What I Love About Child Care

I think it's time for a more personal blog entry...
I have been in the child care business for over 17 years and I have loved every moment of it. This is why it has been such a difficult decision for me to close my Family Child Care business, Patty Cake Preschool. But being an author, speaker, provider, mother, wife among many other titles has finally gotten to be a load too big for me to carry. June 7, 2007 will be my last day for my school. Each day that it gets closer my anxiety grows. I LOVE these kids! I don't remember what life is like without getting a hug every morning, snuggling with a child on the rocker to read, playing ball on a summer day or even having apples and graham crackers for a morning snack! I have been defined by my child care business for so long it's scary to consider that part of me to be gone.

As I try to sort through the toys to sell at the end of the month I find myself hoarding away many of them! There are certain things I just can't imagine not being in my house. Like the castle with a dragon and princess, the number cups I made with the kids over 10 years ago, my song cards, our tea set, the dump truck in the sandbox. I've decided to keep these items and my excuse is that someday I'll get to be the cool Grandma with lots of neat stuff to play with at her house! Sounds viable right?

Then there's the things I can't save. Like the kisses little Kolton gives. Or the roll of the eyes from Ellie. And the giggle from Carley. I've had to say goodbye to dozens of children over the years, and let things like this go. But knowing they won't be replaced this time makes it so much harder.

I do have moments where I get excited about who I will be soon. Like when it's 11:00 p.m. and I'm writing a new workshop speech and I realize I will soon be able to do this when the sun is shining. Or when I'm inside on a Saturday writing a new chapter for my next book while my family is out on a bike ride and I remember that I will soon regain my family time. I love to write. I love to talk to people about child care and adoption. So I'm looking forward to having more time for these things. My only concern is that without the children in my daily life my creative juices will stop flowing!

Nothing gets the writer in me going faster than spending time talking with the kids about what they like, what they don't, what their wishes are. I have stacks of scrap paper where I furiously wrote an idea for a book after such a conversation. The kids have such an honest view of life. Nothing messy about it. Pure joy. Pure love. Pure pain. Pure sorrow. Genuine interest in the world they live in. I learn so much from them every day!

So, I'll continue to work on some articles for you, but if you'll indulge me, I'll also spend the next month sharing a bit about what I love about child care, what I'll miss, and what I've learned from these precious children I've been so lucky to have in my life.