As a home child care provider, taking care of the needs of others comes naturally. Remembering to take care of your own needs takes work. You must take care of your personal needs. Without YOU, your home child care cannot continue. Only when you are at your best can you provide the best possible care for those around you.
Childcare plays a crucial role in promoting children’s health and wellness too. Children who receive high-quality childcare are more likely to develop a range of positive physical, cognitive, and social-emotional outcomes.
As a childcare provider, you can support children’s physical development by providing opportunities for physical activity, outdoor play, healthy food and following good hygiene practices such as hand washing and healthy sleep. Engaging in regular physical activity helps children develop strong muscles and bones, maintain a healthy weight, improve their overall health and well-being and build a lifelong enjoyment of moving their bodies. Regular, healthy movement allows children to develop an awareness of and a positive relationship with their body.
Learning Objectives:
After completing this module, you will be able to:
- Understand the importance of self-care and the requirements for it
- Provide for children’s basic needs
- Know the difference between food allergies and intolerances, and what to do for anaphylactic shock
- Create Health and Wellness policies to protect the children in your care
- Differentiate between different types of child abuse, and know how to respond if you suspect a child in your care is being abused