Food, Glorious Food

Some communication between early childhood educators, parents and children does not get written in notes or posted on bulletin boards - it is transmitted through daily routines.

Elizabeth Kaye sees an important part of her Trinin Tsul Zzeh Day Home program as communicating several important messages to her community. She provides quality early childhood education, teaching and nurturing for the children. She also educates the parents of Old Crow, Yukon, on the best ways to care for their children. And of all the things she teaches, none is more important to her than good nutrition.

Some parents and grandparents express their affection with treats, buying the child a candy bar or soft drink instead of spending time simply talking or playing with them, Kaye says. This is of special concern for First Nations people, who have a high risk of developing diabetes. "The parents need to give their children teaching," Kaye emphasizes, "not things. They need to be taught love and respect as well as the survival skills of our culture."

To provide a different example to children and parents, Kaye serves a hot lunch and two snacks each day, based on the Canada Food Guide, which is prominently posted in her day home. She cooks in the day home's kitchen, often with the children's help. They develop good nutritional habits while learning to make soup and stews, bake bannock (see recipe, below) and watch the techniques of preparing dry meat, a staple for the Gwitch'in people. The children eat well and learn well. "Don't drink pop. It's got sugar bugs!" one little girl at the day home reminds her friends and parents.

Niagara Falls' Pamela Blanchfield and Tignish, Prince Edward Island's Tracy Doyle see a hot, nutritious lunch as an important element of their programs, too, recognizing that it is often the biggest meal of the children's day. "It gives parents peace of mind to know that their child is receiving a nutritious hot meal at lunch or breakfast to keep them going throughout their busy day," says Blanchfield.

Half-day programs have a bit more leeway in the matter of food, usually serving snacks rather than meals. At the Little People's Parent Participation Preschool in Vancouver, each of the two parents on duty that day brings food for snack time. "Sometimes we end up with some weird and wonderful combinations," says Liz Reid, who runs the program, "but it's the best time to get the children's taste buds going," she enthuses. "You can get them to eat things when they're among their peers that they mightn't want to eat at home. It's a good opportunity to educate their palates."

Bannock

• 4 c. all-purpose flour
• 4 tbsp. sugar
• 4 tsp. baking powder
• Pinch of salt
• 4 tbsp. lard or shortening
• 2 c. milk

Pre-heat oven to 400° F. Combine ingredients, but do not overmix. Shape into biscuits and place on lightly greased cookie sheet.

Bake until brown on top.