Dealing With Difficult Children in Your In-Home Childcare

No matter how angelic a child may appear, most children will be difficult occasionally in a childcare setting. Maybe the child did not get enough sleep the night before. Perhaps they are feeling the beginnings of a cold or maybe this is the day they decide to assert their independence  No matter the reason, an unruly child can be upsetting and distracting for you and the other children. As a childcare provider you have several options when dealing with a disruptive child, in order to preserve the safety of the other children in your care.

Public Scrutiny is Not an Option

Do not purposely make the child feel humiliated as a form of discipline. Treating a child in this manner is giving him or her negative attention. Disruptive children usually act out for attention, good or bad. Responding to a child’s inappropriate behavior this way will only worsen the situation.

Stay Calm

Calmly explain the rules and expectations you have in an age-appropriate way.Children feel empowered, too when they are being treated with kindness and respect.

Remove the Child From the Situation

If a child in your care begins acting aggressively toward another child in your care you need to move him or her into another, safe environment. Explain calmly why their behavior has caused them to be removed and then give the child a few minutes to calm down before returning to the group.

Praise and Reward Good Behavior

At this age children thrive on praise. Young children are still learning the proper ways to act when they are in a bad mood, tired or angry. When they make a good choice praise their choice.

Involve Parents

Do not be afraid to let parents know if a child had a bad day. Acting as if a day was happy and rosy when, in fact, the child had three major temper tantrums is unproductive and out of sync with your goals to provide proper childcare. Mostly likely the child is acting out at home, too. Providing accurate information to parents will help them determine the right course of action to help their child.

Have you had a difficult child in your care before? How did you handle the situation?