Preventing Youth Violence Starts At Home

As parents, keeping our children safe and protected from violence is an important factor. In today’s society it seems children are exposed to and engage in acts of violence more often than in the past. While this may be partially due to increased exposure of this issue through social media, it is also a very real trend in society as a whole.

It Starts with Awareness

Parents, working with schools, community organizations, and with children at home can have big impact on how children view violence and conflict in the world around them. Talking about the impact of violence and how it does more than just cause physical injury but also causes emotional scars and long term challenges for both victims as well as those children using violence as a way to solve problems is very important.

Adults can use teachable moments from actual events occurring in the family, in the community, on favorite TV shows or in books to give children the opportunity to think about the harm violence causes.

Discussing issues such as the very real trauma of bullying, including cyber bullying, and using examples to increase a child’s understanding of empathy is a gentle and meaningful way to prepare even young children to avoid using violence as a way to solve problems.

Tips and Strategies

To help children to use effective communication to resolve conflicts and to help to support children who have been bullied or may have experienced a traumatic event make sure you:

• Model effective conflict resolution skills and avoid mixed messages as to resolving conflicts or difficulties using verbally aggressive or physically aggressive means.
• Talk to children and help them to understand how violence impacts not just the victim but also the person using violence as a way to resolve a problem.
• Encourage children to reach out to their peers who have experiencing bulling or hostility and to be a friend.
• Make sure children understand what to do if they see or experience any type of violence. This could include telling a teacher, a parent or making a 911 call to get immediate help.

Parents may also want to volunteer to help in the classroom during this week to learn about the different programs the school or daycare is using to help address issues of youth violence in your own community.

Tips For Helping Kids To Make Friends

Learning how to make friends is not always easy for children. It is very common for all kids to go through stages where they may not feel comfortable in meeting new people. While is this natural, there are ways parents can help kids to learn effective and appropriate ways to help your children to interact with their peers.

Encourage your kids to try to make one new friend. You can help your child to reach out to new people in their age group by:

• Reading stories about friends and talking about the importance of friends and how they play a positive role in the lives of the characters in the story. This can also be a great time for parents to talk about their friendships and some of the challenges they may have had when they were younger and trying to make new friends.
• Talk about how to have a conversation. This could include role-playing where Mom or Dad plays the other child. Encourage your child to follow the conversation, ask questions about what you say, and be encouraging and supportive of the communication.
• Brainstorm a list of interesting “conversation starters” to help your child have something to talk about when he or she meets new people. Give the child a chance to practice what these conversations may look like with family members and current friends.
• Have play activities where your child can invite one or two peers to a fun activity. Try a games day at your home, a trip to the park, or even a picnic in the backyard. Providing your child with a comfortable environment to start a conversation can make it much less stressful.

Remember, all children are different, and some children a just more reserved than others. Encourage friendship but don’t force it, your child may just need a bit more time to be comfortable interacting with others. 

Winter Staycation Ideas

If you’re stuck in an area where winter weather means bundling up and counting the days until spring and warmer weather, this is for you. If you’re dreaming of warmer weather and long for a get-a-way but it just isn’t in the budget,

staying at home may not sound like the most exciting of vacations, but there are plenty of benefits to a winter-time staycation: you save money – a lot of money, you get the opportunity to learn more about your area, no packing and unpacking and the money you DO spend stays local, which helps support the local economy. What a staycation ISN’T? It’s not a time to do chores, running errands or finishing projects that you’ve pushed off until you have more time.

Try these instead:

• Explore the parks and trails in your area – are they snow covered? Try snow-shoeing or learn to ski!
• Visit your local museums and historical societies – they can be found just about anywhere. Take your time and you’ll be surprised at how many times you might say “Hey I didn’t know that!” when it comes to your local area.
• Try new recipes and cook together as a family with these new recipes. Make a gourmet meal or try your hand at an ethnic food.
• Dust off your ice skates and find a rink.
• Take on some indoor fun like bowling or indoor miniature golf.
• Professional sporting events are fun but can be very expensive, especially if you have a large family. Try a semi-pro team or even a local high school game. And remember –there’s nothing like a view from the cheap seats!

Staycations can be a fun and unique time to bond as a family – so use these little day trips to your advantage. Take the time to plan what you’ll be doing on your staycation so you aren’t sitting around staring at each other instead of having fun!

Answering The Difficult Questions

While these questions can take parents by surprise planning in advance how and what to talk to your children about when they ask about death can help you. It is critical not to avoid or try to brush off the questions as that will only cause more confusion and perhaps even fear if children pick up your discomfort on the subject.

Stay Child Centered

It is very important to discuss death and dying at the child’s level of understanding. Taking in abstract terms or using common phrases about death to kids will only cause confusion. You certainly can talk about spiritual or religious beliefs about the death and dying with your children but keep them at an age appropriate level.

Be careful not to use terms like “sleeping” or “passed on” or “lost” but rather be compassionate and honest. Children need a clear description that makes sense to them. Even younger children can understand that a body can stop working when a person is in an accident or is elderly. Often this type of honest, clear and simple explanation is enough for a youngster.

Talk About Real World Examples

It is important, especially with younger children, to stay to simple examples and not to try to include too many concepts at one time. It is important for children to understand that death is a normal part of life without stressing the mortality of the child or of you as the parent. It is also important to remember that younger children, especially those under the age of 10, may see death as reversible.

Kids may ask about a pet, family member or loved one’s death repeatedly. Be patient and provide a consistent answer that provides the information the child is seeking. Talking to a counselor or reading a book about death that is at an age appropriate level can help a parent start the conversation and allow children to ask the questions they may be worrying about. 

Helping Children Deal with Stress

It’s no doubt that children are one of life’s miracles but as our offspring we sometimes tend to forget that while they may be all that is good in us, they are not our clones and are certainly not little adults. They are incapable of handling things in the same way that we are – which means they are unable to manage stress like we can. Not to mention, something that we would easily overlook would be a severe stressor to our kids – for example, showing up at school and finding desks rearranged differently than they have been all year or a substitute teacher instead of their regular teacher.

                                                                                                                                              

If your child is having breakdowns frequently, having trouble sleeping or nightmares or being clingy when they weren’t before, are all signs that your child could be experiencing more stress in their lives than they were before.  Trust your instincts if you notice a change in your child’s behavior and try these tips to help them cope with stress more easily:

1. Let them know it’s ok to talk about it – some children have a difficult time expressing themselves or they may be afraid to say what they are feeling. Make it very clear to your child that if they are feeling out of sorts that it’s ok to talk about it. Help them share with you if they are feeling scared or nervous or worried about something.
2. Encourage your children to find positive in what is a stressful situation in their lives – for example, instead of being worried over having a substitute teacher, remind them that they are safe even with the substitute and their regular teacher will be back soon.
3. Teach your children simple stress-relieving techniques like breaking and finding positive even in stressful situations.
4. Establish routines for your children, especially at bedtime. These routines, when coupled with relaxing music will help your child relax after a rough day.
5. Be sure to spend enough quality time with your children each day. This will help them to become more self-confident and assured and if something upsets their normal routine, they are less likely to act out.

Working with your children now to handle stress will help them be better at coping as they grow into adults.

Maintaining a Healthy Diet and Still Allowing the Foods They Love

Every parent has the same battle at some point in their lives – getting your kids to eat healthy but not completely depriving them of the foods they love. It can be a challenge, yes, but it doesn’t mean you need a degree in diet and nutrition to make sure your kids are eating healthy. Here are some “Rules to live by” when it comes to making sure your kids are maintaining a healthy diet:

1. Remember you are the supply line – you control the apron strings so to speak. This simply means that you are the one in charge of buying the food as well as when to serve it. Your kids will no doubt pester you for less healthy options but you will need to stand your ground on how much of those less healthy options are kept on hand at any given time. They will eat what’s in the cupboard or fridge.
2. The clean plate club is over-rated. Let your children stop eating when they feel they’ve had enough. Most of us have grown up as card-carrying members of the clean plate club and as such may be battling with nutrition and healthy eating habits. Let your child have some say about their bodies – if they feel full let them be finished.
3. Start your kids young. Their food preferences tend to develop early so make sure you are providing lots of choices for them. Even as babies they know what they like or don’t like. When offering new foods, offer a few bites if they truly don’t like it, don’t push.
4. Don’t bribe with sweets. Goodies and desserts are fine on occasion but don’t use sweets or dessert as the main reason for eating a meal.
5. Finally – be a role model. If your kids see you eating unhealthy foods on a regular basis they’re going to think its ok for them to do it as well. Choose healthy foods, have at least one meal all together at the table and do your best not to skip meals during the day. 

How to Organize Your Children’s Important Documents

We do everything we can to keep our family safe and well taken care of – from locking the doors at night to making sure our children are kept out of harm’s way. For parents – keeping our family safe is our first priority.

But with all of the things that we have to do on a daily basis – urgent things that keep our families protected, it’s no big surprise when other, less urgent things get pushed to the back burner and saved for a rainy day. One of the tasks we typically put off until the last minute is organizing our family’s important documents. We’re all guilty of it at one time or other but the good news is, even if you’ve neglected this for a long period of time, it doesn’t have to be quite as time-consuming as you think. Here are a few tips to get you on your way:

• Collection: Go through your entire house (don’t forget the “junk” drawers!) and collect all of the papers that need to be kept in one central location: birth certificates, baptism records, social security cards, medical records, vaccination records, passports and insurance information. If you’re unsure about the importance of a document, simply ask yourself what the consequences would be if that paper was lost forever.
• Copycat: Original documents are necessary for things like passports and registering for school, but it’s never a bad idea to make copies of everything. Copies of immunization records can be given directly to the school or to a new pediatrician. Keep your originals tucked in a safe place.
• Store the rest: It’s unlikely you’re going to need baptism records on a regular basis or even passports or birth certificates. Lock these important papers in a safe deposit box. Keep in mind, however, that you’ll be at the mercy of “banker’s hours” when you need the documents so plan accordingly.
• Use technology to your advantage: Scan and back up documents to be easily recovered later on. This can work for important papers and photos alike.
• Share the secret: Be sure to let at least one other person in your family know where you keep all of these important documents should you not be available to access them.

So there you have it – it’s not really that difficult to put your documents in one place and have them easily accessible – you just have to get started!

Toddler Care in a Day Care Setting

It’s been said that children learn more before the age of three than they will over the rest of their lives. We can take that concept one step further and declare that the first five years of a child’s life are the most formative and arguably the most critical.

During these early years, a child needs love and nurturing – both at home and in social settings – in order to thrive and grow. When a child feels loved and cared for, they feel as if they belong and become confident little beings who are encouraged to learn and participate in any situation.

With more families relying on the services of a good day care center, it’s important that the facility they choose can provide that all-important loving and nurturing environment – one that encourages learning and exploration.  The day care environment should provide work, play and learning areas that are stimulating but also meet the developmental needs of each child. And while each child’s specific needs should be met, the learning environment should also encourage and support children who thrive in learning in a group environment as well.

When deciding on the best day care facility for you and your child, it’s well within your rights to ask what kind of environment your child will be in during his or her time there.  You should know who will be taking care of your child and what credentials and experience they have that qualifies them to do so. You should know how many children there will be in your toddler’s age group. And finally you should know what kind of learning/interactivity activities your child will participate in during the day and if they have special needs – how will they be met? Will there be dramatic play? Art activities? Blocks? Reading? Communication?

Day care may be a necessity for your family, but it doesn’t mean you have to settle for the first one that you come to in your search. Shop around and find the best one to enrich your toddler’s experience. 

How to Instill Friendly Competition in Children

Nobody likes to lose – winning is fun, right? Instilling friendly competition into your children is a good way to lead them down the path of being well-rounded individuals. A healthy dose of competition doesn’t only have to apply to being a better player in the sports arena; it can also apply to being a better business owner, a better employee and a better person all around.

Healthy and friendly competition can be the basis of motivating children to exceed expectations – expectations that they may not feel they can beat. Many parents feel that teaching children to be competitive because of the expectations some coaches put on their players.  Many experts disagree, citing that this friendly competition taught at a young age teach them to successfully compete in the world as teenagers and ultimately as adults.

Again, competition doesn’t just apply to sports. When children learn how to compete in a friendly manner, they are learning to try the hardest. These same values will carry over into life when they are competing for a new job or promotion. By learning to compete as children, they are given a leg up on the competition who may not have had that same experience.

Liken teaching your children to compete to the gazelle and the lion: in Africa, when a gazelle awakens each morning it is well aware that if it doesn’t wake up and run it will be eaten by the lion. The lion on the other hand, knows that it must be faster than the slowest gazelle or it will starve to death. The moral of the story? It doesn’t matter if you’re the lion or the gazelle – each morning wake up and be ready to run. 

Parents Can Be Good Teachers to Their Children

From a very young age, children are exposed to different people on a regular basis – any of whom can form their thoughts and beliefs. None of the people they are exposed to on a regular basis are more important than their parents. 

Many parents don’t see themselves in a teaching role, but the fact is, as parents we are our children’s first teachers. We teach our children to walk, talk, dress themselves, feed themselves, how to be polite, how to be tolerant and a million other things that shape the people they become – all before they’re every expose to teachers in a classroom setting. 

What parents do forget, especially those who work full-time, is that even when children enter the classroom, they can still be the best teacher that their children will have. While we want to instill good morals and values into our children – these are both valuable to them as functioning members of society – it’s also important that we teach our children to think for themselves and form their own beliefs. While classroom teachers can instruct them and provide them with a sound educational experience, they are unable to reach a child in the same way a parent can. 

While we all have different teachers teaching us different things in our lives, we must remember as parents, we are the best and most important teacher our children will ever know. 

Best Apps for Small Children and Toddlers

Winter is coming and outside play will become less and less possible as the cold winds and even snow start to blow. But that doesn’t mean your small children can’t be entertained and stimulated.

Thanks to the mass quantities of technology that now consumes our lives on a daily basis, it’s no surprise that it’s even becoming a part of everyday life for even toddlers. Educational developers and computer experts are constantly working together to develop literally thousands of games and apps specifically geared toward small children and toddlers in order to keep them stimulated, help with better hand-eye coordination and well-developed fine motor skills.

Here is but a small list of the most popular apps that combine education and fun for your little one:

1. Pat the Bunny is based on a children’s book from the 1940s and is used as an interactive reading tool. While this iPad app doesn’t off the feel of the faux fur that the original book offered its readers, there are still plenty of scenes that your child can explore and interact with. For example, there’s an Easter egg hunt in all of the scenes as well as coloring activities
2. PianoBall allows your child to explore their musical side by using this app to create their own musical scores. The colorful keyboard attracts your child and keeps their attention as they explore the five different modes that allow the music to be heard the way it would sound with different instruments.
3. Potty Time with Elmo approaches potty training in a whole new way. The wildly popular Sesame Street character will help your toddler with the transition from diapers to using the “big kid potty” by using songs, puzzles and even animated stickers.
4. Drawing Pad is another app that helps your child explore and release their inner creativity. With this app they can use realistic crayons, markers and even paint brushes to create a virtually unlimited portfolio of projects.

Again, this is but a small sampling of the apps available to entertain and educate your child. This winter, replace the toy box full of unused or broken toys with apps like this and let your child explore a whole new world.

How to Choose or Direct Your Child Towards a Good Role Model

We all have had at least one role model in our lives. Role models are important to our psychological well-being because they help us guide us through certain decision making processes that can ultimately affect the outcome of our lives. Children often have many choices when it comes to choosing role models – most often their first role models are parents followed by other adults and relatives, such as teachers. 

Role models should be a point of inspiration and give us an idea of how we should behave no matter the situation. This is why it’s very important for a potential role model provide good behavior – behavior that children can imitate without repercussion. There are many choices when children are younger, however as they grow older it can become more difficult for good role models to be found.

Helping your child choose a role model involves finding a person who has good morals, doesn’t take part in behavior that is self-destructive, is hard working, creative and free thinking. And yes it’s true that you can’t pick the role model your child emulates, you can do your part to make sure they are exposed to the type of people who would make good role models to begin with.

Your child’s role model doesn’t have to be Superman or someone famous – in fact, a celebrity may not always be a good choice as many tend to indulge in self-destructing behavior or take part in behavior that is just unsavory to begin with. A good role model will be someone who is similar to you.

When your child has discovered that he or she has a role model, it’s important for you as the parent not to put this person on a pedestal. Role models are human and as such subject to failure and mistakes. You can recognize this person as a guide for the behavior you would like your child to imitate but not necessarily someone your child should act like exclusively. 

Baby Safety Tips For The Home

Bringing home a new baby is an exciting and magical event for any family. Preparing your home in advance for the big day helps parents to proactively provide built in safety for the new addition to the family.

There are a range of different baby safety products on the market today that can make Mom and Dad’s life a lot easier. However, there are also some simple and very traditional types of safety practices that will keep your infant out of harm’s way.

Before your baby is up and about crawling and playing look at each room of the home. General safety issues that can be put in place include:

• Baby safe latches on all drawers and cabinets in kitchens, bathrooms, bedrooms and storage areas to prevent injury if baby pulls the drawers or cabinets open or gets into the stored contents.
• Check all electrical cords and remove any that dangle or hang down. Cover all electrical outlets with spring loaded covers that automatically close when the cord is removed.
• Roll all cords for blinds or drapes up to well above the height that a crawling baby, toddler or infant can reach.
• Have a new crib and mattress for the baby that is designed to prevent the baby from getting hands or limbs lodged between the posts. The mattress should fit correctly in the crib and extend to the frame on all sides.
• Limit items in and around the crib and ensure any mobiles or hanging items on the crib are safe and secure and approved for use for a baby.
• Always have the correctly sized, approved car safety seat for your baby and do not travel with the baby in a vehicle when the child is not secured in the baby car seat.
• Avoid using any types of room freshening or air treatment products in the nursery or the home as an infant may be extremely sensitive to these products.

Last, and perhaps most importantly, never leave your baby unattended unless they are in a safe, secure location such as their crib. This ensures that the baby can’t get into anything that is potentially dangerous in the few seconds you step away.

It’s Better to Give Than to Receive

It can be a difficult task teaching children that it is better to give than to receive – after all who doesn’t like to receive a gift right? However, by teaching your children this valuable lesson is one of the most rewarding things you can give them.

Going about can be difficult if you don’t know what the right to go about it is, so here are a few ways to work with your children.

• Start small, especially if you are working with very young children. An example would be making cookies for a sick friend. Let the child know that he or she is doing something nice for the friend, even though your child may want to make and keep the cookies. Avoid this by making enough for both of them.
• Next, teach them that money isn’t necessary in order to give. They can wash your car, do the dishes without being asked or even make breakfast in bed.
• Let your child be involved in deciding who will benefit from the gift. Maybe you’ve given to the cancer research society for years, but your child heard about a need at the local pet shelter. By allowing them to help with the decision they feel important and learn the value of giving to those who are less fortunate.

Children learn by watching their most influential role model: YOU. If you volunteer at a local soup kitchen, when your child is old enough, let them go with you and start helping.

Teaching your children the value of giving rather than receiving, you’re instilling a sense of pride and self-esteem, character traits that will take them far as they grow. 

Infant Care in a Day Care Setting

Caring for an infant can be challenging, particularly in a day care setting, however if done properly, having an infant in a day care that is properly equipped to handle them can positively impact your baby’s experience.

With the state of the economy, more and more families are forced to have homes with two working parents, which means that children are being put into day care environments at younger ages and even for longer time during the day. If you are among those families who have been forced to place your infant in a day care setting, it doesn’t have to be as scary or challenging as it seems. Things to consider when choosing a good day care environment for your infant are group size of the day care, the quality of the actual physical environment of the day care facility and how the needs are going to be met for each individual infant.

• Group Size:  Infants thrive better in a calm environment, it’s true, but each infant reacts differently in different environments. Keeping this in mind, a large group of infants can create chaos and confusion and an unhappy baby – even if there are enough adults to adequately care for all of them. Many infants in a group creates a louder noise level which further leads to confusion and chaos. To have a pleasant experience for all involved, choose a day care facility with six infants or less.
• Environment: As with the group size, the environment of your day care center can mean the difference between an enriching experience and a miserable one. The environment should be comfortable and encourage interaction between the adult caregivers and the infants as well as for the parents to visit with the children at the end of the day.
• Meeting the Needs:  Meeting the needs of each infant is directly related to the size of the group of infants in the day care. Smaller groups allow for more intimate care, more flexibility for sleeping, eating and playing schedules and allows for children with special needs to receive the attention they need when they need it.

Caring for children, especially in a group setting like day care, is a profession. Choose your day care facility wisely based on the needs of your family and their ability to meet those needs. 

From Daycare to School – How to Prepare Your Child for the Transition after Summer Vacation

It’s that time of year – in fact, I’ll bet if you listen closely, you can hear the whine from children all around “Oh no, it’s time to go back to school!”

If your child has been in daycare or a preschool type setting over the summer, the transition to regular school may not be as bad as if they weren’t, but there is still some preparation that needs to be done before the first bells ring this fall.

Children who have been in daycare or preschool over the summer months will have some idea of what a setting with other children is like on a daily basis. However, these settings tend to be on a much less strict schedule than a regular school day. Helping your child adjust for “big boy or big girl” school isn’t difficult if you know the steps to take.

Things to know before the first day:

• Take the time to talk to your child and begin explaining some of the things they can expect on the first day of school and even beyond. Don’t frighten them! School years are supposed to be the best time of their life, don’t get them on the wrong foot. Share some of your favorite school memories.
• Go to the school for a visit. If your child is starting elementary school, start by taking a trip to the playground and then setting up a visit to the classroom. Help him/her find the classroom, restroom, lunchroom and principal’s office.
• Let your child ask questions and answer them as openly and honestly as you can.
• Remind your child of all of the friends he/she will make when they go to school and also remind him/her that many of the children from preschool or the daycare will likely be in the same school and classroom.

Finally, remember that the school your child attends is a part of your community and easy to get involved with. Sign up to be a classroom parent for your child’s class or join the PTA. Your child will likely find the daycare to school transition that much easier if you are involved. 

In the summertime, it’s second-nature to apply tons of sunscreen on our children to protect their skin from the harmful effects of the sun. But many times, as much attention as we give to their skin, we often overlook another area that can be damaged by the sun – their eyes.

 We put sunglasses on to shield our eyes and our children should have the same protection. This protects them now and also helps to prevent them from developing common eye problems later on in life. Keep in mind that UV rays are radiation and radiation is damaging to the eyes just as much as it can damage anything else. Here is just a partial list of those common eye problems that you should be aware of:

•          Over-exposure to the sun’s UV radiation can cause the cells of the eye – inside and out – to divide abnormally. This abnormal division can cause tumors – both malignant and benign.
•          “Surfer’s Eye” is common in coastal regions and is caused by sun exposure. This affects the cornea which can affect your ability to focus clearly.
•          Overexposure to the sun also effects the lens of the eye as well as the retina which can lead to macular degeneration and cataracts later on.

A good rule of thumb to help protect your children’s eyes is to put sunglasses on them if they are going to spend any extended amount of time in the sun. It’s never too early to start this practice. You’ll want to use standard tinted glasses not the colored lenses that are popular with kids.

If you have younger children who are having a hard time wearing the sunglasses, a large hat with a wide brim or visor is the next best thing. You can also try attaching an elastic band to the sunglasses to help hold them in place.

Sunglasses, sunscreen and your children should be a common routine in the summer!

Keeping Kids Entertained During the Summer Months

Every parent at least once in their lives has heard those two dreaded words every child mutters: "I'm Bored!" Even the child who is most excited about the end of the school year will not get through the summer break without mumbling that phrase at least once. So what as parents are we to do to keep our kids stimulated and entertained over the summer months?

There are plenty of activities you can do once the initial fun phase of summer wears off. Here is just a brief list of ideas to help keep the summer doldrums from setting in:

• Plant a mobile garden – maybe in a wheelbarrow or other container that can be moved around. Plant vegetable plants, flowers or even start an herb garden that your children can be responsible for.
• Draw in butterflies by planting wildflowers around your lawn. Not only will it beautify your landscaping it will also decrease the need for mowing.
• Have a picnic with your child’s favorite teddy bear or doll. This can be something as simple as fruit and juice or tea and cookies. Plan to make this a weekly event – and even play dress up for a “formal” lunch!
• Kids love bubbles! Adults love bubbles! There’s just something magical about them that no one can explain so take a trip to the dollar store and pick up a large container and some wands that make some really unique bubble shapes. Spend a late afternoon/early evening blowing bubbles and chasing them with your kids.
• Don’t forget your local library. There are always reading programs in the summer and other special programs that you can involve your children with.
• Build a treasure box with your child. Find an old shoe box or other suitable container and let them decorate with crayons, paper cutouts and other craft items and then they can fill up their box with “treasures” they find.

You can do a lot of things that keep your kids entertained without spending a ton of money in the process. Spend times with your children doing some of these activities or add your own idea to the list!

Helping Your Child Get Ready for the First Day of Kindergarten

We’ve given birth and nurtured our children and watched them begin to grow into wonderful little people in awe of the world and all their surroundings. Now it’s time to prepare for them for the first big step in their lives – preparing for the first day of kindergarten.

Getting ready is probably the most difficult part. You have likely already been working to instill good, healthy habits into your child’s life but it’s even more important as they prepare to enter school to instill healthy habits like getting enough sleep – at least 10-12 hours per night and eating right – a healthy breakfast and lunch will help your child get through the day.

Once your child is in school on a full-time basis, it’s common to think that after school activities are all part of the process. We want our children to be well-rounded and involved and in our quest for making this happen, we tend to get our children wrapped up in many after school activities. Children can become as burnt out as adults can so it’s important to fight the urge to let them get involved with everything and keep these after school activities to a minimum.

The next step in helping your child adjust to school is to help them foster independence. Allowing your child (within reason of course) to pick their outfit and dress themselves will help give them both independence and confidence. Keep in mind that this doesn’t include tying their shoes. It is not uncommon for children not to learn to tie their shoes until their kindergarten year.

You also want to address things like making sure your child understands the importance of putting away things when they are done using or playing with them, putting the lids back on paints and markers and putting the crayons back in the box when they are finished.

Finally, make sure you have the “potty” talk before your child heads off to the classroom. Make sure they are able to take care of themselves after using the potty and don’t forget to stress the importance of washing their hands when they are finished.

Talking over these few tips will help your child be better prepared for their school day – take the time to make it a positive one! 

Crafts for Remembering Summer Vacations

Summer vacation is always a fun time for you and your family. Why not hold onto those memories a little longer and make them last a lifetime with a few simple crafts to capture those memories.

One simple idea is a “beautiful places” key chain. With just a few simple items, you can create a keychain keepsake.

You’ll need a few metal caps, pictures of the places you visited, a key chain accessory, duct tape, glue and yarn. Carefully cut the picture to fit the shape and size of the caps you are using and glue them to the inside of the cap. Cut pieces of yarn to match the number of caps you’ve made. Cut a small piece of duct tape and attach the yarn to the back of the cap. Cut a longer piece of yarn and pull it through the loop you’ve just attached to the back of your cap and knot it. Do this for all of the caps but be sure to leave enough space into between the caps.

Attach your keychain accessory to the end and you’re all finished.  

Another fun summer vacation project is a travel timeline. This can actually be done during the trip itself and will not only make the trip more enjoyable but will also limit the number of times you hear “Are we there yet??” All you need for this craft is a line of string or yarn, a hole punch, some drawing paper, crayons, colored pencils or markers and a few paper clips. See? No mess! Before you leave for your trip, install the string in your car like a clothes line. Have your child or children draw pictures or write short stories about each milestone of the trip. When they are finished, hang on the string with a paper clip. A good first picture to start with is of your own vehicle with everyone inside smiling and excited for the trip!

Finally, try an easy treasure chest. Get a box with a lid and long sheet of paper folded accordion-style. Glue the first sheet of the paper into the lid and the last sheet into the bottom of the box. On each page, glue or draw a picture from summer vacation and then tuck it neatly away in the box to be enjoyed through the years. 

Respiratory Issues in Children

All children – particularly those aged eleven and under – have experienced some type of respiratory distress at some point or another, in fact, some even have many during a calendar year.

There are two parts to the respiratory system that can be affected: the upper respiratory system which includes the sinuses, nose, mouth and throat and the lower respiratory system which is made up of the lungs and bronchial tubes.

Children who suffer from an upper respiratory infection can sound congested, suffer from irritability, restlessness, coughing when lying down, runny nose and even a fever that can spike to as high as 105.

While lower respiratory infections are less common, children can suffer from them and can experience symptoms like: shallow coughing, fever (which can also be an indication of pneumonia), difficulty breathing and wheezing. While both types of infections can mean a trip to your pediatrician’s office, a lower respiratory infection is a sure fire trip to the doctor.

Viruses are the most common cause of upper respiratory infections and lead to sore throats, the common cold and the flu. These ailments are typical among young children and typically run their course in four to ten days. Home remedies and over –the-counter medications are typically used to treat the symptoms of these infections as antibiotics aren’t effective for viral infections.

Bacterial infections are also a problem and ultimately lead to bacterial pneumonia – often after one of the more common viral ailments. Among the first signs of a bacterial infection is rapid breathing, irritability and decreased activity. While not effective on viral infections, antibiotics are typically prescribed for bacterial infections.

Watch your child and be aware of the early warning signs of respiratory infections. If after being treated, symptoms and conditions don’t improve, your best bet is to see your doctor for treatment. 

Talking to Children about Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is scary enough for adults but for children who don’t understand what’s involved with this awful disease and don’t understand the big medical words and procedures, it can be downright devastating. But how do you know when it’s ok to talk to your children about it?

Some experts say that when children learn how to control their own emotions, they are likely ready to discuss important issues like this. There are a wide range of emotions associated with the breast cancer – anger, denial, sadness, fear and when you’re talking with your children they will likely experience any or all of these emotions. The most important thing you can do is to be in control of your own emotions in order to be able to be supportive of your children and inform them of “what’s next.”

In addition to controlling your emotions, it’s best to wait until the family is together as a whole and have the conversation together in the privacy of your home. The group of you together can support each other and share the range of emotions as well as retreat into your private spaces and deal with your emotions privately.

It won’t be necessary to follow a script, unless it’s what is easiest for you to get everything out that you want to say. Either way, you want to make sure you cover the important aspects of what will happen as the disease takes its course: hair loss, nausea from chemotherapy, etc. All of this information may be confusing to particularly young children, and you will want to make sure you explain that what is happening to the cancer sufferer as a result of treatment, will not happen to them, too.

While this can be a difficult conversation to have with your children (remember, they will not react in the same way you did) it’s important above all else to be honest during your conversations. Some parents think that protecting their children from a cancer diagnosis, experts disagree with this. It’s important to be honest up front and with what’s happening and you’ll find that the honesty will make a difficult situation that much easier. 

Teaching Children About Dental Health

It’s never too soon to teach your children about the importance of good oral health and get them in to a routine that will carry them throughout their lives. While some children will take to the task at hand easily and without much fuss, everyone learns differently and may take a little extra coaxing. Here are a few tips for you to help your little ones keep their teeth and gums healthy.

• Teach your children about their teeth. Explain the different types of teeth, how many they have, where they are located and even what their jobs are. As adults we have 32 teeth – twelve molars (in sets of three and are in the back of the mouth), eight premolars (also known as bicuspids and are used to crush and tear food), four cuspids (next to the bicuspids or premolars and are pointed which make tearing food easy) and eight incisors (located in the front of the mouth and are used to cut food.)
• Read books specifically about dental health. A trip to your library or local book store will provide plenty of age-appropriate reading material that talk about good dental health. For younger children, books with more illustrations are a better choice. If you are able to connect to the Internet, the American Dental Association’s website offers an animated book about going to the dentist.
• Experiments are fun, too! You can come up with your own experiments or, if you prefer, Crest offers a great experiment on their website that shows how teeth can become soft and weak if they are continuously exposed to acids that are normally found in foods we eat every day.

 The younger your children are the better when it comes to teaching about good oral health habits. Don’t put it off another minute. 

Time-Saving Tips for Parents

Life itself is an unpredictable ride – but when you add children and the craziness of their schedules to the mix, it becomes even crazier. It’s no wonder that as parents we sometimes feel there is never enough time in the day to get everything done. It’s impossible to completely avoid chaos – and really, would you want to? But with a few of time-saving tips like the ones below, you can begin to make the most of your time.

 
·         Watch closely how you spend your time. Most of us spend more time on things every day that can either wait or really don’t need done at all.
·         Prioritize. The key to getting and staying organized is all about making and keeping priorities. Schedule more important tasks to be done and let the rest carry over until you have more time.
·         Multitask. Every parent has to master the art of multitasking. Use downtime like naps, doctor appointments or school time to get jobs done that are difficult to focus on when caring for your children.
·         Be prepared. With babies especially it’s important to be prepared. Keep a packed diaper bag in the car at all times to avoid having to carry extra baggage when you leave home.
·         Baskets, not diamonds, are a girl’s best friend. Baskets are a great way to store toys, video games and books in your children’s playroom or bedrooms.
·         Prepare for meals ahead of time. When you are making dinner, double or triple your recipe and freeze the extras for future meals. You’d be surprised just how much time this alone will save you!

These are just a few tips that can help parent’s lead less chaotic lives, spend less time on working and more time on more important things – spending time with our kids

The Importance of Teaching Your Children Good Manners

It’s no secret that raising children today is a tough job. With all of the influences they have in their lives, keeping them on the right path is never easy.

One area that will never be “out of style” when it comes to raising good kids is teaching them manners. Children who are taught manners at a young age, grow up to be kinder, gentler and more considerate of others than those who don’t.

The easiest way to begin teaching your children good manners is to lead by example. Say “please” and “thank you,” don’t interrupt others when they are speaking and practicing good table manners are the easiest manners to teach so start with these. Table manners are especially important – not only for meals at home but for meals out, as well. Children have a hard enough time remembering how to behave at home let alone how to behave in a public place like a restaurant, for example. Keeping the rules the same across the board saves any problems from arising.

Other good manners your children can learn:

·         Writing thank you notes

·         Making get-well cards for sick adults or friends

·         Saying hello and goodbye when appropriate

·         Sharing with and being kind to others

While teaching and explaining what good manners are, again, the best way for it to sink in for your kids is to lead by example – not by a “do as I say not as I do” approach. Your children watch adults and mimic what they see – especially when it comes to parents.

Finally, praise their good behavior every time they practice a form of good manners. Giving praise is a wonderful reinforcement for what you’re teaching – let your children know how proud of them you are.

Childhood Cancer – Signs and Symptoms

Few things strike fear into the hearts of parents more than the word “cancer” – particularly when it involves their children. While cancer in children tends to be rare, it can happen and there are things that parents should be on the lookout for.

Always be observant of any sudden changes in your child – either with their health, behavior or both. Keep in mind that these sudden changes don’t necessarily indicate cancer, but should be checked out by a professional. Here are several signs that you should look for. If you notice any or all of these, bring them to the attention of your doctor immediately.

·         Continued and unexplained weight loss

·         Headaches accompanied by early morning vomiting

·         Increased swelling and/or pain in the joints, back, bones and legs

·         Lumps or masses in the armpits, abdomen, neck, chest or pelvis

·         Excessive bruising or bleeding

·         Constant infections

·         White color behind the pupils

·         Persistent nausea with or without vomiting

·         Constant fatigue

·         Noticeable paleness

·         Sudden and persistent changes in vision

·         Recurring fevers of unknown origins

The chances that your child will develop cancer are slim, in fact, the odds of developing cancer before the age of 19 are 1 in 330. However, that being said, you should know that cancer is the second leading cause of death in children, only behind accidents.

As a parent, there is plenty you can do to stay on top of your children’s health in order to be aware of any situations early on. Be sure to take your infants to their regular check-ups with the pediatrician and make sure your older children are seen at least yearly, and more frequently if there is a problem.  Don’t be afraid to ask questions during the appointments and ask the doctor or nurse practitioner to explain what he or she is doing, what tests they are ordering, etc. 

Finally, go with your gut instincts if something just doesn’t seem right about your child’s health or behavior. It doesn’t mean perform a self-diagnosis, but nobody knows your child like you do. If you think there’s a problem – get it checked out, don’t second guess yourself.