Empowering Olivia
Sabrina L. Johnson
ECE313: Collaboration with Parent & Community
Professor: Ann Zucker
July 2, 2012

Empowering Olivia As an educational professional, one the most important parts of my job is to appreciate all of the different stages that toddlers go through as they are developing (Gonzalez-Mena, 2009). In this paper, I will introduce you to Olivia, a toddler who is on a constant quest for independence, as well as explain how, as an educator, I can facilitate the empowerment that Olivia desires. I will also describe six key points illustrating my understanding of the importance of validating Olivia’s desire to gain power and control, as well as find a community resource for parents with toddlers like Olivia. Creating a developing appropriate environment is essential to helping empower Olivia. It should be designed to allow her the freedom to explore and try different things. One of the key areas of concern in developing an appropriate environment is safety; at this stage toddlers touch, explores, and use their bodies to learn about the world; therefore; a developmentally appropriate environment should be designed to allow them to climb, push, poke, prod, and perform a variety of other independent movements (Gonzalez-Mena, 2009). Toddlers are developing a sense of themselves as separate from their parents. They tend to insist on doing things for themselves. As an educator, I can help Olivia become independent by allowing and encouraging her to take responsibility for herself whenever possible. At this stage of development, toddlers, like Olivia, learn so much more from doing things for themselves. I will provide Olivia with opportunities to practice these self-help skills self-feeding, independent dressing and grooming, hygiene and toileting, and helping with daily chores like table setting and picking up toys. By encouraging Olivia to practice self-help skills, it will help develop her sense of curiosity, willingness to take risks, and her drive for independence. Empowering Olivia can be done in many different ways throughout the day; one way is by giving her choices. I will allow Olivia to choose her toys, books, and other materials, as well as give her a choice in learning centers. To further empower Olivia, I will allow her to make meal and snack choices. When you give toddlers, like Olivia, choices over what they do throughout the day, it will provide them with a sense of power over their lives. Olivia and toddlers her age, lack the verbal skills needed to voice their feelings, so, they act out when they are upset or frustrated. Olivia bit Jacob, another toddler, when he took a toy from her. It was important for me, as the educator, to take control of the situation. I was crucial that I seriously correct Olivia’s behavior while modeling gentleness with both toddlers. According to Gonzales-Mena, “being out of control is as scary for the child experiencing it as is for the one that is victimized” (2009, p. 66). Toddlers, like Olivia, needs to have set limits that are enforced to help empower them and give them freedom within those limits. Setting limits are one way of providing a safe learning environment; it may be a gate blocking stairs or a person taking a climbing Olivia off the table. Toddlers will test their limits, so, they must be designed to hold, while providing safety. Empowering Olivia with her constant quest for independence is something that educators, like myself, should be more than willing to facilitate. I have also found a community resource for parents of toddlers, like Olivia, to assist them with strategies to better deal with them. The Michigan Alliance for Families provides information and support for families with all kinds of parenting issues. Finally, in this paper, I have explained six key points demonstrating the importance of validating Olivia’s desire to gain power and control. Collaborative partnerships help parents and teachers empower toddlers find the autonomy the so greatly seek.

References
Brhel, R. (2012). Empowering children with choices. Retrieved from http:/ /www. Attachment family.org>Home>3.Toddler
Gonzalez-Mena, J. (2009). Child, family, and community: Family-centered early care and education. (5th ed.). Upper Saddle River. New Jersey: Pearson
http://www.michiganallianceforfamilies.org