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View Poll Results: What is your least favorite age to work with?
Birth to 1 year 23 30.67%
2 year olds 6 8.00%
3 year olds 11 14.67%
4 year olds 12 16.00%
5 years and up 42 56.00%
Multiple Choice Poll. Voters: 75. You may not vote on this poll
Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>Least favorite age to work with?
Cat Herder 09:55 AM 10-29-2014
What is your least favorite age to work with and why?

This is not about what age you won't keep. Just which one is the most difficult for you individually.

We all have a favorite, but have you thought about what is our least favorite??

For fun and thought.... Poll will not give usernames. Multiple choices allowed.
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KiddieCahoots 10:05 AM 10-29-2014
Birth to 1yr.
I love to start with babies and feel they can mesh more easily into the routine of the daycare as they get older, but..... I am very active and always on the go, and sitting with the babes gets me all claustrophobic feeling after a while.
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Cat Herder 10:07 AM 10-29-2014
I'll go first. KiddieCahoots beat me.. You go girl!!!

3 year olds. The regression, the talking back, the defiance, the arguing, non-stop animal noises, the bullying/exclusion phases.... it wears me out.

Can I handle it, sure... but I feel it at the end of the day.
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daycarediva 10:08 AM 10-29-2014
4's. They're louder, wilder, mouthier, harder to entertain and USUALLY screen addicts.

I love 2's and 3's.
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Play Care 10:08 AM 10-29-2014
So, since I didn't read the directions , I didn't realize I could have multiple choices...

I am NOT an infant provider. I have a 6 month old now, and he is sweet, but WORK. And of course he's on his own schedule, which usually is opposite of what everyone else is on
I am NOT a school aged provider. I have two SA boys currently and I'm trying to find a way to get out of providing care. Rough, smart mouthed, and the WORDS and SASS they bring home from recess and the bus. Lord, give me strength!!!
Give me toddlers and preschoolers (I was a preschool teacher in a former life )
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daycarediva 10:10 AM 10-29-2014
Originally Posted by Play Care:
So, since I didn't read the directions , I didn't realize I could have multiple choices...

I am NOT an infant provider. I have a 6 month old now, and he is sweet, but WORK. And of course he's on his own schedule, which usually is opposite of what everyone else is on
I am NOT a school aged provider. I have two SA boys currently and I'm trying to find a way to get out of providing care. Rough, smart mouthed, and the WORDS and SASS they bring home from recess and the bus. Lord, give me strength!!!
Give me toddlers and preschoolers (I was a preschool teacher in a former life )
This too.

I'm SUPER SELECTIVE about my sa. I don't take infants at all, ever.
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Blackcat31 10:12 AM 10-29-2014
There was no option for age 25-35.

Just young enough to still have a bit of a rose tint left in their glasses but old enough to start realizing the difference between the little things and the big things.
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Blackcat31 10:12 AM 10-29-2014
Birth to age 1

NOT my cup of tea.

Personally, I don't like the neediness of that age.
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Country Kids 10:19 AM 10-29-2014
Birth to 18 months/2 years. Its not that its a least favorite age but the hardest for me to work with due to having a preschool. Maybe if I just had two children this age and no others it would be fine.

I enjoy all the other ages because of their ever changing personalities, stages, speech, ability to do things, etc.
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nannyde 10:26 AM 10-29-2014
I prefer babies. The younger the better.
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jenboo 10:28 AM 10-29-2014
I love birth- 1 and I love 4 yr olds.
Not a fan of 2-3 yr olds (I have 5 of these in boy version right now) and once that 5 th birthday comes, I'm done!!
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melilley 10:29 AM 10-29-2014
3 year olds for sure!!! They have always been the most difficult age to work with, even when I worked in a center (only a select few wanted to work in the 3 year old room). My reasons are the same as CatHerder mentioned.

With the exception of one period of time, I have always been a lead infant or toddler teacher in the centers that I worked before opening my in home and love that age. I have rarely worked with sa children and do not provide care for that age group.
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Indoorvoice 10:44 AM 10-29-2014
I love, love, love babies and young toddlers! I want to throw my own 4 year old out the window right now.
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Baby Beluga 10:48 AM 10-29-2014
Originally Posted by altandra:
I love, love, love babies and young toddlers! I want to throw my own 4 year old out the window right now.


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Silly Songs 11:05 AM 10-29-2014
I chose 5and up. That is for a group though. One at that age I would tolerate, but they always argue with one another. I like 3`s the best.
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KidGrind 11:06 AM 10-29-2014
I can’t do Talk Backs ever….

4 is the oldest.
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DaveA 11:19 AM 10-29-2014
School agers. They drive me nuts.
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Kabob 11:30 AM 10-29-2014
I usually don't like the under 1 group since I have never had any luck with parents telling me the truth and/or putting effort into getting them on a schedule for daycare. My own 4 month old has been perfect for daycare so far because she's been on my daycare schedule since I reopened. Easy peasy. If every baby were on my daycare schedule and were as comfortable playing on the floor like her, then I'd be fine with this group...

Nothing can make me want to take SA again though. The parents could be angels and the kids could poop gold, but I just don't think they are as easily entertained as the younger kids and they just are so sassy. I blame today's electronics and parenting...but still...not fun trying to squeeze in activities for the 5+ age group with toddlers and babies in tow
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Bookworm 01:01 PM 10-29-2014
I love love love my 4s. 2-3 yr olds drive me crazy with wanting to be a big boy/girl one minute and a baby the next. Throw in the constant whining and crying and I'm done.
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AuntTami 01:03 PM 10-29-2014
I didn't realize I could choose multiples- oops. The 3-4 range is difficult for me. The independence, the back talk, the defiance.... It drives me crazy. I'd LOVE a daycare full of infants under a year old!
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e.j. 01:40 PM 10-29-2014
I checked 5 and up. There are always exceptions to the rule but in general, the kids tend to get a little mouthy by this age. Non-stop potty jokes get really old fast! By the time most of my 5 year olds are ready to start kindergarten, I'm usually more than ready to say goodbye.
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CraftyMom 02:22 PM 10-29-2014
5 and up, but even 4 year olds these days can be just as bad.

I love my little ones, toddlers are my fave (1and 2). I love babies, but in a mixed group it's difficult.
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Heidi 03:05 PM 10-29-2014
I picked babies and 5 year olds, but it's conditional.

I would prefer to only enroll babies, but I don't really love the whole feeding-pooping-neediness part of it. I dont' normally advertise that. I actually prefer to enroll them as early as possible, to be honest, even though it's not my favorite age. I just like to train them early. Toddlers, with all their tempers and frustrations, are actually my favorite (yes, especially if I had them the first year).

I also picked 5 year olds, but it really depends on the kiddo. One of my favorite occasional drop-ins is a just 6 year old, and I'd take her here anytime, any day. In fact, I'd keep that child if they'd give her over. She's an "old soul" though, so it doesn't matter how old she is. She's an adult in a kid's body.
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EchoMom 03:38 PM 10-29-2014
You forgot one year olds on your poll. That's what I would choose as least favorite.

Birth to 1 can be delightful or a pain, just depends on the baby.

2s are pretty good. They start talking well, can do some activitIes, comprehend alot, can start to be helpful. However, I hate changing those diapers!!!

3s are great too for same reasons as 2s but even better. However, I hate the little boys AND girls spraying, missing, and dripping pee on toilet.

4s are too big, don't nap, and get bored with baby stuff. I CANNOT deal with a 4 year old I didn't raise since younger.


But ONE year old toddlers are a PAIN. They can climb out of things, screech, demand, tantrum, don't comprehend much, are never helpful, and still put things in their mouth. Plus this is the age most prone to injury but can't be put away as easily as an infant.
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Butter Biskets 04:32 PM 10-29-2014
I love the babies. My least favorite is 3 and 4 year olds. I even prefer school agers to them.
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Unregistered 05:55 PM 10-29-2014
Originally Posted by Play Care:
So, since I didn't read the directions , I didn't realize I could have multiple choices...

I am NOT an infant provider. I have a 6 month old now, and he is sweet, but WORK. And of course he's on his own schedule, which usually is opposite of what everyone else is on
I am NOT a school aged provider. I have two SA boys currently and I'm trying to find a way to get out of providing care. Rough, smart mouthed, and the WORDS and SASS they bring home from recess and the bus. Lord, give me strength!!!
Give me toddlers and preschoolers (I was a preschool teacher in a former life )
I don't enjoy school age either. I'm actually a licensed teacher. My student teaching and the subbing I did after that was the worst six months of my life. I can not handle children over six years old. They're just too set in their way. In my area, the children are just too mature. Cursing is ok with a lot of the parents. I would do home and cry every day. I'll never forget sending a child to the principal for cursing and other rude behavior. He came back with the note. The note was from the principal and said "I know you're fresh off student teaching, but only send students to the office when you have real problems. My office is very busy". Thankfully, I was hired by a hs shortly after that. I knew teaching was not for me. When I first opened, I took school age children over the summer. I thought it would be better, because it was my own business also where I live is much a better area than where I student taught. While there was no cursing, there was rudeness. I couldn't handle the "Mrs. Smith doesn't do that. You're doing it wrong"s or the "We don't do this at school!"s. Anyone 7 and up and I don't want.
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sharlan 06:17 PM 10-29-2014
My absolute least favorite is school aged boys. I am so done with that age group that I really doubt I will ever take another one.

There was a reason why God didn't give me any sons.
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daycare 07:02 PM 10-29-2014
my least favorite age to work with is PARENT AGE...........


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DaveA 03:56 AM 10-30-2014
Originally Posted by daycare:
my least favorite age to work with is PARENT AGE...........

WE HAVE A WINNER!!!!!!!!!!
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Josiegirl 04:19 AM 10-30-2014
I voted for 4 yos, only because they're still with you most of the time and have learned sassy mouthy ways. It's not that I find any certain age group more difficult, I think it's the mixed age group. If I had all SA or all 1 yo, etc., it'd be different.
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MyAngels 06:54 AM 10-30-2014
I chose 4s and 5s, mostly because in the FCC setting with younger kids they're just loud, rambunctious and ready to move on to a more age appropriate setting.

My favorite ages are birth to about 2 1/2, though the tiny babies give me a lot of anxiety until they are out of the prime SIDS risk timeframe.
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Blackcat31 06:55 AM 10-30-2014
Originally Posted by Blackcat31:
There was no option for age 25-35.

Just young enough to still have a bit of a rose tint left in their glasses but old enough to start realizing the difference between the little things and the big things.
Originally Posted by daycare:
my least favorite age to work with is PARENT AGE...........

LOL! That was my answer too....

Definitely the worst age to have to deal with.
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hope 07:09 AM 10-30-2014
My least favorite is 30 + (the parents).

SA are not for me unless it's a play date for my own. It seems SA are just too mouthy and sneaky. Most don't know how to run around in the yard and use their imagination.

I also am not fond of 3 year olds. This is the age they really start to test their parents and the parents think it's cute.
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Luvnmykidz 07:22 AM 10-30-2014
I chose birth to 1. It really depends on the child and the parents though. Some l ittles adjust to the expectations of the FCC provider fairly easily regardless of the home life/schedule. Some are extremely in need of a 1:1 and that makes it harder until you term or they adjust. Also any child 5 and up is hard to deal with, unless they are ones that have been in care from at least 2, are my own kids, or have parents that are very similar with my expectations in regards to behavior/respect. Its sad that parents do not take the time to encourage and enforce respect, accountability, and kindness into their children. I do have a dcb who is 6, his parents call him grandpa. He is an old soul for sure. He is so well mannered and behaved.
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Unregistered 05:21 PM 10-30-2014
Birth to 1yr. Nope not for me!
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daycare 06:54 PM 10-30-2014
Originally Posted by Blackcat31:
LOL! That was my answer too....

Definitely the worst age to have to deal with.
Hahhahaa!! Love it.
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KidGrind 07:07 AM 10-31-2014
Originally Posted by daycare:
my least favorite age to work with is PARENT AGE...........

Brillant.
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KiddieCahoots 07:14 AM 10-31-2014
Originally Posted by Cat Herder:
I'll go first. KiddieCahoots beat me.. You go girl!!!
3 year olds. The regression, the talking back, the defiance, the arguing, non-stop animal noises, the bullying/exclusion phases.... it wears me out.

Can I handle it, sure... but I feel it at the end of the day.
..........Don't know how this happened! I usually come in posting about the main thread, after the thread has gone onto a totally different angle.
The light bulb takes time to warm up
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TaylorTots 07:25 AM 10-31-2014
I voted for 3 ages, sorry if it throws it off.

3.5 years and up and I'm stressed - so 3, 4, 5... but most early 3s are good. I hate the battle 3.5+ kids give me as well as the attitude (we live in a posh area where no one's S*** stinks and all the parents definitely teach their kids in kind).
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Tags:ages, child development, stages of development
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