Just when you thought they couldn't do it!

Hey Families,

Have you ever looked at someone with physical, mental or emotional disabilities (or, the more PC term "handicaps") and excluded them from an activities purely on the basis that they "just couldn't do it"? I'm sure you have (no judgement)!

I've always come across someone who was handicapped, whether they were hard of hearing or they had a physical handicap. I love working with all children, but my passion is looking after those with a handicap, whatever it may be. Maybe it's because I've got a disability myself (Asperger's Syndrome and Chronic Granulomatus Disease, which is an immune disorder). I don't mind using the word "disability," mainly because I don't let it define me; it's just a word.

I've had the prejudices that those with disabilities/handicaps couldn't do everything that 'normal' people could, depending on your handicap, but as I grew up and was surrounded by these people who were handicapped, I started to realise that they could do everything "normal" people could, and I started to seriously question the word "normal." Why is it in our dictionary? Nothing is normal, is it, especially when describing someone, a thing or a lifestyle.

I went to high school with a young woman who had a physical handicap, but she didn't let that hold her back in life. She still doesn't. At first I doubted that she could do everything we could, especially lifting weights with her arms, as she didn't have enough muscle mass to write and such, but she opened my eyes and made me realise that she wasn't incapable of doing the things that we take for granted, like lifting up weights, or walking around. Of course, she can't physically walk, but she can crawl/wriggle along. I was amazed, but I shouldn't have been. Of course she can get around without her wheelchair or anyone's help! Even though she can only verbally say a few words, she communicates by her hands and her head, as well as making sounds.

As soon as I found out that she could pick up weights, any doubts left my minds. I knew that it was impossible to be incapable at doing something, and no excuse was acceptable to be excluded from any activity.

I've met a couple of children with physical handicaps while working in child care, and I can confidently say that while they need more supervision and help with the simple tasks that we take for granted, they can do everything. I learned that you don't just need to sing 'the Wheels on the Bus,' but you can use your body to do physical exercise while singing it. People with physical handicaps can also do it. I guided his legs in a cycling motion as we pretended to ride bicycles; I helped him press an imaginary horn, reach up to the stars; pretend our hands were windscreen wipers, so we were washing the windscreen; read a newspaper and so forth.

Children tend to exclude or bully those with physical or intellectual handicaps because they're ignorant; no-one's explained to or showed them that those with handicaps can do anything and basically everything they can; they just need some patience and understanding.

I remember that when I was in school (starting from primary school going through high school - elementary to secondary school) I was bullied for "being different," but when I was in the compulsory anti-bullying (or whatever it was called) class, I mentioned to everyone that I had Asperger's and the room went silent; none of the students had ever heard of Asperger's! I was still bullied by some people, but not for having Asperger's Syndrome.

I think there needs to be more information and exposure to those with handicaps in order to fully understand them and their abilities, and to eliminate that prejudice.

If you work with someone with a handicap, or your child goes to daycare or school with a person with a handicap, take the time to speak to them and get to know them for them, and not for their disability. Treat them like normal people, while still understanding that they have their limits, which may be different from ours, and they may need extra help with certain activities.

Go up to that person, introduce yourself, ask them if they need any help (if it looks like they're struggling), and share your interests with them. You never know, they may have the same interests as you, or can open your eyes to a new interest.

People with one or more handicaps are people just like us with feelings.

Take care of yourselves and others.

Tokana

Your very own future Picaso!

Hey Families,

Every child is individual, and as child care workers we try to encourage it, but in (nearly) every one of us there's a little Picaso waiting to come out and make its presence known! Or, in child care, our presence is already known, as we're given ample opportunity to express ourselves through art, whether it's painting, drawing, pasting, or even drama. As their parents, we love showing them off! Am I right or am I right? I know, that the exact same thing, just said twice. But it's true; we like to encourage our children's artistic abilities and expand on them. Why like to show them off to our friends. Not in the 'my child is better than yours' way. No, that would be wrong! We want to encourage them in the 'Michael, look at Ava's artwork. She can create masterpieces as well. Maybe you would like to create something with her; just imagine what two little artists can do together!' kind of way. You're encouraging them both, not putting anyone down. Of course, they might not be the next Picaso or Da Vinci, but it's important to encourage them all the same. 'If you really put your mind to it, you can achieve anything!'

Here's an idea on how to encourage your child to be artistic:

I mentioned in a previous post that your child is really proud of what they've done, whether it's right or wrong, and it's always important to encourage something positive, and display their artwork. Like I suggested in the same post, why not create a board to display their artwork, and then a folder in which to store and preserve it? It'll definitely encourage your child to create more, and it'll let them know that you're proud of them, especially if you praise them. When you get home, encourage your child to fetch their artwork from his or her bag and pin it up onto their art board. Upon them completing it, tell them that they've done a wonderful job and that you're so proud of them! Praise their artistic abilities. Their chests will puff out and they'll feel mighty proud of themselves. And so they should!

If they don't want to hang it up, though, ask them why not. If they tell you that they're not proud of their own piece of artwork, accept it, but don't let them feel discouraged. I ask them if they'd like to put it into their artwork folder to keep, but if they say no and want to put it into the bin, let them. They're not going to want to keep it if they don't feel good about it or it's "not their best painting."
If you want to keep it as you think it looks good, tell him that you like it and ask him if you can keep it in his folder or hung up in your bedroom to look at. You always need to ask because it's his artwork; he's the artist. Respect his wishes and whatever he's response is. If he insists on throwing it away, you can always fish it out of the rubbish bin and stash it away, keeping it for later. Of course, this is a sneaky, underhanded thing to do, but he might thank you for it some day.

You might want to assign a corner or entire room to their art, and then you can call it the 'creative corner' or 'creative room.' It doesn't have to be just for painting, drawing or gluing - it can be for puzzles, fixing or constructing machinery like CD players, or anything else that's creative.
Always praise your child on his or her artwork, or his or her efforts, even if they don't feel proud of it straight away. Words of encouragement are important to a child's wellbeing, so is being an active part in the child's life. I don't mean fixing him dinner, giving him baths and tucking him into bed, but also stopping what you're doing to listen and talk to him or her, playing with them and even to praise them on their efforts at whatever they're doing. Taking time out to spend with and focus 100% on them is important.

If you own your own house, or have permission from the landlords, you can paint one wall with blackboard paint and let your child's imagination go crazy doodling away, and best of all, it's on the wall - a designated part of the wall, but still on the wall.

If your child has always wanted his or her own cubby house, you can build one and get your child involved in painting and decorating it. Or just let your child paint and decorate it him/herself while you watch on smiling at his/her joyous smiles and laughter.

Another thing, throw out the colour-in books (or keep them for a long car or plane trip), give them blank paper instead and let their imaginations go wild, watching the crazy, creatives things that they come up with!

Have fun creating!

Tokana

Saying goodbye for the day

Hello, Parents/families!

Right now we're going to discuss saying goodbye to your little ones for the day. I know that a lot of parents/family members are quite busy and are often running late for work, for whatever reason, and so most parents just drop their children off and go without a thought for the child's feelings. If the child is distressed, some parents just roll their eyes and plead the carers to take the child off of them. They're so clingy, right?

What most parents/family members don't realise is that this is one of the most important part of the child's daily routine. Instead of just saying, "Bye, Ollie!" try saying, "Mummy's got to go to work now, okay, Ollie? Have a great day! I will be back once you've finished afternoon tea time, okay? I love you, Ollie!" This reassures the child that you are in fact coming back, and it also gives your child a time frame for your return.

In an ideal world, you'd drop your child off at least 15 minutes before you need to rush off to work, which means you can stay and change your child's first nappy for the day (there are instances when they will need a nappy change) or take them to the toilet, read them a book, play a game with them and just socialise with them, making sure they settle in. Of course, you still need to make it clear that you will only be able to play with them for fifteen or so minutes before you need to leave, and tell this to the child's carer. Once it is time to go, calmly tell them that you will be back (if not you, tell them who will), and at what time. Children need to know what to expect and feel like they're in control, and giving them a time frame will do both things. 

When it is time to leave, suggest that they watch you leave from the window, either by themselves or with a carer. I know this seems sad ("Where's Mummy going? She's leaving me!") but it's really not; it gives them some security, because if they physically see you leave the grounds, it means that you've actually gone to work and not just hiding around in the centre. Before you hop into your car, or go beyond their view, turn around and wave to them, even blowing them a kiss. Don't worry if your child seems distressed at first, as they will settle and enjoy the rest of their day. It's normal to feel guilty about leaving them, and the guilt is worse when you see your child crying hysterically, but there's no need to dwell on it. If you're feeling extra worried, ask if you can give them a call in 15 to 30 minutes to see how they're doing, and most centres will be understanding and know what you're going through (most carers are parents themselves), so they'll not only be all too happy to oblige, but they'll encourage it. Of course, if you call too often, they will question whether or not you're really ready for them to be in child care. It's a good question to ask yourselves, but I've already mentioned that in another post, so I won't repeat myself.

When coming back to the centre, most children will want to stay and play, so why not sit back and have a cuppa while your child plays, or even play with them, allowing them to show you what they've done? Children are proud of what they've achieved, and it's important to encourage them.

Of course, not all parents/families have the luxury of staying back to allow your child to continue playing, but what you can do is go and say hello and then tell them that they can finish up playing while you're signing them out, collecting their bags and speaking to their carers. This way you're announcing your arrival and giving them a nice, gentle transition from child care to home, and they don't have to say an immediate goodbye to their friends who are still there.

If you haven't had time to ask them about their day at the centre, why not ask them in the car? It's a perfect opportunity! Once you get home, the child can show you any projects that they've happened to bring home. It's a good idea that you have an activity board for each child, showcasing their brilliant artwork and skills, and it encourages them to continue and to improve. Once their boards fill up, put their artwork into folders to keep for when they grow up. You can look pack on past projects and see how they've improved. They can also reminisce on their childhood when they get older, and maybe show it to their own children.

Well, that's how to say goodbye to your children for the day.

This is an example of saying goodbye and what to do afterwards:

YouTube | WA Career Centre: Child Care Worker, try it for 5

Have fun!

Tokana

Thank you!

Hey folks,

This is a quick post to thank you all for sticking with me. Or if you're all new to this page, thank you so very much for coming and visiting, despite my posts only occurring sporadically.

We've gotten 1,289 page views since this page has been created a few years ago and I want to thank you so very much!

I know I'm not on here and posting that regularly, but I am so very grateful to you all who have viewed this page, and to the new people who are yet to discover this page!

While we have no specific target audience, whether it be age or gender, we're being viewed nationwide, starting with the United States of America, followed by Germany at 76 views, and then my homeland of Australia at 71 views. The other countries that we have reached are Russia, United Kingdom, India, Ukraine, Canada, France and Malta.

I hope we can reach more countries and even build up our page views, so please spread the word to all of your friends, family and acquaintances, especially other families, whether their children are at home or in child care.

I will try to keep posting, but I also need your input on what you'd like to see/read on here. I aim to make this blog a support network for families and their their friends.

Again, thank you so much, from the bottom of my heart, and, please, keep the views coming!

Tokana

My Resource Box - things you can play with children

I have finally finished my Resource Box - it only took about two weeks (I was resting doing bugger all for a few of those days, though)!

My teacher was impressed, to say the least. Some of the items I made and some I bought.

Remember, toys with many purposes (can be used for many activities) is the best, and most are multipurpose.

My entire Resource Box splayed on the coffee table.
Photo taken by Tokana H . S.
Tokana's Child Care Blog 2012

I needed to collect resources for all ages from 6 weeks to 5 year olds, but I started from 6 months.
The above is the entire collection, and now I'm going to display them separately.

Homemade skirt
Photo by Tokanahs
Tokana's Child Care Blog 2012

One of my requirements was to include something homemade, so my teacher provided me with an elastic band and a few pieces of sparkly fabric to make a skirt, and we had to add to it.

I sew the ends of the elastic bands together, attached the bells to wool, and sew both the fabric and yarn to the elastic bands, to make the skirt.

It originally suited any age group, but now I would give it to the two and over age group, because of the bells, but you need to constantly supervise children with this item, because they could swallow and choke on the bells and/or wrap the yarn around their necks and strangle themselves.

You can give the three and over age group(s) chalk and add a blackboard to it so they can draw on the blackboard, or even on the concrete outside.

This activity develops their fine motor skills as well as their pincer grip.

They are exploring the texture of the chalk, the variety of colours, and their environment. They're also exploring the cause and effect.

This activity is improving their cognitive skills as well as their language (they'll usually converse to one another - and you - what they are drawing.

Plastic Hour Glass
Photo taken by Tokanahs
Tokana's Child Care Blog 2012

I don't know why this image came out sideways, because it's not that way on my computer. Oh well.

I made an hour glass with sand from the beach, two Wicked bottles and cloth camping tape.

This activity promotes cause and effect as well as sensory (touch, sight and sound), and palmer grasp.

Children are also exploring the hour glass, as well as their environment (hopefully enthusiastically), and they may be communicating their findings.

I would give this activity to 1-5 year olds.

I made this coloured water with aluminum foil for the younger age group, but my teach said that the amount of foil in there is too much, so put in less.

I bought pre-packaged coloured aluminum foil from Riot! Arts and Crafts, and used a juice (I think) bottle, as well as cloth camp tape and super glue to secure the lid.

It's good for exploration, communication (verbal and none verbal), identity (expressing joy, or maybe frustration), and good for palmer grasp.

You can shake this yourself and place it in front of a baby 1 - 6 months, they can lie on a mat, look at it and smile or gurgle at all the colours.

Children love playing in home corner and pretending to make food for themselves and other people. Set up a space in your home or centre specifically for home corner (next to the dolls, which is also apart of home corner) and add a plastic or wooden stove, oven and fridge (maybe even a sink), a shelf, table, chairs and a table cloth with menus (even if they're in another language, or ask them if they'd like to create their own) with this, and see what they'll come up with.

This is called dramatic play when they are petending to do something and be somebody.

It also depends what age they are.

If you've read my blog Types of Play, you'll know about dramatic play.

This 90 piece food container cost only $15 at Target, which was a bargain compared to other things, which only had 10 - 15 items for $9.99.

Blowing bubbles is a great activity and improves their palmer grasp and gross motor skills.
They're also exploring  their environment (Learning), and expressing their joy with the activity, as well as (hopefully) interacting with other children (community).

Encouraging play.

Before filling your home with toys, or even borrowing toys, you need to consider what your child's age group or development skills are.

For 0 - 12 month old's you want something simple like a mirror - if you have a full-length mirror, you can carry your baby and stand in front of it, introducing your child to his or herself. You can ask, "Where's Mummy?" or "Where's Daddy?" You would then point to yourself. After which you would ask them where they are, allowing time for them to point to themselves. If they did, you'd clap. If not you'd point to them yourself. While still in front of the mirror you might want to pull some funny faces and see them smiling and/or laughing.

Maybe you want to lay them on a mat and play peek-a-boo, play with their rattles, soft toys and/or read them books. Some infant books don't even have words, so it's always a good bonding experience and opportunity to expand your imagination and make up stories. Eg. "There was once a princess who..." Make sure the story's a maximum of five minutes long and they aren't too complex. A baby's attention span is very short and they won't be able to understand complex words.

For a 12 - 24 months old you can buy or borrow stackable boxes (take this one for example), duplo, dinosaurs, sandpit, bicycles....

To encourage children to play, put all activities at shoulder high so it's easy for them to access. Provide a variety of activities that they're interested in.

Sorry I have been M.I.A.

Hello families,

So, I have been M.I.A. for quite a while now. I am studying for my Diploma in Screen and Media for the last year and a bit. That doesn't mean that I am done with child care, or coming up with awesome ideas, but it just means that I am busier.

This course involves learning how to shoot a live-to-air program, as well as pre-shot packages (also known as segments). Think "Sunrise," "the Today Show" or even news programs. "A Current Affair" is supposedly live, but all of the packages that they air are, in fact, pre-shot. It's the same with programs like "the Project," (formerly known as "The 7pm Project"), "60 Minutes," "Sunday Night," and "Nine News," among others. My fellow classmates and I have to come produce our own individual episodes of a magazine-style show, which all have a running theme or format.

This series may end up being broadcast on the community-based Channel 31, depending on whether the boss of the channel deems our series broadcast-worthy (meaning that the quality's good etc.), and the fact that the future of Channel 31 is uncertain - hopefully it'll remain, whether on TV or online, and we'll be able to broadcast live.

For my episode, which I'm not only producing, but directing, I need to produce two packages before my air date. Since all of the packages need to be shot within the Greater Melbourne area, I thought about doing a segment (package) on Scienceworks in the suburb of Spotswood. It's difficult, as we can't promote a business, but there are stories we can do within businesses such as Scienceworks.

I have no idea what I'm going to base my second pattern on. Looking after children is my passion and I would love to do my second package involving children and the joy they get out of doing something. However, I'm drawing a blank on the rest. If any of you parents/families/carers have a story which you'd like some light shined upon (no political stories, please, as bad as the child care benefit and stuff may be), please let me know.