The New Daycare Classroom

Well, B. seems to be enjoying his new daycare classroom for the most part. He loves the new toys, special activities, and going outside more often. There was even a day this week that he told me he didn't want to go home because he wanted to play.

He is having a few minor issues that I am hoping will get straightened out as time goes by in the next few weeks. One is nap time. While B. is used to music at nap time, the music in this room is played much louder. There are also a lot more kids camped out on mats around the room. The two things together are apparently keeping B. from settling in and getting a decent amount of sleep in. Most days he is sleeping only 1 hr. when he usually sleeps 2 hrs. + at home and in his old classroom. This is causing B. to be extremely cranky when we get home. He has to get up at 6 AM on several days of the week when Steve and I work the same days. B. is jut not getting enough sleep some days and shorter naps are not helping. He already goes to bed at 7 PM, so I am not sure we really want to make that any earlier.

B. is also apparently feeling a little stressed in the bathroom department. This room is very focused on getting kids potty trained. I am glad because we have been working on it at home, but not as much as in his classroom. He has only really gone on the potty maybe 4 or 5 times in the last 2-3 months. In t his daycare classroom they sit him on the potty before every diaper change and keep sticker charts. This all sounds okay to me, but from what we can figure, the constant potty sitting and the fact new people are changing his diaper has lead him to hold his #2 and gets him constipated. Then he has a bellyache and is even crankier than before. bet that was all more than you really wanted to know! Sorry for the TMI!

As I said, I think the new classroom will be a good thing once we get a few things worked out and B. starts to feel a little more comfortable with his new teachers.

Hope you are having a nice weekend!

-Denise

Daycare Update

I spoke with the director and the teacher that changed B.'s diaper. They both apologized and just said they had no idea how it could have happened. After talking to the teacher about how she changed his diaper, I quickly figured out how it happened. Because B. doesn't like when she changes his diaper, she only scooted his shorts down a tiny bit and pulled the diaper out. I think the BM rolled out into his shorts, and she was just oblivious that it happened. Ugh!

Luckily, B. moves up to a new classroom on Tuesday. This particular teacher is almost never in his new classroom. I am hoping it stays that way, so we can avoid any more diapering issues with her.

I am REALLY excited that B. is moving into the new class. I really like both of the teachers in his new classroom. They also try to teach the kids the Spanish and sign language for common items around the room. I think he will really enjoy this new class.

-Denise

Daycare Issue

One of the toughest decisions a mom will have to make is whether or not to go back to work or to stay home with her child(ren). I knew when we had our son that I would have to go back for financial reasons. I also really do enjoy my job as a teacher. I was not ready to give up teaching and my students. This is not to say I don't love my son. It is just the decision we made that was best for our family.

For the most part, we really do like our son's daycare. We do believe his teachers genuinely care for him. We have had a few issues at times, and there are a few things we wish were done differently. Today was one of those days though that really just makes me wonder what goes on there at times.

I picked my son up from daycare this afternoon and got his daily report sheet as well. This reports what his meals and snacks were, what activities were done, and what his diaper schedule was like for the day. As we were walking to the car, I started smelling poop. I figured he must have just gone and glanced at his sheet. It said he just went before I got there. I still figured he had gone more, and I would change him when I got home. When I got him out of the car at home, I could feel that his shorts were now wet. Assuming we had a really bad diaper, I rushed him right upstairs. I was shocked at what I found.

As I pulled off Ben's shorts I found a large pancake of BM stuck to his leg and the inside of his shorts. His diaper was completely dry and completely clean on the inside. How in the world did the contents of his last poopy diaper end up on the inside of his shorts and on his leg?!?!?!? I had to scrub hard to get some of it off of his leg. I thought I was going to be sick as I tried to clean his shorts. Ugh!

I am going to call his daycare tomorrow and discuss the issue. Yes, I know there are mistakes and no one is perfect, but this just seems crazy to me. Was the woman (not his usual teacher) that changed him completely not paying attention when she changed his diaper? I just don't get how this happened.

I will let you know how the conversation goes tomorrow.

-Denise

Getting Back On Schedule

The start of a new school year is almost here, so it is time to get B. back on his regular routine. Staying up a little late, sleeping in a bit, and not going to daycare full time is about to end. B. starts daycare full time again this week. I work a few days this week and most of next week even though I don't start teaching until after Labor Day. On a regular workday, B. has to get up at 6 AM so we can all get out the door. I am not going to jump right back to that since I like to sleep too, but we will be easing into earlier waking times and bed times as well.

Tonight's response was the usual, "No, Momma!" when I ushered him upstairs a few minutes earlier than usual. He verbally protested, but overall the earlier time was pretty easy. Hopefully the rest of our schedule transition will go smoothly, but I am not holding my breath!

-Denise