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Really I only have the children for a small length of time. It is right after lunch. I am only in the room to allow the teacher a bathroom break and a chance for her to grab her lunch. I'm in the room during that transitional time. I have to have them pottied and laying on their cots. It sounds like a simple task but they get exited so quickly over small things. One will say something silly and they break out in hysterical laughter and it goes downhill quickly.
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I feel your pain. Perhaps you could clap loudly to get their attention....then have them all lay on the cots FIRST and then call them one or two at a time to go potty. Tell them you will call the names in order of who is behaving nicely... or who is using good manners..( you know how they all want to be first... ) Or say... emmm... who is wearing a blue shirt today... OK..your turn Johnny... or who has curly black hair.... ok... your turn Charlie... etc...etc..then they will quiet down in hopes of hearing a detail about themselves...
GOOD LUCK !!! btw... don't feel bad.. I think you are doing everything you can... As a d/c provider for over 21 yrs... i see a difference in the way kids behave now-a-days. They are truly much more excitable and hyper... they don't seem to listen as well and they LAUGH when being naughty. It is strange... like there's something in the air (or water LOL )... but i do see a change in behavior.Comment
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i would have a hard time coming just back from lunch and laying down right away myself. i would offer some sort of physical activity for a few minutes before you try to potty and lay them down.
even a quick game of simon says, duck duck goose, or anything to give them a few minutes to get their sillies out.Comment
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I agree with this, since they are coming from another room from lunch and then back to their classroom. The quick game would get their attention fast too, and maybe at the end of it it'd give you a minute to have their attention long enough send them to their cots. One thing I do with my 3-5 yr olds is spell their name and say "if your name is spelled _ _ _ _ you can go _________ (whatever you need them to do).
I do not envy your job with the 5 yr olds! The transition between lunch and nap is the most hectic and stressful for me. I would hate to have that position of JUST trying to get them on their cots and potty. I tell my group that they can choose a book and go to their cot with it (that gives me a chance to help clean up from lunch). If they get up and play around getting hyper (bouncing on cot, running around the room, talking too loudly with someone else away from their cot) , I simply take the book off their cot, and say, "I see you're not interested in looking at a book. Time for you to lay down then." Since they know they can't play anything else at that time, they hate it when I take their book, and realize it's better to have a book than nothing at all while everyone else gets to look at a book. So the next day, they are usually better about staying on their cot with the book. If the whole group is getting too out of hand, I turn the light off and tell them it's time to put the books away. Then I'll ask them one by one if they have to go potty. If they won't go, they usually have to wait til everyone wakes up (I dont like the "I have to potty" game after everyone is laying on their cots and nap time is under way just so they can get up and delay nap a little longer).
I feel for you. I also have a quiet voice, and it makes it difficult to get everyone's attention. Even if I start singing, sometimes they can't hear me over everyone else talking so loud. I do like the "If you can hear me clap 2 times", because the ones close by can hear at least, and it spreads till everyone else is doing it also. At times they clap and immediately go right on talking though! haha
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I am learning a lot from the replies here. Yes, yelling is never an option. Since, it only makes them more hysterical at times.
When I do take care of my sister's kids and my own, I CLAP really loud to get their attention. And if they're getting rowdy, I do CLAP again and lead them into some kiddie exercises like jumping jacks and marching in place.
Then by some sort of miracle - they LOVE following me right after.. Kind of like a coach/ drill sergeant
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Oh wow! Thanks for sharing! Didn't know this AT ALL!"Avoid flicking the lights. It sends children messages, especially boys, to run around fast."
~ Sorry, I couldn't resist!
(It was from this thread: https://www.daycare.com/forum/showth...234#post144234)
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