May. 31st, 2007
If you've been following this saga, you know that Evan's prior (greatly beloved) care provider, Carol, retired recently and we had to find new care for him. E's first day with his new care provider (Sarah) was on Tuesday, and to say things are a bit bumpy would be an understatement.
Sarah seems like a very nice woman. She has a degree in early childhood education, was an in-home nanny for a local family for about seven years, and now takes care of children in her own home along with her 17-month old daughter, Hannah. She's also the great-niece of Carol, which was an interesting coincidence. I have to confess that I've yet to meet her, although I've spoken to her on the phone -- Josh did the pre-visit to her home, and drops E off and picks him up each day. Maddie, a toddler age friend of E's from Carol's house, is also at Sarah's, which I think was helpful for both of them, to not be in a totally new place with all new babies.
Day one, Evan seemed fine, but refused to nap. Sarah sends notes home every day listing what they did during the day, and her note was charming, including the fact that they went for a walk and saw cows and fish. Hannah is apparently in a hugging phase, and wanted to hug Evan and Maddie all day long. The not napping thing was bothersome, but we figured he'd sort himself out. Very sleepy boy when he got home, and he and I ended up falling asleep on the bed at around 730pm.
Day two was yesterday, and now I'm alarmed. Still no napping, plus Sarah's daughter Hannah bit Evan (on the finger, you can't tell, totally age appropriate). I'm sure this makes E upset, but its something I expected we'd face sooner or later and Sarah seems quite embarrassed. However, Josh learns from the daily log that Sarah keeps that Sarah spanked Hannah for biting Evan. !!!!! Ok, Hannah is Sarah's daughter and she can discipline her as she sees fit; and I'm sure she wouldn't ever use corporal punishment on my son .. but ... but ... she spanked her 17 month old daughter. Not the parenting choice I would expect someone with an Early Childhood education degree to make. Plus, still no napping. Tired, crabby boy came home and was very happy to see his dad when dad came to pick him up at 430 pm.
Today is day three, and so far what we have is that Sarah called Josh this morning to say that E had fallen and bumped his head. No blood but lots of crying and quite a lump. (Why do our heads get lumps when we hit them, anyhow?) She treated it with a cold compress and some snuggles, and he's ok.
But I'm not.
This whole process is killing me. Every day, a little more, I want so very much to be able to be a stay-at-home mommy. Or at least a spends-the-morning-and-early-afternoon-with-the-baby mommy. But I can't sort out how to do it. Quitting the job cold turkey, while tempting, would end up with us living in a cardboard box in Durham, so that's out. I'm searching for a different job, but its slow going making anything close to what I'm making now with the two jobs combined. My current evening job can't increase me to more than 20 hours per week, which won't work. So I see my boy when I can and entrust him to strangers for the bulk of the day. Strangers. Spanking strangers. With toddlers who bite. Grrr.
All you stay at home mommies, I hope you know how totally and completely I envy you. Green with envy I am. Totally green.
Sarah seems like a very nice woman. She has a degree in early childhood education, was an in-home nanny for a local family for about seven years, and now takes care of children in her own home along with her 17-month old daughter, Hannah. She's also the great-niece of Carol, which was an interesting coincidence. I have to confess that I've yet to meet her, although I've spoken to her on the phone -- Josh did the pre-visit to her home, and drops E off and picks him up each day. Maddie, a toddler age friend of E's from Carol's house, is also at Sarah's, which I think was helpful for both of them, to not be in a totally new place with all new babies.
Day one, Evan seemed fine, but refused to nap. Sarah sends notes home every day listing what they did during the day, and her note was charming, including the fact that they went for a walk and saw cows and fish. Hannah is apparently in a hugging phase, and wanted to hug Evan and Maddie all day long. The not napping thing was bothersome, but we figured he'd sort himself out. Very sleepy boy when he got home, and he and I ended up falling asleep on the bed at around 730pm.
Day two was yesterday, and now I'm alarmed. Still no napping, plus Sarah's daughter Hannah bit Evan (on the finger, you can't tell, totally age appropriate). I'm sure this makes E upset, but its something I expected we'd face sooner or later and Sarah seems quite embarrassed. However, Josh learns from the daily log that Sarah keeps that Sarah spanked Hannah for biting Evan. !!!!! Ok, Hannah is Sarah's daughter and she can discipline her as she sees fit; and I'm sure she wouldn't ever use corporal punishment on my son .. but ... but ... she spanked her 17 month old daughter. Not the parenting choice I would expect someone with an Early Childhood education degree to make. Plus, still no napping. Tired, crabby boy came home and was very happy to see his dad when dad came to pick him up at 430 pm.
Today is day three, and so far what we have is that Sarah called Josh this morning to say that E had fallen and bumped his head. No blood but lots of crying and quite a lump. (Why do our heads get lumps when we hit them, anyhow?) She treated it with a cold compress and some snuggles, and he's ok.
But I'm not.
This whole process is killing me. Every day, a little more, I want so very much to be able to be a stay-at-home mommy. Or at least a spends-the-morning-and-early-afternoon-with-the-baby mommy. But I can't sort out how to do it. Quitting the job cold turkey, while tempting, would end up with us living in a cardboard box in Durham, so that's out. I'm searching for a different job, but its slow going making anything close to what I'm making now with the two jobs combined. My current evening job can't increase me to more than 20 hours per week, which won't work. So I see my boy when I can and entrust him to strangers for the bulk of the day. Strangers. Spanking strangers. With toddlers who bite. Grrr.
All you stay at home mommies, I hope you know how totally and completely I envy you. Green with envy I am. Totally green.