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Original poster

CM CLUB - Need some tips for re-gaining control of my 4 x 2's and under!!!

31 replies

needtoregaincontrol · 18/05/2009 19:55

Name changed as a little about this!

I've got 4 kiddies aged just turned 2 and under and normally all is ok but I'm just starting to feel like I'm loosing control a bit. One 2 year old in particular is a little monkey and is constantly doing the opposite to what they know you want them to do!!

One of the problems is getting this child to listen to me and hold on to the buggy whilst we walk to school (not far as park up and then walk down the road a little) and back. They won't hold on because they know you want them to, won't hold hands with the older child I ask them to etc. Well, the way round this is revert back to the triple buggy which means they're stuck in a pram again (they like walking, just don't listen! lol) I'll try this for a bit and then give them a chance to show me they are ready to do as I ask and we'll see what happens (this child is VERY clever and DEFINITELY understands - it's all about THEM wanting to be in control - of course )

The other problem is getting them all into the class rooms at school. When it was just my ds1 we had to get, it was fine as I'd leave the kids in the pram (if they weren't walking) and would show my face to the class and then he'd get all his stuff. His classroom is perfect as I park the kids right outside the door and am right next to them pretty much so can see, here and all that - no problemo But now I have THREE different classrooms to go to on some days and the location of the other 2 are not so great. I leave my own ds2 in the pram as I know he's fine, but find it hard with the others as I wouldn't leave mindees outside where I can't see them.

Today I DID get ds2 out of the pram (he'd been upset so thought it not fair to take the other 3 in but not him) and this is probably why it was a nightmare (ds2 is 11 months and was held on my hip, tiny 16 month old didn't want to get out of the pram and then didn't want to walk but although I can easily carry the 2 normally, one on each hip, I couldn't do that AND control the 2 x 2 year old. Soooo, I had dead weight on the right, trying to get 16 month old to come with me to mindees classroom and then 1 of the 2 yr olds freezing in doorways and stuff on purpose and basically finding it very funny that THEY were in control!!!).

Now as I said, I usually leave ds2 in the pram (thank god! lol) but this issue with this particular mindee needs sorting but not sure how. Unfortunately they're a VERY heavy 2 yr old so carrying them and another child isn't an option. And tbh, what I'm after is some clever tips to get them to 'listen'. This child is also driving their parents mad at home - classic 'terrible 2's' .

Any tips? Or do I just remind myself 'it's a phase, it's a phase'??? Whenever we play in the playground and then it's time to go, they never come and just fall onto their bottom in that stubborn 'I'm not coming' way. So me and the other 5 kiddies will walk to a point where they can no longer see us (but we're close and we can see EVERYTHING - through bushes) and then they quickly get up and come to us. So that definitely works outside. Just not so easy indoors when there are parents and kids rushing all over the place!!!

Right.....over to the experts

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Set a reminder
mumlove · 19/05/2009 08:15

School children - I collect all of them from the youngest classroom door. Parents did the letters to school saying it was fine to do this.
Also at DD's school from yr 3 upwards you have to wait by the gates and the children come out to you.

coolj · 19/05/2009 08:10

I will add on my tuppenys worth too. Why dont you use straps on the toddlers when they are walking, attached to the buggy. Then if they let go at least they cant run onto the road.

Love the idea of children going to the same classroom as I will have that dilema in September [brill]

HSMM · 19/05/2009 07:48

fairimum - that's a great idea (and good partnership working!)

fairimum · 18/05/2009 22:08

When I was teaching we had CM's collecting several chn from various classes, we just used to get a note in our register (where cm had spoken to reception) to say on a monday please send x to mrs y's class room at the end of the day - so i collected them all in one place, so those children went through the school to the youngests classroom rather than out of their normal classes door!? worth asking??

KatyMac · 18/05/2009 22:00

Could someone from the school collect the older children - 2 schools I collect from deliver them to me if I have a car full?

HSMM · 18/05/2009 21:33

The only thing I can think of is playing distracting games. They probably know the route fairly well now, so it can be counting the cars you walk past, or who can see the school gate/toy in the playground/ classroom/child/etc first. Somehow they need to learn that this is a NO OPTION discipline, without realising that control has been taken away from them. Does that make sense?