#daycarelife

[booksrockmyface]

Ready to spoopify my daycare! This adorable sign will be perfect for when the time comes. #daycarelife #daycare #decorating #halloween #littlemonsters https://www.instagram.com/p/CD-BuXanceWyPBLkrZNcvg6NSFeiEZrIt4sPGY0/?igshid=1bjrk1rzwts5d

[noodlenuts]

Ohhh, separation anxiety! Whether it's not wanting Mommy to leave you at preschool, or begging Daddy to sit with you just a little bit longer at bedtime, toddlers are notoriously exhausting when it comes to the fear of not being within arm's reach of their adults at all times. Which is why I'm particularly fond of Martin Waddell's utterly adorable "Owl Babies" (1992), with its amazing, photo-realistic illustrations by Patrick Benson, for addressing those fears gently and with just a bit of humour. When three baby owls wake up to find their mother gone, they react in the ways any child would, with anxiety and self-comforting, and honestly, a little bit of weird, LOL. But as we know, Mummy always comes back! ⚫ ⚫ ⚫ #noodlenutsclassickidlit #owlbabies #martinwaddell #patrickbenson #martinwaddellbooks #babyowl #owlbaby #owlet #separationanxiety #bedtimebattles #startingschool #naptime #iteachprek #iteachpreschool #daycareteacher #daycarelife #motherhood #earlyyears #readingismagic #bedtimereading https://www.instagram.com/p/B8WokTsHHpx/?igshid=ai9309ypuk69

[dionysus-is-my-dude]

SO....First week of my new job as a daycare teacher...

It went well. I met the majority of kids and started memorizing their names and schedules. I’ll be working in my own room for about two hours in the morning on specific days, doing yoga, fitness games, crafts, and working on introducing storytelling and theatre into these kids’ lives. So far, I feel pretty ok working with the special needs kids, although one of them thinks it’s funny to not do what I say and mess with me, and another doesn’t like me because there was another teacher with the same name before me whom he liked first. (He thinks I’m an imposter, while other kids think I’m the same person, but changed my look. It’s really silly.) My fellow teachers are very nice, except for one older lady who’s had a lot more experience with the special needs kids and is VERY firm with them. But with a few of them, you kinda have to be. I’ll be working on that as I move forward next week. I’m already getting trained on how to get them to eat or feed them myself, and how to be an “Alpha dog”, as the stern lady told me to be. It’ll be work for me, since I’m used to being so sweet and praising towards children, but these kids will drive me nuts if I don’t give them some tough love and discipline.

Other than the special needs kids, though, I’ve worked with the three and four year olds, as well as our toddlers and infants. And boy, are they adorable. Changed diapers for the first time in, like, YEARS. Surprised I got back into the motions so easily. The babies are so...dang...cute! They just wanna cuddle the whole time, but it’s so hard to put them down for a nap. I’ve begun to understand that parents who hold their kids all the time at home make it hard for us at the daycare to NOT hold the kids. Like, if they’re used to being held and you don’t hold them at all times, they just scream their head off. I’ve begun to learn not to give into my own instincts to soothe them, so they’ll learn some independence. The older toddlers are the cutest, but also really challenging, as they’re in that stage where they like to disobey and cause trouble, pushing their boundaries. They take some time to go down for naps, too. But I’m looking forward to working with them on making and acting out stories. I’m sure they have lots of interesting ideas.

So, my first real career! It’s only been one week, but I already really like it. I love working with the babies, playing with the toddlers, and working with the special needs kids. I’ll be doing some research on autism and kids with explosive anger -as one kid has a TEMPER and is known for hurting other kids and even teachers (he kicked me the other day as he was being taken home). But I already have a Pinterest board full of ideas as to what crafts to have the kids create, how to get kids comfortable with yoga and what poses to do, and how to use art therapy with special needs kids.

(Btw, I haven’t forgotten about my last post saying I was having a crisis of faith. I’ll get to that tomorrow. It’s been a very busy week, and I haven’t had much time to think to myself.)

[booksrockmyface]

So ready to spend the weekend making up a few of these for each room of the daycare!! #crochet #food #crafting #hobby #daycarelife https://www.instagram.com/p/B-fyuplndb-a6QE-jWLSE2mCh5wM5sXooC5yXQ0/?igshid=1mwws1y86zkzv

[dionysus-is-my-dude]

Second week of daycare over...

I had a dream about one of our special needs kids that I love so much. One kid is just so cute. He’s nonverbal and wheelchair bound, but he is just the sweetest thing. He’ll go back and forth grunting with you and happily eat up whatever you feed him. He’s a booger when he finishes his milk and just throws his cup on the ground, but he’s so cute. On Thursday, we went out on the playground and I pushed him on our inclusive swing and he LOVED it. He was all smiling and laughing and then started to fall asleep and I just wanted to squeeze him tight. Yesterday, I fed him orange pieces and he was just loving ‘em.

As for my other kids, there’s one that’s a teenager who’s also nonverbal. But he’s a giant brat. He’s supposed to drink these special bottles of milk during snacktime, but whenever one of us other than a specific teacher tries to make him drink them, he’ll play around and refuse, smiling and laughing at you when you try to force him to pick up the cup. If we can’t make him drink it, then we have to either get that specific teacher, or tube-feed him, which is less messy and less trying, but this boy likes to play around.

There’s a younger boy who has behavioral problems. He’ll do what you tell him to, then immediately go back to what he was doing. He’s loud, he repeats everything you say, even if you weren’t talking to him, and he attacks other kids. Like, jumps on them and attacks them, thinking it’s funny. He’ll kick down towers that other kids build, or just start kicking other kids AND us. A teacher had to put him in a hold on the floor yesterday until he calmed down, but he still got a bit wild and pounced on another kid right when he was supposed to be leaving. And this other kid has been hurt by him before and bit him in retaliation. I’m very worried about this boy. He isn’t a danger to himself, but to others, yes. He doesn’t listen, he won’t leave other kids alone, and he seems to have zero impulse control when it comes to just jumping on and hitting other kids. He thinks it’s a game. I’m worried about him, the way he lashes out and doesn’t listen to us teachers. He’s never angry, just...like, really excited. He thinks he’s playing the whole time. I suppose we’re still trying to figure out if he’s bipolar, has ADHD, or something else. He’s apparently still too young for a diagnosis, which I understand. But the sooner we can get a plan of help for this boy, the better off he and everyone else will be.

I’ll be starting my own classroom for two hours in the mornings starting the 9th, which I’m still working on. I know I’ll have four days to be with the two 2-year-old classes, the 3-year-old class, and the 4-year-old class. I already have plans for who I’ll be bringing in and when, but I need to type it up and have it printed out for the other teachers to know. So far, I’ll be taking one 2-year-old class on Mondays and Wednesdays, spending the first fifteen minutes playing with sensory bins and the last fifteen minutes doing either a craft or a fine motor activity. Tuesdays, I’ll take the 3-year-olds, doing either yoga and a craft, or playing storytelling games. Same with Thursdays with the 4-year-olds. I need to spend this weekend and next week getting all my supplies together.

Overall, I really do like this job! I love the kids, I love that I’ll get to use my creativity to come up with things they’ll enjoy, and I get along well with the rest of the teachers so far. (One of them and I had a very passionate discussion about “Phantom of the Opera”.) I can definitely see myself doing this for a long time. Though, I may work for a different daycare if I really do decide to move, which I’d very much like to do. I don’t wanna stay in this dinky Midwest town. All the young people leave this place. There are, like, no lesbians in this town at all, especially butch lesbians. Plus, I’m just obsessed with the fantasy of living in Salem.

Hope you guys have a good Labor Day weekend!

[booksrockmyface]

I played an April Fool's Day prank on my daycare kids. I did make actual brownies. But they were not impressed with this part. One of the kids even said, "That's just trash!" #aprilfoolsday #aprilfoolsprank #daycarelife https://www.instagram.com/p/Bvu9AjKHcEo_kP_dcIX9n-l2Z_rHqflFG58HLQ0/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=ajav5fvlzf8k

[leppingtonwillowdale]

Give Your Child the Best Start with Quality Early Learning & Care Choosing the right childcare centre is one of the most important decisions for your child’s future. At Leppington Willowdale Early Learning Centre, we provide a safe, nurturing, and stimulating environment where children aged 6 weeks to 5 years can learn, grow, and thrive. Our play-based learning approach encourages creativity, curiosity, and confidence, while our experienced educators ensure every child receives personalized care and attention. With modern facilities, engaging indoor and outdoor activities, and a focus on holistic development, we help build a strong foundation for lifelong success. Limited spots available – book a tour and enroll today!

[gulfkiddievibes]

Daycare in warm countries means more outfit changes, more sweat… and more lost clothes!

If you’re a parent, you already know — one missing t-shirt can turn into a mini mystery 😅

Here’s how to label your kids’ clothes the smart way in hot climates: ✔️ Use breathable, skin-friendly labels ✔️ Choose sweat-resistant ink or stamps ✔️ Place labels on tags, not directly on thin cotton ✔️ Avoid heavy iron-ons for lightweight summer fabrics

Keep it simple. Keep it comfy. Keep it labeled.

No more mix-ups. No more “Is this ours?” moments 👀

Read the full guide now on Gulf Kiddie Vibes 🌴👕