How Would You Handle This In Your Daycare?

[Lorna]

Question for all you doing home daycare. I have a little boy that has been at my home daycare for about a month. The little boy is a year and he hates getting his face wiped. To the point he screams, scratches, kicks me. Now I am talking about a quick nose wipe or wiping hands and face after a snack or meal. I thought he would get used to it but he just seems to be getting louder and screaming more.

Now when the mom brings this boy in the morning he has cereal stuck all over his face. Dried on. She told me he freaks out the same with her wiping his face. So i leave it til the first snack and then wipe him then. But because she let it dry on his face then I have to really scrub to get it off. So the poor kids this morning had a scratch where the cereal came off. I always make sure my kids are clean. It really bugs me she just leaves it on him like that. If she would wipe his face all the time then he probably wouldn't be freaking out when it was wiped. I can't have him get snot and food all over the house while he is here. So I have to wipe it. What would you do?

Thanks Lorna

[nanglgrl]

I would just wipe his face, it's not going to emotionally scar him for life and eventually he will stop screaming. I would also wash his face as soon as he arrived, when mom was still there. Better yet I would hand mom a wipe and let her do it.

[EntropyControlSpecialist]

I would just wipe his face, it's not going to emotionally scar him for life and eventually he will stop screaming. I would also wash his face as soon as he arrived, when mom was still there. Better yet I would hand mom a wipe and let her do it.

Exactly this.

[Willow]

How old is he?

[Lorna]

He is a year old. I really hope the screaming when his face is wiped stops soon. It get all the other kids screaming or crying when he does it.

[countrymom]

i agree with the above poster.

[youretooloud]

At least once a day, I throw them over the kitchen sink, and use my hand to put warm water all over their face. I (unconsciously) make some strange bubble blowing noise, and it seems to distract them. I'm sure I sound like an idiot, but the kids think it's a game. But, these same kids will have a little fit if I want to wipe their face too. Not a huge meltdown, but a hissy.

Maybe try actual water in the sink.

[Willow]

If he's been bucking it every day for a solid month and it's only getting worse I'd start searching for more creative ways to deal with the problem rather than just forcing the issue.

I'd be inclined to put him up by the bathroom mirror, hand him a wash cloth or wipe and demonstrate how he can do it himself. Maybe invite other kids in to do the same at the same time.

He may mimic if you pretend to wash your own a little bit at a time and then prompt him and the others to do the same. The novelty of the idea and his peers showing it's not a bad thing may be enough to help him overcome his fear.

Start at the chin or even ears and heavily praise any success.

[williams2008]

At least once a day, I throw them over the kitchen sink, and use my hand to put warm water all over their face. I (unconsciously) make some strange bubble blowing noise, and it seems to distract them. I'm sure I sound like an idiot, but the kids think it's a game. But, these same kids will have a little fit if I want to wipe their face too. Not a huge meltdown, but a hissy.

Maybe try actual water in the sink.

.....use my hand to put water all over their face...I do that too

[daycare]

In my PHB it states that children are to arrive clean and ready to go for the day.

So for the mother, I would be telling her that she needs to start doing it. He won't get used to it if she doesn't do it. She is also teaching him to take control. If I don't want to, my mom won't make me. What's mom going to do when he hates brushing his teeth and screams? Not brush them?

As for at your house, I would do as willow suggested and let him try to wash his own face with. Wet cloth.

I will hold the kids up to the sink and wash their hands and use their hands to wash their face. Some if them hate it but it still has to be done.

[LK5kids]

At least once a day, I throw them over the kitchen sink, and use my hand to put warm water all over their face. I (unconsciously) make some strange bubble blowing noise, and it seems to distract them. I'm sure I sound like an idiot, but the kids think it's a game. But, these same kids will have a little fit if I want to wipe their face too. Not a huge meltdown, but a hissy.

Maybe try actual water in the sink.

This is what I do too.

[crazydaycarelady]

I would just wipe his face also, it's a fact of life kid, faces get wiped!

BUT, sometimes when I have a kid with dried on snot I swipe a thick layer of baby lotion of their face and leave it for a few minutes. It seems to soften it and makes it easier to wipe off. It works great on a baby wipe too for removing those hard to remove poos.

[theycallmetaytor]

I have a 14 month old little girl that is exactly the same way. Her momma will bring her with breakfast crusted on her face too. I usually wipe her up immediately. She's gotten a lot better. I usually just talk to her through it and tell her what we're doing and why. She may not fully understand but it seems to soothe her. She holds her breath when her face is wiped so I usually swipe and let her breath and then swipe again.

[Holiday Park]

My 14 month old is the same way but I DO wipe his face and never let the food just sit. I also use the kitchen sink and he really likes it. Oh and dish soap works really well ... I slather it on ad wait a quick 2-3 seconds before rubbing his hands with it under the water. Now this doesn't dry his hands out and he is my child so not sure if that would be allowed for a dk-kid in a licensed home. I do this for my dk kid if her hands are really sticky . But usually just wipes for her because she doesn't mind and doesn't protest like my son .

[blandino]

I had a very similar problem with a boy and wiping his nose. What finally worked for me, was telling him I was about to wipe his nose and then make a big deal that I was all done. He would soon join in with saying/signing all done.