I feel guilty just posting this but . . .

[Cocoon]

Oh count me in I have one 18 month old she doesn't talk yet(thank god) but I'm exausting myself telling her not to bang TV. and window, stop throwing food on the floor, don't touch the fire place(it is off but warm as pilot is on), stop chewing the books, don't put your hands in your mouth, chew please, first finish your mouth, please hold the spoon like this oh the list goes on and on and on. I love her and the things she does makes me laugh but when her mother tells me that she wants to keep her at home, I try not to show her how happy I'm ) She can be a lot of work)

So you are not alone.

[Momof4]

Oh it's so true that the personalities on these little maniacs can drive you up a wall and we see so many different personalities in the children over the years. I had the tattletale-look-at-me-nonstop-narrator little girl for years and whew, she's gone.

Now I have a bipolar baby boy who can cry like he's dying for 2 seconds then one of the other children catches his attention and he's laughing out loud. It's gotten so I don't even look at him when he cries now and some day I'm going to regret that because when I look over I'll probably see blood. It's bound to happen, but the crying is the same for everything so how can I know?

[Errbear]

I must have done something horrible in a past life because I ended up having two of these types of kids here at the same time. One couldn't stop moving and talking EVER. She would keep talking at naptime until she fell asleep. One second it's "blah blah blah" and then nothing. I always said"Oh someone turned off her switch, she's crashed". As soon as her eyes were open, so was her mouth. NON FREAKING STOP. She couldn't stand still either. I was convinced she has an inner ear problem. She literally moved like Mumble from Happy Feet. She would fall over every couple of minutes, and ended up on top of most of our group at one point during the day, every day. To top it off, she was over 40 lbs, so it really hurt. I was on the receiving end of that falling tower on several occasions. The day her mom gave me notice that she was going to a preschool was the day I did a happy jig throughout my house. It worked out so well, because earlier that same day I was telling a provider friend about the many issues we had with this little girl and was seriously considering terming her. The gods must have been listening because 6 hours later I got their notice. Our group is much happier without her. She was a violent little devil too. I called her "the 5-2 punch". She was 2 and a half years old and would punch everyone 5 times when she didn't get her way.

At the same time all this drama was going on I was transitioning a 14 month old. He came to me with no sleep routine, no guidance, no nothing. Lucky for me he was only with me for 8 weeks until his center spot opened up. He was a disaster. All that kid did was whine...alllllllllll llllllllll day every day. He had no idea how to be happy. He also had a bum rash the whole 8 weeks he was with me, and had a yeast infection to boot. Mom and Dad ignored my requests for him to see a dr and he always came to me without any cream on his bum etc.....Not an ideal situation. That family was strictly a pay check. I did the best I could with what I had to work with. This boy was also like Momof4's "bipolar baby". He just had no idea

[Momof4]

Errbear, I used the phrase 'don't talk to me, talk to your friends' to my nonstop talker because she always had to be getting my attention and talking to me. I finally had her programmed to talk to the other children most of the time by the end of her 3 years.

There is no way I would put up with punching though. That child would be in nonstop timeout and her parents would be working on improving her behaviour or else, bye bye!

Sorry you had an experience with a nonstop cryer, but we all get those once in a while and it's sheer hell.

[Mamma_Mia]

Oy! I hear all of you!
I have one girl who is Miss.Mommy to all the others but is forcefull about it. "No, you sit here (grabs hand and pulls child to sit)" "no colouring now...(push child away)" she gets big NO-No's for both. I tell her that I am the adult and I am in charge not her so ZIP IT! lol

I know a dcp who has a boy who GOD forgive me is ANNOYING as hell! His own mom is on Mat.leave and sends him to her 3 days a week or she will snap! He is allllllllll day calling out your name for everything! He's even pulled the * = my name...
"****, ****, ****"
"WHAT IS IT???"
"I forgot [smile]"

His dcp has said a few times "you're not allowed to talk to me anymore today" or if you say my name ONE more time....[evil glare]"

YOU ARE NOT ALONE!!!! LOL

[Dayhome Mamma]

I have two annoying ones right now too, maybe even three if you consider our new angry screamer who shrieks in between getting spoonfuls of food or if he doesn't get something he wants right at that instant. And it is pure anger. And sooooo loud! Like its the end of the world.

The other two are girls who are part time and occasional. The part time one comes two days a week, she is 3.5, is ALWAYS odd and reaching out her arms to her mom at drop off, then she warms up, and goes about her day like she's mute and doesn't want to leave when her mom picks her up, kicking and screaming sometimes when she has to leave. She doesn't talk even though she is perfectly capable. Bites my own daughter in secret, and when she wants things like milk in her cup she just hands it to me. not asking ever. or hands me the empty one into my hand once she's done. All without ever saying a word. how rude!She especially likes to try to get your attention and decides to start talking to you and telling you unimportant things when adults start up a conversation, such as parents picking up their kids. She is a horrible eater. I have to spoon feed her to get her to even put food in her mouth. And when she does finally start eating she chews each spoonful for 3-5 minutes before she allows you to put in another. aargh. I try really hard not to feed her, I tell her she's a big girl and that the 18mth olds are feeding themselves and that I know she can do it too, but she stays with us for dinners and so there is usually only about a 15 minute bracket for her to eat between her getting her food and her mom picking her up. So I often don't have a choice but to, otherwise her mom stays and does it for her! So its useless even if I didn't!

The 3rd, she's very antisocial and has the craziest throwing herself down onto the floor and screaming tantrums. Only comes 3 hrs once a week thank god. And wants to be left alone in her playpen after about an hour of play no matter what new activities I suggest or try to do.
I'll be glad when they all move to new places. These are definitely children and clients I have learned from that I will try to omit, though all the families themselves are awesome to work for and amazing themselves.
I'm starting to find a pattern and think that the nicer the families, the worst their child is. Has anyone found that as well? I would really like to think this is not the case.

[mom-in-alberta]

Yup, been there. Sometimes, you just want to say "Stop it, just stop stop stop stop stop stop STOP ITTTTT!!!!" (whatever "it" may be)!
As for the idea that the nicer the family, the more awful the kid; I kinda hear what you are saying. The challenge with super relaxed and easy going people (whom most people would agree are "likeable") is that they don't usually set boundaries for their kids. Sure, you can touch what you want, say what you want and go wherever you want with no consequences..... it's okay with me!!

[dodge__driver11]

Read my post the "Hey Kid." LOL

[Dayhome Mamma]

Yup, been there. Sometimes, you just want to say "Stop it, just stop stop stop stop stop stop STOP ITTTTT!!!!" (whatever "it" may be)!
As for the idea that the nicer the family, the more awful the kid; I kinda hear what you are saying. The challenge with super relaxed and easy going people (whom most people would agree are "likeable") is that they don't usually set boundaries for their kids. Sure, you can touch what you want, say what you want and go wherever you want with no consequences..... it's okay with me!!

This makes total sense! I never thought of it that way but that is soooo true!

[Emily3]

Ahhhh, so glad to read this thread!! I have 2 fantastic 2 year olds and well....a 4 year old going on 1. She literally cries at the drop of a hat!! Cries if someone takes something from her or has something she wants. Cries if the little ones don't do what she says etc. It is getting worse and starting to drive me crazy! Sometimes I just want to tell her she is the biggest, not to let the others take things from her and to stop acting like a big baby, haha!!