What's Great in Our State? Featuring Washington, D.C.

What's Great in Our State? Featuring Washington, D.C.

28 Dec 2023
DC Team
Say hello to our lovely D.C. team! From left to right: Crystal White, Gloria Palmer, J’Wan Griffin, Shauneka Levett, Bianca Callahan!

 

Looking for some inspiration in your work with young children? Read these wonderful 'recipes' by child associates from Washington, D.C.! See the following for "Nurturing Pie," "Supporting Children Soup," and "Glo's Recipe for the Perfect Introduction."

Nurturing pie recipe

 

Ingredients: 

  • Active listening (2 tbsp)
  • Patience (3 tsp)
  • Understanding (1 tsp) 
  • Quality time (1 tbsp)
  • Communication (2 cups)
  • Empathy (1 tsp)
  • Encouragement (1 tbsp)
  • Respect (1 cup)
  • Boundaries (2 tsp) 
  • A sprinkle of fun and laughter

Instructions: 

  1. Start by preheating your heart to a warm and welcoming temperature. 
  2. In a large bowl, add active listening. Stir gently until well blended. 
  3. Gradually add patience and understanding, making sure to mix thoroughly. This will help create a nurturing environment. 
  4. Slowly incorporate quality time and communication. These ingredients are essential for building trust and fostering strong connections. 
  5. Add empathy and encouragement to the mixture. These will help children feel understood and supported.  
  6. Carefully fold in respect, ensuring that it is evenly distributed. This ingredient is crucial for creating a healthy and positive relationship.  
  7. Sprinkle boundaries over the mixture. Boundaries provide structure and guidance, helping children develop a sense of responsibility.  
  8. Lastly, add a sprinkle of fun and laughter to make the relationship enjoyable and memorable.  
  9. Allow the mixture to rest and develop over time. Relationships with children require ongoing effort and attention.  
  10. Enjoy the sweet rewards of a strong and meaningful relationship with your children. 

Bianca Callahan, Child Associate - DC Department of Behavioral Health


Supporting Children Soup

 

Ingredients:

  • Non-Directive Approach
  • Active Listening
  • Empathic Responding
  • Tracking
  • Use of Restatement
  • Reflection and Limit-setting

Instructions:

  1. Make sure you have a good slow cooker for this dish (it is a process). 
  2. Ingredients are important.  Be sure to have ALL the right ingredients before getting started. 
  3. Pour all the ingredients into the slow cooker and give it a special stir. 
  4. Place top on slow cooker and turn temperature up. 
  5. Add a little flavor, seasoning the soup with lots of love, authenticity, consistency, safety, security, and an extra dose of fun.  Be generous with the seasoning. 
  6. Have patience; don’t rush the cooking process for this dish. 
  7. Temperature should be between 180 degrees and 200 degrees. Temperatures higher than 200 degrees will overcook the dish, rushing the process and we don’t want to do that. 
  8. Allow this dish to slowly cook and it will be ready in perfect timing. 
  9. Once ready serve a nice warm bowl of Supporting Children Soup.

Special Instructions: Whenever making this dish, stick with the same ingredients; don’t change up. However, feel free to add additional seasonings, if necessary, just make sure they are healthy and promote children’s growth.  

Shauneka Levett, Child Associate - DC Department of Behavioral Health


The perfect introduction recipe

 

Ingredients:


One part of each of these ingredients, but more can be added as you see fit

  • Kindness
  • Patience 
  • Respect 
  • Firmness 
  • Consistency 
  • Attentiveness 

Instructions: 

  1. Begin with Kindness in your introduction when meeting a child/children. Come down to their level and look them in the eyes. 
  2. Show them patience whenever you’re with them. Meet them where they are with understanding and care. 
  3.  Add in Respect, by accepting their choice and style of play. Show self-respect, respect for them, and respect for others.  
  4. Remain consistent throughout the entire process and set limits when needed.    
  5. Lastly, always remain attentive, you don’t want your dish to burn!

 

Nutrition Facts: 

Love (for the job) 96g / Patience 100g / Consideration 98g / Self-Care 110g / Professionalism 99g / Fun 88g / Non-Directive 100g / Limit Setting 21g / Reflecting 92g / Restating 76g / Attentiveness 99g / Play 200g 

Gloria Palmer, Child Associate - DC Department of Behavioral Health

 

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