Toddler Group Leader Troubles

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smith76
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Toddler Group Leader Troubles

Post by smith76 » Tue Jun 26, 2012 6:28 pm

I feel really helpless and i don't know what i am doing wrong. I am the group leader of the toddler room and i feel like i have lost control of the room. There is me and my assistant who have been in the room the whole year so far and our third assistant has been inconsistent up until this week since we have had a permanent staff member come in at my requests since i have had so many parent complaints.

we have a couple of behaviour issues which is just getting out of control, our toddlers don't sleep long there are a couple of children that sleep just over an hour and my assistants dont listen to me at all like today i was writing our what we did today book and my assistant saw me doing that and children were awake so instead of sitting with them she wanted to laminate and i asked her nicely if she could do it later as i was finishing the book etc. I feel like i just want to quit to make it worse we have no set director and the 21c even though she is really nice and doing the best she can there is just no support for the staff to go to. I cop all the parent complaints etc and i when i ask what happened i get told i don't know etc. My question is what to you do with the children who wake up early do they sit on beds or are you meant to sit with them quietly. I was told by our lunch relief that i had to make them all stay on their beds and blah blah blah blah blah she went on and on and on.

those of you in a toddler room what is your routine just an idea would be great im so open for ideas and suggestions i just want to go to work happy
Last edited by Lorina on Wed Jul 03, 2013 8:44 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Angellhart
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Re: WHAT AM I DOING WRONG

Post by Angellhart » Tue Jun 26, 2012 7:44 pm

Its Its that time of the year when toddlers are just out growing their sleeps anyway. Not to mention with being stuck inside becuase of the cold (here in ACT anyway) they are not burning as much energy and feeling as tired. The ones in my room who don't sleep are encouraged to rest on their beds while we get the other children to sleep. After about 20 - 30 minutes of resting they are allowed a book. If there are alot of non sleepers for the day (say 4 or 5) they get restless easy so I set up a table of puzzles or drawing etc and one educator will sit with them so they are quiet. This usually happens once al lthe sleepers are asleep though cause once they see other's up they will not sleep. I jsut have to keep reminding the others to sit quietly and there will be an activity soon. When the sleepers wake they are allowed to put their hoes on and get a book but generally have to stay on their beds until 2pm. This again depends on how many are still asleep. If they are all awake early then they can all get up for some quiet play.

Just remember not every day is the same. If the children will sit quietly with a book thats great. If not try a quiet table.

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LindyT
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Re: WHAT AM I DOING WRONG

Post by LindyT » Tue Jun 26, 2012 9:12 pm

I work with mixed ages but I agree with Angelhart.

I actually use quiet time boxes for my non sleepers if they are super resistant to rest (So far I have 3 that don't sleep on different days but they are learning to rest quietly.) The activities in these are things that the children can do on their own without assistance but they don't get these activities until everyone else is asleep. (Lately they nod off before I can give them anything or if I really feel they need a rest I will sit near them to encourage them to settle in a non-disruptive way.)

Probably not the answer you need but thats what happens at linda's lol

FionaC85
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Re: WHAT AM I DOING WRONG

Post by FionaC85 » Tue Jun 26, 2012 9:23 pm

That does not sound like much fun at all. Good on you for directing your assistant and asserting the priorities in the room.

Some children this age just don't sleep. I like to get the lunch cleanup done as soon as possible and making sure there is at least 1 - 2 areas ( depending on your space) for quiet activities. There should however be a mandatory time spent on a mat to promote rest for each child for the second half of the day. Some children knowing that there is something fun on the other side of their rest time might challenge themselves to have a sleep to get to that reward.

A basket of books near the beds is handy and if available some quiet interaction with a care giver, maybe lying down all together while you sing a few nice songs or make up a soothing story.

Angellhart is right, no day is the same and just go with the flow of the group for the day, but keep a core routine for stability such as all children have a bed to go to and the same song on the radio as a rest time cue. you may get 30 mins or get a ripper of a day with 2 hours.

I do not believe in making children stay on their beds once they have woken, it only frustrates them. some take a while to want to get up and are happy to take their time, others just want to be up and out like a bullet. Take note of those children and have activities at the ready for them. WINTER REALLY SUCKS SOMETIMES!!

Good Luck I hope you get your support and find a routine that works

linda46
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Re: WHAT AM I DOING WRONG

Post by linda46 » Tue Jul 03, 2012 1:59 pm

I am in Victoria so I am not sure if it works the same, but I would be having a word with the Director of the Centre. I think a staff meeting is in order so that the assistants know that they need to be helping you and listening to your direction. I am an assistant in a kindergarten and would not dream of treating my teacher with such disrespect. She has a higher level of education in the field than I do and I understand that she knows what she is talking about. Unless you are being unreasonable (and it doesn't sound as though you are), you are deserving of some help and respect.

hussy
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Re: WHAT AM I DOING WRONG

Post by hussy » Sat Jun 29, 2013 11:23 pm

It is very difficult to judge the actual reason dear. tere are many tings wich make us controlless over the children. If we want a good controling grip over them we must find those facts wich are making them out of control. Then we should try to rectify our mistakes wich are misleading the children and taking thm away from our control.So dear Smith you should obserive keenly all ongoing things and should try to tese facts. Spend a long time with them as a friend to give them a comfart envirement.

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NorthLight36
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Re: Toddler Group Leader Troubles

Post by NorthLight36 » Sat Jul 06, 2013 1:21 pm

Sounds like you're having a tough time. Hang in there, it will get better!

I too strongly advise quiet time on the mats. Allow your non-sleepers to pick two books, then firmly but gently explain that other children need their sleep and so they need to sit on their special mat and read. Make sure they know that you know they don't want to sleep and that you're not going to force them to, but that's very, very important they read quietly so that the children who do want to sleep can.

Also, you may need to talk to both your assistant and the lunch relief. The assistant needs to be reminded that her first job is to assist you with the children and the lunch relief should be politely told that, while you appreciate her advice, beating you over the head with it is not conductive to being helpful.

*sends you internet hugs and your comfort food/drink of choice*

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