Sometimes it’s the small things that make a big difference. One day, a staff member noticed that a third-grade member was acting “off.” She went over to talk to him, and he shared that he was simply having a bad day and needed some time to himself. Although this doesn’t feel like much, having a kid respectfully request space to process is a huge win!
Open communication with staff, families, and members is a priority to ensure the child feels safe, respected, and included. Because this behavior was out of the ordinary, a supervisor called home to see if there were any external factors at play, but Mom couldn’t pinpoint any reason that her child would be having a bad day. She shared different tricks with the staff to help him get by until she could pick him up that afternoon. With a meal, some alone time, and Legos, the staff changed his entire demeanor, and by the time mom had arrived, he did not want to leave.
Later, Mom expressed her gratitude to have adults in her child’s life that took the time to notice him and recognize a subtle change in behavior. She is thankful to have such caring and supportive staff that makes her child a top priority.