Introduction
An Infant Room
Teacher is someone who should ideally love the art and science of brain
development. Babies are more than cute
little darlings who capture our hearts and souls. They are creative, intelligent, and far more
ready to learn than many people have given them credit. Thankfully, science has come a long way to
dispel the myths associated with Infant Care and Development.
We know that the brain is malleable and
capable of absorbing a high capacity of material, especially the first year of
life. It is important to recognize that
it is not necessary to “push” children forward in acquiring developmental
skills. On the other hand, it is
significant that those tasked with overseeing their care become aware of how to
encourage growth and development of milestones.
It is the responsibility of parents and teachers of young children to recognize the potential
infants have and nurture them as they experience a wide range of sensory
adventures in their environments. For
many families, entering child care on a part time or full time schedule becomes
one of the many environments that potentially impacts development. Some Child
Development Centers are better at noticing developmental milestones than
others. This resource guide is written
so that I can share with you my years of observation in infant rooms.
I have
worked with Infants and Toddlers for over twenty years and have seen many
trends and strategies employed in Infant Care.
Our promise to families when they enter The Infant Room should be,
“We’re here to be a resource to you and your child. Please let us know if there is anything we
can do to help make this transition comfortable for you. Call if you need to check on your baby during
the day or stop in for a visit on your lunch break. We want to make sure we do everything we can
to share those wonderful developmental milestones with you.”
Chapter One
Establishing a Relationship with Your
Infant’s Teachers
Take time to
tour several schools before your baby is born.
Many high quality schools have a waiting list, so it is a good idea to
start looking around as soon as the morning sickness abates. Scheduling your visits is actually better
than just dropping by for several reasons.
I have worked for companies where visits were allowed at any time of the
day and were extremely disruptive.
Personally, I wish managers would reconsider this trend of “Let’s get
‘em in while they’re here and close the deal for a new enrollment.” Owners and Directors won’t admit that’s their
plan. They pull you in for an impromptu
“tour” to demonstrate there is nothing to hide and you can visit your baby at
any time throughout the day. I do not
accept this as a great tool for marketing a program for many reasons.
Visits by
parents whose children are already enrolled and have established a relationship
with “The Room” (we’ll get to this later) are fine. However, if I were expecting a new baby now,
I would be appalled that strangers with no connection to the room were allowed
to wander in to a classroom even if the Director is present. Visitors most likely have not provided any
background as to their motives. They do not require a copy of a driver’s
license to keep on file like apartment complexes require prior to viewing a new
home. Safety measures are fairly lax.
My child might
have stranger anxiety and become fearful of new faces. The entire routine of a classroom becomes
disrupted. This impacts feedings,
scheduled and unscheduled diaper change needs, and activities that are a
required part of a school’s daily curriculum. Why not just look into the window and then
schedule a time to return? This gives
teachers a chance to make necessary adjustments to activities and plan for
someone to speak with parents while other staff occupy the babies and reassure
them.
Safety Tips
for Child Development Tours
Managers& Teachers
Chapter One will discuss in detail some safety tips and reasons why is is NOT a good idea to allow unscheduled tours in an Infant Room. Many parents may not be aware of the reasons unless they have worked in a Child Development Full Day environment.
Note: If you are interested in purchasing this book and wish to be notified upon publication, please email me at mbvrodriguez3@yahoo.com. I will alert you when this book is nearing completion and offer a few give aways to celebrate its release.
(Goal: Publication by 2019!)
This project has been one that is close to my heart. I have strong opinions regarding how Infant Care is provided. These beliefs are based on many years of observation, knowledge of Developmentally Appropriate Practices, research by Early Childhood Advocates, and hands on experiences in Infant Programs. Parents can find good care, but it is important to have an awareness of your expectations versus the realities.
SUBMISSIONS BEING CONSIDERED FOR THIS PUBLICATION
I am currently accepting questions, concerns, and observations from parents, teachers, and managers regarding Infant Child Care Programs. I still have room in this book for additional comments, and welcome your input. If I quote your comments in the book, you will receive a FREE Copy. Send comments to mbvrodriguez3@yahoo.com with the Subject Line: A Place for Infants
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