[Jenni855]

So I am highly qualified and experienced in childcare but I feel I am doing an awful job at running one of my services. (I run two separate ones). It runs for four hours every weekday and we teach kids about nutrition and activities based around healthy living. I do my best but sometimes it seems the parents are always complaining, the kids don't listen (We have about 22 most days) and my colleagues don't do enough to support me. My throat is always sore after shouting to get the kids attention and I feel they all dislike me. The kids also do outside activities which we have to take them to and this accouts for aboit 10 kids on different days and sometimes it is impossible remembering it all. One of the sister sites has also failed an inspection and I worry my site will as well. I would be so embarrassed and people would think very badly of me.
There is constant paperwork and things that need doing and it is overwhelming and mentally exhausting at times. I find I am working some Sundays and also thinking about work 24/7 and never getting any real time to switch off. My boss isnt very supportice and I am thinking about moving onto another job but how can I keep sane for now and do a better job?

[kaliope]

yeah, it doesn't sound like this job is worth the stress.......can you replace the colleagues? if these ones don't want to support you find ones that will support you? there are tons of people looking for jobs. find people that can manage the children better.......

[ManOfConstantSorrow]

Is this a case where those tedious performance reviews and objectives are useful? If you are meeting your objectives no one can complain and if not there appear to be good reasons why not and presumably you can raise these in the regular meetings I hope you have with your boss? And of course note dependencies, like colleagues who pull their weight, in your performance review. It never hurts to gather data to support your case, and facts/figures might help you make a case for, say, a temp to help with admin, training for your inadequate colleagues, you get the picture I expect.

I presume your boss and indeed her/his boss would be equally mortified by an inspection failure so one would hope they would work with you on this? Of course many bosses are lamentable and best left to their own boiling.

Just some thoughts - I still think you deserve a medal. Children cannot be expected to know better, but parents are even worse than their noisome spawn.