Could Toys Be Harming Your Child’s Hearing this Holiday Season?

In the midst of Chanukah and just days before Christmas, the children’s presents are bound to be piling in. Many of the toys they will receive have a very prominent characteristic in common—they’re LOUD. In fact, each year the UCI Medical Center in California conducts a test on the year’s popular holiday toys to see how harmful their volume can be. Doctors have noted that children often hold toys right next to their ears, and so anything over 90 decibels can be quite harmful. All ten toys tested at the UCI Medical Center this holiday season produced more than 90 decibels. So while they may seem appealing, you may want to shy away from popular gifts this holiday season, such as the ‘I am T Pain’ microphone and Let’s Rock Elmo.

America’s Super Nanny or Super Business Woman/Mom?

America’s Super Nanny has recently debuted on the Life Time Channel. The new “super nanny” is Deborah Tillman.   She has little in common with ABC’s former “super nanny”, Jo Frost. Frost was British and gave off a Mary Poppins-feel and boasted twenty-one years working as a nanny as well as the author of three childcare books. Frost has often been referred to as a “child whisperer”. Deborah Tillman, on the other hand, not only has no formal nanny experience but has had a successful accounting career.  She was in the midst of her career as a when she became so dismayed at the daycare system that she decided to do something about it. She opened several child learning centers; working to successfully run the business operations rather than working directly with the children. Tillman, as a mother, she is the author of two child-rearing books.

This replacement of sorts has been the source of many debates, especially online. Many members of the industry are offended that Tillman has assumed this role as the “super nanny” without any actual nanny experience or qualifications.   In fact, nannies have pulled together and started a grass-roots petition to get America’s Super Nanny removed from TV.  The petition can be viewed here http://www.change.org/petitions/shedmedia-take-americas-supernanny-off-the-air.  The nannies who have signed this petition site a variety of reasons such as “As a nanny I don’t believe in her practices and would never recommend them to a parent and would never use them on a child” and “She lacks warmth and kindness.”

Many supporters of Tillman, however, say she is more qualified than Frost simply because she has the practical experience of raising her own child and she holds a Masters Degree in Early Childhood Special Education.

Regardless of your opinions on Tillman or Frost, this will most likely continue as a topic for much debate and Tillman will certainly bring a different flavor to the series. Stay tuned to see how this story plays out.

Nannies, It’s Cold Outside!

One week into December, and it’s a cold one here in Philly; especially compared to the spring-like November we enjoyed. With the cold weather upon us, we needed to get creative to find fun indoor activities to get the kids off the couch and away from the TV.  We scoured our favorite websites for some fun ideas that will keep your kids active and creative. Here are some of our best finds!

·         Tabletop Soccer

o   “An empty pizza box gets a sporty transformation into a tabletop soccer arena. No need for shin guards, as the kicking is all blown air and the ball is a puff of cotton.”

o   Visit http://tinyurl.com/7588b8y for full instructions, courtesy of Disney Family Fun

·         Tag-Team Drawings

o   The name speaks for itself! “This quick-paced game encourages group creativity. Players contribute to drawings begun by other family members, with often hilarious results.”

o   Visit http://tinyurl.com/7kofq8c for full instructions, courtesy of Disney Family Fun

·         Tornado in a Bottle

o   Learn about science and have fun by recreating the effects of a tornado with soda bottles

o   Visit http://tinyurl.com/d6ywtdz for full instructions, courtesy of Family Education

·         Flower Press

o   Create beautiful pressed flowers you can frame and enjoy with simple household items, such as coffee filters

o   Visit http://tinyurl.com/d46anz6 for full instructions, courtesy of Family Education

And don’t forget about the classics as well, such as freeze dance, limbo or building a fort.

Thank You, Nannies! (and Happy Holidays!)

Last night, The Philadelphia Nanny Network hosted our 2011 Holiday Get Together. It was so nice to see so many of our fabulous nannies. We were also thrilled and awed at their incomparable generosity. Thanks to the wonderful network of nannies, we were able to gather a large donations for Cradles to Crayons, a very deserving charity in the Philadelphia area. 

Cradles to Crayons works in the community to help provide children with the essentials they will need to feel safe, warm, ready to learn and valued. We feel their mission is incredibly important year-round, but especially during the holidays. For more information, visit http://cradlestocrayons.org/ . The Philadelphia Nanny Network will also being accepting donations at our office until next Wednesday, December 14, 2011.

Again, thank you to all of our nannies for your hard work all year and for your continued kindness, both of which inspire us!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Common Phenomenon Landing Toddlers in Burn Centers Nationwide

Today’s Morning Edition on NPR (National Public Radio) featured a very interesting topic—severe burns that are landing toddlers in burn units all across the nation. Some burn units see as many as 5-6 youth patients per week with this particular injury. And what is the cause?

Cup of Noodles.

Yes, eight out of twelve burn units reported that this is a “common phenomenon” and that they see this particular injury multiple times per week, especially during the colder months.  The design of the cup is what makes the soup particularly dangerous. “The cups are tall, lightweight, and have an unstable base that makes them tip over easily.” Additionally, any noodle soup has been called “strangely perfect” for resulting in serious burns. The noodles are sticky, which makes them cling to skin and causes a deep burn, especially when compared to hot liquids alone. These burns can result in in permanent scarring and/or joint problems, such as limited mobility.

They refer to all the hot noodle soups that are prepared in the store-bought package where you just add boiling water as “Cup of Noodles” but the brand Nissan “Cup Noodles” is one of the worst designs. The doctors interviewed said that a small child hits the lightweight cup at an angle that tips in over spilling on their torso, legs and in their lap.

If you do choose to serve your child any sort of instant soup made in the store bought packaging, please be certain to remove from the original container and place the soup in a bowl. Also, be certain to watch your child carefully if they’re eating any type of noodle soup. Take action against preventable injuries. The Philadelphia Nanny Network encourages you to stay up to date with safety studies and product recalls that are pertinent to your charge’s well-being, health and safety.

For more information, you can access the full article , Why Burn Doctors Hate Instant Soup. 

A Must Read for Anyone Hiring Child Care Online

Just how reliable are online background checks? Not Very.

We have told our children time and again, not to talk to strangers on the internet. So why is it that so many parents are meeting strangers on the internet, and leaving their children in the care of these strangers?

In light of recent events, the online background checks run through many online websites, such as sittercity.com, are coming under fire and rightfully so. What are these recent events? A 19-year old man is in police custody on suspicion of sexual intercourse with a child under the age of 10 years. The boy is eight to be exact, and Jordan Liu had been caring for him for the past eight months. Detectives have also been investigating allegations that Liu sexually assaulted the victim’s three year old brother. The parents found Liu on sittercity.com, a site that completes “background checks” on member caregivers. Liu also had a care.com account. And why are online background checks coming under fire? Online background checks are database searches.  They may not show any misdemeanors the candidate has on record. And they offer no further personal screening. Parents who haven’t been trained or experienced in interviewing and reference checking may end up with a false sense of security about the extent of their knowledge about a caregiver found on a website.

Every candidate presented to families by The Philadelphia Nanny Network has gone through in-house screening, in-depth interviewing and extensive reference checking; and no third parties are used. They have also been cleared by a private security firm that conducts a criminal check, a driving check, a credit check and social security number verification. They have been checked against the US Justice Department Sex Offender Registry. And finally, PA residents have passed a PA Child Abuse Clearance.

We do recognize that families use many different resources to find nannies, sitters and other domestic employees, but we cannot express enough how important it is to rigorously check the backgrounds of these individuals. If you are employing on your own, we urge you to use our expertise! Call us for a Candidate Check Package or a Basic Security Check. Please remember you cannot always trust individuals you meet on the internet. For more information on why this is so important, please read the full article here; and please read the developing story of the string of Craig’s List murders spree that has taken place in Ohio here.

A Teacher Forcing Kids to Sit Down & Shut Up at School! A Despicable Result!

Back in mid-October, a Clay County, North Carolina Music Teacher, Lindsey Cope, tied a first grade student to a chair and taped the child’s mouth shut. Additional claims that she slapped the student are not being confirmed by investigators. She later instructed the other first graders to say nothing about the incident. Thankfully, the children did tell their parents about the incident, and they in turn reported it to the school. On October 26^th, Cope was suspended with pay! Yesterday, it was announced that Cope will face no criminal charges for her actions, as she was not in violation of any North Carolina laws. Furthermore, the parents of the child have asked that no charges be filed.

We all know how trying young children can be at times; but as a good caregiver or parent, we control emotions so that actions or reactions are not carried to the extreme. This teacher, unable to control herself, grossly abused her power and the faith the students, parents and school placed in her. She most likely frightened many of the young children creating issues with trusting other teachers and feeling comfortable going to school. Though the family is probably eager to put this all behind them by not pressing charges, it is hard to accept that these actions will go unpunished. And to think, the teacher continued to receive pay from taxpayers coffers. Moreover, it is horrifying to think this incident could potentially be setting a precedent for both acceptable behavior from teachers and the acceptable treatment of children.We hope that the parents in this community in NC will start a grassroots effort to figure out a way to make this sort of treatment of children as illegal and unacceptable.

Lose the Obesity or Lose Custody

Ohio social workers have removed an 8-year old boy, weighing more than 200 pounds, from his home and his mother’s custody due to his weight. The Department of Children and Family Services in Cuyahoga County said case workers considered his mother’s failure to reduce his weight a form of medical neglect. The department had been trying to work with the mother to lower the boy’s weight for a year prior to seeking custody. The mother’s lawyers argue that this is a mistake and the boy will suffer a greater level of harm by being displaced from his family, friends and school than he is from his weight. The boy is on academic honor roll and participates in school activities. The mother’s lawyers believe that removing the boy from the mother’s custody was too rash, as no threats were immediate.

This case may be controversial though it is not surprising that we are seeing a court case such as this taking place. The obesity “problem”, as you may or may not view it, has been taking center stage in the American media throughout the past few years and is especially concerning when it comes to children. So the main argument tends to be, how much of a problem is American obesity? Is it affecting health to the degree that the media would like us to believe? Is it a problem at all? Are children worse off becoming obese earlier in life than down the road? What are your thoughts on this issue? And if child obesity in American is a problem, what can we do to solve it? 

By the way, though we think obesity if a problem that must be addressed by parents, caregivers and children, we are not sure that removing a child, who is thriving in all other ways, from his family is the right solution to the problem.

Teaching the Holiday Spirit

As the Holiday season begins, one of the biggest challenges that face parents and nannies alike, is teaching children the true spirit of the holidays. There are many ways to remind them that the holidays are about giving, spending time with loved ones and appreciation of what they have; rather than receiving presents.

·         Let the kids help the less fortunate

o   Help them organize some of their gently used, outgrown clothes or old toys to give to charity and explain to them that by doing this, they are helping other boys and girls have a happy holiday season!

o   Some of our favorite charities in the Philadelphia area include:

-  Cradles to Crayons: http://cradlestocrayons.org/philadelphia

-  Toys for Tots: http://philadelphia-pa.toysfortots.org/local-coordinator-sites/lco-sites/default.asp

-  The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP): http://www.chop.edu/service/child-life-education-and-creative-arts-therapy/donations/toy-donations.html

·         Have a homemade holiday

o   Create arts & crafts projects to make the holiday decorations at home, the kids will be proud to show off their creations to holiday visitors

o   Create your very own “secret recipe” along with the kids, for cookies or other holiday treats. This special recipe will give the kids something to look forward to doing year after year.

o   Encourage homemade gifts. Remind the kids that things they make will always be more special than anything that can be bought.

·         Pick the right movies and songs

o   Many holiday movies and songs teach very positive messages about peace, love and helping others, make sure these are the kind your kids are exposed to.

And remember, if you need a sitter for the kids while you do some holiday shopping or attend a holiday party, call us at 610.645.6550 or visit nannyagency.com for more information.  For our caregivers, if you have extra time open during the holiday season and want to work temp jobs, let us know your availability!

Child Labor Laws are Stupid?

Republican 2012 Presidential Candidate, Newt Gingrich, made an appearance at Harvard on Friday for a screening of his new documentary, “A City upon a Hill”, focused on American exceptionalism. Newt discussed poverty and a potential end to child labor laws stating, “It is tragic what we do in the poorest neighborhoods, entrapping children in, first of all, child laws, which are truly stupid. Saying to people you shouldn’t go to work before you’re 14, 16. You’re totally poor, you’re in a school that’s failing with a teacher that’s failing. I tried for years to have a very simple model. These schools should get rid of unionized janitors, have one master janitor, pay local students to take care of the school. The kids would actually do work; they’d have cash; they’d have pride in the schools. They’d begin the process of rising. Go out and talk to people who are really successful in one generation. They all started their first job at 9 to 14 years of age. They are selling newspapers, going door to door, washing cars. They were all making money at a very young age. What do we say to poor kids in poor neighborhoods? Don’t do it. Remember all the stuff about not getting a hamburger-flipping job? Worst possible advice to give the poor children.”  

He went on to say, “You’re going to see from me extraordinarily radical proposals to fundamentally change the culture of poverty in America.”  This sentiment motivates his previous statement; he is trying to show voters not to expect more of the same in a time where many Americans are searching for economic reform.  But in the opinions of some, this does little to justify putting school-aged children to work.  

This statement does, however, provide many points of conversation. If a child is working short hours in the safety of their school, could that be a good thing for them? Would they learn a level of responsibility and of pride in their school and neighborhood? Would they be able to help provide a more stable and comfortable life for themselves and their families? Or is it too much too soon? Would we be robbing them of their youth? Would it cause lower rates of academic success? This is really great stuff to think about; maybe Gingrich is on to something.  He may not always say things with diplomacy and grace, but he throws out real food for thought. The only thing that’s certain is that Gingrich has opened Pandora’s box and no one has heard the last of this conversation.

We love to hear compliments about our nannies

Just wanted to share a note we received from a mom about what a wonderful job nanny, Sonya Hepker, did.

"I wanted to send you a note to let you know what an extraordinary job Sonya did last night for us. Yesterday afternoon my 3 yr old woke from his nap and started throwing up. I called Sonya and gave her the opportunity to cancel, and she said she was willing to still babysit and if I was comfortable to still go to the concert we had planned on attending. I was very torn because I have never left a sick child behind before, but she was very reassuring. I did leave to go to the concert and kept in contact with her throughout the night texting, she was always very responsive. Unfortunately as the night progressed my 8 year old daughter also became sick. I asked if I should come home and she told me she was still fine and there no need to leave. When we returned all kids we asleep, and she had even done laundry that had become dirty from my son getting sick, which was far above what I expected her to do. I doubt she will ever want to babysit for us again after that fiasco, but wanted to tell you what a wonderful job she did. I really appreciate it. I am sure I would have cancelled the entire night if I had not used a nanny for last night, so thank you."

Celebrate American Education Week!

November 14-19, 2011 marks the 90^th anniversary celebration of American Education Week. According to the National Education Association, American Education Week has as its purpose to honor students’ hard work, recognize the professionalism and dedication of teachers, support staff and other educators, thank parents and community members who help students succeed and rededication of the community at large to quality public education for every student. The NEA has even suggested a variety of ways for parents and community members to get involved: hold a fundraiser for a classroom project; take the priority school pledge; nominate a NEA Classroom Superhero; tell Congress to support the Fix America’s Schools Today Act and tell Congress to support the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. For more information on each of these ideas, visit http://www.nea.org/grants/19823.htm.

Additionally, why not take this opportunity to recognize and bolster the education that children are receiving in their homes, all across America. Parents, nannies, friends, relatives, babysitters, tutors and homework helpers work countless hours to provide loving and educational environments where kids can grow intellectually—and that’s something that should be celebrated. So why not take this as an opportunity to do more. Provide additional opportunities for your kids to learn in everyday activities; remember to prepare healthy meals and make sure they get plenty of sleep to keep them mentally alert; foster their curiosity and their creativity; study; read; explore.

What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve?

New Year’s Eve can be the most difficult holiday of the year for children. All of the waiting, as they’re growing tired, for excitement that typically doesn’t begin until far past their bedtime. There are a variety of ways to best handle this situation, which have been perfected by the nannies at The Philadelphia Nanny Network. If the children want to stay up until midnight, and it is okay-ed by you, the nannies come prepared with many activities that will keep the children’s spirit up for hours. Some ideas include arts and crafts time to make homemade noisemakers or countdown number signs, or different games and activities at each hour to give them something to look forward to periodically throughout the evening and not just at midnight.

Or you could celebrate the holiday with your children and still make it out in time for a party! For example, try celebrating the new year with your children, complete with a countdown and noisemakers (you can even reset a clock to simulate when the clock strikes 12!), in the late evening before you go out for the night and leave your babysitter to put the children to bed at a regular hour.

If you do choose to stay home to ring in the new year, you can find additional games and activities many places online; ie: http://familyfun.go.com/new-years/.

And REMEMBER, it’s not too soon to book a babysitter for New Year’s Eve!! Give us a call at 610.645.6550 to book a sitter now! Or visit www.nannyagency.com  for more information.

Favorite Tips to Fight the Flu

All of us at The Philadelphia Nanny Network have been seeing and reading a lot about how to best prevent the flu, and we’re sure you have too. There are so many good tips out there, unfortunately, not in the same place, so we thought what better than to compile many of our favorite tips (from reputable health sources) in one place! Remember to bookmark this blog so you can always go to this guide.

• Consider getting your child a flu vaccine—remember young children are included in the “high risk group” by the Center for Disease Control 
• Make sure your child washes their hands often with plenty of soap and water 
• Remind your child to try to avoid touching their face
•  Try to avoid letting your child come in close contact with someone who is sick 
• At first sign of flu-like symptoms, allow your child to stay home for 24-hours of rest 
• Prepare healthy meals, take part in physical activities and make sure your child gets plenty of rest—boosting their immune system will do wonders for preventing the flu                   

Sometimes even if you take all of these steps, the flu can be unavoidable. So here are some tips of what parents and nannies can do to help your kids feel better: 

• Make sure the child stays hydrated with plenty of water—as try ice pops or fresh fruit icy drinks 
• Dress the child in layers—making it easier to deal with chills and fevers 
• Make sure the child is getting plenty of rest—encourage them to stay in bed or on the couch
•  Wash your hands and get a flu shot—Don’t let the flu spread around your family!

Do you have any tips that you would love to share with The Philadelphia Nanny Network, other nannies and/or other parents? Please leave a comment on our Facebook or Twitter page for everyone to see!

A "Must See" Play for Nannies!

Exit Cuckoo (nanny in motherland) 

All nannies get half priced tickets !

Use the code “cuckoo” for special half-price tickets. Just $12.50!*

Buy tickets at http://ticketing.theatrealliance.org/tickets/eventDetails.aspx?id=20487&org=fp

Wednesday, November 16 and Thursday, November 17

 8:30-10:30pm

Christ Church Neighborhood House

20 N. American Street

Philadelphia, PA 19106

Use the code “cuckoo” for special half-price tickets. Just $12.50!*

Buy tickets at http://ticketing.theatrealliance.org/tickets/eventDetails.aspx?id=20487&org=fp

“Both brave and funny, Exit Cuckoo deserves our attention.” Eve Ensler

What began as a simple conversation between two nannies in Central Park grew into Exit Cuckoo, a solo theater work about the complex mother-child-nanny relationship. Playwright and actor Lisa Ramirez tells the stories of the women she met and interviewed while working as a nanny herself. Exit Cuckoo offers a candid, humorous, and sometimes critical look at motherhood and childcare today. 

RUNNING TIME 2 hours 

ARTIST BIO

Lisa Ramirez is an award-winning actor and playwright. Her writing credits include: Art of Memory, a dance theatre piece presented by Company SoGoNo at 3-Legged Dog in New York; Invisible Women-Rise, a collaboration with the Foundry Theatre and Domestic Workers United; and To the Bone, a new play about immigrant poultry plant workers that was commissioned by the Working Theater and is a 2011 Smith Prize and O’Neill National Playwrights Conference finalist. Lisa was one of four resident playwrights at the 2010/11 Maria Irene Fornés Hispanic Playwrights Residency Lab at INTAR.

*A $2 handling fee applies.