Kids Safety on Bikes, Skateboards, Inline Skates & Kick Scooters (Part 5 of 5)
Guest Blogger: JE Ince
These days, one of our biggest challenges as parents is keeping our kids active and healthy. A fun option is to get them on a bike, skateboard, inline skates or scooter. With the wind in their hair, kids won’t even notice they’re shedding calories, improving their respiratory and cardiovascular health, and even helping them stay focused in school.
Keeping children safe while they’re participating in these activities is job one for parents. The first step is selecting appropriate equipment. Choosing the right kind of bike for your child can be a challenge. Will they be riding more on the road or off? Will they be riding for distance or just around the block? According to
Kids & Sandboxes: What Parents Should Know (Part 2 of 5)
Guest Blogger: JE Ince
Where do you think you child comes into contact with the most germs? Maybe the school bathrooms? Or a public park swing? How about a school bus seat? As part of the National Sanitation Foundation International’s ongoing NSF Scrub Club Study, microbiologists swabbed 26 different public places looking for bacteria. Their studies found that the location with the highest ratio of bacteria was the
Outdoor Play Safety: Playground Equipment (Part 1 of 5)
Guest Blogger: JE Ince
With summer now upon us, kids want to be outside in the sunshine. And, let’s face it; we want them to be outside too! What better way to get them out there expending all that pent up energy than romping around in their own backyard or at the playground? Yet the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (“CDC”) reports that more than 200,000 children under the age of 14 years are treated every year in emergency rooms for playground injuries. The major culprits are climbing equipment (public playgrounds) and swings (home). CDC Playground Injuries: Fact Sheet. I’m sure none of us want to deny our own children the sheer joy we experienced playing on a swing, zooming down a slide or hanging from monkey-bars. So, how to protect them while letting them run loose?
For young children, whether at home or at a public park, the American Academy of Pediatrics’ top recommendation is parental supervision [healthychildren.org]. In addition to making sure kids use the equipment properly and not engage in unsafe behavior, adult supervision also ensures that if something were to occur an adult is there to assist. For older children, adult supervision is an important check on limit testing behaviors. Always make sure you can see your kids playing on the equipment, whether at home or at a park. Kidshealth.org
In some parts of the country, playground equipment may get very hot and result in burns. The Consumer Product Safety Commission has issued a fact sheet targeting Burn Safety Awareness on Playgrounds. Although the days of hot, metal slides are mostly in the past, today’s plastics and rubber materials also have the potential to result in a thermal burn injury if the equipment is in direct sunlight for an extended period of time. Before allowing your child on a piece of equipment, check for uncoated metal or places where the protective coating has worn off, dark-colored plastics on slides, swings or other equipment and asphalt and concrete surfaces. Be aware of weather conditions and check the temperature of the equipment.
Playground equipment should be age appropriate and properly sized for a child’s age group. Child Injury Prevention Alliance suggests the following are not recommended for children under 6 years of age because of lack of arm strength, hand grip and coordination skills: freestanding arch climbers, overhead rings, parallel bars, sliding poles, spiral slides, log rolls, seesaws and track rides. Playground Safety KidsHealth.org recommends playground equipment be designed for three different age groups: under age two, preschoolers (aged 2 to 5) and school-aged kids (5 to 12 years), and that age specific play areas be separated and clearly designated Playground Safety
Construction and maintenance of equipment is very important. Surfaces underneath equipment should be energy absorbent and at least nine inches thick, although the Consumer Product Safety Commission suggests 12 inches in their Public Playground Safety Checklist. Safety mats or loose fill materials like bark, sand, wood chips or shredded rubber are the best choices. These surfaces should extend at least six feet beyond the edges of the equipment. Swings seats should not be constructed of wood or metal, the material should be soft and swings should be at least six feet away from fences or walls. Never attach ropes or clotheslines to playground equipment as this presents a choking hazard. For more excellent, in-depth information, the Consumer Product Safety Commission offers both a Public Playground Safety Handbook and an Outdoor Home Playground Safety Handbook.
Although it seems obvious, playground equipment should be clean and well maintained. When visiting a playground for the first time, KidsHealth.org advises parents to : (i) check for broken equipment, (ii) make sure wooden equipment is not cracking or splintering and metal is not rusted, (iii) the fence surrounding the play area is in good condition, (iv) the surface material is maintained regularly, free of debris, loosely packed and covers all areas, and (v) that all equipment is made of durable materials. Playground Safety
To me, there’s no sweeter sound than the joyful squeals and giggles of playing children. A little vigilance is all that is necessary to prevent those squeals and giggles from turning to tears.
It’s Not All Bad – Focus your Parenting on the Positive (Part 5 of 5)
Guest Blogger: Corinne Johnson
Sometimes, we put so much focus on all the “problems” with teenagers that we forget how amazing they are underneath all that attitude and push-back! So my last piece of advice is to focus on the positive!
You will have to deal with the “negative” stuff, but lets not make that the focus of our parenting. When your teen makes a good choice rejoice in it, praise them with sincere compliments, shower them with privileges, and don’t forget lots of hugs and kisses (if you can get away with it).
Here is some great advice on how to keep things positive when parenting your teen:
1- Stay connected. Dr. Laura Markham from ahaparenting.com has some great tips on how to stay connected with your teen.
◦. Be there when they need to talk. That usually means the wee hours of the morning. The best conversations I had with my Mom were sitting on the foot of her bed well past midnight while my Dad pretended to stay awake.
◦. Spend some time with your teen every day. Don’t wait until your teen comes to you. Make time. Take a chance and stop in at school to take them out to lunch.
◦. Don’t try and remake your teen. Embrace their individuality and always support the activities they are engaged in. Be their biggest fan.
◦. Welcome your teens freinds. If you want to be involved in your teens life make sure most of it happens under your roof. Have an open door policy and have plenty of snacks on hand.
2- Praise them the “right” way. This great article on WebMD emphasizes that quality of praise is far better than quantity of praise. Their tips for keeping your praise on track include: praise the effort not the outcome, be specific, be genuine, and don’t praise the obvious.
3- Reward their trustworthiness. Nothing keeps things more positive than rewarding your teen when they have proven they have your trust. In addition to positive consequences, rewards let your teen know that they are exceeding your expectations and that there are perks for being awesome.
Just Wait Until They Are Teenagers- Advice for Parents (Part 1 of 5)
Guest Blogger: Corinne Johnson
As a Mother of four daughters, ranging in age from one to nine years, I get a lot of comments from strangers. Some of my favorites are, “I hope you have a lot of bathrooms at your house” “Your poor husband”, “That is a lot of pink”, and “Just wait ‘till they are teenagers!” I have a good sense of humor, which is imperative for a mom of four girls, so these little encounters give me a good laugh. Yet the comment “Just wait ‘till they are teenagers” sends a little shiver of fear down my spine I wonder why it bothers me? After all, I grew up in a family of four girls and my parents survived. Besides, it wasn’t that long ago that I was a teenager, right? Still, I dread the day when my sweet child turns into that walking, talking hormonal disaster known as a teen.
What I realized was that “Just wait until they are teenagers” is more than a flippant remark. It is a warning from someone who has been there; someone who looks at me and knows what I am about to go through. So I am deciding to heed the warning. I’d be fooling myself to think I could waltz through the teenage years without getting some really good advice.
For all you Parents that have teenagers and for those of you like me, who are done waiting, this week’s topic is for you. Over the next five days I hope you will benefit from my search for the very best advice on parenting a teen.
Become the Expert
If you are reading this you are following the first piece of advice. Get educated about teenagers. You may feel like it was just yesterday that we were teenagers but the world is a vastly different place. As I expressed before, we are dreaming if we think we can get through these years without help. We need to be empowered as we guide our children through the challenges that come with adolescence.
When it comes to your teen you need to be the expert on everything from emotional development, hormone changes, new technology, current trends, and social media. There are lots of resources on the web that will help you learn everything you need to know. I have collected links to some of my favorite websites to get you started.
A word of advice, when you search these websites go directly to the “search” and enter a keyword. I used the keyword “teenager” on most of the links below.
The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychology - Dozens of academic articles on everything from understanding the teen brain, drug and alcohol use in teens, internet and children, the effect of media and music on kids, and more.
The Palo Alto Medical Foundation also has some great articles focused on teen health.
Kids Health.org is another virtual file cabinet of articles you can browse.
The Online Mom has dedicated her site to help us keep up technologically with our kids.
SheKnows.com is a fun site by Moms for Moms. The articles are collected from blogs and other parenting sites. They share more personal experiences and have really diverse topics.
Child Literacy: Help for the Struggling Reader (Part 3 of 5)
Guest Blogger: JE Ence
Reading is perhaps the most important skill your child needs to insure success in school and adulthood, but learning to read is often difficult. Did you know that nearly forty percent of children have difficulty learning to read? According to the last
Child Literacy: Home Activities that Encourage Reading (Part 2 of 5)
Guest Blogger: JE Ence
Research has shown that a child’s propensity towards being an independent reader is a direct result of their experiences with literacy at home (Baker, Scher & Mackler, 1997). We discussed in a
Child Literacy: Great Books for Kids (Part 1 of 5)
Guest Blogger: JE Ince
“Read with your child. It’s the most important 20 minutes of your day.”
-The Children’s Reading Foundation
I love to read, I love books. I have shelves full of children’s books that were favorites when my children were younger, some I remember buying in the expectation of their births. When my brother was in the Navy he collected Where the Wild Things Are (my favorite children’s book) in different languages for me from the different ports of call he made around the world.
I like to think that I passed this love of the written word onto my own sons, one of whom is now majoring in English and Linguistics at university. We would spend hours in the local library and always participated in the summer programs.
You can and should expose your children to books and reading when they are still babies. The
Kids and Cats: Essential Safety Tips to Ensure Kids Enjoy Their Feline Friend (Part 5 of 5)
Guest Blogger: Alan Weidner
Some parents feel that having a cat as a pet for their child is a safer option than a dog. While it’s true that cats are not likely to chase a child like a dog may, parents still need to teach kids some basic safety tips to ensure they enjoy their feline friend safely. With a few basic safety tips, parents can ensure that kids and cats have a positive relationship. Whether you’ve recently added a cat to your family or you’re planning to get your kid a cat in the future, learn these child safety tips and pass them on to ensure your child and feline pet coexist safely.
Tip #1 – Teach Proper Cat Handling
Before you add a cat to your family as a pet, make sure you teach children how to handle a cat properly. According to
Pet Safety Concerns for Parents of Infants and Toddlers (Part 4 of 5)
Guest Blogger: Alan Weidner
Exposing young infants and toddlers to pets is an excellent way to get them used to being around animals. However, child safety must be first in a parent’s mind. Specific safety concerns exist when infants and toddlers are around pets. Before you add a new pet to your family while your children are so young, you need to carefully consider some specific safety concerns. If you already have a pet when you bring your new baby home, then you’ll need to carefully introduce your new baby to your pet. Here is a closer look at some of the specific safety concerns parents must keep in mind when mixing pets and very young children, as well as helpful information to help you ensure the safety of your child around pets.
Your Child and Diseases
One of the main concerns parents must be aware of when infants and toddlers are around pets is the risk of disease. According to information found on
Top Strategies to Help Parents Teach Children About Pet Safety (Part 3 of 5)
Guest Blogger: Alan Weidner
Adding a pet to your family can be so much fun, and there is so much your kids can learn from having a pet. To avoid accidents relating to pets, it’s important to teach your children pet safety habits. In particular, kids need to learn how best to interact with animals. The following are some top strategies parents can use to help educate their children about interacting with pets in a safe manner.
Strategy #1 – Be an Example of How to Treat Pets
As a parent, you should be an example to your kids of how to treat pets. This approach allows your children to visually see how a pet should be treated. According to an article on
Adding a Pooch to Your Family – Important Dog Safety Tips for Parents and Kids (Part 2 of 5)
Guest Blogger: Alan Weidner
Dogs can make excellent pets that can teach kids life lessons about responsibility, caring and companionship. While adding a puppy or a full grown dog can be exciting for the whole family, there are some important child safety tips to remember when you bring new pets into your home. Since thousands of dog bites occur each year, it’s important that you teach your child how to safely interact with your new pooch. This
Choosing a Safe, Age Appropriate Pet for Your Child (Part 1 of 5)
Guest Blogger: Alan Weidner
Having a pet in the family can provide a unique and special experience for children. Allowing your child to have a pet can teach them a lot about unconditional love, and help them learn important lessons in responsibility as well. Of course, if you’re going to bring a new pet home, you need to choose a pet that is both safe and age appropriate for your child. While you want your child to enjoy the experience of having their own pet, it’s also important to keep child safety (and animal safety) in mind. The following are some helpful strategies and tips that can be used to ensure you get the perfect, family-friendly pet for your child.
Key Considerations Before Choosing a Pet
When you’re ready to start looking for a pet for your family, there are several things you need to consider before you decide to go with a dog, fish, cat, guinea pig or other pet. First, according to