As many of you know, I have recently transitioned from in-home childcare provider to work from home writer. It’s been a month of change and reflection, with lots more to come. It was an absolute joy and pleasure to love on this group of sweet kiddos for the last three years. They have grown so much, and so have I. And while the moments are bittersweet, we are all ready for this next stage. So, in a final farewell, here is my TOP TEN list of things I will NOT miss about childcare…and of course, the many things that I will.
10. Sticky fingers…all over the walls, the couches, the windows, my clothes. You name it and it was stuck on me at some point. The worst was the ‘middle of chewing their food’ sneeze. Now, that was disgusting.
9. Wiping boogers and snot and diapers and cleaning up puke–though each kiddo only puked one time each in three years, so that’s pretty decent.
8. Car seats!!! In and out everyday, all day. That my friends is a lot of extra work and safety first, so…whatcha gonna do? Stay home? I think not. Target is not at home. The playground is not at home. Sanity far outweighs the trouble of car seats, but it was definitely a chore!
7. The words “no”, “mine”, “stop”, and of course their personal favorite, “butt cheeks”. Did you know that Alexa has a song called “Butt Cheeks”? Well, she does. You’re welcome.
6. Crying and whining. All the crying and whining. And I’m not talking about a sweet baby is hungry cry. I’m talking about a really angry toddler cry. Like a “you just took the toy I was thinking about playing with” kind of cry. Or the “I can’t believe you put me in timeout for biting my friend” cry.
5. Hearing my name…like 1,000 times per day. I thought about changing it. I tried to get them to call me other things. I voted for “dad”. No one ever calls for dad! It didn’t work.
4. Scattered toys and spilled milk and play dough and ALL THE THINGS that drop on the floor. There are so many things that drop on the floor. How many things are on yours right now? Well, times that by at least twenty five and you’ll see what I’m talking about.
3. Baby Shark! Just kidding. I actually do love some Baby Shark…and Pancake Robot…and Let it Go and pretty much every Kidz Bop and Moana song. We sang and danced to a lot of songs!
2. Pack N Plays. My husband would have to agree with me on this one. We had pack n plays in every bedroom. We would leave them up through the week and then take them down and wash sheets over the weekend. We’ve stubbed many toes on the middle of the night pack n play.
1. Peeing with an audience! Okay, okay. Don’t be judgy, ‘cause if you’re a momma, you know. You try to close the door. You try to sneak in quick. And even if you lock them out, their little fingers wiggle under the door. Cute, if it’s your own kid. A little weird if it’s not. But now, I completely pee in private–and it’s awesome.
Frozen water + any toy = hours of fun!
So, that’s my list of what I won’t miss, but here’s what I will miss:
I’ll miss the laughter that comes straight from the deepest parts of their bellies. Innocent excitement over discovering something new. I’ll miss high-fives and fist-bumps and snuggles on lazy mornings. I’ll miss reading stories to them and hearing their “stories” throughout the day—no matter how randomly they are pieced together. I’ll miss kissing their boo-boos and wiping their tears and playing mom for them, while their own mommas work so hard. I’ll miss talking to the parents and celebrating simple accomplishments like big boy underwear, and letting go of paci’s and learning to dress themselves. I’ll miss hugs and kisses and hulu-hooping outside. I’ll miss dance parties and playing in the rain. There were so many sweet moments that I will always remember. And years from now, maybe they will remember pieces of our time together, too.
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