School Supplies?!

 

     I cannot believe that it is already time to start thinking about school again! Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love school supply time and am beyond thrilled that I finally have a child who is going into kindergarten and thus, actually has a school supply list. But, I wonder, as my oldest starts kindergarten and my youngest start preschool, how do we Mommy's cope? I am so completely conflicted! I am excited and ready for my girls to get school and experience all the amazing things that are available to them. On the other hand, my babies are growing up and despite a huge need for a little Mommy alone time each week, I cannot help but feel as if I am losing something. Do any of you feel the same way? Or do you still have little ones or maybe you are excited that your kiddos are growing up and moving on to this next stage?


     Kids need to socialize and through play, they are able to learn so much more and push their own boundaries. What about us Mommies? How do we find a way to play and push our own boundaries? For me, I am looking at starting a journey right along with my kids. One apart from my college classes, my husband, my beautiful daughters, and everything else I am doing not completely for me. I am starting a journey to expand my boundaries by getting healthier, losing this baby weight... since I don't technically have a baby any more and exploring new sides of me! Any suggestions on what I should do first? 


     I know this blog started as a school assignment, however, I am looking at this as a way to reach out to other Mom's who are experiencing what I am and maybe we can learn from each other. Help each other. And wind up healthier, happier, and a little more sane because of it!


Have an amazing night,
Danica

Physical Fitness -

Physical fitness has never been more important than it is today, especially with the advent and constant use of technology. As a whole, we are not the physically active people we were even fifty years ago and because of this, obesity is an all too common problem for our adults and even our children. With this in mind, physical fitness becomes even more important for adults to teach young children. Proper physical fitness is needed for or aides every stage and form of development. Through activity children learn how to control their bodies, building with blocks, and running. All of these activities are physically active and since they combine both gross and fine motor skills, they are crucial to preschool age child development.

     There are so many activities that help children with their motor skills, both fine and gross. Some physical activities that children can do that also help them to be engaged in physical activities are; walking up and down stairs starting with alternate feet, play catch, play games that involve running such as Red Rover and kickball, and allowing plenty of time at parks and playgrounds that have preschool safe play equipment. Many of these activities also help with fine motor skills, such as playing catch and some of the activities on playgrounds. What is truly amazing is how physical activity plays such a major role in developing cognitively and social-emotionally (MediBank Private, 2009). 

     I found an article that has evidence that children’s brain development is actually linked to a child’s physical fitness. According to this article MRI measurements showed that children who are more active are more efficient at utilizing oxygen than those who were not physically fit (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2010). So what does this mean? It means that children who are more physically fit have healthier hippocampuses, one part of the brain known to be used in learning and memory. New neurons, cell survival, and enhanced memory and learning was shown to be higher for these children whose bodies are physically healthier than those who are not (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2010). Knowing that a child’s state of physical fitness directly correlates to their ability to learn and retain are one of the major pros for helping our children become more physically active. This study shows that children who do not engage in physical activity have portions of their brains that are not as healthy as they could be, this is a major drawback to having inactive children.

     Adults play a huge role in helping children to become more physically active, just as they are instrumental in a child’s proper nutrition. Adults should set a good example for their children by being active themselves and then leading children in active play(Child Development Institute Parenting Today, 1999-2012). While I know that our lives today are extremely busy, most of us have thirty minutes to get up and play a game or take a walk with our kids. We need to make these activities fun so that our children want to keep doing them. My husband and I will take our daughters to a nearby park that has dense forests with walking trails. We then make a fairy find game where we look for clues to see if fairies live in those woods. We jump and run, squat down, climb, we draw shapes on trees to try and open the fairies hidden doors, and use our imaginations to play. Most of what we are doing is promoting gross and fine motor skills. The internet is full of excellent ideas for parent and child play. I love these times with my daughters and try to make games as often as possible so that my children never struggle with maintaining healthy bodies.

     The quote by Pliny the Younger, “It is remarkable how one’s wits are sharpened by physical exercise” is one that anyone with children should know and live by. I am guilty of too often thinking of the body and mind as separate entities, when in reality they are so connected that typically the healthier one’s body is the healthier their mind. To develop through the multiple stages of physical, cognitive, and social-emotional, children need physical activity. Parents and teachers need to be the ones leading these activities as family and fun times. When children are physically healthy, they have so many more opportunities because they are not held back by their bodies and can push themselves to the next level of development. These are the ideas that adults who participate in children’s lives need to keep in mind and physical activity is every bit as important as reading, numbers and shapes. 

Reference

Child Development Institute Parenting Today. (1999-2012). 5 Parenting Tips To Help Your

Child Get More Exercise. Retrieved from http://childdevelopmentinfo.com/child-teen-

health/parenting-children-physical-exercise.shtml

MediBank Private. (2009). Wiggle Into Health. Retrieved from

http://www.wiggleintohealth.com/physical-activity.html

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (2010, September 15). Children's brain development

is linked to physical fitness, research finds. ScienceDaily. Retrieved July 6, 2012, from

http://www.sciencedaily.com­/releases/2010/09/100915171536.htm

Healthy Foods and Nutrition - 

     There is a new commercial that is being shown on television saying that the United States of America is rated 17^th in the subject of science in the world. Many people are upset by this and calling for better educational programs across the USA, but how many of these people think about the need for healthier meals and snacks to promote the ability to learn and retain? Many of the lunches that are both served and brought to school are full of empty calories. This is a major problem because without the necessary nutrients children are unable learn to their optimum ability. Knowing this, we need to all explore what good nutrition is for the different children’s age groups, how to develop healthy eating habits, and what healthy recipes are to promote all of this.

     Good nutrition is vital during every stage of life, however during the most highly developmental stage that children go through has even more significance. Proteins play a major role in growth and maintenance, builds new cells, repairs damaged tissues, forms enzymes that aid digestion, as well as hormones and antibodies that increase resistance to infection (Robertson, 2010, p. 239). By providing a child a diet rich in protein, they are less likely to be fatigued or irritable, they will likely grow properly, and will not be as likely to get infections. Another nutrient that is vital to proper growth and development is the mineral calcium. Calcium is needed for proper bone growth; it regulates the body’s different systems, aides in normal nerve transmission, and is needed for normal muscle relaxation and contraction (Robertson, 2010, p. 243). The final nutrient that I find to be essential to a child’s healthy growth and development is fat. When many people think of a healthy diet they rarely think of fats, however, fats are quite important to a child and their ability to develop properly. Fats are considered the bodies second source of energy; it cushions the organs, keeps a constant body temperature, aides in absorption of fat-soluble nutrients, and promotes healthy skin (Robertson, 2010, p. 237). While having too much fat in ones diet is not healthy, it is needed for a well-balances and complete diet. Without the proper amounts of nutrients in a child’s diet, a child is likely to get sick easier, be tired, irritable, and unable to concentrate, and struggle to retain information. The ideal meal for a child, who requires a higher level of nutrients than most adults, is one that includes low-fat dairy, iron-rich protein, nutrient and fiber packed fruits and vegetables, as well as whole-grains (Fan, 2012).

     Like most of adults, children have their own likes and dislikes, thankfully the healthy food groups have a wide variety to choose from. Above most anything else, food should be satisfying to a child as well as nutritional (Robertson, 2010, p. 311). The first nutritious recipe that I would like to share that family and their preschoolers can make together is the Disappearing Zucchini Muffins recipe. The second recipe that my daughters and I have made is the Crunchy Hawaiian Chicken Wrap; this is such a fun and tasty recipe that allows children to play with their food. The final recipe I love to make with my family is Chic’ Penne and since this recipe calls for whole wheat pasta, chicken, and vegetables, this is a guilt free a dish for the whole family. These recipes can be found on the Web site www.kidshealth.org.

Prep time: 30 minutes

What you need:

·         1½ c. shredded zucchini (about 2 small)

·         2 c. whole-grain pancake or biscuit mix

·         1 tsp. cinnamon

·         1 teaspoon allspice

·         2 eggs

·         ¾ c. brown sugar

·         ¼ c. unsweetened applesauce

·         2 tsp. fresh lemon juice

·         powdered sugar (enough to dust the muffins)

Equipment and supplies:

·         oven (you'll need help from an adult assistant)

·         bowls — one large, one medium

·         grater — a plastic grater is safest for kids

·         measuring cups and spoons

·         muffin tin and paper liners

What to do:

1.    Wash zucchini and remove ends.

2.    Shred zucchini using largest holes on grater.

3.    Wrap grated zucchini in a couple of paper towels and squeeze to remove water.

4.    Measure 1½ cups of squeezed-dry zucchini.

5.    Preheat oven to 375° Fahrenheit.

6.    Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.

7.    In a large bowl, mix whole-grain pancake mix (or biscuit mix) with spices.

8.    In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, brown sugar, applesauce, and lemon juice.

9.    Fold the egg-sugar mixture and shredded zucchini into the pancake-spice mixture; do not over mix.

10.  Fill each muffin cup 2/3 full with batter.

11.  Bake 10-15 minutes or until golden.

12.  Remove muffins from tin (with help from your adult assistant) and cool on a wire rack.

13.  Sprinkle muffins with a dusting of powdered sugar.

Prep time: 25 minutes

What you need:

·         6 whole-wheat tortillas

·         1½ cups broccoli slaw

·         1 cup spinach leaves, chopped

·         ¼ cup crushed and drained canned pineapple

·         1 pound cooked chicken, diced

·         ¼ cup low-fat mayonnaise

·         ¼ cup vinegar

·         ¼ cup sugar

·         1 teaspoon poppy seeds

·         1½ teaspoon garlic powder

·         1½ teaspoon onion powder

·         1½ teaspoon chili powder

Equipment and supplies:                                                                       

·         Measuring cups/spoons

·         Knife

·         Bowl for mixing dressing

·         Whisk

What to do:

1.    Prepare dressing by whisking mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, poppy seeds, garlic powder, onion powder, and chili powder together. Set aside in refrigerator.

2.    Mix broccoli slaw, drained pineapple, and spinach.

3.    Put ½ cup of the broccoli/pineapple/spinach mixture on a wheat wrap.

4.    Top with chicken.

5.    Add 1 tablespoon dressing to each tortilla.

6.    Wrap tortillas, burrito style. Cut on diagonal. Serve immediately or refrigerate.

Prep time: 55 minutes

What you need:

·         1 box whole-wheat penne pasta (14 ounces)

·         3 cups of raw broccoli florettes

·         ¾ cup of precooked chicken strips (4 ounces)

·         ½ cup reduced-fat cheddar cheese, shredded (2 ounces)

·         ½ cup mozzarella cheese, shredded (2 ounces)

·         3 tablespoons skim milk (1.5 oz)

·         2 tablespoons low-sodium chicken broth

·         ¾ teaspoon salt

·         ¾ teaspoon ground black pepper

Equipment and supplies:

·         Pot for cooking pasta and steaming broccoli

·         Colander for draining pasta

·         13x9-inch baking dish

·         Steamer basket for broccoli

·         Measuring cups/spoons

·         Mixing bowl

·         Spoon

·         Skillet

·         Oven/stove

What to do:

1.    Preheat oven to 350°F.

2.    Cook pasta according to directions until crisp-tender. Drain pasta.

3.    Place drained pasta in a 13x9 baking dish.

4.    Place broccoli in a stockpot of boiling water or a steamer for about 5 minutes.

5.    Rinse with cool water.

6.    Add the drained broccoli and the precooked chicken strips to the pasta.

7.    Sprinkle shredded cheeses over pasta mixture.

8.    In a mixing bowl, combine milk, chicken broth, salt, and pepper.

9.    Pour milk mixture evenly over the pasta mixture and mix in with a spoon.

10.  Cover baking dish with foil.

11.  Bake 30 minutes, until mixture is bubbly and cheese is melted.

     While providing healthy and well-balanced meals for children is not difficult, it is time consuming and requires some planning. However, families and child care providers need to be aware that children are growing at such an accelerated rate that they require more nutrients than adults do. Because of this, while sweets and empty calorie foods can be used as treats, we need to provide a variety of balanced foods that allow children to grow and develop in a healthy manner. The recipes I provided are easy to make and a lot of fun for the kids who make them. I may have a few more dishes at the end of the day and spend a little bit more time planning and preparing meals, but my children love many different kinds of foods, including most fruits, vegetables, whole-grains, and proteins. I think many children like these foods, but are just not exposed to them enough to realize it and by trying new tasty and colorful recipes that children can help make improves their ability to develop healthfully. 

Reference

Fan, S., Food Network. (2012). Retrieved from http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes-and-

cooking/creating-healthy-eating-habits-with-children/index.html

Frost, S. (2012). Living Strong. Retrieved from http://www.livestrong.com/article/363298-

healthy-food-for-preschoolers/Kids Health. (1995-2012). Retrieved from

http://kidshealth.org/kid/recipes/recipes/muffins.html#cat20229

CPR and Choking Emergencies -

There are many different scenarios where a child may be choking or require the aid of CPR. In every one, the adults who surround the child should have a basic plan as to how to aid the child and best respond to the emergency as it is happening. In this way, the child has the best likelihood of surviving and being only mildly traumatized. It is this need to save a child and limit the trauma and fear they face that we as adults need to have a thorough understanding.

     The first emergency scenario involves a typical day in the prekindergarten class at a preschool facility. Since it is summertime, hot dogs with all the trappings are a treat the children get to enjoy, often outside in the play area. As the prekindergarten teacher is watching her students, she notices that one student seems to be struggling to swallow. The teacher calmly walks over to the student and asks him if he is ok. The child cannot speak and shakes his head no, tears are now streaming down his face and other children are starting to notice and become agitated. Despite the fear and adrenaline racing through the teachers body, she tries to calm explain that this little boy seems to be choking and how she is going to help him. First, she sends one child to the door to have someone inside call 911. Next the teacher begins to tell the child and class how she is going to perform the Heimlich maneuver and with each step she describes, she also completes this step. Thankfully, on the third push, the piece of hot dog is dislodged and the little boy takes in a large breath. Once the children are all safely back inside and the little boy is on his way home with his parents, the teacher is able to fill out an accident report for her, the preschool, and the family (Robertson, 2010, p. 179).

     There are so many reasons that every person who works with or around children should be first aid and CPR certified. In this situation, because the teacher was up-to-date on her training and had confidence in her abilities, she was able to perform the Heimlich maneuver as well as keep the other children in the class reassured. While the students may be briefly traumatized, they are also likely to be confident in the fact that their teacher is capable of handling many emergency situations. In this case, there are very few steps that an adult can take to prepare for a choking emergency aside from being knowledgeable about first aid. Because of this teacher calmness and knowledge, she was able to save a child’s life and keep the rest of the class calm and safe.

     Allergies can cause many kinds of emergencies and this scenario of a three year old girl at home babysitters can happen anywhere. This little girl is severely allergic to bee stings and while her in-home childcare teacher always takes every precaution possible, one day this three year old runs across the backyard in her sandals and gets a sting on the foot. While normally the childcare professional has an Epi pen in case of these emergencies, today the sitter is unable to find it in its normal place in her bag. As the sitter assesses the situation, she too tries to keep her other two children calm. After carefully checking the little girl from head to foot, the sitter has ascertained that she is not breathing and therefore she must start CPR (Robertson, 2010, p.178). Much like the prekindergarten teacher, the childcare professional asks that the oldest child goes inside and calls 911. Next, the childcare professional begins CPR on the little girl and after many rounds of CPR and constant reassurance of the other children, the three year old starts breathing again. The child is then covered with a blanket and kept warm, in case of shock and the childcare professional has called her parents to come (Robertson, 2010, p. 179). As the small group waits for the three year olds family and emergency help to arrive, they talk about the emergency and the steps they all took to ensure the young child’s safety.

      One of the main reasons that this situation also had a positive outcome is because this childcare professional took all the correct steps to be prepared for many emergencies. She is current on her first aid and CPR training, she was able to remain calm, and have the other children assist her by calling for emergency assistance and getting a blanket for the child. This preparedness has provided confidence in her ability to keep her students as safe as possible. Since the Epi-pen was not where it should have been, this childcare provider has made a change to her emergency response plan and this is to check the child’s belongings every day to make certain she has this vital medicine and that it is known where it is. By being more aware of this need for the medicine, the childcare professional is more prepared for an emergency situation.

     When a person decides to work with children, they need to realize that they become a group of children’s main protection as well as their educator. Being certified in CPR and first aid allows for the responsible childcare provider to be prepared for many emergency situations that require quick and immediate decisions that could be essential to saving a child’s life. This is a major responsibility that childcare professionals must remain current on to maintain safety in a classroom or any other situation. I have not worked in the childcare setting for almost eight years; however, because I have children and many nieces and nephews, I am current on these two vital emergency procedures. It is extremely important to me to be able to help children in many different ways and being prepared for many different kinds of emergencies is crucial to this.

Reference

Robertson, C. (2010). Safety, nutrition, and health in early education (4th Ed.). Belmont, CA:

Wadsworth/Cengage Learning.

Red Cross. (2012). Retrieved from http://www.redcross.org

Emergency Preparedness for Natural and Human-Generated Disasters - 

Living in the Midwest we have very little danger from hurricanes, yet there are other dangers and disaster type situations that can affect those of us living here. As a previous daycare teacher, we often had fire and tornado drills to help prepare us and our students for a disaster. Two disasters that could affect a child care facility in my area are severe thunderstorms which can produce tornados and blizzards. These events have been known to happen in my area and those people working with children should be aware of how to safely and effectively handle these situations.

     Severe thunderstorms and tornados can be terrifying for many adults, but when these natural events occur during the school day, with many classrooms full of children, it is even more so. To try to take some of the stress and terror out of these thunderstorm and tornado situations every adult who works in a child care facility should have a working knowledge of what actions to take and how to best protect and prepare their students. When the caregivers and other staff do not have knowledge of what to do in these circumstances, then stress and fear reign and people can be in an even more dangerous situation and hurt or worse.

      Caregivers and administrators should monitor the weather daily, as the threat of severe weather strikes the different classifications of storms should be understood to best protect the children and the school. These classifications include; severe thunderstorm warning, severe thunderstorm watch, tornado warning, and tornado watch. Warnings are more serious than watches because to have a warning issued means that a thunderstorm or tornado has been spotted and watches mean simply that the conditions are right for them to occur. A child care building should meet state regulations about withstanding high winds and should have multiple internal protective areas to stay during the storm. Since these thunderstorms and tornados tend to happen fairly quickly, it is best if every employee knows where these protective areas are and the best way to get their students there. This means keeping children away from glass and if the storm happens too fast to get to the protective place, then sits against the interior wall away from windows. The most important facts to remember during a tornado are to rely on training and make certain the students are as safe and as calm as possible. This can be aided by keeping children and their families involved with thunderstorm and tornado disaster plans, this can help children to feel more confident of what to do during a real disaster emergency.

     Still another problem that we run into here in the Midwest is winter storms, which can happen about once a winter. Much like the thunderstorm local media and weather stations keep updates available on both the radio and television. Here, also like the thunderstorm and tornado warnings, we should have designated people who are keeping appraised of the current weather conditions. This is both to prepare the building, families and staff who may not have arrived yet and those who are already in attendance at the child care center. The major problems that are likely to occur during a major winter storm are utility loss and dangerous travel conditions. Because of this child care personnel must be prepared to run either back-up generators or maintain a safe level of heat until parents are able to pick up their children or the power comes back on. Dangerous travel conditions could make it difficult for families to pick up their children from the child care facility, so child care workers should also be ready to feed, entertain, and make their students are safe and comfortable as possible. Families can be a part of these plans best by having a written copy of emergency plans for emergencies like this, so that they are aware of what they can do and what will be done for their children.

     Natural and manmade disasters have the capability to take lives and while those of us in the child care field cannot always stop these disasters from happening, we can do quite a lot to minimize what we can. The best way to be safe is to be prepared. Developing a plan of action for these potential disasters, making certain that everyone is aware of these plans and knows their rolls in them, as well as practicing these plans to help build confidence for both the children and workers. Having a plan and the confidence to put that plan into action can make a potentially dangerous and hazardous situation a little less so. Whether it is a tornado, winter storm, fire, bomb threat, or flood, making certain that children are safe is one of the most important parts of working with children. Because of this, everyone in the child care field must be aware of the plans for potentially dangerous situations and know how to execute these plans to keep safety as a top priority.

Reference

Robertson, C. (2010). Safety, nutrition, and health in early education (4th Ed.). Belmont, CA:

Wadsworth/Cengage Learning.

     Safety Practices and Policies -


     Being a child care provider can be a time full of learning, development, and excitement, but if the learning environment is not equipped to be safe it can also be a time of fear and injuries. Creating an environment where children can have fun learning and exploring their developing abilities must be built on safety measures and practices. Whether in a classroom, outside, or on a fieldtrip, quality teachers try to provide the safest environment possible, which will allow for children to maximize their abilities to grow and learn.

     As preschool age children are now fully mobile, extremely curious, and ready to test their environments boundaries, many situations can occur during a day that make children unsafe. The first of which is falling. Falling can occur both indoors and out and can happen because of unsafe play equipment, running indoors, and because of other children being unsafe with each other.  Because of this, there are several safety policies that caregivers of preschool children are to follow. These have to do with keeping all the equipment that children play on in good repair, discouraging children to run indoors, and promoting safe play with peers. While children will always test their boundaries, they should be shown and encouraged to play in a safe manner. This includes using play equipment in the way it was intended, taking time to show them how to play with equipment, toys, and other children, and supervising play.  These measures should help prevent many falls and the severity of these falls.

    Another hazardous situation that children may find them in is a poisoning one. Because preschool age children still do not fully understand cause and effect, most do not read, and they imitate the adults in their lives, poisoning is a very real danger (Robertson, 2010). Because of this, hazardous materials must be kept locked up, out of reach of children to prevent the possibility of poisoning and written policies on where and how to store these items is essential. This is a very good policy to follow any place children spend their time, keeping cleaning solutions and other hazardous materials away from children and in a secure location helps to limit the chance of a poisoning. As we know, accidents do happen and a child may ingest something toxic, in the event of this happening, it is best to have the number for poison control on hand.

     Still another hazard that preschoolers and their caregivers must contend with is collision with objects.  This, like poisoning, occurs do to a child’s lack of ability, imitation, lack of impulse control, as well as environmental hazards. Because of this, teachers and parents alike can help minimize this risk by creating environments, both indoors and out, that have specific zones and plenty of room for these zones because these collisions can and do happen anywhere. Because of this, adults need to pay close attention to how areas are set up to help prevent collisions with objects.

     While preschoolers are able to physically do most activities and they have a better understanding of cause and effect, they are still likely to choke. These older children are less likely to choke on a toy or small object, but food can still pose a threat. Because of this, food should be in age appropriate sizes and portions and adults should supervise meals and snacks. This is also why state licensed child care providers must be current on the first aid and CPR training, in case there is a choking related emergency.  Choking can happen at any time and in any place, because of this parents should be aware of these same emergency techniques and it is a very good idea to have CPR and first aid certification.

     The final situation I will be discussing today is burns, while these are less likely to happen in a child care facility, they are more likely to happen at a child’s home or with home based child care. Because preschool age children want to imitate the adults in their lives and strive to be helpful, a burn can happen due to a lack of a smoke detector, a liquid that is too hot, or touching a hot burner or light bulb (Robertson, 2010).  These can be prevented at home and in child care facilities by taking proper fire prevention techniques, such as working fire detectors, having working safety equipment to keep children from touching stoves or light bulbs and by having thermometers to accurately measure water temperature. This is why parents and teachers can teach a child to “Stop, Drop, and Roll” in case of clothing fire, also talking with children about escape plans in case of a fire is essential and why state mandates that fire drills are practiced at least monthly. But the main ways to try to prevent burns is by supervising children and their activities and being aware of environmental hazards and modifying them to make the area safer.

     This assignment has taught me so much about safety and prevention of hazardous situations; I cannot wait to share these tips with parents and child care givers alike. I believe that as parents and teachers we get caught up in the child and sometimes forget about the environmental hazards that can lead to falls, poisonings, and collision with objects, choking, and burns. The more aware adults are of their environments, the more prepared they can be for hazardous situations that may come about.

Reference

Robertson, C. (2010). Safety, nutrition, and health in early education (4th ed.). Belmont, CA:

Wadsworth/Cengage Learning.

      Being a child care giver is a huge responsibility, especially when faced with scary situations like allergic emergencies and difficult ones such as trying to get children to eat and enjoy healthful foods. But, whether you are a teacher or parent, we need to teach our children how to be healthy in every way possible and that starts with us educating ourselves. I hope you enjoy this blog for a mother of two young children, wife, student of child development, and a woman struggling to do the right things for my family. <3