Penelope's Place Childcare

Social skills are critical to success for all children. I am committed to nurturing each child’s skills in conflict resolution and peer negotiation.

With the youngest children, I focus on redirection and positive goals. Once children begin to use language, I coach them in asking for a turn and responding to the requests of others. These skills are modeled, coached, and practiced throughout each day. Positive peer interactions are commented on and admired publicly.

Inappropriate social interactions are treated as teachable moments. Children are helped to use appropriate language and practice skills like waiting for a turn, trading, and sharing. All children are supported in stating their wants and preferences. Often children may be asked to “Try again” – in other words, go back to the situation and use a more prosocial strategy with coaching as needed.

For the most part, children are motivated to cooperate and participate in the group.  However, on rare occasions, a child may react with outright defiance or opposition to direction, overwhelming frustration, or aggression – in other words, have a meltdown.

In this situation, the adult will get on the child’s visual level and calmly ask for eye contact, followed by “(Child’s name), do you hear me?”  If the child is unable to respond appropriately, s/he may need a break from the action to calm down.  The adult may watch the child from a short distance, may hug the child, or lead the child away from the group depending on the situation. The adult will use this time to assess the child’s need for food, water, sleep, etc., and may suggest a remedy (drink of water) before going back to “Try again.” The adult may provide the words a child needs to resolve the situation.

Again, the child is coached to use prosocial strategies to get their needs and desires met. This strategy allows the child to end the interaction feeling successful and positive about him/herself, and ready to continue through the day successfully.

Every effort is made to have the child develop a strong sense of him/herself as a positive member of our community.