What Do You Do...

[JennyBear]

Hi everyone!
I'm so happy I have found this site!!
I have started up my own home daycare business a couple of months ago (I live in Ontario, Canada) and so far it's going fairly well. I do have some questions I would like to ask all of you to see where you stand so I can learn from everyone's experiences and advice:

1. one of my daycare kids just started FT so he is here during nap. He is 20 months and sleeps in a room with all of the other kids. He cries and screams throughout nap time (on and off) and occasionally gets the other kids all worked up so nap time isn't going the greatest anymore and I'm so sick of hearing his screaming and crying. Any suggestions?

2. I have a 21 month old daughter that I have stayed home with since she was born. She likes having the daycare kids here and refers to them all as her friends, and will hug them and treat them nicely, but she will randomly start pulling hair, pushing, or pulling clothes, or hitting a couple of the daycare kids. I do the time out thing with her (get down to her level and firmly tell her that it's not okay, she goes onto a chair for time out, and then I go back and tell her why I put her there, she says sorry to the kid) but she still continues this behavior. It's definitely worse when she is tired or annoyed but what else can I do?

3. I always offer fruit/veggies but some of my daycare kids don't eat the skins(of fruit) or eat any of it (fruits or veggies). Do you take the skins off and do you enforce they eat a certain amount? or do you just let it go and throw out whatever they didn't want?

4. I have a 10 month old that cries and whines every time I'm not holding him...which i refuse to do (the parents are totally on board). He crawls around after me and cries. This happens all day unless he is sleeping or eating and I don't know what to do...IT'S DRIVING ME NUTS!! He started 3 weeks ago and this is still going on. Mom and dad tell me to ignore him and don't pick him up, which I don't but I don't know what else to do. Any suggestions? (Other then this behavior he is great)

Thanks so much for you advice and guidance!

[godiva83]

First off, congratulations for starting your own HDC!

Can you switch the 20 month to a room so he won't disturb the other children? I suggest any kind of white noise and a dark cool room to help induce sleep.

As for your daughter- I hear you your story sounds just like my 21 month old son... It is beyond frustrating! I say, keep up what you are doing and increase your positive reinforcement with her, always praise her for the positive she does through out the day. Maybe put her to sleep 15 mins after all the others sO you can get some cuddles in

I peel the fruit depending on age...apple skin is a big choking hazard for little ones.
I encourage the children to eat their food and ask them to take a bite of each item on their plate. Ex. If you are 2 you take 2 bites
Of potato, 2 bites of corn, 2 bites of lamb ect
I don't force them to eat, but encourage I hate throwing food out. As you get to know your DCK you will know what they like and can give better portions to limit waste

For the crying baby- give it time! It is awesome the parents are on board with you, it will get better! Is it his first time in daycare?

I am in Ontario also