All children have the right to be cared for in a happy environment, therefore, it is important to ensure that all children know what is expected of them what the boundaries are. In order to achieve this, I have some house rules which set reasonable and appropriate limits to help manage the behaviour of the children. I help the children understand my house rules, which are realistic and I am consistent in enforcing them.

I will ensure that:

• what I expect from the children is reasonable and achievable, depending on their age and ability

• I make myself clear giving an explanation of what behaviour was unacceptable and why

• I am a good role model

• I listen to what the children have to say

• I reward good behaviour

• physical punishment or threat of physical punishment is not used, including smacking

• physical restraint is not used unless it is necessary to prevent damage to themselves; other people or property. Parents will be informed should this happen

There are several ways to deal with a child who is misbehaving and I will use different ones depending on the age/stage of ability of the child and the situation:

• Distraction. Remove the child from the situation and give them an alternative activity.

• Ignore. Depending on the situation I may ignore the bad behaviour as I feel it is being done to get a reaction.

• Discuss with Child. If the child is able to understand I will discuss their behaviour and try and get them to appreciate the consequences of their actions on others. I inform that that it is their behaviour that I do not like not them.

• Time Out. Removing the child from the activity and sitting them quietly for a few minutes. This will usually be used for children from 2 yrs, depending on their level of understanding.

• Removal of treats.

I will never smack, shake or hurt your child. I will not humiliate your child.

I will explain to the child, according to their age and understanding that their actions are unacceptable behavior. For younger children this may be by my tone of voice and facial expressions rather than lots of words.

If a child misbehaves, I will let you know by either texting you or by ringing you later after collection. Some children can become upset if the incident is retold in front of them. I will also inform you of how the matter was dealt with. In most cases the matter will not require any further action, punishing a child hours after an incident achieves nothing but confusion and upset.

I aim to work together with parents to promote positive behavior. Children respond much more readily if they see adults working consistently towards the same goals and expectations.

If you have any concerns regarding the managing of your child’s behaviour, please do not hesitate to contact me.