A New Family - Day 2

Day #2 started well. When she arrived, she didn't put 2 and 2 together and realize that her mom dropping her off meant that mom would be gone for the whole day. They drove up, she put the other equation together - that her cousin would be coming here and playing with her. The drop off went very well for the second day in a row. This is good. Often the second day is telling.

Then the day progressed. And the rules continued to get broken. I am unwavering in my expectations and I believe that I am not expecting too much of children. So when they don't follow the rules, I will get after them. Verbally at first. Physically taking away a toy that is being chewed on. Physically taking them off the couch when they are standing or jumping on it. Verbally telling them to ''Stop!" running and if verbally doesn't work, I will catch them and stop them myself. Verbally telling them not to grab toys from others or to throw toys.

The kids that come here are great at 'teaching' the new ones what is right and wrong. More often than not, kids don't take instruction from other kids. But every time that happens, I step in and say "If you don't listen to ____, you will listen to me" (and I am getting sterner by the minute when the behaviour is consistently happening).

When words don't stop them, my tone gets gruffer, then louder, then I will step in and stop the offending behaviour myself. I am becoming 'the mean lady that makes them listen'. The time outs will happen next. By the end of yesterday, this little one had experienced her first 2 time outs. When nothing you say works .... it's time to try a different 'language'.

What I find interesting about teaching the new child the ropes, is that the kids who do continually 'break the rules', all of a sudden know the rules and they are helping me to teach the newest addition.

Unfortunately nap time only lasted one hour yesterday. I knew that the 2 1/2 hour nap of the previous day was not going to happen again. But I prefer 1 1/2 to 2 hours consistently instead of 1 hour one day and 3 hours the next. This was minor in the whole scheme of things.

When her mom arrived to pick her up at the end of the day on Day #1, she cried because she wanted to stay here. When her mom arrived to pick her up at the end of the day on Day #2, she ran into her arms and was happy to go. The novelty had worn off ... she was glad to go home and back to the 'rules' that she knew.

This weaning in period is frustrating and tiring for all concerned. But it's only been 2 days. I'll give it a week and I'm guessing that things will be turning a corner.