Don't know what to do

[little miss sunshine]

I look after a child who has been coming for 4 months now, two days a week. My concern is that out of the four months I can honestly say that three of them days the child has been fine and the rest have been hard work. The child is very demanding and wants to be picked up all the time, which I don't, is not happen in highchair, pram, kicks feet in temper and hardly sleeps. I feel that it is having an effect on the other child who I look after who only screams for attention on the two days that the child in question comes but is fine the other days. I also feel that the day before the child is due I am thinking here we go which is not good.
Has anybody any advice on either how to deal with a child like this or how I can put it across to mum that I will have to give her notice. The child is not an only one and is nearly a year old if this helps. I feel that it can't be good for a child of this age to be so worked up all the time.
Would love to hear from anyone who has had a similar experiance.XX

[Spangles]

Not knowing all the details I would suggest that you speak to the child's parents about this. Say what is happening, is the child like it at home? Can they suggest anything for you to try? Does the baby have a comfort item that they don't bring to you? I would definitely talk about it with the parents if you haven't done so already.

x

[Andrea08]

i agree but to back you up have all OBS and dates times recorded to say
"look on ...date he did this ... this happened at ...time etc
so not to look like your just moaning about their little :littleangel:

give a time /date when you need to see an improvement or alternative care will be needed! make parents take you seriously, i know of nurserys expell for less not that thats a good thing but why should we have all the bad eggs?

ps all children are little loves:littleangel: mmmmmm:rolleyes:
good luck

[CCJD]

I stuck with a difficult child for 3 years a couple of years back and although I stuck with it for noble reasons ( his brother was the same and got passed from one childminder to the next and I felt that this child needed stability), I regret not considering the rest of my group and myself more. What happened is that we landed up dropping many of our activities outside of the house, becuase he would play up so badly and what we did in the house was probably less fun becuase it took some of the enjoyment out of childminding for me.
No-one says that our job should be easy and I am not advocating dropping every difficult child ..but.. you do need to consider the rest of the children in your care - they deserve and pay for! an equal share of your attention. And there is nothing worse than dreading a child coming. Most of us childmind in order to keep some sort of work/family balance and there is little point in that if mummy is grumpy because she is dreading the arrival of a mindee.

First and foremost though before thoughts of dropping this child, I agree with above post and think that you should talk to mum . Explain what problems you are experiencing. This can serve two purposes: first that you can try to tackle this and the parent can see you trying and secondly it forewarns them that there may be an issue rather than them finding out of the blue that you are giving notice.

When it comes down to giving notice then you have to be honest becuase this parent needs the information about what is going wrong to help her chose her next childcarer, be that a nursery or another childminder. Maybe try to to suggest the type of setting you think will best suit her child (ie: a childminder with only two children etc) If she is the ideal parent (you never know she might be) she may also share with the next person what problems you were having so that they both enter into the next contract with eyes wide open.

Good luck in whatever you decide.

[little miss sunshine]

Thanks ladies, I am glad I am not the only one who has this issue. I will do observations like advised and have another chat with mum. The only problem is the child is a :littleangel: , they don't pick it up when it cries:rolleyes: but I have seen differently when it starting crying at home time once mmmmm and yes they know the child is "slightly hard work".
Like someone said in an email it is hard work going on outings to toddler groups and it spoils the fun times with the other children and being a childminder.
Thanks to you all I feel a bit better now I got it off my chest!!

[Chatterbox Childcare]

I am sure you can work out a care plan between you and the parents. this is a really difficult age for a child to be left and I expect he/she is just expressing their anger at you for mum leaving them