In order to maintain a fun and positive environment in my childcare home, I must enforce a discipline policy.
Redirection will always be used first to try and redirect the child’s behavior away from what they are doing. I also believe in positive reinforcement comments when the child is behaving appropriately.
When a child’s behavior gets out of control, the following steps will be tried:
* Redirect child's attention
* Remove the offending toy
* Take the child to another room to try and redirect their attention
* Place the child in a brief time-out
Time-out may vary from a quiet time for all children, or if only one child is having a problem, sending that child to a quiet place to refocus their attention.
(1 minute per year of age- time out will not be used on children 18 months or younger unless requested by the parent/ guardian)
If the child and I cannot get a problem worked out together, I will ask for parent/ guardian assistance.
NEVER WILL ANY FORM OF PHYSICAL DISCIPLINE BE USED
If the above methods do not work and the child’s behavior is a constant disruption to the activities and the care of the other children, I will have no choice but to terminate care for the child. A courtesy of a two week notice will be given unless the behavior is harmful to the other children in care.
Biting Policy. explanations, and procedures regarding biting in the daycare home
A child biting another child can be one of the most difficult behaviors in group childcare. It can occur without warning, is difficult to defend against, and provokes strong emotional responses in the biter, the victim, the parents, and the caregivers involved.
For many toddlers, the biting stage is just a passing problem. Toddlers try it out as a way to get what they want from another toddler. They are in the process of learning what is socially acceptable and what is not. They discover that biting is a sure-fire way to cause the other child to drop what they are holding so the biter can pick it up.
However, they experience the disapproval of the adults nearby and eventually learn other ways of gaining possession of objects or expressing difficult feelings. For other children, biting is a persistent and chronic problem. They may bite for a variety of reasons: teething, frustration, boredom, inadequate language skills, stress or change in the environment, feeling threatened, or to feel a sense of power.
No matter what the cause, biting in a group situation causes strong feelings with all involved. It does help, however, to be aware of the potential problem before it happens, and to form a plan of action if it does occur. The provider, after consulting child care experts and manuals, has developed the following plan of action to be used if and when biting occurs.
When a Child is bitten:
For the biter:
1. The biter is immediately removed with no emotion, using words such as “biting is not okay – it hurts.” Avoid any immediate response that reinforces the biting calls attention to the biter. The caring attention is focused on the victim.
2. The biter is not allowed to return to the play and is talked to on a level that the child can understand. “I can see that you want that truck, but I can’t let you hurt him. We don’t put our teeth on people.”Or “That hurts Johnny when you bite him, he is sad.”
3. Redirect the child to other play.
4. Write an accident report and notify the parents of the biter.
For the victim:
1. Separate the victim from the biter.
2. Comfort the child.
3. Administer first aid.
4. Write an accident report and notify parents of the victim (in writing).
Reporting Requirements
As a childcare provider I am a mandated reporter to the Department of Human Services. If I feel that a child is being abused or neglected I am required to report it. Always be sure to let the provider know when you drop off if there are any unexplained bumps, bruises, scratches, or cuts. All children who come in with unexplained injuries will have them logged into their file.