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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>Biting Child: New To My Daycare
Britnificent 09:19 PM 10-17-2011
I need advice quickly in this situation. I just found this forum and am new to it, so I will be very happy to see your responses and advice.

Here is my situation: I have a new client that just contacted me about watching her 18 month old daughter in my large family home day care. Recently, I instituted a new thing here at my daycare called "Play-dates". We utilize play-dates as a transitional, warm-up period for a new child. Basically, the parent accompanies the child on two or three different, one to three hour play-dates at the daycare, so that the child can become more comfortable in our environment. Well, the little girl and her mom joined us for a play-date today and while we were preparing lunch she was sitting in a high chair and out of the blue she bit the little girl sitting in the high chair next to her. I had turned my back for 1.5 seconds. The mom and I saw what was happening at the exact same time. Her mom, was mortified and embarrassed and took her into the next room as a time out and talked to her, telling her that it was not ok to bite, etc. . . This was her second play-date with us. Additionally, on her very first visit to the daycare, which was not a play-date, but the first day her parents came to see if they even liked my daycare, she bit me as well. I told the mother of the child who was bit, what happened to her daughter and her eye brows raised. I know that she did not appreciated it. She seemed satisfied, though, that the mother reprimanded her daughter.



Not sure what to do in this situation. Should I use the 2 or 3 play-dates as like a probation type of period to see if a child will blend well into our daycare and if they display behaviors that could be problematic I can use it to turn people away OR should I go ahead, only use it as a warming up period for the child and accept her and just keep an eye on her like a hawk. Is this something I should just learn to handle, because I am a child care provider?

Thx
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Michael 12:42 AM 10-18-2011
Welcome to the Daycare.com Forum! I've upgraded your status. You can post freely now.

We have many threads on biting: https://www.daycare.com/forum/showthread.php?t=6

https://www.daycare.com/forum/tags.php?tag=biting
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nannyde 06:00 AM 10-18-2011
Any chance she was booted out of a previous day care for biting?
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Zoe 06:18 AM 10-18-2011
While I wouldn't be happy with the biter, I think it's a good sign that the mother stepped in right away, clearly upset with the child's behavior, and put her in time out. That's awesome. If you do decide to stay with this family, it seems to me that you will get support from the mother.
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nannyde 06:30 AM 10-18-2011
Originally Posted by Zoe:
While I wouldn't be happy with the biter, I think it's a good sign that the mother stepped in right away, clearly upset with the child's behavior, and put her in time out. That's awesome. If you do decide to stay with this family, it seems to me that you will get support from the mother.
I dunno

The kid bit the provider (a total stranger) the very first day she met her and bit another kid the very first time she mixed her in with the other kids?

I gotta feeling this kid is a biter and the Mom didn't tell the provider the whole truth before she interviewed. Having a kid feel comfortable enough to bite a total stranger adult gives me the idea that this is a PROBLEM with this family.

I would ask the mom point blank if the child has a history of biting... if she has been booted out of day care for it... and if she has even bit anyone on the face.

The kid may need her own adult and her own space every day to keep everyone safe. The parents need to be clear and look for the RIGHT care situation.
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Zoe 07:19 AM 10-18-2011
I do agree with you nan, in that I'm sure it's a problem and that's probably why the child needs a new daycare. I just meant that I liked the mom's reaction. It could have been worse. She could have sat back and done nothing. Personally, I would be very careful to take on this child too, but I'd feel a little better knowing the parent is aware of how serious biting is.
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Britnificent 07:08 PM 10-18-2011
I haven't figured out what to do yet, but your responses are greatly appreciated. I will make a decision soon and let you all know ASAP!!
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Tags:biting, violent behaviour
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