Originally Posted by Unregistered:
I have a 12 month old that I've been watching 1 day a week for about 6 hours a day. She's a friend of mines daughter and I watch her on my one day off during the week. The other days she goes to another sitter. She cries from the time she walks through my door till her dad picks her up. She only wants to be held, won't eat at all and won't interact with my 15 month old. She knows how to crawl but won't at my house. She just sits and cries until I pick her up and its a high pitch scream! Neither if my kids were like this. But I know the 12 month olds older sister was like this too. I asked the mother if she's like this at the other daycare where there's several other children and apparently its worse. Her last daycare provider quit for unknown reasons. I've tried distracting her with toys and I've also tried walking away. Nothing helps. She doesn't make it 1 hour here before she's so upset she falls asleep. I just don't know what to do to help soothe her. She wakes up from her nap screaming too. I want to help her but it keeps me from playing with my daughter too. When her parents pick her up her face is so red from crying all day and I feel like it makes me look bad but I feel like I've tried everything. She's too young to understand me explaining to her that its time to play and stop crying so I don't know how to help her. I feel like it can't be good for her developmentally either because she's not trying to play and learn at all. I need my insanity back and I use this day during the week to clean my house. My youngest will play and distract herself mostly while I get stuff done but when she hears the 12 month old crying she loses it too sometimes. Help please any advice!
Honestly, it's just not worth it for one day a week.
I'm also inclined to think that if she attend another provider for other days and you just one day, that schedule alone may confuse her and be creating her issues.
Also, some kids are just not cut out for group care and need a nanny or someone that CAN hold them all day long.
I know it's hard since the parent is your friend but honestly, ask yourself if this is worth it. For you? For the child? For your child?