Physical Fitness Fact Sheet

1.    Physical fitness is just as important as eating healthy.

2.    “Social changes such as the increase of one-parent families, dual-career families, and homelessness have had a negative impact on food selection and nutrition of children in this country” (Robertson, C. 2010).

3.    Most children in society today are caught up in the social media world. While society has come a long way with computers, which is one reason I am able to take this course online, there are some pitfalls from the social media rage.

4.    Children are becoming less and less active. They spend more time with video games, computers, smart phones and Ipods just to name a few. 

5.    “A child who weighs more than 10 percent above the normal weight for corresponding height, as shown on the standard growth chart, is considered overweight” (Robertson, C. 2010).

6.    Less time if any at all is spent outside walking, running or playing.  I am seeing a slow trend at trying to get kids moving more.

7.    The First Lady is getting actively involved at promoting healthier lifestyles and activities. 

8.    Sports figures are starting to play a bigger role as well, but ultimately is has to be parents taking that leap to say enough is enough and we being the biggest influence.

9.    I must say it is difficult though when physical education has been cut from schooling. Most parents had relied on that, but maybe it’s time for whole families to use physical fitness not only to get healthy but as a bonding experience.

10. Role models come from parents as well. We need to set the example. We are the first step in making sure our kids are well rounded confident children.

11. Confidence in children go lower and lower. We hear stories of bullying and children committing suicide.

12. Parents, adults and educators have to become more involved. Physical fitness does not have to be perfect.

13. Physical fitness can be anything from walking, to riding bikes, throwing a ball or I will say it, even playing a video game like we have on the Wii such as Zumba. My kids giggle and laugh but it does get us all moving. It’s a start at getting us together as a family and getting us moving.

14.  “The problem of childhood obesity can be improved by an increase in physical activity, diet management, and behavior modification” (Robertson, C. 2010).

Reference:

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

Healthy Food and Nutrition

In society in this day and age parents have become less concerned with healthy foods and nutrition. Society now is on ago, go type of cycle and parents lean more towards what is quick and easy instead of nutrition.  It has come to the point that the government may step in concerning the issue. According to the text (Robertson, C., 2010), “Good nutrition and healthy eating habits are very vital to children for them to maintain overall health and provide for good growth.” 

As parents, adults and educators it is our job to teach children the healthy way to eat. We are setting the example for children.  Healthy eating can be fun and good at the same time. Children should be included in their meals as well as with helping to prepare those meals. It is very true about adding color to meals. The more color the better it is for us. There are many menus and recipes that are fun for kids and parents alike. It may take a little extra time to prepare at first but very much worth the effort. The biggest step is sitting down to eat as a family. What is better than preparing a meal together then sitting down to eat it together. Parents can prepare certain things in advance like slicing fruits and veggies so that when it is time to cook children can help. According to the CBS news, our children’s generation could be the first to live shorter lives than their parents. That’s astonishing to me.

Here are some wonderful recipes that are very kid friendly from healthyrecipes.com :

BANANA BOBS

(Medallones de Platano)

This recipe is a good source of fiber, which may help protect you against some diseases.

Ingredients

2 bananas cut into ½ inch slices

1/4 cup low-fat vanilla yogurt

2 tablespoons oat and honey granola cereal

Directions

1. Place the sliced banana pieces on plate.

2. Place 2 tablespoons of yogurt onto the plate.

3. Place tablespoon of granola cereal onto the plate.

4. Use fork to pick up a slice of banana and dip into the yogurt,

then into the cereal.

Tip: Try different flavors of yogurt.

Carrot Raisin Peach Salad

One serving of this dish provides at least one serving of fruits or vegetables. Get at least five servings of fruits and vegetables a day as part of a diet high in fiber and low in fat.

Ingredients: 3 cups carrots, peeled and grated 1/2 cup raisins 1/2 cup light mayonnaise or lowfat plain yogurt 2 teaspoons lemon juice 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon sugar 1 cup frozen peaches Directions: 1. Combine carrots and raisins in a large bowl. 2. In small bowl combine the mayonnaise or yogurt, lemon juice, salt, and sugar together. Stir into carrot mixture. 3. Refrigerate until ready to serve. 4. Just before serving stir in the frozen peaches. 5. Refrigerate leftovers within 2-3 hours.

Chicken Black Bean Salsa Burritos

This recipe is a good source of calcium which keeps bones and teeth strong.

Ingredients:

1 can (15 oz.) black beans, drained and rinsed

2 scallions, chopped

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1/4 teaspoon chili powder

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 cup pepper jack cheese, grated

4 9” flour tortillas

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Combine the beans, scallions, lemon juice, cumin, and 1/4

teaspoon of the salt in a small bowl.

3. Rub the chicken breast with the chili powder, pepper and the

remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt.

4. Cook the chicken over medium heat for 5 minutes. Turn and

cook until done, 4-5 minutes longer.

5. Let chicken cool; slice into strips or chunks.

6. Divide cheese evenly between tortillas. Top the cheese with

equal amounts of chicken and black bean salsa mixture.

7. Roll up the burritos and wrap each one in foil.

8. Bake burritos until the cheese melts, about 15 minutes.

9. Refrigerate leftovers within 2-3 hours.

Bright Ideas:

8 servings, 1/2 burrito

each

References

OSU web site at http://www.healthyrecipes.oregonstate.edu.

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

CPR and Choking Emergencies

As child care professionals we are required to be training in First Aid, CPR and Choking Emergencies.  I am quite sure we would all like to think we would never have to use the skills in those courses, but truth is at some point we will have to use one aspect or another. My daycare home has two First Aid kits. One is located on top of my counter where it is easily seen and marked. The other is located in my van for any issues that arise while we are out.  Choking with children can happen quickly. Little ones like to put anything and everything in their mouths. It is very important to know the signs of a child choking and how to handle it.  Not knowing what to do can have deadly consequences. 

My state licensing requires that any sub in my home along with myself to have yearly First Aid, CPR and Choking Emergency training. It is so important to know the ABC’s of CPR. I had a case where we were in church one Sunday evening a young girl had a seizure just as she sat down in front of my husband and I. I was very thankful that my husband and I had both been trained. I stayed with the young girl and used my training while my husband called 911. There were only four people in the church that had First Aid and CPR training.  Had no one known what to do I’m afraid of what might have happened to this young girl.  It is very important to be trained properly and I feel like more people should be required to have this most important training.

Emergency Preparedness

Because I live in the state of Florida, we must have an emergency plan for several different types of emergency weather as well as fire evacuation plan. At my home daycare we do fire drills on a weekly basis and talk about our fire drill plan. Parents are given a copy of our Emergency Preparedness plan if they would like a copy, but a copy is also posted on our bulletin board as well.  According to my state regulations, I must have a bag with emergency items for the children which includes, diapers/baby wipes, juice, snacks, first aid kit, and emergency information for the children and contact information for parents.  Tornados are less likely in our area, but we do Tornado drills on a monthly basis. All of the information and steps for caring for the children are the same as for a fire. One other emergency weather plan we must prepare for is hurricanes. Hurricanes are slightly different than fire or tornado. We do not have a drill that we complete, but we do have a plan. We have a kit specifically set up with water, foods that will not spoil, flashlights, batteries, clothing, blankets, baby wipes, plastic bags and a first aid kit. While we do not expect that daycare children would be with their parents, there are cases when I have a military family and the child may be stuck here with me so we must plan for that. I always talk with the children about the drills and plans. I make sure to give them the information they need but not so much as to scare them (Robertson, 2010).

References

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

Safety Practices and Policies

The age that I choose to explore more is infants and toddlers. Most parents do not realize that at this age how curious children are and how quickly something can happen. Things that we do not normally think about or realize could be a hazard or dangerous are very much so for infants and toddlers. Although parents may be excited about the new things their child is doing during this time, they must also be cautious as well.

1. Choking is a safety hazard. Children are notorious for putting things in their mouths and can sometimes move faster than adults. It is very important to measure the size of an object to make sure that a child cannot choke on it. In my daycare home I keep and use on a frequent basis a “device for measuring small parts to prevent choking.” (Robertson, C. 2010) We also inspect toys and play equipment for any loose or small pieces that may come off posing an injury or choking hazard.

2. Another issue we must be careful of,are cords and electrical outlets. Cords must be hidden so children cannot see or reach them. My philosophy is out of sight, out of mind. Infants and toddlers love to try to stick things into electrical outlets so they must be covered with outlet covers. This will help to deter the child.

3. Poison/Chemicals must be kept locked and out of reach of children. All items considered must be kept in a locked out of reach area from children. At this age even a small amount of toothpaste could be poisonous. According to the text (Robertson, C. 2010), “Poisoning can occur in five ways; Ingestion, contact, inhalation, animal, insect or reptile bites and injection.” At my daycare home I am constantly on the lookout for anything that could be considered poisonous to the children. The number for poison control is posted by the telephone in case of emergency. I also speak with parents about known allegories such as to pets or insects and that information is kept located by the telephone as well.

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