Listening and patience

cali1710

just curious how your little angels are doing with listening and patience? I find Claire is great at home or even if we are out visiting my parents or whatever. But I have her in "gymnastics" and a few other activities (she isnt in daycare but shes very energetic that I need to keep her busy) and she is horrible when we are at these activities. Gymnastics is an 18m-3yr old class, and I know the kids over 2 are going to be better behaviour wise then she is, but she is just brutal there. She runs and climbs on everything when she shouldnt be, doesn't sit for circle time. I wouldnt say she tantrums but yells "no!!!" When I try and get her back to wherever we should be. Anyone have tips on how to slow her down? Shes a very.. determined and independent child. Shes strong willed. She comes by it honestly I must admit but I just don't know how to deal with it. I feel like shes disrupting the whole class but she needs the interaction and energy burn. And i do know shes still so young, all the kids are at least a fee months older than her, but just thought I'd ask if anyone had any tips! Thanks mamas!

stephanienjer

I'm not experiencing this right now, because Birdie is going through some separation anxiety, and doesn't go far from my legs most of the time, but I was a nanny, and experienced this with the most strong-willed child ever! If she's running and climbing on equipment when it's not time, I'd start here: She's old enough to know what is the right choice here. Get down on her level, and tell her that if she can't stay with the group, and stay off the equipment, you'll both have to leave. If she does it anyway, take her butt out of there. You can talk to her away from the main area, and explain to her that that is what happens when you don't listen. Then take her back in. You may have a few shortened sessions, but she'll get the idea.  During circle time, do you sit with her? From my nanny experience as well as running a playgroup, put the leg lock on her! Sit her between your legs, and put one of your legs around her over her lap. She won't be able to get up, and after a few fusses will likely give up. We used this a lot for playgroup, but I also even saw this as a teacher's assistant to the early childhood special ed class way back in high school.
I think teachers of this age are prepared to deal with some free-spiritedness, but if she's on equipment away from the teachers, it could become a liability issue for them.
Have you tried something like swim class? It takes up sooooo much of their energy, but it's a lot harder to get away. (The little girl I watched would thrash and try to swim away from me, and I would just hold her by the back straps of her suit and let her think she was swimming.)

stephanienjer

Also, when I first saw the title of this thread, I thought it was kids not listening, and parents without patience, because that is where we are! I have several nicknames for my daughter that I only say in my head.

JanuarysBaby1

@stephanienjer I second your above comment! I was like yessss I have zero patience and my daughter rarely listens lol 

cali1710

Hahah I have zero patience too so lets say thats what the thread means lol. Thanks for the suggestions! I'm glad mine isnt the only one who isnt listening haha. Ive taken her out of the class and spoken to her. She is good for a few minutes then off again. We've done swimming! She loves the water... but she hates being held in the water and thinks she can swim on her own

cali1710

I think itll just take time. She gets so excited when we are around a group of kids and new things. 

fishee333

Freya is a lot like you described, so you are not the only one. She's also in a 18mo-3yo gymnastics class and it's exhausting for me!! Each class she is getting better though. They still are really young and it will get better with time and experience. Things that have helped:
- Have the coach get down to her level and calmly explain what to do. I think Freya likes to impress her coach more than impress me lol
- Get down to her level and point out what the other kids are doing, and ask if she wants to try too. Freya looks up to older kids so that's why this works I think 
- Slowly increase the amount of time I'm expecting Freya to participate/listen/follow directions, give her praise when she does, but also give her some breaks so she can blow off some steam

mccluskeyj17

My daughter is also in gymnastics and it seems like their age group is sometimes all over the place.  I wouldn't be overly concerned but you can start working with her by having her to sit to do different activities.  How does she do when you read to her?  Do you allow her to walk around and eat or sit at the table? These things can make a difference.  Although she isn't in daycare you can do circle time with her which requires her to sit as well as learn songs and fingerplay.  When you see her losing interest then you move on to something else.

cali1710

@mccluskeyj17 she sits to eat and she lovesss books so shes good at sitting for those. She just had so much energy that shes wild when she gets the chance to be!! Today she was actually pretty good at gymnastics, she ran around but I just kept doing circle time and when she knew I wasnt chasing her she came back. And she sat and waited when I told her too. So fingers crossed this is the beginning of a listening child ha

mccluskeyj17

If she is sitting for books and eating, then she is doing good.