New Polish Mindee bawling eyes out

**Zoomie** · 21-09-2009, 07:58 PM

I have a new polish mindee, just over 2y. She comes two mornings a week, and this is the second week.

First week, there were tears, but second day was better than first, but still lots of tears.

Today was first day of second week and she screamed and screamed and screamed. It upset my other children and no amount of comforting would settle her.

She eventually settled down abit when it was time for our school run, and was fine from them.

As she only comes 2 mornings a week, i feel like we are taking 2 steps forward and then 5 back ....

i suggested in diary today that parents send me photo's and mum sends a scarf (smells of mum).

Can anyone suggest anything else. I have thought of suggesting that mum drops mindee off for an hour for each day of the rest of the week so that mindee gets used to mum leaving, but not sure if I want to subject my other mindees (and DD) to that.

The fact that mindee doesn't speak english don't exactly help things either.

**sarah707** · 21-09-2009, 08:06 PM

Oh poor little soul!

Having had a few screamers I know how it will be affecting the other children as well.

Asking for the scarf is a good idea and photos might help her to see mummy.

Do you have anything in pictures to help her say what she wants? This is a good site -

http://www.dotolearn.com/

Hth

**balloon** · 22-09-2009, 06:08 AM

I mind a french child, a greek child, and a child who is profoundly deaf. I brushed up on my french, the greek child can speak english so no probs and learned to sign (Makaton but it's really similar to BSL at basic stage) it really really helps!

Perhaps mum could make a tape for you of a few basic polish sentences (and possible replies), for example, time for dinner, do you want a drink, mummy is coming soon, etc It will help the child settle as it won't feel so alienated. Or maybe mum can supply a childs dvd in polish or a childs song tape?

**angeldelight** · 22-09-2009, 06:12 AM

Oh sorry to hear that

I have a screamer so I know what its like

I did have a little girl earlier in the year that was for only 2 mornings she screamed and screamed too
By the time she started to settle it would be almost a week before I saw her again and we got no where real fast

We tried toys from home and mom tried calling her in the mornings so it was something to look forward to but nothing worked

I gave up in the end because the other children were upset by it

You have to do what you think is best

Good luck let us know how it goes

Angel xx

**miffy** · 22-09-2009, 07:28 PM

There are some polish resources on this site that might help

http://www.bury.gov.uk/EducationAndL...es/default.htm

Miffy xx

**Zoomie** · 22-09-2009, 08:33 PM

thanks for the links. They are helpful sites. Fortunately dad speaks quite good english so i have a long list of useful translations.

i suppose my biggest problem is that the child is so unsettled when mum leaves. yes the language is a problem (but we somehow manage), but an upset child is so hard to reconcile.

anyhow today seemed to go a bit better. after a few attempts to calm mindee she started throwing a few things(pens / paper), so I left her and she went and hid around the back of the dining table. after about 5 minutes i could hear her calming down, and after another 5 minutes she came and joined us (well came and played with some toys nearby).

Was fine for the rest of the day, except when we had to wash our hands after using the potty