“It’s a quiet, peaceful morning in Coronado. I’m sitting on the couch in my living room, enjoying the silence of a house that will soon be filled with the noise and needs of little children. For now, though, the scent of coffee fills the air, and my cat licks her paws beside me, and the newly-risen sun warms the walls of the houses next to mine.”
I wrote these words at 6:59 in the morning. At exactly 7:00, my four-year-old daughter hopped out of bed, walked down the stairs, grabbed a book from the coffee table, and laid it on top of my keyboard, quietly begging that I read it aloud to her.
Well, good morning to you too!
In the moment, I tried to find this “read to me, Mama” request charming, or be grateful that I have a daughter and that she wants me to read to her, and that she stays in bed till 7am, and that I got a few minutes to myself before she woke up. I tried. I tried!
But somehow instead that simple gesture started a downward spiral of frustration. Starting right then and continuing the entire day, I felt like I followed my children from mess to mess, from interruption to interruption. Even when I was devoting all my attention to my children (baking muffins, reading books on the couch, getting a snack), one child would get distracted, start another activity, and interrupt me to get help.
We all have bad days in parenting, and it is extremely difficult to balance the cares and demands of adulthood running a home, working a job, getting regular exercise, eating well with the demands of little people. Realizing my limitations, I’ve been thinking more seriously about outsourcing my childcare so I can take a break, get my work done, and come back to my children with a fresh, focused mind.
I also realize that this is prime moving season in Coronado, and there are a lot of new parents trying to figure out school and childcare and options. I moved here one year ago this week, so I know how you all feel!
Here are a few of my favorite childcare options in Coronado. If you have other suggestions, please let us know!
- Coronado Babysitters This is an active Facebook group with 800+ members, both babysitters looking for work and parents looking for sitters. Please note that this is a closed group and you must request to be admitted.
- Coronado Community Center Here is a link to the Fall/Winter 2015 class schedule at the Community Center, which offers after-school courses, morning and afternoon play sessions (“Playmania”), and mommy & me classes. Classes are popular and fill up quickly!
- Kidology Play Village Sign your child up for three hours of art, music, and play in this kid-friendly space near 10th and Orange Ave. Drop-in or scheduled play sessions are offered morning, afternoon, and evening, and Kidology is also available for kids’ parties.
- Preschool There are multiple preschool options in Coronado, and my friends speak especially highly of Graham Presbyterian, Resurrection Lutheran,Sandpiper Montessori, and Crown Preschool. Most preschools start at age two, but Coronado Southern Baptist Preschool will take children beginning at 18 months. Many of these preschools have long waiting lists, so parents are encouraged to sign their children up early.
- Babysitting swap! If you have a good friend that also happens to be a parent in need of a break, you and your friend could trade off childcare for a couple of hours on a regular basis. “You watch all our kids Tuesday from 9-11, and I’ll do the same next week.” I have also occasionally shared a friend’s nanny and paid her for watching my child in addition to her usual responsibilities.
Sometimes a parent just needs a break! What do you do when you need some time away from your kids? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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“Coronado Living” is a weekly column written by one of eCoronado.com’s staff writers, Becca Garber. She writes about choosing simplicity and practicing hospitality with her family at home in Coronado. You can read more of her writing on her blog.
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Becca Garber
Staff Writer
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