Monthly Archive for September, 2009

Playtime With the Children

Published on September 30, 2009 in Parenting. 1 Comment Tags: .

I wanted to share a personal story my wife told me last week regarding our son Andrew. Typically in our busy lives our children will get dragged along to activities or events that we need to get done. When it comes to play time it is typically telling them to go to play with their toys.

Last week my wife asked our 2 year old son what he wanted to do and she was going to play with him like a child as well. He quickly said lets play with the trains. For the next hour my wife got down on the floor and played with him like a 2 year old and really connected with him in a way that was very meaningful for both of them.

It is a good reminder that all of us can be a child again.

Backpack photo

Published on September 24, 2009 in Prevention and school. 0 Comments Tags: .

This week I wrote about my daughter’s giant backpack…Here’s the photo I should have added.

Daughter's Giant Backpack

Daughter's Giant Backpack

 

Back to School and the Backpack

Published on September 22, 2009 in Prevention, Safety and school. 0 Comments Tags: , , .

Yesterday I looked at my daughter with her school backpack on and realized it was quite large compared to her size. Fortunately there were not many things inside it, yet…..

It is important for parents to make sure that their child is not carrying more than they should be.

Below is what the American Academy of Pediatrics has to say on this topic.

BACKPACK SAFETY

  • Choose a backpack with wide, padded shoulder straps and a padded back.
  • Pack light. Organize the backpack to use all of its compartments. Pack heavier items closest to the center of the back. The backpack should never weigh more than 10 to 20 percent of the your child’s body weight.
  • Always use both shoulder straps. Slinging a backpack over one shoulder can strain muscles.
  • Consider a rolling backpack. This type of backpack may be a good choice for students who must tote a heavy load. Remember that rolling backpacks still must be carried up stairs, and they may be difficult to roll in snow.

Influenza H1N1

Published on September 10, 2009 in H1N1 (Swine Flu) and Uncategorized. 0 Comments Tags: , , .

I came across a great article the other day in the New York Times regarding Influenza H1N1 otherwise known as swine flu.

I would certainly recommend that all children receive the regular influenza vaccine this season. This will most certainly be available before the swine flu vaccine gets out to doctors offices.

Below is the NYT link

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/08/health/08well.html?_r=2&ref=health

The Challenges of Parenting

Published on September 8, 2009 in Parenting. 0 Comments Tags: , , .

Nobody ever said that being a parent was going to be easy. I certainly never expected my 5 year old to talk back to me when I was holding her as an infant in my arms. Children rapidly go from being a helpless infant that relies on you for everything to child with a personality that has needs and wants.

If you are having the same battles again and again, then it is time to take a look at your strategy and adjust. Doing the same thing again and again and expecting a different result typically does not work, at least in our household it does not. In my household, I sit down with my wife to discuss the battles that we want to focus on and formulate a game plan to implement. Your child’s doctor can also help if you do not know where to start.

I often recommend the 1-2-3 parenting books and DVD: http://www.parentmagic.com/

It is very easy to get frustrated and yell at times but I would encourage everyone to remain calm and keep their cool.

Back To School

Published on September 4, 2009 in H1N1 (Swine Flu), Out and About and Prevention. 0 Comments Tags: , , , .

School is back in session. My oldest just started Kindergarten this week. It makes you realize that life goes too quickly. I am not sure whether my daughter or wife was more anxious about it. They both did well.

With children going back to school, it is important to teach them good hygiene to prevent illnesses this Fall and Winter. I suspect we all will be inundated with flu related news everywhere.

Some simple measures your children can do include:
*washing their hands with soap and water frequently throughout the day.
*use of hand sanitizers when soap and water is not available.
*encouraging them to cover their nose and mouth with their elbow when coughing or sneezing to prevent the spread of germs

Most illnesses are preventable with a few simple precautions.

Have a great Fall