Tis the season to look for a new daycare....

It has been a very challenging year, being a mom for the first time, and trying to juggle work and parenting to a special little boy.  It is ending on a very challenging tone as well....Matteo and I have been forced to find a new day care for him. It has been very sad to feel and be told that your child's needs and your needs are "an inconvenience."

As a single parent I have tried to balance not working full time, with some work at home, and many shorter daycare stays, but unfortunately this has not worked out...  It has been a learning experience that even though you discussed certain things about your child's needs and your own, and signed a contract that stated certain things, and was told it was "no problem"  and tried to bring these up....it can all fall apart quite quickly.  Then to add further humiliation to the whole experience to be told you are "hurting your family" and "you are ruining your daycare providers' Christmas"....ummmm let's see daycare provider home still has two incomes, my home, no daycare, mommy doesn't work, no income??? and who is the one who has to find a new daycare??.....definitely "not a good fit"...for these few days Matteo is being cared for by a cousin who also runs a daycare.  Fortunately a couple of her children are already gone on vacation so she was able to take him.  Hard on Matteo, hard on his mommy but so grateful to my cousin. Hard also on my pocket book as I will still be paying for the remaining two weeks without having Matteo in the daycare. This was my choice, but what would you do if it was your child and you were told such things...would you continue to bring your child there? I think not!!

I am sure we will find another spot for Matteo that will take care of his needs as well as his mommy's, but for now all of this has left a very very very sour taste in my mouth as well as my heart.  Happening at this time of year is unfortunate but it will not ruin our Christmas. Matteo has the love of so many people in his life and they are the ones who we will share it with. Most especially he has my love and I will always continue to advocate for his needs and for what is best for him, as I am both mother and father to him and his parent.