Tuesday, April 20, 2010

April Update


Well...the preschool is officially in its 8th week of operation and I would say it is going well. Some days get long and the kids of course occasionally have [really] bad days but I think it all gets easier [better] every week.

We have a website, you have to be a member to view it but if I know you just add a personal message and I will add you as a member! If you don't visit the site here is a brief synopsis...

We have 5 kids, 3 girls and 2 boys... The boys are both 4 years old as is one of the girls. The other 2 girls are 2 years old. We call them the little girls. The little girls probably require more work or energy, however the 4 year olds present many different challenges (that tax the body, soul AND spirit...)

The kids come to my house and spend all day every day there. We are "open" from 7:30 to 5:30. I work from 7:30 to 4:30 with a break somewhere in the middle of the day and I have a co-worker who comes from 8:30 to 5:30 everyday. Adult interaction, conversation, and of course and extra set of eyes and hands, etc... make the day so much more fun. Plus, she does the cooking :)

I have transformed my living room/dining room [kitchen...ok, whole house] into a play room and filled it with all kinds of kid stuff from toys to games, sticker and incentive charts to cubbies! We have a schedule, including circle time, occasionally art or music, more healthy meals and LOTS of outside time. The "back yard" has been transformed into a great little play area for us! We take fun and educational field trips each week and since it has become consistently warm, we have set up a water play area!

But of course you run into issues and some days are plain. out. shitty. I really should post more, but I just wanted to illustrate two very different sides of child care. If you want actual stories, pictures and etc., you will have to come hang out with me (in all of my free time...)

My roommate is leaving. She is getting married in June and is planning on moving into their new apartment (not in Athens) around May 1st. I only have 2 more weeks as a roommate, with a roommate...then I'm going to be all by myself. This also has two sides. On one hand I think I will love it, I think I am ready to just live by myself, have my own space and all that. On the other hand I think I am going to be scaredy and nervous more. Most of all I am going to be lonely. I don't know what to do with myself after the kids leave as it is. I count the minutes until Ashley will get home from work anyway just waiting to talk to someone I love, about the day or not, about what we are going to do for supper or later that evening. I really feel like a little girl when I ask, "So, what are we going to to today!?"

That also leaves me with some decisions to make. My lease here is up July 31st...so do I move? Do I stay and pay ALL the rent? Do I find another roommate [who wouldn't hate that we have kids and kid stuff everywhere all the time]? I think I'm going to move. But is this really where I want to be? Is home daycare what I really want to do? Because if not...I want to leave. It is the only thing keeping me in Athens right now since this is the place all of my clients are, my networks, any connections that I feel I could use to even GET kids to keep at my home. I don't have any friends here and the ones I still consider my friends are leaving. Or worse, staying and making choices that break my heart and I don't want to be around anymore anyway.

But if I do home daycare I want to stay close...and buy a house...because there aren't many apartment complexes that will let you do it. PLUS, there are specific things you need to have to be able to be a registered home daycare provider...such as a fence, a yard...things you can't modify on property that is not yours... But if I leave Athens I will just remain a renter. (I hate renting...but seeing as how I am broke I can't really afford to buy a house anyway.)

So where do I go? I want to be at the beach. I would live in Orlando, because it is WARM and close to the beach. I would work at Disney World. Even as a cotton candy seller...just to pay the bills and at least work at the "happiest place on earth..." [right] I would have a friend in Orlando, even though she is about to have a whole new life, more school, real [involved] job, etc... I also know at least one family to baby sit for down there (because that seems to be about the only thing I actually LIKE and am good at doing.)

I could live in St. Simons. I would already have a church, lots of connections to families to baby-sit for [and get adopted by]...and again, I would be at the beach.

I would live in Greenville, SC...but that's colder than here and that does NOT meet my criteria for a place to live. (Warmer climate being the ONLY criteria really...) I would know people there too. A really good friend of mine is moving there with her sister, my old youth directors and their sons (the first boy I ever loved and the love of my life baby (though he is almost 9...) and my grandmother lives there. I would feel good about church there too, therefore families and baby sitting. AND its close. I just don't know where to LIVE, like actually move my things into.

AND when I move, if I am NOT doing home daycare WHAT am I going to do? What am I going to do with my investment...all of the toys and books and games, mats, sheets, clothes, art supplies, CDs, DVDs, shelving and storage...carseats, strollers...and anything else...? I don't want to give them away...I'll just buy them again at some point...because home daycare is what I want to do eventually, in a house, in my home...

3 comments:

  1. I'm so proud of you! One day when James and I move to Hawaii....you should come with us. just sayin'.

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  2. That picture is the BEST!!!!! Actually your caption is the best. I'm trying to think of a way you could integrate it as your preschool logo/motto...Pure Light Preschool: Most days are not this shitty. ???? ok I'll keep thinking. :)

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  3. Orlando sounds like a winner!

    Besides that... I think we should play together in the next couple weeks cause I'm not super super busy!

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