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January 19, 2012 by admin
It starts with a sniffle — next thing you know, the whole household is sneezing, coughing, passing tissues and slurping chicken soup: The common cold, or worse, seasonal flu, is upon you.
By the time you’re a parent, you’ve probably had your fair share of colds and bouts of the flu. According to the CDC, each year up to 20% of the population gets the flu, and the Mayo Clinic cites the common cold as the number one culprit of stay-home-sick-from-school days in children. But although there’s not much you can do medically for a cold or even the flu, aside from the vaccine or antiviral treatment in some cases, there are alternative treatments (yes, chicken soup is one!) and prevention techniques you can use to help keep your family cold- and flu-free.
http://www.parenting.com/category/conditions/cold-flu?cid=relblogposts&cid=relblogposts
From Parenting.com Family Health Guide
Tags: Cold, Flu, Prevention, Treatment
Categories: Children, Health •
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January 6, 2012 by admin
Making resolutions for the New Year can be a fun family activity as well as one led by child care providers or teachers alike, as well. After all, everyone has goals for improvements for the new year, and talking about them and then working to make sure they’re achieved is a great family or team activity. Here are ways to get started.
1. Check Out Kid-Friendly Sites Together
From sending an animated New Year’s Card, creating New Year’s desktop wallpaper, to playing an online New Year’s jigsaw puzzle or watching a fireworks show, there is a growing number of kid-friendly sites with a mission of fun. Some even feature goal-making games and ideas as well as explanations as to why there is a new year anyway.
2. Set Group Goals For Starters
Set a special “group goal setting time” for kids by cutting paper strips (big enough for little hands to write on–younger kids will need help from an adult), and have each child write three goals they would like to see achieved as a family/care setting. Have all the group goals read aloud and then combined with other contributions, and then set a list of achievable and agreed-to “top 5″ goals as the approved goals for the year for the family or child care.
3. Create A New Sharing Tradition
Kids only need to be able to talk for this one. Start with a special family activity (special meal, game night, park fun, family football, or whatever). Then, have each person speak of wishes they hope will come true in the new year for other members of the family. A sibling may wish that the brother earns a spot on the select baseball team or that a sister finally loses her two front teeth. The end goal is quality time and communication.
4. My Teenage Son’s Goal in Life Is to Make Me Feel 3,500 Years Old Book
If you’re a fan of Pulitzer Prize-winning American humorist, Dave Barry, check out his book, “My Teenage Son’s Goal in Life Is to Make Me Feel 3,500 Years Old–And Other Thoughts on Parenting.” You might as well start the new year off with laughter. This is a “should read” even if your kids are small…so you’ll know what you’ll be facing sooner than you expect!
5. A Kid’s Goalsetting Guide (for Parents)
Parents: Need help with helping your kids set goals for themselves? Here is a guide that will lay a path for parental assistance in getting kids to aspire to self-achievement.
6. New Year’s Resolutions vs. New Year’s Goals
About Guide to Management John Reh discusses the difference between setting New Year’s Resolutions vs. New Year’s Goals. The explanation is aimed more for business applications, but its advice is certainly applicable to all aspects of your life.
7. Goals for Care Providers and Parents
Parents and child care providers should take advantage of the new year to discuss goals they have for their kids (or kids in their care) for the new year. Providers, if you have parents who are late with pick-up or you’d like them to work with their children on potty training or table manners, a new year’s goal can be sent home in a positive way. Parents, if you’d like to make recommendations for activities or something relating to your child’s care, this is a good time as well!
From Robin McClure, former About.com Guide
Tags: Goal, Goal Setting, Goals, New Year, New Year's
Categories: Uncategorized •
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November 8, 2011 by admin
You are serving dinner for 18, have a turkey to stuff, pies to bake, a table to set and a house to clean. (We’re stressed just imagining it!) How the heck are you going to keep your kids busy and out of your hair?
Check out this article from parents.com and see how to involve your kids in new holiday traditions!
Tags: thanksgiving, thanksgiving crafts, thanksgiving picks
Categories: Uncategorized •
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October 1, 2011 by admin
Ever since I was a little girl, my parents instilled in me the importance of doing for others. We even grew up to deliver Meals on Wheels to the elderly on Christmas morning before opening our presents. My dad and I did this faithfully for at least 20 years after I graduated college. Faithful community service and giving helped us understand just how blessed we are, and that no matter the size of the deed, we can all do our part to help others in need. Community service is how we connect the world to make it a better place
USA Weekend annually sponsors Make a Difference Day where anyone can make a true difference in their communities, for their favorite charities, or with other organizations. Join the 3 million volunteers who will rally to make a difference in their communities this year on USA WEEKEND’s Make A Difference Day: October 22, 2011.
Read more about this phenomenal event and show the kids how they can make a difference!
USA WEEKEND proudly sponsors Make A Difference Day with HandsOn Network. Newman’s Own is a longtime supporter.
Make A Difference Day is the most encompassing national day of helping others. Held annually on the fourth Saturday of October, millions of Americans are rallied into a single day of action to help change the world.
Everyone can participate. Find a need in your community and use the power of Make A Difference Day to mobilize your family, your neighbors, even your entire town into a day of action.
Thanks for Helping
More than 3 million Americans were out volunteering on last October’s Make A Difference Day. The April 8-10 issue of USA WEEKEND spotlighted the 10 National Honorees and three City Honorees receiving awards and $10,000 donations from Newman’s Own. That same week, the National Honorees were recognized at an awards ceremony in Washington, D.C.
Look at all the good!
Check out photos from Make A Difference Day events (and share yours!) in OUR PHOTO GALLERY
See what participants are posting to the MAKE A DIFFERENCE DAY FACEBOOK PAGE
See what participants are posting to the MAKE A DIFFERENCE DAY YOUTUBE CHANNEL and post your DiffDay videos
Follow Make A Difference Day on Twitter (@mdday) and tweet your plans for this year’s event using the hashtag #mdday11.
As a runner, I believe strongly in the physical and emotional benefits of the sport. That’s why I serve on the National Board of Directors of Back on My Feet, an organization that empowers homeless people to turn their lives around through running.
Click the link below to read the entire article, then grab the kids and plan to make a difference this year!
http://www.usaweekend.com/section/mdday
Categories: Uncategorized •
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August 19, 2011 by admin
In this age of almost total electronic communication, school districts are seriously deciding whether to eliminate handwriting from their curriculums. Here’s an article from USA Weekend, July 28, 2011, telling how you can keep this important tool as part of your child’s learning.
To help your child’s language and writing development talk about new words. / Juice Images/Getty Images
For generations, parents have read bedtime stories to their children, hoping to help them develop language, vocabulary and creativity. But new educational research shows that writing is as fundamental to a child’s development as reading. In her new book, Your Child’s Writing, Pam Allyn outlines the five keys to help kids write:
Word power. As children’s vocabularies grow, they are drawn to new words they hear. Help them practice using new words by writing notes to each other, creating a “word jar” with your child’s favorite words and talking about new words you hear in songs.
Reading aloud. This is a great way to teach kids grammar, syntax and other structures of writing. Try all genres: poetry, non-fiction, even picture books.
Identity. Just the way your child’s favorite color changes by the minute, so will her style of writing. As she tries out new ways of expressing herself on paper, expose your child to a variety of writing styles, then let her develop her own writing identity.
Time. Make writing time sacred and consistent.
Environment. Allyn says a writing environment is just as essential to developing a great writer as a solid vocabulary and grasp on grammar. To create the ideal writing environment for your aspiring writer, you’ll need a surface, writing tools, good lighting and a little bit of inspiration.
Categories: Uncategorized •
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July 9, 2011 by admin
Within the last three years, the country has been consumed by the trial of Casey Anthony, accused and most recently acquitted of 1st degree murder of her 2-year-old daughter, Caylee. The not-guilty verdict was shocking and devastating, to say the least, by much of the country.
The day the verdict came down, the ladies of ABC’s The Talk were visibly upset. Being a mother, one of the anchors talked about how her own children were as devastated and emotionally undone by the outcome as she was. She had, for all intents and purposes, immersed herself in the case each day since the beginning. Ultimately, her family was as emotionally rattled as she was.
So, how do we talk to children about death? How do we help them get through the feeling of loss?
Watch this ABC News Video for help on how to reach your youngsters and help them cope with their feelings.
Categories: Uncategorized •
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June 29, 2011 by admin
Kids spend the year learning, learning, and learning. When summer comes, they experience what experts call “brain drain.” How can you help them retain what they’ve learned during the school year? This topic was discussed on Good Morning America. What do you think?
Now that school is out, most families can’t help but think of summer in terms of fun — especially after dreaming all winter about lazy days in the backyard and nights free of homework and projects. That’s one reason why the anecdotal and statistical information on what happens to kids academically over the long break can seem so depressing.
Parenting.com reports that virtually all kids will lose some hard-won math knowledge, and many will experience setbacks in reading. As a result, teachers will begin the next school year teaching the same material in the fall for a month or more. So how can summer-loving families reconcile these two seemingly separate camps — summer as fun and summer as academics? Parenting.com’s Rachel Fishman Feddersen shares some great ideas for combating summer brain drain.
Take the Science-Fair Volcano to the Next Level. You have to sacrifice a two-liter bottle of diet soda for this one (it’s less sticky than regular soda, so easier to clean up), but it’ll be worth it. Open the soda on the driveway or in the yard. Now, as quickly as possible (it helps to use a funnel; you can make one out of paper), drop an entire roll of Mentos candies into the bottle and run: The soda will explode from the bottle, making a huge geyser.
Rock ‘N’ Roll Ice Cream. Put salt and ice in a gallon-size plastic bag. Now put half-and-half, sugar and vanilla in a sandwich-size one. Seal it, and place the small bag in the larger one. Seal that, and start
dancing to “churn” the mixture into ice cream!
Calling All Parents! How Do You Prevent Kids’ Summer Brain Drain? Send ‘GMA’ Your Creative Ideas, Tricks to Sneak In Learning
Evaporation Detectives. Circle puddles on the cement with chalk after a storm, then check them throughout the day. Your child will see the puddles shrink before his eyes — a vivid image of how the water cycle works.
Bowling For Fractions. Draw a line with chalk on the sidewalk. Measure out 1/4, 1/2, 1/6, and so forth — whatever fractions your child might reasonably know. Now place boxes or plastic bottles (whatever you can come up with that is easily knocked over) on the marks. The players name the fraction they are going to hit and then roll their ball for the pin they think sits on that fraction. Players get points for the correct fraction — and the hit.
A-Z Neighborhood Walk. Turn a simple stroll into a stimulating learning experience. Bring along a measuring tape to see who can find the tree with the biggest circumference, the sunflower with the largest face, a huge rock. Along the way, look up for birds’ nests. What kind of materials did the birds use? Have kids keep a mental list of objects seen on the walk that begin with each letter of the alphabet. When you return back home, use chalk to write out the words together on the driveway.
Three-Way Race. Pull different modes of transportation from the garage — bikes, skateboards, scooters. Use chalk to draw start and finish lines in a safe area, and have kids test each toy to see which one gets them to the finish line first. Use sidewalk chalk to keep track of who is using what, while one child uses a stopwatch to record the times. Compare and subtract the scores to see how much the winner of each race won by, and have kids switch from the bike to another item to see how much their time increases or decreases.
For more fun activities to keep kids’ brains stimulated over the summer break, visit Parenting.com.
More From Parenting.com:
16 Fun Brain-Boosting Games
Moms’ Top Tips for Helping Kids Learn Over the Summer
Tags: brain drain, fun, games, homework, knowledge, learning, math, reading
Categories: Brain, Drain, Knowledge, Learning, Summer •
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June 8, 2011 by admin
As of late, throughout the country, after the various storms and wildfires, temperatures have steadily risen. This week alone in Michigan, we’re enduring temps in the 90s for at least three days. Now, we must do all we can to keep kids hydrated and healthy. The article below is from the Evironmental Protection Agency (EPA) and gives tips about how to keep children and pregnant women safe and healthy in extreme temperatures. We’d love to hear from you, too. What do you do to keep cool when the summer is suddenly raging? Ice cubes made with fruit juice and fruit pieces? Running outside through sprinklers? What else did we enjoy as kids?
Extreme Heat: Effects on Children and Pregnant Women
Heat-related illnesses are common, yet preventable on hot days. Children and pregnant women need to take extra precautions to avoid overheating on days of extreme heat. Dehydration, heat stroke, and other heat illnesses may affect a child or pregnant woman more severely than the average adult. Download a copy of this information (PDF) (2 pp, 80K, About PDF).
Why are children more susceptible to extreme heat?
- Physical characteristics – Children have a smaller body mass to surface area ratio than adults, making them more vulnerable to heat-related morbidity and mortality. Children are more likely to become dehydrated than adults because they can lose more fluid quickly.
- Behaviors – Children play outside more than adults, and they may be at greater risk of heat stroke and exhaustion because they may lack the judgment to limit exertion during hot weather and to rehydrate themselves after long periods of time in the heat. There are also regular reports of infants dying when left in unattended vehicles, which suggests a low awareness of the dangers of heat events.
How do I know if my child is dehydrated?
- Decreased physical activity
- Lack of tears when crying
- Dry mouth
- Irritability and fussiness
What should I do if my child has become dehydrated?
- Have the child or infant drink fluid replacement products
- Allow for rehydration to take a few hours, over which children should stay in a cool, shaded area and sip fluids periodically
- Call your doctor if symptoms do not improve or if they worsen
How do I know if my child has suffered a heat stroke?
Heat stroke, a condition in which the body becomes overheated in a relatively short span of time, can be life-threatening and requires immediate medical attention.
- Skin is flushed, red and dry
- Little or no sweating
- Deep breathing
- Dizziness, headache, and/or fatigue
- Less urine is produced, of a dark yellowish color
- Loss of consciousness
What should I do if my child has suffered a heat stroke?
- Immediately remove child from heat and place in a cool environment
- Place child in bath of cool water and massage skin to increase circulation (do not use water colder than 60 degrees F – may restrict blood vessels)
- Take child to hospital or doctor as soon as possible
How can children be protected from the effects of extreme heat?
- Hydration – Make sure children are drinking plenty of fluids while playing outside, especially if they are participating in sports or rigorous physical activity. Fluids should be drunk before, during and after periods of time in extreme heat.
- Staying indoors – Ideally, children should avoid spending time outdoors during periods of extreme heat. Playing outside in the morning or evenings can protect children from dehydration or heat exhaustion. Never leave a child in a parked car, even if the windows are open.
- Light clothing – Children should be dressed in light, loose-fitting clothes on extremely hot days. Breathable fabrics such as cotton are ideal because sweat can evaporate and cool down the child’s body.
How do I care for my infant during hot weather?
- Check your baby’s diaper for concentrated urine, which can be a sign of dehydration.
- If your infant is sweating, he or she is too warm. Remove him or her from the sun immediately and find a place for the baby to cool down.
- Avoid using a fan on or near your baby; it dehydrates them faster.
- A hat traps an infant’s body heat and should only be worn in the sun to avoid sunburn.
- Never leave an infant in a parked car, even if the windows are open.
Why are pregnant woman especially at risk during periods of extreme heat?
An increase in the core body temperature of a pregnant woman may affect the fetus, especially during the first trimester.
How can pregnant women protect themselves from the effects of extreme heat?
- Wear light loose fitting clothing
- Stay hydrated by drinking six to eight glasses of water a day
- Avoid caffeine, salt, and alcohol
- Balance fluids by drinking beverages with sodium and other electrolytes
- Limit midday excursions when temperatures are at their highest
- Call doctor or go to emergency room if woman feels dizzy, short of breath, or lightheaded
Where can I find more information about extreme heat?
Tags: Hot, Infant, Pregnant, safety, Summer, Symptoms, Temperatures
Categories: Dehydration, Extreme Heat, Heat Stroke, Hydration •
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May 28, 2011 by admin
Remember the times when school was ending, and maybe mom began packing away your winter clothes, donating things the family hadn’t touched in months, reaching under your bed or into the back of your closet to get rid of what she thought was junk? After your protests, the home was cleaner, smelled fresher, and was much more organized. Well, it’s that time of year again. How can we get children excited about taking their old clothes, toys, and games and perhaps donating them to charities, to survivors of the terrible storms throughout the country this year, or just to other kids in the neighborhood who would love to have them? The article below offers really good tips from regular moms on getting kids to help with the spring cleaning.
Spring Cleaning With Kids
by Smockity Frocks on March 7, 2011
WELCOME to Smockity Frocks, where our lives have recently been turned upside down by a HUGE, life changing event. You can subscribe for free to my RSS feed or by email, or see real time, daily updates on how we are navigating our sudden upheaval. And don’t forget to “like” my Facebook fan page where I chat daily with my fans and post interesting links. See you there!
This week my fabulous team of experts and I are sharing our plans for spring.
Be sure to check out what each of my team has up her sleeve for spring and we will help you put your house in order!
What I have on my agenda for spring break next week is some spring cleaning and completing of projects that have been on my “to do” list for a while.
I have typed out each of the items I want to accomplish and I am offering any child 50 cents IF they can get a given chore done BEFORE I tackle it, IF it is done to my satisfaction.
Since my children are about as competitive as I am (VERY) and we make them pay for their own stuff, I suspect there will be much scrambling to beat Mama to the work, because if Mama gets the job done first, there won’t be any pay off and you might even be able to hear Mama doing fist pumps and loud-whispering, “YES! YES! YESSsssss!”
I have included difficult tasks, like repairing screens on windows, and easier ones like picking up sticks and twigs in the yard, so every child, from 3 to 15, will have the chance to participate if they would like to. The printed chore list will be color coded to denote which tasks are reserved for which ages, and placed in a prominent place.
Then, I’ll blow a whistle and the scrambling will begin!
Not really on the whistle.
Really on the scrambling.
Tags: donating, help, Kids, organize
Categories: Spring Cleaning •
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May 23, 2011 by admin
Within the past few months, the U.S. has been battered by floods, storms, hurricanes, and tornadoes, wiping out hundreds of lives, homes, property, and just America’s general peace of mind. Children become as afraid and stressed as adults during these times. How do we talk to them about natural disasters and other situations they can’t control? The article below appeared in the Orlando Sentinel in 2009, but still has a few good tips on how to calm our children.
How to keep kids calm despite storms
May 31, 2009
Surviving nature’s fury can be stressful for adults and children alike.
But experts say good preparation can get families through it, starting well before a hurricane approaches. Keeping calm and busy is essential during a storm. And talking with kids afterward will help them cope with any fears or bad memories.
Families should put together a disaster kit ahead of a hurricane with flashlights, medical supplies, water and other items. Children can create their own activity survival kit with items they might need to stay busy or to make them feel safe.
Because a hurricane can knock out power for days, items should include some of the child’s favorite books and board games. Crafts are a good way to spend time, so include scissors, crayons, markers, and paper.
Children also should pack their favorite blankets, pillows or stuffed animals to give kids a sense of security.
The kits also should include pictures of the family and pets. They can be assembled in a backpack or duffel bag — preferably one that a child can carry.
Video games and other electronic toys may become useless without power. But some hand-held video games run on batteries, so keep a good supply available.
During preparations before a storm, you may ask children to help out so they can feel involved and in charge of sometimes scary situations. Have them put together snack bags for the family, check batteries in their games and other devices, occupy younger children, or some other duties.
Talk with children or provide them with age-appropriate books and reading materials to help them learn about hurricanes, satisfy their curiosity, or quell fears. Parents should be ready to talk with children about their concerns.
Try to keep children busy during the storm. Don’t watch too much television-news coverage of the storm damage.
If you have to evacuate, talk to children about keeping the family safe and how a home and other possessions can be replaced. Do not bring expensive video games or toys to a shelter — they can be lost or stolen.
After the hurricane passes, try to keep children from going outside until you know it is safe from downed power lines and storm debris that can injure them. After leaving a shelter, talk to young ones about how the home and neighborhood may be damaged to prepare them for the tremendous change.
Some say parents should try to restore normal family routines — meals, family, playtimes — as soon as possible to show the situation is under control. Watch for signs of stress with children such as nightmares and persistent fears of weather, loud noises, or being left alone.
Tags: damage, fear, natural disaster, preparation, safe, safety, storm, stress, survival
Categories: hurricanes, storms, tornadoes, weather •
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