Kids really do say and do the darnedest things!

When I was reading through my e-mails I found this and just had to pass it on.  Kid's really doing say the darnedest things and listening closely can really give us new insight into our world and a good chuckle.

Why do We Love Children?
1) NUDITYI was driving with my three young children one warm summer evening when a woman in the convertible ahead of us stood up and waved. She was stark naked! As I was reeling from the shock, I heard my 5-year-old shout from the back seat, 'Mom, that lady isn't wearing a seat belt!'
2) OPINIONSOn the first day of school, a first-grader handed his teacher a note from his mother. The note read, 'The opinions expressed by this child are not necessarily those of his parents.'
3) KETCHUPA woman was trying hard to get the ketchup out of the jar. During her struggle, the phone rang; so, she asked her four-year-old daughter to answer the phone. 'Mommy can't come to the phone to talk to you right now. She's hitting the bottle.'
4) MORE NUDITYA little boy got lost at the YMCA and found himself in the women's locker room. When he was spotted, the room burst into shrieks, with ladies grabbing towels and running for cover. The little boy watched in amazement and then asked, 'What's the matter, haven't you ever seen a little boy before?'
5) POLICE # 1While taking a routine vandalism report at an elementary school, I was interrupted by a little girl about six years old. Looking up and down at my uniform, she asked, 'Are you a cop?' 'Yes,' I answered and continued writing the report. 'My mother said that if I ever needed help, I should ask the police. Is that right?' 'Yes, that's right,' I told her. 'Well, then,' she said as she extended her foot toward me, 'would you please tie my shoe?'
6) POLICE # 2It was the end of the day when I parked my police van in front of the station. As I gathered my equipment, my K-9 partner, Jake, was barking, and I saw a little boy staring in at me. 'Is that a dog you got back there?' he asked.
'It sure is,' I replied.
Puzzled, the boy looked at me and then toward the back of the van. Finally he said, 'What'd he do?'
7) ELDERLYWhile working for an organization that delivers lunches to elderly shut-ins, I used to take my four-year-old daughter on my afternoon rounds. She was unfailingly intrigued by the various appliances of old age, particularly the canes, walkers, and wheelchairs. One day, I found her staring at a pair of false teeth soaking in a glass. As I braced myself for the inevitable barrage of questions, she merely turned and whispered, 'The tooth fairy will never believe this!'
8) DRESS-UPA little girl was watching her parents dress for a party. When she saw her dad donning his tuxedo, she warned, 'Daddy, you shouldn't wear that suit.'
'And, why not, darling?'
'You know that it always gives you a headache the next morning.'
9) DEATHWhile walking along the sidewalk in front of his church, our minister heard the intoning of a prayer that nearly made his collar wilt. Apparently, his five-year-old son and his playmates had found a dead robin. Feeling that proper burial should be performed, they had secured a small box and cotton batting, then dug a hole and made ready for the disposal of the deceased.
The minister's son was chosen to say the appropriate prayers; and, with sonorous dignity, intoned his version of what he thought his father always said: 'Glory be unto the Faaather, and unto the Sonnn, and into the hole he goooes.' (I want this line used at my funeral!)
10) SCHOOLA little girl had just finished her first week of school. 'I'm just wasting my time,' she said to her mother. 'I can't read, I can't write, and they won't let me talk!'
11) BIBLEA little boy opened the big family Bible. He was fascinated as he fingered through the old pages. Suddenly, something fell out of the Bible. He picked up the object and looked at it. What he saw was an old leaf that had been pressed in between the pages.
'Mama, look what I found,' the boy called out.
'What have you got there, dear?'
With astonishment in the young boy's voice, he answered, 'I think it's Adam 's underwear!'

Should Sports Be Revised to Keep Young Children Safer?

Emergency room visits for sports-related brain injuries has risen by 60% over the last ten years.   Should contact sports for children under fourteen be motified to stop this growing trend?   Is this spike directly associated with the fact that children seem to be playing contact sports at younger ages than ever before? There is growing support for these changes because young brains under the age of fourteen are more vulnerable due to neck weakness.  The proposed changes will effect the nature of many sports, but the three "biggies" will incur changes that will change these games significantly if they are adopted.  Here are the proposed changes for children under fourteen:

Football-eliminate tackling, adopt flag football, use tackle dummies to teach tackling
Soccer-no heading as most of the head injuries in soccer are linked to this practice
Hockey-no full body checking
Field Hockey & LaCrosse-use helmets,  most of the injuries are due to being hit with the sticks

I don't think many parents would argue that the use of helmets in LaCrosse and Field Hockey is something that they couldn't live with in order to keep their child safer while playing.  However, I think that this group is going to come up against some significant resistance from parents whose children participate in the "big three".  I think some parents will argue that these changes are going to change the nature of these games too much and their children will not be prepared to play theonce they reach fourteen.  Parents argueing for these changes not only make the point about safety but also the effect these injuries have on the health care system.

The debate begins.  Will child safety win out over sports or will sports be the victor?  Only time will tell.  I think that there are going to be some very heated debates between parents on both sides of this issue before any decision is finalized. 

When Will The Madness End? Apparently Not With Outlawing Father Daughter Dances

A school district in Rhode Island is banning Mother-Son ballgames and Father-Daughter dances because they allegedly violate an anti-discrimination law.  The ACLU sent the school a letter on behalf of a concerned parent and the school's response was to ban these activities.

Anyone think that the world will be a better place if we eliminate all activities that have parents spending time with their children one on one?  If we as a nation react everytime one person doesn't agree with something, we will become a nation running around like a chicken with it's head cut off.  Maybe we are already to close to being there if this is any indication.

For all those single parents who are upset about their children's feelings about these activities because the other parent is not willing to participate, learn a lesson from one of my single friends.  Her girls were thrilled to be escorted to the dance by their grandfather.  No grandfather, then an Uncle, Male Friend, or Brother can stand in.

Volunteering with Your Children to Make the World a Better Place: Idea 1

I am starting a new series about ways that you and your children can volunteer and help the world be a better place.  It isn't someone else's responsibility to make the world a better place, it is the responsibility of each and everyone of us to do that.  Isn't that a lesson that we want to instill in our children.  Help them want to be part of the solution, not part of the problem.  When I come across ideas for volunteering, I plan to post them here in order to spread the word.  If you have any other good ideas, I would be happy to share them as well.  After all volunteering is not a one size fits all kind of thing.

Donating your old cell phone may just save the life of an abused mother or her children.  Where to donate:  women;s shelter, operationgratitude.com or cellular recycler.com.  You and your child may collect old cell phones from friends and family, or start a community campaign to collect old cell phones.

Quit Smoking for You and Your Child!

Here are some ideas to up your chances to successfully quit smoking for your health and the health of your children:

1) Consider that your child's health is being effected by the second hand smoke you are exposing them to.  I am a first hand example of this, as I suffer from aasthma and broncitis even though I never haave smoked.  My mother had a pack a day addiction when I was a child.  I am happy to say she has been smoke free for over ten years.

2)Get up and walk after a meal instead of having that cigarette

3) Hold something in your hand like a straw, a pencil or my favorite one of those hard candy sticks.

4) Make sure if you are going out to a restaurant or bar that it is smoke free.

5) Spend more time with your non smoking friends while you are still in the early stages of quitting.

Some Ideas on How to Maneuver the Battle Zone of the Teen Years

Do you find yourself in a constant battle with your teen or tween?  Are these battles leaving your house feeling more like a war zone then a home?  Getting into a power struggle with your child weakens your parental control and just makes for an unhappy living arrangement.  Balancing your need for parental control and your child’s growing need for independence will help you to avoid these power struggles.  Here are some ideas for maintaining this balance:

*Acknowledge your child’s need for independence.  Begin turning over some of the more minor decision making to them.

*Say yes when you can and if you have to say no, explain why.  Listen to your child’s side.  Remember listening doesn’t mean give in.

*Allow your child ways to “rebel”.  Allowing them to assert their independence in certain areas like how to wear their hair, clothes to wear, decorating their room or what music to listen to may make it easier to assert your control in the more important areas. 

*Pick your battles carefully.  Ask yourself if whether getting things done your way is worth the battle that might ensue and remember that sometimes the answer to this question will be yes.

The FYI on West Niles Virus

The Center for Disease Control reported that, as of August 14^th, so far this year 43 states have reported West Nile virus infections in people, birds, or mosquitoes. A total of 693 cases in people:  26 deaths, 406 were classified as neuroinvasive disease (such as meningitis or encephalitis) and 287 (41%) were classified as non-neuroinvasive disease.  This is reported to be the highest number of cases by the second week of August since West Niles was first found in the US in 1999.  Over 80 percent of the cases have been reported from six states (Texas, Mississippi, Louisiana, Oklahoma, South Dakota, and California) and almost half of all cases have been reported from Texas.  That’s the bad news.  The good news is that you can do things to help prevent your family from contracting this disease.

Prevention:  use mosquito repellent when outside, eliminate standing water in your yard, repair window and door screens so those pesky mosquitos don’t get in, and support community based mosquito control.  Community spraying has kept the mosquito population down in my area in Florida and has probably been largely responsible for keeping Florida off the list of highly effected stateseven though we are arguable the mosquito capital of the world.

Symptoms:  If you become infected with West Nile virus, you probably will experience no signs or symptoms.  Most people experience no symptoms. There is a chance (20% of infected population) that you may experience minor symptoms, such as fever, body aches, skin rash, swollen lymph glands, eye pain, fatigue and mild headache. There is still no need for concern.  Mild symptoms of West Nile virus infection generally go away on their own.  However, some people (about 1% of infected population) develop a life-threatening illness that includes inflammation of the brain.  Severe signs and symptoms include a severe headache, disorientation, stiff neck, high fever, muscle jerking, loss of coordination, convulsions, pain, partial paralysis or sudden weakness.  Serious infection may also include infection and inflammation of the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord (meningitis), inflammation of the spinal cord (West Nile poliomyelitis) and acute flaccid paralysis.  If you or your children are experiencing any of these symptoms you should seek immediate medical attention. Adults over the age of fifty, and people with weakened immune systems are at greater risk for developing the more serious infection.  So if your child has an autoimmune disorder like my son, they will be at greater risk.  Just be aware and watch for symptoms if they are bitten by a mosquito.   Early medical treatment is key to recovery.

How It Spreads: Typically, West Nile virus spreads to humans via infected mosquitoes. You can't get infected by touching or kissing a person with the virus.  Most West Nile virus infections occur during warm weather, when mosquito populations are active. The period between when you're bitten by an infected mosquito and the appearance of signs and symptoms of the illness ranges from three to 14 days.  There has been reports of possible transmission of the virus from mother to child during pregnancy or breast-feeding, but these have been rare and not conclusively confirmed.  

Glow in the Dark Disposible Diapers?

The latest toddler apparel craze: glow in the dark disposable diapers. What will they think of next?  Spending more money on something that is going to end up in the trash after one use doesn't make much sense to me.  Toddlers and babies are expensive enough without spending this extra money.  I must admit that I did buy the character ones for my daughter one time, but I have a good reason for doing this.  My son picked them out while I was pregnant for his sister as a gift.  His participation in shopping for the baby was part of preparing him for having a new sibling. 

Some suggestions to get the glow in the dark benefit without literally throwing money away:  glow in the dark PJ, glow in the dark shirt, glow in the dark onesie or finger paint plain diaper with glow in the dark paint.  Not sure about whether the finger painting idea will work but it might be a fun activity to try with your toddler.   

Parents and Worrying...Do They Really Go Hand and Hand?

From the time our children are conceived until the time we breath our last breath, parents worry about their children.  It's human nature and perfectly normal to worry about your child's safety.  Many parents would like to protect their children from the evils of the world by sealing them in a bubble so that they never get hurt.  Although this would keep our children save, it does not allow them to live.  Isn't having children live a good life a parent's goal as well.  Many of my friends fear letting their children play outside and keep them in the house all day long.  Think of all the fun you had playing with friends outside and all the fun your child is missing out on staying in the house.  This may be at the bottom of our childhood obesity problem.  I am not suggesting letting your child play outside if it truly is not safe.  If it isn't safe try to find them a safe place to ride their bike, swing, run and swim.  I propose a happy balance between worrying and letting your child live a normal life. 

Susan Jeffer's has a quote that may help parent's work through their fears about their children, "Feel the fear and do it anyway".  She promotes the idea that 90% of the things we worry about never happen and the 10% that does happen we can't effect for the most part anyway so why worry.

The Greatest Gift that You Can Give Your Child...No Matter Their Age

Recently, a choking toddler was saved by some fast acting employees at a MacDonald's in Australia who had been trained in baby and child first aid and CPR.  The parent stood by helplessly pleading for someone to help her child.  Thankfully, this happened in a place where someone was there to help or this may have had a very different outcome.

I wonder why child and baby first aid and CPR are required in order for a teen to receive babysitting certification, but that it is not part of the new parent training that most parents participate in prior to the birth of their child.

I strongly encourage you to take the time and spend the money to get this training and to keep your certification current.  The life of your child or someone else's may depend on it.

Teaching Your Child a Powerful Lesson about Bullying

Thanks Gretchen for this awesome activity!

Sending Your Child Off to College: Final Thoughts

As the day approaches, here are a few tips to help you and your child have a successful college experience.  First and foremost, there is never a time for you to go to your child's classroom.  Your child is an adult and you need to encourage them to fight their own battles if they are having a difficult time with their professor.  This includes them having control over their grades and their attendance.  I am not saying that you should not provide your child with your input on these topics, just that it is their responsibility to take action.

The remainder of the tips are to share with your child. 
*Encourage them to arrive early, especially if they are parking.  Parking seems to be a problem at  
    most campuses. 
*Encourage your child to schedule their classes with their sleep pattern in mind.  Night owls may not
    want to schedule an 8:00 a.m. class.  I learned this one first hand.  Let's just say I missed a lot of
    my 8:00 a.m. class and didn't do well.

*Encourage your child to develop a schedule which includes all the activities that they will be
     participating in each week.  They should include classes, studying, practices/games if they are
     participating in a sport, and down time because like it or not enjoying a social life is a part of
     college life too.

*Encourage your child to find on campus help if they are struggling in a class.  Talk to them about
     doing this sooner rather than later because it is easier to dig your way out of a little hole than a
     bigger one.  Most colleges have tutoring centers, teaching assistance or study groups set up for just
     this purpose.

Swatting: Harmless Prank or Serious Crime

Earlier this week Miley Cyrus was the victim of  a "swatting" prank when police descended upon her home after receiving a 911 call about a home invasion there.   Swatting is an attempt to trick an emergency service into dispatching an emergency response team, preferably a SWAT team.  The caller typically places a 911 call using a spoofed phone number using tech skills to cover their identity. 
Needless to say, these calls are illegal and dangerous. The community is placed in danger as it takes first responders from real emergencies.  Swatters have been tracked down through the cooperative efforts of local, state, and federal agencies.

Warn your children that this is NOT a harmless prank, this is a very serious crime and has seen convicted "swatters" receiving anywhere from 3 to 11 years in prison.

Sending a Child Off to College: Part 4

What should you do if your child begs you to come home and quit college?  The first thing that you need to do, if you receive this call from your college bound child, is listen carefully to their concerns.  Change is hard for all of us and there is no denying that college equates to massive change for our children.  For many of our children listening, reassuring them that their feelings are quite normal and that it's going to get better will be enough.  If this is not enough for your child, fight the urge to rush down to them and solve all their problems for them.  Help them to develop a plan of action for solving whatever problems that they are having.  If they are having academic problems you might suggest that they seek out a tutor to assist them.  If it is a socializing issue, you might steer them towards on campus groups that might interest them.  If it is a roommate issue, direct them toward their Resident Assistant (or whatever they are called this year).  If it is an emotional issue, suggest that they try the college's counseling centers that a majority of colleges have available for students.  If it is a financial issue, help them to develop a budget.  Fight the urge here to provide unlimited funds to them.  In my experience the students who have unlimited funds are the ones who get into the most trouble at college.

In summary, my main advice when you receive this call is to listen and be supportive but fight the urge to solve their problems for them. Don't immediately get in your car to go rescue them from the big bad college.  Some times leaving college is the right answer, it just shouldn't be the first thing that you and your child should try.

Shapewear for Teens: Are There Health Risks?

A growing number of teens, mostly girls, are wearing very tight shapewear all the time to smooth out their bodies.  Teens refer to this shapewear as "Shapies", but Spanx all dressed up is still Spanx.  Is this safe or does it pose a health risk to these teens?  Shapies squeeze the internal organs and can cause ions, and gastrointestinal problems.  Numbness, pain and nerve damage has been reported by teens who wear these shapies all the time.

Psychologists report that these garments may add to the number of teens with eating disorders or poor body image.  I have but one question for these Psychologist, what came first the chicken or the egg.  Could it be that teens with eating disorders and poor body image are more likely to wear shapewear?

Several of the manufacturers of these garments claim that if they are not to tight, there is no problem.  Doesn't wearing loose shapewear kind of defeat the purpose of wearing them at all?

Sending a Child Off to College: Part 3

What would you buy your son or daughter when they go to college?  When starting to get your child ready for their freshman year of college, start with the suggested supply list from the college of your child's choice.  This list is usually included in with their orientation packet.  Here are a few things that you might want to add to this list:

TV (only if your child has the will power to turn it off when they need to study)
Video game player (may help with socialization but again consider your child's willpower)
Small Refrigerator (if dorm allows)
Microwave (if dorm allows)
Recorder to record lectures
Wireless Printer and Extra Ink Cartridges
Noise Cancelling Headphones for those Noisy Dorms
Back-up Alarm Clock
Cell Phone with Paid Plan
Digital Camera
I-Pod with Port (much smaller than a stereo)
Extra Towels (just in case they miss a week of washing)
Comfortable Desk Chair (dorm room chairs are very uncomfortable and we want our children
         comfortable when they study because they may study longer)
Condoms (Yes I went there and you should too!)

 Make sure that your child doesn't take too many clothes, as typically dorm rooms do not have a lot of storage space.  They should include clothes that cover all the weather that they may experience while at school.  If your child is attending a college that experiences four seasons, you may want to make a clothing swap with the changing season to prevent an overcrowded dorm room.

Sending a Child Off to College: Part 2

What is an appropriate gift for your child when they are graduating high school and what is not?  Below is a lists of tried and true gifts to get your grad as they enter a new stage in their life.  There are gifts on this list for all price ranges.

Digital Camera
I-Pad
Updated Laptop
Down Payment for a Car **
Bike
Gift Cards for Places Near or On Campus for Purchasing Gas, Food or Clothes
Noise Cancelling Headphones for those Noisy Dorm Rooms
Luggage
Board Games or Video Game Console and Games
Vacation
Cell Phone with Paid Plan
Small Refrigerator
Furniture
TV
Recorder for Lectures
Printer
I Pod
Watch

**If you are considering getting them a car, I would recommend just making a down payment.  Buying the car for them does not teach the financial lessons that they need to be learning at this stage of life.

Sending a Child Off to College: Part 1

What is not a good reason for selecting a college?  Your child's friends are all going there, you went there, you want them to go there, it's close (or far) from home, it is prestigious or it's a great party school are all bad reasons for your child to choose a college that they will be attending for four years.
What is a good reason for selecting a college?  Start by sitting down with your child and explore their needs, expectations, stregnths and weaknesses in order to determine what type of college is best for them.  Consider the size of the school that will work best for your child.  Some children thrive at a large college where they have lots of choices and other children thrive with the smaller class sizes indicative of a smaller college.  Help your child determine what works best for them.  Remember Ivy League schools meet very few children's needs and graduation from those schools does not guarantee success. 

Visit a college's website, talk to alumni and current students at the various colleges being considered.  Visit several campuses.  Take time to eat a meal in the dining hall, visit the dorm rooms if your child will be staying on campus, note the parking situation if they will be commuting, sit in on a few classes in order to get a sense of student/professor interaction, and observe the student population in various locations around campus. 

Don't be concerned if your child has not picked out a major.  It isn't necessary to pick out a major before choosing a college.  The majority of students change their major several times throughout their college career anyway.   Just be sure to pick a college that has several majors that meets your child's needs and interests.

Don't allow your child to put all their eggs in one basket.  Have them apply to several schools, even if they have their heart set on one school in particular.  This eliminates the heartbreak of having to wait out a semester, if they don't get into the college of their dreams.  Remind your child that many students start out at a community college for the smaller class size or another college altogether while waiting to be accepted by their college of choice.

Advice for Parents with Children College Bound

One of the most difficult times in my life was sending my first born off to college 1200 miles away three days after he was diagnosed with Crohn's Disease.  Just to let you know that the memory is so vivid in my mind that it can bring me to tears more than ten years later.  So if I tell you that I know how you are feeling if you are preparing to send your first child off to college, I hope you will believe me.

Here are a few questions to ponder when preparing to send a child to college.

1) What is an appropriate gift for your child when they graduate from high school?

2) What is not a good reason for selecting a college?

3) How often is okay to visit home from college?

4) What will you buy your son or daughter when they go to college?

I hope these questions give you food for thought if you find yourself going through this change of life.  These and more questions aswered in my series on "Sending a Child Off to College".

A Quote that Makes Sense Even in these Dangerous Times

Ships in harbor are safe, but that's not what ships were built for.  John Shedd

After the tragic events that occurred during the midnight viewing of the new Batman movie last night, I am feeling apprehensive about "letting" my children go see that movie tonight.  I understand, given the age of my children, that I really don't have a say about whether they go or not but I know many of you who do have a say as to what your children are doing are thinking the same thing.  When I actually sat down and thought about it, and didn't let my fear win out, one of my husband's favorite quotes came to mind and I thought that it really applied to this situation.  Parents who hide their children away in their homes to keep them safe from all the bad things going on in the world today are keeping them from doing what children were meant to do, live life and have fun.  Tonight, my chidren will be going to the movie as they have been planning to do for a month now.  I will probably ask myself a hundred times during those three hours whether they are safe, but I know that "wrapping them all up in bubble wrap" isn't going to allow them to lead a normal life.  Neither will allowing my fear to bleed over onto them.  Children are intuitive creatures, don't let them smell your fear. 

If your child is very fearful after this tragety, sit down and talk to them about it and listen to their concerns.  They may need some help getting past this event, especially if they have been through a tragety themselves.

Is Breastfeeding Causing An Increase in Nut Allergies or Is "Breastmilk Still Best"?

Australian National University researchers claim that children who are only breastfed for their first six months have a greater risk of developing nut allergy than those babies given other foods or fluids during the same period of life (this group included babies who received breastmilk along with other fluids or foods).  The study relied on over 15,000 surveys completed by parents.  but that is not the reason that the results are under fire, many well respected agencies believe that they may have made a leap in causality that was not really established through this research.  The findings suggest that babies who were exclusively breastfed were one and a half times more likely to develop peanut allergies.

Does only giving your infant only breastmilk for the first six months of life increase the chance that they will develop nut allergies later in life?  Most agencies speaking out against this study's results conclude that the link found between breastfed babies and nut allergies may be due to other factors altogether.  One possible cause suggested is that parents who notice rashes or other signs of allergies on their newborns may be more likely to breastfeed exclusively longer fearing a reaction by their baby to other foods or liquids.  This makes much more sense to me.

Much research supports the statement "Breast is Best" when it comes to feeding your infant.  The benefits of breastfeeding include providing babies with key nutrients, providing babies antibodies to help fight disease and special mother baby bonding time.  

My recommendation:  Continue breastfeeding and follow your doctor's recommendation on the introduction of other foods.

Parenting Advice Coming From an Unexpected Parenting Duo...TomKat

All parents who are going through a divorce can learn a lesson from a surprising parenting pair: Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes.  My hats off to them for not allowing the dirty details of their divorce to be aired in the media eventhough the media is chomping at the bit to do just that.  They certainly have handled their divorce with Suri's best interest in mind.  Lessons to be learned here:  don't air your feelings about exe in front of the children, don't put your children in the middle, settling the terms of the divorce quickly is better for the children and be sure to share parenting decisions in a civil way.

The Truth About Fillings and Behavior

Popular dental fillings containing chemical BPA (bisphenol A) have been linked to behavioral problems in children.  Fillings made using BPA are becoming more popular because they are teeth-colored, as opposed to the older, silver fillings.  This study looked at 543 children between the ages of 6 and 10 for a period of five year who had either received BPA or silver fillings.  Children with highest exposure to BPA base fillings were more likely to suffer from anxiety and depression than those with silver fillings.  Behavior problems seemed especially common in children who had those fillings on chewing surfaces. This seems to support the idea that fillings on chewing surfaces may begin to break down over time and release their chemicals to other parts of the body.  It was unclear whether it was the BPA or other chemicals in these fillings that was the cause of the behavioral change.

In a 2011 related study that looked at BPA exposure from plastics found in some food packaging and canned goods,  tied prenatal exposure to BPA with hyperactivity and anxiety in infants.  This study found it to be especially true in girls. 

It is important not to freak out and have all your child's BPA fillings removed at this point.  All studies indicated that more research needed to be done in this area.  I would recommend choosing silver fillings for any future cavaties that are located on the chewing surface while we wait on future findings.

Fighting Children's Mid Summer Boredom Part 2

Here are some suggestions from my daughter for fighting that summer boredom for what doesn't have to be a "boring" Monday morning:

1) Plan a scavenger hunt in the house or backyard.  Change up this idea by having the children plan the hunt and you participate.

2) Have your children make up or find jokes and then perform them as if they are on Comedy Central.  Who knows you may find you have a budding comedian.

3)  Cooking projects.  Note that there are plenty of recipes that don't require the stove or a knife to make, if you are concerned about safety.  This one is much more fun when a parent participates, but your participation is not a necessity. 

4) Have your child come up with some simple home carnival games and have them invite neighbors, friends or family members over to play them.

5) Have your children use their creativity to develop a game.  Make sure they right down rules, to avoid fights down the road over changing rules.  Trust me on this rule thing.  Learn from my mistake.

6) Who doesn't love a fun science experiment.  Search for one that fits your family both age-wise and ability-wise.  Make sure that if the experiment is messy, you perform it in a place that you don't mind getting messy. 

7) Have your children plan and complete a "kid's" garage sale.  There are atleast two benefits to this idea:  gets rid of junk and makes your children some spending money of their own.

8) Help them to create a collage of some of their favorite pictures to decorate their room.  Hint: use copies of those pictures if you don't want them to destroy the originals.

9) Take a pretend journey using books or the internet to explore a place that your child wants to go.  This may help with planning a future family "dream" vacation or allow your child to explore a place that they may never get to go to.  With virtual tours of many places, this may leave them feeling as if they have actually gone there.

10) Have your children make a movie or play.  Invite grandparents to view.  If they live too far away there is always streaming or skype.

Schools Can't Prevent Bullying...If They Could They Would Have Done So Long Ago

School administrators can set up harsh disciplinary actions for bullying, but sad to say that does not effectively eliminate the bullying problems in the school.  Bullying is definitely a bigger problem in schools than anywhere else.  I think this is merely because of the high number of children congregating there, not because the school is doing something wrong.  Wherever there is a high concentration of people, there will be bullying. 

Bullies may respond for a short time to disciplinary action but the most effect way of eliminating the bullying problem is by changing the behavior of the victims and bystanders.  If you find that your child is the victim of a bully, teach them some of the techniques that I have written about in previous posts.  Make sure that you also educated them on what to do if they are a bystander because more than likely if the bully doesn't get the reaction that they are longing for from your child they will probably start picking on someone nearby.

The cold hard truth about bullying is that a bully's behavior will only change if the bystanders and the victims change their reaction.

Stand Up and Live Longer for Your Grandchildren

Will standing up at work and walking around during phone calls and meetings really ensure that we live to see our grandchildren for to additional years.  In the book, Move a Little, Lose a Lot, Dr. James A. Levine suggest that studies support that long term sitting takes years off your life and that by getting up and/or moving around for a total of three of your sitting hours will add two years to your life.  Research has found that sitting does have an adverse effect on an individual's blood sugar and blood pressure.  He suggests having "walk and talk" meetings, providing some standing desks for people to work at and to stand up and move around while on the phone.  These few minutes will all add up to a healthier you.  In addition, the research suggests that standing gets the blood flowing and makes us more productive.

Note that these are not bad suggestions for our children as well.  A standing desk may be a great idea for homework time especially for those children with ADHD.  I have found that having these children stand when doing work makes them more productive and improves their behavior in a classroom setting.  If it works there, it may just work for you at home.

"Birth"arrazi is Not Just For Celebrities Anymore!

There is a growing trend of inviting a "birthing" photographer into the delivery room.  It's not just for celebrities anymore, many people are photographing the birth of their baby.  There are photographers who specialize in this type of photography.  They find themselves "on call" waiting on the birth, just like you and your family.  The photos that I have seen were quite tasteful, uniquely emotional and beautiful, but I am not sure that I would have wanted anyone in the delivery room or during labor other than my husband and the health professionals.  Many people choose to be surrounded by all their family members, so one more person in the room may not be a big deal for them. 

If you are shutter shy or money conscience, another option may be to ask a family member who has an eye for photography to take these pictures.  I would encourage you not to choose the father to take these pictures because I think that this added duty would take away from their birthing experience. Looking at the birth through a camera lens is not the same as seeing it up close and personal.  Keep in mind this is a monumental life moment for Daddy as well.

Fighting Your Children's Mid Summer Boredom

Being a teacher, my daughter still experiences this phenomenon in her adult years.  She suggested that I post each day a list of fun activities for your children to do when they come to you saying how BORED they are.  I have decided on a compromise to this suggestion.  Each week I will post a list of atleast 10  possible activites to either do with your children or for them to do on their own.  I will try to include things for all ages of children, that cost little to no money and require various time commitments.  Here is this weeks list.

1) Build a fort in the house with blankets, sheets, card board box or anything that you can find.  This doesn't have to be just for the kids.  Have lunch in the fort, read a book or spend the night there telling ghost stories. 

2) Set up a tent in the backyard and campout.  We roast marshmellows in our fire pit, check out the stars, and tell scary stories.

3) Have a squirt gun fight.  Get those big squirt guns and have at it.  Parents included.

4) Set up a badmiton net in the backyard.

5) Take a nature walk with a digital camera.  Try to get creative with the picture taking.  View the pictures on a computer.  Use a photo program and play with changing them.

6) Have a creative time with sidewalk chalk, watercolor paints, or finger paints outsside to avoid any mess.  FYI:  sometimes the best art work is developed like this.  Framing your child's art work can be an activity that you do together or you can let them frame it the way they want.

7) Take a dance, yoga, or art class with your teen.  Many places offer first lesson for free or have groupon deals.

8) Take a bike ride (remember if you wear a helmet , they will too).  Take along a picnic lunch in a backpack and make a day of it.

9) Go shopping with your teen.  Not to buy anything, just to try stuff on.  The funnier the better.  My daughter and I have been known to try on those outlandish hats that the Brits are famous for wearing.  I recommend that you throw a camera in your purse to capture some of these outfits.  I have missed out on some hilarious shots for lack of a camera.

10) Run through a sprinkler or go out in the rain and get soaked. 

More 1-2-3 Magic

I just finished watching the DVD program More 1-2-3 Magic by Thomas W. Phelan, Ph.D.  This video provided many great ideas about discipline and self esteem.  He reviewed the points that he had made in the first video, leading me to believe that I don't need to go back and watch his first video.  I think that I would have rather read this in book form because it was an hour and half or so of him lecturing with a view videos interjected to make his point.  Having said that, I would recommend this for parents who are struggling with discipline their children no matter the child's age.  Most public libraries have this program either in DVD or book format.  That's where I picked mine up.

"It's Just A Stage Their Going Through"

Every time I hear a parent say that “it’s just a stage that my child is going through”, I want to stop and tell them just how right they are.  Children and adults are constantly going through stages.  Our entire life is one developmental stage after another.  When parents come to except this as a fact, and gear their parenting toward the stage that their child finds themselves in, they will find more success in their parenting.

"Do As I Say Not As I Do" ...A Personal Story

In many posts that I have made, I have spouted the importance of positive self-talk for you and your children.  This is a story about not taking my own advice and it hurting my ability to achieve my goal of writing a parenting book.  I was making good progress until three months ago when I hit a brick wall and have made little to no progress since.  Who do I blame: ME.  It was about that time when I could see the book coming together and being nearly finished made me fearful of showing my work to anyone.  I started telling myself and everyone around me "that I am not a writer".  Talk about a good example of the power of self-talk, in this case unfortunately it was negative and had a very negative effect on my completing my goal.

It took me three months to come to this realization for myself, even though the people closest to me tried to tell me a couple months ago.  I guess many of us do have blinders on when it comes to ourselves and our children.  This morning I have taken the blinders off and taken action.  Action one:  writing this post to hold myself accountable.  Action two:  I put a few inspirational "writing" quotes and the words "I am a WRITER!!" on my bathroom mirror. 

Important fact about the power of positive self-talk:  it doesn't matter if you believe the positive self-talk or not, by just say it you trick your brain into believing it. 



The words of Buddha says it best, "He is able who thinks he is able." That is one going up on my mirror.

Bikini Body Onesie...Don't Make A Big Deal About It When You See It!

The latest culprit in the sexy kid's clothing debate is a onesie for babies by Bon Bebe that has a bikini body promininently displayed on the front.  Keep in mind when you see a friend, family member or stranger's baby wearing this outfit, the baby did not choose it for themselves.  I tend to ask myself why did the parent choose this for their baby and the answer is quite clear, they were seeking attention.  Just like with bullying, if you give attention the behavior will be repeated.  So by giving the parents negative attention for their choice in baby clothing, you are ensuring that they will purchase more.  If they purchase more, companies will continue to make more of this type of clothing.  Therefore the best way to eliminate this clothing trend is to ignore it when you see it.  Don't give them the attention that they are seeking and they will stop purchasing these items.  They stop purchasing these items, companies stop making them.  Isn't economics grand. 

Does Spanking Cause Mental Illness?

A recent study published in the Journal of Pediatrics suggests that a link exists between certain types of mental illness and harsh physical punishment.  Their research found that children punished using "harsh physical treatment" were more likely to develop depression, phobias, substance abuse and personality disorders. It is important to note that they were not studying the "customary spanking", but punishments that went beyond that like shoving, hitting, slapping, and pushing.  Punishments considered more violent than a slap on the bottom. 

These researchers did generalize their findings to include all forms of spanking/physical punishment and suggest that eliminating all types of spanking/physical punishment will greatly reduce the growing mental illness problem.  Most professionals agree that punishing our children using "harsh physical treatment" does have an adverse affect on their emotional and mental development.  However, professionals are split on the affect of the "customary spanking".  It is unclear whether it is a good way or a bad way to discipline your child.

I feel that it is important to note here that most states define child abuse as leaving marks.  If you do choose to use spanking as a means of discipline, it should not cross this line.

Another Celebrity Opens His Mouth and Trash Comes Out

50 Cent, a famous rapper, showed poor judgement and a lack of empathy for people different from himself when he recently tweeted a response to a threatning tweet he received.  Two wrongs don't make a right.  He made some cruel and uncalled for references about autism and people with special needs.  50 cent, I think you would be wise to remember the old adage "if you don't have something nice to tweet, don't tweet anything at all".

I was impressed by the response from actress Holly Robinson Peete who has a thirteen year old son with Autism.  In a letter that appeared on her website, she took the time to educate the rapper about autism, shared information about the daily struggles her son has to live with and asked 50 cent to remove his tweet.  She also shared that her son was a fan of the rapper's work.

Shame on you, 50 cent.  I hope you'll think next time before you talk or tweet.  This is a good teachable tweet for your children on what not to do and the damage that tweets can cause.

OMG Diet Targeting Teens and Tweens

A recent survey of ten year old girls found that 80% of these girls had been on a diet. So a fad diet that targets, by it's very name, teens and tweens deserves the scrutiny of parents everywhere. This diet suggests that taking ice baths every morning, drinking two big cups of black coffee, skipping breakfast, exercising and blowing up balloons is a good weight loss plan. I am not so sure but let's break this diet down and look at the safety of the individual components.
Taking ice baths lowers body temperature which does make the body burn a few calories to increase body temerature. Having said that, the calories burned after an ice bath are extremely small. Skipping what has been come to be known as the most important meal of the day does not sound like a healthy idea to me. The amount of caffeine in two large cups of coffee taken on an empty stomach will definitely get one reved up but will it last and is it safe? Many adults experience rapid heart beat from caffeine. What will it do to hungry children? I am not sure what the balloon blowing has to do with weight loss, but I do know that it helps people to learn to breath more deeply.

The sad truth is, for teens and adults alike, the only proven way to take the weight off is lifestyle changes, specifically healthy eating and exercise. It doesn't take the weight off quickly but it does usually take it off for good. Slow and steady really does win the weight loss race. The main problem with any fad diet is that people who drop the weight through a fad diet usually put all the weight back on and then some. Yoyoing weight and fad diets are not good for the body. Encourage your child not to fall victim to fad diets, help them to make better lifestyle choices and maybe we will help the next generation to make a dent in the weight issues plaguing our society today,

Fireworks, Fourth of July, Children and Safety

Whether it is the Fourth of July or another holiday typically associated with fireworks, key word for parents with regard to children and fireworks is safety, safety, safety!  I look towards the experts for advice on preventing injuries or burns from fireworks.  Here is what they people who work with fireworks.

The National Council on Fireworks Safety offers these common sense safety tips for using

consumer fireworks in the hopes that injuries to consumers can be greatly reduced this season:

*Parents and caretakers should always closely supervise teens if they are using fireworks.
*Parents should not allow young children to handle or use fireworks.
*Fireworks should only be used outdoors.

*Always have water ready if you are shooting fireworks.

*Know your fireworks. Read the caution label before igniting.

*If it has been too dry, don't set off fireworks, they may start a fire.
*Alcohol and fireworks do not mix.
*Wear safety glasses whenever using fireworks.

*Never relight a “dud” firework. Wait 20 minutes and then soak it in a bucket of water.

*Soak spent fireworks with water before placing them in an outdoor garbage can.

*Avoid using homemade fireworks or illegal explosives: They can kill you!

And note these special safety tips, if using sparklers:

*Always remain standing while using sparklers.
*Never hold a child in your arms while using sparklers.
*Never hold, or light, more than one sparkler at a time.
*Never throw sparklers.
*Sparkler wire and stick remain hot long after the flame has gone out. Drop them in water.
*Teach children not to wave sparklers, or run, while holding sparklers.

Warn Your Teens and Twenty Somethings that Texting and Driving Don't Mix

Warn your teens and twenty somethings that texting while driving can be a fatal mistake.  A distracted driver is the leading cause of car accidents.  Texting while driving is a major driving distraction that teens are found to be doing more than any other age group.  Ninety-four percent of surveyed drivers agree that texting while driving is dangerous, yet more than one third of those surveyed do it.  I would like to note here that I think that this is a low estimate because it relies on self reporting. 

There were six thousand deaths and five hundred thousand injuries last year from car crashes involving a driver who was texting or using a cell phone as reported by Healthy Day.  The government website reports a much lowere number of three thousand six hundred.  No matter which is accurate, the number is way to high.

Florida (where I live) and twelve other states do not currently have a law banning texting while driving.  Happy to say that most of the twelve are working on it.  Many states include in their law a ban against teens talking on their cell as well because that can be just as distracting.

Here are the statistics on other distracters drivers report doing:  86% eat or drink, 37% have sent a text, 41% set GPS, 36% read a map, 20% have styled hair, 14% have put on make-up, 13% have surfed the web.  How many of these have you as a parent done while driving with your teen in the car?  I am not proud of my answer to this question.  We as parents need to always be thinking of the role model that we are being for our children.  There is no way that a law is going to eliminate all those distracters, so we as parents are going to need to educate our children on this growing problem. 

Eleven percent of all drivers under the age of 20 who were involved in a fatal crash were distracted at the time of the crash.  This percentage is higher than any other age group.  Make sure that your teen or twenty something understands the seriousness of this issue and sets their phone down while driving.

Record Heat and No Power: How Will You and Your Children Survive?

Recent record heats and the violent storms typically associated with this type of heat have left many families without power and limited means to escape from the sweltering heat.   Listed below are some important things to do to keep your family safe.  Remember that this weather can be deadly for people of all ages.

1) Stay hydrated!!!!  Drink plenty of water (3 liters of water for a man and 2 liters for a women a day) and make sure that your water is safe to drink.  When the power is out, the community water source will be effected.  We stock up on gallons of bottled water prior to hurricane season.  Another option is to fill clean bottles with water in preparation for a weather event that will effect the water source.  Avoid alcohol and caffeine because they can dehydrate you.  If you need to partake in alcohol or caffeine b sure to increase your water intake accordingly.

2) Wear light colored clothing that is loose fitting to help stay cooler. 

3) Stay indoors or in the shade as much as possible.  A hat is also a good idea to block the intense rays of the sun.

4) Don't leave your children or pets in the car, even for a quick errand.

5) Limit the activity level of all family members.  Easier said than done when it comes to highly active young children.  Get out the hose and let them play in the water if possible.

6) Be aware of the symptoms that indicate someone is suffering from heat stroke or dehydration.  Taking action when you first notice these symptoms may save aa life.  Watch for someone experiencing headaches, dizziness, disorientation, skin that is red hot or dry, rapid pulse rate, nausea.

7) Stock up on non-perishable foods, batteries, first aid kit and crank radios to keep informed.

8) If power is out for a long period of time, be leery of the food left in the refrigerator.

"The Salt and Ice" Challenge: the Latest YouTube Craze

Children and young adults have been video taping themselves doing dangerous and harmful things for years now in order to obtain their fifteen minutes of fame on YouTube.  What parent will forget the deaths and injuries that occurred from things like "planking" or the Hanging Game.  The latest in the YouTube video craze is "The Salt and Ice Challenge" which involves putting salt and ice on bare skin and seeing how long one can stand to keep it there.  It mimics frostbite and can cause severe damage to the participant.  Pictures of one Pittsburgh teen can be found in the AOL headlines.  I will warn you, the pictures are not pretty, but the damage is most certainly permanent.

What can we do as parents to ensure that our children don't take the "Salt and Ice " Challenge, or attempt to get their fifteen minutes of fame in some other dangerous way?  Sit down with them and talk about the dangers of these stunts. Show them the pictures of this boys back and talk about how much pain he will be in for a long time.  Ask them if they can remember any of the "planker's" or hanging game victim's names who died trying to gain notoriety.  Point out that they are not remembered or famous, they are just dead.  Talk about other ways to gain the desired notoriety that are not dangerous:  inventions, sports achievements, academic accomplishments,

I am really concerned that society, with all of it's "reality" shows, is pushing our children toward more and more dangerous activities with the prize being 15 minutes of fame.  How many more children have to die before the social networks ban these dangerous videos?  No outlet for these videos to go viral and I bet money on the number of injuries drops dramaticly. 

Tori Spelling Sounds Off about Parenting

I thought that once we were out of the baby stage, parenting would be a breeze.  Tori Spelling

I think that if new or potential parents thought differently than this, they may choice not to take on the greatest and most rewarding job in the world.  Parenting is not easy, and if anyone tells you differently they are not doing it right or lying, but there is nothing more rewarding.

Adult Children Need Parenting Too!

That's right I said it.  Adult children need parenting too.  Whether it is parenting about relationship, money or one of a dozen other topics, they still occassionally need parenting.  It isn't the parenting that changes when your children become adults, it is the delivery of the parenting.  Things that need to change:  tone of voice, relying on natural consequences to steer adult children and your reaction when they don't take your advice.   It needs to take on the appearance of advice giving.  Be there when they ask for advice and occasionally when they don't.  Fight the urge to intervene all the time because they will just ignore your advice all the time if you do that.  Save your parenting for those times that they really need it.

Parenting doesn't stop once your child reaches adulthood, it just changes and your role in parenting needs to change to keep up.

Children Being Forgotten in Hot Cars

All to often we hear stories on the news of children being forgotten in the back seat of a car.  Thirty-three children (mostly babies) died last year, a low number when you consider that the yearly average is thirty-eight.  Hearing these tragic stories we all think how could a parent forget their child.  Sleep deprivation and routine change, which we all know is part of a new parent's life, are the usual culprits.  There are a few steps that you can take to make sure this doesn't happen to you.  I know what your thinking "it could never happen to my child".  I am sure that that is what those other parents thought right up until the time it happened to them.  Isn't it better to be safe than sorry.

1) Don't ever leave your child in the car.  Quick errands sometimes turn into extended errands.

2) Keep items that you need to take with you in the back seat beside the car seat instead of in the front seat.

3) Keep a stuffed animal in the carseat when it isn't in use.  Place the large stuffed animal in the front seat when baby is in car seat.  Hard to ignore a large stuffed animal.

4) Use a child alert system that work like the key alarm.  ChildMinder Smart Clip System and the ChildMinder Smart Pad System, Cars-N-Kids Car Seat Monitor to name a few.  Note they only work if you use them.

5) If your child has a daycare or babysitter, ask them to notify you if your child doesn't show up.

6) Use the drive-thru services when ever possible.  If you don't get out of the car there is no risk of forgetting your child in a hot car,

7) Keep car locked at all times when not in use, to avoid having a child wandering into the car to play.

8) Of course!  There is a new app for this.

9) Let any caregiver who is going to be transporting your child know about these tips.

Immitation: Is It Cute for Your Child to Immitate Your Behavior

When I was a child, it was candy cigarettes and shirley temples during cocktail hour at my parent's house, now children are partaking in Babyccinos and virgin margaritas in an attempt to immitate their parent's behavior.  Is this good parenting? 

Some professionals believe that engaging in these "harmless" behaviors as a child encourages them to engage in the behaviors as an adult to excess.  Other professionals feel that by engaging in these "virgin" behaviors takes away the novelty that such behaviors present to a child and therefore lessens the draw towards the activity later in life.  I think that it depends on your child, and that all children will not react the same way.  You know your child best, trust your feeling with regard to these mock behaviors and your child.

There is no one size fits all when it comes to parenting and children.

Glamourous at the Risk of Your Unborn Baby

Some studies suggest that there is a link to birth defects among babies and mothers who have used nail polish, nail polish remover, hair dyes, hair sprays, lipstick and other cosmetics.   Is there really a risk?  The medical profession seems unsure.  Is it worth the risk? 

Reading the label on the package for hidden ingredients that have been found harmful and avoiding the use of the products that contain these ingredients seems to be a logical step.  Some ingredients that you should be avoiding contact with during pregnancy:  nail polishes or removers containing methyl methacrylate and acetonitrile; lipsticks containing lead (this is true for anyone wearing lipstick because as we lick our lips we ingest the leaded lipstick); and makeup containing phthalates and parabens. 

Consider waiting until after the first trimester to dye your hair and when dying your hair try using vegetable dyes like henna instead of those with synethetic chemical compounds.  Check the label on those all natural products because they sometimes use synthetic chemicals as well.  Be sure you really know what you are using.

When using any of these products be sure to do so in a well ventilated area, don't blow your nails dry as you will ingest some of the fumes, and try not to lick your lips.  These simple steps will reduce the risk to your baby but sometimes habits are difficult to break. 

My personal recommendation is to limit the use of all these products as much as possible and read the labels before using anything, but use them when you begin feeling bad about the way you are looking during pregnancy.  Feeling bad about yourself is not good for the health of the baby growing inside you either.

Hiccup Remedy Update

I had a serious case of the hiccups yesterday which afforded me the opportunity to try out some of the "proven" remedies that I posted last week from the New England Journal of Medicine.  Tickling the roof of my mouth where the hard palate meets the soft palate  didn't work.   Placing my finger in my ear didn't work.  Since I was out and about when the hiccups struck, I didn't have a teaspoon of sugar with me in order to try the third method.  I think I will start carrying a packet of sugar with me just in case. 

Please post any treatments that you have had success with, since my hiccups lasted over twenty minutes this time I am desperate to find an effective remedy.  Hiccups can be so annoying!

In the Good Old Summertime: To Benedryl or Not To Benedryl

As many parents take to the roads for vacation this summer, they are giving their children a dose of Benedryl (or a similiar drug) in order to make the trip more bearable for all family members.  Is this a safe practice?

Some things to consider when making your decision:  some children get wired or hyperactive instead of sleepy when taking such drug and with all drugs there are some side effects associated with the use of this medication.  This medication has been widely used on children for many years so the side effects are probably minimal.

If you decide that the benefits of using this medication exceed any risk, a few things that you should do well in advance of your trip: 1) check with your child's doctor as to whether this medication is safe for your child specificly.  Some children are at greater risk taking any medication do to their personal health issues,  2) Check with your child's doctor about dosage and frequency of dosage for your child.  3) Test this medication on your child prior to your trip.  You may find that your child is one of those who becomes hyper when taking this drug,  As a mother whose daughter bounces off the wall when taking this drug, I can tell you this reaction during a long drive is not pretty.

Is Building Your Child Up Just Setting Them Up for a Fall Down the Road?

When we build our children up unrealisticly just to enhance their self-esteem, are we setting them up for a fall down the road?  Yes, yes, and yes.  Think about what happens to their self-esteem when other people hit them with the reality of their ability later in life. It isn't pretty.

Absolutely necessary to build your children up, just make sure that you are being honest when  complimenting them. 

Is "Brave" a Movie for Healing a Mother/Daughter Relationship?

Disney's new movie "Brave" (although I have yet to see it) has a few qualities about it that I think make it the perfect movie for mothers to see with their daughters.  Mother/Daughter relationships may seem strained at times or maybe all the time in your mind.  "Brave" is a story that for one thing explores this sometimes troubled relationship between Merida and her mother the queen.

If you need a second reason to take your daughter to this movie, it is the story of a girl hero.  How many movies portray the girl in the role of hero.  Not many that I can think of.  I think that's what makes this a good movie to see with your daughter no matter how old she is.  I am picking up the phone right now and setting a date to see it with my own twenty-something daughter.

Some Proven Cures for the Hiccups

I suffer from some pretty intense, loud and long lasting hiccups so when I came across this information I thought that I would pass it on to others who are also afflicted. 

The New England Journal of Medicine reports these as proven remedies for hiccups:   eating a teaspoon of sugar, tickling the roof of your mouth where the hard palate meets the soft palate with a Q-tip, or placing your finger in your ear.  I haven't had the opportunity to try them yet.  I will let you know if they work for me.  Let me know if they work for you.

Is Bariatric Surgery Right for Your Overweight Teen?

Is bariatric surgery right for your overweight teen? My initial answer was absolutely not but after researching the data available on this issue I can see that in some situations this drastic surgery may be a viable option for a morbidly obese teen or tween's health. But I urge parents to exhaust all possibilities before considering this life changing and dangerous surgery for your child. Research all the information available, consider that there have not been any studies done to date on the long-term effects that this surgery may have on children and then make an informed decision. This is not an easy solution to an obesity problem, it is one that will have life altering consequences.

The information that changed my "absolute no" to a "sometimes" involved data from the research collected by the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. They have been following nearly five hundred teens who have received either gastric bypass or gastric band surgery for a year. These teens were at risk or were already developing medical issues associated with obesity: high blood pressure, diabetes and heart disease. They were at risk of dying. Researchers found that a year after surgery, these teens had lost on average 50 pounds and their health had improved greatly. It should be noted that one of the teens did die six months after surgery. Many researchers are concerned that this procedure disrupts the absorption of nutrients which will effect the growth of these children. Since these studies did not look at long term effects, this suspected side effect has yet to be researched. A case may be made for waiting until your child has stopped growing if that doesn't somehow put them at greater risk of stroke, heart attack or diabetes.

This choice will require your child to make difficult diet and life style changes after the surgery. A component of getting this surgery requires that the patient meets with a counselor and a nutritionist.

The question that continued to jump to my mind was "why gastric bypass instead of gastric band for teens when the gastric band is reversible?" I couldn't find an answer to that question.

Good Old Summertime: Teen Girls and Make Up Counters

What teenage girl isn't cruising the mall during the summer time sampling all the latest cosmetic choices?  The problem is that these cosmetic samples have been found to contain bacteria, yeast and fecal matter when independently tested.  The results were the same whether the cosmetics came from an upscale store or a drug store.  Interestingly, eye shadow and foundation were found to be the worst offenders.

Share this information with you teenage girls.  Let them know how to keep themselves safe, well safer anyway, at the cosmetic counter.  Here are a few suggestions:  use disposable applicators, test lipstick and shadows on your hand and foundations on your neck, and be sure to keep all of these sample products far from your eyes, lips and cuts.

Friends...Real or Fake?

How many times in your life have you been stabbed in the back by someone who you thought was your friend?  It's definitely happened to me more than once.  How can we protect our children from experiencing this upsetting event in their life?  Help them to identify qualities of a good friend which should include things like loyalty, fun, caring, nice, kind, and having some similar interests. Be sure to warn them off of fast friends because they usually are only looking to be friends with them just to get something they want from your child and once they have what they wanted in the relationship they usually hit the road.

I would much rather my child have one or two close friends that they can count on then hundreds of friends who will be long gone when troubled times come. This is an important point to make with your teen because they are in the stage of life when peers mean everything to them

Some of My Favorite Father's Day Quotes

It is admirable for a man to take his son fishing, but there is a special place in heaven for the father who takes his daughter shopping.    John Sinor


By the time a man realize that maybe his father was right, he usually has a son who thinks he's wrong.   Charles Wadsworth


Lately all my friends are worried that they're turning into their fathers.  I'm worried that I'm not. Dave Sevin


He didn't tell me how to live; he lived, and let me watch him do it. ~Clarence Budington Kelland


My father used to play with my brother and me in the yard. Mother would come out and say, "You're tearing up the grass." "We're not raising grass," Dad would reply. "We're raising boys." ~Harmon Killebrew


When I was a boy of fourteen, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be twenty-one, I was astonished at how much he had learned in seven years. ~Author unknown


Old as she was, she still missed her daddy sometimes. ~Gloria Naylor (I include this one for my 28 year old daughter who calls her "daddy" when she is having a problem)

The greatest gift I ever had
Came from God; I call him Dad!    Author Unknown


I don't care how poor a man is; if he has family, he's rich. ~M*A*S*H, Colonel Potter
(I include this one because MASH is one of my husband's favorite show)

Paying $1000 to Give Groupon the Honor of Naming Your Baby Clembough

Groupon has made an offer I hope we all can let pass us by.  For the low cost of $1000 dollars they will name your baby for you.  Your child's name will be "Clembough".  The official wording of this Groupon opportunity can be found below.  I seriously hope that this was Groupon's way of  making fun of what people are willing to spend money on in order to get in on a deal.  

$1,000 for Groupon to Name Your Baby ($1,000 Value)

All too often, the importance of a child's name takes a backseat to other "needs" such as food, shelter, and clothing. Groupon, the World's Foremost Authority in Baby Naming™, has stepped up to address this issue. Upon your child's birth, Groupon will relieve you of the burden of naming your baby by bestowing a specially selected, custom first name upon your infant son or daughter. Purchasers will e-mail Groupon with their voucher number, and we will e-mail you back with a name for your child based on the name's aesthetic value and for how it might look emblazoned on a trophy one day—for a child named by Groupon will grow tall and proud, and he or she will be a beacon of hope in a world that is in such desperate need of one. Don't settle for non-Groupon-approved names such as Kevin or Bridget—let us gift your sweet child with a moniker for the ages.

The Fine Print

• Expires Dec 10, 2012
• Limit one per parent, unless you have twins, triplets or quadruplets, in which case you can buy one per child. Groupon, the official World's Foremost Authority in Baby Naming™ , will name your child or children "Clembough". No substitutes or modifications. Spelling non-negotiable. Any attempt to name your child "Clembough" independent of this exclusive Groupon will be recognized by the world as a cheap imitation. If you fail to contact Groupon on or before the expiration date to have your progeny anointed Clembough, we will reject you and refund every penny of the purchase price.

How to Teaching a Baseball Fan to Change his Baby's Diaper

Spread the diaper in the position of the diamond with you at bat. Then fold second base down to home and set the baby on the pitcher's mound. Put first base and third together, bring up home plate and pin the three together. Of course, in case of rain, you gotta call the game and start all over again.    Jimmy Piersal, on how to diaper a baby, 1968


Hope this helps with some of you who have a parenting partner who claims that he can't change a diaper even if his life depended upon doing just that. 

When We Say "Happy Father's Day" We Really Mean It

When you tell your Father to have a Happy Father's Day this year, you can be assured that he will.  Three recent independent studies found that married Fathers over the age of 26 are found to be much happier than their childless counterparts.  Good news for all those Fathers out there.

The news for Mothers is not as good.  They report being neck in neck with their childless counterparts on the happiness scale.  This difference in contentment with parenting may be due more to an imbalance in responsibility for home and children when it comes to mothers and fathers .  The lion's share of the work often times falls to the mother, whereas the lion's share of the play usually lands on the dad.  Who wouldn't be happier playing over doing the chores.

My recommendation for fathers everywhere is to take this weekend off and enjoy a wonderful Father's day and then first thing Monday morning begin taking on some of your wife's chores.  The reality is that a less stressed woman makes for a happier mom and wife, which makes for a happier relationship for you.

"I Got Caught" Helmet Safety Program

I have posted my feelings prior to this about the power of positive reinforcement with regard to shaping your child's behavior and it appears that many police departments are jumping on this bandwagon when it comes to getting children to wear bike helmets.  Many police departments around the world are providing children with certificates for treats from some of their favorite places if they are caught wearing their bike helmets while riding.  Dairy Queen, McDonald's,Cold Stone and Chic-fil-A to name a few. 

Having worked at schools where on occasion the resource officer could be found handing out citations for not wearing a helmet, I don't think that it had an effect on whether children wore their helmets or not.  It could have been ineffective because it happened only once or twice a year or because getting a piece of paper was not enough of a deterent for most of the children.  What I do know is that after a few days, the children at my school reverted back to their old habit of not wearing a helmet.

I couldn't find any statistics about how these positive reinforcement programs are working, but I just have to think that they are having an effect.  What child wouldn't wear a helmet if they had the possibility of getting an ice cream cone out of it.

I really hope these programs are working because during the summer months bike crashes are the leading cause of emergency room visits among children.  Having flipped over my own handlebars and landed on my head a few years ago, I will tell you that I was sure glad that I had a helmet on.  Other then a few cuts and scraps, I was able to brush myself off and get right back up on my bike.  This is something I don't think would have been possible without the helmet.

Note: that if you have been in a crash with your helmet on, it is probably time for a new helmet.  It was probably damaged in the crash and has out grown it's usefulness.

In the Good Old Summertime: Keeping Your Child Safe in (and Around) the Pool

I would like to say that the news story out of Georgia this weekend, where to five year old girls drowned in a pool as their caregiver was talking on the phone, is out of the ordinary but it is much more common place than we would like to think. No matter where the pool is located there are some simple (and a few not so simple) steps that you can take to keep your children safe.

It is important to remember that although most drowning occur in residential swimming pools, a child can drown in as little as an inch of water.  This may include a toilets, wading or inflatable baby pools, bath tubs, ice chests, fountains, ponds or buckets for younger children because once they fall over into them they do not have the upper body strength to pull themselves out.  Most drowning involving infants under the age of one occur in the bathtub.   Older children may not be at risk of drowning in these situations, but open water such as rivers, lakes and oceans do pose a drowning threat for them as well.  Therefore, it is important to be observant of what your child is doing when they are around water even if they are not swimming.

The American Academy of Pediatrics advises parents to take the following preventive steps to protect their children from drowning:

• Never leave your child unsupervised near water at or in the home, or around any body of water, including a swimming pool.
• Learn cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and infant and child first-aid.
• Do not rely on personal flotation devices (PFDs) or swimming lessons to protect your child.  Note that water wings, rafts and toys were not made to prevent drowning.
• Install childproof fencing around swimming pools.  Consider locking all doors that access pool.  Make sure that those locks are out of your children’s reach.  Small hands can be quite resourceful when they are on a mission.
• Make sure you have rescue equipment or an approved floatation device, a telephone, and emergency phone numbers near the swimming pool at all times.
• Insist that your child wear a U.S. Coast Guard-approved personal flotation device on boats at all times.  The best way to get older children to wear them is to wear them yourself.  Think safety first, fashion second.
• Do not allow children to dive in waters less than 9 feet deep.  Many children sustain permanent neck injuries diving into water that is too shallow.  Check the depth of the lake or pool prior to allowing diving.
• Take any pool cover completely off before allowing your child to swim.  This is one that I have personally been guilty of.
•  Young children should not use hot tubs as they can easily get overheated.