The Hand Holders: A Tribute to Caregivers

I want to thank each of that work with children.  You role is very important whether providing child care as a profession, being a parent, co-parent, step-parent, foster parent, grandparent or having an important role in any child’s life.

The Hand Holders:
A Tribute To Caregivers

There is no job more important than yours;
no job anywhere else in the land.
You are the keepers of the future;
you hold the smallest of hands.

Into your care you are trusted
to nurture and care for the young,
and for all of your everyday heroics,
your talents and skills go unsung.

You wipe tears from the eyes of the injured.
You rock babies brand new in your arms.
You encourage the shy and unsure child.
You make sure they are safe from all harm.

You foster the bonds of friendships,
letting no child go away mad.
You respect and you honor their emotions.
You give hugs to each child when they’re sad.

You have more impact than does a professor,
a child’s mind is molded by four;
so whatever you lay on the table
is whatever the child will explore.

Give each child the tools for adventure,
let them be artists and writers and more;
let them fly on the wind and dance on the stars
and build castles of sand on the shore.

It is true that you don’t make much money
and you don’t get a whole lot of praise,
but when one small child says, “I love you”,
you’re reminded of how this job pays.

Celebrating Farmers and Food Georgia Agricultural Awareness Week

Agriculture is Georgia’s #1 industry.  March 19-23 is the second Georgia Agricultural Awareness Week.  A celebration of agriculture in Georgia, with a special theme each day. Even if you are not in GA here are some ideas you could use in your classroom.  So let’s celebrate Farmers and Food this week.  This will just get you started.

Monday  – Kick‐off Georgia Ag Awareness Week in your community or school by hosting a ‘Pennies for Produce’ Drive. Funds collected should be donated to a food bank of your choice to purchase local produce when in season from the ag heroes who grow it!

 
Tuesday – Flavor of Georgia Day -try some new fruits or veggies that are Ga Grown.  March is an ideal time for strawberries, since they are in season.

Wednesday – Ag Hero Day, invite a farmer to the classroom or visit a local farm.  Explain to children what a hero is and ask them to describe some of the people they consider to be a hero.  You may even relate it to Super Heros, then relate it to local heros.  Have children draw a picture or write a thank you note to “thank a farmer.”

Thursday – Ag Literacy Day – Invite a local leader to read agriculture related books to your children.  For suggest books to read visit http://feedmyschool.org/assets/files/ag-awareness/Reading-list.pdf                                                                                                      You will also find a certificate to provide for your children.

Friday – Make my Plate Georgia Grown – Feature GA grown products through snacks or meals throughout the day.

For more information and ideas visit:  http://feedmyschool.org/FMS/AG_Awareness_Week

 

March is National Nutrition Month

Whether it’s starting the day off right with a healthy breakfast or fueling before an athletic event, the foods you choose can make a real difference. March is National Nutrition month.  The theme for the month is “Go Further with Food”.  Preparing your foods to go further, by planning meals and snacks in advance can also help to reduce food loss and waste. This year’s theme for National Nutrition Month® encourages us to achieve the numerous benefits healthy eating habits offer, but it also urges us to find ways to cut back on food waste. Learning how to manage food resources at home will help you “Go Further with Food”, while saving both nutrients and money.

So how can you “Go Further with Food”?

1. Include a variety of healthful foods from all of the food groups on a regular basis. Consider trying a new healthy food like quinoa or kale.  Grill or bake rather than fry your foods.  Choose colorful vegetables.
2. Consider the foods you have on hand before buying more at the store. Planning ahead is so important.  Always prepare a list before going to the store.  It saves time and money.
3. Buy only the amount that can be eaten or frozen within a few days and plan ways to use leftovers later in the week.  Plan your menus for the week.  Choose a night for leftovers whether it is made into a casserole or an addition to a meal.
4. Be mindful of portion sizes. Eat and drink the amount that’s right for you, as MyPlate encourages us to do.
5. Continue to use good food safety practices. Remember to wash your hands regularly.  While in the kitchen always wash your hands before preparing foods and when starting a new task.
6. Find activities that you enjoy and be physically active most days of the week. Take a walk around the park with your family after dinner.  Try taking the stairs instead of the elevator.  Remember that all of your physical activity does not have to be done at one time; break your activity up into 10 minutes increments.
7. Realize the benefits of healthy eating by contacting your local University of Georgia (UGA) extension office to find more information on nutrition related programs are offered and available resources.

Special thanks to Rhea Bentley, UGA Extension Family and Consumer Sciences Agent, Columbus, GA, rbentley@uga.edu for providing this article.  Please share with your parents and kick off nutrition month with some activities for the children in your care.

 

 

Learning Can Be Fun!

It’s a New Year and a great time to set some new goals with the children you are working with.  I will try to be more diligent with my postings this year.  Setting goals is often easy; however, following through can be challenging.  Start with a small goal and work your way up.

As a child care professional you give to children, families and the community.  You make a difference everyday.  Thanks for all you do.

New Year, New Opportuties

How is my Preschooler Developing Physically?

Now that preschoolers have accomplished the skills of walking, running and jumping, they are ready for more physical feats.  Young children gain a great sense of confidence by being able to use their strength and power.

We help the children to gain more physical skills by:

• Supporting their healthy risk taking, such as climbing higher than before, rolling down hills, or carrying a pitcher of water.  Teachers stay close by to help them feel safe.
• Reminding children of safety rules and helping them to prevent disasters.  Teachers might say “clear a path for your race before you begin to run.”
• Playing movement games such as “Bluebird, Bluebird, Through My Window,” a marching parade, or the “Hokey Pokey.”
• Providing writing utensils, paint brushes, clay and play dough to allow children to build the muscles that control their fingers.
• Playing outdoors a lot.  Swings, slides, tunnels, tricycles, and climbers give children the chance to practice moving their feet alternately, climbing steps, pedaling, walking and running.

We do not play many competitive games at this age.  These games can damage self-confidence.  Losing often can stop preschoolers from wanting to try new things.  They are more interested in being a friend than being better than a friend.  As they reach school-age, many children become more interested in and better able to handle competitive sports.

Please feel free to share on the blog any ideas you have on encouraging physical development and activities others may be interested in.  We want to hear from you.

Global Handwashing Day – Oct. 15

Global Handwahing Day is celebrated on Oct. 15 and is an advocacy day dedicated to increasing awareness and understanding of handwashing with soap an an effectitve and affordable way to prevent diseases and save lives.  According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC) proper handwashing is the best way to prevent the spread of infectious disease.  

This is a good time to promote handwahing projects in your center.  There are many resources available to help you promote good hand hygiene.

 

Healthy School, Health People:  this site offers resources and ideas for promoting handwashing in your center visit http://itsasnap.org/Resources/Global-Handwashing-Day

Play is Children s Work

What is My Preschooler Learning About READING?

In the years before first grade, it is most important for children to learn that printed word stand for something real and print can help us discover new things.  Naming letters and their sounds is also important.  We help children with this as they are ready and interested.  Letter sounds are much more valuable to children after they understand that the words are telling a story.

Some ways to encourage children to learn to read include:

• Posting signs with pictures and words.  This helps children to connect printed words to real objects. (make sure they are at their eye level)
• Providing lots of books for preschoolers.  As you read with the children, run your fingers under the words.  This helps them learn that the words go from left to right.
• Having children dictate stories as we write down their thoughts.  This helps them learn that words are people’s ideas that are written down.
• Engaging children in activities related to the story, such as puppet shows, drawing pictures, or going on adventures. For example, after reading The Very Hungry Caterpillar, you might take them outside and search for caterpillars or butterflies.
• Reading the same stories over and over so that children can memorize parts of the story.  When children are familiar with stories, they often pretend to read the stories themselves or tell the story by looking at the pictures.
• Ask children “why?” and “what do you think?” questions when reading.  This helps children develop language and literacy skills as well as creativity and problem solving.

Reading is a great way to learn about new things, explore new places, have an adventure, recognize professions, identify diversity, and so much more.  Make your books come alive.  Remember, you are the one that can create magic with a book and your words.  You can extend reading through food and nutrition activities, dramatic play, and all the areas of your classroom.  Just remember to have more than one copy of a book.  Once you started reading it, the children will be more interested in the book. Another idea is to rotate different books, so when they are reintroduced to an area, it is a new item at that time.

We will learn more in upcoming blogs on how to make stories come alive….

Going to pick out a new book!!

 

Keeping Cool in Summer Heat

It’s July in Georgia and that means one thing:  HEAT!  In South Georgia, we not only have the high temperatures, but humidity too.  As temperatures are beginning to soar, it is important to remember our body’s fluid needs to prevent dehydration.  When the body’s output of water exceeds its input dehydration can occur.

Children age five and under are extremely susceptible to dehydration or other heat-related illnesses.  Some signs and symptoms to watch for include:

• Dizziness
• Nausea
• Fatigue
• Headache
• Stomachache

Fluid Tips for Summer Heat

1.  Increase fluid intake before, during and after playtime.  When playing in the sun, have a water or juice break every 30 minutes.
2. Plain, cold water should be the beverage of choice; the body absorbs it quickest.
3. Encourage children to drink or sip water even when they are not thirsty.
4. Stay away from caffeinated beverages such as soft drinks and iced tea.  Caffeine is a diuretic, which causes the body to loose more water.

Extra Information for you:

According to the USDA, water is essential for good health. Did you know….Water has a number of functions for our bodies.  The Mayo Clinic says “every system in your body depends on water.”  It regulates body temperature, maintains muscle tone, cushions joints and protects organs and tissues, aids in digestion and removal of waste, helps the kidneys and liver work effectively to metabolize fat, keeps you energized and at peak performance and protects our bones and joints.  Another advantage that readers may like is water helps keep your skin clear and minimizes wrinkling and sagging.  As we age that becomes more of a concern for many of us.  Other advantages water has no calories (simply cutting back on soda is an excellent first step toward weight loss), is naturally low in sodium and has no fat or cholesterol and water is preferred method of hydration.

1. Keep a refillable water bottle with you. They have the cutest water bottles now; you can even get them monogrammed! You are more likely to refill it, if you have it.
2. Make water the only choice. Keishon Thomas, UGA Extension Agent in Bibb County stated “My husband and I have made water the only choice in our home a number of times. I stopped purchasing sodas and limited the juice. As if by magic “mom magic,” if you will, water is consumed regularly in large amounts.”
3. Not crazy about the taste of plain water? Try infused water by adding lemon, limes or in season berries. It’s delicious, beautiful and you are doing your body a favor.

Ideas for Infused Water

Add fruits, herbs or spices to flavor your water.  When using herbs tear the leaves so the flavor will be enhanced.  Try different combinations to see what you prefer.  There are infuser pitchers and bottles available to purchase, but you can just make your own infusion in something you already have.  Here are some idea to get you started…the possibilities of combinations are endless.

Add peeled fruit and other ingredients to a ½ gallon or whole gallon of water.  Leave at least 4 hours or overnight in the refrigerator to let the flavors infuse.  Here’s a few suggestions:

• Strawberries & Mint Leaves
• Strawberries & Jalapenos
• Cucumber & Mint
• Oranges & Blueberries
• Ginger & Peaches
• Watermelon & Basil