beckiew
08-05-2013, 12:26 PM
Hello!!
I am new to this forum and really want some advice from others :-)
I am currentky looking after a brother and sister (2 and 4). When they first registered their Mum told me that the sister is very close to the brother, how sweet I thought. BUT basically unless her brother is right next to her she crys constantly. If he just moves a few inches away from her, she will cry and then move next to him. The other day she fell asleep and we took the oppertunity to do a fun activity with him as activities are limited when the sister is awake, she woke up to find him not there and then there was hell to pay until he returned. Nothing we done could distract her from her upset.
We initially thought it was because she did not know us but each week it is getting worse. TOday she refused to eat her lunch unless she sat on the brothers lap, which I would not let her do therefore she has yet to eat today. I asked her to get her boots on to go outside and she was adament that her brother should do it for her, this battle I did win.
Her poor brother is clearly fed up of her, he keeps saying that she is annoying him and he is very clingy and cuddly towards me.
Her Mum is not very approachable on the subject, last night I received a text from her basically saying that the girl was upset about coming to us today and that we should allow her to be with the brother at all times. I explained that we do not keep them apart but also explained what happened that day when she fell asleep as I thought maybe that was what she was talking about.
I suppose my question is, is this normal? I have googled close sibling relationships and from what I have read this is a little extreme. I am in a bit of a muddle over this as I also have my own children, one of which is nearly 2 and he is beginning to pick up on her crying and is becoming very anxious now himself.
Would you work on getting her to enjoy time here without the brother constantly having to be around or would you just let her cling onto him knowing it was causing him grief when I know he loves coming here? Or do I politly inform the Mum that I can no longer have them due to the effects on my own son? Oh so many questions!!!
I am new to this forum and really want some advice from others :-)
I am currentky looking after a brother and sister (2 and 4). When they first registered their Mum told me that the sister is very close to the brother, how sweet I thought. BUT basically unless her brother is right next to her she crys constantly. If he just moves a few inches away from her, she will cry and then move next to him. The other day she fell asleep and we took the oppertunity to do a fun activity with him as activities are limited when the sister is awake, she woke up to find him not there and then there was hell to pay until he returned. Nothing we done could distract her from her upset.
We initially thought it was because she did not know us but each week it is getting worse. TOday she refused to eat her lunch unless she sat on the brothers lap, which I would not let her do therefore she has yet to eat today. I asked her to get her boots on to go outside and she was adament that her brother should do it for her, this battle I did win.
Her poor brother is clearly fed up of her, he keeps saying that she is annoying him and he is very clingy and cuddly towards me.
Her Mum is not very approachable on the subject, last night I received a text from her basically saying that the girl was upset about coming to us today and that we should allow her to be with the brother at all times. I explained that we do not keep them apart but also explained what happened that day when she fell asleep as I thought maybe that was what she was talking about.
I suppose my question is, is this normal? I have googled close sibling relationships and from what I have read this is a little extreme. I am in a bit of a muddle over this as I also have my own children, one of which is nearly 2 and he is beginning to pick up on her crying and is becoming very anxious now himself.
Would you work on getting her to enjoy time here without the brother constantly having to be around or would you just let her cling onto him knowing it was causing him grief when I know he loves coming here? Or do I politly inform the Mum that I can no longer have them due to the effects on my own son? Oh so many questions!!!