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Blackcat31 06:32 AM 02-10-2014
Originally Posted by Daycaregranny:
It seems that most kids in my daycare , for whatever reason, decide one day to freak out on their parent at pick up. I really don't know what spurs it on but it happens. I started using a technique that works for us. After the first time I pull my parent aside a explain that this happens and to help them not have this a recurring issue I need them to help me out. I tell them to tell their child that if they act like that they will leave them at daycare. When it happens the next day the parents are to immediately say I told you I was going to leave and they do 1st time 15 min 2nd time 1/2 hr. The kids never do it again. My older kids crack me up when one of the little ones start to do it, they look at them and shake their heads and say yep your gonna get left behind. Works every time. At least so far. My parents always get their own children ready to go.
So if the child acts up, the parent is to leave them with you at daycare for another 15 minutes as a consequence?

I don't know if that would sit well with me or my DCP's.

Being in daycare all day while your parent works is stressful enough but then to have your parent "threaten" to leave you there even longer seems kind of counterproductive as well as making "daycare" be the "bad" place to be....

I also think that there are more appropriate ways to help children make the transition between daycare and home easier and less stressful. I think that asking a parent to work with you means asking them to help their child adjust and understand the change that happens when they move between one environment to another by talking with their child about this. Sometimes the repeated conversation about what's going to happen every day helps a child eventually understand that this is the daily routine and the way it is going to be.

I think for the younger kids who don't understand discussion, the drop off and pick ups could be done swiftly and quickly so the child understands through repeated consistent routines day in and day out, that getting ready to go at the end of the day IS part of the routine and expected behavior.

Kids undergo a somewhat stressful moment when their parent arrives to pick them up. It's that same euphoria we as adults feel when we've had a long day away from home and we walk in our front door and feel that wave of relief of being home. Your safe, warm, comfortable place.

Kids feel like that sometimes when their parent arrives for pick up. That wave of emotion comes out in different ways for different kids. Some instantaneously get whiney or cry. Others can get crazy and wild...their emotions running amok. While others get defiant and test boundaries since two of their day to day authority figures are now present at the same time.

Kids need assistance, reassurance, help and support understanding this change. Not a threat to leave them there longer.
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