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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>What Do You Do With A Room Of Screamers?
DCMomOf3 07:14 AM 01-08-2011
When i am making lunch I have my kids sit at the table with coloring, books, etc. because my kitchen is on a different floor than my play space. Not every day, but about half of the time one will start screaming for fun and within 10 seconds they are all screaming at the top of their lungs. I have a rule that you don't get your food until you are quiet and sitting still. Telling them to settle down, ignoring the screamers, moving a few away to a different room, etc. hasn't been working. I can't put them to bed, they are all on mats in the playroom when it's naptime. On Thursday, I was able to eat lunch first, and completely before anyone settled down enough to get their plates. I am at a loss at what to do.
mickey2 08:29 AM 01-08-2011
How old are the children? Perhaps they are bored with the same routine everyday. I have a HUGE variety of "table" toys that I only take out when I need the children to be busy while I am trying to make lunch, feed a baby a bottle etc... I have so many that I can rotate so each day they play with something different.
kidkair 09:00 AM 01-08-2011
Screamers go into time out very quickly around here once they are over age 2. I cover my ears and tell them it hurts me so they learn quickly not to do it. If every child was screaming at once and didn't stop when told to. I would honestly curl into a ball on the floor covering my ears and crying fully showing how much it hurts. No way would I eat my lunch and just wait.
AmandasFCC 11:32 AM 01-08-2011
Mine do the same thing if I have them sit at the table with me while I make lunch. I've tried doing crafts with them - simple ones that need very little assistance, and that didn't work, neither did play-dough, colouring, or lots of other activities.
Like you my play room is on a different floor than my kitchen. However my living room is right beside my kitchen. I have the kids sit on the floor, away from my dd's toys (far away, far enough that if they got up to try to play I'd hear them and be able to intercept before they would be playing with anything) and have them watch Sesame St. while I cook lunch.
Before that, we spend at least an hr outside burning off steam. My lunch time is at noon, and all my kids are up by 7am at the latest to get to my place, so they're all getting pretty sleepy by that point anyway. Works for me beautifully
Like you my play room is on a different floor than my kitchen. However my living room is right beside my kitchen. I have the kids sit on the floor, away from my dd's toys (far away, far enough that if they got up to try to play I'd hear them and be able to intercept before they would be playing with anything) and have them watch Sesame St. while I cook lunch.
Before that, we spend at least an hr outside burning off steam. My lunch time is at noon, and all my kids are up by 7am at the latest to get to my place, so they're all getting pretty sleepy by that point anyway. Works for me beautifully
QualiTcare 11:46 AM 01-08-2011
i would never curl into a ball on the floor to show it hurts. they would probably laugh. you have to appear to be in control even if you don't feel that way, and lying on the floor crying doesn't project that image. JMO.
the only thing that comes to my mind is that they must not know your mean voice. i know exactly what you're talking about with the screamers and they all start doing it, etc. but seriously, you should be able to stop that with your voice by telling them to STOP! typically, they'll stop, and then one might start again just to test and the rest will join in.
after you told them to stop, and that one kid starts up - go to that child right then, look at them in the face, and tell them, "i said STOP." don't give the other kids time to join in. all the other kids are watching the one kid who starts the screaming to see what happens. that's why it turns into a big scream-fest. nothing really happens so they all join in. if the kid who starts it gets "in trouble" they're watching and seeing that, so they're not going to follow.
i would have music for them to listen to while they colored, and yeah - i think you def. have to rotate the books and give them table toys or SOMETHING different to do other than color every day.
the only thing that comes to my mind is that they must not know your mean voice. i know exactly what you're talking about with the screamers and they all start doing it, etc. but seriously, you should be able to stop that with your voice by telling them to STOP! typically, they'll stop, and then one might start again just to test and the rest will join in.
after you told them to stop, and that one kid starts up - go to that child right then, look at them in the face, and tell them, "i said STOP." don't give the other kids time to join in. all the other kids are watching the one kid who starts the screaming to see what happens. that's why it turns into a big scream-fest. nothing really happens so they all join in. if the kid who starts it gets "in trouble" they're watching and seeing that, so they're not going to follow.
i would have music for them to listen to while they colored, and yeah - i think you def. have to rotate the books and give them table toys or SOMETHING different to do other than color every day.
DCMomOf3 01:27 PM 01-08-2011
Well, I do change what they are doing. Some days it's coloring, some days it's books, painting, etc. and toys are a bad idea. i think they just don't want to be at the table. i have put the 3yos on time out, and have used my firm voice but it doesn't usually work in this situation, they think its a funny game. I will try the movie and music, and getting more into their space while saying no and see if that helps. thanks.
nannyde 03:01 PM 01-08-2011
I have lunch ready before the kids even get here. I get up early and make sure all the cups are poured, silverware on the tray, food already diced and ready to go.
All I have to do is nuke and serve. I make a lot of bowl in one meals that have all of the components for a healthy meal.
I make up meals in advance and freeze them. I do a lot of crock pot meals.
They wouldn't have time to act up here because their food would be in front of them a few seconds after they sat down. I have a staff assistant to watch them but I still have it done before they get here. I don't want to be cooking when they are up and needing supervision. I get everything prepared in advance that I can possibly do.
All I have to do is nuke and serve. I make a lot of bowl in one meals that have all of the components for a healthy meal.
I make up meals in advance and freeze them. I do a lot of crock pot meals.
They wouldn't have time to act up here because their food would be in front of them a few seconds after they sat down. I have a staff assistant to watch them but I still have it done before they get here. I don't want to be cooking when they are up and needing supervision. I get everything prepared in advance that I can possibly do.