Saturday, February 12, 2011

From Computers to Toys!

Happy Weekend!
Last night I completed the transformation of our computer/scrapbook room to a new playroom. Why? I decided to take the plunge and begin watching children in my home.
It wasn't an easy decision to make...in fact, we've been hemming and hawing for almost 2 years about it. But the simple fact is that we could benefit from extra income and, while it's nice to raise children in a small town, the job opportunities for me are quite limited.
I have a degree in Childhood Psychology...translation: school student counselor, and also one as a Teacher's Assistant. Both are basically un-usable in town, as with three kids its too hard to be on the schedule as 'casual', and have had to say no too many times to last-minute phone calls. I applied so many times that the Superintendent and I knew each other's first names. But the job was always just out of my reach, due to other applicants having more experience than me.
After I had Charlie, I found being at home a godsend, and was happy that I was a stay at home mom, able to take my kids to any function they had going on after school. And I was holding out for a career, not just a job, as my own standards for myself just wouldn't let me pack groceries or work in a store downtown. Not only that, but I knew I'd have to get a pretty good job in order to pay for the daycare for my own kids. Without a career opportunity I knew I wouldn't be able to justify paying for someone to watch them.
That brings me back to daycare in my own home. I have done it before, as I was a nanny in Moose Jaw for a family of three busy boys until I got married and moved to Lloydminster. There I watched kids in my home for a year or so there, and had 5 at a time on some days! So, being as it was nothing new to me, I decided to jump in with both feet and take it on again!
And while it wasn't my first choice as a way to make a bit of extra money, I am happy with the decision, as it fits my lifestyle right now.
Before we did anything to the room, it was an unfinished sun room, with a gravelled floor 3 feet down to the ground. We added new windows on two of the walls, and Mike insulated the entire room and built a drop floor. We re salvaged some flooring and then Mike mudded, taped, and painted.
Last night I took apart the computer, packed up my scrapbooking supplies (*sniff sniff*) and began to set up the room. Jacelyn squealed in delight and raced down to get Charlie this morning, saying "Look Charlie look! Come see the new playroom!" It was as if she'd never seen the toys in it before! All I did was move them from one room to the other. :)

Jacelyn sitting at the computer.
 
Toys in the playroom

I love these Home Depot shelves, by Martha Stewart. We now own 3 in the house!

The girls are watching Toy Story 3 on the new TV in the playroom.

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