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nannyde 05:12 AM 11-11-2010
Originally Posted by QualiTcare:
it sounds like you're talking about an older child hitting a baby who "doesn't know any better." that's not what i'm talking about - that's obviously not okay and not likely to happen. an older child hitting a baby is grasping at straws to try to explain.

2 kids of the same age who are, let's say 12-24 months old, ARE going to try to take toys away from each other. and when 12 month old suzie tries to take away 12 month old billy's toy - billy is going to smack, bite, pinch, scratch, or get a handful of hair at least ONCE! that's what young children DO. they don't know NOT to do that until they are taught not to do it, and you can't really teach them not to do it until it happens. unless of course they're required to watch a video that explains the importance of keeping hands to yourselves.

i don't care what kind of supernanny you are - you can not be hovering over every child EVERY second year after year and prevent the inevitable.
I don't mix and match kids of that age group together because what you are saying is true. They don't free play together when they are twelve months old. I have the space and the staff to rotate them in play with the older and more experienced children who understand the "surrender to the baby". The babies don't understand surrender to the baby because they ARE the baby.

I rotate my kids in play. I make sure that the older children pass down to the younger children our ways.

I could put a 24 month child with a 12 month child and by the time the 24 month was 24 months he would be balanced and stable and know the proper way to manage the 12 month old. We do a LOT of training in this age range. It's the foundational age for teaching our non violent approach.
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