Stepped On Child's Face!?

[Unregistered]

Dcd shows up this morning with almost 5y old dcb and casually mentions that dcb had a bruise on his cheek "the other day" and he asked dcb what happened and dcb replies "I was running and fell and hit my face and then Mrs. D came over and stepped on my face" Dcd didn't seem concerned and said that he told dcb that he didn't think that is what happened but.......he still brought it up.......I explained to him that boys will be boys and that he plays rough all the time and there are really a number of ways that he could of gotten a bruise on his cheek, number one being that him and other dcb who is only 1 month younger play robot fighting dinosaur and rescue heros fighting each other pretty much non stop during free play and get pretty carried away and have to be told to calm down several times a day etc. etc...

I asked daycare boy about this after dcd left and dcb is telling ME that I stepped on his face, which NEVER happened.....i dont get it, why would he say that? I explained to him the importance of telling the truth and that it was hurtful to say things that are not true about people and all that but when I asked him what happened he cries and says that I stepped on his face.....

Another thing is I NEVER even saw a bruise on his cheek.....

Something is just not right with this story.....any thoughts?

[Unregistered]

And he was never running and fell and hit his face like he also said, as a matter of fact this little boy has been here for about 4 months and has never got hurt here....

[Unregistered]

He also tells his parents that he only eats "fruit loops" here, every day....this issue has been addressed already, and is also not true

[Crystal]

Tell him that is not true and not to say it again. Period.

[Unregistered]

Tell him that is not true and not to say it again. Period.

I did, it is just really bugging me the more I think about it. For him to say this to his dad and then say it straight to me is crazy, At this age most children will not blame an adult for something straight to there face even if it did happen much less if they know it is not true, I just dont get it, he barely talks ever and now he is making up lies, what else is he saying? I am glad he starts school in 3 weeks. I do not like children telling straight up lies about me.

[preschoolteacher]

I would have a very hard time with this. Clearly, this boy knows how to get attention and realizes he has power when he says that something bad happened at daycare. There is danger to you in this scenario. I would not tolerate any more "story-telling." I'd talk to the boy about it and I'd talk to the parents about it. If it continues, I would have to terminate care. There is just too much risk with false accusations.

[Crystal]

I would talk to the parent then. Tell them that their child's lies are causing you concern and that he is becoming a liability. Tell them if it doesn't stop that you will have to term as you cannot take the risk of being held liable for injuring or neglecting a child intentionally.


Also, I have had children fib to their parents in front of me, typically about another child. I call them out on it right in front of the parent and insist they tell the truth right then and there. Parents KNOW that I will not tolerate lying from any child.

[daycare]

some kids have really wild imaginations. I have a dcg she is almost 6 now

about two years ago she told her parents that I ran her head over with my car.

She also used to tell her parents that I fed her cat food from the kitty bowl.


she still has quite the immigration, but at the time I just told her that it was not nice to tell people things that were not true.

[Play Care]

I would talk to the parent then. Tell them that their child's lies are causing you concern and that he is becoming a liability. Tell them if it doesn't stop that you will have to term as you cannot take the risk of being held liable for injuring or neglecting a child intentionally.


Also, I have had children fib to their parents in front of me, typically about another child. I call them out on it right in front of the parent and insist they tell the truth right then and there. Parents KNOW that I will not tolerate lying from any child.

I think once you let parents know they need to deal with this or they lose care, they will take it more seriously. Often I think parents find the stories amusing at first "oh doesn't Tommy have such an imagination!" Or " He's such a kidder!" It usually stops them cold when I speak to them and use the appropriate label: LYING

[Heidi]

It really depends on the situation, but for me, I'd probably take the opposite track.

I'd roll my eyes and say "No, silly, GODZILLA came rolling in here on a monster truck the other day, and HE stepped on your face, then we had ice cream!"

No....

(2 or 3 other ridiculous stories)

Then, I would take dcb aside later, and gently remind him that although I LOVE, LOVE his imagination, we only tell when someone REALLY hurts them, because otherwise no one will believe you if you are hurt. So, if you want to make up stories, that's ok, but not about someone hurting you.

Of course, that would be my planned response, but on the fly, I"d probably be a little freaked, too.

[hoopinglady]

some kids have really wild imaginations. I have a dcg she is almost 6 now

about two years ago she told her parents that I ran her head over with my car.

She also used to tell her parents that I fed her cat food from the kitty bowl.


she still has quite the immigration, but at the time I just told her that it was not nice to tell people things that were not true.

I had, a few months back what appeared to be an ideal client. I let her hang out in the morning, to build the trust, etc.

DCG, 4, one day (after I'd visited THEIR home..mama was talking business ventures with me, even) told her mama all sorts of horrible things.

said she got pushed down stairs, tied to a nap mat, locked in a dog cage...I can't even remember what all, it was awful.

Never saw or heard from mama, CPS showed up on my doorstep and investigated....found it all to be untrue, of course.

I texted dcm saying, "I understand her WORDS were alarming but you should have spoken to me" "what about the way way she behaves here, were there any physical marks (no)"

Never saw her again, never saw my $80 either. Unbelievable. Really bizarre.

Wish I had advice. Truth is, children do often live in imaginary worlds...in cases of extreme and violent stories, I do find it a bit disturbing...even more disturbing is that mama will eat it all up and dcg will likely grow up thinking she had been pushed down a flight of stairs and otherwise terribly abused.

A sane and connected parent will see that the kids are fine and well adjusted here and know developmentally that children have a difficult time separating fantasy from reality.

Furthermore, that a drama queen mama will FEED on these stories and kiddos know that and I suspect, use it for much needed attention.

craziest thing ever. good riddance I guess, but I'm still sore about it.

I hope your families are more reasonable!

[countrymom]

I look at it differently. At 5, they do know what they are doing. Its either for attention or he doesn't want to be there. this is where I would bend down and look him in the eye and ask him why he said that and tell him that he hurt your feelings. fibbing is one thing, or crazy stories is another, but when a child says that they fell and that a provider stepped on his face is serious.

[coolconfidentme]

You KNOW he was lying. Time out for lying. Period. The.End. No discussion. Take the control back.

[CedarCreek]

You KNOW he was lying. Time out for lying. Period. The.End. No discussion. Take the control back.

I'd do this too. That kind of lie can get you in serious trouble.

[EntropyControlSpecialist]

I think once you let parents know they need to deal with this or they lose care, they will take it more seriously. Often I think parents find the stories amusing at first "oh doesn't Tommy have such an imagination!" Or " He's such a kidder!" It usually stops them cold when I speak to them and use the appropriate label: LYING

Bingo.

I will tell a child, "That is a lie. We do not lie at daycare." If it continues, there are consequences for lying that include having to play by yourself since I can't trust you to tell the truth. I have one that is almost 5 who has begun to lie quite frequently. He isn't having much fun lately and his friends aren't liking the lies he tells about them.