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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>Those That Have A "Don't Touch The Baby" Rule
EntropyControlSpecialist 11:57 AM 07-30-2013
The only baby that will be here will be my own. I have read on here of some providers having a don't touch the baby rule and I would like for that to exist here. I have many preschool-aged children. When siblings of the other children come in (young infants and toddlers) the other children always attempt to touch them/do touch them and I correct it stating, "Keep your hands to yourself."

Some parents (parents of the TOUCHERS) have actually acted offended about this when they witnessed it. When a sibling gets upset at others not listening to the rule of hands to yourself they will act visibly upset and the parents of the toucher will usually laugh and look shocked saying something to the extent of, "Oh my, aren't we protective..." I have a feeling these same parents are going to want to hold/touch my baby as they feel their child's entitlement to touch other people's babies is completely justified.

Do you have any parents who are offended by your rule? How do you word it "NICELY" so people don't feel offended by something that isn't offensive at all?
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JenNJ 12:08 PM 07-30-2013
I let them touch the babies feet only if I am right there. Otherwise, no touch the baby applies. I don't care if they are offended. Its not their a$$ on the line, its mine. I don't want boogie pickers and diaper diggers touching the baby who hasn't had all his vaccines yet. Kids are rough, germy, and not intelligent enough to know what can and can't hurt an infant. Its my job to keep all the kids safe - including the baby. I don't let the babies pull hair and chew on the older kids either, lol.
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Unregistered 12:08 PM 07-30-2013
Originally Posted by EntropyControlSpecialist:
The only baby that will be here will be my own. I have read on here of some providers having a don't touch the baby rule and I would like for that to exist here. I have many preschool-aged children. When siblings of the other children come in (young infants and toddlers) the other children always attempt to touch them/do touch them and I correct it stating, "Keep your hands to yourself."

Some parents (parents of the TOUCHERS) have actually acted offended about this when they witnessed it. When a sibling gets upset at others not listening to the rule of hands to yourself they will act visibly upset and the parents of the toucher will usually laugh and look shocked saying something to the extent of, "Oh my, aren't we protective..." I have a feeling these same parents are going to want to hold/touch my baby as they feel their child's entitlement to touch other people's babies is completely justified.

Do you have any parents who are offended by your rule? How do you word it "NICELY" so people don't feel offended by something that isn't offensive at all?
My parents are handed a list of 12 "house rules" at their interview. One of those rules is NO ONE but me touches the baby. EVER. I've had some jaws drop, but I explain to them that kids have a hard time deciding when it's OK and not to do something, so NEVER makes that easy for them. I need to protect the baby, and I can not hold him/her the entire day. So, if baby is in the bouncy chair on the kitchen floor while I'm making lunch, NO ONE touches him. If baby is in the bassinet while I change toddlers' diaper, NO ONE touches him. I've had kids try to shove a bottle into a sleeping baby's mouth, try to pick up the baby, etc. Kids go STRAIGHT to time out for touching baby OR baby's belongings. They are taught from day one that if baby tries to steal your toy, you let baby have it and come get me. There is NO NO NO touching.
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EntropyControlSpecialist 12:14 PM 07-30-2013
Originally Posted by Unregistered:
My parents are handed a list of 12 "house rules" at their interview. One of those rules is NO ONE but me touches the baby. EVER. I've had some jaws drop, but I explain to them that kids have a hard time deciding when it's OK and not to do something, so NEVER makes that easy for them. I need to protect the baby, and I can not hold him/her the entire day. So, if baby is in the bouncy chair on the kitchen floor while I'm making lunch, NO ONE touches him. If baby is in the bassinet while I change toddlers' diaper, NO ONE touches him. I've had kids try to shove a bottle into a sleeping baby's mouth, try to pick up the baby, etc. Kids go STRAIGHT to time out for touching baby OR baby's belongings. They are taught from day one that if baby tries to steal your toy, you let baby have it and come get me. There is NO NO NO touching.
Yes, this is exactly why it has to be never here. 8 little boys with rules like "only the ___" would result in disaster.
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Play Care 12:16 PM 07-30-2013
Originally Posted by Unregistered:
My parents are handed a list of 12 "house rules" at their interview. One of those rules is NO ONE but me touches the baby. EVER. I've had some jaws drop, but I explain to them that kids have a hard time deciding when it's OK and not to do something, so NEVER makes that easy for them. I need to protect the baby, and I can not hold him/her the entire day. So, if baby is in the bouncy chair on the kitchen floor while I'm making lunch, NO ONE touches him. If baby is in the bassinet while I change toddlers' diaper, NO ONE touches him. I've had kids try to shove a bottle into a sleeping baby's mouth, try to pick up the baby, etc. Kids go STRAIGHT to time out for touching baby OR baby's belongings. They are taught from day one that if baby tries to steal your toy, you let baby have it and come get me. There is NO NO NO touching.


This is pretty much what I tell parents. I make it clear this applies to siblings while in my care also.
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JenNJ 12:29 PM 07-30-2013
And It doesn't matter if it is your child or someone else's. The rule is DON'T TOUCH BABY. I would stress to the parents that you have always treated their kids as your own and you are just following the same rules with your child. It nicely reminds them that their kids were once infants and everyone respected that rule then, same as they need to now.
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Blackcat31 12:35 PM 07-30-2013
Originally Posted by Unregistered:
My parents are handed a list of 12 "house rules" at their interview. One of those rules is NO ONE but me touches the baby. EVER. I've had some jaws drop, but I explain to them that kids have a hard time deciding when it's OK and not to do something, so NEVER makes that easy for them. I need to protect the baby, and I can not hold him/her the entire day. So, if baby is in the bouncy chair on the kitchen floor while I'm making lunch, NO ONE touches him. If baby is in the bassinet while I change toddlers' diaper, NO ONE touches him. I've had kids try to shove a bottle into a sleeping baby's mouth, try to pick up the baby, etc. Kids go STRAIGHT to time out for touching baby OR baby's belongings. They are taught from day one that if baby tries to steal your toy, you let baby have it and come get me. There is NO NO NO touching.
I have very similar rules. Parents AND children all know up front. There are NO exceptions...even for siblings.

ECS~ Start training your DCK's now, by using a blanket and a doll. The blanket is a the buffer zone. Baby on small blanket on bigger blanket on floor.

If I lay a blanket flat on the floor, all my DCK's will go waaaaay out of their way to go around the blanket as none of them want to mistakenly be accused of touching the baby.
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EntropyControlSpecialist 12:42 PM 07-30-2013
Originally Posted by JenNJ:
And It doesn't matter if it is your child or someone else's. The rule is DON'T TOUCH BABY. I would stress to the parents that you have always treated their kids as your own and you are just following the same rules with your child. It nicely reminds them that their kids were once infants and everyone respected that rule then, same as they need to now.
I don't take infants, but I DO have a no touching rule in place for the children. When I didn't they would be too rough with each other purposely and on accident. It's must nicer for all to have a no touching rule.

I will say, "Remember how we don't touch our friends? We don't touch our baby friends, either." They'll know.
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Unregistered 12:54 PM 07-30-2013
Originally Posted by Play Care:


This is pretty much what I tell parents. I make it clear this applies to siblings while in my care also.
Especially with siblings...the big kids usually adore the littles and want to act "big"...they try to parent the child (stepping in for their own parents, I believe is what they think they are doing) that they are so proud of and consider to be their own property.
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nannyde 01:00 PM 07-30-2013
I take it way further than don't touch. I don't let them near the babies. I train them off of them and their areas.
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Lyss 01:14 PM 07-30-2013
Originally Posted by Blackcat31:
I have very similar rules. Parents AND children all know up front. There are NO exceptions...even for siblings.

ECS~ Start training your DCK's now, by using a blanket and a doll. The blanket is a the buffer zone. Baby on small blanket on bigger blanket on floor.

If I lay a blanket flat on the floor, all my DCK's will go waaaaay out of their way to go around the blanket as none of them want to mistakenly be accused of touching the baby.


I have an infant now among toddlers and 3year olds and the rule is no touching baby or baby things (blankets, toys, binkies, diapers...nothing baby related) and now if the baby rolls into their space the know to stop and move. I talked to parents prior about the baby starting and told them the rules, only one got snarky but I just ignored it

This month I have the infant's older sibling (4) and the same rule applies to her
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Familycare71 01:15 PM 07-30-2013
Originally Posted by Blackcat31:
I have very similar rules. Parents AND children all know up front. There are NO exceptions...even for siblings.

ECS~ Start training your DCK's now, by using a blanket and a doll. The blanket is a the buffer zone. Baby on small blanket on bigger blanket on floor.

If I lay a blanket flat on the floor, all my DCK's will go waaaaay out of their way to go around the blanket as none of them want to mistakenly be accused of touching the baby.
I use a blanket area for babies too. My kids do a really good job respecting they cannot go on or near the blanket...
I do allow the kids to touch the infants feet. They know to be gentle and brief. Picture a toddler "petting" a dog- that's what it's like...
The baby is also always within my view so if I'm in the kitchen so is the infant, etc... The only exception to this would be if all the older kids are with me and the baby is playing nearby.
I agree too- start now with a doll
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Cradle2crayons 01:42 PM 07-30-2013
Originally Posted by nannyde:
I take it way further than don't touch. I don't let them near the babies. I train them off of them and their areas.
I don't allow mine near the babies either. If the littles are in a walker, the rest must stay far far away. I don't use visual cues or play gates or anything. They learn from day one. Stay far far away from the babies.

If a group of children are sitting on e floor playing and a baby is in a walker and approaches, they are taught to move.
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MyAngels 01:53 PM 07-30-2013
I also have the rule of no touching the baby or their things, which also includes the child's siblings. After reading the other replies I think you should tell the parents that it's "standard practice nationwide"
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coolconfidentme 03:54 PM 07-30-2013
I have a don't touch the baby or baby's things rule.
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blandino 04:02 PM 07-30-2013
I have this rule as well. Once I had a DCM of a 16 month old who was allowing her daughter to touch the baby & exersaucer at PU. I had to correct her, and I could tell she was put off. Then I rephrased it and said, "when your DD was 3 months old, would you have been comfortable with a 1 year old touching her ?". Which of course she would not have been. I also explain that I cannot have my eyes on everyone every minute of the day, and while a child may do a fine job of touching the baby supervised, it can become dangerous without a child realizing, so it is just much safer for babies and their things to be off limits all the time.
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Starburst 06:42 PM 07-30-2013
They didn't have that rule when I worked at my old job (the kids just couldn't hold the babies) but I always got anxious when kids got up in the babies face. I would tell parents just like you wouldn't want someone who you didn't know to touch your baby (or child) I won't allow anyone (except my assistant and family adult members of the child) hold or touch the babies (that includes other daycare children and parents). And yes I would be picky about kids touching babies because babies' immune systems aren't fully developed and older kids have lots of germs (my OCD kicking in). I normally don't mind a little dirt and stuff with older kids, but with babies, older people, or ill people I am super cautious. Plus, I wouldn't want that liability of if a child some how injured or got the baby seriously sick if it was a daycare baby and having to deal with a sick fussy baby all day and night if it was my own.
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BABYLUVER21 06:57 PM 07-30-2013
Same thing here! I just NEVER allowed it. That way there was no question of "Can I?" ever!
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EntropyControlSpecialist 02:39 PM 07-31-2013
Thank you, ladies. This has all been very helpful!
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missheather 01:51 PM 08-02-2013
Originally Posted by Unregistered:
My parents are handed a list of 12 "house rules" at their interview. One of those rules is NO ONE but me touches the baby. EVER. I've had some jaws drop, but I explain to them that kids have a hard time deciding when it's OK and not to do something, so NEVER makes that easy for them. I need to protect the baby, and I can not hold him/her the entire day. So, if baby is in the bouncy chair on the kitchen floor while I'm making lunch, NO ONE touches him. If baby is in the bassinet while I change toddlers' diaper, NO ONE touches him. I've had kids try to shove a bottle into a sleeping baby's mouth, try to pick up the baby, etc. Kids go STRAIGHT to time out for touching baby OR baby's belongings. They are taught from day one that if baby tries to steal your toy, you let baby have it and come get me. There is NO NO NO touching.
I'd Love to know what your 12 house rules are!

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UtahMomma 02:13 PM 08-02-2013
Definitely a no touching baby rule. I only have my 4 month old and the rest are over 2. The 2yo DCG is the one I have to keep an eye on with not touching her and then my new 6yo DCG is a mini mommy and always wants to help with her. Even though I would be okay with her helping, (she's like I was when I was her age with my siblings) I don't want the other DCKs thinking it's okay to touch.
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jokalima 07:52 AM 08-03-2013
I recently got a new baby, so before he started I started talking about the "baby rules" during group time, gave demonstrations using a doll and talk to parents about the rules so they could talk about them with kids at home. When baby finally started we kept going over rules and it has worked just fine. They know they need to ask before touching him and that baby has his own area, if they ask I let them be near the baby in the baby area but no more than 2 kids ta the same time.
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Nebula 02:08 PM 08-03-2013
I have a no touching anyone rule. Too many times , it is mostly the older kids who want to "help" with their little baby brother or sister. Just no
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