If Your Mom Opens a In-Home Daycare...

     You must prepare yourself for a couple of things. First off, when I say In-Home daycare, that means every room of your house will be used. From living room to kitchen to family room to bedrooms. And no matter how much you put up a fight, a playpen just might end up in your room! The house will now have toys in each room, the kids will have full range of the house when they are there, and your bedroom will be the hotspot for dressing up with jewelry and high heels and putting make-up on.

    You must also get ready for no more sleeping in during summer vacation. My personal alarm clocks come in at 8 on the dot. Now, the last few years I got good at giving them hugs and letting them jump on the bed and then going back to sleep for another hour or so. But, there is something so great about waking up to smiling little ones that are so excited to see you that I wouldn't trade for any amount of sleeping in.

     During the summertime you will learn that having a big backyard, swing set, riding toys, and any water activity is a must. After being inside the cold winter months, the kids and you will want to be outside whenever you can. You will need to be ready to go on walks at all times, be able to fill up water balloons for 3 minutes of fun, be able to make a road out of chalk, blow bubbles, read books, push swings, rescue someone from getting hit by a swing, plant a garden, plant flowers, dig in the garden, go swimming in the pool, do the slip-n- slide, and so on. You must be ready for library days on Friday and either a picnic in a park or Waffle Stop with Dad. Summer is my favorite time at the Daycare :)

      You also have to be willing to pitch in whenever and however you can. The daycare is open from 8-5 and that means my mom is going from 8-5. During the school year last year I came home at 1:30 3 times a week and once I was home I would try and help her any way I could. My mom is a trooper and has only taken like 4 sick days in 5 years. Sometimes if she wasn't feeling well, my dad and I could make it work that we could help her out with the kids. I also would watch them anytime in the afternoon if she had a appointment or something. Right when she would shut the door I would turn to the kids and say, guess who's in charge and they would yell "Lisa!" a.k.a. now they could get away with anything ;) I also discovered that no matter how bad my day at school was, when I would come home and see the kids it would change my day around. My favorite part was walking in the door and having them run and give me a hug when they saw me. 

     You must also realized that you will have more respect for your mom and what she not only did with you but what she does every day.  My mom stayed home with us three girls. I loved having my mom home with me. Since my mom opened the daycare, it has shown me what a natural she is at being a mom. She is so good at knowing that kids need structure but she allows each child to be their own person. I was not the most easy kid in the world. I was "strong-willed", as my mom said. We have some strong-willed kids too, but seeing how my mom handles when they get upset and how she is consistent with them, shows me why the kids are so good for her. The kids adore my mom and she loves them right back. 

     The most important thing you must know that if your mom opens a daycare is this- You will fall in love with each and every child that comes to the daycare. The majority of the kids started when they were just months old. We even got to meet one of them when he was just hours old at the hospital. I have watched each child grow from crawling to walking to running. I have seen them discover things and heard them begin to talk. I have heard laughter, crying, joy, and screams. I have changed diapers, fed bottles, rocked them to sleep, and played peek-a-boo. The list goes on and on, and this much I know for sure. Each one of them holds a special place in my heart. It's that place that even on their worse days, I love them. Because I have seen them grown into beautiful, strong, caring, God-loving, wonderful kids. This is the reason why it wasn't until I had to say good-bye to them, that I broke down the day I left Iowa for New York. To say I miss seeing them everyday is an understatement. Some days I wish I could fly home just to spend the day with them and just be where everything is simple and the biggest issue is what to play with first...Barbies or Pollys! So, I end by saying thank you to the parents of each of the daycare kids, for bringing your kids to our home. For letting me watch your children grow. I can't wait to see them during Christmas and all of you too. And thank you to my mom for 5 years ago deciding to use her talent of loving kids and bring it to our Home :)

Much Love From NYC, 

 Lisa