How do they seem to like you running a daycare?
I ask because I am not sure if I am not being very understanding of my own kids' feelings, or if they are just being "suckys". lol
I have a 10 y/o son, almost 8 y/o son, and 4 y/o daughter. My daughter doesn't seem to mind having other kids around. She's kind of excited to have days off ("oh, it's a FAMILY day!!") and I have noticed some certain changes in her behaviour, but in general, she does all right.
My younger boy is about the same. I think he would rather not have all these children in his home, but he does fine, too.
The real challenge come in with my eldest. He is a great kid, if I say so myself. However, he really takes issue with the fact that we have the children here that we do. Well, just one, really. He finds it "unfair" that there is a 5 y/o that he "has" to play with. Now, let me just say that I really don't MAKE him play with the d/c kids. He often chooses to, because c'mon, what else is he going to do? There have been a couple of times that I have paid him extra allowance to help out, in order to free my hands up for some other tasks. He knows that when he needs his space, he can go to his room (we keep his "special" things in there) to chill, read or play. He can also go outside to play (we have a couple acres of yard). He just needs to tell me that he needs a little bit of down-time. And I have asked that he ensure he is not right in the middle of a game with the other kids and just walk away. He has also had his best friend over virtually every single afternoon so far this summer. (I won't let him go over there because the boy's parents are working during the day and he is getting watched over by his 13 y/o brother)
He blew up in tears today because he doesn't feel like he is getting to do what he "wants to do" and "this summer sucks". I have to admit, my first reaction is.... tough tooties! Things don't always go the way we wish they could, exactly. I encouraged him to look at all the positives, like the fact that my husband is home early enough most days to play a game of water tag in the afternoon, or that he has been doing some pretty fun stuff in the evenings and weekends.
As much as I want to be compassionate, and understanding of the fact that this is his home, etc.... we have had discussions about what the alternative is (ie. I go to work, and they end up in daycare themselves). Do you have any suggestions? Do I stay firm on what I have been telling him? Or am I being too ignorant of his feelings?
Grrrr. Probably doesn't help that pre-teen attitude is rearing it's ugly head....