I was online looking for a quick list of nursery schools and daycares to share with a friend and came across an invaluable resource. This site lists some of the most selective to the most affordable and community based childcare options for all of Manhattan, so if you're a Harlemite that's looking for something local or simply to expand your options than this is a great quick list. Enjoy!
http://www.metroprofiles.com/NewYorkCity_ManhattanDayCareCenterDirectory.html
Last week Joshua threw some of the most outrageous fits I'd ever seen. When we arrived in his 12-18 month old classroom, he decided that he was not having whatever I packed for breakfast. He did not want cinnamon raisin bread, he did not want a banana and he most certainly did not want to be taken out of the high chair.
His teacher suggested that maybe he wanted a nutrigrain bar, which occasionally he gets as an afternoon snack. I was not a fan of giving him so much sugar first thing in the morning, but I was trying to get out the door to get to work, and at that point, whatever stopped his fit worked for me.
Well, Nutrigrain bars were not the answer. He grabbed the bar and mashed it into mush and threw it onto the floor. He cried and kicked and shock the tray on the high chair. What did this boy want?? I couldn't leave him in this hysterical state, so I took him out of the chair against very clear protest, and brought him into his older brother's room to see if seeing and eating with his brother helped. I had never seen him act like this and thought maybe something was seriously wrong. He eat one or two ambien of Amari's grapes, and then quickly reminded me that it was not what we wanted. He resumed crying and whining and sulked around the room.
I took him back to his classroom and told his teacher that seeing big brother did not help. I sat on the playmat and tried to distract him with toys and hugs and kisses. After about five minutes of waving different toys in front of him, he finally gave in and sat on my lap. I knew he was not pleased with the situation, but he was calming down, and I could leave for work.
I felt horrible getting into the car knowing that my baby had a need and I couldn't figure it out in order to fulfill it. Well, lucky for me, two days later he threw the same fit at home as we were getting ready for daycare. He was hungry and would not wait until we got to daycare to eat breakfast like we do everyday, so I put him in his chair and started offering the gamut. Bread, no. Bagel, no. Juice, no. Banana, no. Yogurt, no. Grapes, no. Orange, no. String cheese? no.
I went to the pantry and opened the door and started taking about boxes and bags of foods he had tried. After each package he shook his head violently and continued crying. Craisins, no. Pasta, no. Apple sauce, peanut butter, eggo waffles? No. No. NO. Oatmeal? Silence. Oatmeal... YES! Oatmeal, the boy wants oatmeal! Hallelujah! I figured it out and now I can get zithromax this boy to daycare and hopefully make it to work before 9:30.
This month lots of new things happened in our lives. Hubby and I will return working full time and the boys have already begun going to daycare. Amari is in preschool and gets so excited about it the night before that he can't sleep. Joshy does alright, but I'm sure he would rather crawl over daddy and go swimming.
I started working last week. I am a Marketing Manager for a global tea brand. I was recalling how much of Amari's life I have worked, and the answer is not much. I think I've only worked 6 months out of the three years of his life. Between maternity leave and business school, our boys have had a monopoly on our time.
So, two weeks ago was the first day of school for the boys. Everything went fine for them. And everything went fine for me until it was time for pick up. When hubby and I entered the daycare Amari was excited to see us and Joshy was LOUDLY expressing his discontent. I came over to him, expecting outstretched arms, but instead he gave me a neutral expression. I held him and squeezed him to let me know that we had indeed come back for him, but he was nonchalant at the most.
As I was gathering his lunch box, daddy must have appeared because I heard Joshy shrill, yell "BaBa!" and run with arms outstreched towards hubby. Wow! What a response for the man that did not carry that baby for nine months and then labor to bring him into the world. I have to say that I was very disappointed about Joshua's reaction to seeing me. This feeling did not mean that I was jealous of hubby. I am overjoyed at the closeness, initimacy and strength of their father son relationship.
My heart was just a little bit crushed, but I can take it in stride. My cape came in the mail today (that is my supermom cape), so I can chin up and keep moving.
