The Day Care/ASAP staff works very closely with the children to model and teach appropriate behavior through a program called Cooperative Discipline. This is the same philosophy used in the school during the day. With this approach, the children are taught to accept responsibility for their own actions, develop self-discipline and expand problem solving skills. The staff speaks to the children about behaving respectfully and making choices. The children are encouraged to be respectful and practice behavior that is “kind, fair, safe and responsible.”

The Cooperative Discipline approach empowers the children by including them in the problem solving and conflict resolution process. The idea is to teach appropriate behaviors, not punish, and is based on the understanding that children choose their behavior and make choices that make sense to them (though not always to us!). The staff is trained to recognize the source of the child’s problem and work with the child to develop alternative and more positive choices and behaviors.

Choice is critical. The children learn to understand that every choice has a consequence, positive or negative. The child’s input in the process results in a feeling of empowerment and more positive choices with the recognition of his investment in, and responsibility for, his actions.

Discipline will be:

• Respectful - with no exceptions.
• Appropriate - with the solution relevant to the problem.
• Consistent - in support of expectations.
• Constructive - to teach the child how to react appropriately in future situations.
• Cooperative – both staff and child participate in the process as the child learns to understand and take responsibility for his actions.

Discipline will never include:

Physical punishment                                                                                                         Yelling                                                                                                                                                                                 Verbal abuse                                                                                                                                                                   Frightening or embarrassing remarks                                                                                                                                                                               Withholding of eating, napping, and toileting privileges