Anonymous wrote:OP here.

I'm a parent of an energetic enthusiastic wonderful and sweet 4-year-old boy (I'm not going to pretend that taking care of his isn't a challenge) and I get the sense that his caregiver this week (on a friends recommendation) does not vibe with him.

He is having fun, but I think she's annoyed or tuckered out....honestly I don't know what her deal is. I would love to be home playing with him.

Anyway looking for comments or advice... this is completely new territory for me.

Most people who describe their kids as you are or other code words probably need to either change their parenting, child just thrives better in a very structured environment or get their child to at least a developmental ped and make sure things are ok. It may be her, it may be him but given your comments there is more going on here.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Believe me, I know exactly how you feel! I have two kids taking care of and I cannot stand the 4yrs old. She is like a little devil with 3 or 4 personalities, each irks me the wrong way. When mother dearest is home, the kid wants to hug me up and tell me she loves me soooo much which is so fake, other times I am the most hated person in her life

If you "cannot stand" the child and refer to the mom as "mother dearest," why don't you find another job? Kids should be taken care of by people who can handle their personalities. Plus, life is too short, why spend your days taking care of someone you clearly despise.

Um maybe she needs the job despite kid being a brat. BTDT..

I had a 6yo boy who was a nightmare, wouldn't listen, argued all the time, was so hostile. His sisters were younger and fine. It was only a temp gig thankfully.

Anonymous wrote:I'm not sure how common this is, but have any of you come across kids that you just don't like or can't handle taking care of?

I am just wondering what your experiences are/were.

No child was ever too much for me, but a few of the parents, that'd be another thread.

Anonymous wrote:Believe me, I know exactly how you feel! I have two kids taking care of and I cannot stand the 4yrs old. She is like a little devil with 3 or 4 personalities, each irks me the wrong way. When mother dearest is home, the kid wants to hug me up and tell me she loves me soooo much which is so fake, other times I am the most hated person in her life

If you "cannot stand" the child and refer to the mom as "mother dearest," why don't you find another job? Kids should be taken care of by people who can handle their personalities. Plus, life is too short, why spend your days taking care of someone you clearly despise.

I have babysitted kids 4/5 years old in the past. "the problem" with older kids is that sometimes they are disrespectful, said bad words, hit the nanny, have tantrums, test your limits.... Because "the nanny is new" or just because that's the way they are. Opposite of starting with a baby, when you can help teaching them at an earlier stage about good manners, etc...

I've also babysitted babies that don't have an structure in their day, so they are fuzzy all day because their mom didn't put them to sleep in the morning because "they were out of the house doing A, B and C"… as a result, a tired baby that cries about everything and anything...

So yes! Some kids and some families are too much!

I have taken care of really sweet kids in the past and great families as well!

Believe me, I know exactly how you feel! I have two kids taking care of and I cannot stand the 4yrs old. She is like a little devil with 3 or 4 personalities, each irks me the wrong way. When mother dearest is home, the kid wants to hug me up and tell me she loves me soooo much which is so fake, other times I am the most hated person in her life

What about a child who needs a hundred percent attention?

The only charge with whom I've had issues is a teen who sneaks out while parents are present, not just when it's only me. Other than that, it's a matter of finding what makes the child tick and meeting them at their level while challenging them to do and be better.

Sounds like your nanny was doing a good job. At least she is engaging with him.

I am a nanny of 10 years and I have never been good at getting down on the floor playing with the kids. I also don't really think it's part of my job to play with them all day. My job is to give them opportunities to have stimulating experiences and opportunities for play are a part of that. Sometimes play does need me to participate or facilitate, but I would much rather set up a cool science project and let them go to town or create an interesting sensory bin and let them explore it in their own way, or take them on an outing and see what draws their attention. If you interact with your son by getting down on the floor and playing with toys, that maybe a different style of interaction then when she is used to giving. You just need to decide whether you can accept her style of play.

OP here

His daycare is closed this week.

We build legos (Junior), make dinner in his kitchen, board games, trucks and cars on the floor.... I mean you can get him to play almost anything.

His teachers at school enjoy him, he has friends at school.

When I stopped in at lunch yesterday he had a plastic plane full of people and he was zooming around to different places "a hospital to help people", "to the beach for swimming". she was there talking with him and pretending about the possible lives that the people on the plane were having, but I don't know... she just seems less than enthused. Again, he was having fun.

1. Does he go to any program at all?
2. What kind of play do you do with your boy?

OP here.

I'm a parent of an energetic enthusiastic wonderful and sweet 4-year-old boy (I'm not going to pretend that taking care of his isn't a challenge) and I get the sense that his caregiver this week (on a friends recommendation) does not vibe with him.

He is having fun, but I think she's annoyed or tuckered out....honestly I don't know what her deal is. I would love to be home playing with him.

Anyway looking for comments or advice... this is completely new territory for me.

I'm not sure how common this is, but have any of you come across kids that you just don't like or can't handle taking care of?

I am just wondering what your experiences are/were.