Meal Time Environment

In the preparation of meals for toddlers below 24months, I can engage them by asking them about their favorite meals. I can also ask them to recite their home menus. Toddlers are required to eat a variety of dishes each day. As a result, I have prepared my own food guide for toddlers within the stipulated ages of one to two years. According to my food guide, all foods with high fat and sugar are limited to give room for healthy foods. Toddlers will not be given too much juice, milk, or drinks that are sugary because they literally fill up toddlers. Such foods make toddlers have poor appetite thereby making them have no taste for foods that are important and would help them grow healthy and strong (Australian Government, 2017).

The foods given to toddlers should also be able to prevent tooth decay. To ensure that the children under my care do not suffer from tooth decay, I will let them drink fluids from small cups that have spillproof tops. Afterward, I will let them practice drinking from cups without the spillproof tops. They will not be sipping juice, sweet drinks, or milk frequently but they will be given water instead; particularly when they are thirsty between meals (Hardy,  Mihrshahi, Drayton, & Bauman, 2016).

While eating, toddlers are likely to choke. To avoid choking, children are required to sit in an upright position when eating. I will then tell them to take small chunks and bit them then chew completely to before they swallow the chunks. Apart from that, I will cut fruits that are soft as well as cooked vegetables into tiny pieces (the pieces should be in neither coin-shapes nor small pieces). I will then remove seeds, the tough skins, and pits. In addition, fruits such as cherries, grapes, or berries need to be cut in tiny pieces as mentioned before. Meats that are sausage-shaped, as well as hot dogs, are also cut into small chunks while cooked beans must be smashed. Some of the foods that could choke kids and should not be administered include ice cubes, pretzels, popcorn, marshmallows, chips, carrots or celery (raw vegetables), raisins (as well as other dried fruits), chicken, fish, turkey (with bones), chewing gum, roundshaped candies, sticky breads, seeds, nuts, peanut butter, peanuts, and nut butter among other foods (Janssen & LeBlanc, 2010).

When it comes to serving fish for toddlers, care providers should be keen enough. Toddlers can only eat be served food with fish once or twice every week. However, the variety served in such instances need to contain low levels of mercury. The size of every serving needs to be 1 ounce. Some of the fish that are low in mercury include farm-raised catfish, canned light tuna, salmon, pollock, tilapia, shad, whiting, and whitefish. However, there are certain fishes with high mercury levels that need not be served to toddlers. Such fishes include King Mackerel, Shark, Tilefish, Swordfish, Bigeye Tuna, Orange Roughy, Little Tunny, Blackfin Tuna, Marlin, and Cobia. For fish that are locally caught, it is important to check with the local advisories about such fishes (Esposito, 2016).

Changing Nappies

After eating well, children are not supposed to watch television. However, they are required to play actively. Some of the action plays include skipping, running, hopping, climbing, ball throwing, jumping, playing with toys, and dancing among others. Children are not required to sit still for an hour or so unless they are asleep. Below are my two sample food guides for toddlers (Research Flagship, 2008).

The mealtime environment refers to the physical region or area where eating takes place. Such physical space includes aspects of sounds, sights, the area of the mealtime, and smell. For toddlers, adequate space ought to be provided. This space should be large enough to allow me to serve food, allow toddlers to move around, and eat. Space should also be large to enable adults to easily move around with tables and chairs. Any sound in the room should be related to those played during times of meals (Management, 2017a).

In the mealtime environment, I am required to show the most effective practice by ensuring that there are as few distractions as possible. Such minimal distractions entail reducing background noise to as minimal as possible, reducing the amount of clutter on the table, reducing the number of time toddlers get up and down the table, reducing the number of toddlers in a particular room (or reducing the amount of unnecessary activity), and cleaning up spills. The eating area needs to have a carpet on the floor to ensure that sanitary conditions are facilitated. Apart from that, seats and tables are spaced so that children can walk, sit, or eat freely without disturbing others. In such a case, sanitation at the eating-place refers to keeping the feeding area clean while practicing hygiene (for the children and the care provider as well). Hygiene covers all aspects of cleanliness including the manner in which the tables are cleaned, how spills are washed off, and how caregivers ensure that the health of children, as well as safety, are provided during processes of serving food and feeding (Australian Government, 2017).

Under mealtime environment, determination of what the children are eating is important. While determining what I offer the children to eat, I will also look into the total picture against a course of many menus. To develop this area proficiently, I am required to examine other already developed menus for toddlers and speak to cooks while maintaining direct observation of how they carry out their processes (Management, 2017a).

Putting on clean diapers

Toddlers are likely to contract germs in several ways. Some of the ways that they could probably contract germs include playing close and contacting one another. As a care provider, I am required to prevent any chances of contracting or spreading the gems to ensure that chances of getting ill are reduced. The strategies for reducing germs contraction begin with appropriate changing of diapers. Some of the steps that I would use to safely change diapers for toddlers under my care include:

The preparation process entails collecting everything required for the process such as wipes, clean diaper, latex gloves, plastic bags, and clean clothes than putting them close but not on the platform that would be used for napping. Afterward, I use a disposal covering to cover the tables that would be used for napping. Such covering material could be a nonporous paper. Afterward, I would wear latex gloves (disposable) before picking the child up. Afterward, I would place the child on the surface that is covered and keep my hands around her (Janssen & LeBlanc, 2010).

I will put the clothing that is already soiled in a bag and send it to the parents of the toddlers. Afterward, I will unfasten the diaper but eave it under the child then clean the area where the diaper was first. Afterward, I would clean the child properly with wipers that are disposable. I will wipe the soiled child from front to back while making sure that all the cracks and creaks on the skin of the child are thoroughly cleaned. I will then roll up the diaper that is soiled and then disposes of it in the dustbin (Research Flagship, 2008).

• Removal of the gloves

After cleaning up the child, I will remove my gloves by grabbing one of the gloves from its middle then pulling it off. Afterward, I will pull off the cuff of the other glove by sliding my hands into the same cuff and pulling it downwards to the tips of the fingers. Afterward, I would turn the second glove over the first one in an inside-out posture during the time of taking it out. As a precaution, I will avoid touching the glove’s surface with my bare hands (Hardy,  Mihrshahi, Drayton, & Bauman, 2016).

Afterward, I will dispose of the gloves by trashing them in the bin. Later, I would wipe the hands of the child and my own using separate wipes for us then dispose of them (Management, 2017a).

During the process of putting on a clean diaper for the kid, it is important to apply a diaper cream using either toilet or facial tissues. Afterward, the diaper securely fasts and the child is dressed. Afterward, the hands of both the care provider and the child and properly washed using clean flowing water and soap. In such a case, I would also encourage the child to wash his or her own hands when I realize that he or she shows interest in doing so. In case the child is still very young to wash his or her own hands, I will put soap on his or her own hands then rub them together and rinse them afterward. Afterward, I will return the child to where he or she was initially playing without touching on other things. As a caregiver, I will ensure that I do not give the child any toy or playing equipment using my own hands (Esposito, 2016).

After everything is done, I am required to clean the area using a spray bottle, soap, and a rinse or towel. Mostly, I am required to clean the table using a water solution and a disinfectant or bleach. The disinfectant solution should be left to stay on the table for two minutes then wiped off using a dry towel. When this is done, I am required to wash my hands with warm water and soap under running water. When everything is done, I will record the rate of diaper change on my daily record and hand the same report to the supervisor (Hardy, et al., 2016).

When a toddler wants to go to the washroom, he or she shows signs and signals. However, they would not know how to tell the care providers to help them. However, there are kids that would use the words they have learned though as a care provider, I would still be required to use behavioral cues to help them out with their explanations. Some of the signs that children show when they are pressed include having their legs crossed, wiggling, pulling of caregivers’ hands, and tugging at their diaper. Once I notice such behaviors, I will take the child to the toilet.

On the contrary, I would create a toilet routine that is consistent so that when they begin learning about the use of toilets, it becomes a routine. Otherwise, I would take the children to the toilet at time intervals even if he or she does not require using the toilet. While in the toilet, I am required to remove the clothing and help them sit (Management, 2017b).

During the process of toileting, I am required to stay with the child. I will do so because toileting is a serious activity for the child, unlike playtime. As a result, I am required not to provide toys for the child during such a process. I will then encourage the child to the toilet for a longer period but I will not force him or her to stay in the place and he or she is at liberty to leave the place. After finishing, I will remind the child to flush the toilet and wash the hands. During the entire process, I will use words that encourage the child so that he or she can use the toilet successfully. When I use words that motivate him or her, he or she will have a sense of accomplishment and thus, will use the toilet more often. There are times when accidents are likely to happen in the process of toileting. For instance, when they begin wearing the underwear and not the diapers. In such cases, I am required to help the child be in a position to make the connection between toileting and the wet clothes (Janssen & LeBlanc, 2010).

For a toddler to grow strong, he or she is required to undergo physical activities even after growing up. Some of the benefits associated with undergoing physical activity include the formation of strong muscles and bones, improving the health of the heart and associated organs, improvement of body coordination and balance, and improvement of flexibility (Bales, 2015). Other advantages include:

• Reducing the chances of becoming obese
• Reducing chances of contracting cancer or heart diseases

When children undergo physical activities, they also become happy. When children are active, they are likely to (Kidsmatter, 2017):

• Have the sense of belonging and be confident
• Sleep well and feel relaxed
• Concentrate a lot more while at school
• Be able to make friends with a lot of ease and also get along well with others
• Be receptive and take turns in doing things

There are several physical activities that a child can engage in thus, they do not need to necessarily ‘exercise’ (Management, 2017b). Some of the physical activities include

• Walking with the parents to the childcare center
• Plying and laughing with other kids
• Spending time with other kids

As mentioned before, children should be involved in processes of feeding. Toddlers are required to eat a variety of dishes each day. According to my food guide, as mentioned before, all foods with high fat and sugar are limited to give room for healthy foods. Toddlers will not be given too much juice, milk, or drinks that are sugary because they literally fill up toddlers. Such foods make toddlers have poor appetite thereby making them have no taste for foods that are important and would help them grow healthy and strong (Sports Commission, 2015).

As a care provider, I will let children drink fluids from small cups that have spillproof tops. Afterward, I will let them practice drinking from cups without the spillproof tops. They will not be sipping juice, sweet drinks, or milk frequently but they will be given water instead; particularly when they are thirsty between meals. However, as mentioned before toddlers are likely to choke while they eat. To avoid choking, I will make the toddlers sit in an upright position when eating. I will then tell them to take small chunks and bit them then chew completely before they swallow the chunks. Also, as mentioned before, I will cut fruits that are soft as well as cooked vegetables into tiny pieces (the pieces should be in neither coin-shapes nor small pieces). I will then remove seeds, the tough skins, and pits. In addition, fruits such as cherries, grapes, or berries need to be cut in tiny pieces as mentioned before. Meats that are sausage-shaped, as well as hot dogs, are also cut into small chunks while cooked beans must be smashed (Esposito, 2016).

I will not offer foods such as ice cubes, pretzels, popcorn, marshmallows, chips, carrots or celery (raw vegetables), raisins (as well as other dried fruits), chicken, fish, turkey (with bones), chewing gum, roundshaped candies, sticky breads, seeds, nuts, peanut butter, peanuts, and nut butter because they are likely to choke the kids (Sports Commission, 2015).

Toddlers also deserve to eat white meat as sources of protein. However, fish is the most preferred source of white meat. When it comes to serving fish for toddlers, care providers should be keen enough (Kidsmatter, 2017). Toddlers can only eat be served food with fish once or twice every week. However, the variety served in such instances need to contain low levels of mercury. As mentioned before, the size of every serving needs to be 1 ounce. Some of the fish that are low in mercury include farm-raised catfish, canned light tuna, salmon, pollock, tilapia, shad, whiting, and whitefish. However, there are certain fishes with high mercury levels that need not be served to toddlers. Such fishes include King Mackerel, Shark, Tilefish, Swordfish, Bigeye Tuna, Orange Roughy, Little Tunny, Blackfin Tuna, Marlin, and Cobia. For fish that are locally caught, it is important to check with the local advisories about such fishes (Esposito, 2016).

Apart from that, children are not supposed to watch television while they eat or even after eating. On the contrary, they are required to play actively as mentioned before. Some of the action plays include skipping, running, hopping, climbing, ball throwing, jumping, playing with toys, and dancing among others. Children are not required to sit still for an hour or so unless they are asleep (Bales, 2015). 

1. Promoting Safe Sleep for Children

As a care provider, I would opt for infants to sleep on their backs because such is the safest way for newborns to sleep. Parents should not be confused with misconceptions that when their children sleep on their backs and throw their legs up and down that they will choke. Parents should know that the design of the body prevents choking from happening (Management, 2017b).

Babies should also be kept safe and warm when they sleep. In fact, kids do not need to be loosely covered to feel comfortable. As a caregiver, I am required to use heavy bedding and blankets to cover toddlers when they sleep. Such blankets need to have tiny holes or openings to improve ventilation when toddlers snuggle inside. Adult blankest should not be used to cover kids because they are a major sleep-environment hazard particularly for babies below 6 months (Janssen & LeBlanc, 2010).

As a care provider, I need to leave the baby to sleep alone so that they sleep safer. Such is because co-sleeping has been proved as hazardous. The baby should not also sleep with the parents. Such is because parents are likely to roll over on the kid when they are asleep (Research Flagship, 2008).

Setting children on arrival requires a lot of experience. The process of welcoming children to the care unit involves making them feel loved and appreciated. The care provider needs to give clear instructions regarding where the children would go when they arrive in the unit. There should be signs and areas of furniture placement to give them easy time accessing the available features. Caregivers are also required to be people who are able to communicate verbally and non-verbally with children (Hardy, et al., 2016).

Care providers should empathize with the feelings of children particularly when their parents are leaving after delivering them. As a care provider, I will need to ensure that children build relationships as fast as possible when they arrive at the care provision unit. The atmosphere provided at this time should be motherly (Management, 2017b). In such an atmosphere, children are likely to experience:

• The calm welcoming and respectful environment similar to home
• The ability to take time and make friends or settle as fast as possible.

Reference

Australian Government (2017). Australia’s physical activity and sedentary behaviour guidelines. Department of Health – Canberra: Australian Government Department of Health. Retrieved 9 February 2018 from https://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/health-pubhlth-strateg-phys-act-guidelines.  [Accessed September 26, 2018]

Bales, D (2015)10 Steps to Change a Diaper in a Child Care Setting. Extension. Retrieved 9 February 2018 from https://articles.extension.org/pages/25738/10-steps-to-change-a-diaper-in-a-child-care-setting [Accessed September 26, 2018]

Esposito, L. (2016). How to Promote Safe Sleep for Your Infant. US NEWS. Retrieved 9 February 2018 from https://health.usnews.com/wellness/slideshows/how-to-promote-safe-sleep-for-your-infant?slide=6 [Accessed September 26, 2018]

Hardy, L.L., Mihrshahi, S., Drayton, B.A., & Bauman, A. (2016). NSW schools physical activity and nutrition survey (SPANS): Full report. Sydney: NSW Department of Health. Retrieved 9 February 2018 from https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/heal/Pages/spans-2015-full-report.aspx [Accessed September 26, 2018]

Janssen, I., & LeBlanc, A.G. (2010). A systematic review of the health benefits of physical activity and fitness in school-aged children and youth. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, Vol 7, 40. doi: 10.1186/1479-5868-7-40 [Accessed September 26, 2018]  

Kidsmatter. (2017) Creating a welcoming environment. AECMHI. February 2018 from https://www.kidsmatter.edu.au/early-childhood/blog/creating-welcoming-environment [Accessed September 26, 2018]

Management, S. (2017).SMS | Strategic Management Society. Strategicmanagement.net. Retrieved 9 February 2018 from https://www.strategicmanagement.net/ [Accessed September 26, 2018]

Management. (2017). Organizational Structure & Control. Albany.edu. Retrieved 9 February 2018 from https://www.albany.edu/faculty/es8949/bmgt481/lecture7.html [Accessed September 26, 2018]

Research Flagship (2008). Australian national children’s nutrition and physical activity survey: Main findings. Preventative Health National – Australian Government Department of Health. Retrieved 9 February 2018 from https://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/content/phd-nutrition-childrens-survey [Accessed September 26, 2018]

Sports Commission (2015). Play, Sport, Australia. The Australian Sports Commission’s participation game plan. Canberra: Australian Sports Commission. Retrieved 9 February 2018 from https://www.ausport.gov.au/participating/playsportaustralia [Accessed September 26, 2018]