Water lessons

theSun, Tue, 27 Jul 2010

CHILDREN simply love to play with water, don’t they? I remember enjoying it myself when I was a child. I ‘swam’ in the bath tub, played with live tadpoles in it (yes, I really did), washed my dolly’s clothes in a basin, and ‘shot’ at my brother with a water pistol.
Water play is a fun and educational way to keep our children cool on hot days, and occupied those boring hours in a stimulating manner. It’s also a clever way to get those who refuse a bath to step into the tub (and later, to refuse to step out!).

Whether it’s indoors or outdoors, water play helps children, from infants and toddlers to school-age ones, develop skills and learn something from it.

By filling and carrying a bucket, pouring a cup of ‘tea’ and stirring, or scooping water from one bowl into another, children are actually developing their motor skills and hand-eye coordination.

Water is a sensory-play material that is beneficial for children, similar to other sensory-play materials such as sand and play dough. Their senses are stimulated when they feel water run through their body and fingers, when playing with ice cubes and experiencing them melting, and when splashing and kicking about in a tub or pool.

They learn the difference between wet and dry, solid and liquid, for example. They improve their vocabulary with words such as heavy, light, sink, float, shallow, deep, empty and full.

They learn math and science concepts such as mass and volume. They learn how to measure and see how a liquid changes ‘shape’ when poured into containers of different shapes and sizes.

And when they mix water with materials such as salt, sugar, coffee or food colouring, they learn how water can change in terms of taste and colour, what’s soluble and insoluble.

Water play provides the opportunity for free and creative play. Imagination is given free reign when you throw a few simple things into the bathwater – plastic bowls, cups, drinking straws, and funnel, for example. And animal bath toys, sponges, plastic or paper boats could turn the bathtub into adventureland.

While water play could be fun and beneficial in the overall physical, mental, emotional and social development of a child, we need to be mindful of potential dangers as well.

Always supervise your child when she is playing with water. Never leave a child alone in the tub or swimming pool for even a split second to answer the phone in the next room, for example. Inconvenient as it is, take her with you.

Little ones can drown in less than an inch of water. Like us adults, they could also slip and fall on wet floors.

Do not leave buckets filled with water lying around where children can easily reach them. Empty them after use.

Childproofing bathroom doors to prevent young children from entering them unsupervised is a good idea. Drain paddling pools after use, and erect enclosures or cover the swimming pool to prevent children from accidentally falling into the water.

Learn how to swim as a family. It is a good skill to have besides giving you good exercise. Ensure you have proper flotation devices for your children (and yourself) when you indulge in water activities such as swimming in the pool, lake or sea, or going on a boat ride.

Separation anxiety

theSun, Tue, 20 Jul 2010

THE memory of it is still fresh although it happened four years ago – the first time I sent my child to nursery school. She was then three years old.
I had prepared her for it as best as I could, but when the moment came for me to leave, the floodgates opened and the school bell was no match for her bawling.

I was advised by the experienced teacher to simply say a reassuring goodbye and leave her in their good hands. I plucked up the courage to trust the teachers and left, albeit with a heavy heart.

When I returned a couple of hours later and took a peek through the window, there she was, still crying and calling out for me.

While the crying bouts decreased as the days passed, it took her about two weeks before she could say goodbye to me with a smile.

I’m sure many parents have experienced a similar situation.

Young children become anxious or fearful when they experience new people, new surroundings, changes to their routine and most of all, when they are separated from the people they have close bonds with, such as their parents or caregiver.

Separation anxiety, as it is termed, usually happens when the child has discovered the concept of object permanence, whereby something or someone still exists when out of his sight.

This usually takes place when the child is around nine months old and peaks between 12 to 24 months.

Toddlers, especially those who have less experience in being separated from loved ones, will also feel it more.

It also happens to older children when they start formal schooling or when a situation arises where a loved one is going away.

There are some steps we can take to soften the blow.

Place your child with an alternate caregiver without your presence occasionally. Provide him with positive and fun experiences with caregivers for short periods of time.

Do not sneak away without his knowledge. Instead, tell him reassuringly that you will be back and that he will be all right.

Before you leave, give him an object of yours to keep safely on your behalf such as a photograph of yourself or a keychain for example, so that he’ll know that you’ll come back for it and him.

You can also read books about going to nursery or pre-school and going on new adventures.

If possible, familiarise him with the new surroundings and people he will be with, prior to the ‘official’ time when he starts at the daycare or school.

Make informal visits there to see the place, teachers and new friends. Walk around the place, tell him what he will be doing, especially the fun activities and toys he’ll get to play with while you are away.

Although it could be a trying period of transition for both the child and parent, rest assured that it would come to pass sooner or with a bit more patience, later.

However, you may need to consider seeking professional help if your child displays persistent and extreme anxiety, such as having recurrent nightmares about being separated, fear of being alone, kidnapped or lost, and excessive worrying that bad things will happen to his loved ones.

He may refuse to go to sleep without being near his loved one, and often complain of physical problems such as stomachaches or headaches when being separated.

These are some symptoms of a separate problem called separation anxiety disorder.

Getting Physical

theSun, Tue, 6 Jul 2010

CHILDREN, like adults, need to exercise regularly to stay healthy. Exercise actually involves physical activity, and when children run around, hop about and dance along to their favourite music, they are exercising.

While it is good to enrol children in exercise-related classes such as swimming, martial arts, dance or gymnastics, children also need unstructured playtime to keep them active constantly in between those structured exercise sessions.

Experts recommend at least 30 to 60 minutes of daily exercise for children above two years of age. It is quite common these days to see children sedentary for long periods due to the availability of media-related distractions such as television, computer and game consoles. Media time has to be controlled so that children can get some ‘total body workout’.

It has been found that sitting in front of the television munching on unhealthy snacks and exercising only your fingers by playing computer games have contributed to an increase in child obesity cases around the world.

According to kidshealth.org, active children will have stronger muscles and bones; a leaner body because exercise helps control body fat; be less likely to become overweight; have lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes; with possibly lower blood pressure and blood cholesterol levels; and have a better outlook on life.

They will also sleep better at night and are better able to handle physical and emotional challenges.

Make exercise a fun family affair so that they will be eager to participate. Children whose parents are active and exercise regularly are more likely to follow in their footsteps.

These days, with crime rates rising, parents may fear harm befalling their children if they are let out on their own to play outside.

If possible, it is best to accompany your children when they are outdoors and join them in their physical activities. Not only will your children be safe but it will give you the opportunity to spend quality time bonding with them.

You can also take them to the many purpose-built activity centres that have mushroomed around town. For a fee, these places offer activities ranging from toddlers’ gym, inline skating, indoor playground, dance and martial arts classes to indoor rock climbing. Most are located in strategic places such as shopping malls and offer ‘park-and-play’ services where you can ‘park’ your child under proper supervision while you shop or run errands nearby.

You can also play with your children within your house compound if it is not convenient to go to public places. Organise activities such as skipping and playing tag, or indulge in games like hopscotch and hide-and-seek.

You can also dance to fast songs or twirl the hula hoop. Put on a fun exercise DVD that is age-appropriate for your children and get them moving along with it if it is raining and you can’t go outside.

Play ‘pretend’ games such as having to jump over imaginary puddles to reach the ‘treasure chest’, ‘Mother Hen’, tug-of-war, or create a simple obstacle course that makes them run, hop, jump, crawl and climb.

The main idea is to simply get everyone moving regularly, working up some sweat and along with that an appetite for nutritious food to create a family that is happy, healthy and fit.