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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>When A 4 Yr Old Tries To Trip You...
mac60 07:52 AM 03-16-2011
So today I had a just turned 4 yr old, who was sitting in a child's chair in the middle of the play room because he had been naughty, try to trip me.....I got up off the chair, walked past him, and he stuck his leg out to try to trip me. I felt his foot brush against my leg......My daughter who is 20 saw it, and was like wow, can't believe he did that to you.
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Zoe 07:56 AM 03-16-2011
Oh man. That would make me want to remove myself from the situation and count to 10! Wow. I think that would warrant a note and a talk with his parents. Not ok! Regardless of his ability to actually make you fall is irrelevant! Wow...
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ninosqueridos 08:00 AM 03-16-2011
yikes!
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Candyland 08:02 AM 03-16-2011
Originally Posted by Zoe:
Oh man. That would make me want to remove myself from the situation and count to 10! Wow. I think that would warrant a note and a talk with his parents. Not ok! Regardless of his ability to actually make you fall is irrelevant! Wow...
I was thinking that I'd want to remove HIM from the situation!

Yes, that is a big-time no no! What if he succeeded and down you went! who knows if you would have hurt yourself or some other child.
I would have a big-time talk with him NOW; then talk to his parents today.
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Zoe 08:04 AM 03-16-2011
Originally Posted by Candyland:
I was thinking that I'd want to remove HIM from the situation!
See, if I tried to remove HIM, then I'd start in on him (vocally of course) before I've had the chance to calm down! I don't have any anger issues or anything, but blatant disrespect get me so upset!
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Blackcat31 08:05 AM 03-16-2011
It was a perfect example of impulse control...or rather lack of it. I would think that if I were in his position and sitting in a chair and in trouble, I would be feeling angry or frustrated (who LIKES to be introuble?!?) and if my "punisher" walked by I would impulsively think to put my leg out there and trip them....but that is where the difference lies, I am NOT 4 but I would think of doing it, I would just have better impulse control....LOL!!!!

I would be mad about it or kind of about it too....but it is kinda funny though!
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nannyde 08:10 AM 03-16-2011
Originally Posted by mac60:
So today I had a just turned 4 yr old, who was sitting in a child's chair in the middle of the play room because he had been naughty, try to trip me.....I got up off the chair, walked past him, and he stuck his leg out to try to trip me. I felt his foot brush against my leg......My daughter who is 20 saw it, and was like wow, can't believe he did that to you.
Today would be his last day.

I couldn't afford the outcome of him successfully tripping me. It could devestate my livlihood and my sons future.

Too risky. We know as we go along that accidents can happen and we can be physically harmed. As you age that reality becomes more and more a part of how you move, what you do, how much risk you take. Healing from something like a hip fracture could put an end to a career. I've seen that happen IRL with one of my friends who did care for nearly thirty years.

A couple of weeks of hospitalization, surgery, and physical therapy completely demolished her livlihood and to this day affects her health.

I coudln't manage it.

Part of my raising kids is to teach them how important it is to be safe around me. I have a few health issues (very poor visiion) that directly affects what I can and can't do with and around them. I teach them from a young age to go wide around me so they don't run into me. I can't see them in my side vision. I teach them to feel their way down the stairs when I'm co-walking with them because I can't see where the stair ends below me. I teach them not to throw, hit, fight, bite, kick, etc. in part to protect me and the others in the house.

We all need to get thru the day in one piece.
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Candyland 08:13 AM 03-16-2011
Originally Posted by nannyde:
Today would be his last day.

I couldn't afford the outcome of him successfully tripping me. It could devestate my livlihood and my sons future.

Too risky. We know as we go along that accidents can happen and we can be physically harmed. As you age that reality becomes more and more a part of how you move, what you do, how much risk you take. Healing from something like a hip fracture could put an end to a career. I've seen that happen IRL with one of my friends who did care for nearly thirty years.

A couple of weeks of hospitalization, surgery, and physical therapy completely demolished her livlihood and to this day affects her health.

I coudln't manage it.
yes, that's reality, sad to say.
It's truly a serious thing this little boy did.
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TBird 10:27 AM 03-16-2011
Originally Posted by nannyde:
Today would be his last day.

I couldn't afford the outcome of him successfully tripping me. It could devestate my livlihood and my sons future.

Too risky. We know as we go along that accidents can happen and we can be physically harmed. As you age that reality becomes more and more a part of how you move, what you do, how much risk you take. Healing from something like a hip fracture could put an end to a career. I've seen that happen IRL with one of my friends who did care for nearly thirty years.

A couple of weeks of hospitalization, surgery, and physical therapy completely demolished her livlihood and to this day affects her health.

I coudln't manage it.

Part of my raising kids is to teach them how important it is to be safe around me. I have a few health issues (very poor visiion) that directly affects what I can and can't do with and around them. I teach them from a young age to go wide around me so they don't run into me. I can't see them in my side vision. I teach them to feel their way down the stairs when I'm co-walking with them because I can't see where the stair ends below me. I teach them not to throw, hit, fight, bite, kick, etc. in part to protect me and the others in the house.

We all need to get thru the day in one piece.
It's like you said in your blog nannyde....this child is apparently used to "running" his household and was pretty upset about relinquishing his power in the Time Out chair. If parents would just take their power (and most of all their responsibility) back, kids wouldn't do things like this. My kids would have a very rude awakening if they ever did something like this to their provider, teacher or ANYONE giving them love & care!!!
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mac60 01:07 PM 03-16-2011
The kid told on himself.....which he is very good at. I explained to the mom what happened, she made him apologize to me.

While terming may work for some, I need my income and it is not an option. I wish I was in the position so many of you are in that the option of terming is always brought up, unfortunately, not all of us are in that position. I do this job to earn money and support our family, the unemployment rate in our county is one of the highest in our state......I am lucky to have the families I have considering the unemployment rate here.
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TBird 01:17 PM 03-16-2011
Originally Posted by mac60:
The kid told on himself.....which he is very good at. I explained to the mom what happened, she made him apologize to me.

While terming may work for some, I need my income and it is not an option. I wish I was in the position so many of you are in that the option of terming is always brought up, unfortunately, not all of us are in that position. I do this job to earn money and support our family, the unemployment rate in our county is one of the highest in our state......I am lucky to have the families I have considering the unemployment rate here.
I agree...I definitely wouldn't terminate for something like this, especially if the parents are paying, reliable and respected you enough to make the child apologize.
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mickey2 01:58 PM 03-16-2011
Is this little boy normally a good little boy or is he a problem child to begin with?

If he is normally a very good little boy perhaps he did not realize that what he had done could severely hurt someone. Has he ever done anything in the past to try to hurt anyone?
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nannyde 02:00 PM 03-16-2011
Originally Posted by mac60:
The kid told on himself.....which he is very good at. I explained to the mom what happened, she made him apologize to me.

While terming may work for some, I need my income and it is not an option. I wish I was in the position so many of you are in that the option of terming is always brought up, unfortunately, not all of us are in that position. I do this job to earn money and support our family, the unemployment rate in our county is one of the highest in our state......I am lucky to have the families I have considering the unemployment rate here.
I get it Mac but I see it like this. How will I make a living if he hurts me?

To me, what he did afterwards wouldn't matter a bit. That's between him and his parents. I can't do a job where I think someone is going to hurt me. I just couldn't do it.
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mac60 05:42 PM 03-16-2011
I worked outside the home for over 20 years. There were good days, there were bad days. I look at my job now in the same respect...some days are good, some not so good. To me, it is a part of life, part of the job.
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Unregistered 06:46 PM 03-16-2011
Originally Posted by nannyde:
Today would be his last day.

I couldn't afford the outcome of him successfully tripping me. It could devestate my livlihood and my sons future.

Too risky. We know as we go along that accidents can happen and we can be physically harmed. As you age that reality becomes more and more a part of how you move, what you do, how much risk you take. Healing from something like a hip fracture could put an end to a career. I've seen that happen IRL with one of my friends who did care for nearly thirty years.

A couple of weeks of hospitalization, surgery, and physical therapy completely demolished her livlihood and to this day affects her health.

I coudln't manage it.

Part of my raising kids is to teach them how important it is to be safe around me. I have a few health issues (very poor visiion) that directly affects what I can and can't do with and around them. I teach them from a young age to go wide around me so they don't run into me. I can't see them in my side vision. I teach them to feel their way down the stairs when I'm co-walking with them because I can't see where the stair ends below me. I teach them not to throw, hit, fight, bite, kick, etc. in part to protect me and the others in the house.

We all need to get thru the day in one piece.
I wouldn't term over this either. Kids get frustrated. Kids test. Kids lack impulse control sometimes. Child learns. We all move on.

I'm not sure if I would be allowed to continue to hold my license if my health concerns were of yours. I think my county might question my ability to keep the kids safe if I had to do so much to teach them to be safe for me???
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nannyde 01:01 AM 03-17-2011
Originally Posted by Unregistered:
I wouldn't term over this either. Kids get frustrated. Kids test. Kids lack impulse control sometimes. Child learns. We all move on.

I'm not sure if I would be allowed to continue to hold my license if my health concerns were of yours. I think my county might question my ability to keep the kids safe if I had to do so much to teach them to be safe for me???
I make up for it in many ways. I've been dealing with it my whole life. I have excellent hearing. I have a helper too.

Of course kids should be taught to be safe FOR ME.
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AnythingsPossible 04:37 AM 03-17-2011
Originally Posted by mac60:
So today I had a just turned 4 yr old, who was sitting in a child's chair in the middle of the play room because he had been naughty, try to trip me.....I got up off the chair, walked past him, and he stuck his leg out to try to trip me. I felt his foot brush against my leg......My daughter who is 20 saw it, and was like wow, can't believe he did that to you.
I have had a little boy do this before as well. He was three at the time, and he did it more then once. If I am cooking lunch and he is misbehaving, I have him sit on the floor between the kitchen and the dining room. If I would walk near him, he would swing his foot out under my leg. I am sure he figured that since I put him in time out, he would "get me" back.
Anyway, every time he would do it, I would talk to him and explain to him that if he did trip me, I would likely get hurt as would he. He's generally a good boy, just choose to express his frustration in this way. He did do it a couple more times in different situations, and frankly, I keep a wide berth around him if I have to sit him down, but he hasn't done it in a long while. I think as long as you correct him, every time he does it, it will go away in time.
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momatheart 05:30 AM 03-17-2011
I have had his happen a child trying to trip me. A few times. WE do let parents know that they do this. Yesterday I had a YOUNG child running after me, behind me when I left the floor where he was playing he didn't want me to leave, and threw himself at my legs from behind me and grabbed on I almost went down. I understand this child is very young and his verbal skills are still coming along but man that was scarey.
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Unregistered 07:00 AM 03-17-2011
I would not be terminating over this either. The next time this child was in time out I would either put him somewhere were he wasn't close enough to trip me or anyone else or I would have him face the wall. I would also explain to him that he had to sit that way because of what he did.
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nannyde 11:51 AM 03-17-2011
Originally Posted by Unregistered:
I'm not sure if I would be allowed to continue to hold my license if my health concerns were of yours. I think my county might question my ability to keep the kids safe if I had to do so much to teach them to be safe for me???
I was thinking about this.

Isn't it a paradox that we are supposed to adapt special needs kids into our program and MAKE it work with the other children... free of charge unless it is a substantial fundamental alteration in our program to do so. We HAVE to protect the rights of the disabled child even if it means adapting the life the other kids have and the amount of work it takes for us to make it happen.

But when it comes to us... when the kids have to adapt for US.... then it's just too much to consider.

That same principle that the law mandates for the sake of the kids can't be applied when the sake of the adult outweighs the child's right to have "impulsive behavior" or "frustration" should ALWAYS outweigh my right to be physically safe.

Doesn't matter if MY kid looses his whole lifestyle and the health of his Mom. Nope... just make sure little Johnny says "sorry" and maybe has a four minute time out and it's all good.

That's a cryin shame... It's this kind of thinking that makes one day care provider after another surrender in this business.
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jen 06:15 PM 03-17-2011
Originally Posted by nannyde:
I was thinking about this.

Isn't it a paradox that we are supposed to adapt special needs kids into our program and MAKE it work with the other children... free of charge unless it is a substantial fundamental alteration in our program to do so. We HAVE to protect the rights of the disabled child even if it means adapting the life the other kids have and the amount of work it takes for us to make it happen.

But when it comes to us... when the kids have to adapt for US.... then it's just too much to consider.

That same principle that the law mandates for the sake of the kids can't be applied when the sake of the adult outweighs the child's right to have "impulsive behavior" or "frustration" should ALWAYS outweigh my right to be physically safe.

Doesn't matter if MY kid looses his whole lifestyle and the health of his Mom. Nope... just make sure little Johnny says "sorry" and maybe has a four minute time out and it's all good.

That's a cryin shame... It's this kind of thinking that makes one day care provider after another surrender in this business.
JMHO but I think we have taken individualism to the EXTREME! We don't teach kids to be good citizens anymore...we teach them that everyone and everything should revolve around them and their wants. Notice I didn't say needs...

In our efforts to teach kids to be independent and have strong self esteem, we've failed to teach them community, respect for others, and simple good manners. It's very sad. We really can take a page from other cultures who have more of a collectivist nature.
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squareone 06:22 PM 03-17-2011
Originally Posted by jen:
JMHO but I think we have taken individualism to the EXTREME! We don't teach kids to be good citizens anymore...we teach them that everyone and everything should revolve around them and their wants. Notice I didn't say needs...

In our efforts to teach kids to be independent and have strong self esteem, we've failed to teach them community, respect for others, and simple good manners. It's very sad. We really can take a page from other cultures who have more of a collectivist nature.
So very true.
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momatheart 06:26 PM 03-17-2011
Nothing worse than a child who has an attitude of thinking they are entitled to everything.
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marniewon 08:05 PM 03-17-2011
Originally Posted by momatheart:
Nothing worse than a child who has an attitude of thinking they are entitled to everything.
Which way too many do these days
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mac60 02:35 AM 03-18-2011
I grew up among Amish families as a child, my mom is very good friends with several Amish families today. Their children NEVER act this way, and if they did, my mom says they still go to the woodshed for that spanking..........I see Amish frequently where I live, their kids do not act this way. There is something to be said for discipling a child, and not with a time out.

Seriously, if my own 4 yr old child tried to trip me, or anyone else, he would have been placed over my lap while I firmly placed 2 swats on the ole behind. He would definately think twice before he did it again. But no, he gets a few minutes time out, which is no consequence at all.
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Tags:4 year old, bad - kid, bad behavior, destructive
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