No outside play guilt

Woke up to a beautiful front yard of fresh, fluffy snow!
I had great intentions of playing with the kiddos outside but as it sometimes does, I realize its not going to happen.
I am 38 weeks pregnant with my #3, and I have 4 daycare kids in addition to my own 2 and 3 yr old. youngest daycare kid is 18 months.
Just the thought of bundling them all up, carrying the little ones down our somewhat steep front stairs (8 steps), and playing with them on our snow hills. (carrying x child up, pulling x child in sled, picking little one who constantly is tipping over in snowsuit). I have visions of me going into labour from all the physical activity!! Hahaha!

Do you think this is an acceptable 'excuse' for keeping the kids indoors? We do lots of active things inside as well! Today we took all the cushions off the couches and they played hopscotch and follow the leader thru an obstacle course under tables etc. They had a great time doing this. Also doing a lot of education activities as 4 of them start kindergarten in the fall.

Errrr....yes for sure. I think you need to just pat yourself on the back for providing care 2 weeks prior to your due date.Your indoor alternative actually sounds like a lot more fun to me :) If it makes you feel better, think about the possible repercussions if you do have labour pains while outside with 6 children?? I'm sure you would have managed but there is every chance that you would not have been able to safely watch over them while you were in your moment of initial "Holy Crap!". I think staying indoors until you are due is the best thing for everyone at this point, even more so if you have to manipulate steep stairways with little ones. Take care of yourself aswell as those children :)

Don't feel guilty!! Sounds like you offer lots of other fun activities for them! I feel guilty reading what you wrote, lol...I'm not pregnant and only have 4 and I'm terrible for just watching them play while outside. I do make the snow hill for them and will help them build a snowman but other than that I either stand and watch or I shovel the backyard more.

I know what you mean about feeling guilty when you don't make it outside though. It's been a terrible Dec/Jan for cold temps and wc's here and we haven't been able to get outside a whole lot.

38 weeks pregnant... 'acceptable excuse for not playing outside'? ABSOLUTELY! lol OMG wonder woman, how are you doing it? Good on ya!!!

Thanks everyone, yeah, now I guess it does sound a little obvious! I just get the parent who comes everyday and says "did you go outside today?" Like when it was -40!! ummm no!! It was way too cold then!
Its only -10 today but still every single parent brought snowpants and mitts, hats etc so I take that as a "here ya go, have fun playing outside all day with them' kind of hint!

I think I will relax proudly from here on out. My hubs is home on Wednesday until the baby comes so he will happily help me out with the outside stuff.

Absolutely! Please be extra careful!! I went for a really long walk with my daughter to take her to the library when I was pregnant with my 2nd... Later that night I went into labour, heavy contractions right away, and went straight to the hospital, my son was born after being at the hospital about 10 minutes! So it was very fast! And 2 1/2 weeks early!!
I would not want anything to happen while you are alone with your day care children. Please be extra careful!

Obviously the child's parents are all parents, and most, if not all the mothers were natural mothers, so I'm sure they can understand your case being that close to your due date. The parents should actually be happy you are still providing the services. In most jobs, it would be time for maternal leave by now. Like the others said, what you are doing now is just fine for your current state.

Wow ! Bundling up that many kids is time consuming for any of us who have to do it. It takes me about 5 minutes a kid and I dread it. I have to do it twice a day and it is not a happy time for me.....let alone for you bending and having to do it at 38 weeks. I can't imagine how you would even consider it - yikes !! LOL

I have toboggans but I will not pull any kids on them even though I am not preggo. I needed back surgery last year and will not pull kids because I don't want to end up in the hospital again and hurt myself. It is not worth it.

I think the parents would probably expect you to take it slow and easy right about now :)

I'm in the same boat KingstonMom!
I am 32 weeks pregnant myself and its #5 so I am HUGE already LOL.
Its been so icy outside even when its melted here so haven't been going on walks unless my older children are home (afterschool) or my husband is off on Mondays so he helps me take them on walks then too.
As for playing in the backyard, I need probably 15 mins to get all 4 toddlers plus my own toddler dressed and bundled to get outside then its only a matter of a few mins before one of them takes off their hat/mitts/boots and starts complaining of the cold. So needless to say we only go out now a couple of times a week.
Don't feel guilty about it. I did initially but now that these kiddos seem to be really into painting/colouring/stickers/playdough now that really helps keep them busy those days we don't manage to go outside.

Lol yes pretty much thinking what everyone said !!!!!! I have an assistant and it takes us 15 min to get everyone dressed properly !!! This is when mothers go on mat leave so I wouldn't feel guilty !!! Your games sounded fun !!!

I have the opposite problem. One of my dcm wants me to stay indoors cuz her child has a runny nose. I told her I can't promise that, if the kids need to go out, then I take them out. I said that if your child is too sick to go outside, then she is too sick to be at daycare.

I have it in my sick policy that if a child cannot participate in regular activities, like walking to the school or playing outside, then they need to stay home. I'm not ruining it for everyone else, because a parent wants their child to stay inside. I know my dck's need to burn off energy quite often!

i agree with everyone stay indoors....forts are great.

How in the world would remaining inside because of a runny nose benefit anyone (including the sick child)? Fresh air and exercise does the body wonders.