Baby won't stop crying!

[pirateship]

I'm finding a child that I care for a bit of a struggle to look after. He doesn't want his parents to leave in the mornings (understandable, but then they stay for about 20 mins just prolonging the inevitable!) and clings to them for dear life. He's just turned one and has only been with me for a month. I have him all day Mondays and Tuesdays and he cries the whole time! If I am holding him (for the most part) he is fine so I know there's nothing else wrong but as soon as I put him down he's off. And he has the loudest cry! A real screamer! The other children are getting bored of hearing it and I just don't know what else to do. I can't hold him all of the time. Any suggestions would be much appreciated.

[pinkrabbit]

I had the same thing with an eleven month old this time last year. He was crying so much that the other children were starting to get upset too. I found his mum stayed too long at drop off so suggested she just dropped him and left. He soon settled down and is now a very happy child who waves mum off in the morning no matter how long she stays.

[Little Pickles]

I experienced this recently and I found that it really helped if the parents bought him in his buggy which prevented the clinging. They also put a toy from home in the buggy , handover was instant .... He was in the door and parents left straightaway , any messages were phoned or texted or written in daily diary. After parent left baby was taken into play room in buggy. After a few sessions the time taken to settle lessened and now he comes in smiling and without buggy. If you can fit it in it would be worth doing a few 1 hours sessions just to reinforce to child that parent does come back.
Good luck I know what hard work it is for everyone

[hectors house]

Maybe ask what his favourite tv programme is and if it isn't on when he comes, record it so you can put it on as soon as he gets upset. I did this many years ago with a one year old who came to me because he wouldn't settle at nursery, his favourite programme was night garden and as soon as his mum was about to go I would press play on remote and he would only cry for few minutes. He managed to make it back to the same nursery after about a year and we share his care between us - he is off to school Sept.

Maybe start off with him on your lap with you sitting on floor and then slide him onto floor with him between your legs still holding him, try to engage him with playing with toys by himself and let go with your arms and slowing shuffle backwards when/if he is still calm!

Good luck!

[Pipsqueak]

the trick to this is getting the parents to do an immediate hand over.
I would sit down and explain that this is what you are intending to do with immediate effect as you believe XYZ
You will text them to say that he has settled
you will distract him by getting immediately involved in an activity

break the cycle - even if that means you running down the garden being nuts!!