Life's Little Annoyances

"Ever since you reopened your daycare ..."

I've been on the receiving end of that statement a few times in a few days. I'm hearing feedback from those that share this roof. If the end of those statements ended with a follow-up statement worse than going through bowls more quickly or me getting up too early (and making noise) ... I wouldn't be so offended.

I got up just as early during my reign at the school board. I did exactly the same things. The only difference? I open a few more drawers to retrieve the diapers and wash clothes that I will need for the day. On the day in question? Yes ... I vacuumed the mat at the back door. I have also done this before.

The bowl (non)issue? Crazy. My answer was "We could buy more bowls if that is our biggest problem". (I must admit that this was more of an observation than a complaint ... but it just came on the heels of everything else).

I am going through another transition of adding a new personality to my daycare this week. This little girl demands a different kind of attention and energy. She cries. A lot. Crying wears me down. It is only Wednesday. This is to be expected and I am okay with this. But it drains me.

I have a parent who doesn't believe her child should go outside because she has a cough. I disagree with this thinking. I think that fresh air is good. Perhaps she is making an issue out of the cough because of the ear infection that preceded it. The ear infection? I get. I have kept her head covered with whatever the mom has provided. It is just that this particular parent offers me a lot of feedback which is starting to make me feel like I cannot do anything to meet her standards. It wears on a person.

I also just found out that one of my family's circumstances has changed and even though she has assured me otherwise, I am afraid that this mom may have to move back to her parent's home (out of town) to make her finances work.

I suddenly feel like I have a lot of 'bosses'. I thought it was going to be easy when my underlying job was simply to keep the kids happy and everyone else would be happy too.

It is coming at me from too many different angles. I am fighting too many battles that don't deserve the energy it is taking.

I started this week with nothing in reserve. I was exhausted. I am regaining my equilibrium again and I have an uncommitted long weekend on the horizon. I just need to regain my footing so that I can brush off life's little annoyances with ease.

Everything has felt bigger than it actually was this week. Wednesday has always been my turn-around day. The day where I have the most energy. I am already fielding the challenges of the day better.

I still believe that my role is to keep my kids happy and everyone else will be happy by default. I am going to stick with that. It works. And it feels right.