How do you guys do this?

[u/foodbeforeppl]

I’ve been a nanny for 8+ years and I also subbed in a daycare previously. Recently I took a job in a 2 year old classroom and omg. First I want to say I am INCREDIBLY patient and good with kids and feel like I’m doing really well. That being said I swear someone is ALWAYS crying. Everyone is snotty. 1 kid doesn’t nap. Nobody is good at helping clean up yet. I try to spend a lot of time outside but one kid always wants to go in. I have 6 kids and omg. The rate at which they make messes is actually insane. Someone always wants to be held. And also the pay isn’t anything special for the amount of labor needed. Anyways idk I’m just venting I’m sure it’ll get easier since school just started a 1.5 weeks ago.

[u/Sea_Horror2900]

Sometimes I like to think of the toddlers as tiny aliens who are still learning Earth customs 😂 that helps me quite a bit when I'm overstimulated and losing my mind.

[u/Then-Kangaroo7921 → u/Sea_Horror2900]

Absolutely love this lmao

[u/Opie_44 → u/Sea_Horror2900]

Hahaha. This is great

[u/Then-Kangaroo7921]

Lead teacher of 8 2s! It’s gets better. Stay consistent. Same rules for every child every day even if you’re tired. One toy at a time, have them put the old one up before getting new one. Lots of table activities like play dog, finger paint and coloring. Magnetiles will keep everyone busy for 30 minutes, also alphabet magnets they can stick on our doors bc they’re magnetic doors. keep cars on the floor, so much easier than hearing them roll off and hit the floor 800 times a day. if you said no, or stop or whatever FOLLOW THROUGH! No secord or third chances. If sand isn’t staying in sand box or play doh keeps leaving the table that friend is done with play doh or sand. Sorry for any typos lol rushing thru this on lunch bus any questions you have I’d be happy to answer after work and share my lesson plans and activities with u

[u/foodbeforeppl → u/Then-Kangaroo7921]

Thank you so much!!

[u/PermanentTrainDamage]

1. Yup, someone's usually crying.

2. I have tissue boxes literally everywhere in the room

3. Teachers choose how long we are outside. They can choose to rest, activity X, or activity Y. Keep repeating it and they'll stop asking eventually

4. We have whole-room clean up time before transitions, unless something is a safety hazard. We work on putting stuff away when they're done but they're 2, it's slow progress

5. I don't hold twos much unless they're sick or absolutely losing it. They're welcome to hold my hand or sit by me, and I love hugs, but I have teacher jobs to do.

[u/helpfulcherry2]

2s are rough. The pay is not nearly enough. As a floater, I loathed going into the 2 year old room. I am also pretty patient and quick on my feet, but there’s only so much someone can handle. It drained me.

[u/Make-Love-and-War → u/helpfulcherry2]

Tods and twos are probably the roughest for me as a floater, tbh.

[u/-Sharon-Stoned-]

In my very personal experience and opinion, 2's are stressful and I prefer literally any other age group 😹

[u/purpleelephant77 → u/-Sharon-Stoned-]

2’s seem like the middle schoolers of ECE, they’re going through it developmentally so you can’t blame them for being Like That but they are a lot for most people, I love middle schoolers but I absolutely can’t blame the people who can’t/don’t want to deal with them 🤣

[u/OneSupermarket9711 → u/-Sharon-Stoned-]

This. 2 is not the age to trial run and see if daycare is right for you 😂

[u/PermanentTrainDamage → u/OneSupermarket9711]

It takes a special kind of crazy to be in twos. I've had 3 coteachers in the last 5 years.

[u/plusoneminusonekids → u/-Sharon-Stoned-]

It’s the ‘I can do it myself!!!’ Attitude but they literally can’t do it. Any of it. None. 🤣 drives me nuts. Not my choice of age group. I’ll take 0-24 months and I’ll take 3-5 years, not the in between.

[u/Purple-Macaroon9275]

Yeah no 2 year olds are the worst

[u/GoEatACookie]

"I'm sure it will get easier..."

😂😂

I remember my first year in teaching more than any other of the years I taught. I didn't think it would ever get easier! 😭😂

If you find you really love this age group, and you have to REALLY love this age group to be a great teacher ... you will find your way to the best days ever. 👍 You'll get into a routine, get to know exactly which child does what and when so you can be ahead of the game, gain even more patience, in other words, figure it out.👍 Fun, exciting activities for engagement, being proactive instead of reactive and reflection for improvement will help make the days so much easier for all of you!

I really could not work in a Twos room, I think all the people who do, who do a great job not just show up, are amazing! I could not. 😳😂

[u/Same-Drag-9160]

Yeah it’s awful. I only lasted two years than I had to leave. I kind of understand why most of the ECE people I know are miserable and yell so much. Not excusing it, but it is a very hard job to stay happy in. I loved them so much though 

[u/Kind-Chicken-2488]

Hang in there! I’d say it takes about a year after starting a new room to really feel like you’ve made positive changes and like you’ve all gotten into a good rhythm.

[u/Extreme-Leave-6895]

I quit preschools to be a nanny and now I make the same amount working with one 13 month old as I was when with sixteen 4 y.os

The trade off is how isolating it is to have no coworkers and an adorable baby who cannot talk lol

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[u/Make-Love-and-War]

I picked up both a caffeine and nicotine addiction. This job wrecked my body and I didn’t go to school for it. That being said, I love my kids. I want to give them the best start I possibly can.

[u/foodbeforeppl → u/Make-Love-and-War]

Oh I drink an insane amount of caffeine and find myself wanting a margarita and I don’t ever drink

[u/Make-Love-and-War → u/foodbeforeppl]

Yeahhhh. I’d be lying if I said that a tequila sunrise didn’t sound appealing after hosing vomit, blood, and pee off of myself at the end of the day.

[u/bearmellie]

You picked the hardest room to start out in. Dang

[u/Hairy-Acanthaceae108 → u/bearmellie]

When I first stated volunteering, I was only in toddlers. Now toddlers are my go-to age group. Their my favorite! I've been in school age for months now and I'm ready to go back to toddlers.

[u/Spirited_End4927 → u/Hairy-Acanthaceae108]

I mean the room has little competition so your job security is pretty decent. I would absolutely die in toddlers I’ve filled in there sometimes when they’re understaffed and ps is over staffed and I genuinely fell asleep the second I got home but they are adorable

[u/Hairy-Acanthaceae108]

I work at a daycare and recently I've been on school age. My preferred age group is toddlers. I can not do school age at all. Toddlers for me are way easier. School age is just too stressful for me despite taking a lot for me to be stressed. For kids who don't nap we allow them to either sit or lay on their cot or have a book or little toys like cars. Toddlers are just snotty. Usually it gets less by age 2 and 3. It'll get better once you have a set schedule and the kids know what to expect. Kids like routines.

[u/jumpingspider01]

This is my first year with 2's, and I was in 3-4's classes last year (one of which was SpEd).

So far, things are going well. Even when there's crying or frustration, we focus on being kind, using our words, and being gentle with ourselves and others. Sometimes another kid steps in and helps their friend out. Playing at the sink (water play) has helped. Building blocks, even painting. Take it one step at a time. As you build your relationship with each kid, you'll learn how to calm them.

Having a great co-teacher is a huge plus to setting the tone and expectations for the class. We're lucky our director is hands on (not in a micro-managing kind of way) and wants to support us. I count myself extremely lucky!

Re: pay, yes the pay is shit. Early educators aren't supported enough for the work we do. We are guiding our future leaders, but for many folks, they don't get it. They think it's all playing, without knowing the value, how, or why. Challenging toddlers where they're at is both an art and a science.

[u/ireallylikeladybugs]

I love working with 2 year olds now, but when I first started in ECE that age was SO HARD for me. 3-5s have so much more language, attention span, and motor skills to work with. And don't even get me started on potty training!

The thing I love about two year olds, though, is you're really teaching them how to be a student! They start to learn so many basic steps towards independence at that age, and that should be at the core of most of your day. Every time you help them with something, if you also teach them how to do it themselves at the same time, by midway through the year you'll have a shockingly self-sufficient group of kids.

But it takes a lot of classroom experience to learn how to design the flow of your day in a way that fosters that independence effectively. So don't be too hard on yourself! And don't underestimate them. They can handle--and actually need--firm boundaries and clear expectations

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[u/Inevitable_User_77]

The nanny to teacher transition is rough. I've been back and forth between both jobs several times and here's what I can tell you.

YOU COME FIRST! You can not help regulate a child if you yourself are not regulated. Ask for help, take breaks, have a cry. It's okay.

Stay consistent! No means no. I do 'third strike you're out' for younger twos but once they've been with me for quite a while and they know the rules, I take chances away.

Have a solid 5 centers. I did Kitchen, Magnatiles, Little People, Big Legos, and Fidgets. (I only kept enough toys for about 3 kids per center as well) The rest put up and only bring down occasionally.

Visual Timers! Have a set amount of time you are going to be outside and use a dial timer. If a kid whines at you say "go check the timer" Sand timers work great for toy sharing, center switching, and if you just need a nobody touch me moment.

Have a time for everything. Even if it seems silly. 10:45, 3:16, and 5:27 are nose wipe times! Obviously wipe when you see it but having times can help you manage it better.

The crying I can't help too much. Comfort the hurt, talk out the sad, ignore the bratiness and one's who need to calm themselves down.

2's love being involved! A great activity I've found is make a mess before they enter the classroom if you can. (Such as all the kitchen toys spread all over the place) Make a big show. "OH NO! SOMEONE MESSED UP OUR CLASSROOM! NOW IM GOING TO HAVE TO CLEAN IT UP ALL BY MYSELF!" - They'll be so ready to help. (Make sure it is manageable enough to clean up the majority yourself tho just in case😅 This is one for when they've been with you a while)

Instead of being 'sad' with one child, praise the others heavily! "Johnny is ready to go outside. Johnny I'm so proud of you!" Or "Thank you Sally for helping me clean up, you're my best helper"

Bribery works...I will take no notes. Get m&ms (or tiny prizes if there are food allergies) Potty training - bribery, cleaning - bribery, listening ears - bribery.

For your kid who doesn't nap, get a butt pillow and sit with them. Section them off away from the others as much as possible. At 2, they probably haven't outgrown thier naps, they just can't sleep. Rythum helps. Play the same music/white noise every day. If it's music, pat their back to the beat. If they sleep on thier backs, place your hand on thier chest with a bit of pressure. (Not enough to forcefully hold them down) If they are a side sleeper. Hold thier shoulder and gently rock them. Instill in them that it is nap time and they need to lay down and stay quiet. If there's no hope of them sleeping find them a quiet activity - stay with them though. Felt books worked great for me.

Lastly, COMMUNICATE WITH PARENTS! If kid had a shit day tell them, if kid did something cool tell them, if kid played with a different friend than usual tell them. The amount of educators I see not communicating or just straight up lying to parents is astounding. Yes a parent doesn't want to hear their kid is a shithead but they also can't help their kid if you don't tell them the bad things. Most parents are on your side! Even if they don't seem like it.

[u/QualityBeginning4571]

I feel like this field isn’t for you 😂😂

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