What kind of person are you?

[JennJubie]

Yep. I'm with KellyP and Judy. I'm doing this because this is what works best for my family. I do like children, but I don't get upset when it's time for them to leave my care. When they go home, I don't think about them until it's time to resume the next day. I don't get teary, or overly emotional about the daycare kids. Like the other ladies said, I can't fix their parent's mistakes, and I won't knock myself out trying to, either. If it isn't working, it's terminate and move on. I take great pride in my work, (in any work I do!), and I know that I am providing very good care for the kids.

[KellyP]

I think taking a non-emotional standpoint in this business helps the kids too. I think the expectations for behavior are a lot better as the kids KNOW they can't or don't make me feel bad for having to put them in time out or enforce a consequence.

I mean we all know that one of (if not THE) biggest reason parents have trouble with consequences and follow through when disciplining their children is because they can't stand hearing them cry or feel badly when the kids feel bad.

I don't have that issue so the kids can't use it here.

I don't feel badly when little Timmy chucked a block across the room and bruised little Suzy's eye and now Timmy is crying because he can't play blocks anymore. I DO feel bad that Suzy got hurt (I AM still human) but I don't make a huge fuss about it either. I do what needs to get done and don't let any big ol' alligator tears or puppy dog eyes sway me into not following through with consequences for Timmy.

I think that is the very reason I DO have really well behaved daycare kids.

I'm not saying it isn't possible to have good behaved children in a different setting, I'm just saying that is a positive in how I personally do things.

[Judy Trickett]

I said goodbye to my first child and it was more of a push out the door, no tears shed and wrote a termination letter on Fri for another and I am more focused on what the lost income would mean rather then the kid leaving.

I have had almost 50 kids through my care now. I have never, ever, shed a single tear for any of them leaving. That doesn't make me a bad, uncaring person - it makes me realistic and very good at making business decisions. When a kid leaves I might not cry over them but I DO know, deep down, that I made a difference and they were likely better off in my care than in the care of some other providers I know.