Kisses! Kisses! More Kisses!!!!!

[Tasha]

I started a new dcg (2 yo) this week. At interview DCM had told me that she was a great napper, so I was very happy to hear that, but when I put her down and started to walk away she started screaming ''KISSES, KISSES, MORE KISSES!!!'' So, okay, I give her a little peck on top of her head and she keeps having a real, honest-to-goodness meltdown, yelling frantically for more kisses. This went on and on until she finally fell asleep. At pickup I ask DCM what that was all about, and she said, OMG, I can't believe I forgot to tell you about our bedtime ritual that we've always done. She said she kisses dcg on the forehead, then on the chin, then on each cheek and finally on the nose. Then DCG is ''happy'' and will fall asleep.
I really don't want to sound like a cold daycare lady here, but it makes me feel uncomfortable to do this. I give lots of hugs but I really don't give a lot of kisses to the daycare kids. Would any of you have a problem with this, or am I just being strange? Has anybody been asked by parents to do anything like this? I hope I don't sound b**chy, just makes me feel weird.

[jenn]

I will do hugs and high fives, but not kisses. That's a little awkward to me. I wonder if having a stuffed animal or doll give her the go to sleep kisses would work?

[Tasha]

Thank you Jenn for validating my feelings! Immediately after I posted I wondered if I sounded too mean... I like your idea about the stuff animal.

[Josiegirl]

I have to be honest here. By the time naptime comes all I want to do is sit down for 5 minutes or go to the bathroom by myself. I don't have much patience left so if it takes forever to get everyone quieted down, I lose what little I have left(until I can breathe again). I'm not mean or anything but I do try to cut it short. The kids gather some books, a stuffed animal or baby to cuddle with. I make sure they're all comfy, then say night night and walk away.
Besides, and this is the ole lady in me talking, that means I'd have to get down on the floor beside 3-4 different kids and do the same thing. I cuddle and hug them all day long, not to mention let them crawl all over me like monkeys. That should be enough.

[daycarediva]

Start your own naptime routine with dcg. "Kisses are for Mommy! (whatever) is for Miss. Tasha."

Rinse and repeat, she will get it.

We sing the goodnight song (same as our good morning song)

"Goodnight __________. Goodnight _________. Goodnight __________, it's time to say goodnight!"

One hug. One tuck in. One story. Lights out.

[Cradle2crayons]

Start your own naptime routine with dcg. "Kisses are for Mommy! (whatever) is for Miss. Tasha."

Rinse and repeat, she will get it.

We sing the goodnight song (same as our good morning song)

"Goodnight __________. Goodnight _________. Goodnight __________, it's time to say goodnight!"

One hug. One tuck in. One story. Lights out.

this is what I would do too. When parents tell me of their child's at home routine, if I can't accomodate it, I do our own routine... The kids pick it up quickly.

[EntropyControlSpecialist]

I have to be honest here. By the time naptime comes all I want to do is sit down for 5 minutes or go to the bathroom by myself. I don't have much patience left so if it takes forever to get everyone quieted down, I lose what little I have left(until I can breathe again). I'm not mean or anything but I do try to cut it short. The kids gather some books, a stuffed animal or baby to cuddle with. I make sure they're all comfy, then say night night and walk away.
Besides, and this is the ole lady in me talking, that means I'd have to get down on the floor beside 3-4 different kids and do the same thing. I cuddle and hug them all day long, not to mention let them crawl all over me like monkeys. That should be enough.

I am the same way. By this time some of the kids have been here for 6 hours and the rest for 5. I am READY.
We do our own naptime routine so I would absolutely clarify to the little child that kisses are for mommy and _whatever_ is for daycare with a big smile.

[CraftyMom]

You can't accommodate everyone's routines. Imagine doing 6 different nap routines ugh! I would tell mom, "ok, well this is our routine here..." That is mom's routine, not yours

[NightOwl]

What if you used your finger for the "kisses"? A tap on the head, chin, etc, with a smoochy sound with each one.

[DaisyMamma]

Start your own naptime routine with dcg. "Kisses are for Mommy! (whatever) is for Miss. Tasha."

Rinse and repeat, she will get it.

We sing the goodnight song (same as our good morning song)

"Goodnight __________. Goodnight _________. Goodnight __________, it's time to say goodnight!"

One hug. One tuck in. One story. Lights out.

This.

I do not kiss daycare kids.

[Blackcat31]

You can't accommodate everyone's routines. Imagine doing 6 different nap routines ugh! I would tell mom, "ok, well this is our routine here..." That is mom's routine, not yours

6 kids?? I have 10-12 kids....

NO WAY am I performing a dozen different rituals. ::

The kids aren't at home, they are at daycare and at daycare, we do things differently.

Another vote for making your own ritual/routine with her.

[hwichlaz]

I'd do it, as long as there isn't a kiss on the mouth. BUT I'd have her mom write down the routine and sign it.

[hwichlaz]

Adding, all but my school aged daycare kids have been with me since they were newborns, so they already regularly get kisses. lovethis Just never on the mouth.

[SilverSabre25]

I like the finger or own routine idea. I stopped VERY quickly asking how parents do things at home. Just not worth the eyerolling and unsuitability for daycare-type things. I don't CARE how they do it at home. Here, I do things MY way. Everyone is happy, everyone naps wonderfully, everyone that I "raise" from infancy is a wonderful eater....

[Tasha]

Oh my.

I am ready to term, and it has only been a week. I have never seen nor heard anything like this, and she is just too old. Nothing will make her stop screaming at naptime. She exhausts herself and eventually falls asleep but not before getting my other dcks all in an uproar. I wish I could post an audio file of this little girl (who really is precious outside of naptime, and I'm sorry for sounding nasty) start screeching for kisses, except her voice gets hoarse and then gets sobby and gutteral and it sounds a little like the girl from the Exorcist. I've used a Teddy bear, a baby doll, my fingers, told her repeatedly that kisses are for mommy and daddy. Mom is no help whatsoever, because she thinks it's cute. Finally today I just kissed her but I do not want to do that.