Have you seen those nanny shows on tv? You know the ones, Nanny 911 and Super Nanny? I find them a hoot. Every time I watch them I can't believe that intelligent people let the whole country, even the whole world, see that they're totally incompetent parents. I can't believe the level of child spoiling there is out there. I see this in day care, too. Parents who are total wimps, weaklings and wussies with their kids. Parents who actually appear to be scared of their kids. It's sickening.
Even before the nanny shows debuted, there were plenty of examples of baby whipped parents on tv. Several years ago there was a spate of "I'm Scared of My Child" episodes on Maury Povich's talk show. They were shocking. There were kids as young as seven literally ruling their homes, hitting their parents to keep them in line and throwing outrageous tantrums to get their way. But what was really disgusting were the parents, all mothers, crying helplessly and pleading with their super brats to behave. YOU DON'T ASK CHILDREN TO BEHAVE, YOU REQUIRE IT!!!! I couldn't understand why those moms didn't get it. But there was more.
Another Maury Povich show discussed obese children. There was a 4-year-old boy who was extremely overweight, and guess what his parents said? If they tried to limit the amount of food the child ate he would throw a tantrum, so they let the kid stuff himself. I was dumbfounded. Those parents were risking their child's health, even his life, because they didn't want to deal with his tantrums! And sadly, they weren't the only parents doing that. The father of a 100 pound 2-year-old let his daughter eat an entire package of hot dogs for lunch because, he claimed, he loved her too much to say no. So another child's health was put at risk by a "loving" parent. And the sad parade of parental incompetence didn't stop with Maury Povich's show.
On an episode of 20/20 a mom let her preschooler make a total ass of her. The family was about to leave home for the day when the child insisted she had to have a stuffed animal on the way to day care. The mom got out of the car, went back into the house, and got a toy. The child whined that it wasn't the right one and the mom went back to get another toy. That one wasn't right, either. Back and forth the mom went for what seemed like forever. It never occurred to this supposedly intelligent woman to tell her daughter no and then let her scream all the way to day care. My mom, and most moms of her generation, would've had no problem doing that. But today's parents act like not giving in to their kids' every demand is a crime. How did we come to this?
I think the astronomical increase in two income families is largely to blame. Most working parents feel a great deal of guilt over leaving their kids in the care of substitutes. They try to assuage that guilt by spending "quality" time with their kids, meaning the little darlings are horribly indulged so they'll like mom and dad. Too, showering their children with everything they ask for, and even things they don't, helps working parents justify their employment--they "have" to get so much for the kids! So parents indulge the children to assuage their guilt, thus making the kids ever more demanding, which leads to more indulging, this time to keep the kids quiet. It becomes a viscious cycle. But there's more.
Many parents today are uncomfortable being the boss in their family. The collaspe of traditional values in America has led to a disrespect for parental authority, even among parents. Many of them now are indecently willing to give up a large chunk of their authority over their kids in exchange for less responsibility, responsibility which is then transferred to day care centers and schools. Combine this parental abdication with the current obsession with children's self-esteem and "positive" discipline and you have the perfect spoiled brat recipe.
How do we get out of this mess? Return to traditional values! As I stated above, parents of my mom's generation had no problem telling their kids no. They and their children knew who was in charge (hint: it wasn't the kids). Today's parents need to get the same confidence in their authority. It's a vital prerequisite to teaching children character. If kids learn good character in childhood they'll be blessings to society as adults. It is parents' job to make sure that happens. It's a daunting task; no wimps, weaklings, or wussies allowed!
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
Vacation!
I'm on vacation!!!!! I love my babies and I miss them very much, but I'm enjoying my vacation A LOT!!!!! I did go to Kiddieland yesterday to leave instructions for my substitutes and to drop off the laundry I'd done for the babies. The washer and dryer at work are broken; in fact, they've been broken for at least 6 weeks. Rather than depend on my boss to wash the babies' laundry at her house I choose to do it myself. That way I know it'll get back to work when the babies' need it. Anyway, I took the babies' things to them and spent more time there than I'd planned.
Jessa was really happy to see me. Her face lit up when I walked into the room and she crawled to me as fast as she could. I picked her up and she laid her head on my shoulder, her way of showing affection. That made me feel so good.
The boys were a different story. Gregory was sleep and Riley was chilling in the swing. That left Arnie to pay me some attention but he was more interested in getting Jessa to play with him. I'm not that close to Arnie. I thought he was very homely when I first met him and his personality is a lot like Eeyore's. Plus, he makes nap time a nightmare. Still, Arnie and I are slowly forming a bond. He likes to sit with me and watch the mobile hanging over the rocking chair, and I'm learning different ways to make him laugh. Hopefully we can get as close as I am with the others, but you don't always click with every baby you have.
After I left my room I went to the 2's class to take some pictures of Emma, who used to be in my class. I wound up taking pictures of all four kids who were there at the time. It was more work than I imagined. Getting the kids to stay seated, smile, and hold the props the way I wanted took some effort. I have a new appreciation for child photographers!
After more than an hour I finally left Kiddieland and enjoyed a day of relaxing driving, tv watching, blogging and internet surfing. That's what I plan to do all week. Ahhhhh!!!
Jessa was really happy to see me. Her face lit up when I walked into the room and she crawled to me as fast as she could. I picked her up and she laid her head on my shoulder, her way of showing affection. That made me feel so good.
The boys were a different story. Gregory was sleep and Riley was chilling in the swing. That left Arnie to pay me some attention but he was more interested in getting Jessa to play with him. I'm not that close to Arnie. I thought he was very homely when I first met him and his personality is a lot like Eeyore's. Plus, he makes nap time a nightmare. Still, Arnie and I are slowly forming a bond. He likes to sit with me and watch the mobile hanging over the rocking chair, and I'm learning different ways to make him laugh. Hopefully we can get as close as I am with the others, but you don't always click with every baby you have.
After I left my room I went to the 2's class to take some pictures of Emma, who used to be in my class. I wound up taking pictures of all four kids who were there at the time. It was more work than I imagined. Getting the kids to stay seated, smile, and hold the props the way I wanted took some effort. I have a new appreciation for child photographers!
After more than an hour I finally left Kiddieland and enjoyed a day of relaxing driving, tv watching, blogging and internet surfing. That's what I plan to do all week. Ahhhhh!!!
Saturday, June 23, 2007
To Spank Or Not To Spank
While surfing blogs on BlogExplosion a few days ago I came across an anti-spanking blog. I briefly perused the site and thought it a little emotional. I prepared to leave a comment when I noticed a message from the blog's author that comments would no longer be allowed on her site because of unpleasant comments left by spankers who "tend to be an angry lot". I completely lost interest in the blog when I read that. To accuse parents and other adults who spank children of being somehow abnormally angry was a symptom of the self-righteousness that I often see from anti-spankers.
As you can probably guess, I'm pro-spanking, i.e., I believe that parents who want to spank their kids should be allowed to without judgment and certainly without interference from the law. Kiddieland, like most day care centers, doesn't allow spanking--or any real discipline, as far as I'm concerned--but I think that if a day care center wants to allow physical punishment with parental permission, it should be allowed to. I think that may actually be the law in Texas.
I know I probably ticked off half the universe with the above statements. People, especially the anti-spankers, can get really emotional on this issue. So let me explain why I believe that spanking is ok.
The main reason I'm pro-spanking is that I was spanked as a child and turned out alright. As hard as it may be for the anti-spankers to believe, I'm not a child abuser, domestic abuser, violent criminal, or depressed psychotic in spite of the fact that my mother whipped my tush when I needed it. The idea that spanking teaches violence is one of the anti-spankers' favorite arguments against physical punishment, but I've never seen that connection in real life.
I'm sure there are murderers and other violent people who were spanked as kids, but there are also countless hardworking, law-abiding and decent people who are loving spouses and parents who were also spanked as kids. Somehow their existence doesn't make an impression on the anti-spanking forces. Let's be honest here. It's takes a combination of many different influences to make someone a habitually violent person. Two or more kids can grow up in the same family, receive the same discipline and end up profoundly different adults. To say that spanking, or the absence thereof, is the decisive factor sounds a little too convenient to me.
Part of the problem may be that anti-spanking activists tend to conflate spanking and abuse. The blog mentioned above claimed that it was dedicated to protecting children from "physical assault". That's a loaded statement. The term "assault" conjures up dire images in the minds of most people. The effort to equate those images with parents who pop their kids on the behind once in a while is insulting, to say the least. But that's the dishonest tactic the anti-spankers use. Of course, many anti-spankers may truly believe that any physical punishment of children is physical assault, but that makes me question their ability to make sound judgments.
Children are not the equal of adults. They are under adults' authority because their understanding of life is limited by their age and cognitive development. Children don't instinctively know what's best for them. They will do what appeals to them without regard to the consequences. In fact, they lack the life experience to fully understand the concept of consequences, especially long term consequences. As the Bible so accurately puts it, "Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of correction will drive it from him." I think the extent to which someone believes the above proverb determines whether he's pro or anti-spanking.
I don't believe that parents have to spank their kids in order to keep them under control. I just think that parents who do shouldn't be condemned for it, and I don't think I'm alone. I feel that pro-spanking people--parents and non-parents--are by far the more tolerant side of the spanking debate. They aren't the ones accusing people of being abusers and assaulters; they aren't the ones demanding that the state impose their view on others through force of law.
If you don't want to spank your child, then don't. If you believe that spanking is an effective tool in an overall discipline strategy, then use it and don't sweat what the anti-spankers will say. Fight all attempts to outlaw spanking;that is an egregious violation of parents' right to raise their children as they, and not the state, sees fit. Yes, some people will make decisions for their kids that other people don't like, but unless it's abusive government--and activists of all kinds--have absolutely NO right to interfere. So I say spank if you feel it's right, don't if you don't, and live and let live. That's a lesson in tolerance that children can really use.
As you can probably guess, I'm pro-spanking, i.e., I believe that parents who want to spank their kids should be allowed to without judgment and certainly without interference from the law. Kiddieland, like most day care centers, doesn't allow spanking--or any real discipline, as far as I'm concerned--but I think that if a day care center wants to allow physical punishment with parental permission, it should be allowed to. I think that may actually be the law in Texas.
I know I probably ticked off half the universe with the above statements. People, especially the anti-spankers, can get really emotional on this issue. So let me explain why I believe that spanking is ok.
The main reason I'm pro-spanking is that I was spanked as a child and turned out alright. As hard as it may be for the anti-spankers to believe, I'm not a child abuser, domestic abuser, violent criminal, or depressed psychotic in spite of the fact that my mother whipped my tush when I needed it. The idea that spanking teaches violence is one of the anti-spankers' favorite arguments against physical punishment, but I've never seen that connection in real life.
I'm sure there are murderers and other violent people who were spanked as kids, but there are also countless hardworking, law-abiding and decent people who are loving spouses and parents who were also spanked as kids. Somehow their existence doesn't make an impression on the anti-spanking forces. Let's be honest here. It's takes a combination of many different influences to make someone a habitually violent person. Two or more kids can grow up in the same family, receive the same discipline and end up profoundly different adults. To say that spanking, or the absence thereof, is the decisive factor sounds a little too convenient to me.
Part of the problem may be that anti-spanking activists tend to conflate spanking and abuse. The blog mentioned above claimed that it was dedicated to protecting children from "physical assault". That's a loaded statement. The term "assault" conjures up dire images in the minds of most people. The effort to equate those images with parents who pop their kids on the behind once in a while is insulting, to say the least. But that's the dishonest tactic the anti-spankers use. Of course, many anti-spankers may truly believe that any physical punishment of children is physical assault, but that makes me question their ability to make sound judgments.
Children are not the equal of adults. They are under adults' authority because their understanding of life is limited by their age and cognitive development. Children don't instinctively know what's best for them. They will do what appeals to them without regard to the consequences. In fact, they lack the life experience to fully understand the concept of consequences, especially long term consequences. As the Bible so accurately puts it, "Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of correction will drive it from him." I think the extent to which someone believes the above proverb determines whether he's pro or anti-spanking.
I don't believe that parents have to spank their kids in order to keep them under control. I just think that parents who do shouldn't be condemned for it, and I don't think I'm alone. I feel that pro-spanking people--parents and non-parents--are by far the more tolerant side of the spanking debate. They aren't the ones accusing people of being abusers and assaulters; they aren't the ones demanding that the state impose their view on others through force of law.
If you don't want to spank your child, then don't. If you believe that spanking is an effective tool in an overall discipline strategy, then use it and don't sweat what the anti-spankers will say. Fight all attempts to outlaw spanking;that is an egregious violation of parents' right to raise their children as they, and not the state, sees fit. Yes, some people will make decisions for their kids that other people don't like, but unless it's abusive government--and activists of all kinds--have absolutely NO right to interfere. So I say spank if you feel it's right, don't if you don't, and live and let live. That's a lesson in tolerance that children can really use.
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
Whack-A-Mole!
Working in day care lets you see the funny side of babies and children. Sometimes that "funny" side can be kind of painful, though. Today Jessa, my oldest, decided to turn Arnie, my oldest boy, into a Whack-A-Mole, you know, that arcade game where you try to smash the moles to win tickets. I don't know what made Jessa want to turn poor Arnie into a mole, but she cut loose on him before I could stop her.
I was putting some things away in the babies' cubbies when I heard this thud sound. I turned around and saw Jessa whacking away on Arnie with a rattle. Arnie had the funniest what-did-I-do-to-deserve-this-? look on his face. I know I shouldn't have laughed, but the whole scene was tememdously funny. Yes, little Arnie was on the wrong end of the stick, er, rattle, but it was funny. I can't help it; it was funny! Of course, I quickly grabbed the rattle from Jessa and sternly told her that we don't whack our friends, but I laughed about the incident for the rest of the day.
This cute little incident highlighted a curious situation between Jessa and Arnie. Arnie adores Jessa. He loves it when she pays attention to him. Arnie can't crawl yet, but during tummy time he follows Jessa around by scooting on his stomach. When he's in the walker he squawks until Jessa comes over to him. He just loves her. Jessa's feelings for Arnie, though, are a little complicated.
When Arnie first arrived in my class, Jessa quickly develolped an intense jealousy of him. She wasn't jealous of Gregory, who's younger and cuter than Arnie, but she couldn't stand it if I paid any attention to Arnie. It got so bad that I had to corral Jessa whenever I fed Arnie because if I didn't she would pull on my pants' leg and fight to climb into my lap to the point of trying to push Arnie out of my arms. But in the past few weeks Jessa's jealousy has mysterioulsy lessened. She seems to enjoy him now, at least a little. She likes making Arnie laugh and now she lets me feed him in peace. Maybe she realizes that Arnie can actually be a playmate and not just a competitor for my attention. Whatever the reason, Jessa now seems to want to be Arnie's friend--to a point.
Jessa likes Arnie but she apparently feels he needs to be reminded of his inferior--to her-- status from time to time. So, on occasion, she will whack, or try to whack, him in the head. Jessa really likes to go for Arnie's head. Oh, she'll settle for his back, legs, or butt, but if she can get him in the noggin it's party time. I never know when Jessa plans to strike. I have to watch her with Arnie like the proverbial hawk. Most of the time I catch her before she strikes, but not always. Today was a "not always" day. Jessa got Arnie on the back, on the butt, and in the head. She had quite a party! But I managed to cut the celebration short. Arnie was rescued from being kept in his place and Jessa was duly chastised. And you know what? Tomorrow I'll have to do it all over again. Welcome to day care!
I was putting some things away in the babies' cubbies when I heard this thud sound. I turned around and saw Jessa whacking away on Arnie with a rattle. Arnie had the funniest what-did-I-do-to-deserve-this-? look on his face. I know I shouldn't have laughed, but the whole scene was tememdously funny. Yes, little Arnie was on the wrong end of the stick, er, rattle, but it was funny. I can't help it; it was funny! Of course, I quickly grabbed the rattle from Jessa and sternly told her that we don't whack our friends, but I laughed about the incident for the rest of the day.
This cute little incident highlighted a curious situation between Jessa and Arnie. Arnie adores Jessa. He loves it when she pays attention to him. Arnie can't crawl yet, but during tummy time he follows Jessa around by scooting on his stomach. When he's in the walker he squawks until Jessa comes over to him. He just loves her. Jessa's feelings for Arnie, though, are a little complicated.
When Arnie first arrived in my class, Jessa quickly develolped an intense jealousy of him. She wasn't jealous of Gregory, who's younger and cuter than Arnie, but she couldn't stand it if I paid any attention to Arnie. It got so bad that I had to corral Jessa whenever I fed Arnie because if I didn't she would pull on my pants' leg and fight to climb into my lap to the point of trying to push Arnie out of my arms. But in the past few weeks Jessa's jealousy has mysterioulsy lessened. She seems to enjoy him now, at least a little. She likes making Arnie laugh and now she lets me feed him in peace. Maybe she realizes that Arnie can actually be a playmate and not just a competitor for my attention. Whatever the reason, Jessa now seems to want to be Arnie's friend--to a point.
Jessa likes Arnie but she apparently feels he needs to be reminded of his inferior--to her-- status from time to time. So, on occasion, she will whack, or try to whack, him in the head. Jessa really likes to go for Arnie's head. Oh, she'll settle for his back, legs, or butt, but if she can get him in the noggin it's party time. I never know when Jessa plans to strike. I have to watch her with Arnie like the proverbial hawk. Most of the time I catch her before she strikes, but not always. Today was a "not always" day. Jessa got Arnie on the back, on the butt, and in the head. She had quite a party! But I managed to cut the celebration short. Arnie was rescued from being kept in his place and Jessa was duly chastised. And you know what? Tomorrow I'll have to do it all over again. Welcome to day care!
Sunday, June 17, 2007
A New Baby
Last Monday I got a new baby, a boy named Riley. Now I'm up to four babies again! Riley is really cute even though he has an old man's face; he doesn't look like a baby at all! Riley is six weeks old but he's advanced for his age. He already raises his head up when I put him on my shoulder. Before I know it, he'll be crawling, then walking, then leaving my class for the toddler room. Boo hoo! I don't want to think about that. I just want to enjoy Riley.
As I said, Riley is only six weeks old. He's my youngest now; he bumped Gregory--did I tell ya'll about Gregory?--from that spot. Gregory was two months old when I got him and he was BIG. He looked like a four month old. So having Riley is really different. I haven't had a baby this small in a while. It's taking me some time to get used to him. He's so light! All of my other babies feel like lead compared to Riley. But that adds to his charm. I think I'm going to like Riley a lot. I don't know if he'll become one of my Favorites, but I wouldn't be surprised if he did. So welcome to the family, Riley. Glad you could make it!
As I said, Riley is only six weeks old. He's my youngest now; he bumped Gregory--did I tell ya'll about Gregory?--from that spot. Gregory was two months old when I got him and he was BIG. He looked like a four month old. So having Riley is really different. I haven't had a baby this small in a while. It's taking me some time to get used to him. He's so light! All of my other babies feel like lead compared to Riley. But that adds to his charm. I think I'm going to like Riley a lot. I don't know if he'll become one of my Favorites, but I wouldn't be surprised if he did. So welcome to the family, Riley. Glad you could make it!
Wednesday, May 02, 2007
Goodbye Isabel
Last Friday was a very sad day. Last Friday was baby Isabel's last day at Kiddieland. I cried. Isabel was so precious to me. All of my babies are precious, of course, but there are some who touch my heart in a way the others don't and Isabel was one of those.
I don't know all the details about why Isabel left. Her parents were seriously considering moving about an hour away from their current home in order to reduce their commute but that's not why they pulled Isabel out Friday. There were other things going on. Whatever they were the end result is that I don't have my baby anymore. I do have Isabel's parents' phone number and I gave them my e-mail address so I'll be able to keep up with how my little darling is doing.
As sad as losing Isabel was I feel I've learned something from it. I've been toying with the idea of leaving day care; it just doesn't pay enough for a single person to live on(I currently live with my Mom). The thing that's been holding me back is my love for the kids. They really are MY babies. I can't stand the thought of leaving them with a stranger. And then Isabel left. Her parents and I got along really well. They knew that I took good care of their daughter, but when it became in their best interest to take their child out, they did. They didn't say,"Gee, we can't pull Isabel out. Her teacher loves her too much." No, when they needed to leave they left, no matter how much I loved their child.
I'm not mad at Isabel's parents at all. On the contrary, they showed me how I should feel about my job and the decision to leave or not. They showed me that when push comes to shove families will do what they think is in their best interest. I have no guarantee that any child I come to love will always be with me. So, I should base my career decisions on what's best for me, not on how much I love my babies because tomorrow they might not be with me. Families will leave a day care in a heartbeat if they feel they need to. I should give myself permission to do the same.
That's a hard lesson for me. I'm so attached to my babies that my heart overrules my head. But my love for my kids won't pay the electric bill, buy me a much-needed new car, or get me a place of my own. Money alone will do that and I'm not making enough at Kiddieland. I don't think I'll be quitting my job in the near future but I do think that I now have the will to do so when the time is right. Isabel taught me that.
I don't know all the details about why Isabel left. Her parents were seriously considering moving about an hour away from their current home in order to reduce their commute but that's not why they pulled Isabel out Friday. There were other things going on. Whatever they were the end result is that I don't have my baby anymore. I do have Isabel's parents' phone number and I gave them my e-mail address so I'll be able to keep up with how my little darling is doing.
As sad as losing Isabel was I feel I've learned something from it. I've been toying with the idea of leaving day care; it just doesn't pay enough for a single person to live on(I currently live with my Mom). The thing that's been holding me back is my love for the kids. They really are MY babies. I can't stand the thought of leaving them with a stranger. And then Isabel left. Her parents and I got along really well. They knew that I took good care of their daughter, but when it became in their best interest to take their child out, they did. They didn't say,"Gee, we can't pull Isabel out. Her teacher loves her too much." No, when they needed to leave they left, no matter how much I loved their child.
I'm not mad at Isabel's parents at all. On the contrary, they showed me how I should feel about my job and the decision to leave or not. They showed me that when push comes to shove families will do what they think is in their best interest. I have no guarantee that any child I come to love will always be with me. So, I should base my career decisions on what's best for me, not on how much I love my babies because tomorrow they might not be with me. Families will leave a day care in a heartbeat if they feel they need to. I should give myself permission to do the same.
That's a hard lesson for me. I'm so attached to my babies that my heart overrules my head. But my love for my kids won't pay the electric bill, buy me a much-needed new car, or get me a place of my own. Money alone will do that and I'm not making enough at Kiddieland. I don't think I'll be quitting my job in the near future but I do think that I now have the will to do so when the time is right. Isabel taught me that.
Monday, March 19, 2007
Four Babies!
I got two new babies today, making a total of four. Of course, I'd forgotten just how interesting four little ones can be since I haven't had that many in over six months. When I left to go on my lunch break all but one of them was crying. My director said she's going to hire someone to help me with the babies in the morning because four is too many for one person. I agree that four is too many but it's the minimum standard in Texas. Oh well, I've cared for four by myself before and I can do it again. I just hope at least on of them is sleeping when I get back!
Friday, January 26, 2007
Tears for Diapers
I had a touching experience at work the other day.
As all of you may remember, I had a little boy named Adam in my class. Adam moved up to the toddler room about two months ago but his mom and I are still close. Well, about a week ago Adam's mom mentioned that she was starting a new job. Adam had been in my class that day and she told me to use his diapers sparingly as she didn't know when she'd be able to get a new pack. At the end of my work day I went out and bought Adam a package of diapers. I didn't think anything of it. I knew his mom was struggling so I decided to help out.
When I got to work the next day I did the math and realized that the package of diapers I'd bought would only last a week, so I bought another, bigger, package of diapers. I didn't tell Adam's mom. I just quietly put the diapers in Adam's cubbie. Well, about a week later Adam's mom noticed the diapers in his cubbie and asked where they came from. I confessed. She cried. Adam's mom hugged me around my neck and literally cried. For a pack of diapers! Needless to say, I cried too.
Adam's mom is one of the most generous parents I have. She recently donated to the day care a high chair that Adam no longer uses. Think about it. She could have sold the high chair to make a little extra money but no, she chose to give it to me because she knew I needed it. In all my years in day care it's been my experience that the poorer parents are the most giving. Maybe they're that way because they know what it's like to do without. Whatever the reason, Adam's mom is true to the mold. Her heartfelt gratitude for a package of diapers moved me to tears. I hope it touches you that deeply, too.
As all of you may remember, I had a little boy named Adam in my class. Adam moved up to the toddler room about two months ago but his mom and I are still close. Well, about a week ago Adam's mom mentioned that she was starting a new job. Adam had been in my class that day and she told me to use his diapers sparingly as she didn't know when she'd be able to get a new pack. At the end of my work day I went out and bought Adam a package of diapers. I didn't think anything of it. I knew his mom was struggling so I decided to help out.
When I got to work the next day I did the math and realized that the package of diapers I'd bought would only last a week, so I bought another, bigger, package of diapers. I didn't tell Adam's mom. I just quietly put the diapers in Adam's cubbie. Well, about a week later Adam's mom noticed the diapers in his cubbie and asked where they came from. I confessed. She cried. Adam's mom hugged me around my neck and literally cried. For a pack of diapers! Needless to say, I cried too.
Adam's mom is one of the most generous parents I have. She recently donated to the day care a high chair that Adam no longer uses. Think about it. She could have sold the high chair to make a little extra money but no, she chose to give it to me because she knew I needed it. In all my years in day care it's been my experience that the poorer parents are the most giving. Maybe they're that way because they know what it's like to do without. Whatever the reason, Adam's mom is true to the mold. Her heartfelt gratitude for a package of diapers moved me to tears. I hope it touches you that deeply, too.
Thursday, December 21, 2006
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
Happy (Late) Anniversary!
Friday, December 1 was my one year anniversary at Kiddieland. I can't believe that I'm just now getting around to posting about it, but with Christmas coming I've been busy. Plus, I haven't always had enough time on my lunch break to come to the library and blog.
My anniversary was nice. I got a card and a $25 Wal-Mart gift certificate from my boss. I appreciated my gift certificate because I needed a new boom box and didn't want to spend my own money on something for me this close to Christmas. So I went out the very next day and got me a new boom box! Yes, it was nice being appreciated by my employer, but a raise would've been nicer.
I've been at Kiddieland for a year now and I still haven't gotten a raise. I thought I'd get one after my 90 day trial period--most employers give you one then--but no, no raise. I wasn't too upset about that because I was sure I'd get one on my anniversary but again, no raise.
I guess I can't be too mad about it. I'm already making more than some other employees who've been here way longer than I. I came to Kiddieland with a lot of experience and a couple of fabulous references so I started out making more, a lot more for day care. I'm grateful for that but I still need more money. Good caregivers are so hard to find and keep precisely because day care pay sucks so you'd think Kiddieland would ante up to keep good people like me. But I guess my boss suffers from what I call management arrogance, the attitude that management, not teachers, is the reason why people keep their kids in a particular day care.
Maybe I shouldn't complain too much. Kiddieland is a small business, only two centers, so I know it doesn't have the deep pockets of the previous day care I worked for. Still, I shouldn't be expected to work here for ever at my starting pay, even if it was higher than most people's starting pay. I think my experience and my time are more valuable than that. I just may have to go some place that agrees.
Happy Anniversary.
My anniversary was nice. I got a card and a $25 Wal-Mart gift certificate from my boss. I appreciated my gift certificate because I needed a new boom box and didn't want to spend my own money on something for me this close to Christmas. So I went out the very next day and got me a new boom box! Yes, it was nice being appreciated by my employer, but a raise would've been nicer.
I've been at Kiddieland for a year now and I still haven't gotten a raise. I thought I'd get one after my 90 day trial period--most employers give you one then--but no, no raise. I wasn't too upset about that because I was sure I'd get one on my anniversary but again, no raise.
I guess I can't be too mad about it. I'm already making more than some other employees who've been here way longer than I. I came to Kiddieland with a lot of experience and a couple of fabulous references so I started out making more, a lot more for day care. I'm grateful for that but I still need more money. Good caregivers are so hard to find and keep precisely because day care pay sucks so you'd think Kiddieland would ante up to keep good people like me. But I guess my boss suffers from what I call management arrogance, the attitude that management, not teachers, is the reason why people keep their kids in a particular day care.
Maybe I shouldn't complain too much. Kiddieland is a small business, only two centers, so I know it doesn't have the deep pockets of the previous day care I worked for. Still, I shouldn't be expected to work here for ever at my starting pay, even if it was higher than most people's starting pay. I think my experience and my time are more valuable than that. I just may have to go some place that agrees.
Happy Anniversary.
Friday, November 03, 2006
Updates On My Job
It's been a while since I've posted on my blog, other than yesterday, of course. So I thought I'd update you on my day care happenings.
The biggest thing that's happened is that Adam has moved up. Yes, my one and only boy is now in the toddler room. It was a really emotional change for me. Adam's mom gave me a card thanking me for being so good to him and four studio photos of him. She said I was like family. I cried. It's so hard to lose my babies, and it was particularly hard to lose Adam. As I said, he was my only boy and he was so sweet, loving, and naughty! :) Yes, it's hard when they move up, but it's really for their own good. Adam was getting as bored in my class as Emma was before she moved up. He needed to experience things and activities that challenged him and he wasn't getting that in my room. How challenging can a bumblebee rattle be to a 13-month-old? Not very. So Adam is now in the toddler class with a host of new toys to play with, new lessons to learn, and new friends to make. I know he'll do just great, but I miss him so!
The Halloween Festival that I was so worried about went off without a hitch. It was great! I made a breakfast gift basket that I learned about on the 'net and one of my co-workes gave me an idea for a great game. It was a game that was done at last year's Festival. It was originally called Pin the Nose on the Witch, but I made it Pin the Nose on Frankenstein since all I could find was a Frankenstein doll. I hung the doll from the ceiling and the children had to chew a wad of bubble gum and then try to stick it to Frankenstein's nose while blindfolded. It was a hoot watching the kids grasping at air. I'm pretty sure some of them cheated but I was having so much fun that I didn't make a big deal out of it. The only down side to the Festival is that I didn't sale the most tickets so I didn't win a paid day off work. Aside from that everything went beautifully and I quickly realized that all my worrying was for nothing.
Let's see, what else has happened? Oh yeah, two of my co-workers quit at the same time and without notice. One Monday they just didn't show up for work. And what was really crazy is that we thought one of them was missing, along with her kids. How did we end up thinking that? Well, not only did this particular co-worker not show up for work, but her daughter also didn't show up for school. Another of my co-workers went to her apartment and discovered that no one had been there all weekend. By Wednesday the police had been called and we were getting REALLY scared. Then we found out that the co-worker in question was alive and well and had taken off to south Texas with a friend. Talk about mad! Here we were worried sick about her and all along she was sitting pretty with her friend! Please folks, if you want to quit your job do it right and give a two-week notice, especially if you work in day care. Don't leave your co-workers and the children hanging.
Well, that's it for now. I'll try not to let so much time past between posts again. I was very busy the last couple of weeks and I didn't have time to blog as much as I wanted. And I have to admit that when I did get to a computer I just surfed the 'net to decompress, my mind being too tired to think of what to write or how to write it. I'm sure every worker out there understands, especially those who live among the ankle biters.
The biggest thing that's happened is that Adam has moved up. Yes, my one and only boy is now in the toddler room. It was a really emotional change for me. Adam's mom gave me a card thanking me for being so good to him and four studio photos of him. She said I was like family. I cried. It's so hard to lose my babies, and it was particularly hard to lose Adam. As I said, he was my only boy and he was so sweet, loving, and naughty! :) Yes, it's hard when they move up, but it's really for their own good. Adam was getting as bored in my class as Emma was before she moved up. He needed to experience things and activities that challenged him and he wasn't getting that in my room. How challenging can a bumblebee rattle be to a 13-month-old? Not very. So Adam is now in the toddler class with a host of new toys to play with, new lessons to learn, and new friends to make. I know he'll do just great, but I miss him so!
The Halloween Festival that I was so worried about went off without a hitch. It was great! I made a breakfast gift basket that I learned about on the 'net and one of my co-workes gave me an idea for a great game. It was a game that was done at last year's Festival. It was originally called Pin the Nose on the Witch, but I made it Pin the Nose on Frankenstein since all I could find was a Frankenstein doll. I hung the doll from the ceiling and the children had to chew a wad of bubble gum and then try to stick it to Frankenstein's nose while blindfolded. It was a hoot watching the kids grasping at air. I'm pretty sure some of them cheated but I was having so much fun that I didn't make a big deal out of it. The only down side to the Festival is that I didn't sale the most tickets so I didn't win a paid day off work. Aside from that everything went beautifully and I quickly realized that all my worrying was for nothing.
Let's see, what else has happened? Oh yeah, two of my co-workers quit at the same time and without notice. One Monday they just didn't show up for work. And what was really crazy is that we thought one of them was missing, along with her kids. How did we end up thinking that? Well, not only did this particular co-worker not show up for work, but her daughter also didn't show up for school. Another of my co-workers went to her apartment and discovered that no one had been there all weekend. By Wednesday the police had been called and we were getting REALLY scared. Then we found out that the co-worker in question was alive and well and had taken off to south Texas with a friend. Talk about mad! Here we were worried sick about her and all along she was sitting pretty with her friend! Please folks, if you want to quit your job do it right and give a two-week notice, especially if you work in day care. Don't leave your co-workers and the children hanging.
Well, that's it for now. I'll try not to let so much time past between posts again. I was very busy the last couple of weeks and I didn't have time to blog as much as I wanted. And I have to admit that when I did get to a computer I just surfed the 'net to decompress, my mind being too tired to think of what to write or how to write it. I'm sure every worker out there understands, especially those who live among the ankle biters.
Thursday, November 02, 2006
Maya's New Tooth
Maya got her first tooth! Finally, after thinking she'd never cut any teeth, I spied a little ivory point protruding from her bottom gums yesterday morning. I was so excited I wrote the news on my dry erase board so everyone would know. Maya's mom was happy, too. She and Maya's grandmother were getting worried that she was over a year old and still had no teeth. Well now they can lay their worries to rest. Maya has a tooth!
Wednesday, October 11, 2006
Maya's Kiss
Yesterday I had a really sweet moment in what was otherwise a VERY trying day. Maya, my second oldest, gave me her first kiss! I've kissed her a million times and always ask her to kiss me back, never expecting anything in return, but yesterday Maya gave me that darling, open mouth kiss babies give you before they know how to smack. It was soooooo sweet! And it made my day.
Today, Maya had her second milestone: she ate our table food! She's been on table food at home for a while, but her mom was a little uncomfortable letting her eat table food at day care. I asked her yesterday if it would be alright to let Maya at least eat mashed potatoes at day care, since they're soft, and her mom said yes. In fact, she gave me permission to give Maya any day care food that's soft (but absolutely no hot dogs!). I'm real happy about that because Maya's been eating baby food since she was, well, a baby. Now she's a toddler and she really needs more substantial fare at day care as well as at home. I also hope the extra "chewing" Maya will be doing now will help her finally cut some teeth; she's over a year old and is still toothless!
I don't know what other milestones Maya has in store for me. She's walking, can say "baby", and can wave bye-bye, so it seems that the only thing left is for her to get some teeth. But who knows? I may get back to work today and have Maya show me something I never expected. Those kind of moments are the best things about working in day care.
Today, Maya had her second milestone: she ate our table food! She's been on table food at home for a while, but her mom was a little uncomfortable letting her eat table food at day care. I asked her yesterday if it would be alright to let Maya at least eat mashed potatoes at day care, since they're soft, and her mom said yes. In fact, she gave me permission to give Maya any day care food that's soft (but absolutely no hot dogs!). I'm real happy about that because Maya's been eating baby food since she was, well, a baby. Now she's a toddler and she really needs more substantial fare at day care as well as at home. I also hope the extra "chewing" Maya will be doing now will help her finally cut some teeth; she's over a year old and is still toothless!
I don't know what other milestones Maya has in store for me. She's walking, can say "baby", and can wave bye-bye, so it seems that the only thing left is for her to get some teeth. But who knows? I may get back to work today and have Maya show me something I never expected. Those kind of moments are the best things about working in day care.
Thursday, October 05, 2006
Our Old Friend Chickenpox
Chickenpox has reared its ugly head at Kiddieland. A child in the 2's class was diagnosed yesterday and now everybody's panicing a little bit. Of my four babies I was concerned mostly for Isabel and Jessa since they haven't been vaccinated and I hate the thought of them getting this uncomfortable illness at such young ages, but beyond that I don't think chickenpox is a big deal.
When I was a child everyone got the chickenpox; it was a rite of passage. Sure, the pox is uncomfortable with all that itching but it wasn't treated like a killer disease until the vaccine came out about 15 years ago, and then it became all the rage to avoid the pox. The vaccine became like a status symbol almost. I remember thinking, Just let your kid get the pox and get it over with. And you know what? Some kids who'd been vaccinated got sick anyway. True, the symptoms weren't as severe as those in the unvaccinated kids, but the idea of a vaccine is to NOT get the disease at all, not even in a milder form. So the rush by so many parents to get their children vaccinated against a nonthreatening disease proved, for some, to be an utter waste of time. And now chickenpox is again among us, whether we like it or not. Welcome back, old friend.
When I was a child everyone got the chickenpox; it was a rite of passage. Sure, the pox is uncomfortable with all that itching but it wasn't treated like a killer disease until the vaccine came out about 15 years ago, and then it became all the rage to avoid the pox. The vaccine became like a status symbol almost. I remember thinking, Just let your kid get the pox and get it over with. And you know what? Some kids who'd been vaccinated got sick anyway. True, the symptoms weren't as severe as those in the unvaccinated kids, but the idea of a vaccine is to NOT get the disease at all, not even in a milder form. So the rush by so many parents to get their children vaccinated against a nonthreatening disease proved, for some, to be an utter waste of time. And now chickenpox is again among us, whether we like it or not. Welcome back, old friend.
Monday, October 02, 2006
The Dollar Stretcher
Hey friends! As you can see, I've added my first link to this blog; it's called The Dollar Stretcher. Why The Dollar Stretcher, you ask? Why not something directly related to day care and/or children? Well, for all of you who work or have worked in day care you know that the pay sucks. The Dollar Stretcher is a site about living better for less; in fact, that's the site's motto. And all of us underpaid caregivers need all the help we can get to stretch our meager earnings.
The Dollar Stretcher is a simple but highly informative site. You'll find frugal info on everything from raising kids to natural living. I even found info on making gift baskets! That sealed it for me; The Dollar Stretcher is my new favorite website! I hope you get a kick out of it, too.
The Dollar Stretcher is a simple but highly informative site. You'll find frugal info on everything from raising kids to natural living. I even found info on making gift baskets! That sealed it for me; The Dollar Stretcher is my new favorite website! I hope you get a kick out of it, too.
Saturday, September 30, 2006
Halloween Festival Jitters
On Friday, Oct. 20, we'll be having our Halloween festival, and I've got the jitters! This is the first festival for me as I wasn't employed by Kiddieland last Halloween. Every class has to come up with a gift basket and a game. I have no clue what I'm going to come up with. I've never done a gift basket in my life and as for games, all I know are things like dunking for apples and pin the tail on the donkey. I've looked for gift basket ideas on the 'net but none are appealing. I thought about doing a new baby gift basket, since I'm the infant teacher, but I'm afraid that'll be too trite. I can just hear people thinking, "Oh, another new baby gift basket. How original!". And no matter what theme I choose for the basket I'm sure I'll end up spending some of my own money to make it. Yes, we're asking the parents for donations but there're only four babies in my class so there aren't a lot of families to hit up for stuff. Needless to say, I'm not looking forward to this festival. I'll probably end up with a "been there, done that" gift basket, a corny game, and a lighter wallet. Happy Halloween. :(
Friday, September 29, 2006
Hello Isabel!
Today I got to meet the new baby I'll be getting on Monday*. I was really glad to finally meet little Isabel as I'd heard so much about how cute she is, and she is! I missed 30 minutes of my lunch hour because of Isabel's visit and I was a little upset about that, but I quickly got over it and just enjoyed seeing the baby.
Isabel will be 6 weeks old on Monday so she's still quite little. She has a personality, though. While I was holding her she kept sticking her tongue out and making faces, even though she was sleep. It was the cutest thing! And she felt so good snuggled up against my chest. Since my babies are all toddlers now, except for Jessa, I'd forgotten how sweet it is to cuddle with a really little baby. Jessa is still young but she's not as cuddly as Isabel is. I can't wait to have Isabel in my class.
Oh, and did I tell you she's sooooo cute?! Her mom is white and her dad is black and Isabel looks like a Mexican. She has a head full of straight, black hair (which I hope stays straight and black) and pretty cafe au lait skin. She proves my belief that mixed babies are always the prettiest. Isabel isn't quite as cute as Maya, my other mixed baby, but she's close.
I'm really looking forward to Isabel starting Monday. She will help my room become a real baby room again. It was becoming a de facto toddler room and I don't like teaching toddlers, even though I love the heck out of my two todds because I've had them since they were small. Anyway, I'll have a little, little one to care for come October 2nd and I'm really, really glad about it.
Welcome aboard, Isabel!
*Are the days of the week always capitalized? I keep forgetting. :)
Isabel will be 6 weeks old on Monday so she's still quite little. She has a personality, though. While I was holding her she kept sticking her tongue out and making faces, even though she was sleep. It was the cutest thing! And she felt so good snuggled up against my chest. Since my babies are all toddlers now, except for Jessa, I'd forgotten how sweet it is to cuddle with a really little baby. Jessa is still young but she's not as cuddly as Isabel is. I can't wait to have Isabel in my class.
Oh, and did I tell you she's sooooo cute?! Her mom is white and her dad is black and Isabel looks like a Mexican. She has a head full of straight, black hair (which I hope stays straight and black) and pretty cafe au lait skin. She proves my belief that mixed babies are always the prettiest. Isabel isn't quite as cute as Maya, my other mixed baby, but she's close.
I'm really looking forward to Isabel starting Monday. She will help my room become a real baby room again. It was becoming a de facto toddler room and I don't like teaching toddlers, even though I love the heck out of my two todds because I've had them since they were small. Anyway, I'll have a little, little one to care for come October 2nd and I'm really, really glad about it.
Welcome aboard, Isabel!
*Are the days of the week always capitalized? I keep forgetting. :)
Thursday, September 28, 2006
Nasty Babies!
Let's face it: babies are nasty. Put down your rocks and admit it: babies are nasty. Oh yeah, they can be cute and cuddly, and when they smile at you your heart melts, but they are the nastiest human beings on the planet.
Babies do some pretty nasty things even though, ironically, they have no concept of "nasty". They'll gladly put a cookie crumb in their mouths no matter how long it's been on the floor or what's been crawling on it. They'll take a pacifier out of a kid's mouth and put into their own mouths regardless of how much snot it has on it from the other kid. They'll eat food right out of your mouth and couldn't care less that you have the flu. And there's more.
When I change diapers I'm still amazed at how much my babies like to touch their genitals even if they're covered in pee or poop. You'd think that once they felt something wet and/or slimely on their hands they'd get the message that they're not supposed to be doing that but no, at the next changing time, down their hands go! Nasty babies! But as bad as that is, there's one thing that I think is worse; one thing that repels me more than any other: vomit playing.
I cannot stand to see a baby play in their, or someone else's, vomit. And they do it everytime! Just a couple of days ago Adam threw up in the walker and was happily swirling his puke around on the walker's tray. Gag me!!!!!! Why do they do it? Everytime I catch them doing this disgusting thing I tell them loudly, "NO!". And you know what? They just look at me like, What's all the fuss about? I know babies are in the earliest stages of socialization. I know their brains are just beginning to wire all the signals we send them about what's acceptable and what's not. I just wish those "That's nasty!" neurons would wire first, then I could spend the day loving my babies without ever having to say, "Ewwww! Gross!".
Babies do some pretty nasty things even though, ironically, they have no concept of "nasty". They'll gladly put a cookie crumb in their mouths no matter how long it's been on the floor or what's been crawling on it. They'll take a pacifier out of a kid's mouth and put into their own mouths regardless of how much snot it has on it from the other kid. They'll eat food right out of your mouth and couldn't care less that you have the flu. And there's more.
When I change diapers I'm still amazed at how much my babies like to touch their genitals even if they're covered in pee or poop. You'd think that once they felt something wet and/or slimely on their hands they'd get the message that they're not supposed to be doing that but no, at the next changing time, down their hands go! Nasty babies! But as bad as that is, there's one thing that I think is worse; one thing that repels me more than any other: vomit playing.
I cannot stand to see a baby play in their, or someone else's, vomit. And they do it everytime! Just a couple of days ago Adam threw up in the walker and was happily swirling his puke around on the walker's tray. Gag me!!!!!! Why do they do it? Everytime I catch them doing this disgusting thing I tell them loudly, "NO!". And you know what? They just look at me like, What's all the fuss about? I know babies are in the earliest stages of socialization. I know their brains are just beginning to wire all the signals we send them about what's acceptable and what's not. I just wish those "That's nasty!" neurons would wire first, then I could spend the day loving my babies without ever having to say, "Ewwww! Gross!".
Wednesday, September 27, 2006
An Easy Day
Today has been an easy day so far. I don't know what it'll be like when I return to work from lunch, but before lunch it was great.
I had only one baby the entire morning, and she slept for 3 hours! Adam, my oldest, is home with pink eye and Maya apparently is with her dad, so that just left little Jessa for me to care for. She was asleep when I arrived at work and didn't stir until I left for lunch at 11. Actually, she probably could've slept longer but I decided to get her up because she hadn't eaten anything since 5:30 am and I knew she was hungry. She wolfed down that 6 oz. bottle my co-worker gave her and wanted some more! I suspect Maya will be there when I go back but it'll still be nice just having the two girls.
While Jessa was asleep I got to clean my room. Believe it or not, cleaning was really nice. I didn't realize how much stuff I needed to clear out until I started doing it. That's one of the drawbacks of being the only teacher in a classroom. You get so caught up in caring for the babies that your room suffers. It's really hard to see to the needs of four--oops! I mean three-- babies and keep your room clean and well decorated at the same time. I'm trying to get fall/Halloween decorations going in my room but I can't find the time to do them the way I really want to, and I hate to settle for something half-assed. So I really appreciate little Jessa letting my have some time this morning to at least get a start on the cleaning/decorating.
Thank you, Jessa!
I had only one baby the entire morning, and she slept for 3 hours! Adam, my oldest, is home with pink eye and Maya apparently is with her dad, so that just left little Jessa for me to care for. She was asleep when I arrived at work and didn't stir until I left for lunch at 11. Actually, she probably could've slept longer but I decided to get her up because she hadn't eaten anything since 5:30 am and I knew she was hungry. She wolfed down that 6 oz. bottle my co-worker gave her and wanted some more! I suspect Maya will be there when I go back but it'll still be nice just having the two girls.
While Jessa was asleep I got to clean my room. Believe it or not, cleaning was really nice. I didn't realize how much stuff I needed to clear out until I started doing it. That's one of the drawbacks of being the only teacher in a classroom. You get so caught up in caring for the babies that your room suffers. It's really hard to see to the needs of four--oops! I mean three-- babies and keep your room clean and well decorated at the same time. I'm trying to get fall/Halloween decorations going in my room but I can't find the time to do them the way I really want to, and I hate to settle for something half-assed. So I really appreciate little Jessa letting my have some time this morning to at least get a start on the cleaning/decorating.
Thank you, Jessa!
Tuesday, September 26, 2006
A Sad Day
Yesterday became the day that I'd been dreading for quite a while. Yesteday Emma, my oldest, moved up to the toddler room. I cried. I felt like a mom who'd just sent her firstborn off to college. I'd had Emma since before she could sit up. I watched her learn to sit up, crawl, walk, eat table food, and even say a couple of words. Now she's gone. My baby!!!!
Of course, my head knows that this change is best for Emma. She's almost 16 months old and she was ready to move to a more challenging class. In the infant room she was bored, and why not? She's played with every toy in that room a thousand times over. Adam, the other walker in my class, is old hat to Emma, too. Emma is very bright and curious and needed to experience new things and people. I checked on her before I went to lunch and she was sitting at the table eating her chicken nuggets like a big girl! No more high chairs for Emma! I was quite proud of her, but I was sad also.
I miss my baby. This morning when I took Adam and Jessa outside it just didn't feel right not having Emma with us. Adam had to play by himself (Jessa was in her carrier; she's just 3 months old). I think he was a little out of sorts, too. He seemed to sense that something wasn't quite like it used to be. He's my oldest now and I think he was adjusting to not having to submit to Emma. :)
Seriously, though, I believe that Adam really does miss Emma. And I think that Maya, now my second oldest, misses her, too. They, and I, have to adjust to their new positions in the class. And to shake things up even more, I'll be getting a 6-week-old baby this coming Monday. Talk about change!
Yes, everything changes. Children grow up; that's what they're supposed to do. We adults who love and care for them are to give them not just roots, but also wings. It hurts, though, when they fly away. Even if you're not their actual parent. As a caregiver, I spend more time with my babies than their parents do, so it should hurt to "lose" one of them. But I'm also proud of how Emma has adjusted to her new room. It just shows that I raised her right.
I LOVE YOU, EMMA!!!!!!!!!
Of course, my head knows that this change is best for Emma. She's almost 16 months old and she was ready to move to a more challenging class. In the infant room she was bored, and why not? She's played with every toy in that room a thousand times over. Adam, the other walker in my class, is old hat to Emma, too. Emma is very bright and curious and needed to experience new things and people. I checked on her before I went to lunch and she was sitting at the table eating her chicken nuggets like a big girl! No more high chairs for Emma! I was quite proud of her, but I was sad also.
I miss my baby. This morning when I took Adam and Jessa outside it just didn't feel right not having Emma with us. Adam had to play by himself (Jessa was in her carrier; she's just 3 months old). I think he was a little out of sorts, too. He seemed to sense that something wasn't quite like it used to be. He's my oldest now and I think he was adjusting to not having to submit to Emma. :)
Seriously, though, I believe that Adam really does miss Emma. And I think that Maya, now my second oldest, misses her, too. They, and I, have to adjust to their new positions in the class. And to shake things up even more, I'll be getting a 6-week-old baby this coming Monday. Talk about change!
Yes, everything changes. Children grow up; that's what they're supposed to do. We adults who love and care for them are to give them not just roots, but also wings. It hurts, though, when they fly away. Even if you're not their actual parent. As a caregiver, I spend more time with my babies than their parents do, so it should hurt to "lose" one of them. But I'm also proud of how Emma has adjusted to her new room. It just shows that I raised her right.
I LOVE YOU, EMMA!!!!!!!!!
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