Any Suggestions?

[christinaskids]

My son just turned one year old. I have about 8 kids per day and the younger ones include him, a year and a half old, and a 8 month old baby. My son follows me around ALL DAY and cries for my attention. If he sees or hears me, he is crying. Basically, the 8 month old does it now too. I get SO stressed out everyday. I try to keep them busy but I just don't know what to do about it because they are so young. Today, I was crying from it because I was so frustrated and had to call my hubby. When the older kids follow me around throwing fits, I sit them in the other room until they are done, but I doubt the babies would understand. Any suggestions on this? Hubby thinks I should put the little one in a part time daycare, but I would rather nip the behavior in the bud if its possible.

[Abigail]

How long have you done daycare? Do you have any new kids lately that may have helped him start his behavior?

[nannyde]

Eight kids is a lot of kids for one adult especially if one of them is the providers own infant.

Is there any way you can drastically cut your numbers down?

[mac60]

I would suggest getting those enclosed play areas, like the Little Playzones Sight and Sounds, or something similar, for those that are under 2, I would place them in these areas to play during their wake time. I have found that having the little ones in the same room as the toddlers/preschoolers help keep them under 2's entertained, yet safe because they are in the enclosed area. While it may take a few days for them to get used to this arrangement, it does work. I do not allow the little ones to crawl around freely on the floors, it is way too risky with a mixed age group of them getting stepped on or hurt. 8 children is a very manageable number for one provider, you just need to get into a routine and system that works for you.

[Cat Herder]

First you have to remember why you opened a daycare?

Are you meeting that?

You may need to set up separate areas for each age group.

I do it to prevent injuries, bullying and give them a "safe place" where they don't feel overwhelmed by all the over-stimulation of so many kids in such a small space.

It will take time for your son to adapt..humans don't naturally have litters for a reason...he is doing exactly what I would expect him to do.

I never had my kids as part of the daycare. I had advice before I started and knew I could not make it work. So don't feel alone in this.

I kept SA's only until mine were in school THEN transitioned to taking infants and toddlers.

Have you considered that if this does not work out? Don't give up, adapt.

[christinaskids]

We can legally have 12 children by ourselves in SD. Two under one and another two under two or four under two. I have thought about the play yards also but my house is too small to accommodate that right now but we are in the process of buying a new one. My son is whiney because he sees me taking care of other babies and he gets jealous. The other baby is just a screamer. He was kicked out of his old daycare because of his screaming but I gave him a chance and now I am pretty much friends with his mom so I would feel bad terming him. I just want to know a way to make them realize that if they follow me around screaming constantly, then they will not get a reward for it, but I figure they are too young to understand it yet. If an older child does that, then I sit them down a few feet from me and when they calm down, I will say, "are you calm now? What can I help you with now that you are calm?" and this only happens once or twice before they know a better way to get my attention. I give each child a lot of individual attention and holding but it never seems to be enough. I have been doing daycare for only 9 months to be home with my son.