The conundrum of rolling mealtimes in Early Childhood Education settings when you are an advocate of Division of Responsibility!!
[author] [author_image timthumb=’on’]https://scontent-lhr3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/15826449_1422071721138722_8752141629759863770_n.jpg?_nc_cat=0&oh=f4809bd5729f07660df83b20e6d9e7dc&oe=5C045D02[/author_image] [author_info]New Zealand-based Anya Bell is a nursery cook with a background as a professional chef and a passion for training childcare professionals in facilitating a supportive mealtime environment. She is all about real food and promoting curious eaters in childcare settings. I invited Anya to share her thoughts on the ‘rolling snack’ ; a model which has become increasingly fashionable in early years settings. [/author_info] [/author]
As a dedicated feeder of young children in group settings I am a firm believer that how we feed our children is as important as what we feed our children. To that end I have invested in research and study to acquaint myself with how feeding experts recommend the most effective way to feed young children that would allow them to eat a wide variety of foods, confidently and comfortably. How can we interweave making eating a positive experience alongside the expectations of the teaching community and within the philosophy of each individual childcare setting.
On my discovery that there was, in fact, an actual feeding dynamics theory to adopt as the core of our feeding philosophy, I then embarked on an interesting journey to deepen my understanding of our roles as the adult in each child’s feeding dynamic. Along the winding course of this journey I have often stumbled across the subject of rolling kai (‘kai’ means ‘food’ in the Maori language), or rolling, roving, or progressive mealtimes. This is simply terminology to describe an open window of opportunity for children to attend a meal, or not, as they please. Note that generally snack times will be opened up to a space of time, but lunchtime will remain at a scheduled time. On the face of it, rolling kai so didn’t fit the Division of Responsibility model theorised by Ellyn Satter! It became more important for me to understand the justifications for rolling kai, versus traditional and cultural beliefs about set mealtimes (my own included). Which viewpoint has more credence in an ECE setting?
What I discovered on my journey was that the factors that create a happy, pleasant and calm mealtime result in children happily coming together, when invited, to enjoy good company over a plate of good food before joyously returning to their play, refuelled!
Rolling mealtimes are often incorporated into practice as a method to resolve unruly and unpleasant mealtimes and in particular address those children who refuse to come to the table to eat. Justifications are that it is more respectful to the child to allow them the freedom of uninterrupted play and to offer them the right to choose when or if they are hungry. As a rolling kai set up involves feeding small groups at a time it stands to reason that the mealtime is immediately more pleasant for all involved. The teachers become more present and engaged and often are then more inclined to be lighthearted in conversation. The mealtime becomes a more heart centred moment. As the mealtime atmosphere becomes more pleasant, the children are much more inclined to attend. Eventually the mealtime returns to accommodating all the children at the same time (this time by their choice).
DoR practice provides a framework within which the child can exercise their autonomy and independence , yet at the same time they experience a time and place of love and security within the safety of that framework – creating that all important time of ritual and routine. By feeding within the gentle boundaries of the DoR framework the children are more engaged in their food and eating, they feel safe, secure and loved and the trust relationship grows. Including the trust that when they have finished eating they can return to their play, refuelled and replenished. Ultimately a well structured mealtime provides the opportunity for the child to exercise their autonomy and independence by following our roles of responsibility within the DoR. By encouraging this autonomy, the children are more engaged in their food and eating and the trust relationship grows. Including the trust that when they have finished eating they can return to their play, refuelled and replenished.
Are we putting cultural beliefs, values and practices above the rights, needs and interests of our children by making them attend mealtimes scheduled by adults? What is the value of scheduled mealtimes? I rather think that perhaps we should reflect on what a child learns during mealtimes. Alongside motor skills, they practice social and emotional control, they are developing social conscience, self regulation, math, science, art , creativity, patience, turn taking, sharing, cognitive skills, muscle and nerve memory skills. We talk about family, food, fun, tractors, frogs, purple carrots, taste. The list is endless. But perhaps more importantly they are learning a sense of place and a sense of themselves in that place. And that they are loved.
Invite your children to come and join you at the table. If they are not hungry they do not have to eat but let them know that you would enjoy their company.
“In this way the daily happenings become the ‘ordinary’, the staples of the programme that the children come to know and anticipate. They feel empowered by knowing ‘this is what we do here’’
Learn more about Anya’s work at ‘Anya’s real food kitchen’