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When I was first a caregiver I spent my days doing elaborate crafts and fancy lesson plans and we were always doing something including cooking and baking etc. I had a single mom lament to me one day about how hard she found it on the weekend with her 3 year old because she really had no choice but to do laundry, cleaning etc since she spent evenings with her child and was exhausted herself by the time he was in bed. The kicker was when the child made a comment to the mom one day and this was her lament when telling me the story but the child said he wanted to come to my house because all I did all day was play with him. And he was right.... which got me to thinking. Part of our role as a daycare provider is to teach the children the realities of the world and that means that when tables get dusty we clean them off, when something gets spilled we clean it up, that our work must be done before we can play. After that I started working one task into our day such as dusting and gave the kids a cloth to "check" my work so they polished the table I just dusted or whatever - that way they didn't just scatter dust. Later that developed into free play being just that. When they are free to choose an activity I am too. And if I want to sit and stare at the ceiling that is my choice and they need to respect that just as the child who wants to look at a book when their friend wants them to play a game. Learning to make choices, stick with their choices, respect someone's right to choose something different than you, learn to play alone when necessary, be responsible for their own happiness so to speak are all lessons that come out of me doing a household task or sitting for a break. I remind them that I didn't have snack when they did so now it is my turn. Some days we just need more me time than others and we should not feel guilty.
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I hear ya and that is why you need to have take out day or dinner dates with your family! When I feel like that I do a power clean of my space then I get out of the house! My daycare is on the main level of my home so I don't get the luxury of shutting a door and entering a new space.
Get a way to de stress even if it's going for a walk in the woods to getting a manicure/pedicure. Don't burn yourself out have a movie day with the kids. We are not montisouri Schools we are daycare providers. I am not paid to stimulate the kids every minute of the day! We do craft, playtime, book reading, songs and games everyday. If I'm tired we watch a movie! It's that simple!
Good luck
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I have been doing daycare for 15 years. I feel burn out at least once a year. Usually in the spring after a long winter indoors. I have learned to allow myself a couple of weeks of burnout. Where I may not do as much with the kids, they may get more tv time or free play. I don`t feel guilty about it anymore because I know it will pass and I`ll be back to my awesome self again soon :D
When I have felt tired and bored and stressed for a couple of weeks I usually plan something I know the kids will love and I enjoy too. It brings the kids out of the cabin fever and after a day of smiles it reminds me why I do what I do.
I will also hire a maid service for the day a couple of times a year. It is money well spent. I arrange for them to come on a Saturday, send my own kids to the grandparents and go to the spa and get a mani pedi and massage. By Monday I am soooo relaxed and happy and I have a day planned for the kids where I don`t have to worry about house work and I use paper plates and a disposable table cloth. It is a stress free fun day.
Sometimes I let the laundry pile up for a week, then take it to the laundra mat and get it all done at once. I sit with a cup of coffee and a magazinee and relax. leave the kids with hubby. It`s also kinda expensive but makes for a less stressful week.
It ain`t an easy job and less thankful than most. You really have to reward yourself and not feel guilty for not being perfect all of the time!
