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Get your motor running, head out on the highway…so Steppen Wolf may not having been talking about taking a family vacation, but many families will be doing just that this summer. USA Weekend offers these tips to make your trip less stressful:
Don’t Leave Home Without:
- Enough snacks so a missed meal won’t cause a tailspin.
- Chargers for all electronics.
- A garbage bag for trash and zip-seal bags to stash wet bathing suits, protect e-readers and keep bottles of wine from leaking all over your suitcase.
- Headphones for everyone to allow individual listening.
- Earplugs
Summer vacation can be the perfect time to show your kids how much fun reading can be. When it’s too hot to play outside it’s a great time to stay inside and read. Shockingly, in 2011, only one in three fourth graders could read at grade level, according to The Nation’s Report Card for Reading…if that isn’t incentive for turning your kids into bookworms then I don’t know what is.
Judy Blume, who has been writing for kids, for many years, and who recently celebrated the 40th anniversary of Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing, shared these tips with USA Weekend on turning your kids into bookworms.
Growing up, I remember my Mom saying, “I’ve got one good nerve left and you’re on it!” I would think, “Well, why don’t you just get some more nerves?” Now, as an adult I understand how there are going to be days when I just don’t have enough patience to deal with the kids, but there are things that I can do to make things easier.
Joy Berry, a child development expert, offered these suggestions in a recent article in USA Weekend:
Do you have one of those kids who is always thirsty? You would think that he had been in the desert with the French Foreign Legion as much as he was drinking. Keeping your kid hydrated is an important thing, but watch what you’re giving them or you could do more damage than good.
- Limit the Juice: Choose a 100 percent juice rather than fruit drinks that are more sugar than nutrients. It’s recommended that kids under 6 should drink 6 ounces or less of juice per day and that older kids can have 8 to 12 ounces.
You’ve had it so easy…your kid loved preschool…kindergarten was a breeze…first grade was exciting…but, half way through the second grade he announced “I hate school!” As kids get older school becomes more complex…no more play time…it’s test time…friendships become more complicated too.
Parents magazine offers these suggestions that will help you get your kid back on track:
We’ve all seen the articles and news reports about the childhood obesity problem, but have you thought about the kids that need to gain weight? Underweight children may not be getting enough nutrition, and this can cause problems with their mood, concentration and growth, according to Jill Castle, R.D., a child nutrition expert.
Parents magazine suggests these remedies if your pediatrician tells you that your child needs to gain some weight:
- Create a schedule for meals and snacks and stick to it. Offer your child food every three or four hours, and make sure you don’t rush him when he eats. Aim for three meals and three snacks each day.
Our kids health and welfare is the most important thing to parents. We make them wear helmets when they ride their bike, we make sure they have their vaccinations, we take them to the dentist…the list goes on and on, but most of us have never thought about making sure they aren’t at risk of cardiovascular disease.
Parents magazine reports that the American Academy of Pediatrics created these new guidelines to help reduce cardiovascular disease starting from childhood.
- Age 2 and up: Your doctor should measure your child’s height, weight, and body mass index (BMI) at every checkup. Have him go over the results with you and, if necessary, explain what diet and activity changes could benefit your child.
You may think that traveling with your special needs child isn’t possible, but with a little planning it can be a great experience and memory maker for all of you. Travel expert and mother of three, Kim Mance, offers these tips to make your next family vacation great!
Think Outside the Box: Instead of spending hours confined sitting in a car or dealing with the stress of airport security…take a train.
Sometimes, kids do things and there just doesn’t seem to be a word to describe it…what do you call it when your 5 year old sticks a Skittle up his nose…or when your 4 year old decides to put the cat in the fridge?
Parents magazine has come up with some new words for you to use, so that you won’t be left speechless by your kids ever again.
blubbernecker (BLUH-behr-nekk-uhr) n: a stranger who stands and gawks at your child when she’s having a tantrum
chapturn (CHAHP-tern) v: to sneakily skip pages or abbreviate the narrative when reading a long kids’ book to your child
We’ve all seen young kids that hide behind their parents when they meet someone new or those who cry when their parents leave them with someone else. And most of us have seen older kids who are afraid of monsters under their beds or those who worry about bad storms. The anxiety that these kids feel is real and often presents itself as nervousness, stomach aches, nausea, problems sleeping or becoming clingy.
Here are some ways that parents can help their kids deal with their anxiety:
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