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Parents

Kidsmart – July 2014

Make Summer Sensational For many parents, it’s the same routine each and every year. After weeks of anticipation for the end of the school year, those lazy summer days finally arrive for your children. But soon after, the newness wears off, leaving behind sad faces and the dreaded phrase heard by parents across the country, “I’m bored.” But all it takes to battle summer boredom is a little preparedness and a few clever ideas to make this summer the best one yet. Kid-approved activities The summer fun experts at Bomb Pop serve up these awesome, fresh ideas to bring loads of memorable moments to your family all season long. Go on a Park Crawl Research all of the parks in your town and visit each one. Your kids will love pointing out their favorite attractions at each location. When the activity is over, have each child pick his or her favorite park so you can visit regularly. Be sure to load up on sunscreen, drinking water and bug spray. Also, make sure you have a map or smartphone handy to help you navigate to the next park. Make it memorable by taking a picture at each stop. Those treasured moments can be printed and pieced together into a summer scrapbook they’ll cherish for years. Make a Splash Backyard water games are synonymous with smiles. Enjoy the classic warm weather activities of water balloon fights, squirt gun wars, playing on a slip and slide and, as always, swimming in an outdoor pool. Younger kids will love ice excavating, too. Simply freeze plastic toys in a large bowl and let them chip away at the ice. Be sure to have everyone wearing swimsuits and plenty of sunscreen. Backyard fun also means your freezer is just a few steps away, so stock it with cool treats, such as the six fins of fun in Bomb Pops frozen treats. Your kids will love the waves of flavor in the Original Bomb Pop or the new Watermelon flavor. Make it memorable by making a game of your water activities. Whether it’s a water balloon toss or squirt gun tag, kids will be more involved when you throw in some friendly competition. Be sure to have a lot of summer-themed prizes, such as cool beach towels, sunglasses or splash balls. Catch a Cool Movie by Car Relive the nostalgia and simplicity of seeing a movie at a drive-in theater. Your kids will love the experience of catching a movie under the stars, and because many allow you to pack your own summertime snacks and beverages, you’ll love the savings. Your family can view a movie that’s just to their liking, with many venues offering blockbuster hits, while some even bring back the big screen classics from your own youth. Be sure to bring plenty of lawn chairs, pillows, blankets and bug repellent for the whole gang. Make it memorable with each family member dressed in his or her favorite ‘50s or ‘60s drive-in attire or in a costume that represents the movie. Score a Home Run A visit to the local baseball field is a wonderful way to teach your little ones about America’s favorite pastime, while also encouraging an active lifestyle. Invite their buddies along so you can have a whole team, or just practice catching, pitching or batting with a couple of players. Be sure to bring plenty of sunscreen, drinking water, hats, baseball gear and a cooler packed with delicious treats, such as Bomb Pops, the official sponsor of Little League Baseball and Softball. Make it memorable by creating your own cheer section. Some kids may be too young to play, but they can still participate as cheerleaders for their brothers or sisters. Make sure your squad is complete with handmade cheer signs and pompoms for them to wave about proudly. Create a Family Masterpiece Get crafty with the kids and let them create their own giant mural — on a bed sheet. Simply lay an old one out on the lawn and let the kids paint away. They will love to proudly hang up their creation in the basement rec room or any other place where they play. Be sure to supply kid-safe paints, brushes, sponges and other items around the home for tracing shapes and designs. Also, make sure everyone lathers on plenty of sunscreen so they don’t get burned while making their art. Make it memorable and encourage your kids to tell a summer story through their artwork. Allow them to draw inspiration from a recent trip to the lake, the mountains or a family reunion. With a few kid-friendly ideas, you can create memories that will last a lifetime. For other fun ways to enjoy summer, visit www.BombPop.com</a. Celebre el brillo ilimitado del sol y disfrute de los días de verano sin complicaciones con actividades para niños que reúnen a toda la familia. Para muchos padres, es la misma rutina todos los años. Después de semanas de esperar que termine el año escolar, finalmente llegan los días de verano de descanso para sus hijos. Pero pronto, la novedad se desvanece, dejando caras tristes y la frase tan escuchada por todos los padres del país: “Estoy aburrido”. Pero todo lo que se necesita para combatir el aburrimiento del verano es un poco de preparación y algunas ideas inteligentes para hacer de este verano el mejor de todos. Actividades aprobadas por los niños Los expertos en diversión del verano de Bomb Pop proponen estas maravillosas y frescas ideas para traer muchos momentos memorables a la familia toda la temporada. Vaya de paseo al parqueInvestigue cuáles son todos los parques de la ciudad y visítelos. A sus hijos les encantará buscar sus atracciones favoritas en cada lugar. Cuando finalice la actividad, pida a cada niño que elija su parque favorito para poder visitarlo habitualmente. Asegúrese de llevar protector solar, agua para beber y protcción contra insectos en aerosol. Además, asegúrese de llevar un mapa o un teléfono inteligente para ayudarle a navegar…

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Parents

Kidsmart – June 2014

Fun, Brain-boosting Activities for Kids Lazy summer days may sound refreshing to parents; however, they may be detrimental to their children’s educational advancement. A study by Dr. Harris Cooper, a professor of psychology at the University of Missouri-Columbia, reveals that students can lose an average of one to three months of what they learned upon returning back to school after summer break. Parents can help their children avoid this “summer slide” by reinvigorating creativity, innovation and education during the summer. When you provide your kids with brain-stimulating experiences during the summer, you can help them to retain what they spent all year learning. This could help them begin the new school year with higher aptitude and give them a competitive educational edge. After all, knowledge is power. Brain-boosting activities When looking for activities for your kids during their break, think beyond the pool. There are many ways to get those brain juices flowing throughout the warmer weather months. Here are several engaging activities your kids will think are so fun they won’t even know they’re learning. Use books for family bonding A family book club is a great way to get in more bonding time while also encouraging a love of reading. The children’s section of the local library or bookstore is a great place to find books that also tie in scientific lessons. Kids will love digging into tales about dinosaurs, exploring new galaxies in space and reading about the biology of deep-sea creatures. Discuss any characters, plot and theme ideas in an interactive fashion that allows every family member to take part in a stimulating literary discussion. Celebrate the curious mind Does your child have a curious mind? Encourage inquisitiveness by enrolling them in a specialized summer camp, such as those offered by Camp Invention, which is supported by the United States Patent and Trademark Office with curriculum developed by inductees of the National Inventors Hall of Fame. Led by local educators, this week long experience immerses elementary school children in engaging real-world challenges where they can turn wonder into discoveries. Each themed module uses connections between science, technology, engineering and math to inspire innovation. Use your community’s resources Check your local museums, libraries and other community centers for classes, workshops and other great learning opportunities for your kids. Give them a journal to help them keep track of all the things that they are learning. Talk to their teachers Figure out what kind of lessons they will be covering in the upcoming school year and incorporate it into your summer schedule. For example, plan local field trips to historic monuments that they may be learning about in next year’s history class. Give them a journal Every child loves having a special spot to keep a record of their wonderful summer trips, times with friends and even drawings. Encourage them to keep a journal where they can tap into their scientific side by jotting down different discoveries — from tracking plant growth in the garden to drawing bugs in the backyard. Questions to consider when finding a camp Many parents fondly look back on spending their own childhood summer days at camp. And because today’s camps offer a much larger spectrum of specialty programs, while also featuring a more individualized experience for youngsters, Camp Invention, a premier summer enrichment day camp program, suggests asking these questions to help select the perfect summertime program: • Does your child have special interests or talents that they would like to build on or develop? • Is your child willing to try or learn new things? • What goals do you have for your child while he or she attends summer camp? • How much can you afford for a camp program? Building science skills at home Because science is everywhere, it’s easy to make every day a learning experience that inspires curiosity for your little one. Here are a few ways to incorporate this important subject into your family’s daily summer routine: Family vacations Vacations are a great way to expand scientific knowledge through exploration. Point out the rock formations while visiting a national park, discuss animal tracks while taking a hike or check out the natural history museum in the town you are visiting. Current events Use current newsworthy topics to start a science-related discussion with your kids. From weather patterns to erupting volcanoes, the news is full of curious discoveries for their expanding minds. Resource collection Stock up on books, newspaper articles, puzzles, games, videos and other valuable learning tools that inspire science-related discoveries. Keep them in a centralized spot so your kids can access them at any time. It’s easy to break up the boredom of summer break with a few engaging activities that will get your kids off to a great start in the coming school year. For more information, visit www.campinvention.org or www.facebook.com/campinvention. Aprendizaje de verano Actividades infantiles divertidas y enriquecedoras Los días de receso de verano pueden parecer placenteros para los padres; no obstante, pueden perjudicar el desarrollo educativo de sus hijos. Según un estudio del Dr. Harris Cooper, profesor de Psicología en la Universidad de Misuri-Columbia, al regresar a clases luego del receso del verano, se observa que los estudiantes han perdido, en promedio, entre uno y tres meses de los conocimientos aprendidos. Los padres pueden evitar que sus hijos pasen por este “desliz estival” al incentivar la creatividad, la innovación y la educación durante el verano. Si les brinda a sus hijos momentos de aprendizaje durante el verano, retendrán los conocimientos adquiridos durante todo el año escolar. Esto permitirá que comiencen el nuevo año mejor preparados y le aportará una ventaja competitiva a su educación. Después de todo, el conocimiento es poder. Actividades educativas Sea creativo al buscar actividades infantiles para el verano. Existen muchas maneras de estimular el aprendizaje durante los meses más cálidos. A continuación, le sugerimos varias actividades divertidas para que sus hijos ni siquiera noten que están aprendiendo. Cree lazos familiares mediante la lectura Un club familiar de lectura…

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Parents

KidSmart – May 2014

From understanding the role of antibiotics in animal and food production to implementing a safety strategy within your own home, a background on food safety is beneficial for every family. To increase public knowledge on the matters of food safety and antibiotics, registered dietitian and BestFoodFacts.org nutrition adviser Carolyn O’Neil teamed up with Dr. Michael Doyle, a leading researcher in the area of food microbiology and bacterial foodborne pathogens and director of the Center for Food Safety at the University of Georgia. “Antibiotics are powerful medicines and as we know certainly save lives,” said O’Neil. “But they’re also used to keep animals healthy.” Antibiotics and food production The Food and Drug Administration is moving forward with restrictions that would phase out the use of antibiotics in food production that also have important medical uses in human medicine. Although voluntary, the agency said it expects drug makers to fully adhere to the new guidelines. Traditionally, some farmers have used antibiotics as a subtherapeutic treatment — to prevent illness from occurring. Some antibiotics can also help promote the growth of the animals. “What we are finding is that if we continue to do this, we can develop antibiotic-resistant bacteria, so let’s just reduce the use for growth promotion reasons and focus on treating these animals if they get sick,” explains Doyle. “By focusing on just treating animals when they are ill, the health community hopes to lessen the threat resistant strains may have on the public.” Your family’s food sources Though the matter of antibiotic resistance brings alarm to many families, Doyle believes the safety of the U.S. beef, poultry and pork supply should not be a cause for concern. “There is no concern for the antibiotic residue. The antibiotics are typically not coming through the animal or the meat,” said Doyle. “That is something that can happen, but it’s monitored and typically does not happen, at least in food produced here in the United States. The concern is the development of antibiotic-resistant microbes that are not going to be treatable long term.” Simple food safety practices According to Doyle and O’Neil, proper food handling practices go a long way to controlling harmful microbes. “We, as consumers, should always think of foods from animal origins – even those labeled natural or organic – as potentially having harmful microbes. We need to treat them with respect by following good food handling practices,” adds Doyle. To help keep your family safe and healthy at home, O’Neil offers these tips: • Clean: Wash your hands and kitchen surfaces often. • Separate: Don’t cross-contaminate. Always separate raw meat, poultry, seafood and eggs from other foods when preparing them in the kitchen. • Cook: Cook all food to the proper temperature. Use a food thermometer to measure the internal temperature of cooked meats. • Chill: Refrigerate leftover food promptly after eating to slow the growth of harmful bacteria. Make sure your fridge and freezer are cooled to the right temperature. Your fridge should be between 40 degrees F and 32 degrees F, and your freezer should be zero degrees F or below. “Real nutrition wisdom comes from consuming evidence,” said O’Neil. “When equipped with this valuable knowledge, you can ensure you’re providing the very best to your family.” For more information on food handling practices, visit www.foodsafety.gov. Para cualquier familia, resulta provechoso contar con conocimientos sobre la seguridad de los alimentos: desde la función de los antibióticos en los animales y la producción de alimentos hasta la implementación de una estrategia de seguridad en su propio hogar. Para incrementar el conocimiento popular acerca de la seguridad de los alimentos y los antibióticos, la dietista registrada y consejera de nutrición de BestFoodFacts.org Carolyn O’Neil trabajó en equipo con el Dr. Michael Doyle, investigador líder de microbiología de los alimentos y patógenos alimentarios bacterianos y director del Centro de Seguridad Alimentaria de la Universidad de Georgia. “Los antibióticos son medicamentos eficaces que salvan vidas, pero también se utilizan para tratar animales”, destacó O’Neil. Antibióticos y producción de alimentos La Administración de Drogas y Alimentos (FDA) está avanzando en la implementación de restricciones que eliminarían gradualmente el uso de antibióticos en la producción de alimentos, que también tiene importantes usos médicos en humanos. El organismo afirmó que espera que los laboratorios cumplan las nuevas normativas, aun cuando no sean obligatorias. Tradicionalmente, algunos agricultores han utilizado los antibióticos en tratamientos subterapéuticos a fin de evitar la aparición de enfermedades. Algunos antibióticos también pueden estimular el crecimiento de los animales. “Creemos que si estas prácticas continúan, podremos desarrollar bacterias resistentes a los antibióticos. Por lo tanto, debemos reducir su uso para la estimulación del crecimiento y tratar a estos animales cuando se enfermen”, explica Doyle. “Al tratar a los animales sólo cuando estén enfermos, los profesionales de la salud esperamos disminuir la amenaza que representan las cepas resistentes”. Las fuentes de alimentos de su familia Aunque la cuestión de la resistencia a los antibióticos alarma a muchas familias, Doyle considera que la seguridad de la carne vacuna, de aves y cerdo en los Estados Unidos no debería ser motivo de preocupación. “No nos preocupan los residuos de antibióticos, porque, por lo general, no pasan al animal o su carne”, aclara Doyle. “Puede ocurrir, pero se realizan controles y casi nunca sucede, al menos, en los alimentos producidos aquí, en los Estados Unidos. La preocupación es el desarrollo de microbios resistentes a los antibióticos que no puedan tratarse a largo plazo”. Prácticas simples para la seguridad de los alimentos Según Doyle y O’Neil, la correcta manipulación de los alimentos es un paso importante para controlar los microbios dañinos. “Como consumidores, siempre deberíamos recordar que los alimentos de origen animal (incluso los naturales u orgánicos) pueden contener microbios dañinos. Debemos manipularlos adecuadamente y con cuidado”, explica Doyle. Para que tanto usted como su familia gocen de buena salud, O’Neil brinda estos consejos: • Limpieza: lávese las manos y limpie las superficies de la cocina con frecuencia. • Separación: no contamine. Durante el proceso de…

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