Little Willows Daycare

A fun saint Patrick's day sensory bin.

The stomach flu has taken me OUT the last two days. Like… can’t move off the couch, hugging a puke bowl, praying for mercy kind of sick.

And if you’re a home daycare provider, you know the guilt that comes with that.

Because even when we’re that sick, there’s still this little voice saying, “Maybe you could just power through.”
Maybe if you sit on the couch all day.
Maybe if you keep things really low key.
Maybe you can still make it work.

But the reality is… sometimes we simply can’t.

I stay open for a lot. Colds, minor illnesses, the random “I don’t feel great but I can function” days. Actually, more than a lot. But I draw the line when I physically cannot give the children the care they deserve.

If I can’t move from the couch and I’m spending the day running to the bathroom over and over, I’m not capable of safely supervising, engaging, or caring for a group of kids.

And still… the guilt is real.

This week was supposed to be special. I was planning to celebrate two of my daycare girls’ birthdays. And spring break is next week and I’m closed, which means now we can’t celebrate until the 23rd.

It’s one thing to inconvenience the parents.
It’s a whole other thing to feel like you’re disappointing the kids.

But here’s the truth we all need to remind ourselves of sometimes: daycare providers are human beings. We are not robots. We are not immune to illness. And we cannot be expected to never take a sick day.

Taking care of ourselves isn’t selfish — it’s necessary.

Because the same families who rely on us every day also rely on us being healthy enough to show up and do this job well.

Sometimes the best care we can give everyone… is resting so we can come back as our best self.

A fun little "toddler trail mix" for the week. These banana caramel cheerios are such a hit! Love getting to play with new flavors for the kids.