Goal Two: To identify and illustrate the potential of practices supporting children’s well-being and that help to support children’s development

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With respect to the second branch of the willow tree, identifying and illustrating practices supporting children’s well-being that in turn help to support children’s health stands as the second goal that is very important to me. In order to execute my goal of illustrating practices that support children’s well-being, I believe it is helpful to look at factors influencing children’s well-being. Factors influencing children's well-being include proper sleep, proper nutrition, and parental behaviours. Parental behaviours and interactions with their children play a crucial role in their child's overall development and sense of well-being. With respect to how parental behaviours can help support a children’s well-being and health, it is vital to note that children’s outcomes are highly dependent on what they are observing from those around them, including their parents and educators. Drawing on principles from The Province of British Columbia Child Care Licensing Regulation (2013), 48 (1) states that: “a licensee must: a) ensure that each child has healthy food and drink according to the Canada’s Food Guide, and b) promote healthy eating and nutritional habits” (The Province of British Columbia, 2013). Not only is it important for educators to emphasize healthy eating habits and proper nutrition, but it is also required by licensing regulations that early childhood educators ensure children have access to proper nutrition and that the educators are also promoting healthy eating habits themselves. By having an open communication and illustrating the benefits of healthy habits that support children’s well-being, such as a nutritious diet and participating in activity, we can help to support children’s well-being though their early childhood years and beyond. I believe that knowledge is power, and part of educating children, parents, educators, and ECE officials on healthy habits early on starts by exhibiting healthy behaviours as an example.  

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Artifact One

Assignment 2: “Supporting Young Children’s Health and Well-Being in Early Childhood Settings: Sleep” from

 ECED 401: Supporting Young Children's Health and Well-Being in Early Childhood Settings with Dr. Koichi Haseyama

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This artifact looks at the role that sleep has on a child's educational and developmental outcomes. We can all appreciate that we love sleep, but does proper sleep serve a positive benefit for children's learning? Are there negative outcomes when a child doesn't have a proper night's sleep? The answer to both is yes, and proper sleep has a beneficial role on children's education and overall well-being in many ways. It is important to me to highlight to parents, children, and ECE professionals the ways in which sleep can benefit children's learning. Not only does proper sleep play a vital role, when a child doesn't have a proper night's sleep, negative outcomes can result. For example, this artifact demonstrates that “sleeping less than a normal night’s sleep negatively affects energy, performance, memory, learning, thinking, alertness, productivity, creativity, safety, health, longevity, and quality of life” (Howard, 2006, p. 193).

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Artifact Two

Assignment 3: “Supporting Young Children’s Health and Well-Being in Early Childhood Settings: Nutrition” from 

ECED 401: Supporting Young Children's Health and Well-Being in Early Childhood Settings with Dr. Koichi Haseyama

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Artifact two delves into the topic of nutrition and how it affects a child's overall well-being and health. When it comes to practices that support children's well-being and health, nutrition plays a vital role. A significant finding from artifact two is that “compared with students who do not receive adequate nutrition, well- nourished children have significantly better school performance” (Edwards & Cheeley, 2016, p. 172). It is my goal to highlight and illustrate the important role that proper nutrition plays in a child's educational and developmental outcomes in the realm of early childhood education. 

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Artifact Three

Assignment 3 Research Proposal: “Parenting Quality and its Association with Children’s Cognitive Development

within the Early Childhood Years” from EDUC 500: Research Methodology in Education with Dr. Mari Pighini

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Goal two's third artifact looks at the role of parental involvement and the quality of parental involvement. More specifically, this artifact looks at how parental involvement can affect a child's cognitive development. Zhen-Duan, Engebretsen and Laroche (2019) have spoken to the notion that “parents' behaviours directly affect their children’s knowledge about health, self-efficacy, and outcome expectations. Parents who share their knowledge about diet and activity could influence their children’s knowledge and outcome expectations” (Zhen-Duan et al., 2019, p. 2). With this goal, I seek to share knowledge regarding how significant it is for parents to be spending quality time with their children and how it is important for parents and educators to speak openly with their children about proper health and well-being strategies.

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References

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Edwards, O. W., & Cheeley, T. (2016). Positive youth development and nutrition: Interdisciplinary strategies to enhance student outcomes. Children &
           Schools, 38(3), 170–177. https://doi-org.ezproxy.library.ubc.ca/10.1093/cs/cdw019

 

Howard, P. J. (2006). The owner’s manual for the brain: Everyday applications from mind-brain research. Austin, TX: Bard Press.

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Province of British Columbia. (2013). Community Care and Assisted Living Act, Child Care Licensing Regulation. Part 4. Division 1.48. Ministry of Health. Retrieved

           from www.bclaws.ca/EPLibraries/bclaws_new/document/ID/freeside/332_2007

 

Zhen-Duan, J., Engebretsen, B., & Laroche, H. H. (2019). Diet and physical activity changes among low-income families: Perspectives of mothers and their

           children. International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health and Well-Being, 14(1). 

           https://doi-org.ezproxy.library.ubc.ca/10.1080/17482631.2019.1658700