Principle 1 Involve infants and toddlers in things that concern them. Don't work around them or distract them to get the job done faster.

Kaleb is the only dark-skinned child in the toddler center. The director is most worried about his identity formation, and staff members have had several antibias trainings. She is pleased to see how staff members are working with their various biases and how equitably they treat all the children. Today, however, there is a substitute who has had no training, and while the director is watching her, she picks up what she assumes are some unconscious behaviors. First, she notices that when children need a tissue, the substitute gets one and wipes their noses, that is, until Kaleb needs one. She takes the box to Kaleb, offers a tissue, and suggests he wipe his nose. Then she holds out the wastebasket for him to throw the used tissue in. After seeing the tissue episode, the director decides to stay in the room and pay closer attention to the substitute. Diapering presents another scene that disturbs the director. The substitute diapers the children she is supposed to, all but Kaleb. When it's his turn, she says she needs to take her break. The director asks her to diaper Kaleb first. When she does, she hands him a toy to play with and diapers mechanically, ignoring the child and focusing only on the task. She doesn't say a word to him and takes half the time that she took with the other children. The director asks another caregiver to take primary responsibility for Kaleb the rest of the day.

1			What messages do you think Kaleb might have been picking up from the substitute?
2			How might the substitute's behaviors have influenced Kaleb's ideas about himself, his body, and its products?
3			Should the director have done more than she did?
4			If she had confronted the substitute with her observations, how do you think the substitute might have responded?
5			Do you have some feelings about this scene?