Title : Working Parents & Childcare - Selecting High Quality Care When Parents Must Be Away!
Parents frequently ask me what they should look for when they are selecting care for their youngsters when they must be away at work. The answer to This kind of question depends on their expectations, requirements, scheduling needs, along with budget for care. In This kind of article I have composed a list of parents' most commonly asked questions along with answers via a professional standpoint. I will also provide some basic information about early childhood to ensure which parents can make an educated decision about who they choose to care for their children when they must be away via them.
First, the idea must be noted which there are two types of care for young children: 1) There is usually care which is usually meant to keep children healthy along with safe; along with 2) There is usually care which is usually meant to keep children healthy along with safe while simultaneously providing educational opportunities which prepare children for formal educational settings (K-12th grade) along with everyday life. Second, parents need to understand which at birth the brain is usually not fully developed. In fact, a tremendous amount of learning occurs during early childhood (birth to age seven years). Consequently, the type of care parents choose, whether the care is usually for the health along with safety of children or whether the care is usually to include educational opportunities, the primary caretaker should, at the very least, understand along with use "best practices" for developing healthy children.
Child development specialists view along with use empirical research to describe best practices. Best practices are shown to be those which address the developmental needs of the "whole child." The "whole child" consists of 5-distinct selves, along with each of the selves must learn specific skills in order for children to reach their full potential. These selves include: 1) the cognitive self - the part of the child which thinks, solves problems, makes judgments, along with perceives or interprets information. Each of these tasks requires specific skills which are developed during early childhood; 2) the creative self - the part of the child which creates something brand-new out of already existing materials. Today, in America, creativity is usually grossly undervalued, yet cures for diseases, solving our nation's most complex problems, along with every convenience used by mankind are the result of creativity. Children must be given materials which allow them opportunities to create their own masterpieces, without being criticized, if adults want them to grow up along with think outside of the box; 3) the emotional self - the part of the child which feels (sad, happy, frustration, anger, etc.). Children learn to control their emotions, or they fail to learn to control their emotions, during early childhood. The primary caretakers of young children have much to do with whether they develop appropriate emotional regulatory skills; 4) the social self - the part of the child which interacts with others. Children learn both appropriate along with inappropriate social skills via their primary caretakers during childhood; 5) the physical self - the part of the child which navigates the Centeng through the physical world. Physical skills include crawling, walking, running, writing, coloring, drawing, etc. These skills begin in infancy along with build on each some other. Therefore, the early physical skills are critical to developing the physical skills of tomorrow. Naturally, young children also have physical & biological needs such as nourishment, medical care, adequate grooming, along that has a safe along with warm environment.
The various skills associated with each of the all 5 selves begin developing during early childhood. These skills are developed through the opportunities which primary caretakers provide to children during the early years of development. Primary caretakers are the types for children along with the ways in which primary caretakers respond to the various needs of young children, including their misbehaviors along with their mistakes, actually deliver powerful messages to children. These messages can have positive or negative effects on the brain development of children; along with these effects have long-term consequences for children. The information children learn about themselves (e.g., I am competent versus I am incompetent) via their primary caretakers during early childhood development become hard wired into their brains along with set the foot print for their entire life span. A common mistake which is usually made by parents is usually to believe which their young infant only needs someone to feed them, change their diaper, along with keep them safe while parents are away. While these caretaking tasks are important for the physical needs of children, these behaviors alone do not provide appropriate care for the cognitive, creative, emotional, along with social needs of developing children.
FAQ
Q1. What is usually the difference between childcare along with preschool/educare? While these definitions may vary slightly most will agree which childcare is usually primarily designed to care for the health along with safety of children. Preschool/educare is usually meant to provide care for the health along with safety of children while simultaneously providing carefully planned curricula which prepare children for formal educational settings (grades K- 12th grade) along with real life situations. Many people believe which preparing children for formal education means teaching youngsters the alphabet, numbers, along with simple shapes, yet This kind of is usually only partly true. Youngsters need to learn appropriate social skills along with emotional regulation in order to succeed in formal classrooms settings, educational institutions, along with in everyday life. To the extent children are able to master cognitive (thinking), creative, emotional, social, along with physical skills is usually the extent to which they are able to successfully navigate through formal educational settings.
Q2. Who qualifies to work as a preschool/educare teacher? Each state is usually different so the idea is usually important to contact your state's local branch of the Office of Education to learn about the specific requirements for the state in question. within the state of California those who earn a California Pre-K Credential, also referred to as a, Permit, qualify to work as preschool teachers by 1) earning a degree in Early Childhood Education; or 2) completing specific coursework in Early Childhood Education along with completing a specific number of days/hours of work experience in a licensed Early Childhood Education facility.
Training along with education of Pre-K Teachers is usually required to foster knowledge on several fronts: 1) child development, typical & atypical; 2) identify long-term & short-term educational goals for children's cognitive, creative, emotional, social, along with physical development; 3) write monthly, weekly, along with daily lesson plans; 3) design curricula which is usually interesting to children, fun, along with educational; 4) use appropriate forms of positive child guidance to set boundaries for children; 5) work with families as a member of a team; along with 6) develop a profound sensitivity along with ability to work with children of various abilities, temperaments, along with personalities. In all of these areas teachers are taught those empirically supported strategies which are shown to promote rather than impede children's learning, even when children become frustrated, have difficulty, or engage in misbehaviors.
There are 4-levels of Preschool Teachers within the state of California. Levels 3 & 4 also require coursework in general education.
· level 1 - Assistant Pre-K Teachers have completed 108 hours of education in early childhood studies.
· level 2 - Associate Pre-K Teachers have completed 216 hours of education in early childhood studies.
· level 3 - Pre-K Teachers have completed 432 hours of education in early childhood studies along with approximately 287 hours in general education coursework (e.g., college level English, college level math, etc.)
· level 4 - Pre-K Teachers have completed 432 hours of education in early childhood studies, approximately 287 hours in general education coursework, along with additional coursework in a specialized area of early childhood studies (e.g. infant/toddler, children with special needs, school age, etc.). Note: Level 2 along with beyond are allowed to be alone with the children enrolled in their classrooms, along with are responsible for curricula development along with implementation in Pre-K settings.
Q3. Why is usually the level of education along with training important when selecting or interviewing a Pre-K teacher for your child? School readiness curricula is usually carefully planned, implemented through playful activities, along with designed to provide opportunities for young children to develop effective: 1) cognitive, 2) creative, 3) emotional, 4) social, along with 5) physical skills. Skilled Pre-K teachers understand how to help children view their mistakes as opportunities, along with how to use children's misbehaviors as chances to facilitate children's development of appropriate social behaviors, along with emotional regulation. Well educated along with trained Pre-K teachers understand which adults who interact with children actually shape their brains for their entire life span.
Q4. What is usually the relationship between parent-child interactions along with teacher-child interactions along with the child's developing brain? A child's brain develops mostly between the ages of birth along with age 7 years. During This kind of time period the young developing brain is usually similar to the hard drive of a computer. Those adults who spend the most time with young children (e.g., parents, caretakers, teachers, etc.) develop the most influence on the developing brain. the idea is usually these adults who teach the child, intentionally or unintentionally, which he or she is usually lovable, worthy, along with capable of success in a variety of situations along with settings. In some other words, the adults who spend the most time with children are the programmers of the developing brain. Due to the nature of the brain, the idea is usually nearly impossible to deprogram early learning. Parents, caretakers, along with teachers who are punitive (e.g., shame, blame, humiliate, embarrass, along with degrade children) are hard wiring them to believe which they are useless, worthless, bad, along with which something is usually wrong with them. To sum, the hard wiring of the brain, sets the footprint for the child's entire life span!
Q5. What is usually the difference between positive child guidance along with punishment? First, the idea is usually important to recognize which when children misbehave there is usually a goal for their misbehavior. Whether children have a physical or emotional need which is usually not being met or whether they are exploring their environment because they want to learn about the idea, these are all reasons which children's behaviors are, at times, unsafe, annoying, or inappropriate. While caretakers of children need to keep them safe, help them learn appropriate social behaviors, along with assist them in developing emotional regulation, the idea is usually important which adults accomplish these tasks while protecting children's self-esteem, self-worth, self-concept, efficacy, autonomy, industry, along that has a host of some other characteristics which children must develop along with maintain to become their best possible selves.
Hint 1: Using positive child guidance rather than punishment assists children in developing emotional regulation along with appropriate social behaviors without delivering the message to children which they are unlovable, inherently bad, worthless, along with will never be able to achieve their own goals in life, or be successful in life.
Hint 2: The consequence of positive child guidance is usually which children develop appropriate social skills, learn the appropriate ways to regulate their emotions, develop healthy self-starting behaviors, along with hone healthy effective cognitive skills while establishing healthy self-esteem along with self-concept. Punishment does the opposite of positive child guidance.
Q6. Can you give us an example of positive child guidance versus discipline? Yes. In positive child guidance we simply tell the child what we want them to do. In punishment we tell the child what we don't want them to do, along with often times, even without physically harming a child, adults may make statements which leave children feeling badly about themselves. Psychological abuse is usually defined as behaving in a manner which leaves children feeling worthless, along with perhaps fearful of producing mistakes. Children who are fearful of producing mistakes are afraid to explore, create, or think outside of the box for fear of being put down. Exploration, creativity, along with producing mistakes are all a part of life along with learning, along with have led to virtually every convenience used by mankind.
Imagine a young child climbing up on a chair. He stands there along with the entire room looks very interesting. Perhaps he begins to jump off of the chair along with onto the floor. "Wow" he thinks to himself, This kind of is usually fun. The teacher or parent walks in along with becomes upset for a variety of reasons. The chair isn't to be used as a jumping board; the child might get hurt; along with perhaps the adult is usually already upset at something else in life which has nothing to do with the child's behavior. Nevertheless, the adult snaps along with begins asking the child "What's wrong with you? How many times do I have to tell you? Don't you know how to listen?" These types of statements imply which there is usually a problem with the child.
Using positive child guidance, allows adults to assist children in constructing knowledge which is usually useful at some other times in their lives. In positive child guidance boundaries along with limits for children are set, along with the reasons for the boundaries along with limits, depending on the age of the child, may also be discussed. This kind of process allows children to develop cognitive skills about safety or appropriateness of behaviors, along with allows children an opportunity to make better choices for themselves. When children make better choices the environment (adults, some other children) respond in positive ways along with these responses send the message which the child is usually competent, worthy, & lovable. When humans believe which others have positive perspectives of them, healthy self-esteem, self-concept, along with self-efficacy are established.
The primary problems with punishment along with time outs are which children are berated for their choices along with, worse, children are often not told why their choices are inappropriate along with are not given opportunities to make better choices. Some adults feel which they should not need to explain anything to children because "after all I am the adult along with the child is usually just a child." however This kind of thought actually reflects the failure of adults to respect children's feelings, needs, temperaments, frustrations, along with natural inclination to investigate the entire world they live in. In addition, This kind of thought along with some other similar thoughts assume which children are miniature adults who understand the entire world along with know how to effectively along with appropriately deal with their emotions along with exploration tendencies.
Examples of punishment versus positive child guidance: 1) A child is usually standing in a chair. Using punishment adults make statements such as: "What is usually wrong with you? You know which is usually unsafe. How many times do I need to tell you not to stand within the chair. You aren't listening you need to go to the time out chair. Don't stand within the chair you'll get hurt." 2) Using positive child guidance adults make statements such as: "I need you to sit within the chair so you will be safe. You can sit down on your own or I can help you." While producing these types of statements the adult is usually walking over to the child, ready to help the child sit down if the child doesn't make the choice to do the idea on his own. Next, adults may say something such as, "I know the idea is usually fun being up high however I want you to be safe. If you want I can stand next to you while you stand on the chair along with look around."
There are many statements which can be made which help children do what we want them to do yet do not destroy their inquisitive nature. Parents should observe caretakers along with teachers to make certain which they use positive child guidance rather than punishment. Observations should be for long time periods along with during different times of the day. This kind of will give parents an idea as to whether caretakers along with teachers use positive child guidance with all of the children all of the time, even when several children are "misbehaving."
Q4. How do I select a high quality preschool/educare or childcare facility? Today approximately twelve million children receive care outside of their family homes, yet, only 1 in 7 preschool along with childcare facilities are considered to be high quality. within the state of California, both Family in Home Care Providers along with Preschool Centers are required to have a license which is usually issued by Community Care Licensing. This kind of license is usually provided to a Home or Preschool once minimum health & safety guidelines have been demonstrated (each person living within the Home or employed by the Preschool has passed a criminal background check by the FBI; sharp objects, toxic items are locked away, etc.). Family providers must have a current CPR training completion card, along with Health & Safety training Certificate, however there are NO educational coursework, certificates of completion, or work experience required. Preschools are mandated, however, by the state to hire Pre-K Credentialed Teachers if the teacher will be left alone with children.
Although the idea is usually not required by the state of California at This kind of time, there are a growing number of nannies along with Family Providers who hold Pre-K Credentials along with/or Degrees within the field. This kind of is usually great for families who are in need of care along with/or education for their youngsters because there are many more choices available to them. With more options, parents have a better chance to find the care along with or education which fits best with the needs of their family.
Whether families select a Family Provider, Preschool Center, or Nanny to care for their families' needs they should ask those who will spend the most significant time with their children some questions about their training in Early Childhood Education; knowledge about the effects of adult behaviors on early brain development, along with whether the teacher or adult spending time with their children uses positive child guidance or punishment (pose questions such as, "What would likely you do if my child stood on the counter?").
Below are some sample questions:
· What level of the Pre-K Credential/Permit do you hold?
· What is usually the effect of punishment on the developing brain?
· What are your long-term goals for my child (what does the teacher expect your child to be able to do cognitively, creatively, emotionally, socially, along with physically by the end of the year?
· What types of curricula do you use to develop each of the above skills?
· What will you say to my child when his or her behavior is usually seen as inappropriate?
· How many parent-teacher conferences will be given within a year?
· How many authentic assessments is usually done on my child each day or week? Are these included within the parent-teacher conference?
· Will there be an electronic style of the parent-teacher conference sent to me?
· Will I receive samples of my child's work with interpretations which explain my child's development?
Parents should write down the responses to the questions they pose to caretakers or teachers along with then observe often to determine whether they practice what they reported about their behaviors. Parents who have a desire to help their children develop a profound respect for different cultures should review the books along with curricula used within the home or facility. Some issues to consider include:
· Are there families with different abilities portrayed in books?
· Are families along with people of different sizes portrayed in books?
· is usually the art work on the walls reflective of a multicultural world?
Q6. How do I know whether the idea is usually best to hire a Nanny, place my child that has a Family in home provider, or select a Preschool Center? Children are different via each some other along with families should understand which there is usually not a one size fits all when the idea comes to selecting appropriate care along with/or education for their youngsters. First, each family must decide whether they prefer childcare only, or childcare along with education. Second, each family must decide whether their child has the temperament to do better in their own home, a smaller family environment, or a larger preschool setting. Sometimes families do not know what works best for their child until the child begins This kind of journey. Relax, nothing is usually set in stone. Families who discover which the selection they made does not work as well as they anticipated are able to change. Sometimes, children outgrow a situation which has worked well for a long time.
Sometimes the choice between hiring a nanny, selecting a family in home provider, or selecting a preschool center has nothing to do that has a child's temperament however everything to do with the parents preference, work schedule, along with/or finances. Remember, there are high quality nannies, family providers, along with preschool facilities. along with the opposite is usually also true. To know what you are getting parents should ask questions of the primary teachers or caretakers of their children; parents should drop in often along with observe the behaviors of teachers or caretakers before enrolling their child in any settings.
After enrollment occurs, parents should initially stay with their child within the setting they have chosen to assist their child in building "trust" with their primary along with secondary (assistant teachers) caretakers along with/or teachers. Children who have a difficult time in a larger setting may do better in a smaller setting or that has a smaller group of children.
Final Comment: There are those who have completed coursework in early childhood education however choose not to use the strategies they have learned. There are those who have not completed any early childhood education coursework yet are naturally gifted when the idea comes to working with children. I would likely not, however, choose to have my children cared for by persons who are not extremely knowledgeable about the effects which adult behaviors have on developing brains; nor would likely I choose to have my children cared for by persons which use punishment rather than positive child guidance.
Working Parents & Childcare - Selecting High Quality Care When Parents Must Be Away!
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