Ugghhh. Soo Burnt Out Need Ideas/Vent

[SimpleMom]

So, I opened up my home daycare 5.5 years ago. Did childcare centers and worked in my mom's daycare for YEARS before that. LOVE kids. really do. My own child was 9 at the time I opened up this one. (Now, I have two more of my own). That being said, I didn't open up a daycare to be a SAHM. Now, I want that more than anything!! It seems so opposite

Today, I had a couple of kiddos in the AM and it was fine. Then, I got three more all in half and hour and it was way to chaotic. They all wanted to run, yell, ladeda.... then one of the kiddos takes a ride-on car (a push toy for my babies) and rams into my little one causing them to bang thier head on the corner of the wall causing a head injury. YIKES!!! It's hard enough to contain emotions let alone when it's your own little one getting hurt.

Any good sites out there on making it with one income OR with mainly my income being pt. I could still take on a couple of kiddos and then be able to transport my own kids to school...maybe.

OR ideas on not feeling so burnt out..again. esp if a second income is inevitable. I don't want to send my kiddos to daycare out here, so another job isn't very realistic. My husband works 6:30am-6/7pm and does side jobs when he can get them, so there just isn't any time for me to work after he gets home.

[lvt77]

it just sounds like you need some structured play. My day is so filled with things to do that I never have these kind of issue. I am very active in the things that they do, so I am always in contorl of what they are doing. Free play is the only time that I step back. I let them play freely. When something does happen like kids start to argue, I will not interject right away, but see if they remember what I taugh them about friends. If not, then I help them by reminding them of the rules and that we need to be nice to our friends.
These kids are in a house for several hours and need things to do. If you don't give them things to do they will act out. Even if its just simple things like paying blocks as a group. see who can build the biggest tower.

what are your ages?

If you plan out your days with your dck's you will find your days will go smoother. I have a 3, 2 and 18mts and every day we do the 20/20. Which means we have free play 20 minutes, then we work on pre-school things, then we will group build, then we will sing & dance and so on. I never give my dck's a chance to be wound out!

[SimpleMom]

Thank you for the responses.

I already do the structured play. That's where I'm burnt out. This happened during the free play when I was in between feeding infants and getting lunch ready for the older kiddos. I usually have this little one on a very structured schedule, but they've been out for awhile and I forgot about the structure for them during this time.

Anyway, I want less struture

The incident just didn't help my frame of mind today. I'm fried. I need renewal of some sort. something new. i don't know.

[Cat Herder]

How is your room set up? Do you have a way of breaking the herd into smaller, more managable groups?

[lvt77]

when I have one child that acts up all the time and is the ring leader of trouble, I make them my shadow for the day. help with lunch, set the table, get the plates, get the forks and etc. this way the other kids can play with out distraction and chaos...

how old is the one causing all the issues.

[SimpleMom]

my ages are 10m, 9m, 2y,2y,3y,4y,4y,5y, and 6y the youger ones kinda get first dibs on the time's activities come about, but generally it stays the same. free play is at arrival ( with stuff set up for them), before lunch, after snack ( for 10 min or so, and sometimes forten min utes before pick up time, 20 minutes is the longest I do free play, i encourage lots of large muscle play, but it's structured.

[lvt77]

so it sounds like the shadow idea would work. I also do a thing called crazy colors..

when someone is acting up and just going nuts, I get out the crayons and paper. depening on how crazy they are, i might just ask them to stand at the table. if they can they are welcome to sit....I give them the crayond and paper.

I ask them what color makes you mad....kid says red...so i let them get the red crayon....then they color the paper like crazy...

I then move on and ask them what color makes you sad....repeat

what color makes you happy, repeat

what color makes you calm. repeat

what color makes you silly, repeat....

it works well with my group....

[SimpleMom]

Thank you everyone
I guess I'm just gonna vamp up my structured time, keep them as my shadow, and hope for some much needed rejuvination.

[lvt77]

Originally Posted by SimpleMom

Thank you everyone
I guess I'm just gonna vamp up my structured time, keep them as my shadow, and hope for some much needed rejuvination.

if you are looking for something that wont have to supervise 100% of it, sit the kids at seperate tables and give them playdough... I pair up the kids that I know wont cause issues with each other....kids love playdough and will do it for hours on end

[countrymom]

you need a break, like away for a weekend. Also, it sounds like cabin fever, stuck indoors all day, it happens to us all.