Zadie’s code of behavior: Love first
Discipline is a matter of planning and setting clear limits and expectations. It should involve redirection and logical consequences, not punishment.
At Zadie’s, our job is to gently encourage and support self-control, to protect your child, and to help him or her learn how to behave responsibly. Our caregivers are skilled at anticipating and preventing most undesirable but child-appropriate situations.
Each child at Zadie’s is respected as a special individual, even during the power struggles and eagerness for independence. We do not believe in characterizing children as bad, mean or nasty, or in using any other degrading terms because labels stick — and none of these negative terms describe Zadie’s children.
As adults, it is important that we avoid labeling children at all costs because children believe what we tell them about themselves, and their behavior may eventually come to reflect those beliefs.
We praise children when they are behaving in an acceptable manner. We remember to model appropriate behavior because children imitate and learn from us.
When discipline is necessary, Zadie’s staff members shall:
Make clear that it is the child’s behavior that is unacceptable, not the child
Help the child use appropriate language to help the child understand the problems with his or her behavior
Use redirection and logical consequences for inappropriate behavior
Assist and encourage children to express their feelings
Always appear confident, and model appropriate behavior and manners
Zadie’s staff members will never:
Hit, shake or use any form of corporal punishment
Use abusive language, ridicule or speak harshly to children
Humiliate, frighten or use any other form of emotional punishment
Engage in or inflict upon any child any form of abuse and/or neglect
Withhold food, emotional responses, stimulation or sleep
Ask a child to remain silent or inactive for an inappropriately long period