Feeling a bit bored?

[Daycare123]

Playfelt- all of my kids are great at playing independently and I have created an environment that helps them foster a healthy curiosity and imagination. I suppose I wasn't clear. I am not needing activities. I guess I was just curious as to what you all do when you feel like you don't have enough adult interaction throughout your day.

Momof4-hmmm..I don't know what to tell ya-I guess all kids are different, because my kids right now definitely would not work with just me at the park, but I think that has a bit to do with the fact that some of them like to wonder off as it is. My kids are ALL between 15 and 24 months. We do get out - I go for walks almost everyday if we don't want to play in the yard.

I have been doing working with children for over 10 years and running my own daycare for 3 years now, I suppose I am just feeling a bit isolated.

Anyway, thanks for all you insights-but it seems like different stuff works for different folks.

[playfelt]

Everyone is different and has different needs. Personally I like living in my own little space with no one to bother me or comment on any thing I do or don't d0 - hence the young ages of my gang too. But I know that is not for everyone.

If you go to the home page and put in your postal code it will bring up other providers in your area. If you can find someone that is close you could contact them and ask if they would be interested in going for a walk or meeting at the park or getting together for coffee in an evening and that way you will have someone that understands what your day was like.

How old are your own kids? Once they get into activities your social life will start to revolve around the moms of kids they are with so you chat with moms at school drop offs, soccer games, sparks meetings etc.

[gravy_train]

YES!! And stressful! Especially in the beginning. You are taking on a whole new identity . Before having my daycare I for up in the morning, put my nice office clothes on, went to work where I was social and my work was evaluated on an ongoing basis, this giving me validation. It's all different now - I wear Yoga pants everyday, rarely do my hair, etc.
I think it's really important to find a social outlet outside I work that allows you to interact and get away from mom/daycare provider life on a Regular basis.

[Daycare123]

Well thanks everyone I think I am in a bit of a rut, but knowing that everyone has days like this has made me feel better and human! Thanks for all the support!

[gravy_train]

Wow sorry for the typos - I'm on my phone trying to type quickly before the kids wake up!!!

[2cuteboys]

Well thanks everyone I think I am in a bit of a rut, but knowing that everyone has days like this has made me feel better and human! Thanks for all the support!

I haven't been doing it nearly as long, but I hear you!

I know it sounds a bit boring and controlling, but we started planning our weekends... It seems counter intuitive, but that way we can make sure we do everything we need/want to AND still do something social. Even just having friends and their kids over for a play date or games after bedtime. My husband is more social than me, so he loves it, and it's enough to get me through the week. And yes, occasionally "nap" and "movie" are on our schedule ...

[Sandbox Sally]

]Everyone is different and has different needs. Personally I like living in my own little space with no one to bother me or comment on any thing I do or don't d0 - hence the young ages of my gang too. But I know that is not for everyone.
[/B]
If you go to the home page and put in your postal code it will bring up other providers in your area. If you can find someone that is close you could contact them and ask if they would be interested in going for a walk or meeting at the park or getting together for coffee in an evening and that way you will have someone that understands what your day was like.

How old are your own kids? Once they get into activities your social life will start to revolve around the moms of kids they are with so you chat with moms at school drop offs, soccer games, sparks meetings etc.

I am the same. I love the solitude of just me and the kiddies. When I want to talk to other adults, I use the phone at nap, or talk on one of my message boards.

Sometimes I go to the park, but when I have a full house, it's much easier to stay in my yard.

[Momof4]

Don't misunderstand me, I have terrible down times when I don't want to change any more diapers or sing any more children's songs or even hear their voices for a while! That's why I take a vacation week every 3 months. One time at an interview a Mom asked me "You must miss them terribly when you go away on vacation?" to which I gave her the deer in the headlight response but I zipped my lip so I didn't say "Are you kidding, I NEED a break from them every 3 months."

But also, I think back to my last job where the management treated half of us like the stuff you see in diapers every day and I came home feeling worse than I ever had in my life and I stuck that out for 10 years. So even though this job isn't intellectually stimulating except for my surfing the net daily to find the craft of the week or checking in with my forum pals daily, this job is doing my health, attitude and well being a lot of good.

Also, Daycare123, at the park if any child wanders off they go directly into the stroller and are left there for the rest of the park visit. That teaches them quickly that they should NOT wander off and they MUST listen to my rules. Hope that helps.

[Judy Trickett]

I am very intellectual, and I don't mean to be arrogant when saying that. I crave knowledge and love to learn so to be in this job where I am SO isolated, and the learning plan is so mundane and basic, it really takes its toll on me. I am an analytical thinker and can always see the bigger picture and love complex and multilayered subjects, so simple concepts that can only grow minimally bore me quickly and under stimulate me.

That is me to a "T". I, too, am very intellectual and love to learn and research. I am very much an analytical thinker as well. I swear to God that some days I can feel my brain cells exploding in my head from sheer atrophy! I find the mundane nature of this job stifling at the best of times. I NEED to think, to use my brain. One of the reasons I frequent daycare forums so much is that it helps me to fill the gap. And what I mean by "fill the gap" is that forums afford me the opportunity to be useful - to coach others and share my skill set. Without forums I honestly don't know if I could do this job. I would be totally unfulfilled.

[treeholm]

I am also one who withers without intellectual stimulation, so I read during nap time. I still teach one course per semester at the university, so I find just keeping up in my field provides that to some degree, but I also read a wide variety of books. I need to learn something new every day, and as much as I enjoy the little ones, my brain cells were starting to atrophy when I was spending nap time cleaning up from lunch. I am glad I am not the only one to feel this way.