Coaching

Choose Words that Build Relationships

"The words you choose and how you use them either facilitate positive, effective relationships with children and families or impede those relationships. As early care and education professionals, it is our responsibility to express an interest in families and children. We need to acknowledge children and families' strengths and the ways in which they are effective...We need to accept the presumptions that all people are basically good, and families want what is best for their children. Upon those presumptions we can build a relationship, the very foundation of which is communication.”

"The respect we communicate through our words helps us model what we expect from children; this affects all areas of their development. When we are going to wipe a very young child’s nose, saying, ‘I am going to wipe your nose now’ shows respect. Asking a preschool child if he needs help as he struggles to zip up his coat shows respect. If we jump right into helper mode without those words, we may be impeding progress and disempowering the child..."-Laura Mickley 

"The power of words can either build bridges or burn them down, so choose them wisely."– Kirby Larson

Recently, the singer Lady Gaga decided to record the classic song made famous by Fred Rogers, "Won't You Be My Neighbor," to encourage kindness and mutual support.

Do you have a baby or toddler at home?

If your child is between 12 months and 3 years old, your family may qualify for FREE Early Head Start services right here in Alamosa County.

We’re here to support local families with:

• Safe, nurturing early learning

• Developmental support for your child

• Resources and encouragement for families

• No cost for qualifying families

We currently have a few openings available and would love to connect with you.

Call Alex or Erica at 719-937-4010

Or click the button below to fill out the interest form and we’ll reach out to you.



You don’t have to figure it out alone, we’re here to help!

Parents As Teachers invites you to join!

Parents of young children, this is for you!

Did you know you can get free support to help your child learn and grow from birth through kindergarten? Our Parents as Teachers program works with families to give helpful tips, fun learning ideas, and one-on-one support made just for you and your child.

We offer regular visits, simple activities you can do at home, and developmental check-ups to make sure your child is on track. You’ll learn easy ways to support your child’s learning, build strong family bonds, and feel more confident as a parent.

To sign up, check the flyers below to see which parent educator serves your county and give them a call!

Early Childhood Mental Health

How do we know if a child feels safe? Many of our ideas around children’s safety are our perceptions of their safety and what we think their environments need to be. As educators, we often feel like if we stop kids from hitting each other and provide safe spaces that control children’s movements, then they should feel safe in the classroom.

The problem with this is that it isn’t about what we think makes children feel safe, but it’s the children’s perceptions of being safe.

For children having challenging behaviors, we often use approaches that we think will work, but they don’t. We focus on providing an environment that we think promotes safety, but we don’t focus on what the child actually needs to feel safe. This is where individualized and child-led perceptions of environmental and relational safety come into play.

Relationships are key!!! Providing a child with relationships in which the child feels are safe will support co-regulation, supports for the child’s stress responses, and supports during challenging behaviors. But simply having a qualified adult there is not enough.

Click here to download the excerpt that includes worksheets from Beyond Behaviors, Using Science and Compassion to Understand and Solve Children’s Behavioral Challenges by Mona Delahooke, PhD.

The book is available for purchase for $19.99 on PESI.com.

Professional Development  

Scholarships Available for Early Childhood Professionals!

Are you currently working in early childhood education or pursuing a career in the field? Great news—scholarship opportunities are available to help you continue your education and professional growth!

These scholarships can support coursework, credential programs, and degree pathways designed to strengthen the early childhood workforce.

Investing in your education not only benefits your career but also enhances the quality of care and learning experiences for young children in our community.

For those interested, please reach out to Lcoresource@eccslv.org for local scholarship information.

For those working towards their master's or doctorate in Early Childhood take a look at this scholarship from The Denver Foundation. 

Stay Updated on Local Resources

This time of year, there are lots of community supports and opportunities popping up and we know it can be hard to keep track of them all.

While our newsletter goes out once a month, we often come across helpful resources online that we share on our Facebook page to keep things streamlined and easy to find.

Follow us here to stay informed!

https://www.facebook.com/eccslv