Podcast

In the first part of a two-part series on praise and effective encouragement for young children, Cindy Croft and Priscilla Weigel will examine why it is important to use words that encourage a sense of accomplishment and competence in children. Why do we praise children? What makes for effective interchanges? Please listen for tips and tools for talking with your children.

Cindy Croft and Priscilla Weigel lay out a three-pronged approach for setting staff up for success when it comes to children’s behavior challenges. We know that children experiment with behaviors as a way to grow and learn so preparing for what will inevitably occur is a good tool in preventing staff anxiety when issues arise. We will talk about Plan, Prepare, and Support!

In the conclusion of our series on daily activities in child care programs, we will talk about the benefits to children with and without disabilities that come from meal time. This is another area of the day when challenging behaviors can take our focus from what we are trying to accomplish like community-building, sharing, emotional regulation and other skills. What can you do when a child eats more slowly than their peers? What about a child who takes someone else’s food? Listen to this lively discussion of the important part of the day.

There are many areas of programming where challenging behaviors occur. Group or circle time is often an activity where children can struggle to stay tuned in and adults can be frustrated by not meeting their goals for it. Listen to this podcasts for creative ideas on how to accomplish your goals with group time by thinking outside the box.

Intensity as a temperament trait is all about the amount of energy a child uses to express his emotions, and we know that some children cry, talk, and laugh more loudly than anyone else in the program! We want to honor this natural trait in children for the good things about high intensity while also giving children tools for impulse control and friendship skills. Join Priscilla and Cindy as they discuss children with high intensity and the energy they seek from others.

A child’s initial tendency to respond to a new experience, new person, or new environment can be either ‘arms open wide’ or ‘wait-and-see’. Both types of approaches need our guidance as early childhood professionals to be sure that children are getting the social interactions they need to be successful and validation for their sense of self-esteem. If you work with either or both of these temperaments, you’ll want to listen to this engaging podcast.