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Fun ways Fun Ways to Get Kids to Enjoy Math

For some kids, one of the toughest parts of the back-to-school season is getting back into the swing of math class. You can help ease the transition this fall and beyond by making math a wholly integrated part of the day. Math plays a hidden role in so many aspects of daily life. By pointing out these connections in ways that are fun and engaging, you can help make math one of your child’s favorite subjects — or at least less feared. • Bake your lesson plan: Learning fractions? Use pies and cookies to demonstrate the concept visually. It’s a tasty and fun way to learn how fractions and percentages work. • Calculator fun: Get out the calculator and help children explore patterns. First- to third-graders can add or subtract the same number repeatedly. Children will observe patterns that emerge and get a better sense of arithmetic. Children can even make their own “pattern puzzles,” which are number sequences where some numbers are omitted. For example: 7,14, _, _, 35, _, 49. The activity can make addition and multiplication more comprehensible. Look for a model that will be useful for the next several years of math class, such as the fx-300ES from Casio, which offers 2-line display and 240 functions. Free educational resources and activities to try on the calculator can be found at CasioEducation.com. • Money math: At home, use spare change to teach children simple addition and subtraction. Set a timer and see if they can make proper change in record time. Ask kids to solve increasingly difficult problems, and when they answer correctly, give them the change as a reward. • Make it interdisciplinary: Leverage your children’s favorite school subjects and hobbies to pique their interest in math. If they love reading, help them select literature that celebrates math. If they find history fascinating, have them read about famous mathematicians and scientists who used math to make discoveries. For young athletes, there are always ways to turn that pick-up game in the park into a math lesson. Angles, distances, times and averages all figure into sports. Using these concepts in an applied way can make math more interesting. Help kids get off to a great start this back-to-school season by making math fun and engaging.

Parentown KidSmart

Kidsmart – August 2020

Finding the right backpack is essential. It is a valuable component of back-to-school shopping. Children may have their own ideas of what’s in style, but parents should look for backpacks that are functional before factoring in style. Marrying form and function together can be challenging, but it’s necessary to prevent students from developing back problems. But parents must give consideration to more than just the size of their children’s backpacks. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, at least 14,000 children are treated for backpack-related injuries every year. The American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons says that the weight of a backpack should not exceed 10 to 15 percent of a child’s body weight. But many students pack their bags with much more weight than that. • Choose a streamlined model. Select a backpack that will get the job done without much added bulk. Many backpacks have been designed to hold technological devices as more and more schools integrate technology into the classroom. A less bulky bag might be lighter and easy to carry. • Consider shopping at a sporting goods store. Employees at camping and sporting goods retailers understand how to fit backpacks for hikers and outdoor adventurers. They can help measure a student and find a pack that will fit his or her body frame. Also, these retailers may have a wider selection of backpacks than some other stores, increasing the chances of finding the right fit. • Select a pack with a waist strap. According to the American Chiropractic Association, the body is not designed to carry items hanging from shoulders. By using the waist strap in conjunction with taut shoulder straps, students can distribute the weight in their backpacks over their hip bones instead of the shoulders. The padded and adjustable shoulder straps should be at least two inches wide. All straps should be used each time the pack is worn. • Backpacks should be loaded properly. Heavy items should be near the center bottom to distribute the load, rather than placed on top. Students should only carry what is necessary, visiting lockers or desks as needed to lighten their packs.

Parentown KidSmart

KidSmart – July 2020

Tips For Protecting Your Family Against Bug Bites Unfortunately, bug bites are more than just a nuisance. They can trigger allergic reactions in some people, and may transmit diseases like Zika Virus, Dengue Fever, West Nile Virus and Lyme Disease. Taking these precautions this summer can help the whole family stay bite-free. DRAIN THE SWAMP Walk around your property after rainfall or after watering the lawn and take note of areas that are not draining properly or are catching and holding water in objects like garden buckets, lids and frisbees. CHOOSE THE RIGHT BUG SPRAY Lyme Disease expert Dr. Michael Jacobs MD says, “When shopping for insect repellents, look for those with the active ingredients DEET or Picaridin, two of the most effective active ingredients at preventing bug bites. Stronger concentrations of the active ingredient in the formula will give you more hours of protection. For example, a 10 percent DEET or 7 percent Picaridin formula provides one to two hours of protection, while higher concentrations provide protection for eight hours and longer.” Safe for pregnant and breast-feeding women, and a popular choice for families, Natrapel Tick & Insect Repellent uses the CDC recommended 20 percent Picaridin active ingredient and provides up to 12 hours of protection against mosquitoes and ticks. This formula is also safe on gear and comes in variety of sprays and wipes for easy application. For outdoor enthusiasts, DEET is the best-selling active ingredient in the U.S. For a trusted choice, consider Ben’s Tick & Insect Repellent, the first brand to register a 10-hour, 100 percent DEET formula with the EPA. The brand also offers an eight-hour, 30 percent DEET water-based formula that is made to evaporate slowly — so repellent stays on longer with little absorption into the skin. COVER UP AND BE SMART When outdoors, particularly in wooded areas, wear loose-fitting long sleeves and pants. Light colors are a good choice, as mosquitoes seem to prefer darker clothing. WHY ME? There are many factors that can make one person more appealing than another to mosquitoes. And some are beyond one’s control, such as blood type and genetics. However, mosquitoes are attracted to sweat, so don’t forget the deodorant. VACATION OR STAY CATION Research your destination so you know what types of insects you can expect to encounter. Remember, most species of mosquitoes in the U.S. are busiest at dusk. During those hours, take extra precautions to avoid becoming their meal.

Parents

How To Keep Kids Engaged Over School Breaks

Children in North America will spend, on average, more than 900 hours attending school in a given year. The average school year in the United States lasts 1,016 hours, the equivalent of 42 continuous days. According to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, many developed countries begin their academic years in September and end them in June. Some, like Australia, feature four terms with two-week breaks in between each term. Others go to school for most of the year — with various holiday breaks in between — and then get the bulk of their time off during the summer. As much time as kids spend in school, there will be times when they are left to their own devices, and during these times it’s easy for them to forgot classroom lessons. Sometimes called “summer learning loss” or “summer slide,” this forgetfulness sees many students fail to retain all of their lessons over prolonged breaks from school. Studies indicate that students score lower on standardized tests at the end of the summer compared to their performance on the same tests at the beginning of summer. Anywhere from between one to three month’s worth of educational achievement can dissipate during prolonged breaks from the classroom. To help ensure that those hard-earned lessons are not so easily forgotten, parents can help children remain intellectually engaged in various ways over school breaks. • Stick to a schedule. Try to maintain a schedule similar to school, with children waking at the same time each day and going to bed at similar hours. This will make it much easier to get back into a routine when a new school year begins. • Encourage reading. Set aside time for reading each day. All it generally takes is 15 to 30 minutes of reading per day for kids to remember their vocabulary lessons and maintain their fluency and comprehension skills. Children may enjoy picking their own books rather than having a required reading list. • Keep a math book handy. On long car trips or rainy days, children can do a few math problems to keep their skills sharp. This will help keep learning loss to a minimum. Math workbooks may be available at bookstores, or parents can look online or ask a teacher for a summer to-do packet. • Plan educational trips. Vacations and day trips can be fun, entertaining and educational all at the same time. Science centers, museums and living history locations can bring to life information learned in the classroom, even on family vacations. • Learn at camp. Many children attend camp for a portion of their school breaks. Look for camps that do not simply babysit children, but engage them through enrichment activities. • Take a class. Children and families can learn together by exploring new skills. Enroll in something educational and enjoyable, such as a music or dance class, a STEM seminar or something else that engages the mind and body. This gives everyone a chance to learn something new and have a great time together as a family. • Parents and educators can reduce lesson loss over school breaks by encouraging families to remain intellectually engaged in any way they can.

Parentown KidSmart

KidSmart – April 2020

Dental Health Is Important for Children’s Baby Teeth Parents and caregivers may be underestimating the importance of dental care for children’s “baby teeth.” According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, only 63 percent of children ages two to four see the dentist at least annually. Most dental benefits cover preventive care visits twice a year with no out-of-pocket costs, and these visits are important for small children. Baby teeth, (also known as primary teeth), play an important role in a child’s overall healthy development. If cavities begin and are left untreated, they can become painful and possibly infected. Loss of these teeth prematurely may impact eating, speaking, learning and self-esteem. Baby teeth help guide the way for permanent teeth to erupt into proper position. “Tooth decay is preventable. The investment of only a few minutes each day on the part of parents and caregivers, coupled with regular dental checkups, goes a long way in creating healthy smiles to last a lifetime,” says Dr. Diane Monti-Markowski, clinical program director for Cigna Dental. She offers these oral hygiene tips for those caring for small children: • Plan to have your child visit the dentist by his or her first birthday or within six months after the first teeth appear. • As a child’s teeth start to come in, brush them gently twice a day with a child-sized toothbrush and water. • Begin flossing a child’s teeth daily when there are two teeth that touch. • Do not put your baby to sleep with a bottle of formula, milk, juice or any other liquid other than water. • Consider introducing toothpaste for children who are two and older and are able to follow directions to spit after brushing. The American Dental Association recommends using fluoride toothpaste about the size of a grain of rice for children younger than three years old and a pea-size amount for children three to six years old. By age three or four, your child should be able to brush with your supervision. • Make brushing fun. Let your child pick out the color of his or her toothbrush. Play a favorite song or set a timer to help children understand that good brushing takes about two minutes twice a day. Find more tips at Cigna.com. For detailed questions or concerns about a child’s oral health, it is important to consult a dentist. “Adults can also reinforce the importance of oral health by their attitudes,” adds Dr. Monti-Markowski. “Encouraging good habits and showing a positive manner when visiting the dentist can lay the foundation for children to maintain healthy teeth throughout their lives.”

Parentown KidSmart

Kidsmart – March 2020

Create Kids-friendly Spaces At Home Maintaining a home that is welcoming and kid-friendly can be challenging. Kids are full of energy and oftentimes put fun ahead of tidiness. But no matter how energetic their youngsters are, parents can still employ several strategies to ensure their homes are both sophisticated and child-friendly. Consider an open floor plan. Rooms that flow into one another make it easier to keep tabs on children. Such rooms also allow residents and guests to mingle in separate rooms but not be too far away from one another. Choose washable fabrics. Upholstery will need to stand up to the abuse kids can dish out. Sofas and chairs with slipcovers can be advantageous because many slipcovers can be easily removed and laundered. Patterned fabrics will hide some stains, while treated fabrics may resist liquid spills for easier cleanup. Create a catch-all spot. Special bins or other organizational tools in the entryway can help to cull clutter when children come in the house from school or play. Be sure the keep cubbies, containers and coat hooks at a child- friendly height. Look for high-traffic rugs. Rugs designed for high-traffic areas will be more forgiving when children march across them several times per day. There are no rules that say you can’t bring an outdoor rug inside, and these rugs tend to be easier to clean. Ensure there is plenty of seating. Sectionals give children ample room to spread out. And ample seating ensures there is enough room for kids to invite their friends over to hang out. Think outside pink and blue. For children’s rooms, make sure they’re colorful, but consider other hues to give the rooms some personality. Focus on a hobby or activity and borrow the color scheme from the accessories used for decorating. Hang whimsical artwork. Employ framing and lighting to make kids’ artwork look like professional pieces. Routinely change the pictures when a new look is desired. Designate a place for play. Devote an entire room or a nook in a house for imaginative play. Store toys here so these items will not create clutter in individual bedrooms. Creating child-friendly spaces while ensuring a home maintains a sophisticated feel is easier than parents might think.

Parentown KidSmart

KIDSMART – FEBRUARY 2016

Fire and Fireplace Safety Tips For Winter Winter is the coziest time of year. It’s also a time of year that can pose specific safety risks, especially around the use of candles, fire and heating products. In 2015, one home structure fire was reported every 86 seconds, according to the National Fire Protection Association. To protect your family and home, check out these tips. Safety Devices Double check all of your home’s safety devices, including carbon monoxide detectors and smoke alarms for functionality and to ensure batteries are still working.Doing so will offer you greater peace of mind during a time of year with additional fire risks. Candles Candles can be a feast for the senses, but they are also a major cause of accidents and house fires. Don’t burn candles near curtains, and other flammable objects. Never leave candles unattended. Ensure all flames are extinguished before leaving a room and before going to sleep. If you have pets or children, make sure any open flames are well out of their reach and consider alternatives such as candle warmers. Taking a few key precautions can help you make your home a safe haven this winter. Fireplaces Nothing beats the charm and warmth of a fireplace. Heatilator, a leader in fireplace safety and the number one fireplace brand used by homebuilders, began including safety screens as standard equipment more than a decade before rules required the use of this equipment in new fireplace installations. As a pioneer in the field of fireplace safety, they offer these tips: Ensure gas fireplaces are outfitted with safety screens. Check out Heatilator, which offers retrofit safety screens. Never leave children or pets unattended near a lit fireplace or one that was recently turned off. Safety screens are meant to protect against contact with hot glass, but remember that the metal can also heat up, and your heating equipment — fireplaces, stoves, inserts and their surrounding material — will remain hot for some time after use. Consider annual maintenance for both wood-burning and gas fireplaces, as recommended by experts.

Parentown KidSmart

Changing parenting roles for dads

Parenting roles continue to evolve as families look for solutions that meet all of their needs. In an effort to meet the financial demands of raising a family, parents may be taking on less traditional roles. For example, many fathers are now stay-at-home dads. The number of stay-at-home fathers continues to climb. The Pew Research Center indicates that roughly 550,000 men have become full-time stay-at-home parents in the previous 10 years. Economics have forced many couples to make less traditional decisions for their families. The National At-Home Dad Network says the stay-at-home dad is a growing trend because men want to be more involved with their kids. The following factors may give families pause to consider swapping parental stereotypes in favor of stay-at-home fathers. • Earning potential: Money is often a factor in deciding that Mom will be the breadwinner and Dad will be the caregiver. In the event one parent earns considerably more money than the other, and paying for childcare so both parents can work would be a detriment to the family, it can make sense to have the higher earner be the sole breadwinner. • Personalities: Some women simply see themselves thriving more in the workforce than as a primary caregiver at home, while some dads want to be home with their children and do not measure success in job titles or income. These scenarios make the stay-at-home dad model more plausible. • Open-mindedness: If the situation does not affect the children, and grandparents and other supportive people in the kids’ lives are amenable to the idea, then accepting less traditional roles can be successful. Traditional family roles are increasingly falling by the wayside as both men and women put their families first and make decisions based on what’s best for all members of the family.

Parentown KidSmart

Ways To Prevent The Flu

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Americans suffer from one billion colds annually. While adults catch an average of two to three colds per year, children suffer even more, especially during cold season. “The cold and flu are both highly contagious viral infections,” said Dr. Keri Peterson, a Manhattan- based physician. “While they spread easily, there are some easy measures that families can take to protect themselves from getting infected, and even while they are sick, to prevent prolonged illness and recover more quickly.” To protect you and your family, and to prevent the spread of illness, Peterson offers these tips for navigating cold and flu season: ● Wash your hands with soap and water regularly, especially after touching dirty surfaces like doorknobs and keyboards. Thorough washing should take as long as singing “Happy Birthday” twice. ● Don’t touch your eyes, nose or mouth. These are direct entry points for germs. Most adults touch their face about 16 times a day, and children even more often, increasing the spread of germs. ● Germs live on surfaces and spread to humans through skin contact, so anything that you touch frequently can be a threat. Use disinfectant wipes to wipe down your workspace daily, as well as your telephone, mouse and keyboard. Make sure you regularly disinfect doorknobs and shared electronics like TV remotes. Also, wash your children’s toys after playtime. ● Studies indicate flu viruses thrive best in cold and dry places, making winter air an ideal breeding ground. Use a humidifier to keep humidity levels in your home between 40 and 60 percent to reduce viruses’ chances at survival. Humidifiers can also help relieve cold and flu symptoms and discomfort. An option such as the Vicks Filter- Free Cool Mist Humidifier is a convenient way to meet the American Academy of Pediatricians’ recommendation to use a cool mist humidifier throughout the winter months to help relieve congestion and cough in children. For adults and children ages 2 and older, Vicks VapoSteam paired with a warm mist humidifier or vaporizer releases a medicated steam with cough suppressant to help relieve coughs and colds. ● Everyone 6 months of age and older should get a flu vaccine every year. Flu vaccination should take place soon after the vaccine becomes available to the public, preferably in October. ● Watch your symptoms. Cold symptoms come on gradually and progress over time, typically starting with a sore throat, then a runny nose and eventually a cough. On the other hand, the flu hits fast and furious with the sudden onset of fever, aches, fatigue, cough and headache. ● Fever can sometimes occur with a cold and is usually mild; with the flu it is common and higher, ranging from 100-102 F. Taking your temperature with a thermometer such as the Braun ThermoScan, the No. 1 brand among pediatricians and moms, is a good way to help determine which type of virus you have. Find more tips for fighting cold and flu at Vicks Humidifiers.

Parents

PARENTOWN’S KIDSMART – DECEMBER 2016

Learn about product recalls for safe holiday giving Shopping for the perfect gift and then hiding it under the tree adds to the excitement of the holiday season. Knowing the recipient will display a big smile when tearing away the wrapping paper makes gift givers feel good. Each year, certain gifts emerge as trendy crowd favorites. However, no matter how coveted a gift may be, it pays to investigate its reputation for safety and to find out if any product recalls have been instituted. The hoverboard craze of the 2015 holiday season provided a recent example of the need to investigate an item’s reputation for safety. Thousands upon thousands of these devices flew off of the shelves. Children across the country took their hoverboards for test runs early Christmas morning. Yet many hoverboards soon ignited while charging or in operation. Some even ignited while sitting idle. As of July 2016, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission indicated at least 60 reports of hoverboard fires totaling more than $2 million in property damage. Similar problems arose with certain Samsung Galaxy Note 7 phones in late 2016. The phone was recalled officially in the United States through Samsung, and the company launched exchange programs in other countries. Even replacement models continued to have problems, as some caught on fire in early October. Samsung ultimately told Note 7 owners to stop using the phones and return them before permanently discontinuing the product. Shortly thereafter, the U.S. CPSC officially issued a second recall. Those are just two instances of how products that might have made great holiday gifts posed safety issues. Consumers should learn how they can protect themselves and others from injury, even when giving holiday gifts. Searching for product recalls is one way to safeguard loved ones this holiday season. Reading product reviews from previous customers is another effective safety measure. A recall is an action taken by a manufacturer or the government. Some recalls will ban the sale of an item, while others require the consumer to return the item for repair or replacement. The U.S. government recommends visiting these websites to find the latest safety recalls and information on items that may turn up on holiday wish lists. • Recalls.com posts government-initiated recalls from federal agencies. • Safercar.gov offers safety information on vehicles and car equipment, such as children’s safety seats. • SaferProducts.gov enables consumers to report incidents and safety concerns with regard to consumer products. • Cpsc.gov/Recalls/ includes recalls published by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. • HealthyCanadians.gc.ca/recall-alert-rappel-avis/ index-eng.php publishes recent recalls and alerts for Canada. The holidays should be a safe and happy time. To ensure the season stays safe and happy, consumers should familiarize themselves with any product recalls or published safety hazards prior to shopping for gifts.

Category - Parentown KidSmart

Fun ways Fun Ways to Get Kids to Enjoy Math

Kidsmart – August 2020

KidSmart – July 2020

How To Keep Kids Engaged Over School Breaks

KidSmart – April 2020

Kidsmart – March 2020

KIDSMART – FEBRUARY 2016

Changing parenting roles for dads

Ways To Prevent The Flu

PARENTOWN’S KIDSMART – DECEMBER 2016

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