Advice please!

[CrazyEight]

Oh damn....there is no way I would take on a child with the agreement that they must be rocked to sleep. How are you supposed to take the time to do that, with multiple other small children that need to be settled down??

I've had a few interviews with parents who do this, and I tell them that it is simply not conducive to a group care environment. The parents need to start letting her cry it out, because that's the only way you're going to be able to handle multiple little ones. I put them down, rub their back for a second, and leave. If they start wailing, so be it. For new ones, I go in after about 15-20 minutes to shush them, rub their backs, let them know it's ok, but I do NOT pick them up, as then they'll simply expect to get picked up again if they keep on crying. If she's never put herself to sleep, it's going to be a long, difficult road getting her there - and damn near impossible if her parents aren't on board.

This is YOUR business and YOUR policies must be followed. If the parents want to "insist" on something like that, then they need to get a nanny. At this point, I'm not sure of the best advice to give you, being as you already have the child in care and have already agreed to rocking her to sleep. I'd tell the parents right away that this is not going to work long-term, sit down, and work out a plan together to get her falling asleep on her own. If they won't meet you halfway and do their part to get their child ready for group care, then personally, I wouldn't keep them. You can't be expected to rock their child to sleep for an HOUR - what if another child needs you for some reason - they throw up, climb out of a playpen and hurt themselves, have a nightmare, whatever? It is unfair and unsafe to have that much time solely devoted to one child.