The “assignment” set to members of
our discussion group for April 2003
    
What to add to children's lives?

In the health field many countries legislate the inclusion of additives in commonly used foods. For example, it is common for iodine to be added to household salt so that the population receives adequate iodine which avoids thyroid and other complaints. In many countries vitamins and essential minerals are added by law to flour and other grains to guarantee a subminimum intake in even the most basic diets. The Canadian Paediatric Society's Paediatrics & Child Health journal reported last month that adding Supplefer "Sprinkles" to children's meals is already working to reduce the rate of iron-deficiency anemia (IDA) around the world. "Iron-deficiency anemia continues to be a pervasive and largely unaddressed global health problem, affecting more than two billion people or roughly one third of the world's population," said Dr. Zlotkin, a professor of Paediatrics and Nutritional Sciences at the University of Toronto. The solution? Sprinkles! What a clever idea.

So what about troubled kids? What could lawmakers demand that our countries add — and to what? — so that kids and families also receive a basic, subminimum level of ... what?! ... in their daily developmental "diet", and which may avoid the consequences of neglect, deprivation and abuse which so often lead them to our services?

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Add “Learning for Life” Training
Is it not interesting that in all countries you need licenses, permits, registration number, visa, etc for so many things – driving, TV, fishing, to hike on specific mountain trails, to enter nature reserves, to cross the border, to practice as a professional, to marry and many more? When a person has a child, there is no legal requirement, except to register the child as a citizen of the country of birth. Nothing is required of that person to do in order to ensure that he/she has the required skills and knowledge to raise the child.

If there is a supportive family or community they might think of buying a book or some willing aunt or mother will give some advice, but by law nothing is in place to ensure that the prospective parents (often still children themselves) receive adequate opportunities to gain the knowledge and skills for this mammoth and challenging task of raising a child.

My suggestion would be to take a preventative and pro-active stance and that as part of the school curriculum a compulsory examination subject i.e. “Learning for Life” , (please not “Life skills”, it’s far too shallow and restrictive) be developed. This subject needs to be taught from Grade 0 and continue throughout to Grade 12. It needs to include the wealth of child care knowledge and skills available plus much more.

At Grade 12 the some possible outcomes could be:

• The learner has a sound knowledge and understanding of normal human development.

• The learner knows the basic developmental needs of children.

• The learner knows how to find the resources for a child with special needs.

• The learner knows how to create and maintain a safe home environment for a child.

• The learner knows the requirements of a day- and aftercare centre.

• The learner knows how to find health clinics.

• The learner knows how to use the health clinics.

• The learner has advanced first aid knowledge and skills.

• The learner knows and has witnessed what is involved in a normal and cesarean birth.

• The learner has a good understanding of different cultural rituals and traditions at and after birth.

• The learner can develop age appropriate daily routines for a child.

• The learner knows the procedures in case of abuse.

• The learner knows the necessary legislation for families and children.

• The learner knows the UNCRC.

• The learner knows the various cultural approaches to raising children.

Legislation could be written which gives prospective parents (adoptive or pregnant) the opportunity to learn the necessary basic knowledge and skills for parenting. In the case of a child with special needs, the parent need to, by law, do a course in the specific need of the child. For example, if a child is hearing impaired the parents will learn sign language. The parents need to learn whatever is required for them to understand and communicate with the child. Single parenting courses are essential, given the divorce rate and HIV/AIDS pandemic.

Maybe this is not quite what you were looking for in response to assignment 3, but this is my six pennies worth for now.

By the way, a very good idea this assignment-thing.

Sandra Oosthuizen

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The Child Care Ten Commandments
I remember Pringle's book The Needs of Children (old but nice) concentrated on four basic needs of children: 1. love and security, 2. new experiences, 3. praise and recognition, and 4. responsibility. The book had a brief section on the Ten Commandments for caring for children, if you can find the book.

Tim Hodges

You can view these on this website: CLICK HERE   — Editors

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Add Time! Time! Time!
Every time I am working with a family I watch the scenario of hurried parents leaving their kids behind. It is the daily play of Dad has to get to work, Mom has to hurry ... and whoosh! out the door. Of course there are good reasons for this. Dad does have to go and Mom does have to go, but a little rescheduling will get them shaved, made-up and dressed a little earlier so that they can add the missing ingredient — a little time with the children.

What's the matter, Mom and Dad? Didn't we teach you this stuff when you were kids? That you may have to go to bed fifteen minutes earlier tonight in order to get up early enough for whatever you have to do in the morning? One thing that's not on the program tomorrow morning is that you make these hollow protestations of your busy-ness and your love — and hurry out the door. Next time you do that, cut through your denial and look back at your child's face. It will tell you everything you need to know: either it will be the plaintive look of the abandoned, specially designed by the Manufacturer to make you feel guilty; or it will be the I-don't-care-any-more look of the betrayed kids who stopped banking on those promises and protestations.

Put yourself out of your misery. Go to bed fifteen minutes earlier every night. And then sit with your child, talk, switch on your rapt attention, listen, thank yourself for creating this time ... then leave this generous and essential gift with your child, and go to work with a quiet conscience.

Tonight your child will trust you more. By tomorrow you may even remember that you enjoy time with your child, and in the years that follow you will have banked some time investment which will stand your family in good stead.

The cost of this magic ingredient? Nothing. It's for free.

Just sprinkle a little time over your family meal.

Rhoda