Nutrition is the Foundation for Growing Healthy Children

AUSTIN, Texas, July 25, 2019 (Newswire.com) - In Caridad Hernandez’s home child care, every child is a part of her family and treated with love and affection. Through her 14 years of child care, Caradid has gained much experience and makes her home a learning environment where children can live a healthy lifestyle both physically and mentally. 

“I believe in the children and want to teach them. In order for them to learn, the first step in our day is to start with good nutrition. It helps them to be alert, active and ready to learn.”

Caridad compares nutrition to the foundation of a home. If your foundation is not made of the correct components, the home cannot stand. At all meal times, they eat together and discuss the importance of food as building blocks for their growing bodies. The children recognize food as their foundation for a strong, healthy body, and mind.

With the idea that childhood should be valued and not rushed, Caridad helps strengthen little bodies with physical activity. Children experience inside and outside activities like dancing and exercising, along with simple child play. They move around their community, walking to the fire station, police station, and library. Mentally they are growing as they are constantly asking questions. 

Caridad stresses the importance of family time both in her home child care family and with the children’s home family. She leads by example by eating, playing and learning together with the children and asks that parents do as well. Along with the foundation of nutrition and Caridad’s encouragement for learning, the children are both physically and mentally ready for their school years and life.

CACFP is an indicator of quality child care. When children are cared for by providers who are part of the CACFP program they are receiving the best nutrition available. Learn more about other CACFP providers featured in the Member Showcase at CACFP's website, www.cacfp.org.

Since 1986, the National CACFP Sponsors Association (NCA) is the leading national organization for sponsors who administer the USDA Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). It provides education and support to thousands of members in the CACFP community and in particular to sponsors of all sizes from across the country. CACFP strives to improve communication between families, caregivers, sponsors and their supervising government agencies.

Source: National CACFP Sponsors Association