What Do You Do If...

[Kabob]

I have a new child that seemed grumpy from the get go today and when we went to clean up before lunch he had a meltdown. As in full blown inconsolable screaming meltdown because he "wanted the books right now" (his favorite phrase). This boy is almost 3 years old. I never had this happen before. He is just laying there screaming. I tried consoling him, offering alternatives, and just flat out sending him to the crying spot and he is still crying 30 minutes later.

Do I sit him at the table for lunch? Send him home? Put him down for a nap? Right now he is in the other room screaming on a nap mat...I keep checking on him but that's all he wants to do...

[craftymissbeth]

How long has he been with you?

[Kabob]

He's only been here a total of 3 days...he was out sick for the last few days.

[Kabob]

Well he finally stopped. I checked on him and offered him lunch since it was still lunch time and I didn't want to deny him a chance at lunch...but he refused and is falling asleep. Maybe he's just not 100% yet.

In the future I just want a better way to deal with it. Usually I just get down to their level and talk to them or send them to the crying spot so they don't hurt or bother anyone. But in this case it was right before lunch so I was worried about being accused of not giving him lunch...although in this case he refused it when he finally composed himself.

[TwinKristi]

I think you did the right thing. Sounds like you may have backtracked a little with transitioning to your care but I think you did the right thing. Maybe touch bases with mom and let her know he's had a rough day and didn't want lunch. That way there's no confusion that you didn't feed him, but that he didn't want to participate in lunch.