OVERVIEW

The important task of the parents, teachers, and healthcare providers is to ensure that children of all ages live in a healthy environment free from violence and abuse.  Healthy and safety in childcare entail many things and the purpose of this paper is to focus on the importance of promoting health and safety to prevent childhood obesity and the importance of health and safety in preventing risky sexual behaviors. For example, obesity in children contributes to health risks, psychological burdens, and economic costs. The obesity epidemic is increasing given that parents do not have quality time with their children, schools do not control the consumption pattern, children love out-of-home eating, children lack physical activity, among other factors.  An unhealthy diet such as high-calorie food and sedentary activities contribute to obesity which then increases health risks and social problems.  This issue calls for a comprehensive prevention strategy to prevent childhood obesity. The primary emphases are in early childhood and this means that obesity prevention should be done in early care.  At this period, children will gain skills and knowledge on healthy eating and avoid poor food choices. The knowledge will help them engage in mindful practices, gain emotional control, and maintain a healthy weight.

 Another issue that needs to be addressed in early childhood is sexuality education.   This is an important topic that needs to be recognized and reflect on it to help children understand sexuality and make respectful choices throughout childhood, adolescence, and adulthood.  It is assumed that children develop sexual behavior due to a variety of factors such as family stressors, abuse, violence, internet, access to sexual materials, and more.  It is important to understand that children learn about sexual behaviors during infancy. This is the period when sexual development occurs and children are concerned with their gender, bodies, sexual functioning, and more. The everyday realities about sexual behaviors reveal that children should be engaged to sexuality education throughout their development. This means that education should start at an early age and young children should be well informed to help them develop safer sexual behaviors. Therefore, sexuality education should be part of the curriculum and employ specialized teachers who will help children understand sex and sexuality.

 Area one: Issues – Obesity, exercise, body image

Childhood obesity is an epidemic in the 21st century where young children are disproportionately affected.  Obesity also contributes to psychosocial burdens and economic costs.  Psychosocial burden means that children with obesity suffer from depression, eating disorders, and anxiety, substance abuse, low self-esteem, and negative perception of the body image. Economic costs mean that national health care spends high costs on direct medical costs.  Recent research and studies find that social changes have contributed to the obesity epidemic in that parents are so busy and therefore they are not aware of their children's eating habit,  children consume fast food outside the home,  they spend long hours on computers and video games,  they are not physically active, among other factors.  It is important to understand these contexts and develop an obesity prevention strategy to reduce childhood obesity.

 Obesity, exercise, and body image correlate in that obesity is a condition where a child or an adult become overweight. The obese person develops a negative perception of the body shape. The society also stigmatizes obese people that they have a poor body image.  Individuals become dissatisfied and this dissatisfaction affected their mood and emotions. Obesity and a negative body image are contributed by a lack of exercise. An individual with Body Mass Index of >35, are referred obese.  The BMI comes high due to an unhealthy diet and lack of exercise. Therefore, the article concludes that the best solution to prevent obesity is to adhere to healthy eating and exercise regularly. Research shows that a prevention-focused action plan is needed.  The plan should have explicit goals and it should be evidence-based so that the stakeholders may achieve the intended effects.  Even though an evidence-based approach is limited, stakeholders should come up with an environmental, and social policy to prevent obesity. The research finds that schools should be at the forefront to provide children with health behaviors and create a supportive environment.  Since obesity in children is a public health concern, schools, communities, parents, and other stakeholders should collaborate to promote healthy eating and encourage children to participate in physical activities.

 Recommendations

• Schools should create a conducive environment that supports health eating and physical activity
• Schools should ensure that foods and beverages industries follow nutritional standard
• Schools should implement dietary guideline
• Schools should ensure food literacy
• Schools should create a physical activity program, clubs, and lesson
• Parents should provide their children with healthful food choice
• Parents should help children make healthful choices and encourage physical activity
• Parents should limit TV time

 

Evaluation:

 Strengths

• There is a collaboration between schools and parent
• Teachers and parents have the authority to shape behavior
• It is easy to implement the policies immediately

Weaknesses

• Time challenges as teachers focus on academic subject
• Financial challenges- lack of funds to employ school nutritionists
• Parents lack healthy nutrition knowledge
• Parents lack knowledge about perfect physical activity
• Parents lack time and money to provide nutritious food

 

 

Area two: Issues – Sexuality education and child protective behaviors

Children need comprehensive sexual education (CSE) for them to make healthy choices on sexual activity. The research on sexuality education affirms that when children gain knowledge and skills on sexual and reproductive health, they develop safer sexual behaviors.  They again awareness of negative social norms, they develop knowledge about love and relationship, and they challenge harmful gender norms. However, children are going through childhood to adulthood transition without adequate knowledge about physical and emotional development.  Lack of comprehensive sexuality education is leading to a high rate of teen pregnancy. Note that in our culture, parents, teachers, and even the community believe that sexual talk is taboo and they do feel comfortable discussing it. Thus, children have little knowledge about sexuality and what happens is that they have less choice about their life, and they are unable to make self-decisions. The current research emphasizes that teachers and various stakeholders should implement programs to offer children with sexuality education. Note that there is a correlation between sexuality education and protective behaviors in that as children gain knowledge and skills on sexuality during early childhood, they will not be exposed to risk-taking behaviors but rather, they will develop protective behaviors such as connection to parents and community, and participate in social events, increase school attendance, and live a productive life.  The research suggests that comprehensive sexuality education needs to be developed to obtain positive results not only in childhood healthy about also protect their adolescence, and adulthood. In a nutshell, below are the recommendation for sexuality educations.

 Recommendations

 

• School curriculum should cover sexuality areas such as gender-based violence, sexuality, and more
• Teachers should develop educational goals and objectives and provide a clear message about sexuality behaviors.
• Improve teacher training or employ a psychologist to provide counseling to student
• Parent and communities should have an active involvement
• Health care providers should provide young people with sexual health

 

  Evaluation

 Strengths

• There is a social relationship between students, teacher, and parents
• Young children will improve sexual health and behaviors
• Children will improve interpersonal relationship

 

 Weaknesses

• Students need self-reflection and therefore, teachers need adequate training