August 16th, 2011 by admin
New experiences and change in routine can bring on stress or cause children to suffer anxiety and going back to school encompasses both, a new experience and change in routine. Parents need to realize that going back to school each year involves new teachers, new classes, new schedules and more and these new experiences or the unknown surrounding this new experience is what causes children to be stressed and feel anxious.
If parents can realize that going back to school is a transition, that is half the battle. A smoother transition can also be easier to accomplish if the parent views the change from the Childs perspective and remembering that children have far less experiences dealing with the unknown thus making these life transitions more difficult for them than we believe it should be.
There will be first day mania, emotions will be running high for both parent and child and thus patience is KEY!
5 More tips to a healthier and easier transition back to school-
1. Regulate New Bedtime and Morning Routine NOW
Too many children start the school year exhausted because they adjust their summer “staying-up-late” schedule to “early rising” the day before school starts. Instead, institute a routine of 8 p.m. bedtime and 7 a.m. rising one to two weeks in advance.
2. Read books about going back to school with young children.
3. Develop a plan for the first day of school.
You may even want to set out clothes and backpacks to rehearse the school morning, so that kids can predict exactly how it will go. This will reduce anxiety for everyone, including parents.
4. Take him to meet his teacher.
Many schools hold get-acquainted sessions. Spending hours with this new adult will not be so scary if he has already hung out with her — with you around. If he is going to a new school, walk around the building so it is familiar on the first day.
5. Do NOT start after school activities for 2 weeks
Transitioning back to school is hard enough for children but working into the schedule after school sports and activities can be disastrous for both child and parent.
From coordinating carpool to these activities, packing additional gear and finding time to eat a healthy snack are all extra elements to cause severe anxiety for all.
Let your children ease back into school and simply come home after school for a 30-minute MINDFUL Period for at least 2 weeks before jumping into these activities.
If you really can not pull off missing Fall sports practices for two weeks, cut back the 2night per week practice the week school starts to only 1 night that week. At a young age, missing a week of practice will not deter them to become Olympians if they are meant to be.
Mindful Period- when a child goes into their bedroom and has quiet time that is creative and on their own. It gives them time to decompress.
REMEMBER – Teachers are also readjusting to their new schedules and are regularly very accommodating to a child’s needs as well as the parents.
Happily Written by The Mom Advocate, AnnMarie
August 9th, 2011 by admin
Your son or daughter’s lunch box may have more in it than that juice box and peanut butter sandwich you packed this morning. Lunch boxes as well as backpacks can harbor germs that cause colds, flu and even food poison. Additionally, remember to keep their lunch cool enough and not spoil their lunch before they get to eat it.
Five Tips To a Safe Lunch Box & Back Pack This School Year
Do not make lunch or pack tomorrows backpack while you do the laundry. It may sound like an easy way to multitask, but doing laundry while making a sandwich is actually an even easier way to get sick. You can easily transfer germs from dirty laundry to your kid’s lunch and not even know it.
Teach your child to wash hands before lunch at school. It really works. “The No. 1 time to wash your hands and make sure your kids do too is before you eat anything
Empty The Back Pack Each Night- Extra food from lunch, slightly opened bottle of Gatorade and dirty sweatshirts are just a few items that linger in backpacks each night and become a haven for damaging bacteria to grow.
Pack a healthy lunch. While there is not a direct correlation between nutrients and immunity; children who eat poorly and do not take in enough calories have weaker immune systems and are more likely to pick up a cold or flu
Spend Less, Buy More. I am a big fan of inexpensive, yet just as functional lunch boxes and backpacks than expensive, designer ones because it has been proven to buy your kids NEW backpacks and lunch boxes at the beginning of the year and at the 2 week Winter Break or twice per year.
Safety over Style is key in keeping your kids healthy while toting their lunch and school supplies. Do NOT forget to wash out Lunch Box DAILY & Back Pack once a week.
Thanks to the nation’s preeminent full-line sporting goods chain that happens to be in Colorado’s backyard, Sports Authority, www.sportsauthority.com You can buy the ideal back packs and more items for your child this school year and be safe and stylish at the same time! Sports Authority’s backpacks are all high quality and come in a large variety and styles to meet you and your child’s needs.
From their Jansport Superbreak at only $29.99 to their Adidas Cooper Backpack which retails for $55.00, you can find the perfect style, fit and color of a back pack for each of your children in one super store.
All of Sports Authority backpacks are easy to care for with washing instructions securely tagged on each bag reminding us all to wash each of our children’s backpacks at least one time per week to minimize the backpack from harboring germs and dangerous bacteria that can ultimately harm our children.
Look at these amazing backpacks offered by Sports Authority-
Happily written by The MomAdvocate; AnnMarie
August 2nd, 2011 by admin
Today’s parents are busier than ever and often our patience is non-existent. Often, without thinking, parents will blurt out words they should not. Such forms of expression towards their children include exaggerations, threats, and even bribes and meant to positively influence children’s behavior. Most of them sound relatively harmless, but behind some words are messages that hurt or can lay the groundwork for future problems.
The following are five things that, in an ideal world, you would never say to your kids. If you find yourself thinking “been there, said that,” join the club but also realize that we all have room for improvement.
1. “If you don’t hurry, I’ll leave you here.”
Threats only teach children not to take their parents seriously. Instead of admonishing, present your kids with consequences that they can relate to. Tell your dawdler, “If you don’t finish getting dressed, we won’t have time to stop at the playground on the way home.”
2. “You’re such a klutz” or “you’re so mean.” When you label a kid, by calling them shy, lazy or clumsy – you’re pigeonholing them and they start to think that whatever the adjective is, is who they are. It becomes a self-fulfilling prophesy. You call a kid lazy enough times and they will be. Instead of labeling the child, just label the action or behavior and leave their personality out of it.
Continue reading ‘Five Things Not to Say to Your Child’
July 26th, 2011 by admin
Empty nest syndrome is a general feeling of loneliness that parents or guardians may feel when one or more of their children leave home. Although these feelings are more commonly seen in women, men too can feel this emptiness and it can be devastating to parents and children alike.
Whether the oldest child leaves for their first year of college, moves out on their own after High School or marries the love of their life, the role and influence of the parents often becomes less important compared to the new spouse, college friends or freedom of a child moving out on their own. The new role a parent plays becomes the catalyst to the Empty Nest Syndrome.
A strong maternal or paternal bond between the parent and child can make the condition worse. The role of the parent while the child is still living with them is more hands-on and immediate than is possible when they have moved out, particularly if the distance means that visits are difficult.
The strong feelings of lonliness can lead to parents developing Depression and deflecting their feelings of lonliness to destructive behavior towards their children and partners.
Do not let the uncertainty of your role as parents in the changing times destroy the loving relationships you already built with your partner and children. Below are 5 Tips To Dealing With Empty Nest Feelings-
Continue reading ‘Empty Nest Syndrome’
July 19th, 2011 by admin
When to end “togetherness” in the Bath? Will seeing you naked harm your children? Do you share a public bathroom stall? What age do you not take a child of the opposite sex into your public bathroom? When do you stop allowing your child to see you go to the bathroom and home? In addition, many more questions are at the forefront of parents when it comes to nudity.
My advice, take cues from your child and not worry so much. As soon as your son or daughter becomes modest, respect that desire for privacy. Yet never make nudity seem like the devil or that your child should be embarrassed or ashamed about their body.
Generally, toddlers love to run around naked and they don’t take notice whether an adult has clothes on or not. By the early school years — kindergarten or certainly first grade — you will often hear your child make comments about adult nudity. This is a reasonable time to think about covering up a little more in front of your child.
If your child simply doesn’t notice or doesn’t care, then I recommend imposing a little more modesty once your child starts to develop. This occurs in the tween years. But nudity should not be demonized–rather modesty should be encouraged. This shift in the tween years is especially important as you are starting to have discussions about personal privacy and the most basic conversations about sexual behavior.
Always be genuine. Do not force yourself into being comfortable with parental nudity. If you grew up not ever seeing your parents nude and you want to follow their example, then early on cover up BUT be consistent. Do not juggle between being bashful about your nudity at times and unmindful at other times.
Explain the difference in attitudes. If your child brings up the fact that his friend’s parents are never seen naked, be ready with a well thought out explanation.
Continue reading ‘Nudity At Home’
June 27th, 2011 by admin
It might be Independence Day but do not be Independent about your safety. Follow Safety Tips and neither you nor your children will become a statistic of injury during this great holiday.
Food for thought; in 2010, 9 deaths and over 9,000 injuries recorded due to Fireworks ON July 4th according to CDC. Most of the injuries were burns and lacerations to hand and face, however many severe enough for life long disabilities including loss of limbs. In fact, according to the CDC, 50% of all firework injuries are to children 14 years and younger. Thus, it is our job as parents to set a good example and provide direction to our children that can save them from harms way, including Firework Safety Tips.
FIREWORK SAFETY TIPS
• Never try to make your own fireworks.
• Always use fireworks outside and have a bucket of water and a hose nearby in case of accidents.
• Steer clear of others —
• Never throw or point fireworks at someone
• Do not hold fireworks in your hand or have any part of your body over them while lighting.
• Wear some sort of eye protection
• Never carry fireworks in your pocket — the friction could set them off.
• Point fireworks away from homes
• Light one firework at a time
• Do not allow kids to pick up pieces of fireworks after an event.
• Soak all fireworks in a bucket of water before throwing them in the trashcan.
In addition to the traditional Fire Work Safety Tips, keep away from brush and leaves and flammable substances. The National Fire Protection Association estimates that local fire departments respond to more 50,000 fires caused by fireworks each year.
Continue reading ‘Play it SAFE on Independence Day’
June 13th, 2011 by admin
10 to 16 Diapers per day, per child. 7,349 Diapers on average, per child during the first year of life. $2,500 on average, per child, per year on Diapers. 27.4 BILLION Diapers used per year in the United States.
Spending this much money, per child, per year takes many things, including patience. Patience is also the key to potty training your child.
NO child is going to graduate high school in diapers and accepting that there isn’t a perfect age to potty train any child rather a recommended age to consider potty training, will give you the necessary outlook and patience needed to endure the expense of diapers and the task of potty training.
Whether you choose cloth or disposable, diapers are pricey, cumbersome and dirty. All parents look forward to the day their child no longer wears them.
Determining if your child is ready to say adieu to diapers takes more than wishful thinking. You know more than anyone else if your child is truly ready. Here are five questions to ask yourself. Is your child interested in a potty chair, toilet or in wearing underwear? Can your child understand and follow basic instructions? Can your child ask simple questions? Does your child stay dry for periods of two hours or longer during the day? Does he or she wake from naps dry? If your answer to these questions is yes, then your child is presumably on his way to ending the diaper days.
Continue reading ‘All The Poop On Potty Training’
June 6th, 2011 by admin
More than 3,000 children were seriously injured from Toy Guns in 2009 and increased to more than 3,600 in 2010.
Eight children DIE every day from firearm accidents in the United States.
Not only are toy guns dangerous to play with, they also have long-term negative effects on your children.
Toy guns are dangerous for our children to play with for several reasons. The outward appearance of a toy gun is now very difficult to distinguish between a toy and a real gun. In addition, the technology of the gun has progressed to being able to shoot objects out of them including dangerous powder. Finally, toy guns are no longer being used for playing cowboy and Indians.
Due to today’s technological advances with toy guns, developers are making them full of projectiles, which increase their ability to injure children especially in their eyes and faces. Many projectiles are also in the form of powder, which is causing permanent eye damage including blindness.
The technological advances are also making it very difficult for Law Enforcement to distinguish between a toy gun and a real gun. This has lead to an increase in accidental deaths of children by Law Enforcement who act in defense to a suspect who is actually carrying a toy gun. Furthermore, the technological advances and difficulty distinguishing between a toy and a real gun are driving up the accidental shootings, serious injuries and death of children and teens.
Continue reading ‘Toy Gun Dangers In Your Home’
May 24th, 2011 by admin
Nearly 60% of all children are affected by motion sickness.
Motion sickness begins when there are conflicting signals from the motion-sensing parts of our bodies: the inner ears, eyes and the nerves in our extremities. The symptoms of motion sickness appear when the central nervous system receives conflicting messages from the other four systems. For example, your child is sitting in the back seat of a moving car, reading a book. Their inner ears and skin receptors will detect the motion of travel, but their eyes see only the pages of the book. This could make a child become “carsick.”
As the summer months approach us and we begin the daily camp routine, activities galore, play date schleps and family vacation experiences, car sickness among our children becomes all too common. Below are some Signs, Symptoms and Solutions for you and your family to eliminate and prevent all together carsickness this summer.
Knowing the signs of car-sickness can be very powerful in preventing your child from becoming worse along with being able to prevent these symptoms from occurring in the first place.
Signs include queasiness or vague stomach aches during travel, a light sweat, fatigue and a loss of appetite.
Continue reading ‘Don’t Let Carsick Kids Slow You Down’
May 16th, 2011 by admin
The longest day of the year and the first day of summer is nearly upon us. June 21, 2011, is right around the corner. However, it won’t take until the end of June for most of our children to be hitting the pavement hard and jumping into the nearest swimming pool. This summer, like all other summers past, our children are going to be enjoying the favorable temperatures of a cool swimming pool during the hot summer months. Parents everywhere are going to be worrying.
Let me help you worry less.
Summer Safety is an interactive family discussion to have prior to the neighborhood swimming pool opening. Now is the perfect time to have that discussion and here are a few questions to ask your children which stress the importance of Summer Safety:
How much sunscreen should be used and how often do you apply?
What are general rules of all of swimming pool safety including diving?
What precautions do you take while riding bikes and other riding toys?
To begin the sunscreen discussion, ask your family if they know that the largest organ in the human body is skin. Let them know that most kids rack up between 50% and 80% of their lifetime sun exposure before age 18.
They need the right precautions so they can greatly reduce their chance of developing skin cancer. Here are the Do’s.
Continue reading ‘Summer Safety’
