NeuroTalk Support Groups - View Single Post - Need indoor activity ideas for 12 y.o. boy

FaithS · 03-02-2009, 10:54 PM

Update -- on my day care job in general, etc.

12 y.o. boy sometimes seems bored, and frustrated with the sometimes annoying behavior of some of the younger kids. But, other times, he enjoys building blocks with younger kids, or spends his time reading books that he brings from home, doing his art work, etc. He enjoyed playing "Mother May I?" one day, which I thought would be too little-kiddish for him. We're doing "Duck, Duck, Goose" later this week (I haven't done that yet, while he's been there). I'll see if he wants to participate in that. Sometimes, it just feels good to be able to act like a little kid again. He seems to vary, though, from day to day. Some days, he enjoys helping and participating with them. Other days, he just feels annoyed by them.

A couple of times, I've made homemade stuff to use in one of the centers (homemade silly putty, homemade playdough). He asked for the recipe for the silly putty, and said that he made it at home, and that it turned out well. He might make the playdough at home too; it was a no-cook recipe. I'm glad when he enjoys something enough to take the idea home with home and do it again.

He has also enjoyed the magnet construction set that I brought from home. Still waiting on the center to purchase origami supplies.

In other day care news, it's good to be working in a child care setting again. That's something that I did years ago (early to mid '80's). In the 90's, I did mostly social work. I left that job to open my own licensed day care home (because I really wanted to get out of administration kinds of things, and back with kids) in 2002-2003, but, had to close, due to my MS.

Following that, I'd been working in the school system with kids, as a para, and I enjoyed that. But, not being in an academic setting now, and being the lead teacher (the only teacher) in the school age room gives me lots of flexibility to do stuff that I enjoy with the kids; it's fun to plan center times, teach them board games and card games, play old-time playground games (we play them indoors), teach social skills in getting along with each other (it's only fun when I feel successful), etc.

Sometimes, I think that my heart is really with younger kids (infants through preschoolers), but I find that I'm also enjoying the older kids that I currently work with.

I've just been working there since the end of December, and it's very part time (2-3 hrs per day, after school). If I wasn't on disability, I would not be able to take such a low paying job, but, the income that I earn from it is adequate to supplement my disability income. I struggle with being "disabled", and needing to be on disability, but, in my head, I know that there are a lot of blessings that come with it. (The income, the flexibility, etc.)

I grieve giving up my social work career, because I always expected to return to it, but I also recognize that child care was a field that I loved, prior to getting into social work, and, in the past, I managed to find a job that incorporated the two fields (worked with pregnant women and new moms, and I licensed child care facilities, preschools and day care homes in the county). I just don't think that I could find a social work job that would involve few enough hours to work around my MS fatigue issues. Absences, due to MS flares would be an issue again, as in my past jobs. (I work in a large enough child care center, and few enough hours, that the director feels like she can cover my absences, when necessary.) And, the stress in a social work job would also be higher.

Thanks for letting me ramble.

~ Faith