how strict are u with your mindees? (do you raise your voice???)

[tara4now]

just wondering really. do you raise your voice and tell them off if you need to? i have a mindee that is becoming really hard work to look after. shes nearly 12 and will answer me back in front of the other mindess, storm off and walk way ahead when on the way home from school(so i have to shout her half way down the road).she gets moody if i give others attention when she wants it. im putting alot of her behaviour down to her age and thoughts of starting secondary school, but there are things i dont think i should put up with. i had to tell her off the other day because of her attitude towards me.im going to speak to her mum about it.(have spoken to her before) what would you do? i dont want to sound like a mean, moany childminder!

I don't have an unspoken rule that I will only raise my voice if a child is in immediate danger (ie about to run across road). I do change my tone of vice tho to a low, stern tone if needed, but usually find whispering more effective!

I have a girl this age too who is lovely, but definately hormonal and in the past week has been desperately trying to wind me up while I remain all calm and tear my haor out in private!! She is leaving me at the end of term tho, whichme and ds and mindee are all sad about, and I have just took on a baby mindee and I think she feels replaced in some way.

I would say definately speak to mum about it and get her support, hopefully it will pass.

Oh and my older mindees all walk way ahead of me on the way home from school, but I would never dream of calling them back to me and they would never dream of crossing a kerb until I have caught up with the littlies. An unspoken agreement we have so they can remain 'cool' in front of their friends and I don't have to shout of them and have other mum's giving me funny 'can't you control them'looks.

sorry ignore that don't

really should preview!

Its very hard with a high school age child (esp girls), I presume she is Yr 6 being as though she's nearly 12. They are definately hormonal and harder work than lads, something I have experience of with my 13 yr old girl! My eldest boy (16) and youngest boy (5) are easier than she is.

I don't tend to raise my voice if I can help it, am fairly calm until they go home then I tear my hair out!!! I'm a bit like you Kay in that I'll only shout if they come into immediate danger.

I have to tell the 4 yr old about 10 times over before he'll even listen as he's in his own world.

Just be patient, are you having her when she goes to hign school?