Toddler group dramas

What are the rules? If you see a child snatching a toy from your child what do you do? Do you take it from the child and explain yours had it first? Do you leave it and hope their parents will do something? Do you quickly find your child something new to play with? I’m never quite sure how to react. J’s not done it yet but if I saw him snatching a toy from another child, I’d return it to the child who had it first. Explaining that they had to share, that the other child had it first and he needed to wait. Granted you don’t have your eyes on your child 100% of the time so it’s easy to miss, but I do try and keep an eye on him whilst chatting and taking care of R.

It happened a few times today, other children taking toys from Joshua. Thankfully he didn’t react by punching them or kicking up a stink, he just looked a bit bewildered before moving onto something else. Funnily enough one of the times a toy was snatched from him; it was the same boy who was picking on him at swimming a few weeks back. At least I am pretty sure it’s the same child (I still don’t know who he belongs to). Said child was playing with a floor puzzle, and Joshua took a toy Hoover from a box, before he’d even managed to get it out completely this child snatched it from him and said something to Joshua. Joshua looked at me like he’d done something wrong, I had to reassure him it was fine and to play with something else. As soon as Joshua moved away the child discarded the toy – he didn’t even want to play with it. It was just pure spite. How do small children learn to be like this, and what on earth is his problem with my child?

Normally toddler group is quite relaxing – well as much as spending time in a room full of toddlers is ever going to be. Today however I left feeling harassed and like I never wanted to return. It was busier than normal, more noise, and more madness. My baby was having things placed on his head while he was trying to sleep – much to the horror of the mother of the culprit. Not that I minded, R is used to it and the child wasn’t trying to be mean. Then we had the mother of all nappy explosions, soaked through two layers of clothes onto car seat, half way up his back – the lot. It took me ten minutes to change and clean R up – since as I tried to remove poo stained vest I managed to get it all over his arms. Then he kicked his legs and stuck his feet in the nappy. Naked baby, poo stained clothes and a mummy who wanted to give up and go home.

Tidy up time commenced followed by singing time. My child point blank refuses to join in every week, all the other children and adults sit nicely in a circle while my child runs around, throws tantrums at the mere mention of joining in. Leaving me feeling slightly embarrassed and trying everything to coax him over.

Home time ... cue major meltdown. Screaming and rolling around on the floor while I wrestle him into his coat and refuse to look at any of the other parents. I leave him rolling around the floor while I gather our belongings. One of the ladies who works there, (and also at baby group) went over and spoke to him. He soon jumped off the floor and behaved then. Why do they always do it for other people?

I arrived home, after more tantrums to get him into the house and I wanted to scream, cry or both. Harassed mother definitely summed up my morning. Oh well I’ll go and do it all again next week.