Problem:
Infants and toddlers learn from everything that happens in their environments. Tim learned from his first visit to the daycare that when he was in distress, no one was listening and that adults are unreliable sources of security and comfort. When other children pushed or hurt him, no caregiver provided comfort or assistance, which may have increased his feelings of insecurity and mistrust. After two weeks at the daycare, Tim developed aggression as his main coping strategy: pushing peers, grabbing toys, and throwing objects. The way Tim interacts demonstrates his understanding that power and control provide quick rewards while efforts to seek comfort or to cooperate remain unacknowledged. The effects of these experiences may be long-term. Tim is at risk of developing aggression as a primary problem-solving strategy. Mistrust in adults may impact his ability to form secure attachments in the future. Tim's aggressive behavior can be understood through operant conditioning as he received positive reinforcement through access to toys and attention while prosocial attempts received no acknowledgment. In that way, the situation described in the post connects to the concerns discussed in the CDC's Watch Me! Module 1: if children are not being monitored and given an opportunity to develop and grow in a nurturing environment, early signs of developmental and behavioral issues could be missed (CDC, 2011). The daycare environment needs to be adjusted to provide better support for children like Tim. According to Developmentally Appropriate Practice, young children do not need punishment but nurturing, responsive guidance to learn appropriate behavior (Developmentally Appropriate Practice, 2011). Staff should comfort the children when they are in distress, model gentle interactions, and use redirection, explanation, or praise to reinforce prosocial behavior. In the case of Tim, the teachers could scaffold sharing and praising his cooperation when he reaches for blocks. Staff could use the CDC's developmental monitoring tools to track the children's development, share their concerns with the families, and collaborate to seek early intervention as needed. With stable, responsive caregiving and appropriate staff training, the center could provide a safe environment for children to build trust, regulate emotions, and develop appropriate social skills. Need Assignment Help?