Hey All,
Just a quickie for today, as I'm heading out tomorrow for a very dear friend's wedding, in which I am a bridesmaid (yay!). I'm sure I'll have plenty of stories to tell when I get back. This was my first week at the YMCA daycare center. I am a Float/Teacher Assistant, so I basically go to the classrooms where they need me, and could therefore be with any age group from infancy to age four. However, pretty much every day so far I spend my mornings with the Toddlers ( ages 18-36 months) and the majority of my afternoon with the three year-olds, with possibly some time spent in the infant rooms at the end of the day. I have to say, while completely exhausting, I really do enjoy it so far. Here are some of my impressions after my first week back in a child-caretaker role.
-Every skill I picked up as a Nanny came back to me almost immediately
- Never, ever assume that just because a child isn't verbal themselves, that that means they don't understand you.
- Everything in a room being at child height is basically a guarantee for lower back pain
- A child running up to you for a hug is like the Sun coming out from behind the clouds, it will bring a smile to your face every time, no matter what.
- Celebrate the small victories. I wish there was the same level of enthusiasm for the seemingly small achievements in adult's lives as there are for children. I mean, granted, I don't necessarily need or want praise for using the bathroom or coloring in the lines or drinking out of a cup with no sippy top. But, that being said, praise for *small* things is not something that should be ignored once you're an adult. It always feels good.
- My hands are virtually always going to be dry and chapped because I am constantly washing my hands.
- Children don't need elaborate toys.
- A snack and an afternoon nap shouldn't just be for kids, most adults would benefit from them immensely also.
- Sometimes you just need to be held.
- I am sooooo glad I have no conscious memory of diaper rash....*shudder*
- The forbidden will always be fascinating
- Food taste better when you eat it with your hands
-I have real envy of the ability of young children to sleep through virtually anything.
- Bonding with children can happen extremely quickly. I've been with these children for four days, and already they have each claimed a place in my heart. Whenever the time comes for me to leave this job, I will be genuinely sad and will miss each and every one of them.
I'm sure I'll have plenty more to say on this subject....stay tuned :)
Love,
Lynn
Super cute! I hope it's still going well for you!
ReplyDeleteI volunteered at a YMCA once and I'll always remember the 6 year-old buy who tried to convince me that he brought his kitten with him to day care. I didn't believe him at all, but when his mom picked him up at the end of the day he showed me the beanie baby kitten he had been hiding in his coat since that morning. I have to remind myself in the future that a kitten doesn't have to be animate to be a kitten in a kid's mind!