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Home electrical safety rules everyone should know

July 12, 2011 By apparent

Your house is full of electrical appliances and fittings that could pose a hazard if they are not handled with care. Here is a list of important electrical safety rules that everyone should know and follow.

Safety with Power Outlets

Make sure there are no missing wall plates or broken plates. If a plate is missing or broken, dangerous internal live parts become exposed and can cause shocks if touched.

Notice any outlets where plugs only fit in loosely. These can overheat and cause fires. Thousands of children suffer electrical related injuries every year. There are several products you can purchase which dramatically increase protection for your toddlers from dangerous electrical currents.

Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters

One of the most effective protections against electrocution is the Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters (GFCI). These outlets measures changes between currents coming in through the live wire and leaving through the neutral and will shuts of power if even minute differences are detected.

They are especially important in wet areas such as bathrooms as water can act as a pathway for dangerous currents and cause electrocution! If even a small current flows leaks and flows through something else (such as you!) the GFCI will sense this in as fast as 1/30th a second and cut off the current. GFCI’s are compulsory in many states/countries especially for bathrooms and other wet areas.

Electrical Outlet Covers and Child Protection

Apart from a GFCI, outlet covers are a another form of protection, mechanical in nature. They simply cover the sockets in an outlet preventing for example a toddler from exploring them too much! Here are the different types.

a) Complete Covers

These covers “box” around any plugs inserted into an outlet and completely cover them. They provide a very good measure of safety but are more ideal for those outlets where appliances are plugged in all the time, such as next to your TV or desktop computer. Sometimes though they may not be big enough for certain plugs but this happens rarely. Know the rough measurements of the plugs you are going to use before purchasing one of these covers. You can buy these from most hardware/electrical stores and easily fix them on top of your outlet.

b) Sliding Covers

These outlets have sliding covers which must be pushed aside to insert plugs and which slide shut when plugs are removed. These are quire effective and should be considered if you are replacing or inserting new outlets covers.

Outlet sliding cover

c) Plastic Safety Caps/Plugs

These plastic caps fit snugly into the outlets so inquisitive fingers cannot reach inside. However some of these can be easily pulled out by toddlers and may even pose a choking hazard.

Electrical outlet safety caps

Safety with Cords

Electric Cord Shortener

Electric cord shorteners are small plastic cases where you can wind up cords inside. They help to protect against people tripping over long disorganized cords or children pulling them out of outlets. It also exposes less of the cord to animals that may chew on them and damage insulation.

Do not leave cords in places where there is a lot of foot traffic. They should not be placed under furniture or rugs as this will block the path for heat to escape from the cord and this cause fires. Don’t exert too much pressure on cords by placing furniture on top, bending them at hard angles or stapling them to walls or anything else as this can damage insulation and expose live parts. Rubber insulation is there to dissipate heat and if is not there, fires can result. Look out for any cords that are in poor condition and worn away insulation.

Extension Cords Safety

Make sure you do not overload and plug in too many appliances into any extension cord. An extension cord has a rated power capacity and you should not exceed it. Add up the wattage of all the appliances attached to an extension cord and it should be less than the cord wattage. Wattage is specified on every appliance. If not then both voltage and current will be and you can calculate wattage by multiplying voltage and current. Wattage (W) = Voltage (V) x Current (A)

Plugging an extension cord into another one is not a good idea. If the extension cord gets too long, excessive voltage drops can occur across the longer cords and reduce efficiency. Motors may get damaged.

Safety with Plugs

Do not remove the ground pin (the middle prong) to make a three-prong plug fit into an outlet with only two holes. The ground pin is there to protect you from shock by providing a path for dangerous leaked current to return to earth so it is an important safety feature. Make sure plugs fit in to to outlets properly or overheating may occur.

Fixing Light Bulbs Correctly

Replace light bulbs with the correct wattage for the fixture. Turn off power to the light first and wait before the bulb cools down (it can get very hot!) before replacing it. Make sure you secure them tightly as loose bulbs may overheat.

Choosing a Correct Circuit Breakers/Fuses

Make sure the circuit breakers and fuses are the correct size current rating for their circuit. Consult a professional to determine correct sizes for fuses and breakers. Breakers are meant to trip when more current than the wiring in your house can take is being drawn. If you use a breaker with too high a rating then it will not trip when then circuit is drawing too much current and this can lead to fire. Alternatively a breaker with two low a rating may trip prematurely.

Electrical Appliances and Water:  Safety Precautions

Keep electrical appliances far away from water! If an appliance falls into a body of water do not attempt to pull it out! First turn off power at your electrical panel before taking it out. Do not use the appliance again unless a professional has certified that is safe to use. Water is an excellent conductor and so is your body (which contains mostly water) so if a powered appliance comes into contact with water and you touch it, dangerous current can flow through you and cause severe injuries.

Equipment Care and Faulty Appliances

Make sure all electrical/electronic equipment do not have damaged cords or plugs. A faulty appliance can repeatedly blow a fuse, trip a circuit breaker or cause electric shocks. This may be due to wiring that has come loose in the appliance causing a short circuit and over currents. If these symptoms exist stop using the appliance immediately and have it repaired or replaced. Use surge protectors with computers.

Surge Protectors

A surge breaker protects equipment such as your computer from sudden voltage spikes which can be very damaging. The surge protector will react to voltages that rise above a threshold by directing extra current to ground. Belkin is a trusted name in surge protector products.

Belkin surge protector

Outdoor Electrical Safety

Electric-powered mowers and other tools should not be used in the rain, on wet grass or in wet conditions. Inspect power tools and electric lawn mowers before each use for frayed power cords, broken plugs, and cracked or broken housings. If damaged, stop using it immediately. Repair it or replace it. Always use an extension cord marked for outdoor use and rated for the power needs of your tools. Remember to unplug all portable power tools when not in use. Since metal ladders conduct electricity, watch out for overhead wires and power lines when you are up a ladder.

Safety during Lightning

If you think an electrical storm is about to happen unplug all electrical appliances (computers, hair dryers etc.) and avoid contact with them during the storm. Don’t use corded telephones during the storm.

Do not take baths or showers and avoid contact with bathroom fixtures such as sinks, baths or faucets.

Space Heaters

Electrical space heaters cause thousands of fires and injuries annually. These problems can be avoided by following a few guidelines.

Keep electrical space heaters away from combustible materials and do not dry anything by draping it on the heater! Keep heaters away from bodies of water and wet areas (such as bathrooms) and if this is a must connect it into a GFCI. If you you use an extension cord with the heater make sure the cord is rated above the wattage of the heater or else it will overheat. For example use a heavy duty 14 gauge cord. Keep the heater cords out off foot traffic’s way and turn off the heater when not in use.

Halogen Floor Lamps

Halogen floor lamps operate at much higher temperatures than a standard incandescent light bulb. Never place a halogen floor lamp where it could come in contact with draperies, clothing, or other combustible materials. Be sure to turn the lamp off whenever you leave the room for an extended period of time and never use torchiere lamps in children’s bedrooms or playrooms.

Pay attention to these electrical safety rules and live harmoniously with your electrical appliances!

Written by moshad27

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How to encourage reluctant readers

July 11, 2011 By apparent

A toddler with no interest in learning to read is hard work. It can often feel as if you are banging your head against a brick wall but, in the words of the great Douglas Adams, ‘Don’t Panic!’ Eventually something will spark their interest and it doesn’t have to be a book. Comics and internet pages, even game instructions can all count and be the trigger for the need to read. Keep plugging at it, even when you think it is hopeless. It isn’t, and one day you will recall those traumatic hours of blank expressions over flash cards and smile as your child reads everything in sight.

The tips:

1 – Do not force it

The worst mistake any parent can make is to shove a book into the hands of a toddler and force them to sit with it. Children do not have a cloak over their emotions as we do and they are more perceptive than we give them credit for. They know fakery when they see/hear it and your faked enthusiasm for ‘A is for Apple’ primers and monotonous flash cards will just compound the burgeoning dislike they already have. Choose times that suit you and your child. If it feels like a chore, stop and try later, when you are both more amenable to the idea.

2 – Lead by example.

At this stage a toddler still thinks its primary carer is god and will imitate constantly. When you go to the fridge to make lunch, take out the tubs, bottles and packages and read them. Your child will no doubt be under your feet with cries of “Watcha doing mum?”

(If you take long enough they will come to find out where you are anyway. This is known as the ‘No mother will visit the toilet unaccompanied by at least one child’ principal).

At the prompt of “watcha doing?” you ask them a question in return. For example – Two packs of cheese. Hold them both out and ask the child which you should have for lunch. When they point to one pack you ask “Do you like that one best?” They answer yes because that’s what they do. Decisions at this age are final because no toddler is ever wrong about anything! You return with “Mummy likes this one best. Do you know why?” Shake of the head, at which point you crouch beside your child (always, always, always be at the level of your child when engaging them in conversation.) and point out the wording on the package, spell it out or just say it as you point to the words and say “Because these words tell mummy the name of the cheese and I know that one is the name of my favourite.”

You can use this anywhere and everywhere. You show interest in reading the warning sign at the park and your child will follow your lead. You read the words on the cereal packet and your child will come with you. Reading is with you all the time, use it and your child will never know that they are learning so there is zero resistance.

3 – Bath-time is reading time

Fill the bath and make sure there are masses of bubbles. Once your child is in the bath, idly start tracing letters in the foam. Toddlers are curious and the rest is easy. You write ‘mum’ in the bubbles, they ask what you are doing and you say ‘I’m writing mum’. Instant ‘Can I do it?’ moment. As long as there is foam, there is reading.

Using finger-paints on the tiles is an obvious avenue but you don’t have to buy expensive paints from shops. Just Google the words ‘Homemade Finger-paint’ and there is a wealth of information to be had. Thrift shops are also an excellent resource where you can pick up books specifically designed for use in the bath. To a toddler the mere fact of being in the bath means they can’t possibly be learning, bath = fun, so books may be more readily accepted.

4 – Story time

Keep up the book at bedtime mentality, even if it feels like hard work, and your child drops off before you’ve reached the end of page two. The best tool I ever discovered for keeping a toddler riveted to their bedtime story was voices.

Yes, it makes you feel like a fool, you have no talent for it. We know all the excuses and dismiss them. Why? Because your child doesn’t know that the voice you give the character in the book is rubbish! To your child it simply is the voice, end of discussion. They don’t care if your chickens sound like they have a smoker’s cough or your elephants are apparently being squeezed in a leaky bellows. Your voice is what they accept. Stop being scared of embarrassing yourself and let rip.

Remember, no-one will ever know but you and your child. My children still giggle and replicate the voices I used when we read that eternal favourite “Hairy Maclary from Donaldson’s Dairy” (by Lynley Dodd). Hairy was of course a Scot, Bottomley Potts was an upper-class English twit and Bitzer Maloney was Italian for some reason long since forgotten.

Every book has a multitude of voices you can utilise to make the reading experience fun. Heck, you can even go so far as to act bits of it out. There’s nothing quite as hysterical to a toddler as its carer, this figure of authority, suddenly descending to all fours and pretending to be a cat hissing at a dog! You never know, you might even rediscover a little of your inner child.

5 – Have reading material everywhere

Leave (suitable!) magazines everywhere. Toddler magazines can sit next to the potty. Animal magazines, nature magazines, toy catalogues (if you can withstand the constant pleas of ‘I want’) can live near or in the toy box. Write notes to your child and leave them where they can find them, then come and ask you what they say.

(A tip here is to introduce a special notepad and explain to them that it for ‘special notes’ between mum and toddler. Toddlers love secrets – hence their fascination with every closed cupboard and where the discs go when the cd drawer closes! – and this will grab their attention.)

Have a whiteboard or a chalkboard hung on the playroom/lounge wall at their level and draw together on it, name the things you draw.

The possibilities are as limitless as your imagination. (Did you know you can see letters in the clouds?) Instead of switching on the tv in the evening (you can watch it after your child goes to bed remember), sit down with a book whilst your child plays prior to bedtime. Show them that books are a part of your life and they’ll want to make it part of theirs.

There is something almost magical about that still moment at the end of their day. The world recedes and attention becomes centered on the page and the sound of children laughing, taking a shocked breath at an unexpected event or pleading for just one more chapter, one more story.

As Tim Allen once said, ‘Never give up! Never surrender!’ One day your child will surprise you, turn from the stubborn little ball of fury who wants nothing to do with books to the kid who’s looking up how to fix his bike on the internet or reading a recipe so she can cook you a Mother’s Day meal. Don’t laugh, I promise it will happen if you just hang in there and remember to enjoy it. Good luck

Written by GillianTaber

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Taming Your Toddler

July 11, 2011 By apparent

If you’re a parent, you know you have one of the most demanding jobs there is. Always on call. A chef, a chauffer, a doctor, story teller, expert listener … etc. We look forward to their first words and brace against those toddler tantrums. Sometimes we need help. I remember the days of needing to talk to an adult, any adult, just to maintain my sanity. Here is a list of things you can do to keep your cool in the midst of chaos.

Be patient. Not only is patience a virtue, it is also the key to good parenting. Your little ones are exploring the world around them and learning how to find their voice. If they can’t have something or do something, they don’t know why. They don’t know how to express themselves, they don’t have the words and most likely, they are frustrated too.

Tone of voice is important. Try not to yell and scream, although it happens to the best of us… one way to deal with a situation is to whisper. When you whisper your child has to be quiet and lean in close to hear you. Not to mention it’s also reassuring and non threatening.

Routine is a great way to help keep kids calm. I think everyone does a little better when they know what’s coming next. Bedtime is a good way to instill a routine. Give them a bath (or let them take their own), Do some relaxing lotion, usually anything with lavender in it is good for a calming effect. Climb into bed and under the covers, snuggle in a read a book or two.

Self Time Outs. I think I’ve mentioned that I am a big fan of self time outs. It’s just like it sounds. I got sick and tired of chasing my daughter around the house and putting her back into the “timeout” chair, only to have her get up and do it again. So, I decided to remove myself from the situation. Take away the stimulus. I went to my bedroom and locked the door. She kicked and screamed at first, not getting any response from me and soon calmed down and was able to listen to me. Now you can’t do this with every age, you need to make sure they will be safe and not get into anything that they can hurt themselves with. With the appropriate age (or development stage) this can work wonders.

Try to Avoid Power Struggles. Say “yes” whenever possible. Last week my daughter and I had a doctor appointment at 3:00 pm. It was 11:00 am when I asked her to get dressed. She refused and we ended up getting into an argument. One that left me in tears of frustration. I put myself on my timeout, and thought. Is it really so important she get dressed right now? Certainly before 3:00, but that is 4 hours away. She can stay in her pj’s a little longer. Wouldn’t you know, as soon as I told her that, she got dressed. It wasn’t a game or a challenge anymore.

Don’t Forget About Playtime! In a world full of schedules and routines to follow, as helpful as they are, kids are kids. They need time to play. Run off steam. Take a break from it all. Play is good for big people too!

Try Something Else. If none of these work, if you’ve talked to others, tried other suggestions, and are still at the end of your rope, there are people and places willing to help. After my daughter was born I had some pretty bad post partum depression. I needed respite care. Where the county paid for someone to watch my daughter while I took a break. It was for a few hours, a couple of times a week. It was what I needed to get through a difficult time. In addition to respite care you may want to look into getting professional help. There are play therapist that know how to work with children and get them to open up about what may be bothering them and offer solutions to some of what may be going on at home.

The main thing to keep in mind is that a child is a child and not a behavior. You can not like the behavior and still love the child.

I hope this helps and the best of luck to those of you who are dealing with some difficult childhood situations.

　

Written by CelesteWilliams
Freelance Writer / Photographer

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How to Care for Your Premature Baby At Home

July 11, 2011 By apparent

Things You’ll Need:

Premature Baby Car Seat
Baby Nurse
Alarm Clock
Premature Baby Formula
Pediatrician
Network with other parents of preemies

Preemie Carseat

Your preemie has already passed Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) benchmarks to get to the point they are ready to go home. Only 12% of babies are born prematurely, and they do face more risk factors or respiratory infections because of having been on a ventilator. Let’s get some practical tips to make the homecoming of your infant. First off, let’s get the appropriate carseat to bring baby home. Premature babies do not tolerate convertible toddler car seats, because they get too bunch up, and have a harder time breathing. You can find premature infant carseats online. You’ve had time to prepare, so you probably already have this ready.

Nurse or Family help

 You’ve had to wait longer for your infant to come home, and you will have to have help the first few days at home. Hiring a baby nurse would be advisable, but if finances are tight, have a helpful parent or family member. This is a crucial time for your preemie, having someone there adds extra security in case of an emergency and also allows for you to get some much need sleep.

Breastfeeding or Enfamil

Because your baby is a preemie, he may not have the lusty cry to awake you to let you know he’s hungry. You will need to feed him every 3 – 4 around the clock, and wake him during the night to feed him. If you’ve been able to pump your breasts while your preemie was in the hospital then you will be giving him the optimal nutrition he requires. There are formulas made for premature babies now,such as Enfamil brand. These will help him gain adequate weight.

Pediatrician  

You will have picked in advance the pediatrician for your infant. Find a Doctor you are comfortable with, and contact him/her within a few days returning home. Because your preemie was on a ventilator, he is at more risk for respiratory infections. Be sure to have no smoking around your preemie. Also, keep a fan circulating air in your preemie’s room, because it’s been proven in the last 2 years, that this helps maintain a stable temperature in your baby’s room, reducing the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. (SIDS)

Connect with Support Group Network or try to connect with other parents who have premature babies that are older than yours. This will give you the confidence that your baby will thrive and be strong also. They also will be able to give you personal tips they’ve learned to aid with raising their preemie.

Written by kimarkent

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Decorating a Halloween Pumpkin With Your Toddler – Fun Ideas For This Craft

July 10, 2011 By apparent

Even young children enjoy decorating a pumpkin for Halloween. You do not want to put a knife in their hand or do all of the work for them. There are several different ways that you can still let them have a lot of fun and decorate their own pumpkin. These ideas have worked great at my home and will work wonderful at yours as well. They are also good for preschool classrooms.

Painting a Pumpkin

You can get some simple paints and a small paintbrush. Lay out some newspapers and then let your child have fun painting on the pumpkin. Let them do whatever they want on it. Remember they will wash and just let them get messy. Tempura paint comes off easily so this is a good one to use. These pumpkins are usually kept better in the house because the paint can wash off in the rain.

Stickers

Place stickers on the pumpkins. It is very simple and you can use any stickers that you want to use. Our local pumpkin patch sells sheets of stickers that have faces on them for only 25 cents. You can also find great stickers at the dollar store.

Markers

Let your child draw on the pumpkin with markers. You will need to use sharpies or another marker that is not washable for this one. If you use washable markers, they will come right off on the child’s hands. Just make sure they only write on the pumpkin because these markers will not come off other items easily.

Carving

If you make the choice that you want to carve a pumpkin, let the kids get involved in helping you out. They can pull all of the guts out of the middle. Let them put the seeds on a pan so that you can toast them. Once you cut out a piece, you can let the child push the piece out of the pumpkin for you. Just watch them really careful so that they do not touch the knives or other tools that you are using to cut the pumpkin.

This is a fun activity for the entire family. Even your older children will enjoy decorating the pumpkin in this way. They will be proud of the great job they did on their own pumpkin. You can sit down and do this together as a family and then toast the seeds. Enjoy this snack together and have a great time as a family.

Written by monkeysue

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Ideal Presents For Toddlers

July 10, 2011 By apparent

Toddler years are the stage in human lifestyle wherein a person starts learning a lot of things-walking, talking, socialization, and many other things. Mainly because this can be a crucial stage, we call for to make sure that we may possibly be giving the correct kind of gifts for them throughout this vacation season.

It doesn’t mean that mainly considering that they’re still young and doesn’t know a great deal about their atmosphere but, we can just let the vacation slip with out giving them something to take pleasure in for that relaxation on the year to come. Even a whole lot extra, it is vital to give presents during this stage in human development provided that it will flip into an necessary lesson that they can uncover and incorporate for that rest of their lives. Useless to say, we will need to carefully decide on on the gifts that we will be giving since the influence that it’ll later carry. It is also fundamentally the most effective time to start receiving Santa phone calls. Make sure that which you capture 1 of one’s babys lists of firsts in existence.

Still, it is essential that we cautiously presume about the gifts that we will most certainly be giving to children ages 1-3 a long time old. To begin with, we are ready to get a cautious look inside the presents that they will be getting for this coming holiday season.

Simply because it’s on this stage in human life that they’re learning new things and adjusting with our environment, we’re ready to arrive up with presents that will acquire important components in their life. Amongst the areas that children acquire during this stage is their language skills, motor skills, creativity, and socialization. Primarily generally simply because of these issues, our gifts ought to revolve around these subjects and wants to become ready to help in reaching the desired influence associated to these elements. Santa calls are also an ideal existing for our toddlers. Letting them hear the voice of Santa will probably be awesome, especially inside the occasion you let them see a film or picture of Santa prior to getting the call.

To enhance the motor abilities of our toddlers, we can give them presents that are fantastic as outside games. As an example, we’re ready to give them some balls or other comparable presents that would carry them to launch their power during their play time. Encouraging them to maneuver around, play, and also have fun are by now usually means to acquire their motor abilities.

When it’s their logical abilities that we wish to enhance, we’re capable to give them creative toys which are not only enjoyable to play with but are also educational. A few of these toys contain constructing blocks, puzzles, and stacking toys. Once we acquire this logical ability of our toddlers, we’re also boosting their inventive side. It may perhaps perhaps perhaps also be possible to present them tea set or dress up toys, that’s basically for ladies, to nonetheless enhance their creativity and logical abilities.

But nonetheless, we need to not forget that our gifts will need to not be something that’s extremely technical and that we would be stripping their younger years away from them. We still will need to make certain that, even if we want to acquire unique characteristics and train them specific lessons, we’re also giving them space to take enjoyment in and do the things that they want. Proper after all, this stage is a time when getting fun and enjoying the childhood is necessary.

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Gift Concepts for Toddlers

July 9, 2011 By apparent

Toddler years are the stage in human life wherein an individual starts learning pretty a number of things-walking, talking, socialization, and a amount of other things. For the cause that this is a crucial stage, we will need to be distinct that we will probably be giving the right kind of gifts for them during this holiday season.

 

It does not mean that because they are still young and does not know rather a bit about their environment yet, we can just let the holiday slip without giving them anything to value for the rest of the year to come. Even much a lot more, it is crucial to give gifts during this stage in human development given that it will develop to be an important lesson that they can learn and incorporate for the rest of their lives. Of program, we will need to carefully decide the gifts that we could be giving for that cause that the impact that it will later bring.

It is also the best time to start receiving Santa phone calls. Be confident that you capture one of your baby’s lists of ‘firsts’ in life.

 

Still, it is crucial that we carefully consider the gifts that we will most probably be giving to kids ages 1-3 years old. To start with, we can take a careful look within the gifts that they will be receiving for this coming holiday season.

 

Provided that it is in this stage in human life that they are studying new things and adjusting with our environment, we can come up with gifts that can develop key components in their life. Among the areas that kids develop during this stage is their language skills, motor skills, creativity, and socialization. Given that of these things, our gifts will need to revolve around these subjects and should be ready to help in achieving the desired impact related to these aspects.

Santa calls are also an ideal present for our toddlers. Letting them hear the voice of Santa will probably be great, specifically when you let them see a movie or image of Santa prior to receiving the call.

 

To enhance the motor skills of our toddlers, we are in a position to give them gifts that are good as outdoor games. For instance, we are ready to give them some balls or other similar gifts that would bring them to release their energy during their play time. Encouraging them to move around, play, and have fun are already means to develop their motor skills.

 

When it is their logical skills that we wish to enhance, we can give them creative toys that are not just fun to play with but are also educational. Some of these toys encompass building blocks, puzzles, and stacking toys. When we develop this logical skill of our toddlers, we are also boosting their creative side. It could properly also be achievable to give them tea set or dress up toys, which is basically for girls, to still enhance their creativity and logical skills.

 

But still, we seriously should not forget that our gifts have to not be something which is highly technical and that we would be stripping their younger years away from them. We still need to be certain that, even if we want to develop specific characteristics and teach them certain lessons, we are also giving them room to enjoy and do the things that they want. Right after all, this stage is a time when having fun and enjoying the childhood is necessary.

 

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Teething is very painful for babies, which is why they bite; however, cold items, such as teething rings or frozen foods, and medication can help alleviate the pain. Help a baby cope with teething using thisfree video from a professional nanny about child care. Expert: Veronica Baragas Contact: www.mywigglesandgiggles.com Bio: Veronica Baragas was born and raised in Austin, Texas and has been working with children and families for 10 years. Filmmaker: Todd Green

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Child Care And Flu Season – Are You Prepared?

July 7, 2011 By apparent

Most working parents only get a limited amount of sick or personal days. You could be risking your job if you need to take off several days because your child gets the flu. Having your child in a good day care is a relief but what if your child gets sick and is unable to go to day care or school? Do you have a back-up plan?

Before the flu season kicks in, develop a plan. The first thing to do is to figure out exactly how much time you have at your job for sick days, personal days or vacation. This should be part of your back-up plan. Only you know how secure your job is and how your boss reacts to employees taking time off. Finding a new job in this economy is difficult so risking your job by staying home with a sick child is something to avoid.

The next thing to do is to contact friends or family members who may be able to help you out if your child gets sick and needs to stay home. The more people that you can count on the better. Maybe you know someone who could help you out for only part of the day so you will miss less work. Another option is having someone who can pick your child up from school or daycare if they get sick. Any bit of help will help you to stay in good standing on your job.

The health and well-being of your child is the most important thing to a parent. Unfortunately, parents also need to keep a roof over their child’s head. The struggle between earning a paycheck and caring for your child is just part of being a parent.

The other thing that is necessary is to get a flu shot and get your child a flu shot. This can protect against a lengthier illness. Viruses will happen, especially in toddlers and young children. Trying to keep yourself and your child healthy by eating a healthy diet and teaching your child how to prevent illness by hand washing can help. Not too many children escape getting an ear infection or stomach virus. A parent needs to be ready to deal with the inevitable childhood illness that will happen.

Written by Priscilla Benfield

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Family Home Evening Ideas With Toddlers

July 6, 2011 By apparent

Here are some specific ideas for activities and lessons for family home evenings with pre-school aged children.

1. Bodies

Preschoolers are rapidly gaining understanding of the world around them. They are becoming more interested in their own bodies and the differences between girls and boys, babies, etc.

Help them to learn the names of body parts. The song “head, shoulders, knees and toes” can be a fun one for the whole family to do, and it will help to reinforce the names of body parts. You can draw pictures of people. Another good drawing activity is to draw faces with different expressions, showing happy, sad etc. (The book Happy Dog Sad Dog is good for this). Most public libraries have picture books explaining body parts (and sometimes very basic sex ed. or explanations of bones, organs, etc.) You can look for one suited to the right level for your child.

If you want a short spiritual lesson with it, then you can use the creation story about our bodies being made, or use the Word of Wisdom (Doctrine & Covenants 89) to talk about taking care of our bodies.

2. Alternative Family Portraits

Instead of a traditional family portrait, try something different (and probably more fun). Get a big sheet of paper (you can use canvas or other backgrounds as well), and some finger paints. Each family member uses a different colour paint, and puts down a handprint (or footprint). In the end, you have a collection of different size and colour prints that look great together.

You can combine this with family-based songs (like Families Can Be Together Forever) and a lesson on families.

3. Write Letters

Use family night to write letters to grandparents, missionaries, or anyone else that you want to send mail to. Parents and older kids can write messages, and younger children can draw pictures to go with them. They will also have fun putting stickers and stamps on the envelopes.

4. Work in the Garden

Begin with a children’s song like The Prophet Said to Plant a Garden. Then you can work in the yard together. Even very young children can help to plant seeds, water plants, etc. Give them specific jobs to do and make it fun rather than work. Let them have specific plants that are theirs (sunflowers are easy to plant and care for, and children love watching their flowers grow).

You can combine this with any number of lessons, including consider the lilies (Matthew 6:28), the creation (Genesis), and gratitude for the world around us. You can also introduce them to ideas about taking care of the earth.

Even if you don’t have a yard, you can go to the park and look at plants, or plant seeds or plants in a pot indoors.

Written by KeriWithington

GHTime Code(s): nc 
Filed Under: Toddlers Tagged With: , , , ,

Family Home Evening Ideas With Toddlers

July 6, 2011 By apparent

Here are some specific ideas for activities and lessons for family home evenings with pre-school aged children.

1. Bodies

Preschoolers are rapidly gaining understanding of the world around them. They are becoming more interested in their own bodies and the differences between girls and boys, babies, etc.

Help them to learn the names of body parts. The song “head, shoulders, knees and toes” can be a fun one for the whole family to do, and it will help to reinforce the names of body parts. You can draw pictures of people. Another good drawing activity is to draw faces with different expressions, showing happy, sad etc. (The book Happy Dog Sad Dog is good for this). Most public libraries have picture books explaining body parts (and sometimes very basic sex ed. or explanations of bones, organs, etc.) You can look for one suited to the right level for your child.

If you want a short spiritual lesson with it, then you can use the creation story about our bodies being made, or use the Word of Wisdom (Doctrine & Covenants 89) to talk about taking care of our bodies.

2. Alternative Family Portraits

Instead of a traditional family portrait, try something different (and probably more fun). Get a big sheet of paper (you can use canvas or other backgrounds as well), and some finger paints. Each family member uses a different colour paint, and puts down a handprint (or footprint). In the end, you have a collection of different size and colour prints that look great together.

You can combine this with family-based songs (like Families Can Be Together Forever) and a lesson on families.

3. Write Letters

Use family night to write letters to grandparents, missionaries, or anyone else that you want to send mail to. Parents and older kids can write messages, and younger children can draw pictures to go with them. They will also have fun putting stickers and stamps on the envelopes.

4. Work in the Garden

Begin with a children’s song like The Prophet Said to Plant a Garden. Then you can work in the yard together. Even very young children can help to plant seeds, water plants, etc. Give them specific jobs to do and make it fun rather than work. Let them have specific plants that are theirs (sunflowers are easy to plant and care for, and children love watching their flowers grow).

You can combine this with any number of lessons, including consider the lilies (Matthew 6:28), the creation (Genesis), and gratitude for the world around us. You can also introduce them to ideas about taking care of the earth.

Even if you don’t have a yard, you can go to the park and look at plants, or plant seeds or plants in a pot indoors.

Written by KeriWithington

Your kid’s daily routine has to be organized around the time of day and your personal schedule. Plan routines for the morning, afternoon and night using thisfree video from a professional nanny about child care. Expert: Veronica Baragas Contact: www.mywigglesandgiggles.com Bio: Veronica Baragas was born and raised in Austin, Texas and has been working with children and families for 10 years. Filmmaker: Todd Green

GHTime Code(s): nc 
Filed Under: Toddlers Tagged With: , , , ,
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