Part Time kids

[cfred]

I feel your pain! I've been there many times over the years. Some kids are just tough to break in. Often, in my daycare, it's just finding that one thing that you can bond with the child over. With my latest little guy, it ended up being a chocolate banana smoothie my daughter brought home for me. We sat in the chair together while he wailed. I offered him a sip of my smoothie, which we ended up sharing in it's entirety, and that was it....bonded. It was like a light switch! Granted, it was the end of the day and it was only him and an infant left, but it still worked. If you can find a time during the day when it's very quiet and you can sit down with him for some one on one, see if there's something you can connect with him with. Often a little treat will do it....you take a bite, he takes a bite, and so on. Find out from Mum what his favourite thing is and get it. He will still have rough moments, but you then become someone he had a really good moment with and it will build.

Another thing I do as a last measure, when I can't take it any more, is to do an outing. Somewhere different, public and out of his comfort zone (play centre or a friend's home is good). He will very likely be upset by this, but you will then become his source of comfort. I've done that quite a few times with good results.

Good luck!