Am I being an ass?

[Judy Trickett]

Don't take this the wrong way but....your feelings don't matter.

I understand from your perspective, but not sure how I'm not going to take this the wrong way. My feelings absolutly matter. I completely understand that it is my fault for allowing people to treat me this way, but it in no way excuses their behaviour towards me.

Your feelings are real but they only matter to YOU. If they mattered one iota to the dcparents then their kids would still be in your care. That't the point I was making. Going to them and pouring out your heart to them about how this affects YOU will not make one difference to them. You live in a more than business realm and they don't. Period. You are not on the same page and dwelling on how it hurt you is only further hurting YOU. I can tell you , with 100% certainty that they are not thinking about YOU or how it affects you.

I don't think we need to love every child to do a good job, but in any job if you hate it, you do not give as much effort to it.

No one here said they hated their job. I can assure you, the day I wake up and hate my job is the last day I ever provide daycare. What people fail to understand is that you can NOT love the kids and be a STELLAR daycare provider. This is not some fantasy or some theory I have baked up. It's true - I know A LOT of daycare providers who LOVE their JOB but not the kids.

I also disagree that a more seasoned provider is less enthusiastic about their jobs. I think most newbie providers are more emotionally involved and therefore burnout occurs more often and more frequently and burn out is FAR worse, IMO, than complacency. A lot of seasoned providers have been able, through experience, to find their groove and what works for them and they stay in that groove because it keep EVERYONE happy - especially the provider. And regardless of what type of daycare you have or what curriculum you do or not follow etc the KEY to successful daycare and happy children is a HAPPY provider - hands down.

I know what you say about this is how you are but I do have to ask you......how is that working for you RIGHT NOW? The short answer that you are miserable and hurt. Take this as a lesson in how to divide business and emotion.

I KNOW you likely got pissed off reading what I posted. I know this. Most people don't like my forthrightness to tell you what you NEED to hear versus what you want to hear. But know, that what I say comes from a place of LOVE and appreciation and support of fellow providers. It is meant to help you grow.

Trust me, I have had my share of haters who loathed me at first but who came to realize I was right.