Originally Posted by adnilwis:
I know most 18 month olds are challenging but this one has extremely odd behaviors that I'm not sure what to make of. She has been at my daycare since she was about 2 months old. She acts extremely shy around me and I know she talks at home but she refuses to for me most days and most of the time she won't make eye contact with me at all. The most odd thing I find interesting is when my kids' Grandpa comes to visit them and will come down in the daycare she will interact with him like she's known him for years. I try hard to interact with her and she just won't do it. We try dancing and she pulls her arms away and cries and anything I do with the other kids I do with her and she won't like it (but smiles when I do it with the others). She won't bring me books or toys to show me or play with but she does that with Grandpa. Do you think maybe she just doesn't like me? Any suggestions or opinions on what to Do? She doesn't seem very affectionate with her parents either and runs away from them every time they come to pick her up.
Oh my goodness! I don't know how I missed this post but I have this same kid! Only the one I have is 2.5 yrs old.
Child is super mellow here and spends most of the day completely silent. Child will do what is asked of them. ie pick up toys, go sit over there, come here etc but says nothing. Not a single word. If asked a yes/no question I get a whispered yes or no or a head shake in reply but no actual audible words.
When we have group activities, the child happily participates but without sounds/words or expression.
Isn't necessarily shy, scared or over stimulated...at least not in any way that I've noticed.
But at pick up when mom or dad walks in, child makes a complete about face! Chats like crazy, sings, answers mom/dad, smiles, kisses them, says "missed you!" etc... 100% totally different kid. NOT the child I have in care.
Strange thing is the child isn't new here.
Been here since age 13 months.
So I don't really have any advice but am in the same boat.
I've learned that people are weird but kids are weirder sometimes. *sigh*
