In a "Young Children" article worth revisiting, Wien (2004) makes the case that rules tend not to be helpful in early childhood communities. Rules are usually stated as negatives. When an adult enforces rules with children, the children know they have done something wrong. However, the negative experience in rule enforcement does not teach them what to do instead. Rules can cause teachers to label children, lump them in groups, and enforce rules accordingly. Studies show that children frequently subjected to punitive rule enforcement feel rejected, develop negative self-images, and may have long-term problems with aggressiveness in school and life. Moving to the positive requires an attitude shift by the teacher from being a technician to being a professional. A technician operates with the ongoing mission of rule enforcement. In contrast, a teacher who is a professional continuously makes judgments about situations based on a mission to understand and guide--a mission greatly aided by the use of guidelines that transcend rules and their baggage. In the process of becoming more effective professionals, teachers need to trust in and refine their developing skills of observation, communication, and relationship building.