View Single Post
Preschool/daycare teacher 04:39 PM 12-06-2010
Originally Posted by Abigail:
How many children do you usually have? One thing you can do (shoe incident, for example) is make everyone wait a few minutes before going outside. Tell the children they have to wait for so-and-so to get their shoes on before outside time or a walk. It could take some peer pressure by them saying "Come on, get your shoes on, we want to go out!" Our daycare kids react MUCH BETTER if another child is telling them to do something, lol, so try to get the other children involved in the actions if possible. Also try to give more one on one time throughout the day and be at the child's level. This usually helps before instructions are given out for everyone to listen better.
Thank you for the suggestions everyone! I will try to stay right on top of her as much as possible and see if that helps. I was afraid it'd just make it worse, because it seems the more insistant I get that she do whatever she was told, the worse she gets at that particular moment, but also even later in the day. We have 10-12 children usually, and if I have the others wait on someone (since there's always some waiting time, seeing as how you can't get 10-12 children to the potty, diaper changes, shoes and jackets on, and anything else we have to do before outdoor play all at the exact same time. We have babies to age 5 right now, so by the time I get one of the younger one's shoes on, the other one has taken their jacket off...and if I had the others wait for her, by the time she got her shoes on, half the group would already be off doing something else...It's a circus act around here sometimes!
I did want to add, making sure I praise her when she is doing what she's supposed to is a very good thought. Thing is, I already do that, and a lot of times that's when she decides to do the opposite! An example: One afternoon, everyone was sitting up on their cots, looking at their books, except the 3 yr old. She was already laying down on her cot, covered up, without books or anything! I was so proud of her and I mentioned it. something like, "Look at x! She already put her books away and is laying so quietly! It's time for us to put our books up, too." Well, 3 year old jumped up off of her cot and grabbed a book really quick. Then gave me that "looK" and tried to run back to her cot with it. So when I stayed on top of her and made sure she put it up before returning to her cot, she got more stubborn and then wouldn't lay down, wouldn't be quiet, kept trying to grab another toy to play with...it just got worse from there. Of course I still praise them all when I see them doing the right thing, but it's discouraging when you try to praise them and they end up doing the opposite then and you have to get after them right after just praising them! Today she finally cleaned up some toys she was asked to pick up (it took awhile trying to get her to!) and I said something like, "you did a great job picking up those toys X! Thank you for listening!" So she dumped them back out as soon as I turned around. aaahhh! When I try to kneel down infront of her before asking her to do something (or not do something), she immediately turns around, with her back to me. tells me, "no I don't want to" and walks away. that is, if I'm lucky enough for her to say anything before she walks away! This 3 yr old has always been one who loves to cuddle and be held. So we hold her and cuddle with her as often as possible (none of that has changed, except lately with her new attitude it doesn't leave much time for it). After time-outs I always give her a hug and all that and talk to her just like normal. So I honestly don't think I'm holding it against her or anything like that even after her timeouts. If I were carrying around an attitude, like I was still mad at her, then I could understand why she's acting like that, but I really don't feel like I'm mad at her or anything. I just get SO tired of how quickly she gets in her "I'm not going to listen no matter what" attitude. As soon as I ask her to do the first thing of the day (at the very beginning of the day!) she gets that attitude.
Thanks for the encouragment and not just blameing it on me. So many people want to blame the children's behavior issues on the provider.
I mentioned it to her parents the second time tonight (since today had been exceptionally bad with the not listening, and they asked specifically if she had been good). When I told them, they acted put out with me and basically I was told that my only option is time out with her. well, yeah, I know that. Why do you think I told you about it? So you can try to work with me here since I can't do anything else! But instead they also pretty much told me they weren't even going to do so much as talk to her about it! She's their "baby" and the youngest and cutest of the family. She gets by with everything at home because she's so cute. They've even practically told us that before!
Reply