My Connections to Play

When Your Child Comes Home Messy 

Red paint in the hair? Blue paint on the jeans? Sand in the shoes? Peanut butter on a favorite shirt? White socks that look brown? Sleeves a bit damp?

YOUR CHILD PROBABLY......

worked with a friend

solved a problem

created a masterpiece

negotiated a difference

learned a new skill

had a great time

developed new language skills

YOUR CHILD PROBABLY DIDN'T.......

feel lonely

become bored

do repetitive tasks that are too babyish

do worksheets that are too easy

do sit down work that is discouraging

YOU PROBABLY......

paid good money for those clothes

Will have trouble getting the red paint out

are concerned the caregiver isn't paying enough attention to your child

YOUR CAREGIVER PROBABLY......

was aware of your child's special needs and interests

spent time planning a challenging activity for the children

encouraged the children to try new things

was worried you might be concerned

Young children really learn when they are actively involved in play.....not when someone is talking to them. There is a difference between "messy" and "lack of care." Your caregiver made sure your child was fed, warm, offered new skills and planned messy fun things to do because that's how young children learn!

Send your child in clothes that can get dirty! Keep extra old clothes at the site for times when the child gets really messy. But remember, young children need time to be kids.

~author unknown

Children learn as they play. Most importantly, in play children learn how to learn.

O. Fred Donaldson

Contemporary American martial arts master

Toys that I was most found of during my early childhood years were all types of dolls, housekeeping toys, paper dolls, coloring books, story books, playing my toy piano, riding my trike/bike, and such. I enjoyed water coloring and playing with dough. I loved to pretend play most of all. My friends or siblings and I often played house, school, beauty parlor, grocery store, cowboys and Indians, GI Joe, and such. We lived fantasies through our paper dolls.  We also played outdoor games such as drop the handkerchief, mother may I, 1-2-3 redlight, chase, hide and seek, red rover, hula hoop games, jump rope, soft ball, roller bat, and a basketball game called H-O-R-S-E. Our parents often played with us. My mother and father taught me to play many of the games I so enjoyed playing as a child at home, in my neighborhood, and during recess at school. Times were very different during my childhood. Technology as we know today did not exist. We used our imagination and we actively played. My mother did not work; she  cared for our home and family. My father worked, however, back then, companies and businesses closed on Sunday. The town stores and offices also closed at 6 pm daily. Families seemed to spend more time together working and playing. There seemed to be a stronger focus on family and I believe life moved at a slower pace. Today, in most families, both parents work. The work week is now 6-7 days and there is no down time. Everyone seems to be busy juggling various schedules and moving in different directions. Life moves at a much faster pace for most.  Educational policy now has a stronger focus on standards, accountability, and high stakes testing, so recess is disappearing. There is less time for purposeful play and when you consider technology, it is easier to let television, computerized games/media, and the internet entertain and teach our children many of the skills that children learned through play in the past. Play as I experienced it and have described is becoming something found only  in the past. Today's children are missing out on enjoyable play experiences that build imagination, creativity, social/emotional, and cognitive skills while fostering their overall positive health and well-being. We are already seeing the unfortunate consequences through a rise in  health and obesity problems, problems with social/emotional skills, language skills, and cognitive issues in many children. It is time that parents and educators recognize the importance of purposeful , imaginative and creative play and put in back into the lives of children.  

Relationships Reflection

As I reflect upon my current relationships, I can identify several that are important to me and they are central to my life, happiness, and overall well-being.  Currently, my relationships include my experiences and interactions with God, my children, my brother and sister-in-law, my friends, and those that are part of my professional life such as my director, co-workers, parents, and children in my classroom.  Even though we do not always agree, I cannot imagine my life without these relationships.  They each play a role in shaping the person that I am and who I want to be as I grow.

I find unconditional love, peace, and joy in my relationship with my Lord and Savior even in troublesome times.  As I pray and read his word, I always find comfort, purpose, direction, guidance, and encouragement.  In my relationship with my children, I find love, trust, respect, purpose, and encouragement.  I find that I am needed.  Even though they are grown, they are my world and I strive to be a good example for them while respecting their right to live their own life.  The relationship between my brother and his wife is one of support, encouragement, and family dinners and celebrations.  We each know we can call on each other and that each will be there, this holds true for my children.  My relationship with my present friends is one of getting together to just relax, fellowship, and enjoy ourselves.  I recently lost my best friend to cancer.  For years, we shared secrets, tears, laughter, and saw each other through some hard times.  I really miss her.  In my professional relationships- director, co-workers, and parents, we have a partnership committed to fostering the positive development of the infants in my classroom.  Just yesterday, I had a first time mom tell me as we were talking about her son meeting developmental milestones early, “ I also want my son (he’s 7 months old) to grow up to be a good man.  I want him to have good manners, be gentle, kind, respectful, and a good husband and daddy.  I need you all to help me accomplish this too.  What can I do at home?”  This really touched director, as well as my co-workers and me.  

A relationship is a connection, association, or involvement.  Relationships can be positive or negative, build one up, or tear one down; they can create or destroy.  I have learned that healthy relationships are built and maintained through reciprocal interactions, communication,  experiences, trust, respect, dedication, and commitment.  A degree of loyalty in some relationships is required.  Relationships are not always easy and can come to an end.  Relationships have to be worked at and those involved have to work at it together.  

youngest daughter on right

middle daughter and her family

middle son and his family

oldest daughter and her family

youngest son

Child Development

http://www.keenforgod.com

The Science of Early Childhood Development

Improving early child development with words: Dr. Brenda Fitzgerald at TEDxAtlanta

The Importance of Early Childhood Development

Assessments

·         When most people in the United States think of assessing children in middle childhood, achievement and standardized tests come to mind. Achievement tests are designed to evaluate what a person knows and their level of skill at the given moment about a specific topic such as a test covering a recent chapter in math or a comprehensive final exam. . Standardized achievement tests are also to determine if students have met specific learning goals. Each grade level has certain educational expectations, testing is used to determine if schools, teachers, and students are meeting those standards (Cherry, 2015). Children in middle childhood undergo tremendous physical growth, cognitive, and emotional development. The graded structure of the schools attempt to provide learning environments and tasks appropriate to the children's developmental levels. However, the match is often less than perfect because knowledge of developmental advancements fragmented, and developmental progress itself is not static. Just as in other institutions, education systems are slow to change (Collins, 1984).

There are advantages to standardized tests such as Criterion Referenced Tests and others that are  related to No Child Left Behind. These tests hold teachers and schools accountable. They are usually objective in nature and accompanied by a set of established standards or instructional framework which provide teachers with guidance for what and when something needs to be taught.  Standardized testing allows students located in various schools, districts, and even states to be compared.  Standardized testing gives parents and schools a good idea of how children are doing as compared to students across the country and locally.  Standardized tests provide accurate comparisons between sub-groups. These sub-groups can include data on ethnicity, socioeconomic status, special needs, etc. This provides schools with data to develop programs and services directed at improving scores. Teaching, and learning. In contrast, there are also disadvantages. Standardized testing evaluates a student’s performance on one particular day and does not take into account external factors. These tests cause many teachers to only “teach to the tests”; thus, hinder a student’s overall learning potential. Standardized testing only evaluates the individual performance of the student at the time of testing instead of the overall growth of that student over the course of the year. While the answers are checked by computers, however, there is potential for bias as in that a test at inception may be made by a teacher who may be from a white or black population and according to the teaching styles of a particular state?  The success of the schools is dependent on the performance of their students and federal funds are distributed accordingly. These tests tend to  reduce group activities among students. Because the students spend a great deal of time in preparing for standardized tests, they often skip the daily routines of playing, exercising and schools reduce or eliminate recess negatively impacting children psychosocially and academically. As one can see, there is much controversy regarding standardized testing (Columbia University, 2013) However, some form of testing or assessing is essential in evaluating children’s learning and cognitive development. But their biosocial and psychosocial development is important also. If a child is not physically, socially, and emotionally healthy, learning suffers. Not all children learn in the same way.  For this reason, it is important to assess the whole child, which is often overlooked.  Far too little attention has been paid to outcomes of education other than academic achievement. More focus on psychosocial development including attitudes and values of children in middle childhood is necessary to gaining a better perspective on the holistic development of children (Collins, 1984).

Testing practices are found throughout the World.  For example, Brazil, England, and Japan, conduct national-level tests, but each does so for different reasons: Brazil conducts them for state-by-state comparisons and program evaluation.  England uses them for  school accountability, and Japan for college entry.  Unlike the United States, which relies heavily on multiple-choice tests, six countries have written examinations (sometimes along with other kinds).   The Czech Republic is unique among the eight countries in using only oral examinations. In the United States, we tend to hear the phrase “teach the test.”  In the Czech Republic, England, Canada, Japan, and Australia, teaching to the test means teaching the curriculum.  The same agency that develops the test also develops the curriculum. In fact, The test is often seen as a mechanism to promote the curriculum (Levinson, 2000).

References

Cherry, K. (2015). What is an achievement test. Retrieved from http://psychology.about.com/ od/aindex/a/achievement-test.html

Collins W.A,, editor. Panel to Review the Status of Basic Research on School-Age Children; Committee on Child Development Research and Public Policy; Commission on Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education; Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education (1984).  Chapter 7: School and children: the middle childhood years.  In Development During Middle Childhood: The Years From Six to Twelve. Washington (DC): National Academies Press (US). Retrieved from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK216779/

Columbia University. 92013). Pros and cons of standardized testing. Retrieved from http://worklife.columbia.edu/files_worklife/public/ Pros_and_Cons_of_Standardized_Testing_1.pdf

Levinson, C. (2000). Student Assessment in Eight Countries. In Educational Leadership. Retrieved from http://www.ascd.org/ASCD/pdf/journals/ed_lead/el200002_levinson.pdfn.pdf

Stress and Children's Development

Residential fire is a very common disaster.  Fires cause emotional distress as well as physical damage.  Fire threatens life and property.  They are unpredictable, uncontrollable, and terrifying.  Children often are affected by what they see during and after a fire, whether or not they are physically injured.  The best predictor of post- fire distress in children appears to be how frightening the experience of the fire was and the extent of the loss (NCTSN, 2015).  At the age of 6, my best friend, Rosalyn, who was 7, lost everything in a house fire.  Fortunately, everyone got out safely and there was no loss of life nor did anyone suffer any physical injury.  However, the months that followed were very difficult for Rosalyn emotionally.  She had trouble sleeping due to recurrent dreams that caused her to relive the night of the fire.  She would wake screaming for her mom and dad.  Anytime she heard a siren, she would become very frightened.  She was also protective of her belongings from that point on.  She had lost everything in the fire.  She experienced increased worry about the safety of her family, friends, classmates, teachers, neighbors, and herself.  She worried that there would be another fire.  For months, she was irritable, sad, and had trouble leaving her parents.  She also was absent from school more because of headaches and stomachaches.  Her parents, family, church, and friends helped her to cope.  Her parents reassured her and maintained normal structure and routines.  They were understanding of her feelings.  They were able to keep her in the same community and school.  The family also sought counselling together.  Their friends and church came together and quickly helped them to replace their lost clothing and toys for Rosalyn.  The church provided them with shelter while they waited for insurance claims and their home to be rebuilt.  Resources, counselling, and their love for each other helped them to cope through this time of great stress.  Eventually, Rosalyn and her family overcame their emotional stress without any lasting effects on Rosalyn’s biosocial, cognitive, and psychosocial development, but it took quite some time.  If not for the support they received and strong family bonds, the outcome could have been different.  

Brain Synapses

A fire undermines a family’s sense of safety.  Losing one's home and property can lead to depression and elevated levels of distress, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).  Following a fire, families may face financial hardship and medical problems.  Parents may feel confused and frustrated as they deal with insurance companies and disaster assistance agencies.  Families should not underestimate the cumulative emotional effects of evacuation, displacement, relocation, and/or rebuilding.  The physical and emotional recovery process following a fire can be lengthy (NCTSN, 2015).

Child Abuse in Industrialized Nations                                  

Almost 3,500 children under the age of 15 die from physical abuse and neglect every year in the industrialized world. Two children die from abuse and neglect every week in Germany and the United Kingdom, three per week in France, four per week in Japan, and 27 per week in the United States . The risk of death by maltreatment is approximately three times greater for infants than for those ages one to four. The risk doubles for those ages five to fourteen.  A small group of countries – Spain, Greece, Italy, Ireland and Norway – appear to have an exceptionally low incidence of child maltreatment deaths. Five nations including Belgium, the Czech Republic, New Zealand, Hungary, and France have levels of child maltreatment deaths that are four to six times higher than the average for the leading countries. Three countries including the United States, Mexico, and Portugal  have rates that are between 10 and 15 times higher than the average for the leading countries. Poverty, stress, partner abuse,  as well as drug and alcohol abuse appear to be the factors that are the most closely and consistently associated with child abuse and neglect.

In addition to immediate pain and any long-term physical damage, the maltreatment of children can weaken the ability to thrive and develop normally. It can damage the ability to learn, to communicate, to form attachments, and to interact normally with others. It can cause anxiety, depression, aggression, and a lowered sense of self-worth. Obviously, it can and often does result in severe psychological impairment and behavioral difficulties.  Long-term effects include a greater tendency to physical inactivity, tobacco use, alcohol and drug abuse, risky sexual behavior, and suicide.

Strategies are in place to try to reduce and prevent child abuse in industrialized nations, which include the appointment of children’s ombudspersons in several OECD countries, the setting up of child help-lines, the growing sophistication and integration of home visiting services, the increase in media coverage, and the closer monitoring of children considered at risk. Specific instances showing of concern include the campaign to combat all forms of violence recently launched by the Council of Europe and the regular reports on child protection measures now being provided by most industrialized countries to the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child. Seven countries have banned spanking as a legal form of discipline. What is the answer to reducing or preventing the maltreatment of the world’s youngest and most vulnerable citizens?  Is it in reducing poverty, strengthening and supporting families, and/or banning spanking.  UNICEF’S report (2003) quotes Neil Guterman,  “We not only face a moral imperative to work to end this all-too-common form of victimization and deprivation of our youngest citizens. We also face a societal imperative, confronting us with the reality that child abuse and neglect, particularly experienced early in life, form the taproot of some of the most destructive and costly social problems of our day, including substance and alcohol abuse, problematic school performance, juvenile delinquency and crime, later-life depression, and domestic violence” (p.19).

References

NCTSN.  (2015). Retrieved from http://www.nctsn.org/trauma-types/natural-disasters/fires/residential-fires

UNICEF. (2003). “A league table of child maltreatment deaths in rich nations.” Innocenti Report Card No.5.  UNICEF Innocenti Research Centre, Florence.  Retrieved from http://www.unicef-irc.org/publications/pdf/repcard5e.pdf

Child Development and Public Health: Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)

I chose to write about this topic because it is relative to my work with infants. I have never experienced SIDS but it was my worst fear when my own children were babies, my worst fear related to my grandchildren, and my worst fear in my work.

The Safe to Sleep^® campaign, formerly known as the Back to Sleep campaign, has helped educate millions of caregivers—parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, babysitters, child care providers, health care providers, and others—about ways to reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) and other sleep-related causes of infant death (NICHD, 2015). The Mayo Clinic (2015) defines sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) as “the unexplained death, usually during sleep, of a seemingly healthy baby less than a year old” (para. 1).  Since infants often die in their cribs, SIDS is often referred to as crib death.  While the exact cause is unknown, research finds a link to the section of an infant's brain that governs breathing and arousal from sleep. Research finds that the most important thing parents, caregivers, and anyone who cares for infants can do to reduce the risk of SIDS or help to prevent it is to always place the baby on its back to sleep. (Mayo Clinic, 2015). Public health used the research and initiated a Back to Sleep campaign. After the launch of the Back-to-Sleep campaign in 1994, the rate of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome declined by more than 50 percent, and then plateaued.  In an another study "Risk Factor Changes for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome After Initiation of Back-to-Sleep Campaign​," in April 2012, pediatric researchers examine whether the predominant risk factors involved in SIDS deaths have changed in the Back-to-Sleep era (American Academy of Pediatrics, 2012).  Other factors were discovered that put a baby at risk, which include low birthweight, repertory infection, sleeping on the stomach or side, sleeping on a soft surface, and sleeping with parents.  Additional risks include sex, age, race, secondhand smoke, family history, and pre-term birth.  Research still finds that the most important thing parents, caregivers, and anyone who cares for infants can do to reduce the risk of SIDS or help to prevent it is to always place the baby on its back to sleep.  Additionally, parents and all caregivers can keep the crib as bare as possible, avoid overheating the baby, allow the baby to sleep alone in his or her crib, breast-feed the baby, and offer a pacifier (American Academy of Pediatrics, 2012; Mayo Clinic, 2015).

In Australia, there were about 550 infant deaths per year from SIDS. Following the initiation of their safe sleep campaign in 1988, the instances of SIDS have reduced to less than 100.  The recommendations for safe sleep is to place baby on the back from birth, not on the tummy or side for sleep and to sleep baby with head and face uncovered. It also recommends keeping baby smoke free before birth and after, providing a safe sleeping environment night and day, sleeping baby in their own safe sleeping place in the same room as an adult caregiver for the first six to twelve months, and breastfeeding baby (Sids and Kids, 2015).

It appears that both countries recommend sleeping the baby on their back, avoiding tobacco, and a safe sleep environment. Any differences are a matter of culture. The information I have found I already use in my classroom but I have decided to share it with my parents to encourage their practice of safe sleep.

References

American Academy of Pediatrics. (2012). "Risk Factor Changes for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome After Initiation of Back-to-Sleep Campaign.” Retrieved from​http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/129/4/630

Mayo Clinic.  (2015). Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.  Retrieved from http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/sudden-infant-death-syndrome/basics/definition/con-20020269

National Institute of Child Health and Human Development [NICHD]. (2015). Explore the Campaign. Safe to Sleep Public Education Campaign. Retrieved from https://www.nichd.nih.gov/sts/campaign/Pages/default.aspx

Sids and Kids. (2015). Safe Sleeping. Retrieved from http://www.sidsandkids.org/safe-slee

Childbirth In My Life and Around the World

I have given birth to four beautiful and healthy babies. As soon as I suspected I might be pregnant, I went to the doctor and began prenatal care. There were no complications with the first three. I delivered each time in a hospital with my nurses and doctors help. With the first three, my husband and family waited in the waiting room while I delivered. With my last daughter, which was 16 years later, I was considered high risk because I was 40.  At about 5 months, I began to have bladder infections, blood pressure problems, and developed gestational diabetes.  The doctors pulled me off my job, limited my activities, and treated my infections, and diabetes.  I had quite a few ultrasounds and amniocentesis testing and the baby was always fine.  When I went into labor, they could all stay with me in the birthing room until time for delivery.  At that time, I wanted only my husband with me.  He was able to stay during the delivery and actually cut the umbilical cord as the doctor instructed him. I actually had an easy delivery.  This was a wonderful and joyful experience for us. We had a healthy baby girl weighing in at 8 pounds and 22 inches long. The day we were to go home, I developed postpartum preeclampsia. I was very sick, but fortunately, I was taken care of with appropriate medical care and no lasting harm was done to my health or the health of my baby girl. She is still healthy and will graduate high school this year with honors. She has been accepted into Columbus State and is majoring in nursing with a minor in psychology.

In Africa, many women do not have a good outcome as I did.  One in 22 women dies during pregnancy or childbirth (Guardian News, 2012).  Conditions such as high blood pressure, breech births, and hemorrhaging are easily treated in developed countries; African women often die from them because they lack access to good quality health care or a trained midwife.  Many women in Africa especially in remote areas have little choice in giving birth to their babies at home with their mother or grandmother at their side.  They are fortunate if the birth goes smoothly without complications.  However, if things go wrong, the nearest help can be hours away.  With no transportation, their only option is to walk to get help; often this happens in the middle of labor.  Three delays are usually referenced as increasing mortality rates (Guardian News, 2012):

·         Delay in pursuing care: women may have to get permission from their husbands or the male head of the household; they may not recognize the emergency; or they may fear going to a health care facility.

·         Delay in arriving at a health care facility: transportation may be unattainable, unaffordable, or simply take too long.

·         Delay in receiving care once at the health care facility: health centers may lack staff, equipment, or supplies; wealthy patients or males may be seen first; or cost of care may be unaffordable.

This may offer an explanation, still too many women and babies are dying in developing countries such as Africa during pregnancy and childbirth from complications that are often preventable (Guardian News, 2012).

My experience was very different from what women go through in remote areas of Africa.  I simply cannot imagine giving birth at home without help from trained nurses and doctors and in a medical facility that is clean, sterile, and medically equipped to handle problems.  I certainly cannot imagine walking while in the middle of labor to find help.  With each of my children, my husband drove me just a few miles to the hospital.  My doctors and nurses prepared me as far as what to expect, made sure I understood how to properly take care of my health, and even how to take care of my baby after going home to ensure babies’ health.  I cannot imagine experiencing preeclampsia/eclampsia without medical care.  Seizures and possible stroke would most likely occur and I am sure it would be horrible and fatal.  I can easily see the importance of early and ongoing prenatal care, delivering in a facility with trained medical doctors and staff, and postpartum care.  I can also see how poverty can influence health from conception and throughout life.  The birthing experience cannot only influence development, but can end life for the mother, or child, or both without the proper care.

About 800 women die from pregnancy- or childbirth-related complications around the world every day (WHO, 2014).  In 2013, 289,000 women died during pregnancy and following pregnancy and childbirth.  Nearly all of these deaths happened in low-resource settings in developing countries, and the majority could have been avoided.  More than half of these deaths took place in sub-Saharan Africa.  The deaths were a result of severe bleeding (mostly bleeding after childbirth), infections (usually after childbirth), and high blood pressure during pregnancy (pre-eclampsia and eclampsia), complications from delivery, and unsafe abortion (WHO, 2014).  While care has increased in many parts of the world during the past decade, only 46% of women in low-income countries such as sub-Saharan Africa benefit from skilled care during pregnancy and childbirth.  Just over a third of all pregnant women have the recommended four antenatal care visits.  This means that millions of births are not assisted by a midwife, a doctor, or a trained nurse, nor do they receive postpartum care.  Reasons that prevent women from receiving or seeking care during pregnancy and childbirth are poverty, distance, lack of information, inadequate services, and cultural practices (WHO, 2014).  Maternal health and child health are closely connected.  Additionally, 6.3 million children under the age of five died in 2013 worldwide.  A similar number were stillborn.  Leading causes of death in under-five children are preterm birth complications, pneumonia, birth asphyxia, diarrhea, and malaria.  Malnutrition is connected to about 45% of all child deaths.  Children in sub-Saharan Africa are more than 15 times more likely to die before the age of five than children in developed regions.  More than half of these early child deaths are due to conditions that could be prevented or treated with access to simple and affordable interventions and health care (WHO, 2014).

References

Guardian News.  (2012). Giving birth - the most dangerous thing an African woman can do? The Guardian Retrieved from http://www.theguardian.com/journalismcompetition/giving-birth-the-most-dangerous-thing-an-african-woman-can-do

 

World Health Organization (2014). Maternal mortality. Retrieved from http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs348/en/

 

World Health Organization (2014). Children: Reducing mortality Retrieved from http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs178/en/