Housework during daycare hours

[playfelt]

When I first started daycare I just assumed I was supposed to be with the kids all day, etc. It wasn't until one of my daycare moms (single parent) started lamenting how her son complained especially all day Saturday about how he wanted to come back to my house because all I did all day was play with him. The mom of course was busy doing laundry, dusting, batch cooking for the coming week etc.

After that conversation I came to the realization that I was a family home daycare and as such I needed to act like one. That meant that each day I did an item of housework while the kids "played" as in I was not available to them during that time. They learned to entertain themselves and other times they were all given tasks such as dusting cloths or a basket of socks to sort or washcloths to fold and we all did our work so that we would have time to play. What I was teaching them was the reality of life. Life is not all just play for anyone - work, school comes first.

Now the process I use is that during free play periods I am free to take a few minutes and do what I want to do too - well have to do so it might include putting in a tub of laundry or emtying the dishwasher or sorting a shelf. I like to get something done in the morning and then I don't feel so bad about not getting everything done in the afternoon.Also when I am busy instead of just hanging around them while they play they are more inclined to be self-sufficient and creative. I am close enough they know they can't get away with anything but busy enough they know I am not at their beck and call to be their source of entertainment. They also know if I get interrupted many times my work takes too long and if they let me get it done that we have a lot more time to do things together later.

[sunnydays]

Playfelt, I have to agree with you. Kids need to learn how to entertain themselves while adults do the chores they have to do. I do my daycare kitchen cleaning while the kids play and I find that they play much better when they know I am busy If I sit down, they suddenly expect me to do something...read a book, do a felt story, etc. If I am busy, they could play happily for hours

When I first started daycare I just assumed I was supposed to be with the kids all day, etc. It wasn't until one of my daycare moms (single parent) started lamenting how her son complained especially all day Saturday about how he wanted to come back to my house because all I did all day was play with him. The mom of course was busy doing laundry, dusting, batch cooking for the coming week etc.

After that conversation I came to the realization that I was a family home daycare and as such I needed to act like one. That meant that each day I did an item of housework while the kids "played" as in I was not available to them during that time. They learned to entertain themselves and other times they were all given tasks such as dusting cloths or a basket of socks to sort or washcloths to fold and we all did our work so that we would have time to play. What I was teaching them was the reality of life. Life is not all just play for anyone - work, school comes first.

Now the process I use is that during free play periods I am free to take a few minutes and do what I want to do too - well have to do so it might include putting in a tub of laundry or emtying the dishwasher or sorting a shelf. I like to get something done in the morning and then I don't feel so bad about not getting everything done in the afternoon.Also when I am busy instead of just hanging around them while they play they are more inclined to be self-sufficient and creative. I am close enough they know they can't get away with anything but busy enough they know I am not at their beck and call to be their source of entertainment. They also know if I get interrupted many times my work takes too long and if they let me get it done that we have a lot more time to do things together later.