About Us

Behavior Management Policy

The purpose of guidance as early childhood professionals is to help children learn acceptable behavior and develop inner controls. Our long-term goal is to equip children with the skills needed for happy, responsible, and productive adult life through age-appropriate learning experiences.

Our staff will be patient, concise, loving, and consistent when dealing with the ongoing positive process of helping children develop inner control so that they can manage their own behavior in an appropriate and acceptable manner by using corrective action to change the inappropriate behavior.

Discipline concerns require cooperation and communication among those working with the child and the parent/guardian.

If a behavior becomes dangerous and/or out of control, suspension or expulsions will be considered as a final action after the implementation of behavior support strategies including:

• engaging parents by written communication and/or parent conference
• providing a referral to Early Steps, Child Search, and/or mental health consultant if appropriate

No child shall be subjected to any of the following while in our care:

• Physical or corporal punishment which includes but is not limited to: yelling, slapping, spanking, yanking, shaking, pinching, exposure to extreme temperatures or other measures producing physical pain, putting anything in the mouth of a child, requiring a child to exercise, or placing a child in an uncomfortable position.
• Verbal abuse, which includes but is not limited to using offensive or profane language, telling a child to “shut up,” or making derogatory remarks about children or family members of children in the presence of children.
• The threat of prohibited action even if there is no intent to follow through with the threat.
• Being disciplined or bullied by another child.
• Being deprived of food or beverages.
• Being restrained by devices such as highchairs or feeding tables for disciplinary purposes.
• Having active play time withheld for disciplinary purposes, except age-appropriate timeout for may be used during active play time for an infraction incurred during playtime.

Timeout Policy

Time out is a technique for temporarily separating a child when inappropriate behavior has occurred and is intended to give a child time to calm down, thereby discouraging such behavior.

Time out shall not be used for children under the age of 2 years old.

Time out shall take place within the sight of a staff member.

The length of each time out shall be based on the age of the child and shall not exceed 1 minute per year of age.

For children over age six, a time out may be extended beyond one minute per year of age, if a signed and dated statement, including a maximum time limit, from the parent granting such permission, is on file at the centers.

Biting Policy

Biting is a developmentally appropriate behavior common among infants and toddlers.

If a child is bitten, the caregiver will comfort the child and administer first aid, wash with soap and water and apply ice if needed.

The caregiver will complete an accident/incident report noting the situation, time, and place of the incident.

The parents of the children involved will be notified when they are picked up and asked to sign the accident/incident report.

If a child is consistently biting or shows signs of biting more than a random one-time incident, the child will be supervised within arm’s length during the day, and the parent will be notified via phone call.

If biting occurs multiple times in one day and/or becomes an ongoing issue (multiple parent notifications), The Playhowse administration reserves the right to take further action as needed on a case-by-case basis.

Actions include but are not limited to:

• signature on a biting chart daily noting the number of attempts and bites made
• parent meeting with administration
• wellness checkup from child’s pediatrician to discuss the biting concerns
• providing a referral to EarlySteps, Child Search, OT/PT/ST, and/or mental health consultant
• suspension from the centers for the day and/or up to multiple days/weeks requiring tuition still be paid to hold the child’s spot
• dismissal from the centers