Nannyde, Catherder..Playing with Babies

[MommyMuffin]

Going off of a later post about "Playing with Babies."

I know both of you have said you keep babies and older children apart.
In my small home I have a XL gate that I put up for my dck 9 month old. He mostly just hangs on the gate and cries to play witht the 3 year olds.

Anyways, my major issue is the looks the parents give me about him being in a "cage". The area he is in is in the living room with everyone else and is a space about 6 x 6. Of course there are toys in there and at naptime he comes out and has full range. Sometimes he plays toys in the highchair too.

Should I change my ways for the parents? I have told all of them about why I do what I do with the infants. Its just whenever a parent may come early and see an infant in the area they say things like, "Aw poor guy."

I'm sick of feeling guilty about it and I keep going back and forth about whether I should keep the area or not. I cannot stand how nervous I am when he is crawling after the 3 year olds and they are running around.

[dEHmom]

I've honestly never separated them. If we are outside and the kids are crazy and the dogs are outside running around, the dck's under 1 y.o. go in an exersaucer or their own area. But in the house and stuff, everyone has the same space. I don't have room to section everything off, and if it's just one child to play by him/her self, they won't want to be in there.

But all the older kids HAVE TO understand that there is only nice play because the baby is around. And no small toys, or anything like that.

[Cat Herder]

Originally Posted by MommyMuffin

Anyways, my major issue is the looks the parents give me about him being in a "cage". The area he is in is in the living room with everyone else and is a space about 6 x 6. Of course there are toys in there and at nap time he comes out and has full range. Sometimes he plays toys in the highchair too.

Should I change my ways for the parents? I have told all of them about why I do what I do with the infants. Its just whenever a parent may come early and see an infant in the area they say things like, "Aw poor guy."

I'm sick of feeling guilty about it and I keep going back and forth about whether I should keep the area or not. I cannot stand how nervous I am when he is crawling after the 3 year olds and they are running around.

I have had that from a couple folks before, too.

I remind them how quickly an infant can suffer a splenic fracture, spinal fracture or ruptured intestine from an older child tripping over them and falling, knees first, onto their abdomen. Internal bleeding or Sepsis are both horrible ways to die.

I remind them that a child tripping over their head/neck can result in facial fractures, paralysis or death. Especially if they are carrying a medium to large toy with them.

I remind them that infants are often the victims of bites, scratches, being hit with toys and hair pulling in large centers with mixed ages in the afternoons. Many combine ages to allow rooms to close down. Memories of those injuries is why I do it this way.

I remind them that every one of those injuries takes only seconds even with direct supervision in a group of 6-8 kids. That is with none being purposeful acts. I have never had an injury to an infant here, since 1994. I ask them to google "infant injured died daycare".

I don't usually hear any more about it after that.

[nannyde]

Originally Posted by MommyMuffin

Going off of a later post about "Playing with Babies."

I know both of you have said you keep babies and older children apart.
In my small home I have a XL gate that I put up for my dck 9 month old. He mostly just hangs on the gate and cries to play witht the 3 year olds.

Anyways, my major issue is the looks the parents give me about him being in a "cage". The area he is in is in the living room with everyone else and is a space about 6 x 6. Of course there are toys in there and at naptime he comes out and has full range. Sometimes he plays toys in the highchair too.

Should I change my ways for the parents? I have told all of them about why I do what I do with the infants. Its just whenever a parent may come early and see an infant in the area they say things like, "Aw poor guy."

I'm sick of feeling guilty about it and I keep going back and forth about whether I should keep the area or not. I cannot stand how nervous I am when he is crawling after the 3 year olds and they are running around.

He isn't crying to play with the three year olds. He's crying because he doesn't want to be confined. It's very typical of this age to not want to be in a high chair confined, a crib confined, a play yard confined. He's too young to know what is best for him. It's okay if he fusses because he doesn't like the safety measures you have in place and the set up you have to care for multi-aged kids.

I would tell the parents that they are right. That it would be better for the baby if he was out where the three year olds are and the three year olds could be where he is. It's better to let the baby have more space and run free. The three year olds would be better in the 36 square foot play area. You'll switch it out today so that the baby has more space and is happier.

Explain to them that it is one or the other. You have to separate them for the safety of the baby so let them decide which way they want it and you will switch it out as they see fit.

My parents do arrivals and departures at the front door so I don't get any opinions on how I should care for the other people's kids. I've been doing this for a bit and I know what is safe and best for the baby and for the adults. It has to be both. I don't like infants mixed in with older kids play until they are completely walking. I think it's too dangerous and requires more staff involvement than the parents are paying for. I don't charge for that so I don't offer it.

In my State we are required to have a total of 36 square foot of space for each child and that INCLUDES their equipment. What you are offering... 36 square foot for one child that is completely available for crawling around is what my State requires for the kids to have TOTAL including their furniture, high chairs, toys, swings etc. That's an EXCELLENT amount of space for him. Very generous to give up that square footage for one kid.

[WDW]

Originally Posted by nannyde

Explain to them that it is one or the other. You have to separate them for the safety of the baby so let them decide which way they want it and you will switch it out as they see fit.

In my State we are required to have a total of 36 square foot of space for each child and that INCLUDES their equipment. What you are offering... 36 square foot for one child that is completely available for crawling around is what my State requires for the kids to have TOTAL including their furniture, high chairs, toys, swings etc. That's an EXCELLENT amount of space for him. Very generous to give up that square footage for one kid.

I don't mean this to sound snarky so please don't take it that way. Nanny, I usually like your advice, but I think this is a little much. Would you be happy if your child was confined to a 6x6 foot space every day? That limits the child to crawling or trying to walk in that little space, and you can't tell me they're happy. Safety, I get that, but there are other ways. Sit on the floor and play with them, things like that. I just completely disagree with this.

I am not judging, or trying to make anyone feel guilty. Just my opinion.

[nannyde]

Originally Posted by WDW

I don't mean this to sound snarky so please don't take it that way. Nanny, I usually like your advice, but I think this is a little much. Would you be happy if your child was confined to a 6x6 foot space every day? That limits the child to crawling or trying to walk in that little space, and you can't tell me they're happy. Safety, I get that, but there are other ways. Sit on the floor and play with them, things like that. I just completely disagree with this.

I am not judging, or trying to make anyone feel guilty. Just my opinion.

An infant not a child. Yes I would be fine with my infant having that much space. That's a LOT of space in group care.

My own son doesn't have that much space in his room just for play.

[MommyMuffin]

Originally Posted by WDW

I don't mean this to sound snarky so please don't take it that way. Nanny, I usually like your advice, but I think this is a little much. Would you be happy if your child was confined to a 6x6 foot space every day? That limits the child to crawling or trying to walk in that little space, and you can't tell me they're happy. Safety, I get that, but there are other ways. Sit on the floor and play with them, things like that. I just completely disagree with this.

I am not judging, or trying to make anyone feel guilty. Just my opinion.

I do let him have full range when the older children are sleeping. I have tried having him on the floor and to be honest the older kids have still come so close to whaking him with a toy or falling on him with me right there. It just happens so fast. I dont want to be mean but I dont want them to get hurt.

[cheerfuldom]

When you have to choose between happiness and safety, you ALWAYS have to choose safety. This little guy is years younger than the rest of the kids and its important that there is a safe place for him when the provider is busy. It may not be what the parents want or what he wants but thats not what the provider is there for (meeting every want).....she is there to keep all of the children safe and if it takes a gated off area to do it, so be it. I'd rather my kid be there than trampled by much larger children. The provider cannot sit and play with just him all day so that is not an option in my book.