luvsJack
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Apr 3, 2007
I was a child care provider for 12 years. I am now and was then, overweight. And several of my employees were also overweight. It just worked out that way when hiring the best people and most experienced people for the job.
Did if affect my ability to do my job or their ability to do theirs? Not in the least.
First off, in a child care setting a child should never be in danger that requires lightening reflexes but if it happens, most experienced people are able to do their job and know how they need to do it despite whatever someone else thinks. Besides, most would be very surprised at how fast a child caregiver can move when need be. Everything required, from sitting on the floor to dancing around the room to jumping up and down; all of us could do and had fun doing it.
Second, in MOST child care settings here (not sure where the woman that wrote the article is, I assumed the UK), lunch is provided by the facility or sent by the parent. So, the children learn eating habits from the provided meals or the parent provided meals. The rule we had to follow (facility policy because it was a state regulation) is that the caregivers had to eat with the children. They ate what the center provided or they had to have a healthy meal that covered all the same basis as required by the state. (same thing with children who brought their lunch, if they didn't bring a "vitamin C food" for example, one had to be provided for them. ) Also most preschool curriculum cover healthy eating habits or food groups or something of the like, and that is another way the children are taught healthy eating habits. If the caregiver is going home and eating 4 bags of chips, the children do not know that and cannot learn from that. Chances are that its not happening in the center.
In almost every single facility, physical activity is encouraged. So again, learning healthy habits. If you don't encourage physical activity in children, believe me you will regret it by the end of the day.
While I don't totally disagree with everything the woman said, she needs to go in the center and spend a day observing rather than making a judgement based on what a person looks like. She may be very pleasantly surprised.
Children learning healthy habits are not related to weight management. Weight should not even come up in the lesson or the conversation. Being healthy. Eating healthy. Being active. That's what you want to teach them and what you want them to strive for.
As for all the discussion going on here about losing weight, losing weight is one of the hardest things to do in life (and I have quit smoking before). Especially when you have a lot to lose. Have people done it? Well yeah but people have also gotten off heroin and crystal meth and come out the other side but some just can't seem to kick the addiction. Food can be an addiction. Some trade out the food addiction for the work out addiction and that is fine for them, I guess. But when they have an injury or something that stops them from working out, guess what? Something else is going to replace that addiction and its most likely to be food. Why do you think so many gain the weight back at some point? Everyone knows HOW to lose weight--burn more calories than you take in. Saying it over and over doesn't make it easy to do. Its a whole lot easier said than done, and acting as though that isn't true only makes people feel worse about their struggle.
The whole thyroid thing, dd's bf had to have his thyroid removed back before she met him. He is at a pretty good weight now, but you can look at pictures of him over the time before, during and after his health issues with his thyroid and see the weight gain and loss since. I don't know the time frame but its like he blew up like a balloon for awhile there. Now he struggles to keep it down and would like to lose more but truly is finding it very hard. He works out regularly, he has to for his job but the weight doesn't just come off. Its NOT easy.
Did if affect my ability to do my job or their ability to do theirs? Not in the least.
First off, in a child care setting a child should never be in danger that requires lightening reflexes but if it happens, most experienced people are able to do their job and know how they need to do it despite whatever someone else thinks. Besides, most would be very surprised at how fast a child caregiver can move when need be. Everything required, from sitting on the floor to dancing around the room to jumping up and down; all of us could do and had fun doing it.
Second, in MOST child care settings here (not sure where the woman that wrote the article is, I assumed the UK), lunch is provided by the facility or sent by the parent. So, the children learn eating habits from the provided meals or the parent provided meals. The rule we had to follow (facility policy because it was a state regulation) is that the caregivers had to eat with the children. They ate what the center provided or they had to have a healthy meal that covered all the same basis as required by the state. (same thing with children who brought their lunch, if they didn't bring a "vitamin C food" for example, one had to be provided for them. ) Also most preschool curriculum cover healthy eating habits or food groups or something of the like, and that is another way the children are taught healthy eating habits. If the caregiver is going home and eating 4 bags of chips, the children do not know that and cannot learn from that. Chances are that its not happening in the center.
In almost every single facility, physical activity is encouraged. So again, learning healthy habits. If you don't encourage physical activity in children, believe me you will regret it by the end of the day.
While I don't totally disagree with everything the woman said, she needs to go in the center and spend a day observing rather than making a judgement based on what a person looks like. She may be very pleasantly surprised.
Children learning healthy habits are not related to weight management. Weight should not even come up in the lesson or the conversation. Being healthy. Eating healthy. Being active. That's what you want to teach them and what you want them to strive for.
As for all the discussion going on here about losing weight, losing weight is one of the hardest things to do in life (and I have quit smoking before). Especially when you have a lot to lose. Have people done it? Well yeah but people have also gotten off heroin and crystal meth and come out the other side but some just can't seem to kick the addiction. Food can be an addiction. Some trade out the food addiction for the work out addiction and that is fine for them, I guess. But when they have an injury or something that stops them from working out, guess what? Something else is going to replace that addiction and its most likely to be food. Why do you think so many gain the weight back at some point? Everyone knows HOW to lose weight--burn more calories than you take in. Saying it over and over doesn't make it easy to do. Its a whole lot easier said than done, and acting as though that isn't true only makes people feel worse about their struggle.
The whole thyroid thing, dd's bf had to have his thyroid removed back before she met him. He is at a pretty good weight now, but you can look at pictures of him over the time before, during and after his health issues with his thyroid and see the weight gain and loss since. I don't know the time frame but its like he blew up like a balloon for awhile there. Now he struggles to keep it down and would like to lose more but truly is finding it very hard. He works out regularly, he has to for his job but the weight doesn't just come off. Its NOT easy.
