Challenge is up!

[auntiemeesh]

I've got the challenge up, over at hobbit_ficathon

The challenge this weekend is to write a story from Pippin's point of view, in honor of the Pippinhealers group (I learned a good bit about 'English' English this week, and a good thing, too). Any hobbit can feature in the story, but it has to be Pip's POV.

Just a reminder that you don't have to be a member to post. On the Hobbit_Ficathon user info page there is a little blue pencil you can click to post in the community [ignore me if you already knew that :)].

In other news, "Arrgggghhhhh!"
Let me just say that fourteen one-year-olds is way too many to have in the same place at the same time. Unless you happen to come equipped with at least sixteen arms. This week was ridiculously hard. For the third time this month, a new family showed up unheralded. One of them had the decency to at least call first. The other two just showed up without scheduling a starting date.

The one family just moved from Durham, N. Carolina (or is that South?). They had been accepted into our room months ago and we waited and waited for their deposit. Finally gave the position to someone else when the deposit never came and attempts at communication failed. Well, this family showed up the day before I got back from vacation. Turns out they had turned in their deposit, the idiot girl in the office hadn't told anyone, and this family needed to start care that day. Thank god the little girl was a dream to introduce to the room, never flinched, just started right in, happy as a clam.

Then, last week, a woman called me on Monday. "Hi, I'm O's mom. He's supposed to start today, when is the best time to come in?" Well, it would have been nice if someone had told me that was his start date. Left with no choice, I had her bring the little boy in, and he is also doing well, although he tends to get beat up a lot by one of the other little children (toddlers are really sweet, except when they are biting, hitting, spitting, screaming, pooping, etc.)

Now, at that point we were only missing one child, whose family was currently in Venezuela. The plan was that the mom would call me when they got back to the States and we would set up a start date for H. So when one of my co-teachers asked me on Tues if H was coming in the next day, I blithely said no. So of course, when I got to work on Weds, there H was. The family had just flown in the previous night and she showed up first thing in the morning. What on earth are these people thinking?

Along with the introduction of three new children, I lost a teacher and an assistant teacher, this month. All in all, this August has sucked big rotten eggs at work. It will get better. It always does. The kids don't stay babies all year long, we get new staff to replace those who've quit, and we all get used to things. But at the moment, it just isn't fun.

Okay, phew! I feel better now. Sometimes I just need to whine for a bit. I should be good for another couple of months now :)

Comments

[elenar.livejournal.com]

I hope everything works out soon. Good luck meanwhile.

[auntiemeesh.livejournal.com]

Thanks.

{{{elenar}}}

[shirebound]

FOURTEEN one-year-olds?? Is this a day care center? Wow. I hope things start smoothing out for you with no more surprises.

*hugs*

[auntiemeesh.livejournal.com]

It is a daycare center (good lord, could you imagine having fourteen tots at home? It makes the blood run cold, it does!) Luckily, I'm not alone with them, but even so, with three other teachers (one part-time) and one college student, we feel outnumbered most of the time.

It will smooth out, it always does, but it's been especially bad because we've had lots of bad weather and have been trapped indoors for days at a time. *shudder* The group is full now, so there shouldn't be any more surprises *knocks on wood* Thanks for the good thoughts :)

*hugs you back*

[melilot-hill.livejournal.com]

*hugs*
Hope everything will be better in a while :)

[auntiemeesh.livejournal.com]

I'm feeling better already! Thanks :)

*hugs*

[lil-banik-slave.livejournal.com]

OMG, Fourteen. I think I would have a hard enough time with one!

Good luck getting everything sorted : - )

[auntiemeesh.livejournal.com]

Thanks :)

Fourteen is absurd. One day my director will realize this and stop giving us so many kids. By then there will be an entirely different staff in the room, cause we are all ready to jump ship, now.

[grey-wonderer.livejournal.com]

That is an unreasonable amount of one-year-olds. I am impressed beyond words that you can manage them. I am even more impressed if you are managing to deal with their parents. LOL I have found that the parents are far worse than the children in most settings. We had somne experience with children's sports a while back and believe me, the parents all needed a time out! Eat plenty of chocolate! It may not help with the children, but it will make you feel better.

[auntiemeesh.livejournal.com]

Well, I don't have to manage them alone, but even with other teachers, it's just too many almost babies in one place at one time. And the parents are...interesting. Some of them are pretty cool, but most are just clueless, and a few are infuriating. So far this year, I dont' think there are any parents that I absolutely despise, which is good. There are a few that I'm keeping my eyes on, though.

Children's sports *shudder* has to be more difficult in the parent department, with all that pressure they put on kids to do well, be a star, etc. I'm glad we don't have to deal with that in the Toddler program, :D

Mmm, chocolate. You said the magic word! I'm always craving choc. when I'm at work, lol.

[grey-wonderer.livejournal.com]

Choclate will get a person through anything!

[azur-infinie.livejournal.com]

Wow. I admire you! I don't think I could cope with all that. I hope it gets better soon :)

[auntiemeesh.livejournal.com]

It will, thanks. It always does. By the time this group of kids is ready to move on, I will be marveling at how wonderful they are and I'll have totally forgotten the trauma that is summer, lol.

[maripo5a.livejournal.com]

Heaven help you! My kids are both in daycare part-time, and I really admire the teachers. (We're lucky and they are awesome!) I have enough stress dealing with my 2-year-old and 4-year-old, and enough volunteer time at the center, plus my short stint as an elementary-school teacher (one year, teaching music), to know just how hard you must be working. Good for you, and I hope things get smoother quickly. :-)

[auntiemeesh.livejournal.com]

Thanks. :) It's always nice to hear from parents who appreciate that it's more than just a fancy babysitting job. It will get better as the kids get older, lol. We have an exceptionally young group of kids this year. The usual one March birthday somehow turned into five this year. It makes more difference than I was expecting, lol!