Safety and Nutrition

There are probably no two topics that parents of young children think about more than safety and nutrition when considering how to keep their kids safe and set them up for success in the future. As a parent it can be so challenging to serve healthy food to your children and have them actually eat it, you are not alone! One piece of advice that is important is to stick to the food you serve your child and not offer too many “back-ups” if they decide not to eat what you serve. This can lead to them eating junk food constantly. If you serve a meal with some different food options, let them decide what they eat but have them try a little before leaving the table. If they don’t eat, save the food for later and offer the same food if they come back hungry. If they ask for something else tell them they need to eat the meal first. It is important to healthy development that children are getting food from all of the different food groups including dairy, grain, fruits, vegetables, and protein. Ensure that the meals you are offering your child have a wide variety, having all of these nutrients is essential to their growth and development!

For your child’s safety it is important to make sure your home is “child-proof” at all times. Make sure that anything that may be harmful to them is out of reach including anything hot, sharp, or poisonous chemicals. As children begin to crawl and walk they start getting into more and more places you wouldn’t expect, installing baby gates and child locks is helpful to make sure they can’t access things they shouldn’t. Even with baby gates, make sure your child is always within sight and sound of an adult and never left alone.

Here at Alliance Childcare, we agree that our child’s safety is the most important.  There are many ways that we take your child’s safety into consideration, starting with every aspect of our building design.  Classroom areas are separated by age group, classrooms have cameras so that owners are able to keep a close eye on things and provide support when needed.  All equipment meets the safety standards for each age group, including the outdoor playground equipment and toys. In addition to being thoughtful about safety with equipment and classroom design, we also hire only the best and brightest of teaching team members to care for your children throughout the day.  These teachers are trained to provide exciting opportunities for learning that will keep your children engaged in learning and interested in what’s happening in the classroom. They also make sure that they always have your children within their sight and sound always keeping them close and safe. An interesting and exciting classroom means fewer behavior issues, as children tend to exhibit behaviors such as hitting, biting, and arguing when they are bored with their surroundings.

Here at Alliance Childcare, we understand the importance of good nutrition and a well-balanced diet. We love to support parents who have this as a goal, by providing only healthy, low sugar, whole food options for children during meals and snacks. We have a professional chef who does the meal planning in partnership with the owner and does all the cooking from scratch. We serve only whole grain breads, whole food products, and really focus on making fresh foods and presenting them in fun ways so the kids will give them a try. We serve only milk and water for drinks, and very few sugary snacks, only on special occasions.  Our teachers eat with the kids and sit with them at mealtimes to make mealtimes fun and social experiences for the kids and to encourage a family environment. Finally, we follow a specific meal philosophy known as the Ellyn Satter method. Additional information can be found here, https://www.ellynsatterinstitute.org/how-to-feed/the-division-of-responsibility-in-feeding/  specifically about the division of responsibility which is a key part of implementing this philosophy regarding food and meals, including feeding of infants. Basically, the adults responsibility (teachers and parents) is to provide healthy choices for children, and the child’s responsibility is to choose to eat what is in front of them or not. Given healthy choices, children do eventually eat. This also takes the “fight” or arguing out of mealtimes, as children come to know what to expect, and understand that bargaining for other options is not a choice.