Give Me 5 for Friday: 5 Useful Tips When Dealing with a Crying Baby/Toddler

It's Friday, yo!!!  Do you know what time it is?

It's time for....(insert drumroll here)

GIVE ME 5 FOR FRIDAY!  (cue deafening applause)

Well, I have a home daycare and that means that I deal with babies and toddlers all the time.  I get to hold them, cuddle them,  make them coo and smile, watch them learn and grow...and listen to them cry.  Oh, and can they cry.  There is nothing like a miserable, fussy baby to make you want to hit the bottle feel a little flustered.

Have you ever dealt with this and you didn't know what to do?  Well, look no further.  I am here to help. 

For Give Me 5 for Friday, here are 5 useful tips when dealing with a crying baby or toddler. 

Disclaimer: These may case injury to yourself or may scar the children for life.  Or they might just work.  Try them at your own risk.

1.  Do the M.C. Hammer dance. 
What?  Yes, trust me.  Kids like this.  They will laugh.  And if not, you will have a little fun.  For full effect, try to play U Can't Touch This while dancing.  Most kids like this song.  Who doesn't?  By the way,  you see my 22 month old "break it down".

Here it is.  You're welcome.



2.  Sing show tunes.
Sinatra's New York, New York is always a hit.  By the time I get to the verse "These vagabond shoes...", there are always a few smiles.  And...if it doesn't work, you can always use it as a threat.  "Stop crying or I am going to sing show tunes again."

3.  Start to cry. 
Don't really cry.  Well, you can if you want to.  But for some reason, these sick little you know whats love it when other people cry.  Kids just think that's hysterical.  So when they are all crying, I sit and start to pretend to cry...and I put on a real show too.  You know what happens?  SILENCE.  They all stare.  Then when I remove my hands from my face to take a peek at them, the little brats are smiling.

4.  Play the name game.
You know, like "Let's do Katie.  Katie, Katie bo Batie, banana fana fo Fatie..."
My kids and the kids I care for LOVE this.  We could play this for hours...and hourrrrrssssssssssss.  Oh sorry, my eyes were starting to glaze over for a minute there.

5.  This is a last resort and it's for the little babies...the newbies.  Talk in the highest pitched, most annoying voice you can imagine.  They like that.  Adults will want to drop kick you in the teeth...but the little ones will enjoy it (for some unknown reason that will always remain a mystery to mankind).

So there you have it.  These tips are so money that I know they will work.  And if they don't, then you are a failure.  No, you're not...but you are horrible with kids.  Just kidding again. 

But seriously, let me know if you try any of these and if they work.  If you need additional assistance, please contact me.  I guess I could put together an instructional video of me doing the M.C. Hammer and/or singing show tunes.  I bet there would be a real market for that.