In Which we moved to Florida and I became a Mommy and Me Teacher...
Becoming a Mommy and Me Teacher was not something I really planned. It just sort of happened. And I loved it.
We moved to FL when Tigger was 2 and Piglet 10 months. This was a hard time for me. Right next door to our condo was a brand new state of the art YMCA.
Not only did they have a pool and offer a ton of group exercise classes, they also had childcare for FREE 2 hours a day for all members so I could work out (or just sit in the lobby for 2 hours without my kids).
So we joined.
But so did lots of other people.
And the child care room was crazy with lots of kids and not enough staff. And Piglet was going through all kinds of separation issues and cried every time I took her there.
So I found the child care director and asked if I could apply there for a job. I knew I was more than qualified and was pretty confident she would hire me. I had learned that all the staff were allowed to bring their kids to work with them. My plan was to get hired, take my kids there with me often and get them used to the environment with me right there, and then slowly back off...and eventually quit. But in the meantime, the Y was offering a decent starting wage, flexible hours, and a FREE Family Membership to all the staff. Not a bad deal.
So in February of 2005, one month after I joined the YMCA, I became staff there.
And my kids became staff kids.
I loved the facility and the people but knew right away that the KidZone was not for me. I needed a break from my kids, not 10 more hours a week with more kids. Even though I was good at what I did, I knew I would burn out fast.
So as soon as Piglet started to get comfortable (and this did take awhile...I actually even went through a phase where I wore her in a backpack so I could have both my hands free to assist other kids!) I approached my supervisor and asked if I could start teaching classes. There was a need for kids programs and I was full of ideas.
And in mid-March of 2004 I became a Mommy and Me teacher. I taught two different classes:
1. A 12-18 month old class (that I took Piglet to with me)
2. A 18 month- 3 year old class (that I tried to take Tigger to with me, but quickly learned he was a HUGE distraction to all the other kids)
Both classes were a hit, so I continued to teach. And as my kids grew older, my classes changed.
Soon I was teaching a 18 month- 3year old class and a 3-5 year old class. No one really caught on that I always taught classes that my own kids could (in theory) come to.
It really was the perfect set up. I taught 2-3 classes a week, with or without my kids. If I did not want them with me, they could go to the child care room. I got my FREE membership so when I was not working, I was working out. And I always had the option to earn more hours in the child care room if I wanted them. Sometimes I would help out if Owl was gone for the week and I had nothing else to do. Sometimes I just subbed for people to be nice. I liked the extra little bit of money I earned, I loved the people I worked with (most of them at least) and I enjoyed everyone else who came to the Y.
We lived there for 3 years. We lived in a pretty small neighborhood and the Y became a truly central part of my life. The people who attended my classes became "regulars" and since I always taught classes for my kids age group, my kids were able to develop some nice playmates. And for three years I had the chance to see these kids grow up along side of mine. I became friends with many of the moms and we had park, pool, and lunch dates after my classes. I went to their kids birthday parties and they came to ours. I joined a baby-sitting co op with some of the other moms where we watched each others kids. It was a great place and it was very hard to leave. The friendships I made and the support I had was so strong, I almost stayed behind when Owl said he had to go to Flight School for 6 months. And when it was time to leave, when the movers were gone and our car was packed up, and it was time to drive to our new home, it was at the YMCA that I stopped by to say my final good byes and give a few people hugs.
So that is how I became a Mommy and Me teacher.
And this is the music I used in my classes:






I have to say that now that I am in Pensacola I am happy to not work outside the home. I thought about going to the local YMCA here and seeing if they needed help, but I think my Mommy and Me days are over. They were fun while they lasted though.