Comfort is essential for the well-being of a child: if a child is clean and comfortable, he or she can try anything out! By taking care of children, dressing them, wiping their noses, changing them, all whilst verbalising what is happening, an adult can communicate a lot of information about their bodies. For this reason, taking care of a child must be done in a respectful and attentive way. When children receive positive impressions and feelings, this helps to give them a positive image of themselves and to build up their self-esteem.
Early childhood
The special period of early childhood requires very careful attention as children can’t verbalise their need for comfort. With warm gestures and reassuring words, the professional staff help the children to become aware of their body. Little by little, our teams encourage the child to become involved in the moment until the child is autonomous and toilet trained.
Becoming toilet trained
The team adapts to the needs of the child. Over time, and in accordance with what is done at home, the team regularly offers both the potty and the toilets. Little by little, driven by the wish to grow older, the desire to imitate others, and developmental maturity, children will go towards the toilets on their own!
Bathrooms are designed so that the older ones can be more independent. Sinks and toilets are at their height. They can, for example, turn on the taps themselves, use the soap, pick up their toothbrush and brush their teeth.
Dressing / undressing
Children are encouraged to dress themselves when they want to, whilst the team remains on hand for help, being respectful of their modesty.
Children who want to dress themselves after napping can do so and take all the time they need, but they can also get the help of an adult if they want. If they enjoy doing it, it becomes an activity for them and therefore a vital moment for learning that must be respected!
Meals
Meals are highlights in a child’s day, synonyms for pleasure and discovery. At mealtimes, children are encouraged to touch and hold the food. This is a chance for them to discover new textures!
To introduce them to the pleasure of eating, the professional staff can attract the children’s attention to the colour and beauty of foods. By describing the dishes presented, they also stimulate the children’s language development.
The space dedicated to mealtimes is designed to be calm and pleasant. Children are seated comfortably according to their age and needs. Children who are old enough to sit alone are put at tables in small groups. Helped by the team, they start to get used to eating alone, whilst sharing this moment with the others. The older ones will learn to serve themselves and eat by themselves, whilst discovering new flavours. Mealtimes are, therefore, the chance to enjoy a shared experience and to get used to certain social conventions.
Our team accompanies the children in all stages of their development and in their desire to be independent. Little by little, helped by an adult, children learn to recognize their needs in terms of quantity, as well as meal variation and timing.
Sleeping
Sleeping plays a fundamental role in a child’s development. It allows the child to recuperate after the accumulated physical and nervous fatigue of learning and discovering all day. Naps, in particular, support good quality sleep at night.
The relaxing space is designed to allow children to fall asleep peacefully. A child who visits every day will find their bed in the same place, and an adult will make sure that when going to sleep, the child will find all their personal items in their bed that they need to fall asleep.
Adults accompany each child personally according to their habits: holding their hand, whispering. Falling asleep can be accompanied by group routines such as a song or a story. Our aim above all is to respect the rhythm of each child and to allow them to go to sleep exactly when they feel the need to.
With older children, going to sleep can be a shared, warm moment which is most often done in a group. To give the child a comforting rhythm, the team establishes a routine for sleeping which they maintain and respect.