What helps motivate you? I have lost my motivation to do anything educational or craft wise with these kids. I have no structure to my days and it has become a free for all. I just can't find a groove or motivation to do it again. I have

(1) 18 month
(3) 2-year olds
(1) 3-year old -recently turned

I don't like this feeling and it's really becoming an issue that I can't seem to over come.

HELP me put together a schedule or some type of structure because this is getting out of hand.

First arrival 530am / Last arrival 9am
First bus run 8am / second bus run 915am
First leaves about 3 / last leaves about 6

I need some constructive things to do with (4) 4-year olds from 8:15 to 9:15 before they head off to school.

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Some motivational threads here: https://www.daycare.com/forum/tags.php?tag=motivation

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I am right there with you, except for the 4 yo before school kids.
We were really busy up til Halloween, it was a fun artsy/craftsy time. But now we've hit a lull and that's probably why it seems more chaotic lately.
I can't seem to get ahead of them to keep them out of trouble.
Needs ideas too.

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sounds like to me you are working some really long days.

any way that you can shorten your work hours ?

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Shortening the work day goes a long way. My worry when I cut my hours was that I would lose kids.....but I learned quickly if parents want your services they will make it work.

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so very true. I learned to do what is best for me and not for others. People will make it happen. You might lose some at first, but with patience you will always find those that want in. I changed my hours drastically over the last few months and magically everyone made the cahnges.

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Unfortunately I can't shorten my hours. My nephew comes at 530 because my mom has to be to work by 6am. My brother is in another state and we haven't seen or talked to his mom since August 2013. Then my late girls really really really need me. Their mom needs me. A lot of family issues going on there and their mom and I are the only two stable people in their life. I go to bed at 830 and now been pushing the clock to wake up at 5am.

I have time to plan activities but I'm just lazy and unmotivated. I can pin point it back to my miscarriage in July 2013 that things started to change for me. Slowly and slowly my effort changed. I would love to get that back, but I don't know how to get the motivation or even where to start anymore.

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Maybe you could individually contract each and charge for those early/late hours. Chances are if you did, the parents could miraculously work it out. Believe in yourself, take care of yourself, it can happen! 5:30 to AM to 6:00 PM is an extra long day for anyone. I also limit the hours a parent can recieve...9.5 maximum. All have to be gone by 4:30 and I do not open before 6 for anyone. Yes, it was nerve-wracking when I took the plunge but am sooooo soooooo glad I did it. My own sons are 6th and 8th grade and last night they said "are you off tomorrow, mom, since we are out of school"...I said "YES".....not that we will do anything that special, but their smile says it all.....TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF....and it is OK to get paid for all of this too....that also helped when I went to 52 weeks pay regardless.... I reached a point in 2000 when I knew something had to give. I still have issues today that are different, but revamping my contract has went a long way in helping me cope along the way! Good luck!

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Stop putting so much pressure on yourself. We all know that 90% of crafts at that age need to be finished by an adult so I personally don't do them. I do "free art" where there are markers, crayons and every now and again paint and stamps etc to make art with. I personally hate-LOATHE-crafts!! I love art

Also at that age play is education. They learn through play. I don't do circle times at all. I sometimes do puppet plays, or matching games etc but only when the mood hits me or when kids ask for it. My program is VERY much lead by the kids and what they want to do. Independent play is where it's at.

I was feeling a lot like you did until I started questioning my own thoughts about this stuff and stopped holding myself to a standard I didn't respect. When I started doing what I felt was right instead of what is expected of us as preschool teachers I started enjoying my job more.

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Maybe it is trying to live up to everyone's expectations, feeling like you're not doing enough when in fact you're doing a lot! I think Ariana has a very good point, make it more child-directed and go with the flow. It's less stressful.
I just completed an online course called Child Development and Guidance. It talked about curriculum being everything that happens to them throughout their day, not academics but simply routines.
Maybe if you let up the pressure on yourself a little bit and stick to the basics as was suggested by PP, you might feel less stressed and eventually re-motivated.

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daycare providers are selfless people who want to help others, I get it.

BUT you don't not NEED to do all of those things. what you do NEED to do is take care of yourself first and from the sounds of it you aren't.

Let others problems be THIER problems.

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Great advice. It's really hard not to put pressure on yourself, but when you do, that's when it becomes a chore and you don't feel the same drive as before. Independent play is huge at those ages, and, I agree, free arts and crafts time would be a great way to let them be creative without creating more work for you.

One suggestion I have in regard to motivation: do something that you feel like doing. Don't do turkey crafts because that's what you're supposed to do in November if you don't want to. Think of something that sounds fun to plan for, and work on that first. The motivation will come back naturally.

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I agree. I hate turkey crafts lol so for November I taped 4 pieces of brown construction paper to my wall (With white behind it) and put a tub of fake leaves and a bunch of glue sticks out. The kids have loved putting the leaves on and off the tree all month and I haven't sent any pintrest crafts home (ok I'm a liar we made one today because a 4 year old BEGGED me to help me a turkey out of a paper towel roll lol..but that's it I swear!) seeing the colorful leaves makes me happy, the kids like it, and I haven't had to create a craft activity in weeks.

Allow yourself to feel good about just doing open ended art and giving them play experiences and opportunities while they are with you. That is enough.

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Have you evaluated your diet and exercise routine?

Start with taking care of you, then working outward based on a newly minted priority list.

Draw three circles on paper. Label one "My stuff". Label one "Their stuff". Label the last "Our stuff". List all of the things you "have" to accomplish in their true category (circle).

Handle "My Stuff" first, work on half of the "Our Stuff" and never touch "Their Stuff".

Sometimes we can "Help" others into learned helplessness. THAT destroys perfectly capable people, literally robbing them of learning opportunities and denying them a sense of accomplishment in their own lives. Don't do that.

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