MANY PEOPLE THINK IT’S NOT POSSIBLE TO SOLVE PROBLEMS WITH
YOUNG KIDS

Don’t sell those young kids short!

Watch Now! Never Too Early: CPS with Very Young Kids

Can young kids be engaged in the process of solving the problems that affect their lives? Caregivers do it all the time. We’ve always said that beyond the toddler years, it’s not chronological age that determines what it looks like for a child to participate in the problem solving process…it’s language-processing and communication skills. So, yes, the young kids in the videos below are showing that they’re fully capable of being engaged in the problem solving process.

To the left is our newest film, Never Too Early: CPS with Very Young Kids. We’ve interviewed countless parents and educators of very young kids about their goals for their kids, the skills they think the kids will need to prepare them for life, and their biggest fears about the future…and where the CPS model comes into play. We hope you enjoy it.

And what about non-speaking kids or those with significantly compromised communication skills? We’ll be launching a new section of the website with information about how to engage those kids in the problem solving process by summer, 2024.

Plan B with Sophia and Mel

In this video you’ll see preschooler Sophia doing Plan B with her school counselor, Mel…a good example of all three steps of Plan B.

Plan B with Ashvee and Suzanne

In this video you’ll see preschooler Ashvee doing Plan B with her advisor, Suzanne, and they, too, make it through all three steps.

The Empathy Step with Leyla and Jess

Here we have preschooler Leyla doing the Empathy step with her school counselor, Jess. This one is a good example of how a kid’s concerns may not seem clear early on but clarify if adults stick with the drilling strategies.

The Empathy Step with Zach and Tara

Another good example here of how good drilling makes things much more clear, as Zach and his teacher Tara engage in the Empathy step.

THANKS!

We are indebted to Coleman Family Ventures for supporting Lives in the Balance in the creation of resources for caregivers of young children. We also want to thank Kimberley Montclair Academy and Wintonbury Early Childhood Magnet School for their participation in this project.