There is no method that is always effective for every child. Sometimes we have to ask for advice and we need to think outside the box to find an effective way to handle behavior that is unnacceptable. To those of you with tons of educational expertise, that's wonderful for you, and it's always cool to learn new approaches to deal with issues. I'm not convinced, however, that a ECE background automatically means that your way is the only appropriate way. I've been a family daycare provider for about 6 years now and I was the toddler lead teacher in the daycare that I worked at before that. I did the 120 hours of classroom hours to get my CDA. I have learned what is considered developmentally appropriate for children at various ages. Sure, in theory the techniques we learn should work to assure that the children make good choices, but in reality, kids are unpredictable. I really don't use the information that I was taught in the class because it really doesn't work for my kids. I have one boy who is the type that will be totally out of control if he thinks that he can get away with it. I have to discipline him in a different way. I have girl who will lash out physically at whoever is in the closest proximity to her when she gets upset. I have to deal with her in a different way. It's all a matter of finding out what is effective for the child. Kids are not made from cookie cutters, so a cookie cutter approach won't necessarily yield the best results for all kids. Nan and Judy make fine points and this is just my opinion, but I find nothing wrong with their approaches. If I had a child that needed daycare while I was working, I wouldn't hesitate to send my child to either of them. I would like the way that they would not just tell me what they think that I would want to hear. They get results and from what I can tell, they have happy kids and happy families. I have happy kids and happy parents, too, and I have it because I go outside of the box for solutions when I have issues. Please don't take this post as an insult for those of you who have the strong ECE background, because it really isn't. I would just like to suggest that maybe trying some unconventional measures (not abusive, by any means!) with difficult children. Again, no disrespect intended.

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