Children in Childcare Issues - Assignment Example

Task Provide opportunities for rest Describe the environment that you would provide for rest time. The environment must be conducive to rest. During rest time, the lights should be dimmed out (curtains drawn), the temperature must be set to just right – not too warm or too cold, and the noise level turned down. Soft music may be played to induce active bodies to rest to the rhythm of the music. Mats or cots set out must have the proper softness to them to provide the comfort needed by the children. Soft pillows or stuffed toys to hug may likewise be provided along with blankets. 2. How would you settle both Max and Jesse to rest/sleep? For both boys, reading a story to them will help settle them to rest as the soothing voice of the storyteller coupled with the pictures they see to follow the story will relax them. Max will be the more settled one since he spent time doing more quiet things. He may not be as tired as Jesse so it may take a longer time to get him to sleep. Lying down with him to look at books along with soothing, soft music will help him be more relaxed, and eventually fall into sleep. Jesse, because he spent his energy doing more active things will be more physically tired. It shows because he has been rubbing his eyes. After reading him a story, he may be patted to sleep with a simple lullaby and it will be a short time before he is asleep. 3. What would your expectations for both Max and Jesse and why? Max would be more relaxed and less tired because of the things he did prior to rest time- drawing, puzzles, and construction with building blocks. His mind and imagination may be more active, though. Jesse would be more restless coming after active play - running, jumping, climbing and doing somersaults. He may be more resistant to calm down and rest but with the symptoms he manifests, it would be easier for him to sleep once the environmental conditions for rest are met. 4. How would you use the information provided by Jesse’s parent? It will help me know what to expect from Jesse upon waking up from a sleep and understand him better instead of easily losing patience to a cranky child. I would be gentler to him in easing him from sleeping to waking state and not rush him in the transition. Task 2: Hygiene practices 1. What could you say and do to help support Antonio’s mother? I would support Cate by telling her to stop blaming herself and concentrate more on helping Antonio be toilet trained. I will explain that children are different in pacing and schedules and what might have worked for Bella may not work for Antonio. Bella was more aware of the ‘goings-on’ of her body and responded actively to it. With Antonio, he would need to be more aware of his bladder and sphincter control by listening to his body, cued by a supportive adult. The difference between Cate’s children and her mother-in-law’s children is that Cate’s children come to childcare with other children and with adults who are aware that they have various body schedules and respect that. Cate’s husband and his siblings were cared for at home, and may have been given uniform treatment by one caregiver, their mother, and that she was consistent with her toilet training of them regardless of their body schedule. 2. What strategies would you suggest could be tried with Antonio? I would be more focused in observing his behaviour prior to his toileting schedule. Checking out for his personal symptoms would aid me or his mother in making him aware if it’s potty time. When it is, I could gently bring him to the toilet and wait it out with him. We could read short stories together, sing songs, etc. for him to be more relaxed. A comfortable, unrushed, shame-free atmosphere must be provided to him so the toileting experience will be a positive one. Using a child-sized toilet with a small step will make him feel like an independent boy even with an adult there. When he is successful in his toileting, he must be praised for his efforts and be reminded that next time when he feels like going to the toilet, he will let the adult know until he can go by himself. Task 3: Provide food and drink suitable for children 1. In point form, identify five particular types of food and drink that you consider to be inappropriate to include in a morning tea menu for preschoolers? Explain why each choice is inappropriate? Foods with too much sugar – children love sweet tasting food but those with too much sugar may cause them to be hyperactive and overweight. Too fatty foods – even for adults, foods that are too fatty is not healthy. Deep-fried foods and oily foods must be avoided Foods with no nutritional value – candies, sodas must be avoided as they just provide empty calories that will not be beneficial to the children. Food inappropriate for age level – preschoolers need food fit for their level. Serving them baby cereal will not be appropriate for them since they are growing children who need more solid food. Foods that take too long to eat such as a full steak meal are better served at home with family because at the centre morning tea, not enough time may be given for eating, just enough for light snacks that would help the children go about their day. 2. Outline ten key things staff need to consider to ensure appropriate hygiene and safety when supervising and interacting with children during morning tea. a. Wash hands thoroughly with soap and water to prevent germs from going into food. b. Wear the proper attire to ensure hygienic practices – gloves, apron and a hairnet to keep hair from falling into the food. c. Remove immediately whatever dropped utensils or any food on the floor to avoid contamination with germs. Quickly replace it with a newer, fresher one. d. Sit with the children while they are eating and converse with them pleasantly. e. Never leave the children alone during snack time. f. Make sure children are not served food that they are allergic to. If the food served may cause allergies to some children, provide alternative food choices for them. g. Make sure food served to children are respectful of the cultural and religious beliefs of their families. h. Aside from ensuring proper sanitation in the food preparation, food served must also be visually pleasing to the children’s eye. i. Model proper eating behaviour and good table manners. j. Make sure food is sliced into small pieces that will not be choked on by the children. Task 4: Ensure children are dressed appropriately Eleni is 9 months old she is just beginning to crawl. She is confident on her hands and knees. As she moves forward her knees get caught in the beautiful dress she has on. She often slips and falls. When you pick her up to change her nappy you notice her knees are red and grazed. What would you do and why? First, I need to have her knees checked, cleaned and applied the needed medication and dressing that would pad her grazed knees. Then I would change her into clothing that protect her knees such as soft pants or full-length onesies. This is to protect her knees when she crawls. When she is picked up by her mother, I would inform her of the grazed knees and explain that it was due to clothing that did not protect her well in her developmental stage. The dress may be pretty on Eleni, but does not provide enough comfort and ease of movement for an active infant, as the hem may cause her to slip and fall. I would advise her mother to dress Eleni in clothing that would protect her in her movements, especially when she may crawl in surfaces that are hard and rough that may hurt her knees and legs. In a few months when Eleni is expected to stand and attempt walking on her feet, I would suggest that she be allowed to walk on her bare feet so that she learns to gain foothold and balance herself. By then, she may be allowed to wear pretty dresses again that will no longer be caught under her knees and cause her to fall. I would emphasize the need for safe and appropriate clothing for her child and give her more ideas like avoiding strings that can hurt her, buttons that may fall off and be swallowed by Eleni, etc. Read More