STREESSSFULL! is the only word I can think of to describe today!
Unfortunately I dont have any photos from today so have one of last night, when they were all dancing and singing to hype up for sports day which was today, but i'll talk about that later..
So, to start with I was on night shift which started at 9pm..I had to stay up and make sure all the children were awake by 5:30 so they could get ready for sports day...major lack of sleep happening already.
As soon as all the older ones are ready I then have to go down to house 10 to start work in happy feet which is basically the house for all the younger ones ages 3 or 4-11ish. I got there and was sent to house 9, which was the girls part to find another volunteer struggling to handle the girls who were all awake even though they were meant to be in bed. She was getting angry and completely not acting in a way that encouraged the children to go to bed so I stepped in, tried to be nice to them and asked them if I read to them they would sleep and because I picked of the girls up for a hug, the volunteer then got angry at me saying I shouldn't be nice to them, they are meant to be asleep blah blah blah so I cba with her, but on the plus side the girls didn't like her and they kept saying they liked me so point one to me, nil to her :P
The girls were completely unwilling to go to bed, some were running around from room to room, another was crying because she was afraid of the dark, onewas crying and getting angry because the other volunteer tookk her hair ribbon away from her and then the last was sitting on her bed, pretending to meditate because she had a sore tummy haha
Eventually we just let them stay up and got them dressed and two of the girls wanted to hold my hand as we went down to the boys house ...house 10 with all the boys was madness! The were all fighting, kicking eachother and there were tears all over the place! Then some of the girls started joining in and were hitting the boys, throwing toys at eachother etc and nothing we said coud stop them!
But eventually, after a film was put on they all settled down. We were all sitting on the couches or on the floor watching Narnia and one of the girls called Christina decided to come sit on my knee which was cute..then she said i was too warm so sat next to me instead haha I then took my jumper off and she decided she was cold so curled up in it, and lied down with her head on my lap and watched the film.
Even though it was relatively quiet thanks to the film, there was still shouting and tantrums when someone stood up and got in the way of the screen!
Next was outdoor time and Christina clung to me the entire time and I soon became "her" volunteer and whenever anyone else tried to talk to me or get my attention she got angry and told them to go away cus I was her volunteer and would be upset with me when I gave the others hugs and tallked to them lol
It was quite warm, and I kept having to give her piggy backs which eventually got tiring and she continually insisted I give her one or that I push her on the roundabout so by the end of the outdoor time I was exhasted.
Next was lunch which was the first time during the entire day that there was complete silenece which was great! They all had chip buttys and each chld managed to eat two, I have no idea where they put it all because there was spares left so we all got some and Icould barelyfinish one!
Afterlunch was the most stressful time of the day....nap time! We too all the children down to the living area in house nine and took out pillows and blankets for them to sleep on..but they weren't having any of it..they were running around, making a noise and playing with toys and then the children who actually wanted to sleep were getting angry too because it was too noisy for them to sleep! Nothing we did could get them to calm down andget some rest and at one point one of the girls had a toy trumpet that she was making a racket with so one of the volunteers tried to get it off her and she bit them! then I told her it was not nice and she need to give me the toy and sleep...so she spat at me..loveellyy child ><
Eventually the care worker took over and shouted at them for being bad and they went and sat down.. so then all the volunteers got our lunch break and it was great to finally be able to relax..so I went to the flat and got my plate and turns out it had more chips on it, although homemade ones by the looks of it and some spicy chicken...which in the end make me feel realllllyyy bloated and sick which was not good for going back to work with the kids again!
But eventually I had to go and when I arrived back at house 9, I was greeted with a big hug from Christina who was happy to see me again. It was soo cute, she had put a hair extention piece in her hair and it was red so she told me "now we look like sisters" her cuteness made my day, even though she was a bossy little one haha
The room was chaos when I got ther and I was alone so I had No idea what to do! There were bos pushing eachother about in boxes, toys everywheree, the place looked like a bomb had hit it! an then the naughty biting girl was in the bathrooom playing with soap and water...so I went to tell her to get out the bathroom and she turns around and says get lost/get out....and I tell her no, she needs to stop mucing about and she repeats "I told you just get out!" which is a phrase she repeated to me several times,in a really horrible tone...such a little brat
But again the careworker came to the rescue and ordered everyone out for more outside time once everything was tidyed up.
Christina was really not happy about me helping tidy up and not going outside and she literally dragged me outside because she wanted to play and had to have me go with her lol
So more piggy backs and more pushing on roundabouts were done and things seemed slightly calmer.
Then we had to get everyone in and the younger boy decided he wanted to stay outside and refused to go inside..then he pushed his toy into the stream of water and hid from us but eventuallly we got him inside.
Then it was time for baths and I had to help the girls get washed and then they hand washed their underwear as well which is a bit odd lol and once Christna was done, she refused to let me help any of the other girls and make me go downstairs to the boys house with her.
The boys were all over the place, some were running about naked and when the girls came down there was a big fuss and all the girls were either hiding so they didnt have to look, or in the case of one girl, she kept following the boys about for a look and she wouldnt listenwhen we told her not to and just giggled..it was annoying.
Then Christina made me sit down so she could sit on my knee and I got in troublefor not helping so I went and helped the little one find his pjs because he was running about naked and it was a disaster!
WE went to his wardrobe and he hid inside it and refused to come out, then when I tried to dress him he decided that half way thorugh he didn't want more clothes and hid under his bed and I couldnt get him out, so had to drag him out and finally got him dressed. The once they were all dressed it was back to main room and there was chaos....even though it was near their dinner time they were all kicking up a fuss...they were so damn loud and they were stiilll fighting! so there was crying and shouting....talk about headache material >.<
Eventually all the people who were out at sports day came back and we got given the news that out of all the childrens homes that took part in the event, durbanville had won first place! I was so proud of them and I was secretly jelous and gutted that I didn;t get to go and be part of the excitement, especially as by this point I was completely warn out from the stressful day!
But we all got little packed lunches with hotdogs, nik naks, pepsi and a bunch of sweets which included some well needed chocolate! So once we got set free from our work I went up to my room and sat and had a feast of junk haha
Now I am just waiting for the dreaded nightshift...I hope I get an easy house because I feel like craapppp!