Dear Santa: A Daycare Owner's Wishlist (Coffee, Sanity, and Magic Cleaning Supplies)
Dear Santa,
After another year of professional tiny-human wrangling, this daycare director has some holiday wishes that go beyond the latest iPhone.
First, my practical wishes:
A magical carpet that instantly erases juice stains, mystery sticky spots, and glitter (oh, the glitter!)
A coffee mug that never goes cold and refills itself throughout the day
Noise-canceling headphones that can turn toddler tantrums into gentle whispers
A universal translator that decodes "I'm hungry" from a 3-year-old into an actual, reasonable food request that doesn't involve marshmallows or negotiating like a UN diplomat
Self-cleaning toys that march themselves back to their shelves
But Santa, what I really need is:
Mental health support for educators who give their all to nurturing little minds
Community recognition that our job is more than "just babysitting"
Resources and training that don't empty our bank accounts
Investment in caregiving infrastructure.
A magical force field that keeps winter colds at least 50 feet from our door. Or, maybe best-in-class health insurance!
Every day, we transform chaos into creativity, tears into giggles, and somehow make learning feel like magic. We catch falling sippy cups with ninja-like reflexes, celebrate wobbly first steps, and turn finger-painting disasters into frameable masterpieces.
Please deliver true rest and peace to everyone who does this incredible work every day.
With hope and heavy eyelids,
Your Neighborhood Daycare Director
P.S. The cookies are right by the sanitizer. You'll need both.