Transcript Nurturing Young Children: The Importance of Family Style

Nurturing Young Children:
The Importance of Family
Style Meal Service
Sharen Crockett, MS, CFCS
Dr. Beth Wilson, CFCS, CFLE
Family Meal Times:
What Does the Research Say?
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A positive effect upon the character and
social development of the children
Family communication skills
Improved nutritional intake of the entire
family
Family Meal Times:
What Does the Research Say?
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Development of family values and
traditions
Development of the culinary skills of
family members
Development of child’s confidence
Fewer behavior problems, especially
adolescent drug and alcohol use
Are Families Eating Together?
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Families eating meals together have
declined significantly over the past 30
years.
• Parents believe that eating meals together is
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very important.
Due to complexity of family life, less than 50%
of families eat as a family regularly.
What is the role of early
childhood professionals?
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Child care providers have assumed a role that was
typically held by parents in nurturing young children.
Viewed as:
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A supplement and extension, not a replacement, of good
parenting
A team effort with good parental involvement
Good communication between staff and parents
This means creating a “child-friendly” environment that:
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Provides nutritious foods, well-prepared and attractive
Provides opportunities for learning
Provides for an enjoyable experience
Definition:
Family Style Meal Service
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A type of meal service that allows children to
serve themselves at the table from common
dishes of food with the assistance of an adult.
It encourages adults to:
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Set a personal example
Provide educational activities centered around foods
Allow children to identify new foods, new tastes, and
new menus
Help develop a positive attitude toward nutritious
foods and develop good eating habits
Learn to share in group eating situations and manners
Family Style Meal Service is. . .
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Extremely important for early childhood
programs from three viewpoints:
• Positive food habits, good nutrition, and long•
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term health (lifetime skills)
Developmentally appropriate curriculum and
environment for learning
Compliance with quality/accreditation
standards
Positive Aspects of Family-Style
Meal Service
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Provides abundant opportunities to
promote:
• Language development
• Cognitive development
• Sensorimotor development
• Social/emotional development
• Motor skills
• Self-esteem
• Independence (competency)
Physical Environment
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Safe, clean, and comfortable
Child size plates, utensils, glasses and
cups
Furniture of right size and shape for
children’s age and development
Foods
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Serve new food with familiar food
Serve foods from different cultures
Variety of shapes, colors, textures,
flavors
Do not serve any foods that represent a
choking hazard
Division of Responsibility in
Feeding Children
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Adults:
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Setting regular times for
meals and snacks
Planning and preparing
healthy meals and
snacks
Assuring that the
children come to the
table at meal and snack
time
Creating a pleasant
mealtime environment
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Children:
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Deciding which of the
healthy foods offered
they want to eat
Deciding how much food
they want to eat
Social Environment
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Pleasant, relaxed and peaceful
Children involved—table setting, food
preparation, self-service, cleanup
Encourage children to eat food but do
not force
Food should not be used as reward or
punishment
Allow children to feed themselves
Social Environment
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Balance learning new skills with enjoying
eating
Give children time to eat
Social Environment
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Talk with children, allow for self-directed
conversation (language development
and social skills development)
Simple rules of etiquette such as
“please,” “thank you, “ and “no thank
you”
Tips for Success
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Have a transition activity before a meal
or snack
Children should wash their hands; adults
should model this behavior
Use carefully planned meals and
snacks—”every day foods” and
“sometimes foods”
Tips for Success
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Sit with the children, model healthy
eating habits, trying new foods with
positive attitude, allowing the child to
guide conversation
Model etiquette
Tips for Success
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Send copies of menus home to parents
Be aware of “teachable” moments
Ideas for Teaching. . .
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Introduce and discuss new colors,
tastes, textures, shapes
Have children measure ingredients with
real kitchen measuring cups and spoons
Teach the origin of foods
Plan meals around holidays or
community events
Ideas for Teaching. . .
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Provide diverse cultural experiences
Have a window garden with herbs
Ideas for Teaching. . .
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Language development: talk about the
food, how it is grown, good eating habits,
proper table manners
Show children how to serve the food,
taking the proper amounts, what to do if
a spill occurs