Don’t Let Summer Bite

The summer heat attracts seasonal bugs. Ants, ticks, flees, and mosquitos tend to bite more during the summer months. Kids spending more time outdoors during these warmer days, run a higher risk of being bit by bugs. While dressing children in long sleeves during the summer may not seem practical, parents and caregivers might want to consider thin, loose-fitting clothes that don’t include bright colors. Linen is a great alternative for shorts and tank tops. The light and loose material allows for children to be covered and cool.

            Wearing socks and sneakers instead of sandals when playing in grass can reduce chances of being bit. Be sure to also avoid dusk and dawn. These periods are when bugs tend to bite most aggressively. Scented soaps and lotions left on the skin add to the aggressive biting.

When kids want to be outside, just be sure to pick the right bug repellant. DEET, a slightly yellow oil believed to repel insects, is one of the most common ingredients in most bug sprays. Some repellents include extra ingredients to remove the DEET chemical. However, most experts agree that repellents with DEET have the best protection. Parents and caregivers have to keep in mind that products with higher DEET concentrations aren’t necessarily stronger than those with lesser concentrations; they just tend to last longer. If children are going to be outside for a few hours, repellent with 10% DEET will work. For longer days outdoors, 20% DEET proves more effective. Always consult a physician before applying bug repellent to children under the age of three.

            As a bonus, many bug repellents come with built in sunscreen, but be aware. These products should be used with caution. Sunscreen is meant to be re-applied multiple times throughout the day, while bug repellents, especially those containing DEET, are not. It is best to think about sunscreen and repellent as separate applications. Summer is a time to enjoy the long days outdoors. Kids should be able to play outside without the summer bite!

Idea from: Summer Safety

Should You Be CPR Certified?

CPR, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, is an emergency procedure used to preserve brain function when someone exhibits abnormal or unresponsive breathing. CPR instructors advise everyone, especially those caring for children, to become certified. When children stop breathing, the risk of brain damage is heightened and chances of survival are lowered. Parents and caregivers can choose a convenient location close to their home and become certified in a day. For those who have already gone through the CPR training class, certification renewal can be done through an online class.

            Certification is important for many reasons, the most primary being that it can save a life. When a CPR necessitated event occurs, people tend to get nervous and panic. If someone is CPR certified, she is prepared to react quickly and calmly. Attempting CPR when not certified can result in injury. Many common mistakes include chest bruising, inadequate breathing, and incorrect timing between breaths and chest pumping. If there is an emergency, call 911, then administer CPR. For those unfamiliar with CPR, finding someone who can perform the procedure or relay the process step by step is the best choice.

            According to CPR training administrators, effective CPR can triple the survival rate of someone in danger. The human body is only made to survive four to six minutes after the heart stops beating. That usually does not give emergency responders time to reach the injured party, which is why effective CPR training is important. For small children whose body organs are not as developed as those of an adult, the response time needs to be expedited. Doctors should advise parents to get certified, followed by parents suggesting caregivers to do the same. A few hours of training could be worth a life.

           

How to Talk to Your Kids about Tragedy

The aftermath of Sandy Hook, the Colorado movie theater massacre, and Hurricane Sandy devastation has left parents nationwide hugging their children a little tighter and keeping a closer eye on their daily activities. When tragedies occur, how do parents explain abstruse situations to innocent children? Begin by finding out what they already know. Never assume they know all details. Launching into unnecessary detail may cause information to be shared. Children are only as innocent as what they know. Once their perception is established, ask an open-ended follow up question. Your questions allow the transfer of sadness, inquiries, fears, and angers.

         With children, the more lucid the explanation, the easier it is for everyone. Analogies are a great form of communication for young children. Relate the occurring tragedy to situations they encounter every day. Children should be informed about their surroundings, never fear them. Acknowledge which emotion they are harboring and reassure them that they are secure with you. Children need to know that they have safe places where no harm can come their way. While most people assumed that schools were that safe place, recent tragedies have proved that parents must provide children with emergency thinking skills. In case of emergency, they need to know who to contact, where to go, and that someone is there to protect them.   

         Watching the news with your child gives allowance for age appropriate dialog. The older they become, the more detailed the conversation will be. In today’s world, the most important thing a parent can do is hold their child one second longer and tell them they love them one extra time per day.

The Kid-Friendly Facebook—Can it exist?

With many (approximately 7.5 million) children under the age of 13 already creating Facebook accounts, by falsifying their age, perhaps it seems remiss of the now-public corporation to not take advantage of this market. By doing more to cater to this already engaged audience, Facebook can increase their profits in targeted ad revenue AND help control settings to create a safer social environment. At least that is the solution they’re presenting. Facebook knows that ignoring the problem won’t make it go away. The question seems to be, is this the best way to handle it?

The newly planned structure, which has not been officially confirmed, will allow children under the age of 13 to create and use Facebook accounts, but they must be hosted under a parent account. The parent account will have control of who their child can become friends with, what applications the child can use and what information, if any, is made public. Additionally, parents can see anything their child has posted, sent or received—including private messages. While this may sound like a cautious solution to an admittedly existent problem, it is also freely opening the doors of the world of social media to an audience that may not be ready to handle it. It is estimated that the under 13 user base would increase the number of Facebook users to 900 million, if this program is implemented. However, the question still remains, how effective will it be? Today, among the parents that are aware their preteen has a Facebook account, only 18% have requested their child as a friend. If such a simple step to monitor their children is not being taken, will parents have any interest in these additional monitoring tools and controls?

Though Facebook has yet to acknowledge the details, the supporters and cynics have already taken sides, all of which seem to be focused around safety. Among the supporters, parents and caregivers that feel this will create a safe place within social media where their child(ren) can be connected while still being protected. While those who don’t support the plan claim there is no place in social media for preteens. These parents and caregivers are concerned that even with monitoring, the internet may not be a safe place for kids. Of course, there are other groups just demanding details. In fact, two US Senators, Democrat Markey and Republican Barton, have crafted a quite lengthy (14 paragraphs!) letter to Mark Zuckerberg, founder of Facebook, full of questions about these preteen accounts and their protections.

What do you think about the change in age restrictions? Will these preteen accounts act as an alternative to ignoring the current age restriction and keep kids safe on Facebook? Would you force the preteen in your care to have a “preteen account” or bend the rules and stick with the 13 and over crowd? In our opinion, it all boils down to the issue of online safety that must be discussed with children and constantly monitored by parents, caregivers and internet moguls alike.