Having visual aids with emotions on them can help, as can giving the children space to react and express their emotions in ways other than words. Give them something to throw, a fidget toy to play with, or something to help them channel the emotion outwards. Go outside, get physically active, and describe the process of regulation as you do it.

When I experience compassion fatigue, I reconnect with myself and my loved ones. I seek comfort and care. I ask for help. I discuss it with friends and coworkers.

One of the best ways to have a responsive exchange is to be present, focused, and listen. Kids just want to be heard, and observing and spending time with them is the best way to be responsive to their wants and needs.

I’ve started doing yoga and meditating every day before work. This puts me in a calm, patient headspace and helps me to focus on the things I want out of the day by setting an intention. I’ve also started doing this with students. I make sure that I am fed and watered at work and take time out of my day to soothe myself when I soothe children.… Read more

Building connection with kids takes time and patience. It’s easy to get frustrated as an ECE, but it’s important to remember that kids, just like us, are figuring out how to be people in real time. Getting to know them, realize that they look to you for help, comfort, security, information, etc., can be really helpful for building… Read more

Yes! Super important for safety, sanitation, reporting procedures, and other times when regulations are helpful!

A crib or bassinet with a soft, firm mattress that spans the whole crib.

Engage with the kids! As a teacher, part of your job is being awake and physically active. Resting well, eating adequately, and staying healthy are crucial. I also like to integrate things that I enjoy doing into our physical routine. Lately, for example, the kids have been “becoming animals” or “doing animal poses,” where I take them through… Read more

You can talk about how good having healthy habits can feel, make a game of it, and emphasize that being healthy makes us happy! I like to model these behaviors and talk about how I find enjoyment in healthy habits. They don’t have to be a chore!

I would highlight out ratio of caregiver to child, which, in my current placement, is around 7:1. I would highlight our cleaning procedures, our organized classrooms, the amount of supervision we provide, the warm coworking environment, and the selection of toys that we have. Everything in the center is carefully selected with the child’s… Read more

If I suspect child abuse and neglect, I would inform my co-teachers, my director, and start doing paperwork to get CPS and other agencies involved. A large part of stopping abuse is reporting it. This is always the first, and most important, step.

I often worry about my kids getting sick. As we enter a period where measles and other previously eradicated communicable diseases are on the rise, I fear greatly for the health and safety of myself and my students.

A good partnership relies on regular communication and checking in. At least once a week I want to have a conversation with each parent longer than 5 minutes about their child, how things are at home, and how things are at school. Good relationships rely on collaboration. As a childcare provider, I often find that families are eager to leave… Read more

I want compassion, dependability, and joy from my child’s provider. I want school to be a fun, secure, safe place where they can have many happy memories. The main things I fear when sending my child to school is exposure to potential bullying and interpersonal difficulties. I also worry that they will not treat the childcare providers with… Read more

I love to engage children by being excited about what they are excited about. I love to ask them what they’re doing, answer and ask “why” questions, and get involved with the learning they are doing. I show them different ways to hold or manipulate something, or play side by side with them so they can get a better understanding of the ways… Read more

My main advice for creating and maintaining a daily schedule is to give yourself plenty of time to transition. It’s really important for transitions to be lengthy and part of the routine. Kids should understand that transitions are about moving from one place or activity for the next, but they should not be rushed. Generally, difficulties… Read more

Functionality is one of my most important components of early learning. As an educator, I have seen many learning aids, toys, etc., that are not useful in developing any real skills. Having a functional room that allows children to develop functional skills — conversational, physical, social, intellectual, emotional — are of utmost… Read more

I would approach parents with a conversation about how we can best support their child. Many parents may have a negative view of developmental screenings, but I like to reframe it as a positive support for the child, rather than a way to differentiate them from the “norm.” I would also discuss how screenings work and why I think it would… Read more

Observing and documenting a child’s development helps childcare providers by giving them a non-memory based way to reflect upon, and plan around, the child’s development. It gives a more complete picture of the different domains of development and can show, when looked at as a whole, a picture of the child’s overall development. It’s a great way… Read more

I don’t think kids should have screen time during childcare. The world is wonderful. I didn’t have screens, and kids that young don’t need them. They’ll be taught when they need it.

When parents are consistently late to pick up their child, I think it is smart for the program to implement a late fee. I also think talking with the parent is important, and if necessary, collaborating with their employer so they can pick up their child from work. Childcare is a community effort, and that includes supporting parents who… Read more

What did you discover about the WACs while completing the activityWere you surprised by any of the WACs? Can you see how the WACs will influence your day-to-day practice in caring for children? Why or why not? I discovered that the WACs are extremely comprehensive. I was surprised to see that there were WACs not just for who could be licensed,… Read more