Contents Guiding Children in Groups Campus Connection Monkey Bread Are We Taking "Due Care?" Making A Bird Feeder

Guiding Children in Groups

While many of us feel perfectly competent guiding the behavior of our own children, guiding a group of children presents a whole new challenge. When children get together they form a group identity which can make guiding behavior much more difficult. Following some basic guidelines can make the guidance issue one that is easier to deal with:

• Build on the group identity of the children by letting them help make the rules to be followed while together. Write down their rules and discuss as a group those that are controversial until you reach agreement. All groups should have three basic rules to be followed: Don't hurt other people; don't hurt yourself; and don't hurt the environment. Beyond these three basic rules we sometimes create so many rules that we spend all of our time enforcing them rather than having fun.
• Use statements that begin with "I" rather than "You" when guiding behavior. A statement that begins with "you" automatically makes a person defensive, while stating your own feelings about the behavior allows you to deal with it in a less accusatory way.
• When you take a behavior away from a child always give them a behavior back. In other words, when you tell them what you DON'T want them to do also tell them what you DO want them to do instead of assuming they will know.

Remember that the more you see yourselves as a group with responsibility to each other the less you will need to use guidance techniques for behaviors!

Kimberlee L. Whaley, Ph.D.
Ohio State University Extension Specialist,
Early Childhood Development and Parenting

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Campus Connection

Hello! Do you hear what I hear? That's right!! Do you hear what I hear? The plains and hills of Ohio are alive with the sound of music! Alright, what am I trying to get at here; well it's music and children. Did you know that music can help children learn social values and behaviors ("dropped my coat, pick it up, pick it up," "one, two, buckle my shoe"), to learn letters, numbers, and sounds ("ABCDEFGH,") - I still use that one today to remember the alphabet; dances and games ("London Bridge is falling down"), and traditional celebrations ("happy birthday to you," or "this land is your land")? Songs and music are wonderful and are encouraged to use with Cloverbud children, but there is even more we can do with music.

Children in Cloverbuds have a natural creative ability towards music, whether its making new words with old songs, new words with new melodies, new sounds with musical instruments, or old sounds with new and different instruments. One never knows what sounds of music children will play on instruments, sing, or dance to, but one thing is for sure - they will have fun, feel good about themselves, and get along with each other (Hildebrandt, 1998). Sounds like the life skills we target as goals of the Cloverbud program - and they are!!!!

Here are some suggestions for bringing music to Cloverbuds:

1. children's music is not always adult music - children's music develops as they grow-up; the sounds they like maybe different than our preferences, but that is OK
2. use a CD or tape player to create background music to sing songs
3. make home made instruments - fill a balloon with rice than blow it up, then try other ingredients, peas, beans, etc.; use spoons or other kitchen items as instruments
4. share in the joy of song and music with the Cloverbud kids.

Until next time, take care, have fun, and make a joyful noise. I look forward to sharing more ideas with you soon.

Scott D. Scheer
State Extension Specialist,
4-H Youth Development, Preadolescent Education

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Monkey Bread

Ingredients for 6 servings:

1 Tube of refrigerator biscuits
1 Tbsp. Brown Sugar
1 oz. Mini-chocolate morsels
1/2 tsp. Cinnamon
Raisins, and dried fruit
1 tsp. Margarine can be added

Equipment Needed:

Mixing bowl & spoon Measuring cups & spoons
Spatula Plate
Oblong baking dish or bunt pan

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Take biscuits out of tubes. Combine cinnamon and brown sugar together in a separate bowl; add chocolate morsels.
2. Toss biscuits in mixture and coat all pieces evenly.
3. Melt margarine in an oblong baking dish or bundt pan. Add biscuits to pan
4. Bake for 15 minutes or until the top starts to brown and the biscuits are done. Let cool five minutes. Invert onto a serving plate.

Source: Snackin' Smart. Ohio Department of Education. Page 25.

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Are We Taking "Due Care?"

As we work with 4-H members, we realize that there are additional care concerns as the age of the participants decreases. This fact really came to light the first year we conducted a Cloverbud day camp. We felt like we should have had one staff person designated strictly for "potty patrol!" We joked about it after the day was over, but it certainly reinforces that younger 4-H'ers have different needs, for both program activities and care.

As staff and volunteers, we need to be aware of the concept of due care. Due care from a liability perspective, looks at whether the adult leader took the appropriate precautions to insure the safety of the participants. Things to consider are: the numbers and ages of the clientele, the activity in which they are involved, the duration of the supervision, the ease of providing alternate supervision, and the extent to which written and implemented guidelines are used. Traditionally for minors, the standard of care given is measured by what a person of the same age, capacity, intelligence and experience would have done under the same or similar circumstances (Long, 1994).

As we plan and conduct programs for our Cloverbuds, we need to consider issues like:

Age appropriateness - What are these young people physically capable of doing? Can they make "judgement calls" about personal risk that older youth may be able to consider? Are there concerns for basic care that we need to plan for? Do the activities fall within the policies of the Ohio 4-H Cloverbud program?

Adequate supervision - Do we have enough adults or older youth involved in supervising the activity? Are they trained to work with this age group? Do they understand the potential risks that are involved in this activity? Do we have a method to insure that the child is being released to the appropriate person when the event is over?

By asking ourselves these questions before we conduct a Cloverbud activity, we can insure that we are taking "due care" to insure the safety and well-being of our participants. We also help to insure that the youth are going to have a positive experience which will keep them coming back for more of what the 4-H program has to offer!

Information regarding due care cited from "Legal Considerations for Youth Services Volunteers and Staff,"

Norman D. Long, Ph.D., New Designs, Spring 1994, pp. 22-24.

Elizabeth M. Miller
Extension Agent, 4-H Youth Development, Auglaize County

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Making A Bird Feeder

(15-20 minutes)

Materials:

Plastic milk jug or 2 liter pop bottle for each child, scissors, small nail to make holes in bottom of jug, large nail to make holes for hanger, string for hanging, and bird seed.

Directions:

Following the bottle diagram below, cut a flap on each side of the plastic jug or bottle. Fold the flap down on the outside. Using the small nail, poke several holes in the bottom of the container to allow water to drip through. Using the large nail, poke a hole on each side of the container several inches below the top. These holes are for the hanger. Tie a knot in one end of the string. Make the knot large enough so that it will not slip through the hole. Pull string through the hanger hole so that the knot is on the inside. Bring the string back through the opposite hole from outside to inside. Tie a large knot on the inside of the container. Put bird seed in the container. Hang outside in a safe place, near bushes or trees for shelter. Help them identify where a safe place would be for a bird to feed.

Note to the Volunteer:

Each child will need close supervision while making the bird feeder. You may need to start the cutting for them. It is a good idea to have a bird feeder made ahead of time for a model.

Source: Ohio Cloverbud Curriculum. Authors: Karen Gwilliams, Union County Extension Agent,
and Deborah K. Lewis, Lorain County Agent.

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Keith L. Smith, Associate Vice President for Ad. Admin. and Director, OSU Extension TDD No. 800-589-8292 (Ohio only) or 614-292-1868