Anonymous wrote:Give the child LOVE LOVE LOVE! No matter what if you become fustrated the child can feel it try to remain calm sing songs rub his/her back and let the child know in your most calmest voice that everything will be just fine. Cuddle the child etc. (Nanny)
Anonymous wrote:Give the child LOVE LOVE LOVE! No matter what if you become fustrated the child can feel it try to remain calm sing songs rub his/her back and let the child know in your most calmest voice that everything will be just fine. Cuddle the child etc. (Nanny)
Anonymous wrote:Give the child LOVE LOVE LOVE! No matter what if you become fustrated the child can feel it try to remain calm sing songs rub his/her back and let the child know in your most calmest voice that everything will be just fine. Cuddle the child etc. (Nanny)
Anonymous wrote:Well, if you can't convince the mother to let you try something else then it's useless (and I'm the prior MB poster saying this.)
She is setting you up to fail.
You can tell her that in your experience a child who has never had a new caregiver needs help adjusting. Right now, he does see something wrong in his well established world - there is a stranger invading it. Let him experience some other change of pace and you will start seeming familiar. If he has something new and different to focus on he'll forget about you being new.
If she won't hear that then you have to decide if you can stand it in the short term. I'd really be tempted to say "I'm sorry, but if I'm unable to take him out of the apartment I don't think he is going to adjust quickly enough for me to help you. Good luck."
I know I should be more sympathetic about parents who are this anxious, but I'm really not. I think it does a real disservice to the kids to shelter them so fully.
Anonymous wrote:I agree with the others. Get the kiddo out. The more fun you guys have the more the poor babe won't freak out.
Anonymous wrote:Get him out of the house. As soon as you get there go on an adventure (and prepare the parents for this plan if need be.) Go for walks, go look at fountains, take him on a kiddie train, take him to the library and let him play with the toys and books, go find a sandbox or have them get a water table he can play with, etc...
Try sensory stimulating experiences that will distract him and especially get him out of his environment. Then he is busy being exposed to new things, forgets what he was worked up about, and starts seeing you as the primary person he relies on when you're out and about.
I'm a mom, not a nanny, but on occasions when we've needed interim care (nanny vacation or medical leave) I've seen a range of expertise in managing these kinds of dynamics.
We had one temporary nanny come in, ask for the quick rundown and contact info from us, and then immediately say "Come on, let's get shoes on and go outside. I saw some deer in the woods- let's go find them!" My uncertain kids were instantly distracted and happily went off exploring with her. (They were just under 2 at this point.) I turned to my husband and said "She's great, they will be totally fine. I'm going to work."
It was a powerful lesson for me.![]()
So see if really changing the environment helps. It can't hurt to try! Good luck.