The most important part of operating any child care program is to create an environment that provides comfort and a sense of community. School Age programs are often run in shared spaces, and so the flexibility in the environment is not as feasible as it would be in a permanent space. This encourages staff to think about the materials and structures that they can bring in, and the learning opportunities that they can provide to help meet the needs of each child. Using structures from Conscious Discipline® has guided our program in creating an environment that everyone feels a part of, and the individual child is acknowledged and supported.
We believe it is essential to make a point of greeting each child by name. Most of the children will opt to give us a high five or fist pump with the greeting, and some children choose to have a no touch greeting. Whatever the child chooses, the emphasis is on personal acknowledgment and a recognition that we are happy they are here. When there are a larger number of children in our care, too often we can lose track of names or specific personal details of the children.
This is a beautifully written book about a family’s most difficult choice during pregnancy. Choosing Naia is a very detailed account of a family’s choice to continue their pregnancy when they are faced with uncertainty. Not only is Naia’s story explained with fear, excitement, and love but many facts about Down Syndrome and the true love it can bring you are shared throughout this read.
“A Survival Guide to life with little children!” Could this be true?
