Bullying is a Big Problem

You hear, read and see it all around. How do you talk to your children about bullying and how to stop it. Here is some information about the signs, causes and soultions to this terrible problem.

Products Recalls October 2013

Follow this link to see the new list.

Halloween Time 2013

It's that time of year again. Planning for Halloween can be difficult since it requires decorating, special treats, costumes, crats and perhaps even parties, not to mention the trick or treating on that special night! I have a suggested a few of my favorite books, alongs with two easy crafts that can be done in a short period of time, with a few children or as a party activity. Halloween Books: Where the Wild Things are by Maurice Sendak Room on the Broom by Julia Donaldson Skeleton Hiccups by Margery Cuyler and SD Schindler Five Little Pumpkins by Dan vaccarino The Spider and the Fly by Mary Howitt and Tony Di Terkizzi Popcorn by Frank Asch Crafts: Mummy Pumpkins- Supplies needed: a small pumpkinm gauze bandages. First I hot glued two large wiggle eyes to a spot where my three year old grandson chose. Next, using gauze bandage I bought at my dolar store, I hot glued one end to the bottom of the pumpkin. He took over, winding the gauze around the pumking, passing around the eyes. We used two rolls of 4.5 yards for a small pumpkin. I hot glued the other end to the top. It looks spooky and was done in a matter of minutes. Monster Making- Supplies needed: glue sticks, construction paper shapes. After cutting many different shapes from various colors of construction paper, I let him make monsters. Since we just read Where the Wild Things Are, it was apparent he was influenced by those illustrations. The possibilities here are endless. He used a glue stick and was happy to work on this project for a half hour. I can't wait to try it with my 5 year old grandaughter. These monsters would also be cute as place setting cards or the fronts of Halloween cards. Have fun and let their imaginatiosn run wild!

Ideas For Lunch

Preparing healthy lunches for kids to take to school is easy. Preparing healthy lunches ofr kids to take to school that they will actually EAT, is a challenge. Here are some tips I recently heard: 1-Use 100% whole grain bread 2-Let them build it. Send is slices of cheese, veggies and chicken with assorted crackers and them them make their own combos. 3- Experiment with different veggies and dips so they can try new tastes. Plus dips imply yummy snacks. 4- Add slices of fruit to their water bottles. It will add flavor but no sugar. 5- Prepeel fruit like oranges to make it easier to eat. Apples can be slices and rubber banded back together to keep pieces from browning. 6-Use fat free Greek style yogurt with honey to make a dip for fruit. 7- Use a peeler on veggies to make interesting ribbons and curls. The kids might think it's more fun that way. 8- Adding some colorful sprinkles to yogurt won't add many calories but will add interest. 9- Use large cookie cutters in fun shapes to cut sandwiches. Don't be square any more! 10- Don't forget good old fat free popcorn for a quick snack, 11- For a fun trail mix, use 2 cups goldfish, 2 1/2 cups cheddar mini-pretzels, 1 cup dried fruit like apples or cherries, and 1/2 cup unsalted peanuts. Bag them up in 1/2 cup portions. 12- Find a great recipe for home made healthy chips here.

Product Safety Recall Sept. 2013

Follow this link to see the list of recalls of children's products for September.

Healthy Sleep Routines

Are you still having trouble getting your child into a healthy sleep routine for school? Well here is an article from the experts to give you some successful tips.

The Best Ride

The best ride for your child is one that is secure in the correct car seat. September 15-21, 2013 is Child Passenger Safety Week. You can make sure you have the right seat for your child's height, weight,and age by following this link.

August 2013 Recalls

Go here to find the list of recalled products for last month. Share with other paretns and caregivers too.

Back to School 2013

It's that time again. My, how fast the summer came and went! Here are some tips to get back into the school groove or to get off to a good start for the Kindergartners. 1- Start now to get on the correct time schedule. Even though kids have adjusted to being up late and sleeping in, now is the time change back to "school time" so it can be a gradual adjustment. It will take a week or so for the body to shift into early nights and mornings especially since it is still staying light out fairly late into the evenings. 2. Start choosing snacks and lunches. The first week on school is NOT the time to try new, easy, packable lunches and snacks. I don't want to recall the number of them I saw thrown into the trash because the kids didn't like Mom's selections. Let the kids start sampling now so you can make a list of what will work. Choose healthy things that are easily make the night before or quickly in the morning. Also, don't forget to let the kids give you some ideas. They will tell you what they will eat. You can compromise on the suggestions to some degree and post the list so you can add to it as the year goes on. 3. Start reviewing the basics. If you have let the kids slack off on reading and math for the summer, now is the time to getting the brains in gear. Tell them to spend some time each day reading. You can decide what amount of time is age appropriate but even the little ones can spend 15 minutes looking at books. Don't forget to keep up with the read aloud bedtime stories. For writing practice, have them write (including texting or messaging) a relative or friend some fun things they did during the summer or things they are looking forward to this year. Math concepts can be practiced in a game format while doing household chores and routines. For example: If we use a knife, fork and spoon at each place setting tonight, and have 5 people in the family, how many pieces of silverware will we need? Another example would be-"Let's use our shoes to make a pattern- sandal, sneaker sneaker, sandal, sneaker, ?, what comes next"? or "Which of these containers holds more water? Lets put in into the bathtub tonight and you can see." Whatever you choose to do, remember to start now and keep it fun. Beginnings matter, so make sure your child gets off to a good start. Good luck! Here are some books you can look for in your local library, bookstore, or online: For younger children- Simon Starts School by Sharon Pierce Starting School by Franzesks Ewart Starting School by Allan Wahlberg School Starts Today by Carolyn Hayes For older kids- Starting Gate (a Saddle Club title) by Bonnie Bryant Starting School by Johanna Hurwitz The Boys Start the War by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor

Do Backpacks Equal Backaches?

It's that time of year again when families start the back to school shopping. There is always a long list and so many products from which to choose. Besides getting the best price, how can you get the best products? Well, as a rule I always suggest that parents try to purchase the specific item the teacher has recommended. The teacher has had lots of experience with many different types of school supplies and usually knows what works the best and lasts the longest. When it comes to backpacks though,  teachers don't usually give too much feedback. Children can really develop backaches from carrying ill fitting and over stuffed backpacks so here is an article to help you make that all important decision. Happy shopping!

Child Passenger Safety Week 2013

September 15 through 21, 2013 is Child Passenger Safety Week. For more details and downloadable information for your group or organization, visit this link.

Make Summer Last Longer

I can't believe it will be the beginning of August in two days. Where exactly did summer go? It certainly seems to be flying by. I thought of one way to make your summer last a bit longer. You can preserve the fun activity of sand castle building with your child by making modeling sand. Here is the recipe:

1/3 cup flour
2T white granulated sugar
1 cup water
6 cups clean sand

Mix the flour and sugar. Add the water and stir well. Cook over low heat, stirring until the mixture looks clear. Cool until it's a comfortable temperature to handle. Mix with the sand. Knead until you have a clay like substance. You can add a bit of water as needed. You can pack this into measuring cup or other containers then invert onto a plate. We layered ours. You can sprinkle on glitter, add seashells, or post a flag as we did. Let it dry, without touching or moving for a day. It will harden and remind you of the 2013 fast moving summer!