They are Counting on Us!

We don't want to be critical of the favorite foods that we prepare for our kids because they are decent, satisfying foods that comprise a reasonable component of a good diet. However, consider this: Are we too concerned about preparing a meal of favorite foods, and less interested in introducing young children to the delightful variety of foods that will be important in ensuring lifelong good nutrition?

Eating a wide variety of foods is simply the best way to ensure nutritional adequacy and good health. Our bodies need protein, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, minerals and water to function at peak performance. By eating foods from the grain, vegetable, fruit, milk and protein groups, we get the nutrients we need. Variety within the food groups is critical because key nutrients in each food group offer unique contributions to our diet. If we ate only one kind of food from each food group, we could develop nutrient deficiencies, even though we consumed enough calories.

Nutrition is a relatively young science, but good sense tells us that variety is the key toconsuming a nutritious diet.

Mikey likes only four foods: boxed macaroni and cheese, white bread, french fries and apple juice. If we become overly concerned with satisfying Mikey's caloric needs by serving him only what he wants, the only foods he knows, we risk long-term deficiencies in a number of different nutrients, including vitamins A and C, calcium, fiber and iron.

It is critical that we remember that we are "teaching" children to experience and enjoy a wide variety of foods that will keep them healthy. This is a process that requires tenacity. If they miss a calorie here and there because they reject a food, it is still far less important than the experience of learning to like a new food. In the feeding relationship, we must honor the division of responsibility. The adult is responsible for serving a wide variety of foods in a supportive manner. The child needs this exposure in order to discover, taste and enjoy new foods. Children know how much to eat, they don't know what kinds of food they need.

Variety is important. Next time you want to say, "but Mikey only eats…," remember that you are the adult who wants to offer the best of everything to Mikey. It takes time, patience, encouragement and above all confidence that this is in the child's best interest.  They are counting on your wisdom.

By Solano Family & Children's Services, Child Care Food Program

Support Healthy Risks.

Encourage your child to explore something new, such as trying a different food, finding a best pal, or riding a bike. Though there's always the possibility of failure, without risk there's little opportunity for success. So let your child safely experiment, and resist the urge to intervene. 


For instance, try not to "rescue" him if he's showing mild frustration at figuring out a new toy. Even jumping in to say, "I'll do it" can foster dependence and diminish your child's confidence. You'll build his self-esteem by balancing your need to protect him with his need to tackle new tasks.

What does my preschooler need to know before entering kindergarten?

It is very smart to have your child prepared for Kindergarten. Today's Kindergarten class is much more advanced then Kindergarten use to be. Today children need to be prepared to take many different tests once they start school. Before your child begins Kindergarten, social skills are very necessary. It is imperative that they know how to interact with other children. Childen that do not have this exposure with other children before Kindergarten may become overwhelmed when placed in a school environment. 

We as parents must realize that there is a time when we have to "let go" and trust professionals to work with our children. Kindergarten can be a hard adjustment for parents and child!  Once your child is placed in school I ask that you become involved with your child's learning adventure. Rememer, once your child begins school - YOU too are enrolled as your child's academic support coach!

Seven Things Kindergartners Need to Know:

1.  The upper case alphabet out of sequence or mixed up. Children will be asked to name the letters listed, such as: B, D, X, K, J, M, O, etc. 

2.  The numbers to 10, out of sequence or mixed up. Children will be asked to name the letters, listed, such as: 2, 5, 9, 8, 1, 3, 4, etc. 

3.  Children will be asked to identify basic colors: red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple.

4.  Your child will be asked to identify basic shapes: circle, diamond, rectangle, triangle, oval and square.

5.  Children will be asked to identify basic coins: penny, nickel and dime. 

6.  Your child will be asked to count objects to 10 

7.  Kids will be asked how far they can count to 100. 

The results of the evaluation are shared with parents at their first parent-teacher conference.

Don't Over Punish Minor Misbehaviors

Teach them good and moral behaviors by displaying your own good and moral behaviors. Go to church as a family. Plan healthy family activities that promote good morals and "together" time. You will soon see your child mirror your values and morals. Child discipline and training does not occur in a vacuum. Their behaviors are formed within the context of what they witness in their primary teachers. Child discipline is one of the most important elements of successful parenting, yet more and more, parents just don't know what to do.

Discipline (or training) might simply be defined as a process to help children learn appropriate behaviors and make good choices. In addition, loving, effective discipline aids a child in exercising self-control, accountability, and mutual respect. Through proper discipline, children learn how to function in a family and society that is full of boundaries, rules, and laws by which we all must abide. With it, children gain a sense of security, protection, and often feel accomplishment. Without proper discipline, children are at risk for a variety of behavioral and emotional problems.

We must first learn to discipline ourselves in the matters of child rearing.   Whether parenting skills come naturally or we learn them through trial and error, they are accomplished by consistency, encouragement, and example.  The importance of these tools cannot be expressed enough!

Teach your child that all actions bring consequences.  Encourage them when they make good choices.  They need to know the benefits of obeying and making good choices, as well as the negative consequences for disobedience. 

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Supporting Self Esteem for Children

SELF-ESTEEM

Support healthy risks. Encourage your child to explore something new, such as trying a different food, finding a best pal, or riding a bike. Though there's always the possibility of failure, without risk there's little opportunity for success. So let your child safely experiment, and resist the urge to intervene. For instance, try not to "rescue" him if he's showing mild frustration at figuring out a new toy. Even jumping in to say, "I'll do it" can foster dependence and diminish your child's confidence. You'll build his self-esteem by balancing your need to protect him with his need to tackle new tasks.

Let mistakes happen. The flip side, of course, of having choices and taking risks is that sometimes your child is bound to make mistakes. These are valuable lessons for your child's confidence. So if your child puts his plate too close to the edge of the table and it tips, encourage him to think about what he might do differently next time. That way his self-esteem won't sag and he'll understand that it's okay to make mistakes sometimes. When you goof up yourself, admit it, says Daniel Meier, assistant professor of elementary education at San Francisco State University. Acknowledging and recovering from your mistakes sends a powerful message to your child — it makes it easier for your child to accept his own shortcomings.

Celebrate the positive. Everyone responds well to encouragement, so make an effort to acknowledge the good things your child does every day within his earshot. For instance, tell his dad, "Joshua washed all the vegetables for dinner." He'll get to bask in the glow of your praise and his dad's heartening response. And be specific. Instead of saying "Good job," say, "Thank you for waiting so patiently in line." This will enhance his sense of accomplishment and self-worth and let him know exactly what he did right.

Listen well. If your child needs to talk, stop and listen to what he has to say. He needs to know that his thoughts, feelings, desires, and opinions matter. Help him get comfortable with his emotions by labeling them. Say, "I understand you're sad because you have to say bye to your school pals." By accepting his emotions without judgment, you validate his feelings and show that you value what he has to say. If you share your own feelings ("I'm excited about going to the zoo"), he'll gain confidence expressing his own.