DCRC Blog

One of the most effective ways to build resilience is through shared learning experiences. When educators come together to reflect, discuss, and grow, something powerful happens. Isolation decreases, perspective expands, and new strategies become easier to implement. Professional learning doesn’t have to feel like another obligation. In fact, when designed with intention, it can be a source of energy and renewal. That’s where the idea of a dedicated space for reflection and connection becomes so valuable.

Aggression in young children can be one of the most challenging behaviors for educators and caregivers to navigate. Whether it’s hitting, biting, throwing objects, or name-calling, these moments can feel overwhelming, but they’re also opportunities for teaching and growth. The key is understanding that aggression is not always intentional, and often, it’s developmentally expected.

At its core, the DECA Program focuses on three within-child protective factors: initiative, self-regulation, and attachment/relationships. Rather than centering on what is “wrong,” the DECA highlights what is going well so that adults can intentionally build on children’s strengths in daily interactions and planning.

Across early childhood classrooms, educators everywhere are asking the same question: How can we better address challenging behaviors? The need for support has grown dramatically in recent years. Teachers report rising numbers of children struggling with emotional and behavioral challenges, both externalizing behaviors like tantrums or aggression, and internalizing behaviors like withdrawal or anxiety. While there’s no single “magic fix,” there is a different way to think about these challenges, one that begins by looking inward.

Every day in the preschool classroom is filled with opportunities for children to take initiative – to explore, make choices, and express their own ideas. When teachers and caregivers intentionally nurture this sense of curiosity and ownership, children feel empowered to try new things and take pride in their growing independence.

In early childhood programs, resilience is often talked about for children, but it begins with the adults who lead the work every day. When leaders are intentional about how they relate to staff, what they believe about their teams, and how they respond to stress, they shape the conditions for everyone’s resilience.

Biting is one of the most challenging behaviors early childhood professionals and families encounter, yet it is also a common and often typical part of development for many toddlers and 2-year-olds. As children mature and build self-regulation skills, most move past biting, especially when adults respond with calm, consistency, and a clear plan.

Emotions are big, powerful and, especially for young children, sometimes overwhelming. Helping children understand what they’re feeling and how to express those feelings safely is one of the most meaningful gifts you can give them. It’s how they learn to manage frustration, show empathy, and build healthy relationships.

Here are some thoughtful ways you can nurture emotional awareness and regulation in classrooms, caregiving spaces, and at home.

If you are an early childhood professional who barely has time to drink your coffee while it’s still hot, this one is for you: the Devereux Adult Resilience Survey (DARS) is like a checklist for those with no time for things like journaling, but who still want to care for their own resilience as much as they care for children’s.

The DARS is a 23-item reflective checklist that helps adults identify their personal strengths in just a few focused minutes. No long writing prompts, no “perfect” answers required. Authored by Mary Mackrain, M.Ed., it invites you to mark how often certain statements feel true for you (Almost Always, Sometimes, Not Yet) and uses those responses to highlight the resilience you already have. Rather than comparing you to anyone else, it simply offers a snapshot of where you are right now so you can celebrate what is working and gently notice where you might need support.

Valentine’s Day is the perfect time to celebrate not only love, but also friendship, kindness, and connection in early childhood classrooms. While children exchange cards and hearts, it’s also an opportunity to nurture the everyday skills that help them build strong, caring relationships. Here are some classroom ideas that encourage children to work together, share joy, and show empathy.