Discipline and Behavior Management Policy

Behavioral Management

When you enroll your child at Building Blocks, you will be asked to sign a statement that affirms that you have read, reviewed and understand the policy outlined below.  We will keep the signed statement in your child's folder.

Building Blocks follows the North Carolina State Child Day Care Discipline and Behavior Management Policy.

At Building Blocks, discipline consists of positive reinforcement, redirection, Time Out and removal of privileges.  The use of physical punishment is never permitted under any circumstances.  Positive interaction between adult and child is essential to the development of the child's social and emotional health.  Discipline techniques that teach the child what to do, rather than what not to do, have proven to be more effective in helping the child learn self-discipline and self-reliance.

Praise for good behavior and success is encouraged as an acceptable method of guiding children's behavior.  The children will be taught appropriate means of expressing anger and frustration.  These are true emotions and should not be denied, but expressed in a way that is productive for the child.

Praise and Positive Reinforcement

Praise and positive reinforcement are effective methods in behavior management of children.  When children experience positive, non-violent, and understanding interactions with adults and others, they develop a positive self-image, and strong problem-solving and self-discipline skills.  Based on this belief of how children learn and develop values, Building Blocks follows the following principles:

• Listen to the children
• Reason with the children
• Praise, reward and encourage all of the children
• Set limits for the children
• Model appropriate behavior for the children
• Modify the program environment to attempt to prevent problems before they occur
• Provide alternatives for inappropriate behavior
• Explain to the children the natural and logical consequences of their behavior
• Treat the children as individuals and respect their needs, desires and feelings
• Ignore minor misbehaviors
• Explain things to the children at their level of understanding
• Use short supervised periods of Time Out
• Stay consistent in our behavior management program

We Do Not:

• Spank, shake, bite, pinch, push, pull, slap or otherwise physically punish the children
• Make fun of, yell at, threaten, make sarcastic remarks about, use profanity, or otherwise verbally abuse the children
• Shame or punish the children when bathroom accidents occur
• Deny food or rest as punishment
• Relate discipline to eating, resting or sleeping
• Leave the children alone, unattended or without supervision
• Place the children in locked rooms, closets or boxes as punishment.
• Allow discipline of children by children
• Criticize, make fun of, or otherwise belittle children's parents, families or ethnic groups

Building Blocks Child Care and Development Center takes a pro-active approach to the discipline of children. Building Blocks firmly believes that teaching children to make the appropriate choices will strengthen their character as well as their emotional and social development.

We realize that at times children may make choices that are not consistent with acceptable behavior.  In those instances, our staff will take the following steps:

1. Staff will verbally attempt to redirect a child and help him/her to make appropriate choices.
   For example "Johnny, we keep our hands and feet to ourselves, please make a good choice and do not hurt your friends." If Johnny chooses to hit or kick his friend again, he will be directed to the Time Out area.
2. Time Out will last one minute times the child's age in years, for example, 4 minutes for a 4-year-old child.
3. At the conclusion of the Time Out, a processing period will occur. This processing period will vary based on the age and developmental level of the child. The staff member who originally placed the child in Time Out will be the person responsible for directing the processing period. The processing period may include, but will not be limited to, addressing the following:
   1. Why the child was in Time Out
   2. What the child could do differently in the same situation to resolve conflict appropriately
   3. Restitution will be made, for example, an apology to another child who was hurt, or cleaning up an intentional mess, etc.
   4. The child will be reintroduced to the group at the conclusion of the Time Out, processing period and restitution period
      

If your child is experiencing a change in the home environment that may result in behavioral differences, it is important for you to notify the Director of the Building Blocks center that your child attends. The Director will keep you informed of any behavioral problems concerning your child at Building Blocks. Every effort will be made to resolve problems that may occur.

If a child has chronic or continual issues with making inappropriate behavioral choices, the center staff will request a conference with the child's parents. During this conference, the teachers, parents and Center Director will discuss options and establish a behavior modification plan to be implemented.

Building Blocks staff members are highly skilled in managing challenging behaviors. They create behavior modification plans that encourage children to make appropriate choices.  The staff facilitates a child's emotional and social well being by rewarding successes when exhibiting socially acceptable behaviors.

In the event that a child continues to display inappropriate behaviors even after parent conferences and behavior modification systems have been put in place, more severe steps may be required.  These steps may include suspension or termination from the Building Blocks program.

Building Blocks will make every effort to maintain a child's enrollment and provide a strong support system for families who are going through a challenging period. Building Blocks will also offer suggestions and strategies to families and will uphold a positive relationship with cooperative families in order to preserve a child's enrollment.  However, if these positive efforts by our staff are met with resistance, or if a child is continually physically aggressive or destructive, we may have no other alternative but to terminate a child's enrollment.

Building Blocks or a child's family may request a conference at any time. Any questions regarding this policy should be directed to your center Director.