MOTHER AND TEACHER, GAYLE SEIB BELIEVES SHE HAS THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- Walk in on Gayle Seib weekdays and you're likely to find her singing songs, playing games and teaching the alphabet to children.

For the past four-and-a-half years, the family room of the Seib home at 1444 North Henderson has served as a day care center for children. The large room has been transformed to a place for children, with lots of toys, and walls displaying colorful cats and the alphabet.

Seib has three children of her own, two of whom she takes care of at home along with six other children attending the day care center. The two at home are Kasey, 2, and 6-month-old Kristopher. Another daughter, Kristin, 10, is in fifth grade.

In addition to the children, the day care center is home to the Seib family's pet dachshund, 3-year-old Greta. "When she was 8 weeks old, she started being a day care dog," said Seib.

An energetic mother and teacher, Seib enjoys her life. "I feel I have the best of both worlds," said Seib, explaining she can spend time at home with her children and teach at the same time.

Seib was a public-school teacher for 10 years, teaching sixth-grade students in the Kelly School District at Benton and later fourth-grade students in the Jackson School District. She said she quit because she wanted to spend more time with her children.

Two-year-old Kasey has literally grown up in the day care setting, as has Kristopher. "I feel like he's learning a lot just by watching what the other kids do," she said.

Seib said it's sometimes hard to be a teacher to your own children. "It's very hard to tell (Kasey), `You have to go and sit down.'"

But the experience has been good for Kasey, Seib said. "She's learning how to share and she's also preparing for school."

Seib said she tries to treat all the children alike. "Anytime you are a teacher, you have to be consistent."

She said she's harder on her own children. "I know I'm harder on my own than the rest; I try to have mine set an example."

Seib emphasized that she's not a babysitter. "I am a teacher; babysitters are people who sit with babies. My goal is to teach these kids, not to babysit them," said Seib, who has been operating the in-home day care center since summer 1986. "My goal is to get them prepared for kindergarten."

Seib doesn't take children under the age of 2. "My oldest one right now is a 5-year-old."

Seib enjoys being around the youngsters. "I like working with kids at this age. They are very loving. You never know what you are going to hear.

"These are all my kids," she said, gesturing to the children hard at work on their coloring books. "I feel like they are all my own."

Over the years, Seib has taught 20 different pre-school children. Seib said she's generally around the children for several years and gets to know them quite well. "It's very much like a family. I feel so much a part of their families," she said.

"I find it upsetting when I have to tell a child goodbye" when he or she enters kindergarten," said Seib.

The Cape Girardeau mother says she's particular as to the children she admits to the center. Seib said she begins with a two-week trial period for a new child. If it works out, the child stays.

"This is my home, and I am particular about who I allow in my home," she stated.

Seib operates the day care center from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Mondays through Fridays. She used to operate the center by herself, but since December she has had the help of a part-time assistant, Diane Judd.

Her operation is licensed by the state, and as such, she must meet certain requirements ranging from space-per-child to meals.

She serves the children breakfast, lunch and an afternoon snack. There's a playground behind the house. In inclement weather, the garage serves as an indoor playground.

Except for two weeks, the day care center is open year-round.

When Seib leaves work, it entails a mere walk upstairs in her home. At night she stays away from the family-room-turned-day-care center. "Of a night, I do not come down here at all," said Seib.

The alphabet hanging in the day care center says C is for Cat. But for Seib, C clearly stands for children.