Three

Days, that is.

Today was our late start day, meaning school starts an hour later than on other days. It was hot hot hot today, and I knew it was going to be. So we did a little project, then I took my morning crew outside to play. They appreciated it.

They don't understand why they can't go outside to play when it's hot like this (97 today) because, "It's a nice day!!"

Legally, though, I can't take them outdoors. State day care licensing says no. I'm glad. It's too damn hot for me.

Thing is, most of our local schools do not have air conditioning. So although it's cooler indoors than it is outdoors, it's still sweltering. Very little air movement, and the air that does move is soupy and slow. I was really glad to be finished this evening (20 minutes after closing, because I still have parents signing and dating paperwork) and get into my air conditioned car.

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We had a staff meeting at one today, then off to work site. We didn't arrive at our site until 2:40, which is about 25 minutes later than usual for me. Our room wasn't set up in time for the kids, but they are quickly learning to be flexible and that their needs will be met. :)

Molly* is turning out to be pretty agreeable. She does have a bit of attitude, but she's a smart kid and is learning that she gets further when she's nice than when she isn't.

The crew I have this year isn't quite catching on to the whole cleanup thing, though. So I'm going to do something I haven't done in awhile.

We're going to have an official entire room clean up at 5. That will take about 15 minutes or so, some of the kids are a little slow to clean up after themselves.

Then I am going to have a box or several items that ONLY come out after 5:20 PM.

Those will be things that no one else gets to play with except the late pickup kids. I'll choose things that are easy to put away and hopefully avoid some of the messes that I'm having to clean up on my own. Well, not entirely on my own, Lyssa is very helpful. And cute. :)

And the kids just LOVE her. She's close enough to them in age that they think she's a big kid, but she is smart enough to know that she's not their friend and keeps them going in the right direction.

She's very good at mediation, too, helping them solve their issues without being overbearing or doing it for them. I'm really awfully proud of her and very glad she's at my site instead of somewhere else.

We had a staff meeting today. Our manager was evidently stuck in traffic, so we had a meeting for 45 minutes without her.

Turns out that one of the schools she hired a site director for ended up without that site director... she left her stuff and a note saying, "I can't do this."

Talk about leaving someone in the lurch!!

So our manager is doing a site director job for now. Getting a little glimpse into what we do and all like that... I like the idea a lot.

I know I have mentioned that things aren't going as well as I'd like, and after nine years (!!!) at this job, I am smart enough to know when things aren't as they should be.

I'm glad our manager is getting this opportunity to see what it is we actually do and a realistic estimate of how much time it takes to do the things we do.

I hope that will alleviate some of my current frustration.

When this posts, it will be one minute into Thursday. Which means only two more 5 AM mornings until the weekend.

If I allowed how I feel to regulate my waking and sleeping patterns, I'd be up until one or two or three in the morning and then sleep until noon or one. I function best like that, I feel better and think more clearly.

So that means I really ought to be heading for bed now, I guess.

Happy Thursday, y'all.