I agree mamaof4, winter months are much more isolating. In the summer we go to a park with about 6 - 9 other caregivers and it is so nice. We meet up at the local splash pad and have picnic lunches with the kids, etc.

My daycare families are all told in the summer our focus isn't on education activities, but switches to being outside as much as possible and gross motor and prosocial skills. This benefits the children as much as it does me because it then means I can socialize with my friends too.

I have worked in centres too and do miss the socialization. But working in a centre it was a different kind of socialization, more the fact that I knew someone was there vs being able to chit chat. The centres I worked in we weren't even allowed to stand near each other let alone talk. If the director caught us together and talking about something not related to the centre, oh boy we were in caa caa. Where being my own boss, if I want to sit on the bench with my friends and chit chat while watching the children play at the park, I can. But when we are in daycare it can be challenging, occassionally, I will call a friend, earphones are amazing, I have my hands free, still run daycare, and talk on the phone. Don't do it all the time, but there are just days when I need that adult conversation during free play.