728x90
my iParenting
From Our Sponsors
e-newsletters
Sign up to receive our free weekly e-newsletters

new terms of use
new privacy policy
award-winning products
The iParenting Media Awards program helps parents find the best products for their families.
Home › Articles › Child Care › Territorial Tots

Territorial Tots

Handling Jealousy Issues with In-home Daycares

By Jacqueline Bodnar

Pages:  1  2  3  

  • Be ready to change activities, change settings (inside vs. outside, or move to a different room), or offer a drink or a snack if interactions start to get tense.
  • If the other child is a baby or toddler and your child is older, consider setting up a "big kid corner." Use an octagon gate to create an area where your child can easily climb in and know that special projects or building block towers won't get wrecked by little hands.
  • Prevent difficulties by never leaving a toddler alone with a baby.
  • Keep in mind that most kids find it easier to "take turns" than to "share."
  • If you can't get your child something right away because you are busy, give him something to do while he is waiting.
  • If your child complains about wanting the other child to go home, just empathize without agreeing.

    • "Your child may need some extra cuddling," Dr. Kennedy-Moore says. "If both kids want cuddles at the same time, put one on each leg or one on each side. And make sure your child knows positive ways to ask for attention when he or she needs it."

    Other Possible Problems
    "At first, when my kids were younger, they thought it was great to have a constant playmate besides their siblings," says Donna Fitch, a mom from Ontario, Canada, who regularly watches children in her home. "Then after a few months and even to this day when they are teenagers they get annoyed and groan about the kids coming over."

    Fitch explains that much of this is due to that fact that her children find it to be an inconvenience to their lives because she can't be at their beck and call. But because she runs a tight ship of having her kids do their homework and chores after school, the children she watches are often leaving by the time her kids are done with those things.


    Pages:  1  2  3  

    Want to see more?

    Comments

    There are no comments for this article yet.Be the first to add a comment.

    Post As:
    Enter your comment below:
    Title
    Comment Text
    CAPTCHA
    Please note that any comments submitted become the property of Disney Family / iParenting and can be edited and posted at our discrection.