I am shocked, horrified, disappointed, and frankly angry at the number of recent incidents where early childhood providers are harming the children in their care. While I understand the frustration that can occur when working with young children, there is no excuse for intentionally harming a child.
Toddlers are not bullies. They are not cognitively able to preplan or have motives for their behavior. They are trying to tell us something when they bite, hit, kick, or throw things. They have a need, and we are not meeting it. Getting mad at them is not going to help anything. We should look at ourselves and reflect upon what we can do to help the child through their struggle.
The weight of understanding child development should not be placed solely on the shoulders of providers; it should also be placed on the program owners and directors. Learning about child development is an ongoing process that should be discussed frequently during staff meetings. Staff meetings are not the place for housekeeping notes and reminders; those can be sent in an email. They should be used as a time to reflect, learn and grow.
Here is a fantastic article about biting. It is the perfect resource for a staff meeting discussion on the topic. Read the article, ask and answer questions, discuss how to be proactive (not reactive), and develop tools and strategies for the classroom. Be transparent with families. Share this information along with the tools and techniques used when a child bites.
