Have to vent-it's a long day with a tired baby.
So, we go to the park-Lindsey woke up too early from a big poopy diaper (bummer!) but it was too late to go back to sleep. I thought park time might get her mood up. It's a HUGE playground with lots of stuff to play on and it worked-her mood brightened up and we were playing happily. Then, this little girl (same age) comes along and starts following Lindsey and trying to play with her. Well, Lindsey doesn't like to play/follow around people even on good days. The girl's older nanny was there. Lindsey got on a little bouncy car thing which had room for 2 kids kind of and the other little girl wanted up too. Lindsey starts crying "mine. mine. no." I give it a moment then try to explain to Lindsey she can share and be nice b/c it's not her (yeah-that's gonna work with a grumpy 2 yr old!). The nanny kind of pulls the other girl away but she comes right back so finally I pull crying Lindsey off and tell her she can have a turn later. I distract Lindsey with a fun slide hoping the other girl can have a chance on the bouncy toy. But, she comes right over to Lindsey and the slide. So, Lindsey goes back to the bouncy toy and the other girl follows her. The same scenario plays out-Lindsey crying, little girl trying to climb up with Lindsey. FINALLY the nanny pulls her away and takes her to another part of the park but it was too late. Lindsey had lost it and was in an unrecoverable state. We had to come home...
Now tell me, I know my little girl is not as social as others and doesn't like playing with other kids like some of them do, but seriously, I felt like the nanny should have stepped in sooner. Leave my child alone!! I tried removing my child from the situation and yours kept coming back to us!! Is it just me? What would you have done?
Now tell me, I know my little girl is not as social as others and doesn't like playing with other kids like some of them do, but seriously, I felt like the nanny should have stepped in sooner. Leave my child alone!! I tried removing my child from the situation and yours kept coming back to us!! Is it just me? What would you have done?
4 comments:
I agree that the nanny should have stepped in earlier, although if this other child likes to socialize perhaps the nanny didn't have enough experience to understand that some children do NOT like to socialize. So while she was slow to act, perhaps it was due to lack of experience.
Now if this next suggestion sounds inappropriate please just ignore it. I might have been tempted to try something like "I'm sorry, but my daughter is not doing well today and I'm afraid it might be contagious, so she really shouldn't be playing to closely with other children." I don't believe in fibbing, but the 'not doing well' can refer to 'playing together nicely', and it could, indeed be considered as potentially contagious (everyone ends up crying). But if that comes too close to the line (of fibbing) then please pretend I didn't suggest it.
I misspelled "too" in the prior note.
I like Dad's comment. I would have talked to the nanny, too, and asked her to cooperate in having the kids play separately. The nanny was just being a bit lazy not to take care of her charge. Good job trying to head it off but sometimes more assertiveness is warranted :)
I agree with you, definitely. I think I would have just done the same thing and been frustrated too. If I was in a confrontational mood that day I may have asked the nanny to please let my child play alone right now. Situations like that are tough. Not everyone has the same rules of etiquette or social awareness. I like your Dad's idea too.
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