Hi from the great white north :)

[zoomama]

hi everyone, i live in northern alberta and have a private dayhome that has been open since sept. 09. i have one son, and care for 6 other children ages 1-5.

i stumbled across this forum yesterday while looking for some guidance on naptime policies due to a recent issue with a parent, and WOW. i am SO thankful to have found this space! living so far north with no immediate family nearby and few friends, i have found this job to be both rewarding, yet pushing me to limits i didn't know were possible. i have felt so alone in knowing how to handle the different issues that are common to daycare providers specifically, and at times have felt an acute lack of support and understanding. the community in which i live does not have any licensed daycares, and i only know of one other mom who has an actual 'dayhome' in the area.

i look forward to being a part of this online community, and have already found a wealth of information and support in just a couple of days!!

THANK YOU!!!

[cfred]

Hi and welcome to the forum! Yes, there's a tonne of useful information in here, as well as support in an otherwise (sometimes) isolating profession. It can be tough being on your own with a houseful of little ones all day. Without some form of adult interaction, I run the risk of being a puddle of goo after a week or so

How are things up your way? I'm in Ontario and we've got some great, very summer like, weather, which is a nice switch!

[Sandbox Sally]

Hi zoomama! Welcome. I love it here. I hope you feel at home quickly, and that you can benefit from all the exchange of information that happens here.

It's also a great place to vent.

[zoomama]

the weather up here is FINALLY getting nice! we had our first major snowfall at the end of october and had our HOPEFULLY last one several days ago! after being cooped up indoors with little ones for 6 months straight, (not only did we have a LOT of snow, but it was an exceptionally COLD winter, too!), we are finally getting out for walks and enjoying the sunshine and fresh air!!

a place to vent to those who truly understand is crucial in this line of work. not that a person wants to focus on the difficult or negative aspects of the day-to-day, but that comes with this just like any other job. this one just tends to feel a bit more personal as it involves co-raising other people's children and it's in my own private home. even just reading some of the threads and knowing other people face the SAME issues and feel the SAME frustrations over seemingly minor details is validating.

thank you for the warm welcome!

[Momof4]

Welcome to the forum! We don't have co-workers and this business can make you feel very isolated. Sometimes it feels like the inmates are taking over the asylum and we're going to be taken hostage, for pete sake! It's really important to be able to reach out to others who understand how we feel and the virtual support can save our sanity. That's definitely why I love the forums anyway.

[Skysue]

Welcome! These ladies are awesome!