One of the things I have been needing to have for childcare is some hooks for the kiddos to hang their coats. It’s something I want-something I need and something I have to have in place if I want to work on being part of the quality childcare system in Iowa. So Hubby and I were trying to figure out how to have something but not have something really obnoxiously kiddish.
I am okay that there are childcare things in my house but I don’t want to end up with a home that looks more like a childcare center than it looks like a home. So what were we to do about some coat hooks for the kids.
Hubby dug through a bunch of scrap boards that were taken out of the upstairs when we gutted the upstairs bathroom. He came up with a board and hooks that we thought might work. Of course the board needed to be stained and varnished.
Hubby hung it low so the kids can reach and help themselves.
Something else I am required to do for quality points is to provide a place for kids to hang their art work. Well I’ll be honest, I don’t mind a few pictures on the refrigerator but I don’t want pictures plastered everywhere. I thought and thought and tried to come up with something that wasn’t intrusive.
At the old house in my previous childcare days I had a board with nails and big clips hung off them. I found a clip but I couldn’t figure out how to hang it from the hook. That’s when I thought of binder clips. I dug through my junk office drawer and there were not only binder clips but more of the big silver clips too. I was happy….one less thing to buy.
I am pleased with how it turned out. It’s not a big deal and wasn’t a bit hard but it sure has made things easier having the coat hooks and art hooks all in one.
Sometimes it’s the thinking of idea that is the hardest. In the end the fix is the best of both worlds…no intrusive yet very functional.
I have many more little quality check points I need to work on and figure out for childcare. I don’t mind doing it all a bit….I just hate the time that it eats up!
I grew up in a house with 8 kids, and my mom had a similar hook system in the hallway. She had two rows of hooks: one low for the little kids, one high for the big kids. You will soon have grandchildren, and they will be able to use the hooks too. I’ve always found it a little funny when families try and make their houses look like no kids live there. Some of my friends used to hide the toys and had no children’s artwork on display.
When my own children were young, I did daycare. I really enjoyed it. I also don’t understand why people try to hide the fact that kids live in a space. Glad you are embracing it, but totally get it that you don’t want your home to look like a daycare. Great job!
Jo,
I have been following the posts regarding the book give-away. I did order the book from you but if I win another one, I plan to pay it forward. I do want to enter at your site but I guess I must have missed the post. Where do I look?
Diannia