I think you are perfectly normal Torontokids and I find the caregivers who say they "Love the daycare children as if they are their own" are actually lying or delusional. Of course you don't love the daycare kids, you care for them, nurture them, protect them with your life and keep them safe but at the end of the day you give them back to their parents who love them.

Over the years we get attached to a few of the children who really touch our hearts more than others and I have some ex-clients like this who bring their children back for a visit now and then and I love that. I get to watch these children grow up and know that I had a huge part of forming their personalities into the wonderful kids that they are today.

Ok, all that being said, I treat all the children equally and fairly, that includes hugs and praise and discipline and rules. But new children are scared out of their minds and I do hug them, but I agree that they have to learn that a quick hug and encouragement for them to play with the others is important right away too. It depends on the age of the child but they do need comforting when they are new, when they hurt themselves and when they need praise. Those are the times I hug them.