One of Those Days in the Toddler Room
Posted: Mon Aug 17, 2026 5:37 pm
Hi everyone, I had a really rough shift last week and just wanted to see if anyone else has had a similar experience. I was in the toddler room and one of our educators called in sick that morning. We were trying to manage the room with fewer staff than usual, and the children were quite unsettled Basketball Bros. One little boy kept crying because he wanted his mum, while another child needed help after a toileting accident. Then, just as we were getting everyone ready for lunch, one of the children knocked over a cup of water and a few others started getting upset. Nothing serious happened, but by lunchtime I felt completely drained. I also had two observations I needed to finish, but there wasn't really a quiet moment during the morning to write them properly. I ended up staying back after my shift to finish the paperwork. I don't mind having busy days, because I know that's childcare sometimes. But I found myself wondering how other educators manage everything when the room is short-staffed. Do you just leave the paperwork until another day, or do you stay back to catch up?