Nightmare Morning!!!

[LisaMcNally09]

My mindees school had a macmillan breakfast morning today half an hour before school started so I agreed to take the 3 mindees to it. The weather today is really wet and windy and as we are making the short walk (5 mins) to school the youngest (3) decides to throw an almighty tantrum for no reason at all. She slips out of my hand and starts running away from me just as we are getting near a main road. I run after her and shout at the top of my voice for her to stop. I catch up, scoop her up then proceed to explain in a very stern voice why she should never run away like that and why she now has to wear the wrist reins as she has broken my trust.

I turn round to carry on and the local clique of childminders are staring at me from across the road and giving me looks that could kill!! One of them used to care for these children but mum wasnt happy about the lack of activities/ organisation she did.

Im questionning how I handled it now.....I mean i only ever raise my voice if its a safety issue. Would you have all done the same????

I sat through the breakfast morning feeling eyes staring at me which is no different to any morning really as the other childminders in my area are so cliqey (sp?) i refuse to get drawn in with them.

Im stressed now!!!

[caz3007]

I would also have dealt with it the same way and sure they probably would have done too if they care about the children in their care. Its an automatic reaction to shout if a child is in danger

[pinkbutterfly]

You did the right thing. The LO has to know it's serious and your voice had to be stern. However you MUST mention this to mum. I would put it in my incident book as well just in case and get the parent to sign. That's just to cover your back in case anybody mentions something or complains.

[AliceK]

I would have handled it in exactly the same way. I had to do exactly the same thing last week with DD (just turned 3) she ran down my path and then opened the gate and onto the pavement. She knows she is not allowed to open the gate until I say so. She had a MASSIVE tantrum when I then put her on the wrist strap and proceded to continue with this tantrum all the way to school and then in the playground. Obviously she is my own child but not everyone would know that, they just see us and her shouting No, no, no and screaming and crying and trying to throw herself on the floor. Not exactly a good advertisement is it

I have 6 mindees on the school run every day and safety is of paramount importance. They all know the rules and if they do not behave and put themselves or any of the others in danger they get put on a wrist strap and have to walk next to me. I had to put a 5yr old on one the other week and felt awful BUT safety is safety and if one child is not listening and putting themselves in danger that cannot be accepted.

As long as you have told the parents what happened I don't think you need to worry. We all have to raise our voices sometimes especially when LO's are out near the roads.

xxxxxx

[singlewiththree]

I had this once and I handled it the same way, I wrote it in my incident book when I got back and explained how I handled it to parents and asked them to sign it.

[Mummits]

Try to relax now - you did the right thing and no harm came of it. I know exactly how you feel about the cliquey childminders. There were a few here who used to be either bitchy or really patronising when I first started but I think they've got the idea I'm not going away so have actually got more friendly. The majority were nice right from the outset anyway. Have you tried contacting a wider circle, maybe by venturing a bit further afield to groups, or contacting your local NCMA representative to see if there are any events or regular meeting places. It's good to have a group of co-childminders around who will sympathise and understand and not try to score points.

[The Juggler]

there are times when a raised voice is necessary. a calm voice for the explanation of the wrist strap but shouting to stop the running off is mostly essential.

take no notice of them. these minders who sit on their bums and do playgroup after playgroup and no activities are always the first to judge others. You know and we know you do a good jobx

[LisaMcNally09]

Well i have spoken to dad at pick up time and he was pleased with how i handled it and also had stern words with LO too. I feel better now and tbh i wouldnt have thought twice about how i had acted if the other CM's hadnt been watching.

The more I think about it the more i think they are jealous of me. I am full and have turned away enquiries where as two of them have lost all their mindees to other minders in the area in the last 6 months. They now only take their own children to school and spend there gossiping at the school gates. I know they talk about me as all they do is stare when I arrive but most of the time it goes over my head.

Ive just been really naughty and looked on their ofsted reports and two of them got satisfactory and i know it will have annoyed them that i got good as we registered around the same time.

Anyway as long as my parents and children are happy thats all that matters.

Thanks for your support everyone!!!

[hello kitty]

It's not just in your area, I've got them near me too!

One brags she has been minding longer than anyone here and can charge the most but I have actually been minding longer than her and I am the only one graded outstanding.