I Need Some "It Gets Better" Stories

[Heidi]

See if this works! [ATTACH]3211[/ATTACH]

If you get it with the extentions (assuming you have room), then it meets the 35 sq ft rule. That's only 5x7! Not big enough to spend considerable amounts of time in, but better than a high chair.

[jenboo]

If you get it with the extentions (assuming you have room), then it meets the 35 sq ft rule. That's only 5x7! Not big enough to spend considerable amounts of time in, but better than a high chair.

That would work but it takes up too much space in my small room

[Meeko]

Many years ago I had a DCG in my care from the time she was born.

Needy, cried, nothing could make her happy. My father was staying with us one summer when she was about a year old and nicknamed her "The Poisonous Dwarf" and it stuck.

Then she turned 2. I don't know what magic happened, but she was and always will be my favorite DCK. I broke my heart when we left Oklahoma. I was sad to say goodbye to the rest of my daycare kids.....but I felt like I was leaving one of my own behind when it came to her.

We are still in regular contact with her and her family. She is married with a one year old of her own now.

Sometimes they change!!!!!!

[Unregistered]

Many years ago I had a DCG in my care from the time she was born.

Needy, cried, nothing could make her happy. My father was staying with us one summer when she was about a year old and nicknamed her "The Poisonous Dwarf" and it stuck.

Then she turned 2. I don't know what magic happened, but she was and always will be my favorite DCK. I broke my heart when we left Oklahoma. I was sad to say goodbye to the rest of my daycare kids.....but I felt like I was leaving one of my own behind when it came to her.

We are still in regular contact with her and her family. She is married with a one year old of her own now.

Sometimes they change!!!!!!

Sometimes you end up most attached to the ones you worked on the hardest.

[MrsD]

Awwwww :hug:

I have a child who started here at 18 months. He hit, kicked, bit, pulled hair, screamed, cried, etc... I shadowed him constantly and had to have him by me all the time. I was in he**! Well, I never termed because I love mom (dumb, I know). He does take great naps though.

Well, he is still here and is almost 3 1/2. He no longer does any of those things and is tolerable to be around, for the most part. It took almost 2 years, but he FINALLY calmed down. He has his moments, but is a far cry from how he used to be!

I will say that if I ever have a child like that again, I definitely will term! I was so stressed out.

And that's my story.

So, if you can't term, it may get better down the road.

TWO YEARS??? I'm scared. I'm a new provider (8 mo), I have 3 DCK plus my own 13mo & 3 teens.

My DCB is 17mo and for the past two months has been shoving, pulling others down, tackling, hitting, and throwing toys. I do the PnP thing but I think I may just gate him in the playroom when he starts misbehaving.

My DCGs are 13mo and 19mo. The 13mo usually cries if DCB looks at her. She's a crier anyway but she's definitely a different baby when he's not here.

The DCB and younger DCG have been here since I started. The newest member is the oldest DCG. She's here 2-3 days/wk and she pulls hair and pushes and pulls the others down.

I'm having a tough time and started doing what others have by following DCB around. If not, someone's crying. I was hoping to watch them all until they start school in 4.5yrs but I don't know that I can. Especially if they could take 2 years to grow out of this.

I have noticed it's worse when he's tired anfor the oast week he's refused to nap so afternoons are rough.

Off to finish this thread hoping for more advice. Thanks!!

[melilley]

TWO YEARS??? I'm scared. I'm a new provider (8 mo), I have 3 DCK plus my own 13mo & 3 teens.

My DCB is 17mo and for the past two months has been shoving, pulling others down, tackling, hitting, and throwing toys. I do the PnP thing but I think I may just gate him in the playroom when he starts misbehaving.

My DCGs are 13mo and 19mo. The 13mo usually cries if DCB looks at her. She's a crier anyway but she's definitely a different baby when he's not here.

The DCB and younger DCG have been here since I started. The newest member is the oldest DCG. She's here 2-3 days/wk and she pulls hair and pushes and pulls the others down.

I'm having a tough time and started doing what others have by following DCB around. If not, someone's crying. I was hoping to watch them all until they start school in 4.5yrs but I don't know that I can. Especially if they could take 2 years to grow out of this.

I have noticed it's worse when he's tired anfor the oast week he's refused to nap so afternoons are rough.

Off to finish this thread hoping for more advice. Thanks!!

Yes, 2 years! I shadowed and kept him with me all the time. It was stressful. I'm not trying to scare you..., just tell my experience. I will definitely not keep a child like that again. Some providers can handle a child like that, but I'm not one of them. Not that I don't try, but it wears me down.

[Unregistered]

I use the play yard for my infants. My Dcf's call it the kid corral,

Some bet better and some don't. I've experienced both. My mantra in times of stress is 'Enhance your calm'.

[deliberateliterate]

I would just start with diaper changes, since you said these are the worst.
Hold flailing arms and legs down gently and tell him, "NO, be still."
Wait for him to relax (this might be a few minutes at first) then start to change again. If he starts back up repeat. It will work if you are consistent.

Thank you!!! I started doing following your advice at diaper changes the day I posted this, and I noticed a difference within 24 hours. Previous, I just powered through, thinking that if I made it as quick as possible he'd soon realize it wasn't anything to be pissed about.

Now, he'll whine as soon as I lie him on the mat, but he stops that and just stays quiet while I change him. Once in a while (like today), he reverts back to what he was, but I'm seeing a 180 degree change in diaper changes! I don't know how to thank you!! :hug: happyface

Any advice to keep him from trying to touch himself while his diaper is off? That's the only time he gets fussy now, when I don't let him.

[e.j.]

There's never a guarantee but some of my toughest-to-deal-with kids have turned out to be my favorites. I had one when I first started doing day care who was a breastfed newborn. He wouldn't take a bottle and was absolutely miserable. Even when I finally got him to take a bottle, he'd cry and whine way more than he would smile and instead of being a "normal" cry, it sounded like, "LLLLLLLLLLLLLLL" which doesn't sound all that bad but trust me, after listening to it all day every day.....it really got to me!:: By the end of each week, my nerves were so frayed, I felt like I was shaking both inside and out. On weekends, it would take me until Sunday night to calm myself. I would finally relax only to have it start all over again on Monday morning. Once he turned 2, it was like someone hit a switch and he became a totally different kid. I hated to see him move on to kindergarten!

I had another little one who came to me shortly after the one I just described. He was another tough baby and I was trying to figure out how to tell his mother I needed to term because I just couldn't go through that same level of stress again. I had given myself a pep talk one morning and was going to speak with her that afternoon at pick up. Before I could start the conversation, she told me about a girl's night out she had with a couple of her friends. She said me she didn't believe in psychics but since the others wanted to go to one, she went along anyway. The psychic told her that while she had been worried about her baby being in child care, she had nothing to worry about; the woman who was caring for him was very good to him and loved him very much. She told me how relieved she felt hearing that and was so happy to have me as their provider. No way was I going to tell her I wanted to term after that! I figured I'd give it another month or so and term at that point if things didn't improve. I don't know why but literally, the very next day, it was like he was a different baby and I fell in love with him, too! Later, I ended up with his brother; he was an amazing baby right from the start. I can't imagine not having had either kid.

Hang in there! Sometimes they do change when you least expect it. I'll keep my fingers crossed for you!

[e.j.]

Any advice to keep him from trying to touch himself while his diaper is off? That's the only time he gets fussy now, when I don't let him.

I either give them a toy to hold while I change them or if they understand what I'm saying, I ask them, "Where is your hair?", "Where are your ears?", "Can you clap your hands?", etc. Anything to keep their hands busy so they can't put them where I'm trying to clean!