To help children recognize their emotions and help them with responses, we use emotion rocks or charts to show how we are feeling, We use open ended questions and don’t make assumptions how the child is feeling. During circle time we read books about the main characters going through big emotions and talk about what they did to feel better and… Read more

When you start feeling compassion fatigue, you need to set boundaries in your mind for what you can handle and what you cannot. If you have a coworker who constantly offloads their trauma on you you can firmly say that sympathize but cannot spare the emotional capacity at the moment. You can refer them to trained resources. When it comes… Read more

Some responsive exchanges you can have with a child who is stressed is to get down to their level, give them your whole attention and listen. You can share techniques like slowly drinking a cup of water together, taking a deep breath together, and saying some encouraging words to the child. this will help them feel not only heard but also supported.

I enjoy playing with my cat, pets are known stress relievers and can help with stimulating the release of oxytocin. I also practice deep breathing, elevating my legs and taking a walk while listening to an audiobook.

I would advise that they get down to the child’s physical level and employ active listening strategies. Children will serve and it’s important to return their serve even if its with a short word of encouragement or acknowledgement of their actions. Your attention or remembrance of things about them can mean a lot to children.

Written guidelines can be useful in childcare programs when it comes to how to follow emergency procedures, medication, where to evacuate to, menus in the program, and how to respond to unsafe behavior. These are important because having all the staff on the same page builds a sense of stability for the children.

a crib with a firm mattress that touches all sides of the crib. No plush toys or similar items around the child.

My tips for creating a developmentally appropriate, fun and active classroom are to have a movement corner where children can use yoga mats (with yoga pose cards) balance boards and “weights”. It would also be fun to include a movement break in between periods of classwork like everyone dancing in a circle or playing the freeze game. We can… Read more

We can make healthy habits fun by using task-specific songs to initiate them, reading books about healthy habits and sometimes using fun colored and scented products like soap and kid’s flavored toothpaste.

I would show the parent that allergy information and medication lists are stored in a secure space easily accessible to staff, (but not to children), talk to them about staff/child ratios and our regular fire and earthquake drills, I would show them our outdoor space and the equipment that is disinfected daily.

I would document what I have noticed and heard, inform a lead or supervisor and call CPS.

My biggest worry about keeping children healthy and safe is that another child might share food with a child with severe food allergies

To create and maintain a good relationship between families and providers, providers should respect the family as experts on their own individual child, foster regular and open communication, keep parents up to date on their child’s progress, and always remember to emphasize the child’s strengths.

I would want a warm and caring attitude from my child’s care provider, a safe and clean learning environment, and support for their individual needs. I would be fearful of my child being ignored, them not being stimulated enough and as a consequence start hating school, and an unsafe environment

I would encourage the use of open-ended questions in the classroom, and encourage children to ask questions about the day’s theme during circle time. Providing children a way to speak freely about their thoughts can be a way for them to participate more actively in learning.

Balance activities between quiet-active, teacher-led and child-initiated, recess and indoor time. It is important to follow the same schedule every week to give the children a sense of comfort and predictability.

I think it’s especially important to create an environment where the teacher can easily observe everything that is going on in the classroom. It is also very important to have a variety of materials to engage all kinds of children.

Before approaching a parent about a developmental screening, it is important to have a plan of what you are going to say, you can practice with a coworker. Present the evidence as facts and not your opinions. Have local resources and referrals ready so parents know what to do next. You must assure parents of your confidentiality.

Observing and documenting a child’s development helps providers understand where the child is on the learning continuum, and identify any delays if they arise. They can then develop a strategy for scaffolding and make a plan for progress.

Screen time has more detrimental than positive effects. Common media geared toward children often is bright, overstimulating, and has a very fast frame rate. This can harm their attention span and is addictive, harming their relationship building skills.

Early learning providers can create a serve and return environment by responding in a supportive way to what the child is showing interest in, ex. using encouraging words and smiling. They can also help by giving children a chance to initiate and end their own activities by learning their signals. Waiting for children to respond can help… Read more

I would speak with Mrs. Hopkins about the reason why she is often late, and see if we can work out a strategy to support her (eg. Transfer the child to a branch that has longer hours) I would also remind her of staff and school policies.

What did you discover about the WACs while completing the activity?Were 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?1. I discovered that the WACs are very in-depth and specific, but also designed to be easily understood. 110-300-0005 was very helpful… Read more