie garden to help get it ready for planting.

[jen2651]

Thank you - this makes me feel a lot better.
We had an incredibly horrible winter. So bad in fact that we were housebound almost the entire winter. It has been horrible. Then we had some nice days but my deck collapsed with the weight of the snow so my backyard was unsafe. We spent the last two weekends going to town on the backyard to get it to the point where it was safe for them to play even if it was still a mess. And today is the first day so we were outside from 9-10:45 and will go outside again right after naps. I just can't wait.
They are happy - I am happy and I was really starting to think I hated my job when in reality I just hate my job when I'm stuck in doors LOL

My yard is filthy - by that I just mean a lot of toys need to be hosed down, leaves everywhere, chairs strewn about rakes shovels, etc... all over. and old leaves and dead grass everywhere. Along with even some litter thanks to my 14 year old who doesn't know how to pick up after herself.

So this morning I raked and organized and stacked chairs and raked some more and picked up litter and fixed some fencing, fixed my broken hose nozzle and much more.

I'm so happy I could burst.


Did I mention it is going to rain starting tonight for about 24 straight hours <banging head against wall>

are you from mn too?!

[melissa ann]

I also do yard work. Sometimes the kids will even help. I will rake leaves, pull weeds and when it's time for the garden, pull the fruit/vegs. The kids ususally play well outside so I don't have to stand over top of them and watch them.

[dEHmom]

Thecrazyisout LOL great name!!!

I am super jealous of those of u with a dishwasher! I could never afford 1 and now that I can I don't have room for it. Figures

same here!

[Country Kids]

same here!

Me too! I want one so bad and have forever! With four of my own children and then with daycare we generate alot of dishes to wash. I do alot of paper plates during the day for the daycare.

My house is neat and tidy in the mornings but by pick up time it looks as if children were taken care of instead of the house. I have apologized to the parents about it and they would rather have a messy house in the afternoon and know that I was busy with their children. When they nap I don't do my kitchen because it is right next to the schoolroom and I'm afraid the banging and clanging will wake them up.

I have also had daycare parents ask me if I clean the house while the children are here. That was a first for me and I took it as I would rather see your house messy than clean when I arrive. I was right on the money with that one. If they see painted pictures drying on the counters, paint brushes and pots in the sink they can see we were busy with painting. The list couldn go on but they would rather see what they child did all day than a sparkling clean house.

I do very light yard work outside with them. Maybe weeding the flower beds or something like that. Usually someone wants pushed on the swing, help going up to the slide and down, or something like that. I love when they open play and watch their little faces as they explore something new. Bubble blowing is the best, to watch them chase them and when they actually catch them and the squells that follow.

[SilverSabre25]

same here!

I would NOT be able to survive without my dishwasher. I hate washing dishes by hand.