View Full Version : Please tell me it's not always going to be this intense
freckleonear
16-01-2013, 09:59 PM
After a couple of short settling-in sessions, my first mindee stayed for her first session today. She was more or less fine, she crawled to the front door and whimpered at one point, but I popped her in the sling and she was happy. It was my own two children who were the problem! They loved having her for the settling-in sessions, but I think it's now hit home that they're going to have to share their toys and their mummy! I was busy keeping mindee engaged and distracted, so they got frustrated that I couldn't focus on things like reading longer books, even though I actually spent more time playing with them than normal. My 5 year old burst into tears at the same time mindee got upset because he wanted cuddles, then when mum came to collect mindee they were both awful! It doesn't help that DS has been going through a really difficult stage the last few weeks anyway. I was expecting my 2 year old to get a bit jealous as she's always been very attached to me, but it seems like my 5 year old is actually going to struggle more. Please tell me it gets easier. :(
It does get a lot easier I promise. My children struggled when I started minding (especially my 4 year old), they are all the best of friends now and it is lovely to see.
It does get easier as you settle into routine and your own children get used to the new lo being around.
Every so often I do point out to my own children that if we didn't have the extra children coming to the house then I would need to go out to work & they would see less of me - they would have to go to after school club.
Katy M
16-01-2013, 10:29 PM
In my experience different children respond differently. My first daughter got very jealous and took it out on the mindees. It was really hard. I felt disappointed that she reacted that way. It was hard work because I couldn't trust her to be in a room with any mindee without me because I was worried she would lash out at them. She was almost 2 at the time. Now she is 6. My youngest daughter (3 years old) loves having other children around. I work 3 days a week and on the days 'we' have no mindees she gets upset that 'we' aren't looking after children! :laughing:
I think if you try to include all the children as much as you can in each activity over time your LO will realise that mum can be shared.
Hope it eases.