amirose
17-03-2009, 11:03 AM
Having just read another post it got me thinking about this. I look after a 9 year old girl and 11 year old boy before school and I am now looking after an 8 year old girl school holidays.
What I am finding different (not difficult just different!) is how to deal with behaviour that I don't want or isn't acceptable. I am 24 and have a 15 year old half brother and a 12 year old half sister so I am more used to being the older sibling as opposed to a parent figure.
This morning "9 year old girl" was feeding my dogs the crusts from her toast. I said look that is enough now (I really don't agree with dog being fed human food as it is) and she was all hyper and giggly. I went to the toilet and I could hear her asking the dogs to sit, lay down etc and I shouted out "R you are not feeding them more toast are you" when I came back in she hid her hands behind her back and giggled. I said what are you up to and she produced 2 pieces of toast from behind her back. I said right you are going to have to give that to them now because you can't tease them like that. I then playfully said in silly voice I think R needs to read the house rules again because she clearly has forgotten to them I walked her over to the rules and read each of them in a silly voice and animating the rules she'd broken (teasing animals, climbing on furniture and eating nicely at meal times). I tried to do it in a way where instead of reading them to her in a sensible stern voice and treating her like a baby that I actualy playfully treated her like a baby because she "was" acting like one if that makes sense. She was laughing but the message went across and she put the rest of the crusts in the bin.
I have had with my "11 year old boy" mindee a couple of comments like I have asked him what he would like to do and he will reply "once again I would like to ..." or I will ask him what he wants for breakfast and I will get told "I'd like xyz if ... at all .. possible" just like that :rolleyes:
My 8 year old mindee hasn't started yet but she is going to be a little madam I can tell :laughing:
Just wondered how others found discipline with older mindees, I think there is a fine line between treating them like a baby and treating them with respect.
What I am finding different (not difficult just different!) is how to deal with behaviour that I don't want or isn't acceptable. I am 24 and have a 15 year old half brother and a 12 year old half sister so I am more used to being the older sibling as opposed to a parent figure.
This morning "9 year old girl" was feeding my dogs the crusts from her toast. I said look that is enough now (I really don't agree with dog being fed human food as it is) and she was all hyper and giggly. I went to the toilet and I could hear her asking the dogs to sit, lay down etc and I shouted out "R you are not feeding them more toast are you" when I came back in she hid her hands behind her back and giggled. I said what are you up to and she produced 2 pieces of toast from behind her back. I said right you are going to have to give that to them now because you can't tease them like that. I then playfully said in silly voice I think R needs to read the house rules again because she clearly has forgotten to them I walked her over to the rules and read each of them in a silly voice and animating the rules she'd broken (teasing animals, climbing on furniture and eating nicely at meal times). I tried to do it in a way where instead of reading them to her in a sensible stern voice and treating her like a baby that I actualy playfully treated her like a baby because she "was" acting like one if that makes sense. She was laughing but the message went across and she put the rest of the crusts in the bin.
I have had with my "11 year old boy" mindee a couple of comments like I have asked him what he would like to do and he will reply "once again I would like to ..." or I will ask him what he wants for breakfast and I will get told "I'd like xyz if ... at all .. possible" just like that :rolleyes:
My 8 year old mindee hasn't started yet but she is going to be a little madam I can tell :laughing:
Just wondered how others found discipline with older mindees, I think there is a fine line between treating them like a baby and treating them with respect.