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View Poll Results: Seeing More Aggressive Behavior During The Summer
More 8 25.00%
Less 4 12.50%
About the Same 15 46.88%
Hitting 2 6.25%
Biting 2 6.25%
Yelling/Crying/Screaming 9 28.13%
Multiple Choice Poll. Voters: 32. You may not vote on this poll
Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>Children's Disposition in Daycare - A Bellwether Indicator?
Michael 03:10 PM 07-15-2015
Thought I'd put out an interesting idea. I see, on my general email at Daycare.com and this forum, a lot more threads showing up regarding aggressive behavior and especially biting. I wonder if children are an indicator of what is happening at home. Could it be financial in nature or something as simple as hotter weather? the fact that I see a broader reach of daycare across the country, I wonder if could be something more national than regional bellwether indicator. Are any of you seeing more of this behavior now or am I reading into it?
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NoMoreJuice! 04:44 PM 07-15-2015
**Added: I voted Yelling/Screaming/Crying.

I have an explanation for mine though. We threw our schedule out and have been having park/backyard/pool unstructured play all summer. My kids all do best with a very structured routine, and I'm starting to doubt my decision to let them just run and play all summer. Plus, add in the school age kids who have higher energy demands and different levels of noisy play, and it's been a big chaotic.
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Leigh 08:43 PM 07-15-2015
As soon as the weather hit 90, my kids all went insane. More yelling, more fighting, more hyper, and my 1.75 yo started biting again. The only time they are happy is when they are in the pool, which I can't monitor all day, so I hear "can I go in the pool?" for about 7 hours of my 10 hour day! I don't know what it is about the heat, but that is definitely affecting my littles (all are under 4).
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Baby Beluga 09:32 PM 07-15-2015
Heat makes me cranky - I can only image it makes littles cranky too.

Here there has been more screaming/yelling/crying, but I am also on a summer schedule where the kids attend part time. Their individual schedules are also off due to their personal family activities and vacations. I believe both of those factors (along with the heat) encourage the behavior.
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Josiegirl 02:48 AM 07-16-2015
I voted about the same. The chaos and aggression levels don't seem to change a lot during the summer but I have a couple older SA girls who are here. There are more pairs of eyes and hands and people interacting. So it actually seems to go smoother.
My group of dcks all come from loving families who are mid income. Normal stressors in their lives and they all seem to be good parents, no hitting, etc. The only thing I see the children lacking is attention. Both parents work, then with whatever little time they have left over is split between home and car upkeep, family, kids, their own lives.
The only biting(which is pretty nonexistent at the moment) has been mostly by 2's or under. One of my little dcgs(3 yo) started life in a rough way, has speech delays and they're thinking her aggression stems from her frustration over not being able to communicate that well.
The only other 2 dcks(sibs)that tend to be aggressive are extremely strong-willed and have a hard time taking no for an answer.
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DaveA 04:27 AM 07-16-2015
I voted "about the same". Not really more aggressive behaviors just a constant barrage of whining from a perpetually aggrieved school age DCG
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Blackcat31 05:30 AM 07-16-2015
My group is pretty mellow and they mesh well with each other so it's a rare day we have any type of physical behaviors.

The only change I've noticed is that nap time is about 45 minutes longer than usual and their appetites are insatiable.

I chalk both of those things up to more outdoor time and freedom from winter clothing.
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Annalee 06:16 AM 07-16-2015
My kids are about the same but the most I have had on any day is 8, most days I have had 5...my limit is 12. Several are vacationing or have school-age siblings at home. I DO NOT provide school age care which I feel leads to those defiant behaviors in the summer. School agers do not like being quiet during nap time. School agers, in my opinion, do not like doing anything they are expected to do actually
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KiddieCahoots 08:19 AM 07-16-2015
I voted more yelling/screaming/crying
That's for the infants, although I'm still trying to figure out if "AP" methods are the factor there.
Have a few sa's, including my own son, and we have the summer schedule now with a lot of free play outside. They seem to be more tired then usual....going to bed later, more summer activities going on.....and will relentlessly bicker. At times I feel more like a referee than a daycare provider
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daycarediva 10:14 AM 07-16-2015
Originally Posted by Blackcat31:
My group is pretty mellow and they mesh well with each other so it's a rare day we have any type of physical behaviors.

The only change I've noticed is that nap time is about 45 minutes longer than usual and their appetites are insatiable.

I chalk both of those things up to more outdoor time and freedom from winter clothing.
Same here. We do later naps in summer so that they sleep through the hottest portion of the day in the AC. I just laid them down at 1, they are ALL out cold. They have been napping 1-3/3:30 when I have to wake them to pick up the SA, who are at camp. We walk down the street to the park to get them, come home and eat snack and then they go home.

I had a bumpy patch with a younger child making the transition to school age before K, cranky, some pushing. I spoke about it to mom and we decided he isn't ready for SA camp. He is coming FT here, staying on the same schedule and napping. All is back to base here.

I maintain my schedule/routine in summer though, which I think helps.
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WImom 10:35 AM 07-17-2015
My kids are playing better and sleeping better at nap but listening to directions has not been as good. I think it's because we are not structured in the summer.

I'd say the aggressiveness has gone down, some kids are more whiny since I think they get less sleep in the summer at home.
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MommyMuffin 12:29 PM 07-17-2015
In my groups I have noticed it is certain families children.

As well as certain children together.
I think of it like this; there are adults I can't stand to be around, if I had to share space with them for 40 hours a week and I didn't have the maturity or adult skills to deal with this...I might bite too.

I do have a dcb with autism and when he and his brother come it is constant fighting. When they are not here it is peaceful. 😕
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