Quote Originally Posted by bright sparks View Post
I go above and beyond for my daycare families on a regular basis, I don't need to dedicate a day every month to them because I regularly thank them and show gestures to offer validation and appreciation. I absolutely love providing care, but I am also a realist and while what you did for them is really nice, you did catch that in my original post I hope, I also know from my years of experience and the constant posts on here from providers feeling upset and resentful that they go unthanked for going above and beyond, that this for many wouldn't be something that at least some providers would see as being warranted or necessairy. Monthly I visit a farm to collect my organic meat, eggs and grain order, on my time, and every time I place my order I ask all families if they would like anything and I drive an hour to collect it without a thought to ask them for money or that maybe they would like to take it turns to drive the 80km round trip......that is an extra and a kind and thoughtful gesture that I offer my daycare families. If I am out and about doing anything and I see something that I think would be of interest to someone, I text or call them to see if they want me to pick it up for them...I do this particular thing all the time. Saturday for example I was at a health food store that had reasonably priced wild and sustainable frozen seafood and immediately thought of a parent who I had had a conversation about this very thing a few weeks ago. So please don't misunderstand my tone in my original response, or misinterpret it as not caring about my families, I have just learnt through much experience that these things start to be taken for granted, and add to my already busy workload of having 2 jobs, 2 of my own kids and 4 daycare kids. More power to those who choose to do what you do but for me I would much prefer to reward people authentically and originally for a specific action with a thank you versus everyone in general when many of those parents I have dealt with in my career while are deserving of the same level of respect and compassion as every other family I welcome into my home, I am not going to appreciate them if they are not worth appreciating beyond the confines of my job. Just my personal boundaries, and how I like to practice. Just like those provides who believe that a Xmas party is beyond the requirements of their job so be it, where as I rent the early years centre exclusively, put on a massive spread for the families and lots of activities for all the children and their families. I go above and beyond because I want to and I get great satisfaction out of making my daycare families happy, but for me Parent appreciation day isn't something that I think for me is worth doing on a regular basis just because.
There is nothing whatsoever "unauthentic" in what I do, just because it happens once every month as a regular thing. My husband and I go on regular date nights -- doesn't make our time together "unauthentic".