This month's Focus on Ethics asks readers to consider a situation involving a program director's efforts to provide children with a healthy diet in response to growing concerns about childhood obesity. The situation discussed here arose when a mother who was new to a childhood program, and who had a limited mastery of English, brought in a…

NAEYC, the National Association for Sport and Physical Education, and the US Department of Health and Human Services all recommend that preschool programs offer physical education. There are many reasons why. First, young children form healthy habits early in life. Before entering elementary school they learn to brush their teeth, bathe…

Good schools for children ages 5 to 8 provide multiple opportunities for physical activity throughout the school day. Ideally, physical education, recess, extracurricular activities, and classroom activities together help ensure that children meet the recommended 60 minutes a day of structured activity and 60 of unstructured. Additionally, brief…

It can be difficult for any teacher to support a child whose behavior is disruptive, but a language barrier can certainly complicate the situation. Children who are new to English may not be able to tell teachers what's going on. This makes it even more important for teachers to learn specific strategies to interpret the child's actions and plan…

Young children depend on their families and teachers to support their well-being and promote positive development, including eating behaviors. Children's food preferences and willingness to try new foods are influenced by the people around them. The eating behaviors children practice early in life affect their health and nutrition--significant…

The preschool years are a critical period for the development of food preferences and lifelong eating habits. Between the ages of 2 and 5, children become increasingly responsive to external cues, such as television commercials that use popular cartoon characters to advertise foods, candy in supermarket checkout aisles, and fast-food restaurants…

Pastoral del Nino is transforming children's lives in rural Paraguay. Part of Pastoral Social (Catholic Social Services), Pastoral del Nino's primary focus is to bring "vida en abundancia" (the abundant life) to families by ensuring that mothers survive childbirth and children reach their first birthdays. In addition, the organization…

Describes the federal Children's Health Insurance Program, designed to provide free or low-cost health insurance to children in uninsured families with low or moderate incomes. Outlines state innovations in providing outreach to eligible families. Maintains that active early-childhood community involvement is critical to state's efforts to reach…

Early childhood educators must realize that children are in their care at a critical time. Children learn to make decisions and develop the foundation for a healthy lifestyle during their early years. Many children spend a large number of their waking hours in early childhood settings. Family lives are very busy, and it is understandable that some…

Maintains that, as with previous generations in the early childhood profession, the current generation of early childhood educators must continue to advocate for the lives of young children and their families, thereby serving as guides for future generations of early childhood professions. (BB)

Ear infections are common and hinder hearing during potentially crucial ages for language learning. Instructors can promote hygiene in the classroom, identify signs of infection and hearing loss and initiate early treatment, provide care for symptoms, improve the acoustic environment, encourage language learning, and beware of interference with…

Argues that teachers of children with seriously ill siblings are important as constancy figures, crisis interventionists, and support mechanisms. Details common reactions of well siblings including guilt, jealousy, rejection, isolation, and fear. Discusses responses that facilitate coping that teachers can make to behavioral and physical…

Describes the Governors' Campaign for Children and its three major objectives: (1) to increase public awareness of the needs of young children; (2) to simplify and improve federal and state programs to focus on the needs of children and their families; and (3) to help communities across the nation better respond to the needs of young children.…

Provides early childhood teachers and caregivers with clues for detecting foot problems in young children. (BB)

Reports on teachers' responses to a hypothetical case study of an ethical dilemma occurring in an early childhood setting that concerned a child with a possibly contagious disease. Discusses the use of the National Association for the Education of Young Children's code of ethics to resolve problems in everyday practice. (TJQ)