Summer 2003/04 NEWSLETTER

Be More Specific ThanYou’re Terrific

Children do wonderful and delightful things. They perform acts of bravery, kindness, honesty, and respectfulness. Yet these actions are often rewarded with generic “at-a-boys,” “You’re great,” “Wow, you did it!” or “You’re terrific.” Acts of goodness deserve more than a casual pat on the back and should receive more attention than negative behaviors.
The display of good character presents an opportunity to recognize positive behaviors with specific language, to affirm children’s character development, and to praise children for showing their character. The concept of correlating specific actions with specific lessons defines an approach you can implement to develop good character in children using recognition, affirmation, and praise. This is an approach where the identification of goodness goes beyond “You’re terrific.”

Recognition

How often do you notice a child extending a hand to a playmate? Maybe you have seen a child picking up another’s jacket and placing it on a chair. Has a child come to you with money he or she has found? Does a child voluntarily wash his or her hands after using the toilet? Perhaps a child has brought you a flower or gift.
These are examples of caring, respect for others, honesty, self-respect, and kindness. You have probably seen these situations, patted a little one on the shoulder and said, “Gee, that’s great” or “You are so sweet.” But, how often do you stop and define an action specifically? Have you said, “That was a very respectful thing to do!” or “You acted very honestly when you returned the money that was not yours”? When you define an action, recognition becomes more than a compliment, it becomes an effective tool for encouragement and behaviour reinforcement.

Affirmation

All children need and want approval and acceptance. When carers and parents recognize positive character traits in the behaviours of young children, they can affirm the goodness of the behaviours in such a way that will cause the children to internalize these positive character traits. Affirmation places importance on good behaviour and shows children the types of behaviours that are recognized in the playroom or home. When a young person has been affirmed for a specific behaviour or action, he or she is motivated and inspired to repeat the positive behaviour. 
How often do we see or hear of children who performed acts of courage in the community? Once a courageous event happens to a person, that event becomes part of his or her reputation. We have the opportunity to do more than say, “That’s good.” We have the opportunity to say, “That is good because you acted bravely.” The defining of the affirmation teaches children that this character trait resides within them, and that is why they are recognized.
Can your affirmation of an act of respect build self-esteem and respect of others? Yes! Can you affirm a child for an act of courtesy when a little one opens the door for others? Yes! It doesn’t take a lot of time to clarify why an action was deemed important if it is truly worthy of affirmation.

Praise

What child does not like and need praise? What child (or adult for that matter) doesn’t want to be recognized and complimented for his or her accomplishments? Praise reinforces a job well done, inspires repeat behaviour, confirms inherent or learned goodness, and helps build character.
Children seem to demand attention when they do something bad. Attention-getting is a time waster that confirms you can be diverted from your focus. Praise, on the other hand, is a time-worthy venture; behaviours are repeated when attention is paid. If attention in the form of praise is shared among carers, parents, and children then positive behaviours are likely to be repeated not only by the receiver of praise, but also by those who shared in the happiness that resulted.
Praise comes in many forms—kind words, loving expressions, handshakes, and pats on the back. These are good things. But in this fast-paced society, character development will be most influenced by praise which is specific and defined so that even the youngest child knows that a particular behaviour resulted in a positive response and positive attention. It is no longer enough to say, “You are special.”

Conclusion

Children who respect themselves and others, who have empathy for their fellow people, who are good citizens and environmental stewards, who are trustworthy and responsible, who have positive outlooks and determination are the rewards of your efforts. These children have learned the lessons of character education and are the future citizens of a society built on integrity.
To implement recognition, affirmation, and praise in your playroom, develop a list of character traits that you will recognize in children. Show this list to other carers, parents, and children. Recognize these qualities through daily interaction. Affirm positive character development with specific action words that identify the behaviour and highlight the action. And, finally heap lots of praise on the children. Tell children what makes them special. Most importantly, “Be more specific than you’re terrific.”

Jane Pratte is owner of Character Encouragement Products, Inc., a company that designs, develops, markets, and distributes products focused on family values and character education teaching materials. For more information: e-mail CEPInc@aol.com.

Book Review

Childcare and Children’s health is a folder of health information for childcare staff and families. It has been developed by the Centre for Community Child Health in conjunction with Johnson & Johnson and The National Childcare Accreditation Council.
The publication is making a significant contribution to current issues of practice in children’s services in the areas of health, development and well being of young children. Information provided on the Parent Fact Sheets is consistent with the expert opinion on these topics. When parents ask questions about issues such as teething, bedwetting, separation anxiety, and child care, to name a few of the topics; staff can easily photocopy the articles to give to parents as required.
These publication are distributed to every long day care service through the National Childcare Accreditation Council quarterly newsletter. The resources are provided as a reference for working through the Quality Improvement and Accreditation System and to complement advice from other books such as Staying Healthy in Child Care (2nd Edition) and other expertise in the field of children’s health.
If you do not have access to this resource, then contact:
Centre for Community Child HealthRoyal Children’s Hospital, MelbourneTel: (03) 9345 6150 Fax: (03) 9345 5900
Or www.copas.net.au/ccch

One World for Children in the ACT

Hi, well as some of you may be aware, One World for Children has expanded its training and delivery under the Community Services & Heath Training package-CHC02 and I am delighted to be your Canberra Connection.
I am very happy to be a part of such an innovative and forward thinking organization and simply amazed at the originality of the One World Web site.
I have just recently spent a week in Geelong with Karyn and her staff in the hub of all the action at the One World for Children Children’s Centre , I observed the uniqueness within their philosophy in Family Grouping, interacted with children and staff, shared some funny moments, observed training facilitators observing training participants on the job, was whisked away all around Melbourne to a multitude of services, engaged with staff and parents in an evening presentation and demonstration for Family grouping in Melbourne, and even found time to buy some shoes from a Dianna Ferrari outlet during a break.
I am looking forward to becoming an integral part of the team, in the ACT, I have studied and developed in lots of various roles within Children’s Services. Like most child care educators I also started in the field, just wish traineeships were available then.
In the ACT I have been involved in Training and Delivery for the last 12yrs, there have been many changes in training and delivery during this time, and I believe each time it simply gets better.
I hope One World for Children achieves what we are here to do in the ACT, that is to be a model of excellence to industry in our training and delivery. I have often heard staff at One World say “we understand industry because we are industry.” I couldn’t agree more.
I welcome you all to Canberra, I may see some of you in your services in Victoria, or bump into you for a cappuccino in the chat room!

Cheers Rose
Stay tuned as we keep you up to date with progress in the ACT…

What You Need To Know About Infant Safety

The first year of life is exciting for both baby and his parents. Mum and Dad are thrilled by each and every new development in baby’s life – first tooth, first words, and first steps. During the first year, babies see faces, people, and objects, and then they begin to reach for them. Next thing you know, babies are mobile and exploring the wonders of their environment! There are two key concepts in this statement – mobile and explore. It’s amazing how quickly an infant can reach for an object, and put that object into his mouth. These characteristics make safety a never-ending challenge. In this article, we list the most common infant safety hazards and describe how you can keep baby safe in your program.

Floors

A baby’s line of vision begins at floor level and ends at about half a metre. To really see potential hazards, you should get down on all fours and look around. You can expect to find choking hazards, such as paper clips, coins, a peanut, or a button under a chair, hiding underneath a countertop, or nudged into a corner. From this perspective, you’ll also see dirt and debris tracked in from your shoes, including chemicals from a treated lawn. To ensure an infant’s safety, do a daily “floor check” to remove all choking hazards from under and behind furniture. If your infant room is carpeted, be sure that it is properly swept and professionally cleaned on a regular basis. Linoleum floors should be sanitised daily with a bleach and water solution.

Electrical Outlets 

Most electrical outlets are directly at a baby’s eye level. You can be sure an infant will not only find the outlet, but explore it with his little fingers. To prevent injury, be sure all outlets, even those out of baby’s reach, are securely covered. In addition, keep cords of all appliances short and away from baby. An infant pulling on a cord can easily cause heavy objects to crash to the floor or even worse on him.

Falls

One of baby’s first triumphs, at around the age of eight to 12 months, is the ability to climb up. Babies love to practice their new skills and will likely climb out of their cots, up stairs, and onto chairs, which can then provide access to countertops and changing tables! While a fall from a chair or sofa is not likely to cause serious injury, a fall from a countertop can be deadly. Constant supervision is the key to preventing such falls. Also, try to avoid putting infants in walkers. Walkers give babies instant mobility, which can lead to a crash into a wall or a bumpy ride down a staircase. 
To eliminate climbing hazards, place sturdy safety gates at both the top and bottom of staircases, as well as at doorways to other rooms. The bottom of the gate should be less than eight cms from the floor to prevent the child from crawling under it and becoming trapped. Be sure the gates are secure and cannot be pushed or pulled down. Never use accordion style gates. A gate of this type can strangle a child. In addition, always keep one hand on baby at all times when nappy changing. An infant can fall from a changing table in the few seconds you turn your back. High chairs should have sturdy wide bases and include all safety straps, including the strap that goes between the child’s legs.

Suffocation and Strangulation

To make rest time as safe as possible, place infants in cots that have firm, close-fitting mattresses and sheets that stay securely on the mattress. Never place pillows or stuffed toys in the cot. In addition, always put baby on his back to sleep, not his stomach.

Windows

Keep all window drapery and blind cords away from baby’s reach. In addition, be sure that all cots and highchairs are kept a safe distance away from windows to prevent access. Because babies are “top heavy” they can easily topple out of windows. A screen alone will not prevent baby’s fall from a window.

Safety devices

Remember that no room or area is ever completely “child proof.” Although latches and locks can be installed on cabinets, toilets, and refrigerators, these devices will only help in slowing down a child’s access. You’ll find that many children will quickly learn how to open the latches and locks. The same is true of child-resistant caps on medication bottles. These can delay, but not always prevent access. Again, your constant supervision and daily removal of potential hazards are the keys to keeping baby safe and sound.

Charlotte Hendricks, assistant editor of HealthyCHILDCare, specializes in the health and safety of young children and can be reached by email at chendricks@wwisp.com

Keep a Song in Your Heart

When I grew up, we didn’t have television, computers, or videos. I was left to my imagination and my little record player. I can remember sitting for hours on the floor or our dining room with my red and yellow records singing, “I’m a Little Teapot” and “Pop Goes the Weasel.” My mother didn’t realize it at the time, but that was one of the best activities for stimulation my brain and developing my literacy skills. She just knew it entertained me and made me happy.
The world has changed a great deal over the past fifty years, but children today are very similar to the little girl I once was. They LOVE music! Forget the research about improving mental abilities, self-confidence, social skills, and physical coordination - music is FUN! There’s nothing like a good song to put a smile on a child’s face. There’s nothing more rewarding then to see their eyes dance and say, “Do it again!” And there is nothing you can say or “teach” a child that will stay in their heart like a song.
But nobody sings anymore! There is a whole generation of children who do not know nursery rhymes or traditional tunes. You and I have the responsibility and privilege of passing on our musical heritage and putting music back into children’s lives. The good news is you don’t have to be a musician or opera star to do this. You don’t even need a CD or a full orchestra. Just open your mouth and SING! Your smile and enthusiasm will make up for any lost notes. Sing in the morning, sing when you clean up, sing during transitions, and sing to teach children skills you are working on.
Start with one song at a time. Sing slowly and clearly several times, encouraging the children to join in. Make a list of the songs as you teach them on a poster board. (It’s a good idea to add picture clues, too.) Then if you have a few extra minutes, let the children choose their favourites from the song chart. Add movements to the songs to engage children’s interest, and really “ham it up” with exaggerated facial expressions and sounds. What a captive audience you will have! (Send home copies of the songs in newsletters so parents can enjoy them with their children at home.)
Here are some favourite songs you can sing with your children. If you aren’t familiar with the tune, ask a colleague or family member to help you. Look in your own memory bank for songs you remember from school, camp, or scouts.

• Share them!
• Keep them alive!
• You’re children will be delighted!
• Skip to My Lou
• If You’re Happy
• Frere Jacques
• Mulberry Bush
• Bingo
• Row Your Boat
• She’ll Be Coming Round the Mountain
• You are My Sunshine
• This Old Man
• Farmer in the Dell
• Three Blind Mice
• It’s Raining
• Wheels on the Bus
• The Bear Went Over the Mountain

Think of these songs as special “gifts” your children can keep in their hearts and open again and again in all their lives. Someone once said, “People sing because they are happy, and they are happy because they sing!” Come on! Get happy and SING!

Jean Feldman, Ph.D., has been a teacher in the Atlanta area for 30 years. She serves on the advisory board of several organizations, presents to professional groups across the country, and is the author of A Survival Guide for Preschool Teachers, Indoor and Outdoor Games and Activities, Science Surprises, Transition Time, Self-Esteem Activities for Young Children, and Wonderful Rooms Where Children Can Bloom.

Your feedback is appreciated……

In developing our new range of training materials, we have included a quality assurance measure at the back of each work book. It is a yellow evaluation sheet which gives you the opportunity to comment on the quality of the publication. We have had many positive comments as well as many fantastic suggestions for improvements and grammatical errors. For those of us who have produced the materials we have spent a great deal of time, reading, proof reading, re reading and re reading again, and the words tend to look the same by the end. Therefore your fresh eyes are a great way for us to improve the quality that we strive to achieve.
Once again a big thank you for all the comments and suggestion to date, and we welcome any future thoughts.

Preventing Back Pain

Back or neck pain can make you miserable. For example, a child caregiver who bends over to pick up a child, or who carries a child on her hip during the day may later have hip and back pain. Then there is the couch potato who rolls over to get the TV remote off the floor, and “blows a disk.” You may know someone who currently has or has had back pain. If you have not experienced back or neck pain in your life, you are in the great minority.
When back pain strikes, people may seek physician care, use medication, get massages, apply heat or ice, or even have surgery. Each of the above may be helpful and necessary. However, the secret to back care is prevention. There are two components to preventing back pain: education and exercise.

Education

Learning about the skeletal system can help you understand why back injury occurs. The skull has seven neck bones attached called the cervical vertebra. The next 12 bones, the thoracic vertebra, attach to the rib cage bones. The lower five back bones, called the lumbar vertebra, connect to the sacrum, which is the end of the spinal column. From there, the hips tie into the thigh bones, and finally end up at the feet.
Most back-related pain is either in the low back or in the neck. The middle bones attach to the ribs, which provide greater stability, although not as much mobility. However, the low back and neck do not have this type of connection, and, therefore, provide greater mobility but sacrifice stability. So when you have an injury, it typically is because the chain has broken at the weakest link.
In the low back, you have large muscles that take over the job of the rib cage and provide stability. If these muscles are weak, you increase your risk of injury. If you strengthen the muscles of your low back and abdomen, you will have a much greater ability to enjoy life with a reduced risk of injury. The single most important stabilizer muscle in the lower body is the Transverse Abdominis muscle (TVA). It is the muscle that bridges the gap between the ribs and hips and is the muscle closest to your intestinal region. It wraps all the way around your body from your navel to your spine and its primary function is to stabilize your body and pull your belly in, like when you are trying to put on a tight pair of pants. When was the last time you tried to squeeze into a tight pair of pants? Remember how you sucked your belly inward in an effort to zip up the pants? That is the TVA muscle at work. If you cannot effectively draw your belly in, you have less than optimal voluntary control.
Your best bet at preventing low back pain or injury is to establish voluntary control of and strengthen your transverse abdominis muscle (TVA). Coupled with proper lifting techniques and breathing, you should have a safety net to prevent injury. Not to mention that your tummy will be firmer, flatter, and strongeran added benefit!

Exercises

Work on each of the following exercises in order. Once you master the first one, begin working on the second, then the third, and so on.

• Transverse Abdominis Trainer (TVAT). Get down on your hands and knees with your wrists under your shoulders, and your knees under your hips, as if you were going to crawl. To make sure you are in the correct position, ask someone to put a broom stick on your back so that there are three contact points-your head, your middle spine, and your sacrum. There should be gaps between you and the broom at your neck and at your lower back. In other words, if you were to stand up against a wall and make sure your head was back on the wall, you would have the same three contact points. This is called the “neutral position.” Take a deep breath, making sure your tummy protrudes and gets larger as you breathe in air. Next, blow out all the air and pull your tummy in, making your waist as small as you can. Do not allow your spine angle to change from the broom stick. Hold your tummy in for 10 seconds. Repeat the process 10 times.
  
• After you master this exercise on all fours, advance to your feet. Stand on your feet and place your hands on your knees; in this position you will look like the “short stop” in a baseball game. Again, have a friend place the broomstick on your back so you will align your spine in the neutral position as described in the first exercise. Then breathe in and out as described above.
  
• After you master the second position, stand up fully against the wall with your head touching the wall and repeat the process. Once you can do at least 10 repetitions of all three positions, you are ready for the next exercise. Stand in front of a chair, take a deep breath and hold the breath. Pull your tummy in and make yourself as skinny as possible while holding your breath. At this point, lower yourself down slowly into the chair until you feel your bottom touch the chair, but do not sit down. Instead, begin to stand back up and slowly blow your air out. Make sure you do not allow your tummy muscles to relax at any point during this exercise!

Proper Lifting

Childcare providers constantly are lifting things from the floor, especially children. To prevent injury, practice proper lifting. Before lifting an item such as a bag of groceries, take a deep breath and hold it. Pull your tummy in and make yourself as skinny as possible while you lower yourself from the hips. Think about the broom stick on your back to ensure that you have a neutral spine while lifting. Bend at the knees and hips, not the back, and with your breath held and your belly pulled in, grab the object as closely to your feet as possible. As you began to lift the object, slowly blow out the air until you have completed the lift. Keep that TVA tight and lift with the legs and not the back.

Aaron Crocker, CHEK
Certified Golf Bio-Mechanic, NeuroMuscular Therapist, Fitness Together, Birmingham, AL

What does a Diploma Qualification really mean?

The Diploma of Children’s Services is the qualification required to work as a Qualified Child Care Worker within the Children’s Services Industry.
But what does this responsibility really mean? Does it mean that you are now responsible for the program planning of the room? Do you now deal with any parental queries? Do you resolve conflict within your team? Do you oversee the children’s development within your room? These are just a few of the many, many responsibilities.
Above all, our expectations for a Qualified Child Care Worker is to be able to demonstrate professional qualities associated with advocating the Children’s Services Industry. We believe that we play an important role in today’s society.

What does this mean to all of you trainingwithin the Children’sServices TrainingPackage?

It means that ALL participants undertaking training and or assessing at a Diploma level, are required to demonstrate leadership and professionalism throughout their Diploma training years.
When you are asked to submit an assessment that is to be displayed or sent to parents, it must be presented in a professional manner, ie word processed. For many training participants, the Program Planning competencies are the final assessments that need to be complete. Some people take this very lightly and rush through assessments in order to be completed by training completion dates. (You need to ensure that you are well within your training dates prior to commencing program planning.)
You may or may not be happy to know, that the Program Planning assessment has been altered to ensure that trainers are able to observe leadership, being demonstrated way before your final implementation visit.
If you are studying at the Diploma level, be prepared to receive assessments back as re-submits if they do not meet professional standards. The content of the assessment may be acceptable, but in some cases the presentation of some assessments are far from desirable.
Remembering what your Diploma qualification means.... You are a professional Qualified Child Care Worker, who has an understanding of the importance of overseeing the health, safety and development of the children and families in your care.
You truly are a professional!

Staff swaps

It has been requested that staff do “staff swaps” into other neighbouring child care centres. As you are aware, in undertaking a traineeship, there is no requirement of placements into other services, unless you are required to do an “infant placement”. A staff swap in essence would be organised between employers and their employees but facilitated by One World.
If you are interested in doing a “Staff Swap” then let One World know and we will put you in touch with the other centres that also may be interested and you then can make the relevant arrangements.
Thanks for the suggestion Talli & Gilly, all suggestions are always appreciated!

First Aid Reminder

First aid is the skilled application of the accepted principles of treatment when an injury or sudden illness occurs. First Aid is given to a casualty to preserve life; to protect the unconscious; to prevent the condition worsening and to promote recovery. First Aid under the Children’s Services Regulations 1998, states that:
“The proprietor must ensure that at least one staff member on duty whenever children are being cared for or educated by the children’s services has first aid training in emergency life support and cardiopulmonary resuscitation, convulsions, poisoning, respiratory difficulties, management of severe bleeding, injury and basic wound care appropriate for those children.”
The regulations do not state the actual level of the training program acceptable, however, the mention of CPR, indicates that an equivalent Level 2 training course is required.
There are a number of first aid courses available that are accredited first aid qualifications. However all DO NOT meet the requirements under the Community Services Training Package.
(Please note that depending on what level of training you are undertaking, First aid training may or may not be included.)
First Aid Level 2 (equivalent) training, is included in all funded Diploma training programs, and is a compulsory competency, in the CHC02 Certificate 3 training program.
Many One World training participants complete first aid qualifications at their own centres without consulting One World trainers. It is very important that you seek clarification of the certificate that you will be undertaking prior to completing it, as it must meet the criteria associated with the relevant training package, not the requirements of the Children’s Services Regulations 1998.
For example the first aid qualification “Course in Workplace First Aid: Emergency Life Support” or “ Early Childhood First Aid Management” ARE NOT equivalent Level 2 first aid Qualification.
The accepted first aid qualifications are:
Australian First Aid: 21176 VIC
St. John HLTFA1A basic First Aid
Red Cross Course in intermediate First Aid
First Aid Now Senior First AidPlease speak to your One World trainer about your first aid requirements prior to booking yourself into ANY first aid course.

MyWorld ~ Online Groups

www.oneworldforchildren.com.au should be a familiar website for most of you. It is a valuable learning tool for all training participants as it offers a wealth of knowledge associated with child development, program planning, behaviour and guidance and much, much more.
In particular the One World “MyWorld” page is your own individual home page where you can access emails, talk to other training participants, complete assessments online, and access your individual training plan. To have access to your “MyWorld” you need a user name and password.
A while ago each one of you would have received a phone call from Michelle in our office, asking if you were interested in participating in online facilitated groups. Those of you who indicated that you were interested in participating have been allocated to a specific trainer who will be keeping in touch with you mainly via your MyWorld email address. (So keep checking your emails.) We are in the process of developing online workshops where individual online study groups will be able to participate.
Don’t forget our regular Wednesday night Chat sessions, in the Cappuccino room from 8:00pm. If you’re interested in attending these light hearted chat sessions meet other trainers and training participants for a cappuccino on a Wednesday night.
If you have previously indicated that you were not interested in participating in “MyWorld” and I perhaps have since changed your mind, please email Michelle on chelle@oneworldforchildren.com.au who will welcome you into an online group and issue you with a username and password.

Wonder, Investigation, Discovery

Wonder, Investigation, Discovery . . . are three words to describe what happens when children grow in their knowledge of the world around them. As adults, we can encourage and aid this growth in many simple ways.

SMELLS, SOUNDS, AND TASTES

A keen sense of observation is essential for successful learning. The following ideas will encourage children to use their senses and help them develop confidence about the world around them.
Sound Containers: Teach children to listen closely and be able to identify sounds. You will need: small, securely covered containers that all look alike, such as metal or plastic film cans or; coloured contact paper if container is transparent; items to be identified, such as shells, paper clips or buttons. Cover containers if necessary. Fill a pair of containers with the same materials. Let the child shake the containers to distinguish and identify different sounds, and pair up containers that have the same sound.
Smell Jars: Teach children to observe and distinguish a variety of smells. You will need: small, non-breakable containers as described in sound containers; a variety of items that have a distinctive odour, such as coffee, cinnamon, rose petals, etc. Punch small holes in lids with a pointed instrument. Put a small amount of each item in separate containers. Children can try to identify each odour as well as match two of the same odour.
Taste Buds: Teach children to distinguish and appreciate a variety of flavours and textures in foods. You will need: a blindfold (or have children close eyes); different food samples - you may use all liquids or all fruits, etc. Give the child a small taste of each, one at a time. Ask if it is sweet, sour, salty, etc., and if they can identify the food.

PLANT A GARDEN OF LEARNING

There are so many things young children can learn as they help you plant and tend an indoor garden. Even two and three-year-olds can begin to understand: Soil + Seed + Sun + Water = Plant
Encourage toddlers to use their senses to smell the soil and feel the warmth of the sun and the wetness of the water; watch the shoots come through the soil, and enjoy the beauty of the plants.
Place all plants in a sunny, warm area; try a south-facing window sill. Clear plastic containers with raised lids, like those some pies and biscuits come in, make perfect miniature greenhouses. Fill an aluminium foil pan with potting soil, punch some holes in the bottom for drainage, and plant and water the seeds. Put the foil pan in a clear plastic container. The seeds sprout very quickly. Raise the lid occasionally to let excess moisture escape.Use seeds and parts of the following fruits and vegetables to grow new plants:
Carrots: After trimming off the leaves, cut 1 to 3 cms off the top of the carrot. Place the top in a layer of pebbles in a flat dish. Be sure to keep well watered.
Avocado: Set large end of an avocado seed in a jar of water, using three toothpicks. Sprout in partial sunlight. When the stem is about 10-12 cms tall, plant in soil.
Onion: Find an onion that is already sprouted. Plant in soil.
Many other items for investigation and discovery can be found in the hardware store. Little people love to use “the real thing” instead of toys.

Wonder	Investigation	Discovery

Nutrition action:
Choking Prevention and Food

Childcare settings offer unique opportunities for young children to try new foods. However, caregivers should be aware that the majority of childhood choking injuries and deaths are associated with food items. Most choking incidents can be avoided. Most children over the age of one year can digest almost any type of food safely, provided it is prepared and served in a way that helps them chew and swallow it properly.
Children under the age of four and children with chewing and swallowing difficulties are at the greatest risk of choking on foods because:

• They do not chew long enough to make food small enough to go down the throat;
  
• They may not yet have the back teeth they need to grind foods;
  
• They may try to swallow too much food at one time;
  
• They may have difficulty swallowing liquids and solids together.
  

Another choking risk for young children may be caused by too much activity during eating. If children run and play, laugh, or cry while eating they are at greater risk of choking on their food. Children should eat meals and snacks while sitting in a designated place such as at the table, on a blanket, or under a tree at snack time. Mealtime conversation is encouraged, but avoid tickling, teasing, or uncontrolled laughter. Encourage children to eat slowly, even if the temptation of returning to play time is causing them to rush.
Caregivers should also look at what and how foods are served to young children and to children with special health care needs. Many nutritious foods can cause choking if not served properly. Children may swallow small and slippery foods like peanuts and hotdogs before they have had a chance to chew them. Tough foods like meat or sticky foods such as peanut butter can get stuck in a child’s throat. Popcorn, marshmallows and other foods that are dry or difficult to chew may be swallowed whole. Each of these situations can cause choking.
Each child is unique in his or her ability to handle different foods. For example, while Mei is 33 months old and has no back teeth, Juwan is 26 months old with a full set of teeth. Some children over the age of three still cannot chew foods very well because their muscles are not fully developed. Some children with special health care needs may require baby foods or pureed foods and may need extra assistance at meal time.

Foods to watch out for

How do we reduce the risk of choking on foods? Here are foods that most often cause choking for toddlers and preschool children or for children with chewing or swallowing difficulties:

• Round-shaped foods (raw peas, whole grapes, raw carrots, seeds, nuts, hotdogs, round candies);
  
• Slippery foods (peanuts, ice, or other wet items);
  
• Dry foods (marshmallows, dried fruits, pretzel sticks, chips, popcorn);
  
• Tough foods (chunks of meat, dried meats);
  
• Sticky foods (spoonfuls of peanut butter or peanut butter on soft bread, clumps of raisins);
  
• Hard foods (broccoli, cauliflower, hard candy);
  
• Foods with non-edible parts (fish with bones, fruits with pits).

But wait; many of these are nutritious foods, and foods that children like! You can serve them to children but they must be prepared and served properly.

Food preparation safety tips

Here are some suggestions to modify potentially hazardous foods to reduce the risk of choking and make them safer for children:

• Remove the skin from hotdogs, sausages, and frankfurters; cut them lengthwise, then cut them into small pieces or thin strips.
  
• Chop, grind, or dice meats.
  
• Chop nuts and grind seeds finely.
  
• Dice or grate raw vegetables.
  
• Steam, then slice or dice vegetables.
  
• Remove the pit, then dice fruits like cherries, apricots, and peaches.
  
• Spread peanut butter thinly over crackers or wheat bread.
  
• Blend peanut butter with applesauce or jam before serving.
  
• Serve bow-tie pretzels instead of pretzel sticks or potato chips.
  
• Remove the bones from fish or serve fish pieces that have been boned.
  
• Include plenty of liquids such as water, milk, or juice at meal and snack times and encourage children to sip in between mouthfuls.

If you have questions about whether a food item presents a choking risk, ask yourself, “What can I do to make this food item safer?” Chances are that one of these safety tips can do the trick.

Keecha Harris, RD
Nutrition Coordinator, JCCEO, Head Start and Early Head Start, Birmingham, AL

It’s the thought that counts.Picture the following:

Melissa, age 23 months, is scraping her lunch scraps into the bin. The expression on her face tells us she is concentrating and that “being helpful” (in her eyes) and doing a “real” job are giving her pleasure. Her concentration is so great she doesn’t see that most of the food is going onto the floor, and as she walks away steps in the peas and mashed potatoes. She has no idea her help isn’t actually very helpful, that instead of helping she is actually creating a mess for someone to clean up!
It’s really hard for young children, especially under the age of three, to figure out what the “rules of living” are. That is, what behaviour does and doesn’t meet adults’ approval, and what differentiates between being helpful and not being helpful. In fact you could say, figuring those things out is one of the biggest challenges children face in the early childhood years. There are lots of reasons for this.
Sometimes the difficulty is in not understanding, when you’re very young, the details behind differences between something being okay and not okay. Melissa has observed others doing what appears to her to be exactly the same thing she is doing, and she merely copies what she has seen others do. The difficulty in figuring out the ‘right’ thing to do can stem from different carers giving different messages about what is okay. For example, your mum lets you put your feet on her sofa, but Grandpa doesn’t. Some things are okay to do in some places and not in others. For example, it’s okay to shout and make the loudest noises you can when you’re at the park, but adults get cross when you do the same at the dinner table. Similarly, it’s okay to
splash water in the wading pool and even in the bath, but not at the water table at playgroup. At other times, the toddler does things we might not approve of simply because they don’t understand the difference. Why is throwing a ball acceptable, but throwing an orange isn’t? After all, they’re the same shape!
If in responding to Melissa’s act the carer shows disapproval or annoyance, Melissa gets a confusing message. Her intention to be helpful was good and should be encouraged, it is the execution of her intention she needs assistance with. To encourage helpfulness and support Melissa to experience the feelings of satisfaction and belonging that come as a result, show approval of her intention and appreciation of her desire to help. At the same time, demonstrate how to put the scraps in the bin, help her by holding the plate as she scrapes or even make the
task easier by providing a bin with a larger opening.
Carers who appreciate the value of encouraging participation are rewarded, as the task is eventually completed successfully with minimum supervision.
From these kinds of experiences, where carers seem “on-side” with toddlers, they gain feelings of competence, of being able to contribute to the life of the family or the group they are in, and become more willing to help.
If carers are critical of young children when they try to help, children will eventually stop trying.
Other common classic “good intentions, bad execution” situations when young children are trying to help:

• putting the groceries away may result in some things being spilled,
  
• clearing the table may lead to food on the floor,
  
• helping with gardening may bring about uprooted or trampled plants,
  
• comforting a crying baby may lead to discomfort for the baby (a not so gentle cuddle given, for example).

There are so many things that are confusing, so many mixed messages that children get every day. They need carers to help them learn acceptable behaviour, and to be firm with them sometimes.
Even more, they need these carers to stop and think, when they do something unacceptable, what the situation might mean to them, and to respond accordingly. It really helps if carers try to put themselves in the toddler’s shoes and see the world the way they see it.
Sometimes young children do annoying or unhelpful things with good intentions. Showing appreciation of their intentions, even when the result is not helpful, builds confidence and self-esteem.

ANNE STONEHOUSE

CHC02 training

Just a quick note about the new Community Services CHC02 training package . We handed out an update of the changes made to the new training package mid year, and really don’t have much more to report on as we head towards the end of 2003.
We have completed all the relevant resources associated with the CHC02 training package and are eager to promote what we feel is a well balanced training package. The hold up at this stage is related to Government funded hours, that we are sure will be finalised by the end of the year.
Some One World training participants have already commenced training in the new training package, as their training programs are not related to any Government funding. Be assured, that each of you individually will be given the opportunity to vary your training program to the new CHC02 training package as it becomes available, so long as you meet the criteria involved in varying your training. Again this will be discussed with all training participants on an individual basis.

One World Inservice - November

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Childcare Services

One World For Children Pty Ltd

• Finalist in the Victorian Training Awards 2006 for Training Initiative of the Year: Online Advanced Diploma of Children's Services

• Highly Commended in the 2006 Victorian Community Services Health Industry Training Board's Innovation in Training and Assessment Award:Innovative Product

• Finalist in the 2006 Victorian Community Services Health Industry Training Board's Innovation in Training and Assessment Award: Recognising Competency RCC

• Winners of the 2003 Victorian Community Services Health Industry Training Board's Innovation in Training and Assessment Award: Innovative Training Product"

One World For Children Pty Ltd
P.O. Box 701 North Geelong Delivery Centre 3215
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Telephone (03) 5272 2714, Fax (03) 5272 3039 <% end if %>

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