DOUBLE TAP TO ZOOM WITH PHONE OR TABLET 10 Chapter 1 after being absent for a few days. Here you can recognize that she is adjusting to being back in the classroom with smiles and no tears. Giving her a hug or patting her on the back and telling her how you are noticing her growth and self-confidence may encourage her to continue to separate from her family members more easily. You can tell her mother at pickup time what happened in the morning so that she can also celebrate Kassandra’s progress in separating with no tears. If Kassandra does have a hard day again in the future, you can remind her of this day and her success or invite her to draw or paint how she is feeling to help her express herself in other ways. Learning about How Children Cope with Difficult Situations When you care for children, you see the ways they cope with the ins and outs of difficult times throughout the day. Getting along in a group setting is hard work for them and involves developing problem-solving skills. Read the following observation note about Corlyn, and write down the strategies she uses to find comfort when she is upset. Corlyn (1 year, 3 months) When Corlyn rubs her eyes and starts to cry after eating lunch, she walks to her cubby and reaches for her diaper bag. She looks in the side pocket for her pacifier. She takes it out and sticks it in her mouth. Then she finds her blanket on her cot and goes to sleep. Using information for assessment Corlyn independently seeks out her pacifier to comfort herself. She knows where it’s located and shows initiative to get it. Referring to developmental checklists shows that she has excellent coping skills for her age level. Using Information for planning Anticipating Corlyn’s difficult time after lunch and having her pacifier or a stuffed animal nearby may prevent her initial crying. Supporting her when she does get her own pacifier with positive words and a quick hug may allow her to settle down into naptime with adult comfort as well. COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL