I can help children regulate their emotions by practicing calming strategies when they are calm so they know what some options are when they are upset. Some of my favorites to use (that I use with my own child) are sea-life calming strategies such as clam-shell cuddle (hugging yourself) and puffer-fish puff (puffing in lots of air, holding… Read more

I have been quite careful in this new job to “not take it home with me” so as to not get compassion fatigue, since I have experienced that working with children before. That said, this daycare does not have a lot of children experiences huge numbers of ACEs. Most live in middle-class homes, frequently with both parents, and have their needs… Read more

I am going to visualize this scale with positive and negative experiences and the fulcrum that is decided by genetics. In exchanges with kids, I will want to focus on what I can do to build safe relationships, and to show consistent responsiveness and care that builds trust, and hopefully, resilience. With my own child, I could be more… Read more

I find that finding activities to turn off my brain for a bit help me to decompress during breaks, like scrolling on a phone, adding things to my grocery order, or watching a show. It is a mental break, that leads to natural responses like slower heart rate, deep breathing, etc. I also find that making sure my needs are met throughout the day… Read more

I would offer the phrase “connection over correction” in many instances. As childcare providers, we tend to jump to the negative behavior as our focus or constantly correct children who are struggling to understand rules or put them into practice. Connecting first can open the gates of communication for children and get to the root cause… Read more

When children continue dangerous behaviors like hitting or biting, and parents are spoken to, having written guidelines would be important to reference for parents. Children who continue dangerous behaviors should be sent home if measures taking in the childcare setting cannot help them to make safe choices. If parents are upset about this,… Read more

For a two-month-old infant, a safe crib or portable crib (like a Pack and Play) are the safest places to sleep. The crib needs to be single-level, include a snuggly fitting mattress, with sheets that are tight and not loose. Also, baby needs to be placed on their back, with no loose clothing or crib decor like pillows.

In our area, outdoor play is sometimes challenging because we have four somewhat drastic seasons such as temperatures over 100 degrees in summer and at or below zero, with or without snow, in the winter. In order to continue physical activity indoors during this time, having options such as freeze dance parties, or child yoga and exercise… Read more

I like to sing a song about washing hands while children wash to remind them to actually use the soap instead of just rinsing it down the sink. I sing “Tops and bottoms, tops and bottoms, in between, in between” to the tune of Frere Jaques and it ends with “and now they’re clean” which is really fun and, and an appropriate amount of time to… Read more

I would highlight the locked doors on all the closets that might have high items, tripping hazards, or cleaning solutions that are stored out of reach of children. I would also point out the secure fence (that isn’t chain link, so people cannot easily see into it) around the outdoor play areas, and the cleanliness of the bathrooms for… Read more

In previous jobs, I was also a mandated reporter, and made a variety of calls to CPS, and filled out many a written statement for my employer as well. Some of these turned out to be nothing, while others involved serious harm to a child. In any instance, the report itself is justified, and doesn’t lead to unsafe circumstances. I had been scared… Read more

Generally, I worry about children having massive injuries from doing something unsafe, or from freak accidents like a child running on sidewalk that then trips and cracks their head open. For safety, I want to make sure that children are physically safe, and that they also feel physically safe, because the second is not always the case for… Read more

I suggest being genuine and authentic. This creates honesty and openness in communication so there isn’t the need to feel like you’re hiding something from the families. For example, if a family asks about your personal beliefs, instead of saying “I can’t talk about that at work”, give a generic and still true answer that doesn’t break… Read more

For my young child, I would value the most important things as somebody who values bodily autonomy and physical safety (no physical discipline), allowing for differences and acceptance of all family types and beliefs, and somebody who my child will feel safe with, and who communicates with me about any times she doesn’t feel safe.My three… Read more

Some of the ways I like to get children engaged in meaningful learning is to allow for creating of something they can use later or take home. For example, if art is generally boring, but a group of students likes to make music or various noise toys, a simple activity to blend the two is by making shakers or rain sticks. Toilet paper rolls,… Read more

I think having areas where children can go to be independently doing things is especially important. They can safely decide to participate in an area, and do so without help. A good example is art or science centers or areas. Many times, children need supervision (in the preschool environment) for art activities because there is a project or… Read more

Firstly, documenting observations of a child’s behaviors and progress in various areas is helpful. Written record (or video record) to review is helpful to create objective observations rather than starting statements with opinions or words like “I feel like your child might need…”, which is not helpful. Scripting the conversation with… Read more

Observing a child with intention rather than simply for safety in the environment is useful because it can help providers determine if the child is having meaningful experiences related to the domains of development that will help them continue on with their development in the social, emotional, intellectual and physical areas. Documenting… Read more

I do not think screen time should be used in childcare at all, aside from sick children waiting to be picked up by parents, or to show a picture or video (under 5 minutes) for something educational such as seeing a picture of an animal that cannot be found in materials or books. While short programs are probably not harmful after 2 years of age,… Read more

Care providers can create a “serve and return” environment by noticing the children’s interests and supporting them with positive facial expressions, or directing the focus toward the interest, and playing with them. Providers should also remain as consistent as possible in meeting the child’s needs (return) so that the child sees the patterns… Read more

The WAC 110-300-0030 talks about non-discrimination on the basis of race, religion, sex, and more. The WACs mostly give the law regarding non-discrimination, and state that a center must have a non-discrimination policy listed. The WACs and information for this course also talk about including diverse students, and ways to do so such as the… Read more

While reading the WACs, I discovered that they were way more in-depth about the fine points of childcare in the state than I expected. For example I didn’t realize that licensing was required for children all the way up to 12 years of age. For WAC 110-300, I was surprised to learn that the four-hour rule for licensing for preschools was a… Read more