Discipline & Guidance
- Individualized and consistent for each child
- Appropriate to the child’s level of understanding
- Directed toward teaching the child acceptable behavior and self-control
- Using praise and encouragement of good behavior instead of focusing only upon unacceptable behavior
- Reminding a child of behavior expectations daily by using clear, positive statements
- Redirecting behavior using positive statements
- Corporal punishment or threats of corporal punishment
- Punishment associated with food, naps, or toilet training
- Pinching, shaking, or biting a child
- Hitting a child with a hand or instrument
- Putting anything in or on a child’s mouth
- Humiliating, ridiculing, rejecting, or yelling at a child
- Subjecting a child to harsh, abusive, or profane language
- Placing a child in a locked or dark room, bathroom, or closet with the door closed
- Requiring a child to remain silent or inactive for inappropriately long periods of time for the child’s age
- Witholding physical active play or keeping a child inside as a consequence of behavior
- Treat each child with respect. Respect will promote positive attitudes towards caregivers and parents, as well as other adults in the child’s life.
- Explanation of inappropriate behavior and expectations of appropriate behavior. This will promote an understanding of the behavior the caregiver wants to see from the child as well as why inappropriate behavior is not accepted.
- Consistency of rules among all caregivers. Consistency will help the child see that limit-testing will not be successful.
- Discipline will consist of redirection for smaller children or removal from the activity and friends for older children. Removal will be termed “Chill-Out Time,” and the caregiver will express to the child: (1) what the child did wrong, (2) how the caregiver expects the child to act better, and (3) the choice to act better when the child is finished thinking about their inappropriate choices. The child will be in control of their own “Chill-Out Time.”
If your child causes any damages, such as broken windows, you will be held responsible. This damage does not include toys your child plays with or other items specifically for child purposes.
In the event of consistent discipline issues with a child, where the child is a safety threat to themselves or others, the parent or guardian will be required to meet with the teacher and management staff to create a development plan for the child. Temporary suspension may be necessary to conduct all investigations and evaluations and/or securing outside support services. Endless Discoveries will collaborate with outside support services for any behavior, disability or developmental delay. The child may be required to be expelled if the dangerous behavior cannot be stopped by accommodations provided. It is our goal to work closely with all families to develop the whole child, so the decision of exclusion is never taken lightly.
Grievance Procedures
As an ongoing effort to improve communication, it is Endless Discoveries’ belief that families with grievances must follow the chain of command and the procedures listed below.
- The family must try to work out the issues of concern with the involved party on an informal basis.
- The family must discuss the grievance with the Director as soon as possible after the issue of concern has arisen. The family may be asked to give a written description of the grievance. If the grievance involves the Director, the written grievance must be filed with the Owner.
- A mediation meeting will be held to discuss the grievance and to brainstorm ways to solve the issue.
- A follow-up meeting will be held to ensure a positive resolution for all parties.
If, as a result of this grievance, either the family or Endless Discoveries feels that the resolution does not meet their needs, the child may be withdrawn without the thirty-day written notice requirement. No refund of fees will be granted unless the Board Members of Endless Discoveries agree that proper steps of both parties were taken in order to resolve the concern.
In the case a refund is requested, a form must be filled out by the Director as to why the request has been made and the amount of the refund. The Director will submit the form to the Owner, which may take up to one month for a response. The Owner will notify in writing of the result.
Parent/Guardian Code of Conduct
Just as Endless Discoveries has a strict code of conduct for all staff, we must maintain the same for our parents/guardians. While on Endless Discoveries properties, all parents/guardians must agree to refrain from the following:
- Swearing/cursing
- Threatening staff, other parents, and confrontational interactions
- Physical and/or verbal punishment
- Cell phone usage
- Lack of confidentiality
Parents/Guardians who engage in any of the listed activities will be asked to leave the property and may be asked to find alternative care.