I’ve noticed with the children that I have worked with, taking a moment away form the area that was overstimulating them is a great first step, then taking some deep breaths, and trying their best communicate why they are feeling such big emotions. I stay calm throughout it all and make sure they know that their emotions are okay.

If I start feeling compassion fatigue I know that I need a minute alone to focus on myself, so maybe I would ask my coworker to cover a break for me, or to spend a weekend doing restful and relaxing things, so that I can come back to center ready to provide compassion for others.

Responsive exchanges that I want to use is listening to a child when they speak or have a request for me to play with them. I want to encourage participation from the children and build connections with them to help them to know that they are safe.

I find that time outside in nature, deep breathing, and spending time with friends are all great ways for me to recoup when I have had a demanding day working with children.

By staying positive with the children and engaging in the things things that they like to do connections can form over time. Children do ultimately take time to warm up to new caregivers, but demonstrating patience, kindness, and positivity even during difficult behaviors will help them to learn that you are a trusted adult.

Yes, written guidelines help to remind everyone what to do in case of an emergency such as illness, fire, or earthquake, etc.

A single crib with a firm mattress. No blankets, excess clothes, crib padding, or toys in the crib with the infant.

Having stretch breaks imbedded into the time that children are playing, encouraging physically active games like simon says for older children or head shoulders knees and toes for the younger children. Having children do games like that throughout the day makes physical activity feel fun.

By singing when washing hands or eating foods. Celebrating healthy eating or safe habits like walking in the hallway can positively reinforce the child.

I would first start by giving a warm welcome and showing them around the classroom. I would show them where the exits are and the sinks/cabinets that have extra supplies and potentially more dangerous items like cleaning spray. Then I would show them our first aid kits and emergency preparedness kits. Finally I would let them know that our… Read more

Report to CPS. They are the ones that will investigate to see if the injuries to the child were accidental or on purpose. If you do not report when there are signs of abuse, you as a childcare provider could be charged for not reporting it.

I worry most about them falling and hurting their head. Brain trauma, especially for infants who have softer heads, is really scary and I don’t want anything like that to happen on my watch.

Making sure to have open communication and no surprises will make sure the families feel that they know what kind of care their child is receiving. I also think that building trust takes time, the same way it does with a child. Making sure not to overwhelm the family, but rather providing consistent honest information while you build… Read more

If I was a parent I would want the childcare providers to… (1.) Nurture and care for my child, by paying attention to them and supporting them in their learning (2.) Respect my and my child’s boundaries, so not forcing them to do anything that they don’t want to do (3.) Help my child explore new things and be exposed to new activities

By planning activities that are developmentally appropriate for the age group is always a good place to start, but also by trying circle time when reading a book, or a game when we have to clean up the room, or allowing the children chances to share about their lives outside of the classroom such as show and tell.

A good daily schedule is predictable, but flexible. I think that having a good mix of free choice and more structured activities will ensure that the children get to explore while also having some times where they work with other children or try a specific type of activity. I also think that having smooth transitions can help, so singing while… Read more

A good early learning environment is functional and nurturing, but one of the most important aspects is if it is safe. By placing furniture strategically, children can be seen at all times by their educators and to slow the movement of traffic to encourage walking feet.

First by approaching in a way that is respectful and shows a sense of care for the child and the family, then using words that show that parents and educators are a team. After stating your concerns, ask for their input, then both of us can think of potential ways forward, and ultimately it is important to remind the family that you and… Read more

Conducting observations ensure that educators are taking time to intentionally focus on what one specific child is doing. And then by documenting these observations, the educator is able to see the progress that a specific child is making and then sharing that information with the child’s parents or center leadership. By looking at a… Read more

I think screen time in early childhood settings should be extremely limited. Children learn language, socioemotional skills, and executive function skills by interacting with people (peers and caregivers) in person, face-to-face. By limiting any screen time in the early childhood learning center, then parents of older children (3-5 years of… Read more

Early childhood educators can create serve and return situations for older children by asking questions that are developmentally appropriate for the children to respond to. If the child is younger joint attention can create serve and return situations where the child can reach or point to an object and because the educator is also looking at… Read more