The Positive Thread

[Cat Herder]

2 more hours and I am off to the bay for two days. Crab claws, shrimp and oysters for me.... Then a walk through the boardwalks. It has been way too long. I love Mobile in the spring. Happy Mardi Gras, Y'all!!!

[e.j.]

Sounds like fun. Have a great time!

[Cat Herder]

GM, If you stay at the Hampton in East Bay/Daphne the bayside king rooms are running $131. The balcony overlooks the bay and one of the best local seafood places is two doors down, Lejeune's Market by the Bay. Two people can't eat $100 worth of seafood there in a weekend. lol! The servin sizes are massive and the staff are just the best, long-term folks. We've been going for 20 years. https://www.hilton.com/en/book/reser...epLinking=true & https://www.facebook.com/LejeunesMar...=page_internal
https://www.al.com/life/2022/01/here...bile-area.html

[GirlMomma]

I just saw this - that is super affordable! DH and I may have to sneak away one year.

[Cat Herder]

We just hit 75 degrees on the playground, no wind at all so it feels HOT. The kids were asking for sprinklers and popsicles. I did not see that coming.

[Annalee]

It is 38 here right now....another cold snap but warmer days are ahead.

[e.j.]

It's 63 degrees and windy here. All the snow is gone except for a few small piles left in shady areas. It was so nice to go outside to play this morning without having to put on snowsuits, boots, hats and mittens! Tomorrow, temperatures are supposed to be in the low 30's with a snowstorm expected for tomorrow night through Friday, leaving us with 8-12 inches of snow. Crazy New England weather!!

Enjoy your 75 degree temps! That sounds heavenly!!

[Blackcat31]

-23F actual temp tonight and we literally have several feet of snow on the ground.
My sidewalk at daycare looks so funny because the snow banks on both sides are atleast 2-3 feet tall. But Farmers Almanac says 25 days until Spring… lol! 😂

[GirlMomma]

I had a lousy week but all my families picked up before 5 today.

🙌🏽

[GirlMomma]

My early kiddo isn’t here this week so I won’t have anyone until about 8ish giving me about 30 mins of peace after DD leaves. 🙌🏽

[Blackcat31]

Happy Monday all! Feeling like it's going to be a great week! Slept great for the first time in a long time so woke up feeling good!
My kiddos all seem to be snippy and unfriendly this morning but they ARE all girls so.... Hopefully they'll all be BFF's by end of day... haha!

Tons of paperwork completed over the last few weeks but still have lots more to do! I hate the first few months of the year.

Hoping everyone has a wonderful start to the week!

[gumdrops]

I decided to take the summer off to work my side business full time! All of my families were able to find back up care and plan to return in the fall. Praying my side business can become my full-time career!

[DaveA]

I decided to take the summer off to work my side business full time! All of my families were able to find back up care and plan to return in the fall. Praying my side business can become my full-time career!

Congratulations! Going full time in my shop was the best professional decision I’ve made. Good luck to you this summer and beyond.

[gumdrops]

Thank you 😊

[Annalee]

My three that will go to school in the Fall were all absent today...got a GOOD glimpse of the future and I LIKED it......forgot how 5 & 6 year old kids can be...especially when you've had them since birth and their families change, too! The others were littles and have their issues but I didn't hear any snarky-smart mouth going on and all were playing well together!

[e.j.]

lol I love my 2 five year olds but when they were both out last week, it was like I had died and gone to heaven! No constant bathroom potty talk, no wrestling, running and rough play, no complaining and whining. It was so quiet and calm all day compared to how my typical days have felt like lately, I could actually feel my entire body relax. I'll miss them when they leave but I love the idea of the quieter, calmer days ahead.

[BaileeB]

Yesterday was my last day before I take a few months off to focus on my family and then remodel part of our house into an actual “classroom” space. I said goodbye to one family (DCG3) last week and I will not be inviting her family back when I reopen. But I was so sad to see my last family go (even though I will be having DCG 15mo back when I reopen). But DCM of the 15 mo brought me a “self care” basket full of candles, bath bombs, lip balm, etc and the sweetest card with a note thanking me for helping their daughter grow and learn while she was with me. When she first came to me 3 months ago she had horrible separation anxiety and was barely walking. When her mom came to get her yesterday she kept running back to me. 🥺 she is the sweetest little thing and her family is so thoughtful and considerate. They have actually appreciated me and it felt so nice to be thanked because I have had a couple of other families who have blatantly been rude and hateful to me and tried to walk all over me. It made me excited and anxious to reopen in a few months and continue doing what I love.

[GirlMomma]

DD2.5 responded very well to potty training this weekend!

And I only have a 4-day week since I am closed on Friday!

HAPPY MONDAY!

[Blackcat31]

32 years ago today I said "I do!" to my high school sweetheart! Just had to share as he is still just as lovely today as a new grandfather as he was a new adult! lol!

[Annalee]

Happy Anniversary!

[Rockgirl]

Happy belated anniversary to you and your husband, BC! We’re right behind you—May 5 is 32 years for us. 😀

[Alwaysgreener]

Happy Anniversary BC

[e.j.]

I noticed that we had low water pressure around midnight last night. Dh and I hopped into his truck to see if we could find a water main break on our road. (It happens here way more frequently than it should!) Sure enough...just past our house. They arrived at 1:30ish this morning to fix it and were still working on it this morning. The water just came back on. Unexpected day off for me! I feel bad for my dc parents who had to scramble for childcare this morning and it'll be an upaid day off for me but still... I've enjoyed the peace and quiet today.

[GirlMomma]

I have 45 minutes before my first kid arrives. Ironically, all three of my tougher children/early arrivals are on vacation this week.

My house is cleaned and the laundry is caught up so I’m washing our winter coats in hopes I can finally pack them up 😂🤞🏼

TGIF 🙏🏽

[GirlMomma]

I had a parent back me up on one of my petty rules today!!!!

I have a kid that has been obsessed with ringing the bell lately. Kid was pouting because I met him at the door and wouldn’t allow him to ring the bell today. Parent asked the kid what was wrong. Kid told her. Then I told the parent the rule. The parent got down to the child’s level and reiterated that we have to follow the rules. Kid wasn’t happy but didn’t throw a fit about it anymore. It made me feel good to be respected.

I am well aware that it’s a silly rule. But if one kids does it, they’ll all want to do it.

[Blackcat31]

I had a parent back me up on one of my petty rules today!!!!

I have a kid that has been obsessed with ringing the bell lately. Kid was pouting because I met him at the door and wouldn’t allow him to ring the bell today. Parent asked the kid what was wrong. Kid told her. Then I told the parent the rule. The parent got down to the child’s level and reiterated that we have to follow the rules. Kid wasn’t happy but didn’t throw a fit about it anymore. It made me feel good to be respected.

I am well aware that it’s a silly rule. But if one kids does it, they’ll all want to do it.

That's awesome!
It's also not a silly rule. It's ridiculous that a child feels they have the right and/or need to ring the door bell. It's unnecessary.
Having a rule such as that is a good rule and one that needs to be followed. There are many times in which we, as providers, have rules that may seem silly to others really arent silly at all....especially in the context of operating a child care business with multiple families/kids.

For example, I open at 7:30 am. I arrive at work at approximately 7:15 to make some coffee, have a few minutes of quiet time and prep for the day's activities. Without fail, I have a parent that shows up at 7:16 and waits in my driveway. They don't come to the door until 7:30 (on the dot) but it drives me insane and makes me feel "pushed".
It's far from relaxing or peaceful to have someone waiting for the clock to click 7:30. I also noticed a trend where the second another parent realizes someone is arrivign early they all start arriving early. It got to the point that I had 3 or 4 families waiting outside in their cars from 7:15-7:30 and it had to stop. I finally told them all to stop arriving until 7:30. Drive around the block, park two blocks away... I don't care just don't make your presence know until 7:30. I told them all if it didn't stop I would start charging for early drop off if I saw their vehicles before I opened.

Some rules only make sense to providers and honestly they don't have to make sense to parents or kids. They just have to follow them.

[GirlMomma]

I’ve had to have the same talk with someone about that, too.

That’s what the parent told the child today - it’s the rule and we have to follow it. I’m glad she backed me up because I planned on having another talk with the child.