A 4-year-old is having trouble adjusting to a new day care and is often playing solitary when the parent arrives. Which assessment step is most appropriate?

• A. Day care neglect.
• B. Encourage the child to play with others.
• C. Ask the parent if the child is slow to warm up to other new situations.
• D. Parallel play is common among preschool-age children.

Answer: (C)

The main concept here is how a child’s temperament, especially a slow-to-warm-up style, affects adjustment to new environments like a day care. When a 4-year-old shows difficulty settling in and tends to play alone until a parent arrives, the first essential step is to gather information from the parent about whether the child typically takes longer to warm up to new people or settings. If the parent describes a pattern of hesitancy, watchful waiting, and gradual engagement in unfamiliar situations, this points to a temperament trait rather than immediate neglect. Recognizing this helps tailor support—allowing extra time during transitions, providing predictable routines, and offering gentle, gradual opportunities to engage—without rushing the child into social exposure.

Labeling the situation as day care neglect isn’t supported by the information given and requires broader safety and caregiving indicators. Pushing the child to participate with others without understanding their temperament can increase distress. While parallel play is a normal preschool milestone, it doesn’t address how to assess or interpret the child’s current adjustment in this setting.