And then the rest of the week

I can't say the rest of the week went quite so smoothly.

Well, actually, it did for C3. She kept comparing how summer camp and nursery school were different. Starting with the important stuff: Snack time.

C3: Snack time comes AFTER playing outside!
C3: And summer camp has no circle time!
C3: And no show and tell.

So, C3 has settled in and is doing fine. She enjoyed the 2 days of camp, and then the 2 days of babysitting. No problems. She came home covered in teal marker and about 1,000 drawings of teal things. Dogs, words, dogs, words.

Q2, however, isn't adjusting quite as smoothly, which isn't a surprise, considering this is her first time at any care opportunity.

Q2's teacher told me a few things:

Miss A: She's really difficult to handle when she's upset, difficult to calm down.
Me thinking but not saying out loud: Ya think? She kinda flails ... I wonder if she kicked her?
Miss A: Kicking around.
Me still thinking: Oh, she got kicked.
Miss A: She peed on Miss S while sitting outside.
Me: I'm sorry. Haha. No, that's not nice.
Miss A: Is there anyway to help her adjust?
Me (still thinking about the pee): I have her go to the potty during any transition time ... so before she goes out, when she comes in ... etc. I don't know if she really can hold it all morning.
Miss A: I mean, does she have a lovey or blankie or anything you could bring in?
Me: Oh, maybe not her blankie, but a stuffed animal we can bring in.
C38's response to this later was: She'll just throw it if she's mad! (So true)

And then the two days of being babysat ... crying happened. The first day she cried on and off the whole time (1.5 hours) and the second day she did OK until the end before C38 picked her up. But she was good because I offered her a chocolate if she didn't cry when I left. So, she didn't cry and she got the chocolate!!! Whew.

I like the whole day care concept. I'm thinking next summer we get them into day care or camp for the mornings, I work, then we do the pool in the afternoon, or something. But I feel very free without them. Lovely.

I just read in Newsweek that children make their parents less happy. I agree to an extent; you can't focus on your own needs and desires when you have a child to look after. And no, picking up after them doesn't make me happy. Their laundry sure doesn't make me happy. But they themselves do. On the whole, I think children are a good deal.

But, I still did relish the freedom!!