Overly Dramatic Parent?

[EntropyControlSpecialist]

What do you guys suggest about the dramatic part? I mean I can't tell her anything without her getting huffy, defensive or taking him to the doctor. I mean I said he's been hitting a lot today but it's not out of meanness only to try to get people to rough house and she just completely freaked out. That's frustrating me more than anything. I don't feel like I can tell her about concerns because she gets bent out of whack.

I would pretend I don't hear her attitude and I would pretend (or actually!) to not care about it. That's like an adult temper tantrum. I ignore children's temper tantrums and I will ignore adult ones as well.

I would write concerns on a daily sheet, tell Mom that the information about his day is on the sheet (or send it in e-mail AFTER she leaves), and if she needs to talk about things then you will schedule a conference with her in 2 weeks.

[hope]

I agree, you should ignore her dramatics. She seems to make a big deal out of small things regardless of what you say, so why waste your time and energy trying to calm her down. I have a DCM like this. If the baby doesnt want to eat a meal than DCM is crying that she will be malnourished. She brings the baby to the doctor every day when baby has a cold. The doctor finally told her she could not make anymore appointments with out a fever. She of course argued with the doctor that her baby was sick and the doctor was speaking in code???? At first i tried to reason with her. Then it was easier to just go along with her craziness. But that just led to more dramatics so now I ignore. I feel she is not getting the attention she craves and will either go somewhere that will give her it or learn to chill out. Either way I am no longer responsible for her drama.

[Play Care]

I agree with the others, I finally learned to ignore it. Sometimes I would pointedly ignore it as to make her uncomfortable::

[SuperNinjaMommy]

I agree, you should ignore her dramatics. She seems to make a big deal out of small things regardless of what you say, so why waste your time and energy trying to calm her down. I have a DCM like this. If the baby doesnt want to eat a meal than DCM is crying that she will be malnourished. She brings the baby to the doctor every day when baby has a cold. The doctor finally told her she could not make anymore appointments with out a fever. She of course argued with the doctor that her baby was sick and the doctor was speaking in code???? At first i tried to reason with her. Then it was easier to just go along with her craziness. But that just led to more dramatics so now I ignore. I feel she is not getting the attention she craves and will either go somewhere that will give her it or learn to chill out. Either way I am no longer responsible for her drama.

Dang, we must have the same DCM! I'll ignore! I think she's actually this way naturally. Her mom came to pick up yesterday and literally banged on my door until I unlocked it which took a minute because I was changing a diaper. I answered obviously annoyed and she said "i didn't think you'd ever answer" I just said "I heard you but I do have 6 children that come first" sheeez

[nannyde]

Any chance her child care and health care are free?

[MarinaVanessa]

Okay I once had a DCM exactly like this. She would text all the time and if I didn't immediately respond she would start calling me. The only thing that worked was to intentionally wait at least 5-10 minutes to respond to any of her texts and when I did I was short and didn't give out a whole of info except to say that we were busy. I also changed my voicemail message.

Example:
DCM: How is Johnny doing? Any trouble with his poops?
(4 minutes later)
DCM: I sent you a text did you get it?
(1 minute later)
ME: Hi, he's fine. Sorry, busy.
DCM: Oh okay. His poop was a little funny yesterday I wanted to make sure he was doing ok. Did he poop yet?
(3 minutes later)
DCM: Let me know when he poops.
(he hadn't pooped yet so I completely ignored the previous 2 texts)
(10 minutes later)
DCM: Text back when you get a chance.
(5 minutes later)
DCM calls my phone, I let it go to voicemail.
Voicemail says: Hi you have reached [daycare]. Our hours of operation are Monday through Friday from 7am to 6pm. If you are calling during our hours of operation and have reached our voicemail, we are busy with the children. Please leave your name, your number and a brief message and we will return your call as soon as we are able. Thank you. (message repeats in spanish)
DCM leaves a message about how long my voicemail message is and goes on about one thing or another (rambling) until she runs out of time. Calls back and leaves a second message and asks me to call her back.
(10 minutes later)
Me: no poop yet. Busy. Can't talk. Will chat at pick-up. GTG.
etc.

She finally got the point that I wasn't calling her or texting her to chat. It was literally the only way to get her to stop. It had even gotten to the point that I was having to put my phone on vibrate and would silence her calls, but she got the point.

[providerandmomof4]

you need to quit texting her. I don't do my business via text, I don't have time all day or all night to deal with text messages. If you aren't coming I have a land line with answering machine, otherwise if there is a problem I will discuss it at pick up time.

you need to tell her that you can't watch the children and text with her. So if she wants to know how he is then she can call you. if she calls continuesally send to answering machine. Really, I don't know how some of you deal with texting parents all day, this would drive me nuts.

This is my policy. I do not have text for this reason.