What Form Of Disciplining Should I Try - Please Help

[Steph]

I am a daycare provider..I am in charge of the toddler room ages 18-3. I am having some severe issues with some of my children 1) not listening at all, 2) refusing to lay down at nap and continuing to wake up the other children who are asleep, those are among the many but those are the most severe—I don’t have any kids that bite or pinch so I am very thankful for that..

What form of disciplining should I try. Time outs don’t work, taking away toys are not working and talking with their parents is not working because the parents aren’t here to witness it so therefor don’t acknowledge it...Im at a loss and im about to lose my mind..please help

[melskids]

I was in a toddler room at a center once (for only 3 months....but that's another thread)....so I feel for you.

Therre are a few others here in centers, who may have better advice, but there are a few things that come to mind for me.

I always say, there's no such thing as bad kids, only bad planning. How is your day set up? What's your schedule look like? How structured and routine are you? Are the kids engaged...or bored? What does the environment look like and how is your space set up? Is there TOO much stuff around to overstimulate them? Do they have cozy spots to just chill with a book and a lovey? Do they have ALOT of time to run and play, preferable outdoors? (We spend much of our morning outside...they DROP like flies at nap)

These are a few things I'd look at first.

As far as discipline, I don't do time outs with a child that young, unless they are physically hurting someone. I try to redirect as much as possible.

[heyhun77]

I agree with the pp. Look at your day, the transitions you have between activities and the routines you use. For instance, if nap time is a trouble area, look at what you are doing leading up to naptime. Make sure you are helping the kids wind down before expecting them to lay down and rest. If you are letting them get riled up then they aren't going to transition very easily into rest.

I also agree that you need to look at the environment as well as making sure you aren't making them wait for anything (i.e. getting supplies for a project, sitting at the table waiting for food) and then making sure that the environment isn't overstimulating.

If you are able to do so, video tape a section or all of your day in the room and then go back and watch as an outside observer. Sometimes that vantage point can make all the difference. If you aren't able to do that have the director come into the room and observe for a while and ask for their observations of the situation. I've done a lot of observations for rating scale evaluations and they usually can provide some great feedback.

[Ariana]

I was a toddler teacher as well and agree with all of the above. I worked with one teacher who would dump buckets of toys out for them to play with and put on loud musicand they'd get so overstimulated that there would always be an accident while I was on shift with her. As soon as she'd leave I'd put away 80% of the toys, put on some soothing music and the energy would calm way down. Toddlers are very sensitive to their environment so start there. Discipline at this age very rarely works because they have no impulse control and short memories.

[Heidi]

In WI, you can't even use a time-out for children under 3. Not sure I totally agree with that, but I do agree that they probably aren't the most effective option.

Can you seperate the children who are waking the others? If it's always the same ones, especially older ones, they loose the privilege of being with their friends if they act like that.

[busymommy0420]

I am a home provider I work with the following ages: 2, 2, 2, 3 & 4 all day and then have before and after school care. I have really good routine that works for us. I rarely use a time out as discipline but I do use the "break" rug. If the children are arguing over a toy or someone is not listening and needs a break they can lay on the break rug, take a breath and re-group. It works well. We have many named spots here; the quiet spot, the snack spot, the reading spot, the kitchen spot & the break spot. We have a time out rug as well but it is rarely used, I prefer a break then a time out. If someone pushes or hits we do an immediate I'm sorry and a hug and move on instead of a time out. If they are not sharing I sometimes will give the toy a break or introduce a different toy. For nap time I have three in cribs and two on mats no where near each other and have never had an issue there so can't advise on that. Re-direction is huge and getting down to play. Sometimes I will go and start playing with toys myself and all five come to see what I am doing and we all play together which is so fun for them and for me.

[Countrygal]

I love these suggestions! I have no problem with nap time, but am having problems with being inside so much because it is winter. I also am having some issues with children who are not taught to listen or obey. These ideas look great and I think I will be implementing them! TY!

I am a home provider I work with the following ages: 2, 2, 2, 3 & 4 all day and then have before and after school care. I have really good routine that works for us. I rarely use a time out as discipline but I do use the "break" rug. If the children are arguing over a toy or someone is not listening and needs a break they can lay on the break rug, take a breath and re-group. It works well. We have many named spots here; the quiet spot, the snack spot, the reading spot, the kitchen spot & the break spot. We have a time out rug as well but it is rarely used, I prefer a break then a time out. If someone pushes or hits we do an immediate I'm sorry and a hug and move on instead of a time out. If they are not sharing I sometimes will give the toy a break or introduce a different toy. For nap time I have three in cribs and two on mats no where near each other and have never had an issue there so can't advise on that. Re-direction is huge and getting down to play. Sometimes I will go and start playing with toys myself and all five come to see what I am doing and we all play together which is so fun for them and for me.