Did I handle this right do you think?

[GwarchodwrPlant]

I've got a 3yr old mindee whom I took to the playground today.

He was happily playing on the slide when he had a bit of an upset with a smaller boy over a wheel stuck onto the slide. He pushed the smaller boy out of the way then slapped him on the head.

I immediately went up to him, in a stern voice called him off the slide then knelt down to his level and said sternly 'No, you do not hit!'

I took him to the bench I was sitting on and made him sit on it for a few minutes.

He screamed and cried but stayed where he was put.

After a lull in his crying I went up to him, knelt beside him and said softly- 'You don't hit people, it hurts, now what do you say?'

He said 'Sorry', so I took him up to the little boy and asked him to say sorry to him, which he did.

I gave him a hug and off he went on his way.

I do feel guilty though, I hate being cross with my mindees! I apologised to the little boy's dad too who hadn't seen the incident by the way but said 'no problem'.

Nothing wrong with that, sounds like you did exactly the right thing. Why are you doubting if it was right?

Oh I just feel mean when I am telling children off. I hate seeing them upset but I know it's for their own good! A child screaming and crying doesn't look very good either!

You are very sweet for worrying about it. Of course you did the right thing. If you were looking after my child it is exactly what I would hope you would do.

I would be happy if it was my child and that was how you dealt with him behaving like that.

Thankyou. It's nice to hear a parents perspective.

As a parent that is the kind of way I'd want my dc dealt with by my CM (and she does)

I think you have to develop a thick skin to these things and it can be difficult (esp. as you seem so sweet ) - also, I think children can be a bit shocked by someone else giving them a telling off

I'm a nanny and on a 2 week temp job I had the best friend and sibling of the children I was looking after over on a playdate - anyway, said friend started hitting sibling (little sister), really thumping her in a spiteful way (all because she wanted to put a meccano car together with him and my charge no less..!)
so I did exactly as you did and he promptly burst into tears and started crying for his mum!

I think I would have felt a bit rotten if the little boy hadn't been such a terror in the long run - but I know exactly how you feel and I think you handled it perfectly x

totally the right thing to do.

Teaching the children right from wrong is just as important as loving them.

In fact that is loving them.

well said thebody

def did the right thing

dont doubt yourself

thanks wicked..