Bright Beginnings Childcare Services, Inc. believes that each child should experience success. We strive for a classroom setting that provides children with opportunities to explore and learn within consistent, age-appropriate limits. In this type of environment, most behavioral issues are prevented. If behavioral issues do occur, our approach is to help children learn human values, problem solving skills and to take responsibility for their own actions. By using the following appropriate guidance techniques, we strive to minimize inappropriate behavior while creating a positive environment for all of our children.

1. Classroom Management
   Teachers will manage individual classrooms by:
   • Setting reasonable expectations for children’s behavior based on their developmental levels and individual differences.
   • Maintaining consistent supervision.
   • Modeling and reinforcing appropriate behavior.
   • Getting to know each child’s needs.
   • Providing interesting, challenging, age-appropriate things to do.
   
   
2. Redirecting / Distraction
   We will offer alternatives to children who are behaving inappropriately by offering them a different toy, suggesting a new area or activity, engaging the child in an activity with a teacher or another child, or by suggesting independent play.
   
   
3. Ignoring
   Some negative behavior is produced by a child to get attention. It can be stopped when it does not get the attention desired. We will utilize this technique unless a safety issue is involved.
   
   
4. Verbal Intervention
   The teacher explains to the child the inappropriate behavior, and shows him/her the appropriate way to handle the situation.
   
   
5. Take a Break
   The child is separated from the group, to allow him/her to relax and calm down, and to enable him/her to not be influenced by peers. The process used for Take a Break is:
   • The child is assisted to an area in the room where he/she can be supervised at all times. the child will have access to activities and materials while in Take a Break.
   • If Take a Break is used two or more times in one day, the parents will be notified when the child is picked up at the end of the day.
   • The child may return to the group as soon as the negative behavior stops or is significantly reduced.
   • Take a Break will not be used for children under 18 months; instead, redirection or distraction techniques will be used.
   • If Take a Break is not working effectively, the Behavior Guidance Plan will be instituted.

Guidelines for Behavior Guidance Plan

Bright Beginnings Childcare Services, Inc. will use the Behavior Guidance Plan after the appropriate guidance techniques have been used and when any behavior threatens the health and safety of other children or staff; or continuous inability to conform to the rules and guidelines of our program.

Bright Beginnings will use the following behavior guidance procedures:

1. We will observe and record the child’s inappropriate behavior.
   
   
2. We will document what we have done to try to change the behavior.
   
   
3. If inappropriate behavior continues, parents will be asked to participate in an immediate parent-teacher conference. Children old enough to understand will be invited to attend. A specific action plan will be developed at this conference to address the behavior. The action plan will outline all steps the staff will take to try to change the behavior, all steps the parents will take, and all steps toward disenrollment if the behavior persists.
   
   
4. The Center Director may suggest outside resources to parents and we will work with any outside resource for further guidance in responding to the child’s behavior.
   
   
5. If the inappropriate behavior continues, parents will be asked to keep the child home for a day or two, or asked to come and pick up the child due to inappropriate behavior.
   
   
6. If the inappropriate behavior persists after the child is kept home for several occasions, Bright Beginnings will request that the parents disenroll.

Guidelines for Immediate Disenrollment

Certain behavior may cause a significant risk of harm to the health and safety of other children or staff. (For example, a physical assault which results in serious bodily injury, an attempted physical assault which if completed, would result in serious bodily injury, setting or attempting to set fires, bringing weapons to the center, substantial damage to real or personal property, etc.)

Bright Beginnings Childcare Services, Inc. may disenroll any child whose behavior creates a significant risk of harm to the health and safety of other children or staff, without following the guidance steps above.

Other Forms of Discipline
Our policy does not permit the use of the following forms of discipline:

• Corporal punishment.
• Emotional punishment, including ridicule, embarrassment, or humiliation.
• Punishing a child for lapses in toilet training habits.
• Withholding food, light, warmth, clothing or medical care.
• Physical restraint, other than the restraint necessary to protect a child or others from harm.

Most Common Behavior Problems

1. Taking a toy someone else is playing with...
   … go over to the child and say, “Jimmy, Natalie is playing with this now. You can play with it in a minute. Here is something else for you to play with now.” Take the toy away from Jimmy and give it back to Natalie, offering Jimmy something else immediately. (Make sure there are enough toys available.) Another alternative would be to figure out a way that both children could play with the toy together with your assistance, for instance, rolling a ball or wheel a toy back and forth. In some cases you may be tempted to ignore this because the child who first had the toy may not protest. But then the child who took the toy is not learning that this behavior is not acceptable. If the first child seems willing to give up the toy you might comment something like this, “Natalie, that was nice of you to let Jimmy play with that car now.” The help Natalie find something new.
   
   
2. Hitting, scratching and kicking…
   … say, “No, hitting hurts. Look, you made Ben cry. It is not okay to hit.” Comfort the victim. Pay as little attention as possible to the hitter after that so that his negative behavior is not rewarded with extra attention. Focus your attention on the victim. Suggest some tactile play activity, like playdough or sandwhich is ideal at this time because it is absorbing and it relieves tension.
   
   
3. Biting…
   … Use the same techniques as in hitting above. Biting usually declines as children’s speaking skill increases. For some children, biting is a very obvious way of expressing frustrations. So your first technique is to head them off at the pass, and cut down the frustration level as much as possible. If you see frustration building, redirect quickly.
   
   
4. Throwing…
   … Throwing objects is often a part of the child’s natural investigation of his environment. It’s a wonderful cause and effect discovery that if you move your arm a certain way and release your grip at the precise moment, an object will go flying through the air. But throwing hard objects or sand can hurt others. Instead, redirect the action. Give the child something acceptable to throw. Soft sponge balls or sponges, socks stuffed with cotton, wadded newspaper ball are all acceptable alternatives. You could turn it into a learning activity that will probably attract other children as well.
   
   
5. Jealousy…
   …An inevitable response when children are competing for your attention. A smile, a touch and consistent loving attention will help curb this problem. As children become more secure that they will get their share of your attention, the jealousy response may diminish.
   
   
6. Whining…
   …If a child continually whines, try to find out what is making the child unhappy. If the child whines “I want juice” model the normal voice and encourage the child to say it in a normal voice. Never withhold juice. Encourage the child…never force.
   
   
7. Tattling…
   …Tattling is often due to get attention and can come from a need for your approval. Try giving the child a positive way to earn your approval, such as helping another child master a skill. There are times when you want children to report to you. Help them understand when, by giving examples of situations that might endanger someone and a scenario that is less serious. Tell them which situation needs to be reported.
   
   
8. Climbing on chairs, tables and shelves…
   …Redirection is the key word here. “Put your feet on the floor, Max.” “Tables are not for climbing.” “Let’s go over to the jungle gym to climb.” “Chairs are for sitting.”
   
   
9. Wandering around the room…
   …Leaving the circle and wandering around the room or playing with something close during your group time is natural for a preschooler. First ask yourself if your group time is lively enough. Try varying activities and involving more movement. Unless you are the only staff person with your group, the person not conducting the group should try to engage children into small group activities. The children who are interested and have the attention span will still pay attention. Be flexible, and don’t hesitate to break off your group time to continue at later date.
   
   
10. Tantrums…
    … A child who is kicking and screaming is clearly out of control, and there’s nothing you can do with him until he calms down. First get him out of the way of the other children so he doesn’t hurt them or himself. Don’t hold him too tightly or it may get worse. Let him know he has communicated: “Boy are you mad. When you calm down, I’ll be able to help you.” When a child learns to use words to displace anger or frustration, tantrums will be less frequent. This may take a long time. In the meantime, try to minimize frustrations in your classroom and redirect or assist child when you see anger building.