5 blankets? what the hell?

[Big Hearts]

I took in this little girl a month ago and her parents said she self sooths and eats alone falls asleep independently and douse not use a pacifier, she is 14 month old. So I took her on. For two weeks she would not sleep. She would just sit in the pack and play and cry and scream and have a fit. This went on for and hour then she fell a sleep but only got an hour of sleep all day so needless to say it was tuff. I sent home a letter telling the parents she might not be fitting in that well ect. They then told me she needs white sound and 5 blankets to sleep! Five blankets....one wraped aroung her, one on top one on both sides and one just draped over the side so she can see it. And they are driving me crazy. Not only douse she need them to sleep but she needs to see them at all times. We are always slipping on them. And if one of the other kids grabs one off the floor look out.

[apples and bananas]

LOL, 5 blankets? doesn't sound like a self soother to me. Funny how the parents definition is always a little different then ours.

I have one blanket boy. He needs it all day every day. When he was transitioning I would allow it, but not at the table and not outside. Now that he's comfortable we're working on putting it in our bag when we get here and getting it for nap then putting it away after nap, just like the other kids do with their soothers. He always gets it out when mom comes, but that's moms problem at that point.

Crying for an hour before sleep for 2 weeks is nothing! I've had them cry for a full 30 days through their entire nap. She'll get it once she's more comfortable. Give it time and let her cry it out, she'll get it. And as for the blanky, I'd let her have one, but not 5. That sounds like it's more for the parent then the child. Then I'd start weaning her down to only at nap time. Let the parents know what you're doing as it's a safety hazard for her and the other kids and they need to do the same at home. It's ok to have something for security, but dragging a blanket around is just dangerous... and a germ cather!

Are they 5 specific blankets? So strange. I've never heard of such a thing!

[mimi]

Oh boy, the crutches parents instill on their kids. I find that the blankies, soothers, stuffed animals and other pacifiers needed at home are not needed here. Seriously. The kids equate all that stuff with home and if it is not brought here they don't need it. All my kids sleep in their playpen onof a comfy thick comfortor (1 yr and older) have a soft blanket provided by me and even a little stuffed toy if they like. All of this remains in their bed and are not dragged around the house. In the event someone is teething big time, then of course they can have a soother (provided and sanitized by me) to help them get through. I had two kids 3 and 5 (siblings) who screeced to have their blankets come with them when they arrived. Mom coddled and soothed them as they held onto their blankies like lifesavers. As soon as Mom left I held out my hand and they were fine with gaving me their blankets which they then received back when Mom arrived. When I told Mom about this she was skeptical as she said these blankets go EVERYWHERE they do. She even puts them on the toilet lid so they can seem them when they bathe. Really?

[cfred]

I'm with mimi. I've also found, much to parents' astonishment, that comfort items aren't needed here. Despite that, parents still bring them. As soon as the car's in drive, I put it in the cubby. Hang in there with the screeching. My last daycare was in a rural area where it was incredibly hard to find clients, so there was never a time that I'd notify a parent that the child wasn't fitting in. I'd just keep going and know that eventually, the little one would assimilate....and they always do Some kids take a week, some kids take a month, some kids take (as with toughest one I had) take 3 months. Eventually they get there and everything's fine. In your position, I'd nip that habit in the bud as quickly as possible and get started on the process of adjusting her to YOUR routine. Typically, the parents thank me in the end as it's not quite such a catastrophe if the blanket gets left behind somewhere. I provide my own soothers too....thought I was the only one!

[Momof4]

Eek, that sounds like a very high maintenance child with parents who need some parenting classes. Good luck to you with this one Jennifer. I would tell the parents that I could run a fan for the white noise for the child but she must learn that our quiet/nap time is not negotiable and we can only do so much to soothe a child before they go to sleep but then we need our break too. Sometimes it takes weeks before a child learns that naptime means staying in the playpen or bed for the entire 2 hours and it's exhausting for everyone during the transition period.

[Mamma_Mia]

Its up to you how much you can and want to handle.

If it was me you get 1 blanket and good-night. Want to cry it out.....go ahead. They'll get it soon enough!

Good luck

[daycarewhisperer]

I don't do comfort items. They are escalators not de-escalators. I also don't allow ANYTHING to go back and forth every day. Just the kid.... nothing else. I also don't use pacifiers.