Tag: children

Safety Tips for Parents of Young Farmers

May 27, 2018MBEhleAdvice, Animals, Farm, Summer

People who live in cities, exurbs or suburbs may not come across farms very frequently. But millions of people, including children, still live on farms. In fact, in 2009 the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention noted that more than one million children under the age of 20 lived, worked or had a regular presence on farms in the United States.

Protecting children from injury on farms, especially those who perform work on farms, is of paramount importance. The American Society of Safety Engineers offers the following safety tips to parents of children who will be spending time on farms.

• Know and obey the laws. Various state and federal laws are in place to protect young children from farm-related accidents and injuries. Age requirements dictate which jobs children can perform on a farm, and parents should adhere to those requirements. Asking children to do more than they’re physically capable of can lead to accident, injury or even death.

• Review equipment operation instructions. Before assigning children a task on the farm, parents should review the equipment operation instructions. Doing so can help parents reacquaint themselves with tools and equipment they may not have used in awhile, and that can make it easier for them to teach kids how to use such equipment. In addition, reviewing equipment instructions may provide insight to parents unsure if their children are old enough to use certain tools.

• Inspect equipment. Before children perform any tasks on the farm, parents should inspect the equipment their children are likely to use to make sure each tool is safe. Make sure tools are in proper working order, as broken or poorly working equipment increases the risk of accident or injury.

• Enroll children in farm safety camps. The ASSE recommends that parents contact their local Cooperative Extension and Farm Bureau offices to enroll children in farm safety camps. Such camps can teach kids safe farming techniques and the proper ways to use age-appropriate tools.

• Set a positive example. Another way for parents to protect their children on the farm is to set a positive example. Parents can do so in various ways. Using equipment properly, removing tractor keys from ignitions when tractors are not in use and exercising caution when using hazardous materials shows kids the importance of caution when working on farms.

Hundreds of thousands of children perform jobs on farms across the country. Parents who want to teach their kids to farm should always do so with safety in mind.

Making the Most of Family Vacations

May 17, 2018MBEhleAdvice, Spring, Summer, Travel

Family vacations can seem like daunting endeavors to organize, as planners must cater to each member of the family and their individual needs. Family vacations can cost several thousand dollars, which only adds to the pressure planners may be under. But careful planning makes it possible to simplify the process so more time can be spent resting, relaxing and having fun.

Child-friendly hotel

One of the “musts” when booking a family vacation is finding the right accommodations. This often means booking rooms at family-friendly hotels. Things to look for when seeking hotels include amenities like swimming pools and recreation areas, nearby parks and other attractions that kids can enjoy, and easy access to stores that sell necessities. When booking a room, request one that is close to the elevator or the breakfast buffet. If you have youngsters who nap or go to bed early, try to book adjoining rooms or one-bedroom suites. This way the kids are tucked in but accessible, allowing adults to enjoy their downtime.

Plan the trip together

Get the entire family involved when planning a vacation and let children who are old enough to have a say in some of the travel plans. Let kids choose some activities, pick some restaurants or even select which seats to sit in on the airplane.

Pack as lightly as possible

Pack light and, if possible, buy some necessities when you arrive. Few things can be as headache-inducing as dragging along extra luggage with kids in tow. Choosing a hotel or resort with laundry facilities can be advantageous to active families who may get messy along the way.

Allow for downtime

While it’s beneficial to have an itinerary, leave some moments for spontaneity and rest. You don’t want to return home so tired from the trip that you need another break. Use downtime as opportunities for kids to lead the way.

Travel off the beaten path

Mature children may like sights and sounds that aren’t necessarily designed for kids. So while it may be tempting to stick to big-name resorts that cater to families, there’s plenty of enjoyment to be had exploring lesser-known islands or villages. And while you’re at it, introduce children to native cuisines so they can broaden their culinary palates.

Relive the memories

Make lasting vacation memories more by putting together a photo album or scrapbook.

Throw a Hauntingly Good Halloween Party

October 27, 2017MBEhleHalloween, Holidays

Halloween is a special day that delights children of all ages and helps adults feel like kids at heart. Few people want the fun to end once trick-or-treating is over. By throwing a Halloween party, revelers can continue celebrating well into the evening.

When hosting a Halloween party, it helps to determine who will be in attendance before making any plans. Parties that include children should be PG in nature, and hosts should find the right balance between scary and fun. While you want to have a certain measure of the macabre, make sure you don’t send young guests home with nightmares. Reserve gruesome decorations and details for adult-only parties.

Halloween parties do not necessarily need to be ghoulish to be fun. Try a glittery gala masquerade party or decorate exclusively in orange and black. Classically eerie parties may feature ravens and crows, or they can be subtly spooky with red candles and heavy curtains.

Many people can’t wait to dress up for a Halloween party, even picking out their costumes months in advance. Still, not everyone feels comfortable donning a costume. To welcome all guests, don’t make costumes mandatory. One way around this is to set up a Halloween Disguise Table full of accessories that anyone can borrow and use to alter their appearance. Goofy glasses, strange hats, adhesive mustaches, or masks can be fun. If someone didn’t feel comfortable dressing in full costume, he or she may be more apt to pop in a set of plastic fangs or put on a spinning bow tie.

Food is an integral part of any party and can enhance Halloween soirées. Candy is a pivotal component of Halloween and you can play off that theme at your party. Set up a candy bar full of appropriately hued candies of all shapes and sizes. Put them on display in clear glass or plastic canisters so they add to your Halloween décor.

Some people like to get creative with Halloween cuisine, crafting foods into items that may look like parts of the body or other symbols of the holiday. Cookie cutters can turn sandwiches, desserts, biscuits, and many other foods into different shapes. However, foods also can be made a tad more spooky simply by renaming them or presenting them in interesting containers. Why not serve punch out of a fish aquarium? Other beverages can be housed in jugs or old bottles and labeled “potions.” Use laboratory instruments, such as petri dishes, vials and beakers, to serve snacks.

A Halloween party makes for a fun night, and there is no limit to what hosts can do when planning their scary soirées.

Strategies to Create a Better Work-life Balance

June 29, 2017MBEhleAdvice, Lifestyle

Parents with responsibilities at work and at home commonly struggle to find balance between these two often conflicting sets of obligations. Surveys have indicated that working professionals who work less are more likely to be happy with their work-life balance than those who burn the midnight oil at work, but for many adults, working less is not always an option.

A 2012 report from New Zealand’s Ministry of Social Development found that the percentage of working professionals who were very satisfied or satisfied with their work-life balance declined as their hours worked increased. Canada’s General Social Survey discovered similar results, noting that, while the majority of working parents were satisfied with their work-life balance, those who were not most frequently cited their dissatisfaction at not having enough time for family life as the main culprit behind their discontent.

Creating a better work-life balance is an ongoing commitment, and even working parents who employ the following strategies may find they need to periodically tweak their routines so they can fulfill their obligations at home and at the office.

Schedule family time.

Since working professionals unhappy with their work-life balance often cite lack of family time as the reason for that dissatisfaction, finding time for family may be the key to changing that outlook. Schedule time for family just as you schedule the rest of your daily commitments. Listing family dinners or activities in your daily schedule will ensure you don’t mistakenly schedule other activities during family time.

Employ technology where possible.

Some working parents may feel as though technology has made it harder than ever to leave work at the office. But while smartphones, tablets and other devices may mean you’re never too far away from work, technology also can be used to create more time with loved ones. Employ an app such as FaceTime to eat lunch with your spouse or chat with your children each day. Such interactions may not be as enjoyable as face-to-face interactions, but building them into your day can help you stay in touch with family and provide a welcome respite from busy workdays.

Use your vacation days.

A recent study from Project: Time Off, a national movement aimed at highlighting the important role that time off from work can play in the lives of professionals, 55 percent of Americans did not use their full allotment of vacation days in 2015. That translated to 658 million unused vacation days, 222 million of which could not be carried over into 2016. Professionals who want to create a better work-life balance can examine their vacation day usage and resolve to use them all if they are not already. Parents can use vacation days on national holidays when schools are closed so they can squeeze in family time even when they are not going on trips.

Parents who put their minds to it can create a more fulfilling work-life balance. WT175976

Keep Kids Engaged During Summer

June 11, 2015MBEhleAdvice, DIY, Healthy, Organize, School, Seasonal, Summer

“Summer Slide” is a term parents may hear at the end of the school year. No, it doesn’t have anything to do with playground activities. Rather, “summer slide” refers to knowledge gained during the school year that may be lost over the duration of summer break.

The National Summer Learning Association says many students lose about two months of grade-level equivalency in math computation skills over the summer. Students tend to score lower on standardized tests after summer vacation than they do when the same tests are taken at the onset of summer.

Minds left to sit idle can haunt children when it’s time to return to the classroom. But parents who engage kids throughout the summer and reinforce educationally sound activities can prevent summer slide.

· Make vacations educational. Visit a locale kids have studied in class and explore its culture and traditions.

· Offer plenty of reading materials. Reading can expand children’s minds and help them build and maintain their vocabulary.

· Ask teachers for work packets. Students can stay on top of their studies by doing some light schoolwork throughout the summer. This can reinforce lessons kids have already learned and keep their minds sharp.

· Purchase a journal. Encourage kids to write about their summeradventures in a journal. Chances are their teachers will ask aboutsummer vacations and may require an essay when students return to school.

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Teaching Kids to Swim

June 7, 2015MBEhleAdvice, Healthy

Swimming is a popular activity once temperatures heat up. Millions of people flock to beaches to dip their toes in the water, and scores more spend afternoons exploring the depths of backyard pools.

Upon being introduced to the water, younger children may be somewhat apprehensive, as swimming in pools or oceans can be intimidating to youngsters. Parents should exercise extreme caution when teaching kids to swim, as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that more than one in five fatal drowning victims are children under the age of 14.

Although swimming can be dangerous, experts in pediatric and adolescent medicine affirm that participation in formal swimming lessons can reduce the risk of drowning considerably.

Children whose parents swim may be eager to join mom and dad in the pool. The following are some tips for parents as they start to develop a plan to teach their kids to swim.

· Wait until the child is developmentally ready. The American Association of Pediatrics recommends that parents wait until after a child’s fourth birthday to teach them how to swim. This is when children have developed enough to understand commands and have the motor skils required for swimming. At this point, parents can register children for swimming lessons with trained instructors.

· Introduce playing in the water early on. Parents should make sure their children grow accustomed to playing in the water. Many kids start to like the water around the time they become toddlers, when bathing introduces them to splashing and bobbing toys. Use these opportunities to take your child into the water, so he or she acclimates to feeling the water on his or her body and face. Kids can sit with adults on pool steps or retrieve toys from within reach. An adult always should be nearby.

· Wait before submerging kids. The American Red Cross says to wait until a child is around age three before submerging him or her under the water. Young kids can swallow a lot of water, which can be dangerous. Sputtering water also may turn a child off to swimming completely.

· Begin in calm water. The open ocean can be daunting, even to adults. So it might be better to begin swimming lessons in a calm body of water, such as a lake or pool.

· Invest in formal swimming lessons. Parental perceptions and anxieties may interfere with parents’ abilities to properly teach their children how to swim. Therefore, hire third-party professional instructors to teach kids to swim. The Red Cross can put you in touch with certified swimming instructors who also are knowledgeable in first aid.

As children become more confident in the water, they can practice swimming strokes and submerging themselves for underwater swimming.

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Vitamin Deficiency in Kids & Pediatrician Links

January 30, 2015MBEhleAdvice, Healthy

Thanks to finicky eating habits and limited choices, many children are not getting the vitamins and minerals they need to grow up healthy! Although many foods are fortified with certain vitamins, they still may not be enough to provide the level of nutrition required for a growing body. Parents may be well informed of a child’s needs of vitamin C to boost immune system function, but they may not be as readily informed about other vitamins that are essential to human health.

* Vitamin A: Vitamin A promotes a healthy immune system and proper eyesight function. A child lacking in vitamin A may be tired and weak and experience weight loss. Other symptoms include dry eyes, skin scaling and respiratory infections.

* Vitamin B6: Hyperactivity and impulsiveness are often blamed on an underlying medical condition, such as ADHD. But such conditions may be the result of a deficiency in vitamin B6.

* Vitamin B12: Nervous system function is largely governed by proper levels of vitamin B12. Children who do not receive enough vitamin B12 may experience weakness, insomnia, edema, and abdominal pain.

* Vitamin D: Vitamin D is called the “sunshine vitamin” because it is produced in the body after exposure to the sun. Children who spend many hours indoors or wearing thick layers of sunscreen may not get enough vitamin D. Irritability, muscle cramps and even late teething could be tied to vitamin D deficiency.

Parents should consult with pediatricians about the proper levels of vitamins children need.

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Local Pediatrician Links:

Keystone Pediatrics, Chambersburg “Keystone Health is a full-service, family-centered, primary care facility providing quality, affordable, accessible health care.”*

*Antietam Pediatrics, Hagerstown “At Antietam Pediatric and Adolescent Care, our primary goal is to ensure healthier lifestyles for the pediatric and adolescent populations. Responding to the needs of patients and their families is our highest priority.”

*The Children’s Doctor , Hagerstown/Boonsboro “Our entire team is dedicated to helping you and your child feel at home from the moment your walk through the door. We’re proud to be members of the Hagerstown community and serve the needs of their children.”