additional online resource available to better kid care … focus...ask them to help you by peeling...
TRANSCRIPT
FAMILY FOCUS
Vol. XIV, No. 2 Spring 2009
Family and Consumer Sciences
MSU Extension - Bay County
515 Center Avenue, Suite 301
Bay City, Michigan 48708-5124
Phone (989) 895-4026
Fax (989) 895-4217
www.baycounty-mi.gov/MSUE/FCS
__________
Michigan State University,
Bay County Board
of Commissioners, and
United States Department of
Agriculture Cooperating
MSU is an affirmative-action,
equal-opportunity employer.
Michigan State University Extension
programs and materials are open to all
without regard to race, color, national
origin, gender, gender identity, religion,
age, height, weight, disability, political
beliefs, sexual orientation, marital
status, family status, or veteran status.
Accommodations for persons
with disabilities may be requested
by contacting
MSU Extension - Bay County.
_________________________________
Ann Arnold
Extension Educator
Better Kid Care 36-HourTraining Scheduled
A Better Kid Care 36-Hourtraining series is scheduled forJune 9, 10, 11, and 16, 17, 18. Allsix sessions will be held at MSUExtension–Bay County, 515Center Avenue, Suite 301, BayCity, Michigan, from 9 a.m.-3p.m.
This program prepares adultsinterested in offering child careservices in the home with the basiccompetencies to become licensedchild care providers. Topicscovered in this training include:child development; nutrition;infant, child, and adult cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR);positive discipline, learningthrough play, and businessdevelopment.
The cost for this class is free. Those who complete the entireseries will receive a certificate ofcompletion. Additionally, 3.6CEUs (continuing education units)are available for this series. CEUsmust be requested at the time ofregistration. The cost is $15.
For more information or toregister, contact MSU Extension –Bay County or Sue Kukla, BKC
program associate, at (989) 895-
4026, [email protected].
Additional OnlineResource Available toChild Care Providers
Parenting Education Websiteat www.parentinged.msu.edu. Thepurpose of this site is to provide avariety of resources for MSUExtension educators, parents, andothers seeking parenting educationinformation. The site containsparenting curriculums, parentingresources, multicultural parentingeducation, funding information,and research journal articles. Allof the materials have to meetcertain criteria in order to beincluded in the database. MichiganState University is one of severalother land grant universities whichhas contributed materials tosupport this Website.
Swine Origin Influenza A(H1N1)Information for child careproviders from the Center ForDisease Control (CDC). The CDChas identified cases of swine-origininfluenza in people from severalstates in the United States. Pleasevisit the CDC Website for updatesat www.cdc.gov/swineflu.
Here are a few of the suggestionsthat the CDC recommends forchild care providers and child carecenters:• Review your plans for
responding to a pandemic. Makesure that they are up to date and
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workers and parents know whatthey are.
• Remind workers not to come towork if they have influenza-likesymptoms..
• Remind parents about andenforce policies for having illchildren stay at home duringtheir illness. Symptoms ofinfluenza include: fever, cough,sore throat, body aches,headache, chills, fatigue, and, insome cases, diarrhea.
• Remind child care staff to clean/sanitize/disinfect frequentlytouched surfaces within thefacility.
• Provide information to parentson steps they can take to preventthe flu. The flue fact sheetattached could be distributed toparents and/or posted on bulletinboards and near doors.
• Wash hands with soap and waterfor at least 20 seconds, or aslong as it takes to sing “HappyBirthday” twice.
• Clean with alcohol-based handsanitizer. Rub your handstogether until the gel is dry.
• A child with influenza may beinfectious for up to 10 days afterillness onset, while adults arelikely to be infectious for 5-7days.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose,and mouth. That is how thevirus it spread.
Sanitize often. Influenza cansurvive on environmental surfacesand can infect a person for up to 2-8 hours after being deposited onthe surface. This virus is spreadfrom person to person just like theregular flu virus is spread. TheCDC is still trying to find outspecific information about this
strain of influenza. Please checkthe CDC’s Website often, asconditions and situations rapidlychange and these recommend-ations may change over time.
This Swine Origin Influenza A information was prepared by theCenter for Disease Control.
WIC Breastfeeding Clubof Bay County setsSummer 2009 Schedule
New moms and moms-to-be arewelcome to join the WIC Breast-feeding Club, whose purpose is toprovide support for breastfeeding,parenting, and personal goals.
For the summer 2009 schedule, theBreastfeeding Club will meet oncea month, on the secondWednesday in June, July, andAugust. All meetings at 10 a.m.! June 10, 2009 - Wirt LibraryStory time and helping youestablish a summer readingprogram with your child isplanned. Start time 10 a.m.
July 8, 2009 - SaginawChildren’s Zoo. Club will meet atthe Saginaw Children’s Zoo at 10a.m. for a fun-filled day of trainrides, carousel rides, and animaldisplays.
August 12, 2009 - Bay CountyFair & Youth Exposition Club will meet at 10 a.m. at theCanteen Building at the BayCounty Fairgrounds. This is 4-Hfair week, so be prepared for lots ofactivity. A snack from a localfarmers market will be provided.
Be on the lookout for the Rock ‘NRest locations at area festivalsthroughout the summer months. Rocking chairs and water will beprovided at these feeding anddiaper changing areas. While thereare no exact locations for these reststations yet, Rock ‘N Rest tents areplanned for the Bay City FireworksFestival and the Bay County Fair &Youth Exposition.
The Breastfeeding Friendly DiaperBag project is a great success andgoing strong at Bay RegionalMedical Center. There is still aneed of gently used jeans andcorduroy pants to be made intofuture diaper bags! Your greatlyappreciated donation can bedropped off at the MSU Extension- Bay County office.
For more information on anythingin this article or any furtherinformation on breast feeding, contact MSU Extension - BayCounty at (989) 895-4026 and askfor Kim Langley, MSUE programassociate, E-mail her at [email protected] or call the WICclinic at (989) 895-4002.
Spring 2009 3
Picnic Food Safety
We know food borne illnessincreases in warm weather. Wealso know that consumers canfollow some simple steps to saferfood in the summertime.
CLEAN: Wash hands and surfacesoften. • Unwashed hands are a prime
cause of foodborne illness.• When eating away from home,
pack clean, wet, disposablewashcloths and paper towels forcleaning hands and surfaces.
SEPERATE: Don’t crosscontaminate.• When packing the cooler chest
for an outing, wrap raw meatssecurely; avoid raw meat juicesfrom coming in contact withready to eat foods.
• Wash plates, utensils, andcutting boards that held the rawmeat or poultry before usingagain for cooked food.
CHILL: Refrigerate Promptly. • Once canned foods are opened,
put the in the cooler. • Holding food at an unsafe
temperature is a prime cause offood borne illness. Keep coldfoods cold!
• Foods like luncheon meats,cooked meats, chicken, andpotato or pasta salads should bekept in an insulated coolerpacked with several inches ofice, ice packs, or containers offrozen water.
• Pack canned beverages in onecooler and perishable foods inanother cooler because thebeverage cooler will be openedfrequently.
• Keep the cooler in the shade orshelter, out of the sun to keepfoods cold.
• Once gel packs, ice, and othercold sources melt, perishablesare not safe – discard them.
• Cut melons need to be kept cold. Melons, such as watermelonsand cantaloupe, can cause foodborne illness. Bacteria, such asSalmonella and Shigella areoften present on the rind. Washmelon thoroughly before cutting,then promptly refrigerate cutpieces. Melons are not acidiclike most fruits, so they cansupport the growth of harmfulbacteria.
For more nutrition informationcontact Karen Parker, SNAP-Ed program associate, MSUExtension - Bay County at (989)895-4026 or E-mail her at [email protected].
Information obtained from PennState University, NorthamptonCounty Cooperative Extension.
Stretching Your FoodDollar
Grocery shopping can be a realchallenge, especially if you are ona limited budget. Because food is
a controllable expense, it can be atarget for reduced spending whenmoney is tight. Before dashing outto the supermarket, it’s importantto “do your homework.” Take thetime to look through the news-paper ads, plan meals, and make ashopping list. By doing so, you aremore likely to find the best buys,avoid impulse purchases, andeliminate extra trips for forgottenitems.
As you plan your menus, followthese important steps:• Check newspaper ads for special
sales. Planning your mealsaround specials and seasonalfoods can save money.
• Clip coupons. You can savemoney if the item is one youwould normally buy and if theitem is less expensive thansimilar brands.
• Use the new Food Guide Pyramidto plan nutritious meals andsnacks. Healthy foods give youmore for your dollar.
• Take advantage of seasonalspecials. Food, especially freshfruits and vegetables, aregenerally less expensive when ingreat supply.
• Consider food preferences. Whenyou serve popular foods, youincrease eating pleasure. Make acollection of economical, nutrit-ious recipes that your family likesand serve them often.
• Think appetite appeal. Since weeat with our eyes, plan mealsusing foods of contrasting colors,textures, flavors, sizes andshapes.
• Plan the use of leftovers. Theycan be used in casseroles, soups,for snacks and in lunch boxes.
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If there is food waste in yourhousehold ask yourself, “Why?” Are you buying too much? Is foodrefused or left on the plate? Areservings too large? Is the foodcooked properly? Encourage theentire family to help in the menuplanning and meal preparation sothat you have help in makingdecisions that affect the eatingpleasure of the entire family.
This material was taken from Surviving
and Thriving in Troublesome Times
written by Sharon Jeffrey Extension
Educator/Housing Advocate MSU
Extension-Clare County
Literacy Corner
The book Eating the Alphabet byLois Ehlert is a great book aboutfruits and vegetables. It alsoincludes colorful illustrations of avariety of fruits and vegetables,including a glossary of all thefoods shown. The book providesboth the history and geography ofwhere the different fruits andvegetables come from. • Math and Science: Head to your
kitchen and pull our fruits andveggies that you may have(fresh, frozen, canned). Ask thechildren to sort them by color,texture, or by size.
• Reading Readiness: Look for theletters in the book that are thesame as the first letter of thechild’s name. Ask them to findthe other letters of their nameand offer help if they need it.
• Music and Movement: Movelike fruits and veggies. Walklike a tomato, hop like broccoli,roll like an apple or bend like abanana.
• Motor Skills: Let the children
help you prepare fruits andveggies for a snack or a meal. Ask them to help you by peelingan orange or banana. They canalso separate an orange intosections, scoop seeds from amelon, or use a dull knife to cutsmall pieces of ripe fruit.
• Art: Paint with fruits andveggies. Use celery stalks anddip the leafy end into paint tomake paintbrushes. Use potatoesor apples sliced in half withshapes cut out of them or carrotsto produce shapes dipped inpaint for stamping.
• Pretend Play: Pretend you arechefs preparing a special saladwith lots of different fruits andveggies. Ask the children whatyou should put into your saladand why. Ask them where youshould eat your salad and whatyou need to eat it with too.
• Thinking Skills: Using theglossary at the back of the book,notice which things are fruits andwhich are veggies. Ask thechildren to tell you why some-thing might be a fruit, and whyanother might be a veggie. Forthings that are both fruit andveggie (avocado, eggplant,jalapeño, okra, pepper, andothers) ask them why they thinkthey might be both.
Snack Corner
Snacks are a great way to entertainchildren and allow them to helpwith food preparation. Try these
fun and easy snack ideas in yourchild care setting.
Remember to have all chefs washtheir hands before touching food. Serve only foods that are ageappropriate for the children in yourcare. Note: Some foods can bechoking hazards, cook hardveggies to soften and make themeasier to chew.
• Veggies Rainbow: Wash arainbow of veggies: red tomatoes,orange carrots, yellow peppers,green celery, purple cabbage. Have an adult cut up the veggiesand then have the childrenarrange them in a rainbow shapeon a tray. Encourage children totaste veggies from all the colorbands. Allow children to talkabout each of the different tastes.
• Eating Colors: Serve the samefood in different colors, such asred, green, and yellow apples. Next, serve different foods thatare the same color, such asoranges, carrots, and cantaloupe. Finally, serve different foods thatare different colors, such as redapples, orange oranges, purpleplums, and yellow bananas. Ineach case, ask how each group offoods are different or the same.
• Taste Testing: Serve the samefood in different ways. Usecanned peaches, fresh peaches,and dried peaches. Have thechildren taste each of them andask if they taste differently anddescribe the different tastes. Trythis with other fruits, vegetables.
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Snack ideas provided by 101 +Snack Time Ideas by the PennState Better Kid Care program.
Promoting a HealthyLifestyle ThroughGardening
Most children do not get enoughof the recommended servings offruits and vegetables or amount ofphysical activity each day. Bygardening and growing your ownfruits and vegetables with thechildren in your care, you have adirect impact on your own health,the children’s health, and thehealth of their families.
Here are some good reasons togarden with children:• Gardening can be incorporated
across many learning subjectsincluding science, math,nutrition, literacy, and health.
• Children can better understandthe role of food in life bylearning about healthy eating andgood nutrition.
• Gardening teaches children thatplants, like people, need foodand water to grow and stayhealthy.
• Gardening can provide a sense ofcommunity by linking withneighbors, volunteers, parents,and community businesses.
• Children learn to value thegarden by developing a sense ofpride and positive self-esteem.
• Caring for plants helps childrendevelop a sense of responsibility.
Best of all – children are morelikely to eat something if theyhelped grow it. Gardening offersbenefits for you and the children inyour care. In a garden you can beactive, relax, spend time together,and learn new things. Remember,one of the best things you evergrow may be a gardener!!
For more information or questions,please contact: Ann Arnold,Extension educator, at (989) 895-4026 or by E-mail at [email protected].
References: Got Dirt? , Dept. ofHealth and Family Services,Wisconsin Nutrition and PhysicalActivity Program, Madison, WI,2005. Nibbles for Health #34Grow a Family Garden. NationalGardening Assoc. Parents’ Primer.
Better Kid CareProgramming
BKC is currently operating under agrant extension from the EarlyChildhood Investment Corporation(ECIC). The current grant cycleexpires at the end of August 2009. The BKC staff on MSU campus iscurrently writing a Request ForProposal (RFP) for the next grantcycle available from the ECIC.
MSU Extension - Bay County willbe getting updates on the RFPprogress from campus. As withanything else in life, with a newgrant come new rules, but newprogramming guidelines won’t beknow until the RFP is accepted.
If you have any questions, contactMSU Extension - Bay County at anytime.
MSU Extension - Bay County isalways looking for groups thatwould like training, either fortraining hours or for continuingeducation units (CEUs).
Get together with other in-homeday cares or centers in your areaand call Sue Kukla, BKC programassociate, at (989) 895-4026 or tollfree at 1-888-678-3464 to set up adate for your training. Remember:training hours are FREE and CEUsonly cost $5 per CEU (1 CEU = 10hours of training).
Also, MSU Extension - BayCounty is setting up an E-maildistribution list for grant updates,training dates, professionaldevelopment, and other childcareupdates/issues.
If you would like to get on this list,have any questions or comments,please send an E-mail to Sue Kuklaat [email protected].
Find MSU Extension -Bay County Online
www.baycounty-mi.gov/MSUE/FCS
MSU Extension - Bay CountyOffice will be closed Memorial Day,May 25; Independence Day, July 4.
Spring 2009 6
Preventing the Flu: Good Health Habits Can Help Stop Germs
FACT SHEET
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
1600 Clifton Rd, Atlanta, GA 30333
800–CDC–INFO (800-232-4636)
The single best way to prevent seasonal flu is to get vaccinated each year, but goodhealth habits like covering your cough and washing your hands often can help stopthe spread of germs and prevent respiratory illnesses like the flu. There also are fluantiviral drugs that can be used to treat and prevent flu.
1. Avoid close contact.
Avoid close contact with people who are sick. When you are sick, keep yourdistance from others to protect them from getting sick too.
2. Stay home when you are sick.
If possible, stay home from work, school, and errands when you are sick. You willhelp prevent others from catching your illness.
3. Cover your mouth and nose.
Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing. It mayprevent those around you from getting sick.
4. Clean your hands.
Washing your hands often will help protect you from germs.
5. Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth.
Germs are often spread when a person touches something that is contaminatedwith germs and then touches his or her eyes, nose, or mouth.
6. Practice other good health habits.
Get plenty of sleep, be physically active, manage your stress, drink plenty offluids, and eat nutritious food.
http://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/habits.htm
May 2009