Child tripped over

[mumofone]

My mindee tripped over on the way from school today and grazed her knee. She got straight back up and got very annoyed when I kept asking if she was ok and whether She hurt herself. She insisted she was fine. When dad picked her up tonight if mentioned she'd tripped but that she had insisted she hadn't hurt herself. Should I record this in any way?

[mumofone]

She's 6 by the way...

[chris goodyear]

I would record it in your accident book detailing what action you took e.g. cleaned when got home and say that you told dad, he should also sign that he was aware of what happened.

[mumofone]

I would record it in your accident book detailing what action you took e.g. cleaned when got home and say that you told dad, he should also sign that he was aware of what happened.

I've got an accident and incident form, should I just fill one out for this?

[FloraDora]

We role play 'first aid' so that all children get the idea that if they fall and graze/ bump etc...I will look at it and make a decision about how to care for them. It is not their decision.

Sometimes children are upset and don't want you to care for them as they think it might hurt so we role play this too, I play the part of the upset child and they talk me through what they think they will do.

One of the 'games ' we play before we go out into check the 'have we got everything' and 'outdoor bag list ' it's in pictures and the children read it to me and I and another child will check I have everything, the first aid kit is on the list, this reinforces the idea that I carry it and may need to use it when we are out.

This might be something you could do for the future for this child as sometimes grazed knees need attention and thorough cleaning because they get gravel in it.

I usually write up accident on my online programme before children are picked up, explain verbally and tell them verbally that it is online and needs signing. I also mention it in the daily diary.

[sarah707]

You should have accident, injury and first aid forms - and you must complete them for all children and ask parents to sign them to confirm they have been made aware of what has happened.

You will find a form free here - just log in free to get it :D

https://www.childcare.co.uk/information/childminding-forms

[mumofone]

We role play 'first aid' so that all children get the idea that if they fall and graze/ bump etc...I will look at it and make a decision about how to care for them. It is not their decision. Sometimes children are upset and don't want you to care for them as they think it might hurt so we role play this too, I play the part of the upset child and they talk me through what they think they will do. One of the 'games ' we play before we go out into check the 'have we got everything' and 'outdoor bag list ' it's in pictures and the children read it to me and I and another child will check I have everything, the first aid kit is on the list, this reinforces the idea that I carry it and may need to use it when we are out. This might be something you could do for the future for this child as sometimes grazed knees need attention and thorough cleaning because they get gravel in it. I usually write up accident on my online programme before children are picked up, explain verbally and tell them verbally that it is online and needs signing. I also mention it in the daily diary.

Thanks flora, I couldn't understand why she wouldn't let me ask her questions about it. I find her really difficult but I'm not sure if it's her or 6 year olds in general?!

[alex__17]

Brilliant idea about the role play flora, I have a little one who is very wary and only even has a cuddle if she's really hurt herself and even then I struggle to get a look at what she's done, and she's so clumsy!
I've had to hold ice on her head before, it was probably more upsetting for her than the bump...
Any ideas on how to approach this with little ones? She always brings a teddy so perhaps could start by bandaging him up?!

[Maza]

Thanks flora, I couldn't understand why she wouldn't let me ask her questions about it. I find her really difficult but I'm not sure if it's her or 6 year olds in general?!

No, it's not 6 year olds in general. My 6 year old wouldn't dream of showing another adult (other than me, lol) that she was cross with them. Your 6 year old (assuming it is the same one you have mentioned in other posts) sounds like she needs a bit of a pep talk about boundaries, expectations and respect. Having said that, lots of children do not like you to look at their wounds for the reasons Floradora mentioned, and so the role play sounds like a brilliant idea.

Any break of the skin needs to be recorded - grazes can look like nothing but they can get gravel in them as Floradora said. My brother had to have a general anaesthetic to get some gravel out of his knee after a fall at school one day. That was about 20 years ago - I'm not sure they would be quite so dramatic nowadays! I'm sure your mindee is fine, by the way, you could see the gravel under the skin on my brother quite easily. I am a bit paranoid now though about grazes and I'm sure parents think I'm nuts! I usually give them a clean with one of those wipes you get in your first aid kit - or you can give mindee one to hold on the wound themselves.

It's always horrible when mindees fall over. You stress more than if it was your own child. x

[mumofone]

No, it's not 6 year olds in general. My 6 year old wouldn't dream of showing another adult (other than me, lol) that she was cross with them. Your 6 year old (assuming it is the same one you have mentioned in other posts) sounds like she needs a bit of a pep talk about boundaries, expectations and respect. Having said that, lots of children do not like you to look at their wounds for the reasons Floradora mentioned, and so the role play sounds like a brilliant idea. Any break of the skin needs to be recorded - grazes can look like nothing but they can get gravel in them as Floradora said. My brother had to have a general anaesthetic to get some gravel out of his knee after a fall at school one day. That was about 20 years ago - I'm not sure they would be quite so dramatic nowadays! I'm sure your mindee is fine, by the way, you could see the gravel under the skin on my brother quite easily. I am a bit paranoid now though about grazes and I'm sure parents think I'm nuts! I usually give them a clean with one of those wipes you get in your first aid kit - or you can give mindee one to hold on the wound themselves. It's always horrible when mindees fall over. You stress more than if it was your own child. x

Thanks maza, Yep it's the same one! parents think she's "spirited", I'd call her "difficult"!

She won't let me ask her any questions about what she's done at school each day (I have no idea why) so I have no opportunity to build on things she's learning at school. She loves to tell me everything I say/think/do is wrong. I don't know if it's something about me or if she's like this with everyone.

[FloraDora]

Brilliant idea about the role play flora, I have a little one who is very wary and only even has a cuddle if she's really hurt herself and even then I struggle to get a look at what she's done, and she's so clumsy!
I've had to hold ice on her head before, it was probably more upsetting for her than the bump...
Any ideas on how to approach this with little ones? She always brings a teddy so perhaps could start by bandaging him up?!

.I would create a small role play area, it could be a vet/ doctors/ hospital and play in it myself if the children are reluctant, role modalling what you do with all the equipment, emphasising the initial question of where does it hurt, let me see etc. how can I help, I am going to..showing lots of empathy use dolls/ teddies/ soft animals. Move onto using each other instead of dolls etc..

I use the replica first aid kit bag to play with as a use so that they are familiar and have several Mr Bumps in the fridge so use these too - it's their favourite bit.
If we have an accident usually everyone helps, the LO's often automatically find the injured child's comforter or favourite toy, some offer their own. It shows the others that the idea is to check their ok and help. A role play first aid session often follows, they can self access the resources.
I have a great set of books too from Amazon, will check the series but it's about visiting the doctor and hospital, these are a great way in for LO's.

[mumofone]

.I would create a small role play area, it could be a vet/ doctors/ hospital and play in it myself if the children are reluctant, role modalling what you do with all the equipment, emphasising the initial question of where does it hurt, let me see etc. how can I help, I am going to..showing lots of empathy use dolls/ teddies/ soft animals. Move onto using each other instead of dolls etc.. I use the replica first aid kit bag to play with as a use so that they are familiar and have several Mr Bumps in the fridge so use these too - it's their favourite bit. If we have an accident usually everyone helps, the LO's often automatically find the injured child's comforter or favourite toy, some offer their own. It shows the others that the idea is to check their ok and help. A role play first aid session often follows, they can self access the resources. I have a great set of books too from Amazon, will check the series but it's about visiting the doctor and hospital, these are a great way in for LO's.

Your mindees sound incredibly co-operative flora. My mindee would not entertain this at all, she would want to initiate and dictate every single game/role play. Can we swap?!

[Maza]

Thanks maza, Yep it's the same one! parents think she's "spirited", I'd call her "difficult"!

She won't let me ask her any questions about what she's done at school each day (I have no idea why) so I have no opportunity to build on things she's learning at school. She loves to tell me everything I say/think/do is wrong. I don't know if it's something about me or if she's like this with everyone.

Oh my, what is it about the word 'spirited'? Every time I have heard a parent describe their own child as spirited they have turned out to be, well, mmm... The problem is, once the parents have labelled the child in their own heads they put every negative thing she does down to her nature - 'oh, well she's spirited so what do you expect?' type of thing, instead of showing the child a nicer, more endearing way to behave.

Most children don't like talking about their day. I read just the other day that if you model telling them about your day they will often want to join in/copy you and tell you about their day. I keep meaning to try it on my DD. Could you go on her school website and see if they put up a termly topic web/curriculum overview for her year group? x

[FloraDora]

Your mindees sound incredibly co-operative flora. My mindee would not entertain this at all, she would want to initiate and dictate every single game/role play. Can we swap?!

are they? This is normal here, I play alongside, they lead and I take cues from them, but I introduce them to new language, role play appropriate use of tools, behaviour etc... I step back and leave them to it... They take their play to another level....sometimes involving me sometimes not. When they first started they didn't know how to pretend to be in a shop, their parents shop at lunchtime or online or on their own, so we visited local shops a few times before I set up role play. One of mine hasn't got a pet so has never been in a vets, none have been in hospital, it's me and books that shows them what happens in most role play situations beyond the kitchen / home type play. They don't all always want to join in, but when we have 3 and 2 are playing in an area invariably the third one joins them. I invite them to play with me..shall we? would you like to? I want to play with ....do you? I hear them copying my words when talking to each other.

I act as a facilitator to their play most of the time.

I suppose they are just used to me playing with them, it's the best part of the job!

[alex__17]

If you could find the link to the books that'd be great, would like to give this a try as I do worry if something serious were to happen I need them to let me help and the more used to that they are the better

[loocyloo]

Oh my, what is it about the word 'spirited'? Every time I have heard a parent describe their own child as spirited they have turned out to be, well, mmm... The problem is, once the parents have labelled the child in their own heads they put every negative thing she does down to her nature - 'oh, well she's spirited so what do you expect?' type of thing, instead of showing the child a nicer, more endearing way to behave.

Most children don't like talking about their day. I read just the other day that if you model telling them about your day they will often want to join in/copy you and tell you about their day. I keep meaning to try it on my DD. Could you go on her school website and see if they put up a termly topic web/curriculum overview for her year group? x

on the way home from school I ask everyone in general what 'exciting' or 'silly' or 'funny' thing happened today and with the LOs, we tell the schoolies what we've been up to. I have a 6 yr old mindee who was shy of joining in in September ... she is now just starting to volunteer information ( so 8 mths! ) sometimes I say something daft like, we went to feed the dinosaurs at the pond and wait for responses!

all the children know its my decision about first aid, not theirs! which can equally mean they DON'T need a plaster as much as they do!

and yes Maza, I have the same feeling about 'spirited' children. although there is a good book about raising a spirited child http://www.amazon.co.uk/Raising-Your-Spirited-Child-Rev/dp/0060739665/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1429651267&sr=8-1&keywords=spirited+child I read it from the library and I can't remember now, but it had some good ideas, but I decided that the child I thought was spirited, wasn't !!!

[Maza]

Haha loocyloo, I know what you mean about you deciding if they need a plaster or not! My DD loves plasters - they are obviously not like the plasters we had in my day that took off half your skin when you removed them! I have one little one obsessed with my Mr Bump compress and the other month he 'banged' his head on the beanbag, of all things, and was thrilled as he thought he was automatically going to get Mr Bump! I did let him have Mr Bump but it made me chuckle.

[mumofone]

Haha loocyloo, I know what you mean about you deciding if they need a plaster or not! My DD loves plasters - they are obviously not like the plasters we had in my day that took off half your skin when you removed them! I have one little one obsessed with my Mr Bump compress and the other month he 'banged' his head on the beanbag, of all things, and was thrilled as he thought he was automatically going to get Mr Bump! I did let him have Mr Bump but it made me chuckle.

Aw how cute! I'm just imagining proudly displaying his Mr bump plaster after his "accident"! I remember being desperate to break a limb when I was young just so I could have a cast! Weird i know lol!

[mumofone]

Oh my, what is it about the word 'spirited'? Every time I have heard a parent describe their own child as spirited they have turned out to be, well, mmm... The problem is, once the parents have labelled the child in their own heads they put every negative thing she does down to her nature - 'oh, well she's spirited so what do you expect?' type of thing, instead of showing the child a nicer, more endearing way to behave. Most children don't like talking about their day. I read just the other day that if you model telling them about your day they will often want to join in/copy you and tell you about their day. I keep meaning to try it on my DD. Could you go on her school website and see if they put up a termly topic web/curriculum overview for her year group? x

She called my ten month old son a "ninny" because I had him dressed in a little cardigan over his vest as it was warm yesterday (so I could remove the cardigan easily if it got too warm) she kept saying "oh my god he looks like a girl, he looks ridiculous", I was just taken aback and again because I have no real experience of working with children I had no idea if this is just normal. I just don't think I would have been so bold(rude?) when I was that age but maybe I was and I've forgotten?!

That's interesting you say kids don't like to talk about their day, I'll tread carefully with that as I'm not out to upset her. That's a good idea about talking about my day instead, I'll try that method :-)

I'll have a look on the school website too...good idea...thank you :-) x

[alex__17]

I had a 6year old that didn't like talking about her day in fact she went from being happy to refusing to talk to me so I'd talk to myself all the way home, turned out she wanted her mummy to pick her up like her friends, and I only had little ones at the time. Things changed dramatically when I'd signed up a friend to start about 4 months later! Then she chattrd we did baking went to park and she enjoyed it all rather than me dragging her along and all she talked about was when her friend would start. Was distraction enough that she forgot about wanting her mum and realised she could have fun

[loocyloo]

I had a 6year old that didn't like talking about her day in fact she went from being happy to refusing to talk to me so I'd talk to myself all the way home, turned out she wanted her mummy to pick her up like her friends, and I only had little ones at the time. Things changed dramatically when I'd signed up a friend to start about 4 months later! Then she chattrd we did baking went to park and she enjoyed it all rather than me dragging her along and all she talked about was when her friend would start. Was distraction enough that she forgot about wanting her mum and realised she could have fun

:-) so true. My 6 yr old mindee used to have one afternoon when it was just her and LOs before we picked the big girls up and she struggled being on her own ... But equally ... She knew me and is an only child so most of the time did chatter to me .. But I had to ask questions and prompt answers.
I think mumofone, that a) your mindee comes from a family that do speak out and child is encouraged to do so and b) like pp said she is possibly hiding her insecurity about being the only older one and trying to be ' big and grown up '. Good luck x

[mumofone]

Thanks guys. I filled out the accident form and mum signed it tonight. I guess that's all that matters :-)

[Tealady]

She called my ten month old son a "ninny" because I had him dressed in a little cardigan over his vest as it was warm yesterday (so I could remove the cardigan easily if it got too warm) she kept saying "oh my god he looks like a girl, he looks ridiculous", I was just taken aback and again because I have no real experience of working with children I had no idea if this is just normal. I just don't think I would have been so bold(rude?) when I was that age but maybe I was and I've forgotten?!

That's interesting you say kids don't like to talk about their day, I'll tread carefully with that as I'm not out to upset her. That's a good idea about talking about my day instead, I'll try that method :-)

I'll have a look on the school website too...good idea...thank you :-) x

That's just horrid. My DD is confident and can be so blunt at times she is just plain rude but she would never say anything to insult like that. Children can often be frank and straight to the point, but calling a baby names is uncalled for IMO

[FussyElmo]

Oh my, what is it about the word 'spirited'? Every time I have heard a parent describe their own child as spirited they have turned out to be, well, mmm... The problem is, once the parents have labelled the child in their own heads they put every negative thing she does down to her nature - 'oh, well she's spirited so what do you expect?' type of thing, instead of showing the child a nicer, more endearing way

Opps I have a spirited child. Though calling him spirited is not justifying his behaviour just changing the mindset if he wasn't challenging he would be naughty bad behaved and if we label a child like that they can live up to the label.

The book loocyloo is a brilliant read and really helped me when ds was much younger though after this week maybe I need to read it again :laughing::laughing::laughing:

[Maza]

Opps I have a spirited child. Though calling him spirited is not justifying his behaviour just changing the mindset if he wasn't challenging he would be naughty bad behaved and if we label a child like that they can live up to the label.

The book loocyloo is a brilliant read and really helped me when ds was much younger though after this week maybe I need to read it again :laughing::laughing::laughing:

Oh shucks, I did wonder after I had written that whether I would offend anyone. Sorry if I offended you. Yes, I agree there is a big difference in calling a child 'spirited' to justify their behaviour and calling a child spirited in the way you did. I'd better get off my 'I'm a perfect parent' pedestal and go to the library to find that book. :blush:

[FussyElmo]

Oh shucks, I did wonder after I had written that whether I would offend anyone. Sorry if I offended you. Yes, I agree there is a big difference in calling a child 'spirited' to justify their behaviour and calling a child spirited in the way you did. I'd better get off my 'I'm a perfect parent' pedestal and go to the library to find that book. :blush:


You didn't offend me xx

Believe me it was a member on here who helped me to see what a spirited child was x