I am babysitting a 5 year old and 5 monthold. I also have a 16 monthold. The 5 year old is driving me nuts becuase she never stops talking. I mean never. I can ask her to b quiet while i am on the phone or something and she usually well but not always. I do i deal with this without driving myslef crazy.
Edited version
I play with her all day long. We only wacht about 1 hour of tv a day and that is when i am cooking. I take all 3 kids out to do something fun and educational everyday. The talking is worse when she being stimulated. She well not sit still for even 30 seconds to hear the rules of what ever game we are playing. When iam on the phone it is usally for less than 5 mintues. I try to give her funthings to do when we are at home. LOts of colorign, and crafts. we read stories and sing songs a lot too. I feel like it is more than just she needs something to do. I have told the mom that she is driving me nuts. The mom says the same thing goes on everywhere is trying to figure out a way to calm her down just a little bit and is working with me very well. The 5 month old is teh 5 year olds sister. We go to several play groups. Two for her age group and one for my son. I make her help me anywhere i can.
Any real advise would be helpful not complants.
I would buy a book for little kids on manners to make it fun for her, and at the same time she is learning. That's how I teach my kids manners, and they usually mind their manners. You can turn it into "the quiet" game while on the phone, or something to that affect!
Allison,
You probably have not shared with the mother of the five year old that her kid is driving you "nuts". You may not be prepared, at this time, to take care of children who talk. Since you have a five month old, you best get prepared.
Start reading to the five year old and when she asks you a question answer her. Teach her ABCs and how to write them, (if she doesn't already know how). Start teaching her how to read. Ask her parents to bring some of her books. You could also pick up kids books at yard sales or the library. Keep her busy (not in front of the TV with the exception of an occasional educational shows an/or kiddy videos).
Keep your phone calls to a minimum while you are taking care of children. They can get into something in a split second!
Blessings...
Sounds like she just wants some attention, are you playing games with her, reading to her??? 5 year olds very much like interaction, they need their brains stimulated, you can't treat the 5 year old as you would the smaller children.
How much are you on the phone? Kids know when they aren't being paid attention. The 5 year old isn't only competing for your attention, but depending how much you are on the phone or watching t.v. that is also their competition. Kids this age simply need attention but moreover, interaction... I would read to her and play educational games with her.
I don't know how much you watch her but it sounds like she is a sociable little girl who could benifit from having someone her own age around. If all she has to interact with is a 5 month old ,16 month old or you it's going to be you. Sorry but if you are babysitting her shouldn't she be the priority? Honestly if I knew someone felt this way with my child and I was paying for her care I would question the arrangment. Unless you give more info this dosn't really seem like a problem with her. You might be over extended with this much high needs you are caring for. A 5 month old and 16 month old probley take all you have to give and it's easy to think the 5 year old is asking to much of you. But she is just a little girl and that age is very engaging. If my thoughts on this are totally of base please give more info that could help understand better.
I have no idea. I have a 4.5 year old boy that talks non stop. My husband and I joke that he needs a mute button. Our whole families are talkers and he just feels the need to compete. You just have to be patient, it gets better. My 10 year old has finallly slowed down and we can sit for a while with out her feeling like she needs to talk constantly. My only advice is be patient. Good luck!
I have a 5 yo son, and I can tell you that he and about 90%of the other kids in his kindergarten class talk nonstop unless they are actively engaged in either a physical activity (jumping rope, basketball, playing tag) or an activity that they really enjoy, such as arts and crafts, learning about something really cool, etc. They aren't wired to just be quiet at this age. Is this girl in preschool or kindergarten? When you are with her, how much attention does she truly get when competing with children so young that they need help with almost everything? If you need to make a quick phone call, let her know ahead of time that you need to make a quick call and will not be able to listen to both the call and her at the same time, and that she would be helping you a bunch by waiting to tell you things until you are off the phone. Kids this age usually love to feel helpful. Also let her know how long you expect to be on the phone (until the last number on the clock is a five, for example) so that she has a tangible way to understand how long she has to wait, and then let her know that you are happy to talk with her as soon as the call is done. And I agree w/ other posters that your calls should be extremely limited while you are watching someone else's kids -- appointments that can only be made during the hours you are taking care of the kids, a quick discussion with a doctor because it's the only time you can talk to him/her, etc. Even with all of this, expect a five year-old to talk while you are on the phone. I also agree with other posters that you might have taken on too much if a five year-old is driving you nuts just by talking non-stop. Even when my son is -- somewhat quietly -- just sitting and drawing, he often gives me a play-by-play about what he is doing. This girl does not sound unusual to me. Try engaging her as your helper (even though she'll likely slow you down) as much as possible, and let her mom know that her daughter seems to need more social interaction than you can provide while caring for two younger children. Perhaps you'll be able to set up some playdates for her.
Sounds like with her personality/temperament, she would do well in a group daycare setting with other kids her age. It sounds like you are already doing everything right, she just has an extremely social temperament. Maybe she could go to a preschool/daycare w/ other 5 year olds? Or maybe if you are her daycare provider, see if you can watch another girl her age and they can talk to each other/play together? It would probably be easier and less exhausting to watch two little girls than just her by herself. A child with that temperament will EXHAUST her parents/daycare provider/caregivers if you are the only one she has available to talk to and play with; it's not that you are not a good daycare provider and it's not that she's a bad or abnormal kid. My older child (now 17 yrs old) talked non-stop for the first 12 years of his life, and when I say non-stop I am not exaggerating. People who haven't experienced this type of personality in a child don't realize how different it is from just an average kid. You are doing a great job...hope to hear how it works out!
