Childcare Unit The Needs of Children

Needs of Children Children’s Needs: All children are different, but they all need growth and development. Heredity, nutrition, and surroundings all affect the way children grow. Family love and attention are important factors. Physical Needs: It takes time for children to gain control of their body. They have to practice controlling their muscles. They love to run, jump and be very active.

Needs of Children cont. Dressing: Let them dress themselves. Give them large zippers and big buttons. Also try pullover shirts and pants with elastic waists. Drawing and coloring: Give them lots of time to practice with large crayons, fat pens, colored chalk, their fingertips, etc. When they become skilled with these, include the smaller version.

More needs of children….. Toys: They need to practice with toys that will increase certain abilities—puzzles, small blocks, lacing toys, etc. Mental Needs: They use language very well, but they don’t use all of their words correctly. Pronouns are difficult for them to understand-I, me, you, him, and she. Books are important-talk about the pictures. Emotional Needs: Show children that they are loved and needed. Give hugs, kisses, and just show affection. Don’t tell them that they are bad, tell them that you are upset about what happened that was bad.

Kids do some STRANGE things!!! Eat pickle sandwiches Make up silly songs Can tell if you like them Are afraid of monsters under the bed Think they are a great help, when in fact, they are making more messes for you to clean up. Hate being told “No” Enjoy little things that creep and crawl-worms, slugs, and strange looking bugs. Will eat anything off the floor or if it came out of a dog’s mouth. Do not like most rules. Want to be a different occupation everyday. Want to be kissed better rather than have a band-aid. Mix water, sand, dead grass, and food coloring to make a potion. Like birthdays because of the number of presents they get. Begin many sentences with “I didn’t do it!!” Think peanut butter and jelly sandwiches make a great meal. Love to be loved Forgive the many wrong things you do. Love you no matter what!

Child care quiz-TRUE or FALSE? The best discipline is consistent and based on love and trust rather than punishment. Kneel down so you are using eye contact when talking with a child. It is important to spend both quantity and quality time with children. Children actually prefer having set times and guidelines for work and play in their lives. A pre-schooler grows much faster than the 0-2 year olds. Most children can be toilet trained by the age of two. Play is a child’s work. Children like to imitate others and are easily influenced. Normal behavior for 4 year olds includes telling tall tales, singing and acting silly. Having assigned chores helps a child have a sense of shared family life and pride. Children’s clothing should be washable, durable, and appropriate for their life style. The toddler cares more about friends than family members. Having family rules creates a feeling of family togetherness. Toddlers are not self-centered and they usually find it easy to share their toys with other children. Children love to listen to the same stories over and over again.

Quiz Continued: Play does not help a child develop an imagination. One of the best ways we help children learn is through example. If you want your child to be successful, it is important to start pushing him at an early age. When a child’s activities infringe on the rights of others, it is important to limit him/her firmly. Active play helps a child develop his/her muscles and coordination. As a child grows older he/she should be allowed to make more and more of his/her own decisions.

Confused Kathy Left her curling iron out and Jane was burned with it. Put butter on the burn instead of luke-warm water. Gave James cherries to which he was allergic. Talked on the phone instead of watching the children. Invited her friend over with permission from Mrs. Johnson. Put the kids to bed without giving them their baths. Did not watch the kids or provide entertainment for them. Yelled at the kids. Fed the baby a cold bottle. Warmed the bottle in the microwave. Put the baby to bed with a bottle. Did not listen to the directions on the phone. Did not follow the directions on the list. Invited her friend to call and talked for a long time. Arrived late. Did not know how many kids she would be caring for or anything about them. Did not listen to Mrs. Johnson’s directions before she left. Did not care about the children or taking care of their needs. Curled her hair instead of preparing dinner. Fed the kids snacks instead of dinner.

Responsibilities of Caregivers Love and Understanding: understand the child and show them that you love and care about them. Maturity: Be level-headed, dependable, and understand your job and responsibilities. Health: Be in good physical health. Need to be mentally and physically sound.

Safety: Make every effort to protect the children that you are responsible for-keep the area safe, watch the children closely. Developmental stages of children: Each child is special and different but they all follow a certain pattern for development. Guidance: To get along with the world, children need basic guidelines for behavior. We need to teach and encourage.

Play: Play is the child’s natural way of learning Play: Play is the child’s natural way of learning. Here they test and practice new skills through play. They can also act out feelings, imagine things, try new ideas, and practice grown-up behavior. Toys: Provide toys that are safe and fun, and those that will help the child learn new skills.

Safety for Children

Ten Tips for Safety Never leave a small child alone at any time. Keep the child away from electrical equipment or hot objects. Keep gates closed or have a barrier across the top of stairs. Keep dangerous objects out of children’s reach. Do not let children run around with sharp objects in their mouths. Keep pot handles turned to the inside of the stovetop. Keep children away from water unless supervised constantly. Teach children how to use their toys safely. Teach children to pick up their toys when they are finished playing with them. Teach children to stay out of the street.

Emergency Guide Choking: children less than a year old: place the child face down over your arm with the head lower than the trunk. Resting your forearm on your thigh to support the weight of the baby, hit the child four times between the shoulder blades with the heel of your other hand. If they are over one year old: The child should lie on is or her back. A larger child should stand. Place the heel of your hand on the child’s abdomen and your other hand on top of the first. Press firmly but gently into the abdomen with a rapid inward and upward thrust. This procedure is known as the abdominal thrust. Repeat 6-10 times until the child expels the object. WARNING!!! Do not practice the abdominal thrust as serious damage could occur.

Emergency Guide Fractures/Sprains: Check for pain or swelling. Do not move the suspicious fracture or sprain. Never move a child who may have a head or back injury-call 911. For a sprain, apply cold compresses, and elevate the injured part. Convulsions: Protect the child from injury. Place the child on his or her side with the head lower than the hips. Do not put anything in the child’s mouth. Call the doctor or 911.

Emergency Guide Animal Bites: Wash the wound with soap and water and call the doctor. Locate and identify the animal for possible rabies. Nosebleeds: Sit the child down. Squeeze his/her nostrils between your thumb and index finger for at least 5 minutes. Do not tip the head backwards as the child may choke on blood. If bleeding will not stop, call the doctor. Skin Wounds: For bruises, apply cold compress for 30 minutes. For cuts, apply direct pressure with a clean cloth until the bleeding stops. Wash with soap and water and put on an adhesive bandage. If the cut is large or deep, keep up the pressure and call 911. For puncture wounds, wash with soap and water and call the doctor. Do not try to remove large objects.

Emergency Guide Poisoning: Decide exactly what was taken and how much: know the child’s age and weight. Take the bottle of poison with you to the phone, if possible. Dial the Poison Control Center. If the child is unconscious, drowsy, convulsing, or having difficulty breathing, call 911. Insect stings: Remove the stinger by scraping it with your fingernail; do not pull it out. Once it is removed, apply cold compress. Check for hives, paleness, weakness, nausea, tightness in the chest, and difficulty breathing. If these occur, call 911.

Last two Burns: Place the burn under cool or luke-warm water or cover with a towel soaked in cool water. For burns on the face, hands, feet, or genitals, call the doctor. For deep burns, call 911. Head injuries: Check for unconsciousness, drowsiness, convulsions, inability to move any body part, severe headaches and oozing of blood or water from the ears or nose. Call the doctor.