Unexpected Flaw

The changes of children in my group are starting to affect my son in ways I never thought of.

When I was growing up my Mom did home day care.  Maybe it was because I was older and in school when she started that the coming and going of children didn't bother me much.
Lately I feel like I have been a revolving door for children.  It's starting to take its toll on my son.
In some cases those children just disappeared with no warning.
Last year it started with NT abruptly stopping coming because his Aunt was visiting from away and then they moved with no warning.
William was devastated he never got to say good bye.
Then I had the two little girls come for back up, one was only here a month when things fell apart financially and they had to end care.  The other should have stayed with me until she started school, but Dad sat on the fence post and they ended up going back to their old provider till the fall.
Both children were a year older then William and he ADORED them.  The one girl had actually been here several times in the past for back up.
William was very sad that the girls weren't coming anymore, but he still had E (a year older then him) who had been in care with me since he was 6 months old.

Then there was A the 7 year old. Who's parent had the audacity to give me an ultimatum that I take her child till 730pm or end care.  I ended care.
He was a great kid, but for two days after school a week and I wasn't working past 530pm anymore, that wasn't cool.
Again, another child ending care with no good bye.
Again it was weeks before William stopped asking me where he was and if he was coming.

This summer I was the revolving door for back up because I asked not to take on any new children to the fall when I learned of my surgery scheduled for early August.

This was a bit confusing for William, but because I phrased it as such that these children were just visiting for the day (or week), he was less upset when they didn't come back.
He still asks where P is, I keep reminding Wee Watch that if P needs back up I have the space currently.

End of August and beginning of September saw two young children start with me.  One who was 9 months old and the other 12 months old.
This also marked the end of Miss E coming to care because of their impending move to England.
We continued to see Miss E right up until they left in mid October.

William thought the "babies" were great except when they knocked his blocks over.  They provided a bit of a distraction from noticing Miss E no longer coming.
Then I injured my shoulder stopping a child from falling down the stairs.
I was off work for 7 weeks.
William was a bit upset but C continued to visit off and on through that time and I kept assuring him R and CL would be returning when I was better.

Then there was the interview for the 4 and 6 year old that confirmed and then cancelled the DAY BEFORE they started.  William had fallen in love.  He was excited.  I was excited.  And then I had to break it to them that they were going somewhere else.  He cried for an hour.

Then CL ended up discontinuing care abruptly shortly after starting back in December because of some flimsy excuse.  They felt their barely one year old child was missing her "girl" friends at the other provider and wanted to return her back there.  In other words they were not happy that my group was all boys.  Despite the fact it was all boys when she started in August.
Again another child leaving with no good bye.

William has not stopped asking me yet when CL is coming and why she isn't coming.  Because he doesn't think the answer I give him is good enough.
He's also been pining for Miss E.  We've skyped a few times, but the realization that she wouldn't be at his birthday this year had him sobbing himself to sleep the other night.

William has one heck of a memory.  As far as he's concerned his friend Miss E has been at every birthday he's had.  Which is true, she only came to one birthday party, but because she was here for day care, she was also here for his actual birthday.
We were talking about how old we all are now turning because of the new year and I guess that is what got him to thinking about his birthdays.

He still hasn't quite grasped that Miss E is in another country and that we can't drive to her house anymore.  He also doesn't understand why we can't just get on a plane and go visit on the weekend.

Thankfully he always seems better after a skype session.  Thank goodness for the Internet.

So I have a full time spot (baby to 3 years old) and two part time spots (school age 4+) open.  I am going to put a post back up on Kijiji this week.

In the mean time the September Posse (all 3 boys have their birthdays in September) and I will continue to have fun.