Scenario related questions Essay Example

Lecturer

Provide Care for Children

1. Characteristic of Quality Routine

The routine should be consistent. Given the fact that children are learning their personal rhythms and self-regulation as they are growing, there is a need for the caregiver to pay attention to consistency in their sleeping pattern. As such they are expected to speak to their parents in order to understand the child’s home routine. In addition, consistency offers the child comfort and a feeling of continuity meeting temporal expectations.

The routine should easily adaptable. Adaptability refers to how difficulty or easy for the child to be able to modify their reactions. A good routine allows the child to react positively towards sleeping/ resting. Furthermore, the children will be able to get used to the routine, therefore, establishing a pattern that is expected to be followed. As such, it will make the child healthier and happier.

The sleeping routine should be flexible. In other words, the routine should offer alternatives for other activities. This is attributed to the fact that some children may take time to rest while others may not wish to rest (Egle p. 45). Therefore, the routine will offer solutions for the educator that will meet the needs of the children. Simply, the routine should give room for alternative quiet activities for those who do not want to rest (Bee p. 34).

The routine should be easy to manage and predictable. There are many activities that take place in the centre compared to homes (Council of Australia Government p.11). In addition, there are several children with different needs in relation to sleeping/resting pattern. As such, the routine should offer an easy time for both the educators and children. The child should be able to tell it is time to sleep.

Finally, the routine should timely. In most centres, children sleep or rest after midday meals. This is after spending the whole morning being physically active. This is appropriate as most children are tired at that time and therefore, may need to rest. As such, a timely routine should target the most appropriate time of the day that most children are ready to rest/sleep.

1. Strategies to use to help children settle at sleep/ rest time

There are several strategies to use to settle children to sleep. This includes; after lunch (most children sleep after lunch) the children may listen to story tape (their favourites) and listen to soothing music when the story tape is over. Soothing tape may include those with music with ocean sounds in the background. As the tape is playing, the caregivers may be rubbing the backs of the children. Massaging the palm of a child’s hand may also send the child to sleep.

As the caregiver is settling the child, she should pat or talk with the child for a minute. In order for the child to be immediately quiet; the caregiver should leave the room. When the child is starting to cry the caregiver should give a few minutes before going to the room; if the child continues crying the caregiver should pat or talk to the child. Still, the caregivers may play a tape with lullabies regularly. The children will indeed associate resting or lullabies with sleep (Ramchandani et al., p. 210). Furthermore, the caregivers may use glow in dark books which are cut into letters, number and shape. When the lights are switched off, the books allow the children to have something to look at while drifting off to sleep. The educator can also run some few tricks, after tucking in every child; the educator may ask them to try to close their eyes for 5 minutes. She may then count to five so that the children may close their eyes at the same time. The children may hurry to close their eyes and after 5 minutes fall asleep.

1. Strategies for children who no longer want to sleep

For those children who do not wish to sleep, one of the best strategies is to introduce a quiet activities program. It is important to make sure that the caregiver lay down guidelines to be followed by the non-sleeper concerning these activities. In addition, it is important to establish a good relationship with the non-sleepers in order for the activities will be successful without disturbing the others who are resting. The activities including giving the non-sleepers appealing books to read, draw or colour; be given toys or building things so that they may be occupied; make artworks; and pursue activities that they had started earlier. In addition, the caregiver may read stories for the children. In order to avoid disturbing the sleepers, it is important to separate the two groups.

Work cited;

Allen K and Marotz L “Developmental Profiles: Pre-birth through Twelve” New York: Thomson/Delmar Learning, 2003. Print

Bee, H “The Developing Child” NewYork: Allyn& Bacon, 2000. Print

Child Care. «Ways to encourage self help skills among children.» Extension 1 5 2012: 1. Print

Council of Australia Government, “National Quality Standard for Early Childhood Education and Care and School Age Care”, 2009 https://www.eduweb.vic.gov.au/edulibrary/public/earlychildhood/nqf/nationalqualitystandard.pdf

Egle, C, “A practical guide to working with children, Croydon: Tertiary Press, 2008. Print

Ramchandani, P, et al. «A systematic review of treatments for settling problems and night walking in young children.» British Medical Journal (2000): 320, 209-213. Print