When running a small business, you are always going to run into a difficult situation with behavior from a child. Having a daycare in your home, you might find that it happens more often than you may have thought. When I first started thinking about opening an in home daycare, I didn’t think about having difficult children to watch after. I have had to deal with this scenario twice now. Not that I want it to have happened, but it did. I am a patient person and I don’t give up easily. I try to help everyone out and make every situation a positive one. Well, I have had to come down to a level of understanding I CAN’T FIX everyone and every situation.

Becoming an owner of an at home daycare, you will want to make sure to write out a parent handbook. It is important to be upfront and clear from the start on policies and procedures. Some things you won’t have in there right away because you just don’t think about it. It is okay to add to it, just let your parents know when there is a change. I print a copy of what I change and give it to all the parents. One of the things that does need to be written in there is about behavior and how you will handle behavior. What will you do in regards to repetitive behavior problems that can’t be resolved? Is it immediate disenrollment if there is physical or verbal issues? The list can go on. Have a clear policy in your handbook about behavior.

I only would do an immediate disenrollment if there was physical harm towards myself, the child, or other children. Now, I am not saying that if a child throws a fit and gets upset, I am saying if they are repeatedly taking an object and hurting others over and over. I can talk to the parents and try to come up with another solution, but you take that chance of the child doing it again and far worse. In that scenario you just have to make a judgement call.

The two times I have had to disenroll, I have multiple chances for the behavior to change. Talked with the parents are different ways of approach, things to do differently and home or here, etc. It wasn’t changing. So, I had to make the judgement call on my end to part ways. That is okay! Not every home daycare or even center daycare is the right place for every child or family. You just have to give your best effort and try to make it work. At the end of the day it is your business and your home. You get to make the calls on what is best for you and your business. It is hard at first to have those conversations, but after it is over you will feel a sense of relief.

Your job is not only to provide the best care for that child with the behavioral problems, but also the other children you watch. It isn’t fair to them if you are constantly giving that other child attention or if that other child is doing harmful things because those other kids could pick up on the behavior.

Here are some things I tried to do differently to try to make the situation better.

• Child doesn’t want sleep – If you have a child that doesn’t want to sleep, that is fine, but they still have to stay quiet and rest their bodies on their cot. You can give them a quiet choice box or books to read. I wouldn’t get into having a tablet for the child to use because then they will always want it and never take a nap.
• Child doesn’t want to partake in activities – I do not force my kids to do the activity, but they aren’t going to be disruptive and distract the other children. So I will ask them to join us and if they still don’t continue on and sometimes they will see that you’re having fun and will want to join. I do not give other options to play with because again they will always want to not do the activity.
• Child constantly is hitting – take the to an area that they can have a time to themselves and be calm. Provide a calming box for them to use. If you do not have a space for them to be by themselves than you can partner with the parents in buying a special chair for them to use. I will link one here.