Parents Can Ask Why Too-Smart Beginnings Can Provide Answers

Children can be downright adorable, but when behavioral issues rear their ugly head it is easy for parents and caregivers to feel frustrated and lost. Children’s dramatic tantrums and crying fits, aggressive reactions such as hitting or biting, or blatant refusal to listen and follow directions can be challenging and embarrassing. It’s easy to feel alone but the multitude of community resources would not exist if only one parent or caregiver were dealing with these issues. Fortunately, Smart Beginnings is available to help with these tough situations. Smart Beginnings is a nonprofit organization that merged with Preschool Partners. They provide a wide variety of support and education to day care centers and preschools; they also help parents find the right day care or preschool for their children.
Smart Beginnings stresses that communication between parents and caregivers is essential for many reasons, including addressing behavioral problems. This is easier said than done and the behavior may be addressed but the questions regarding the cause can still remain.
 

A great first step for parents and caregivers is to review Help Me Grow, an informative guide about the social-emotional behavior of children and the resources available. Among the various programs to help parents and caregivers is the pro-active team known as BITSE (Behavioral Intervention Team Social-Emotional-pronounced ‘bitsy’).

 

The BITSE team is a free service provided by Smart Beginnings for care centers, preschool programs, and home day cares. The team includes a professional consultant who observes the child as an individual and looks at both home and day care environments. By assessing a child’s entire environment, missing links can be identified and the “Why’s” can be answered. The BITSE team provides additional guidance about how to address and overcome the issues.
An interesting aspect to BITSE is that it was initially created when Smart Beginnings received stimulus funds from the federal government. The funds were designated to benefit children under the age of 36 months. At that time, BITSE was an acronym for Building Infant Toddler Social-Emotional. When the federal funds dried up, Smart Beginnings was not willing to let the BITSE Team fade away. A lot of hard work had been put into developing the program and the need to help parents and caregivers with their children’s behavioral and development issues still existed.
 

While public schools have the resources to help school-aged children, preschools did not and yet many parents, caregivers, and children struggle with these issues prior to kindergarten. Smart Beginnings realized this dilemma and is committed to helping children and parents be prepared for the upcoming challenges of education and increased social interaction. Not having the federal funding was certainly challenging but it also meant that the BITSE team no longer had to be designated to a certain age group. With a few adjustments, the team transformed into its current purpose- to help parents and caregivers of toddler and preschool aged children. The BITSE team’s ability to adapt and move forward goes to show that what may at first seem discouraging may be a blessing in disguise.

 

 

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Pam Rondeau
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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