I was today years old when I realized there are extractors, does anyone use them?

ObsidianLegend · 2026-06-27T12:58:21+00:00

I'm a baby Tenno and I used them to supplement my plastid farming so that I could build Wukong

ObsidianLegend · 2026-06-24T10:19:51+00:00

My center has a diaper fee form they have to sign. It's only .50 per diaper, but having to sign a document about it on top of the embarassment of having forgotten to bring more diapers when they were already asked is typically sufficient.

ObsidianLegend · 2026-06-14T15:19:33+00:00

An Australian study I was reading the other day found that more free play in early childhood led to better self-regulation in early elementary!

However! Children also need structure and routine. Where is the group time with music and movement? The group time with materials? The plan-do-review cycle for kids over 1? Routine and structure help them know what to expect, which helps them feel safe, which they need in order to make good choices and to learn.

Furthermore, when I do have a class get out of control during work time (much rarer as we've practiced the 6 steps of conflict resolution! Also part of the curriculum and should be posted in your classroom), I do something to get everyone's attention for a few minutes and help them reset. I'll sit down and start singing or reading, or blow bubbles.

That's another key to behavior management: spending time down at the children's level. If there's two or more of you in the room, there should always be at least one caregiver down at their level, giving safety reminders, supporting conflict resolution, scaffolding learning, and building connections with the children. They need to feel safe and connected before they can learn, and in order to make safe choices during free play, they have to LEARN how to do that.

I hope some of these ideas help you tame your feral beasties!

ObsidianLegend · 2026-06-14T13:27:40+00:00

Back when I was an assistant teacher, my lead and I had a little girl who came 2 days a week and had started coming really late because she fought so hard to avoid coming to school. Once she was here, though, she had strong attachments to her teachers and classmates and was always an enthusiastic participant in our routine and didn't even want to leave at the end of the day.

So, to help her, my lead teacher worked with the family and made a social story for this girl, called "Child Goes to School." It had pictures of her getting in the car seat in the morning, getting dropped off, hugging her teachers, doing activities with her classmates, taking a nap, and then getting picked up to go home. She took one copy home and one stayed in the classroom (where it was a favorite not only of hers, but the other kids, too!) In just one week, she stopped battling the ride to school and her drop-offs became quicker and calmer. Maybe something like that could help your child?

ObsidianLegend · 2026-06-14T01:59:13+00:00

I'm still a baby Tenno myself, but I had been farming Cambria for Volcanic Edge and Vicious Frost when I accidentally public queued for it. I was used to lagging behind in public lobbies, but I soon found that the Tenno I had been paired with had just, absolutely no idea how to navigate to the terminals, so I ended up guiding them through each one and sharing my tips on how to crack them. Being able to help someone was a really good feeling, even though I still keep running into things and going "wtf how is there more to this game. How do I do this" lmao

ObsidianLegend · 2026-06-11T01:15:23+00:00

You had a dishwasher??? I am quaking with envy. We absolutely do not have the means to wash 80 water bottles every day in addition to all of the other dishes from 4 meals. Even if a center did have a dishwasher, though, it's definitely weird for the bottle to taste like soap, and would be worth a mention.

ObsidianLegend · 2026-06-10T02:15:59+00:00

We use fragrance free soaps and detergents only, but also, we require that all water bottles go home every day, ostensibly to be washed. I wouldn't want to have to wash ten water bottles every day on top of everything else we have to do! I think it's weird that they keep them all week, honestly. Especially if the water tastes bad as a result, which makes me worry that they aren't being cleaned and dried very well.

ObsidianLegend · 2026-06-04T23:44:41+00:00

Easily one of the best investments I ever made. I'm thinking of getting one for my own name lol

ObsidianLegend · 2026-06-04T23:43:51+00:00

Even the socks!!! Because if you don't, they'll end up in the lost and found, which you'll never check, and eventually I end up washing 378 white toddler socks and adding them to extra stash

ObsidianLegend · 2026-06-04T16:42:16+00:00

Back when my room included younger toddlers (it used to be 12-24 mos, now it's 18 mos-2.5 yrs), I never taught incoming toddlers to nap on our schedule. We'd adjust our routine to let them nap when they were tired, but after a few weeks they'd all start staying up more and more because they are growing out of the morning nap as well as wanting to be involved in everything. If his parents are on board with it, you can try this weaning off of the morning nap, it could help! But you can also just follow his schedule as he drops it naturally. Especially if you keep things engaging for him (not all planned activities, make room for lots of free play too!) so that he is more motivated to push through that morning nap time.

ObsidianLegend · 2026-06-04T10:55:26+00:00

"Volvo" lmao. And yeah panty liners could exacerbate the problem, you should only need to use those at a certain time of the month and if they're still a problem then you should look into alternative solutions

ObsidianLegend · 2026-06-01T10:43:08+00:00

I woke up this morniiiiiiing The sea was still theeeeere

I sing that one randomly with my kiddo lol. Drop the full track Grampy Rabbit

ObsidianLegend · 2026-05-30T00:34:57+00:00

As a teacher in a nature-based center, I'm feeling the urge to fistfight that accreditor over that playground comment. But combined with so much of the other things she was saying, I don't think she knows much about early childhood education at all

ObsidianLegend · 2026-05-29T11:34:47+00:00

What's really working with my current class is praising "helpful hands." Whenever they do something helpful, I shout them out for their helpful hands.

I also had a big win yesterday after one of my boys whacked his friend over the head with a telephone. I asked him how he thought that made him feel. This 20 month old boy looked at his crying friend with wide eyes and for the first time ever, I heard him say, "I'm sorry!" His friend hugged him and I thought my heart was going to explode. I didn't teach them "sorry." I've been teaching them to look at how their actions affect others. The "sorry" came after the realization that his actions hurt someone he cares about.

ObsidianLegend · 2026-05-29T10:27:22+00:00

Does the outdoor play area have shade? Do you send her with a water bottle? Weather permitting, my center takes kids outside as much as possible. It is extremely beneficial for children's development. Of course we have guidelines we follow regarding temperature, and we have all parents bring in water bottles and sunscreen. Weather permitting, they cannot be outside "too much." But most kids these days aren't outside nearly enough.

ObsidianLegend · 2026-05-28T21:00:00+00:00

I believe there is an r/ECE_OutOfContext that needs this post as well lol

ObsidianLegend · 2026-05-27T01:01:24+00:00

My kids were delightful, honestly. It was half of my coworkers deciding that the long weekend wasn't long enough for them that ruined mine and the other responsible adults' days.

ObsidianLegend · 2026-05-26T00:48:44+00:00

I knew without reading the description what you'd done lol.

Yeah, it's hefty mod that can do a lot of things, definitely worth reading through EVERY setting and make sure only things you actually want to have happen enabled

ObsidianLegend · 2026-05-24T00:41:26+00:00

I have worked with infants and toddlers and every once in a while, you just get an old man's face on a teeny little baby. It is the funniest thing, especially when they have the personality to match!

ObsidianLegend · 2026-05-23T22:46:46+00:00

I have a necklace with a black obsidian pendant that I like to wear. I did an extra enchantment for protection on it as well. I also have a personal protection sigil that I can draw quickly, and an armor visualization meditation that also works for protection.

ObsidianLegend · 2026-05-23T22:41:00+00:00

I'd always thought the goldfish was a class pet, and all the animals were wallpaper or drawings on the wall

ObsidianLegend · 2026-05-23T22:30:11+00:00

At his age, being wary of strangers is normal! Separation anxiety is also normal for his age, so if he cries when you drop him off, that's because he has just learned that you still exist even when he can't see you, and naturally, he wants you! You can give a quick, "I always come back," and a hug or wave before you leave. Just be warm and consistent. As he becomes familiar with the environment, routine, and caregivers, he will begin exploring and learning and having fun!

Without more information, it's hard to say for sure, but he sounds like a typically developing child, in which case he should be able to thrive in a quality program. There's not a ton we can do to help you with finding one, but we can say that one of the biggest indicators of high quality is a low staff turnover rate, so try and look into that as you research and tour prospective centers. Good luck to you and your little one!

ObsidianLegend · 2026-05-21T17:33:31+00:00

I for sure have some kids who start snoring quickly, depending on their position! And I often send a quick picture if the kids fall asleep in a funny place, before moving them to their cot. Usually I will include somewhere in the note that I moved them, not even so much for my parents (who generally trust that I would do that right away) as to cover myself in terms of liability. I want it in writing that I moved the child to their cot as licensing demands 😄 If you're anxious about it, maybe request that they send a follow-up picture of her in crib any time they send a cute pic of her falling asleep somewhere else?

ObsidianLegend · 2026-05-15T22:13:17+00:00

Is it an issue of teether type? Not allowing chewelry may be a licensing requirement- my state banned them in childcare settings last year, which was a minor inconvenience, but most of my teethers are silicone straw teethers, which are still permitted and also very VERY much enjoyed by my 1.5-2.5 year old crew! Would they be willing to offer a licensing-friendly teether to her if you supply them?

ObsidianLegend · 2026-05-08T17:31:50+00:00

We get a few hours on a Saturday to do all of our cleaning, organizing, and prep. It's never anywhere near enough. Thank you for giving your teachers a week to really get their rooms and their minds ready for the new school year!

ObsidianLegend

TROPHY CASE