Meeting
Children’s
Needs
Chapter 9
Skills for Personal & Family
Life
Topics 1&2
1
2
Vocabulary & Notes
 Caregiver
–a person who provides care
for someone else
 These
may include:

Child care in the parent’s home

Child care in the caregiver’s home

Child care cooperatives
3

Church or social group programs

Government-sponsored child care
programs

Employer-sponsored child care services

Privately owned or franchised child care
centers
4

School-sponsored or university-sponsored
child care programs
 Or





may be:
Grandparents
Siblings
Friends
Neighbors
Guardians
5
Characteristics of Responsible
Caregivers
 Personal

Qualities:
Enjoy children.
 They
find each child unique and fascinating.
 Have a sense of humor and show love.

Are patient.
 They
know that children learn at different
rates and can wait for children to learn to do
things for themselves.
 Allow children to ask “why?” many times.
 Read the same book, tell the same story, play
the same game again and again.
6

Are alert to children’s needs.
 Must
be supervising at all times.
 Give aid and comfort immediately.
 Meet emotional and social needs promptly.

Exercise self-control.
 Should
exhibit a calm and gentle demeanor.
 Know when to take a personal ‘time out’ to
calm down.
 Keep their emotions under control.
7

Are consistent.
 Establishes
routines and rules that are regularly
followed –becoming rituals.
 Rules must be enforced-this gives children a
sense of security (otherwise, children learn
that rules are meaningless and can be
ignored.

Set good examples.
 Children
like to imitate the behavior of adults,
especially those they admire.
 Children learn what to do-right or wrong-from
watching others.
8

Are flexible.
 Children
can be unpredictable.
 Caregivers must be prepared for anything
and be willing to adapt to changing
circumstances.
9

Personal Skills

Communication skills- speak clearly, use words
children can understand, use simple language
(children have limited vocabulary), use positive
statements (tell them what to do rather than
what not to do), and speak professionally to
parents.

Judgment skills -know how to make decisions on
handling situations involving children, know
when to get involved in disagreements
between children, know effective guidance
techniques and how to use them, and make
sure children have a healthy, safe environment
with age-appropriate toys and materials.
10

Management skills –being able to plan ahead,
be able to foresee possible needs and prepare
for them (having extra diapers on hand,
planning activities ahead, knowing where the
first aid kit is located and make sure all supplies
are available.

Responsible caregivers knows how to manage
time well.
They can organize their time, set priorities, and
distinguish between important and urgent
matters.

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 Some
knowledge about child growth and
development is important.
 Experience is often the best teacher-more
experiences around children is better.
 Helpful



resources might be:
Parenting classes
Library for books and magazines
Computers
 Chat
room -provides a forum for a number of
people to “chat” over the Internet at the
same time.
12



Private and public agencies-look in yellow
pages or blue pages locally.
In emergencies –call a hot line, a number
people can call for information or
assistance with a specific problem-usually
open 24 hours a day—911 for medical
assistance.
Support groups
 Share-
support for parents who have lost a
newborn through miscarriage, stillbirth, or
infant death
 Child Find- for parents trying to find missing
children
13
The Role of Society in
Protection Children’s Rights
 Children
are a precious resource. They
are our hope for the future.
 Children
are easily hurt because they are
physically weaker than adults and cannot
reason as adults. It is society’s
responsibility to protect them.
14
 Parents
are responsible for physical care
and financial support, moral teachings,
providing for their education, and make
health care choices.
 If
parents do not provide for these needs,
the state can act on the child’s behalf
and provide protection. This might mean
the state would require foster care in
extreme situations.
15
 Foster
care –care provided for a child
who needs a home temporarily.
 Placement
in Foster care may be made
because child has been abandoned,
abused, neglected by parents, or parents
may be temporarily unable to care for
child.
16
 Laws



are passed to help protect children:
School attendance
Labor laws
Child welfare services offering food and
assistance to families who unable to make
provisions on their own.
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Meeting Children's Physical
Needs
 Serving
Food
 Nutritious meals (remember children have small
stomachs)
 Nutritious
snacks (important part of a child’s
nutrition in a day)
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 Mealtime





Psychology
Try to avoid making an issue over food
habits. Children eat best when parents
praise their good habits.
Serve milk rich foods alternatives if a child
doesn’t like milk-ice cream, custard, cream
soups and cheese.
Children like small servings of food.
Children like bright colors.
They like foods made especially for themmini pizzas, smaller biscuits and mustard
and ketchup faces on breads.
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 Involving


Children in Meal Preparation
Children like to choose their own food.
Give them choices like between banana
and apple.
Children are more likely to eat foods they
help to prepare.
 Snacks


Snacks should be served at least an hour
before meals are to be served.
Children like snacks that can be eaten with
their fingers (breakfast cereals, raisins,
orange sections and crackers.
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






Choosing Clothes
Children like to choose their own clothes. Parents
can offer two choices for child to select from.
Clothes should be warm and comfortable and
intellectual too. (colors, shapes, sizes)
Fit
Buy clothes that fit, but also allow a little extra
room for growth.
Must fit properly to allow for comfort and safety.
Children’s clothes are often sized according to the
age of the child most likely to wear them. (not
always a valid guide)

A child’s height, weight, chest, and waist should
be considered when evaluating fit.
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





Fabric and Construction
Children prefer soft fabrics that feel good
against their skin.
Knits are popular because they give with the
child’s movement.
Play clothes should be made of absorbent
fibers help to absorb perspiration.
Firm weaves and close knits help clothes resist
the wear and tear children put on them.
Check the construction and sturdiness to
withstand hard use and frequent laundering.
22
 Self-Help
Features –these are clothing
design details that make clothes easier for
children to put on and take off such as
elasticized waistbands and large neck
and arm openings and large buttons or
snaps.
 Being allowed to dress themselves
encourages a child’s independence.
23
 Size
of Wardrobe
 How many clothes a child should have
depends:



Climate
The availability of laundry facilities
Family’s personal priorities
24
The Role of Play in Physical
Development  Children can learn
 Active-physical
play help children
develop their
large-muscles for
movements; like
walking, running,
hopping, jumping,
and skipping.
concepts like:









Front
Back
Side
Up
Down
High
Low
Through and
Between
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 Manipulative-
constructive play
helps children
develop smallmuscle skills. These
control the






wrists,
hands,
thumbs,
fingers, and
ankles.
Then later, fingers.
 These
muscles
develop





Stacking blocks
Picking up shaped
toys to put into
container
Writing
Drawing stacking
stringing beads
Fitting puzzles
together
26
 Physical
skills
improve as a child
grows and
develops:



Infant will crawl
after a rolling ball.
A preschooler
might run after a
ball.
An older, more
surefooted child
might kick a ball.

Games and play
activities can help build
physical skills:








Walking
Running
Jumping
Balancing
Swinging their arms
Throw, Catch, Roll and
Bounce balls
Riding tricycles
Playing with outdoor
equipment
These activities will stimulate
growth in other areas as well.
27
Creating a Healthy and Safe
Environment
 Health
care: parents
can teach children
proper eating, sleeping
habits, dressing skills
and good health care
by setting the example.
28
Guidelines for establishing a healthy
routine:
1. Maintain a clean
environment.
2. Teach children the
importance of body
cleanliness.
3. Take children for
regular medical
checkups.
4. Keep children’s
immunizations up to
date.
5. Keep children
away from people
who have
communicable
diseases.
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 Communicable
 Immunizations-
injections or drops
given to a person
to provide
immunity from a
certain disease.
diseases – are
illnesses that can
be passed on to
other people, such
as colds and sore
throats.
Discourage habits
that might spread
communicable
diseases, such as
sharing drinking
cups.
30
6. Have a knowledge
of common
childhood illnesses
and diseases. Be
familiar with their
symptoms and how
to treat them.
7. Treat wounds,
bites, and stings
promptly.
8. Avoid foodborne
illnesses by carefully
selecting, preparing,
and storing foods.
31
Safety
 Caregivers
have two responsibilities
regarding children’s safety.


Make the environment as safe as possible
for children.
Must teach children to recognize and avoid
safety hazards.
32

Parents need to look for safety hazards from a
child’s low vantage point.

They should look for possible hazards to a
child who is learning to sit, creep, stand, or
walk.

Parents must remove all items that could be
dangerous to young children.

They must teach older children to avoid
dangerous items and to stay out of harmful
areas.
33
Guidelines that will help
parents maintain a safe
environment for children:
1.
Supervise children at all times. Their
mobility, desire for independence, and
curiosity prompts them to explore items
that could be hazardous.
2.
Teach safe use of toys and play
equipment.
34
3. Avoid giving children toys that are sharp
or fragile or that have small pieces that can
be swallowed.
4. Place gates at the top and bottom of
stairs to prevent falls.
5. Keep sharp and breakable objects out of
the reach of children.
6. Keep hot water, hot food, and other hot
objects out of children’s reach to prevent
burns.
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7. Keep medicines and cleaning agents in a
locked cabinet. Do not remove product
labels.
8. Place fencing around swimming pools,
garden ponds, and other bodies of water
to prevent accidental drowning. Supervise
children constantly when they play near
water.
9. Provide safe, sturdy places for children to
climb. Watch children closely when
climbing is allowed.
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10. Keep plastic bags and large sheets of
plastic away from children to prevent
suffocation.
11. Protect children from electrical hazards.
Unused outlets should be capped or
covered.
12. Check fire extinguishers regularly and
know how to use them.
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13. Plan and practice evacuation
procedures for the home in case of fire and
assign a family meeting place outside the
home.
14. Secure children in a car seat for even
short distances. Older children should
always use safety belts.
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First Aid in Emergencies
 First
aid is emergency care or treatment
given to people right after an accident.
 Caregivers
need to know basic first aid
procedures so that they can treat minor
injuries promptly.
 The
following are some basic first aid
techniques:
39
 Small
cuts and abrasions: Wash area with
soap and water. Apply mild antiseptic
and bandage.
 Deep
cuts or puncture wounds: Place a
clean cloth or bandage over the wound.
Press the wound with the palm of your
hand to stop the bleeding. Then get
medical help.
 Minor
burns: Place the burned area in
cool water for a few minutes until the pain
subsides. Do not apply ointment.
40
 Severe
burns: Have the child lie down.
Do not put anything on the burn or try to
remove any material stuck to the skin.
Get medical help right away.
 Broken
bones: If you think the child has a
broken bone, get medical help. Do not
move the child.
 Splinters:
Wash the area with soap and
water. Using a pair of tweezers, remove
the splinter at the same angle it entered
the skin. Cover with a bandage.
41
 Insect
stings: If the child is stung by a
wasp, bee, hornet, or yellow jacket,
watch for an allergic reaction. A rash or
swelling is a mild reaction. I f the child is
weak and collapses and has abdominal
cramping, get prompt medical help.
42
 Electric
shock: Do not touch the child
with your bare hands until the electrical
connection is broken or you, too, will be
shocked. Either turn off the electricity or
use a wooden stick, a cloth, or a rope to
pull the child away from the source. If the
child is not breathing, give CPR if you are
certified to do this. This technique
includes rescue breathing and forcing the
victim’s heart to pump blood. Get
medical help immediately.
43
 Choking:
If a child cannot speak or
breathe, he or she may be choking on
something. Another sign is bluish lips and
fingernails. You should immediately
perform a abdominal thrust (Heimlich
maneuver).
***Abdominal thrust is done differently on
smaller people.
Infant and Toddlers has a method.
Older Children has a different method.
44
Have the phone number for the poison
control cent posted near the phone. If a
child swallows a substance that could be
poisonous, you will need to call this number
immediately. Be prepared to tell what the
child swallowed, then follow staff directions.
The end.