Category Archives: Blog

May is National Water Safety Month

 

With summer right around the corner, now is a good time to remind yourself of important water safety guidelines.  It is important for all adults in the children’s lives to be on the same page about swimming pool rules, and an even better idea to use a Water Watcher Card for each child you take to the beach or pool.

According to Stop Drowning Now, a national water-safety organization, a Water Watcher Card is an important lifesaving tool.  “The Water Watcher Card is to be worn by a responsible adult whose only job is to actively supervise the children in the water for a specific amount of time ([such as] 15-minute shifts).  Water watcher tags are critical during parties or large gatherings. In 94% of the instances when a child drowns, adults thought another adult was watching the child. Water watcher tags are helpful in taking the guesswork out of “who is watching the children.“*[ http://www.stopdrowningnow.org]

A Water Watcher Card is a laminated reminder card attached to an elastic bracelet or lanyard.

Several different versions are available as free downloads:

or you can order them already made:

Brush up on important swimming safety tips:

“8 Life-Saving Water Safety Rules Every Parent Needs to Know” (Parents Magazine)

“Water Safety” (Kids Health)

“The Ultimate Guide to Swimming Safety For Kids” (Mom Loves Best)

“13 Water Safety Tips Every Parent Should Know” (via Buzzfeed)

“Water Safety: Tips for Parents of Young Children” “Healthy Children.org)

Things to do

I love my son, but sometimes he drives me totally nuts!  This past long weekend is a perfect example.  All he wanted to do, it seemed, was lay on the sofa in his pajamas and watch TV.  I couldn’t even get him to play legos with me, a pastime we often enjoy together.

Finally, as I was cleaning up, I spied a board game that we had recently purchased but hadn’t played yet.  I waited until his TV show was ending and suggested we play the game.  Surprisingly, he jumped at the chance!

While we were playing it occurred to me that I hadn’t been reading the Mom Websites much lately.  Then I realized that I had been waiting for my son to come up with ideas on what to do, rather than telling him what our plans are.  He’s not a very creative kid, so asking him to come up with ideas on his own doesn’t usually work.  I discovered long ago that I have to give him options to choose from.

Had I planned ahead, this lazy weekend could have been avoided.  We could have been out in the community having fun and learning new things.  But I forgot to plan something.

If any of this sounds familiar to you, you might appreciate the attached listing of Things To Do Locally.  The first section is how to find things to do in the area with children, and the rest will help you find out more about what is going on in your community so you can explore on your own.

things to do locally

A little bit of planning ahead, and offering two or three options to the kids to have input on can make a huge difference!  And to be clear, the options offered should never be: “Do you want to go to this event with me?,” but rather: “When we go out this afternoon, do you want to go to Event A or Event B?”

So, when you have time, explore the Mom Websites listed and sign up for some newsletters.  The site will email you when something cool is happening in your area.

 

Staying Healthy Amid a Flu Outbreak

Staying Healthy Amid a Flu Outbreak

 

The Flu is an illness that usually includes sore, achy muscles; fatigue; sometimes a fever and a general malaise; and can keep you in bed for up to two weeks.  This season, the news contains daily stories of this year’s flu epidemic, which is one of the deadliest strains in years.  Read on to find out how you can remain healthy.

 

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (a well-established and highly esteemed U.S. government agency), “Influenza (flu) is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses. It can cause mild to severe illness. Serious outcomes of flu infection can result in hospitalization or death.”*2

The flu affects the nose and mouth and possibly the lungs.  The CDC states that symptoms include many (but not necessarily all of) the following: cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, muscle or body aches, headaches, fatigue, sometime a fever or fever and chills, and sometimes vomiting or diarrhea.  It is spread by direct contact, such as touching something upon which an infected person has coughed or sneezed.  The symptoms usually come on 1 to 4 days after the exposure, and begin suddenly.

So, how do you avoid getting sick?  Doctor Adrian Cotton states in a National Public Radio interview*1: “the No. 1 thing people can do is wash their hands, wash their hands and wash their hands. Stay away from people that have active flu-like symptoms, which is fevers, chills, heavy cough. But washing hands is probably the biggest thing that can be done. And then No. 2 is get the influenza vaccine. And then the third thing we’re telling people is if you think you have the flu, please don’t go to the emergency room. Please find – call your primary care doctor and go see them first. And, you know, save the emergency room for if you’re really, really sick.”

Remember that the disease is contagious before you begin to feel its symptoms, so it’s especially important to wash your hands and the hands of the children in your care frequently.  Toys, pacifiers, or anything a child puts in his or her mouth should be washed before and after use.  Water with soap will remove the germs.  Water with a few drops of bleach will kill the germs, as will anti-bacterial gel.  It’s a good idea to carry hand wipes or antibacterial gel with you when you go out, and avoid direct contact with countertops and door handles when possible by using a clean paper towel in between the surface and your hand, or simply not touching what you don’t really need to.  If you do touch a common surface, such as a door handle, be sure not to touch your eyes, nose, mouth or food until you’ve washed your hands thoroughly.

 

Other great articles about the flu epidemic:

“Planes and the flu: 6 things to know to help you stay healthy while flying” By ABC News, Jan 18, 2018, 7:41 AM ET, http://abcnews.go.com/Health/planes-flu-things-stay-healthy-flying/story?id=52418032

“TIPS: How to Stay Healthy this Flu Season” ABC Channel 15 Arizona, by Cameron Polom, Jan 12, 2018, 6:23 PM,  https://www.abc15.com/news/state/tips-how-to-stay-healthy-this-flu-season

 

Citations:

*1  Kelly McEvers, NPR Southern California Public Radio, transcribed by Verb8tm, Inc., Heard on All Things Considered, January 16, 20184:34 PM ET, “As Flu Season Strains Hospitals, Doctor Offers Advice For How To Stay Healthy”  https://www.npr.org/2018/01/16/578422409/as-flu-season-strains-hospitals-doctor-offers-advice-for-how-to-stay-healthy

 

*2 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases (NCIRD), October 5, 2017, maintained by: Office of the Associate Director for Communication, Digital Media Branch, Division of Public Affairs, “About Flu” https://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/index.html