FIVE YEARS

 

 

HEALTH ISSUES

 

Offer healthy snack and meal choices, limiting sugars. Children often don’t eat meals well because they graze with snacks all day - that is fine, just make sure those snacks are healthy snacks (yogurt, peanut butter, cheeses, crackers, cereals). Let them demand for food don’t run after them or don’t lure them by offering gifts or else it will become a habit.

Continue to have your child brush his or her teeth daily with a pea-sized amount of toothpaste. You should assist them to ensure proper cleaning.

Ensure adequate amounts of sleep and physical activity.

Encourage importance of good personal hygiene.

 

SAFETY ISSUES

 

• Continue safe car seat use. Read instructions for proper installation. Here are some general guidelines:
• Place, seat in the middle of the back seat. Children this age should face forward in an appropriate child car seat. A booster seat is appropriate as long as your child is within the weight guidelines noted on the seat (usually 30 to 60 lbs).
• Use the "H" or "I" clip if you have a retractable shoulder harness.
• Never put a child under 12 years of age in the front seat of a car with a passenger side airbag.
• Install and test your smoke detector in or near your child's room.
• Childproof your home (poisons, medicines, guns, cigarettes, hot liquids).
• Make sure any playground environment is safe.
• Obtain your local Poison Control Center’s phone number and keep it on hand
• Use a bike helmet for your child (and yourself) when riding.
• Supervise activities, especially around lawnmowers, large dogs, and cars. Do not allow your child to ride on a riding lawnmower.
• Keep matches out of reach and instruct on fire safety.
• Do not keep a firearm in your home. If you must, make sure it is locked and out of reach from your curious child.
• Start teaching your child not to take rides or food from strangers; also, teach that his or her "privates" should not be touched or looked at by anyone other than mom, dad, or a doctor.
• Provide a safe after-school environment.
• Teach your child how to swim and follow water safety rules.

 

 

 

 

YOUR CHILD SHOULD…

 

• Learn his or her phone number and address.
• Be able to draw a person with head, body, arms, legs copy a triangle or square.
• Be able to recognize most letters and be able to print a few.
• Be able to dress self without much help.
• Be playing make-believe.

 

 

YOU SHOULD…

 

• Praise your child at every opportunity.
• Talk and sing regularly with your child.
• Listen to music together with your child.
• Introduce and play board games and card games with your child.
• Limit TV to certain programs and to maximum of 1 hour per day. Practice selective TV viewing (not channel surfing).
• Continue to read books interactively with your child.
• Encourage opportunities for safely exploring his or her environment.
• Reward them for their good behavior as much as possible.
• Be consistent with rules. Be firm. You decide how strict or liberal to be, just make sure you are consistent.
• Keep discipline brief. "Time-out" is usually effective at this age
• Offer choices to your child at every opportunity to allow decision-making.
• Encourage assertiveness but not aggressive behavior.
• Allow for self-care opportunities.
• Have a bedtime routine and put your child to sleep in his or her own room. If they wake up at night, take them back to their own room and, if needed, lay down with them in their room until they are asleep again.
• Eat meals as a family.
• Expect a poor appetite and don’t argue with your child about not eating well.
• Try to allow expression of feelings (anger, joy, sadness, fear). Offer ways to resolve conflicts and handle anger.
• Expect curiosity of genitalia and sexual matters. Use correct anatomy terminology. Answer sex-related questions in a simple manner.
• Expect your child to share, reward him or her when he does.
• Prepare for school, meet with teachers.
• Assign chores and offer rewards (point scoring system, allowance.
• Be an example of the type of person you want your child to grow up to be - they are like sponges and absorb everything around them!
• Spend time alone with your partner - one of the best things you can do for your child is to maintain a quality relationship with your partner.