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I haven't been on here long enough to know if there are regular lulls or not but for the past couple of weeks this forum has been pretty much dead! I look forward to coming on during nap time etc but there have been few posts. Bless Playfelt for taking the time to respond to most of our posts but part of being in a forum is hearing multiple opinions. Where is everyone??
Omigosh, I don't think it sucks but in the summer sometimes forums slow down. People are busier outside and with their families, etc. Speaking for myself, I haven't posted much lately because I was on vacation last week and this week I'm really down in the dumps so I don't have much to say. Don't worry Torontokids, we're all here for you.
Having my own 3 kids, including a 5 month old, plus up to 5 daycare kids I'm exhausted by the end of the day and just want to chill with my husband. Sorry, I guess that means I suck! lol. It will pick up again after summer I'm sure :)
I've been actually feeling badly about not being in here as much. This summer seems insanely busy! I've got a full house, my teen boys are home for the summer now and I'm cultivating a brand spanking new relationship. That's always pretty distracting at the beginning. I'll get back in the swing of things....Awesome New Guy can hang with the boys while I see what's what in the daycare world outside my own :)
Hope everyone's well!!!
I don't have the privilege of being outside all morning as I have half my gang that still nap twice a day so while the other two play I get to play on my computer. It is very boring in the summer with some kids on holidays - just not the same incentive to do stuff with just one or two when they have their own agenda's and are playing so well together.
Problems come and go too in the sense that there is a lull in changes now too. I have also noticed a lot of repeat questions so they will tend to get passed over assuming the person will eventually find the other threads.
cfred, good luck with your new relationship:)
I hope Awesome New Guy keeps up the good work Cfred, you're so funny!
So far so good....he spent 40 minutes standing outside the OSPCA with my very unmanly chihuahua whilst I adopted another dog on date 4 and still came back for more...he's a smitten kitten :) Tomorrow is the meeting of the friends on both sides and the exwife.
May the force be with me.
Wow, that's a big step cfred. I am guessing that he and his exwife have an amicable relationship? Hope all goes well with your meet and greet. Just remember, when all else fails, smile.:)
I actually had to take a break from this forum for a while because I found that there were a few people who were very negative. It seemed like the popular solution to any given situation was to terminate and although I agree that there are some circumstances that warrant that, it is a tough industry and I personally need to hang on to my clients to make this business viable. I have been reading and following along or the last few weeks and the mood seems to have relaxed a bit.
You are right gravy train. I guess with all the crap we have to deal sometimes with parents our dream answer is to terminate. However, everyone's circumstances are different and the income may really be needed/clients are hard to find so termination is not an option. I for one will try to come up with more constructive solutions for my fellow providers problems other than to terminate.:rolleyes:
It's funny you said that because I found when I first started that that seemed to be everyone's solution. I have found though that people are being more creative and in depth in their suggestions and there were times I thought I would terminate but based on the suggestions I hung on longer to make it work. I ended up terminating one family but I tried really hard at finding a solution first and I think they appreciated that.
It did seem for awhile that just as many caregivers were whining as bad as the daycare kids do. No kids are not perfect and neither are parents and just as anyone who has done customer service counter jobs can attest to life is not fun sometimes. I think too many people left their jobs and started doing daycare to stay home with their own children and went into it a little too naïve about everything they were going to have to face. We shouldn't have to put up with what we do but the reality is that is the norm in our industry and until that changes we just have to make the best of it if we want to continue to have clients.
I think when things get really bad, termination is sometimes the only answer. Also, there are certain issues that come up here that are a hard line for me, ie, last week someone mentioned a daycare mom grabbing provider's toddler's shoulder and speaking harshly to her. In a case like that, I would 100% terminate, but yeah, I can't terminate every time someone is late to pay, etc.
I stopped coming here for a while because of a clash in with another member that I just couldn't stomach any longer. That person seems to be gone from the board now, so I am back, love me or not ;)
I was on vacation last week and now have a house ful of visiting family pretty much for the rest of the summer...so I am on here less. I also had decided to cut back the time I spend on here a bit as I feel like I never get anything productive done during naptime when I am on here. Also, it becomes a bit easy to get sucked into negativity and drama and I don't like either of those things! I think sometimes it is easy to say "terminate" but not as easy to do it...especially if you need the income and cannot easily refill the space. I have often wondered if anyone actually terminates as often as they advocate ;) I think also, it is sometimes out of our own frustration that we may quickly jump to termination as a solution for others...it's like advising someone else to do something you know you cannot do yourself...LOL. However, I agree with Alpha...sometimes for our sanity, termination is necessary.
I think when anybody recommends termination they are trying to help a fellow provider grow their backbone and get stronger and wiser. It's true that it's easy to make that recommendation and really difficult to get to that point, but when you reach your breaking point what is better - your finances or your sanity and happiness? We each have to weigh our circumstances and make our own decision. Just because somebody makes a recommendation, that doesn't mean you have to do it. It gives you one more point of view to consider when you are weighing all your options. I for one truly appreciate ALL the advice I receive, negative and positive and in between. Then I can think about my circumstances and make an informed decision as I think it all through.
P.S. Sally, I love you, hehe! And to all the others who took a break, I'm glad you are back!
I am on 3 different daycare/child care forums so whenever one seems slow, I check out another.
I think ALL forums have their slow and busy times. They all seem to have cycles of irritability too.
For the most part though... the members of all the boards seem to be helpful and supportive. Each board does have that ONE person but in my honest opinion, I think that "one person" is only annoying because of MY personal thoughts/beliefs and that person isn't always "that one person" to others...kwim?
It's summer, that's all! Everyone will be back when not spending so much time outside!
As for everyone giving advice to terminate, I agree that most are just trying to help you stand up for yourself and not take any crap!!! I have only been in business for 2 years and have never terminated but would do so the second I was dreading 'going to work'. I am extremely picky and interview about 7 families for each spot. I realise I am lucky that financially I am able to do this.
If you're referring to my comment about the one person, I 100% agree with you. I was annoyed by her advice, and I own that it is my problem - not hers. I was just trying to say why I personally didn't stop by as much for a while. :)Quote:
Originally Posted by KellyP
Oh no, I wasn't referring to anyone specifically or about any one person...Quote:
Originally Posted by Sandbox Sally
I think I said it that way because I am annoyed with someone on an other board right now ...LOL! :laugh:
But I do agree that sometimes when we have issues with that "one person" it is partly due to our own feelings and perceptions. I try and just walk away too when I feel that way. ;)
KellyP & S.Sally, I couldn't agree with you more, I was about done with this forum but my problem person left so I'm happy here again.
Don't want to loose wonderful contributors like you ladies should that "someone" return! There is the ignore feature:)
I think everyone is just busy enjoying the beautiful weather- I know I have been :) Im online a lot more in the winter. I have 5 dck plus my own 2 so I am busy busy busy lately lol
I don't know why I didn't think to look at this as an option. If she ever returns, I'll be sure to do just that. Thank you. :)Quote:
Originally Posted by mimi