Simple ways parents can help relieve kids' cold and flu discomforts
(ARA) - Any parent who's sat up through the night with a sick child knows relieving their symptoms is only part of your mission. Easing the discomforts of cold and flu for your little one is a No. 1 priority.
"Watching your child suffer, even if it's from something as minor as a nose that's sore and chapped from repeated blowing, is a terrible feeling for any parent," says Dr. Tanya Remer Altman, a mother and pediatrician who is a best-selling author and spokesperson for the American Academy of Pediatrics. "Relieving the discomforts related to cold and flu not only helps kids feel better, it also reduces stresses for their parents."
"Dr. Tanya," as she's known to her patients and the millions who've seen her on the Today Show or who follow her blog, offers some tips to help parents make children feel more comfortable while fighting a cold or the flu:
* Flu vaccines are recommended for everyone 6 months and older, but it's not unusual for children to fear a shot. Ask your pediatrician about giving your child the flu vaccine in a nasal spray form. It's available for children 2 and older, and provides the same protection and safety as the traditional flu shot.
* Your mother probably swore by chicken soup and she was on to something. Serving sick children chicken soup not only gives them the benefit of nourishment while their bodies are fighting a virus, studies show chicken soup has anti-inflammatory properties as well. Plus, it's a popular comfort food that most kids love.
* Sore, chapped noses add to the discomfort of having a cold. Tissues with added lotion, like Puffs Plus with Lotion, can help prevent chapping from frequent nose blowing and wiping. The strong, lotion-filled tissues can help children get more out of their nose blowing, ensuring they're confident they can blow without getting anything "icky" on their little hands. You can also use petroleum jelly or unscented ointment to soothe the irritation and discomfort.
* Another way to help relieve a stuffy nose is to try a few drops of nasal saline and gentle suctioning. A cool mist humidifier and a liberal application of Vicks on children older than 2 can also help, especially at night when lying down can make a child feel stuffy. Remember, however, never to use Vicks on children younger than 2 years old; it may actually increase the mucus in their airways.
* Frequent hand-washing is important to prevent the spread of viruses. Yet washing your hands a lot, especially in cold weather, can leave them dry, sore and cracked. Teach your children to wash their hands while singing "Wash, wash, wash your hands, wash them every day. Wash them with water and wash them with soap to wash the germs away" to the tune of "Row, row, row your boat." Then follow up with a soothing lotion. You can find many fragrance-free varieties specially formulated for children.
* When your child's throat is sore, he might be unwilling to eat or drink much. Offer a sugar-free fruit Popsicle instead. The coolness can help ease a sore throat, your child will get some hydration from the frozen juice and he'll feel like he's getting a special treat.
* Make trips to the doctor's office fun by bringing a book or toy to keep your child occupied, and a snack in case she gets hungry. A special reward or treat after the visit is also a nice tradition.
Finally, don't overlook your own mental comfort as well; call the doctor if you feel your child's symptoms are worrisome. "Parents often tell me they thought about calling, but didn't want to be a bother," Dr. Tanya says. "Most pediatricians are parents too, and they would rather take a few minutes to reassure you that your child's cold symptoms will improve on their own than to not have you call about your sick child who really needs to be seen. Your pediatrician is there to help you, so if you feel something is important, pick up the phone and call."
Monday, January 24, 2011
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Social Networking Online: Is it Safe?
(ARA) –
With literally millions of people using social networking sites on the Internet, don’t be surprised if you find your coworker on MySpace or even your grandma on Facebook. Social networking isn't just for teens, and adults are joining virtual communities in increasing numbers. If the concept still seems a bit foreign to you, don’t worry. Here are some tips to get you started and help ensure you stay safe in the fast-paced world of Internet social networking.
MySpace and Facebook are two of the most popular social networking sites where users set up a profile about themselves and connect to friends to share interests, photos, etc.
Blogs, short for web logs, are personal journals that users post online. Think of them as a public diary that is updated regularly, often daily. Blogs cover just about anything: politics, culture, or whatever's on the mind of the author.
“Internet social networking or blogging can be a really great thing,” says Sue LaChance Porter, vice president of EarthLink, an award winning Internet service provider. “People can stay in touch, connect with friends and share their interests. But they also need to be cautious and protect their identity.”
LaChance Porter offers these tips when using an Internet social network:
1) Read the privacy policy first.
Review a site’s privacy policy and their frequently asked questions section so you can understand the features and privacy controls offered to users. Review different sites before deciding which one to join.
2) Understand who can access your page.
Some sites have options to restrict who can access your page, allowing you to keep your posted information public, private or restricted to a certain group of people. “Consider keeping your page private so strangers can’t openly access your information,” suggest LaChance Porter.
3) Use anonymous e-mail addresses.
As a precaution, you should consider using different e-mail addresses when setting up social networking accounts. As part of its security offerings, EarthLink offers users up to eight different e-mail addresses that interconnect so you can keep your information private and limit spam.
4) Don’t give out personal data.
Never post personal information on your page, such as your Social Security number, address, bank accounts, etc. Many social networking sites are not encrypted. That means when you give someone personal information, such as your phone number, it can be taken and used by unwanted sources, even if communicated via e-mail or posts.
5) Use strong passwords.
Smart social networkers will always use strong passwords, meaning passwords that contain both letters and numbers and aren’t immediately associated with the person’s identity. That means don’t use your daughter’s name or your birth date as your password. LaChance Porter advises, “Try to keep passwords to five characters or more and change monthly to avoid password phishing -- when outside sources steal your password and then post messages under your persona.”
6) Pick a good user name.
Ever wonder why you see someone’s user name as FlowerPower123 or Julias1880? It’s because having a pseudo name helps protect your identity. Using your first and last name as your user name might make sense, but it’s best to keep this information private.
7) Keep your computer protected.
It’s a good idea to make sure your computer has anti-virus and anti-spyware features that help protect it from unwanted spam, viruses and other privacy breaches. Check with your Internet service provider to see what features they offer. For example, EarthLink’s Protection Control Center guards against dangerous online viruses, blocks spam, helps stop hackers and keeps you and your family safe while surfing the Web.
8) Post only what you want others to see.
Many people can potentially see your page, even if you have privacy settings. That means that not-so-subtle picture of you could be seen by future employers, colleagues or even the police. Any information or images you share could be seen by more people than you are comfortable with. Be absolutely sure before posting because even if you delete it later, older versions may still exist on other people’s computers and your information could still circulate online.
“When online, trust your instincts,” says LaChance Porter. “If you’re not sure, it’s best to wait. You can always add information and photos later, but once images and data are floating around the Internet, you can’t get them back.”
For more information visit www.earthlink.net.
Courtesy of ARAcontent
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Expert Tips for Avoiding School Lunch Box Battles
(ARA)
She’s not leaving the house in that skirt. He’s not playing on the football team if his grade average drops below a C. And no one, but no one, is going to have potato chips or chocolate cupcakes for lunch.
No matter how harmonious your relationship with your kids may be, packing their lunches can be a battle. You can avoid the conflict, however, by serving foods that satisfy kids’ craving for yummy and parent’s desire for healthy.
Parents want to provide healthy meals and snack options for their children, and school lunch boxes are a great place to start,” says Dr. Julie Jones, a licensed nutritionist and national nutritional advisor who works with California Raisins. “Whether you challenge kids to eat all the colors of the rainbow in fruits and veggies, or prepare an old favorite with a new twist, such as apple slices or mini-bagels with California Raisin Peanut Butter Spread, eating healthy can be fun and delicious.”
To avoid the lunch box blahs, California Raisins – with the help of Jones and registered dietitian/nutrition expert, Mary Lee Chin – have compiled a list of tips for ensuring kids’ stomachs stay full and lunch boxes come home empty.
* Avoid bread boredom. Think variety when “sandwiching” your school lunches. Instead of plain, white bread, try whole grain raisin bread, pita bread, whole wheat tortillas for wraps, whole grain rolls, mini-bagels or flavored bagels.
* Remember, eating is visual too. A soggy peanut butter sandwich with grape jelly soaking through is not very visually appealing. Kids often find pre-packaged items – that travel well and maintain their good looks – more enticing. Try single-serve applesauce or other canned fruits, string cheese, snack-sized California raisins or a carton of yogurt.
* Introduce new foods with a health serving of fun. Talk frankly with your kids about the variety of healthful foods they have to choose from, and on the first try serve smaller portions. For example, introduce hummus with pretzels or celery sticks to dip.
* Encourage kids to be involved in preparation and selection of new, healthful foods. For younger kids, it is fun to create a fruit and vegetable bingo board. If your child packs and eats a particular fruit and vegetable, he or she can put a sticker on the bingo board. Once “bingo” is achieved, the child receives an agreed-upon prize - such as a walk to the park, a favorite game, or a special activity with a parent.
* Presentation is important. Kids will be more likely to eat healthy foods if they’re presented in a fun way. Make a kabob of fruit and cheese using a thin straw. Create a unique roll-up of cheese, lunch meat and a whole grain tortilla wrapped around a pickle. Don’t forget a dash of color, too. Incorporate nutritious, colorful sprinkles into lunch, like cherry tomatoes, golden California raisins, or diced red and green peppers. Or try a colorful tortilla for an exciting wrap.
* Pack lunch for the whole family. If you take your own food to school or work, it’s much more likely that you’ll eat well. Take just 10 minutes after dinner with the family to pack lunches for the next day.
* Keep current. Periodically reassess what your kids are eating because tastes and interests change. If you have served a “like” for three weeks in a row, and it starts coming back home, it’s time to have another healthy food planning session.
* Don’t underestimate the role snacks play in your child’s day-to-day success. Healthful snacks can provide kids with the fuel and nutrition they need to get through their busy days.
“Smart snacking is another major factor in overall healthy eating,” Jones says. “Snacks can be a way to help children get in the recommended servings of fruits and vegetables each day.”
Jones recommends parents pack kids’ lunchboxes with healthful snacks that are also fun, portable and tasty, like California raisins. Naturally fat and cholesterol-free, raisins contain antioxidants and fiber and just a 1/4-cup serving counts as one whole serving of the recommended daily servings of fruit.
Try these three fun recipes to incorporate healthful California raisins into students’ lunchboxes this school season. For more nutritious, kid-friendly recipes, visit www.loveyourraisins.com.
Pumpkin Pie Popcorn Mix with Raisins
Preparation time: Five minutes
Cooking time: Two to five minutes
Ingredients:
1 bag low-fat microwave popcorn
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1 cup California Raisins
1 package (5 ounces) glazed pecans
Butter-flavored non-stick cooking spray
Directions:
Microwave popcorn according to package directions and empty into a large bowl. Remove all unpopped kernels. Stir sugar and pumpkin pie spice together in a small bowl. Spray popcorn liberally with cooking spray and toss to coat evenly. Add raisins and pecans. Sprinkle with sugar and spice mixture and toss until popcorn is well coated.
Yields: 12 one-cup servings.
Nutrition facts per serving: Calories 160 (40 percent from fat); Total Fat 8g (sat 1g, trans 0g, mono 4g, poly 2g); Cholesterol 0mg; Protein 2g; Carbohydrate 24g; Fiber 2g; Iron 1mg; Sodium 65mg; Calcium 12mg.
California Raisin Peanut Butter Spread
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
3/4 cup California Raisins
1/2 cup apple juice
2 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 cup creamy peanut butter
Directions:
Measure the raisins and apple juice into a small saucepan and bring to boil; reduce heat to medium and simmer for eight to 10 minutes or until raisins have absorbed all the juice. Stir in honey and cinnamon. Cool slightly. Stir in peanut butter. Spread onto graham crackers, bread, mini-bagels, apple slices or celery sticks.
For a healthful variation on traditional PB&J sandwiches, spread one tablespoon of California Raisin Peanut Butter Spread on one slice of whole wheat bread. Top with 1/4 banana cut into nine very thin slices and top with another slice of bread. Lightly butter both sides and cook in a small, heavy skillet over medium heat until lightly browned on both sides and heated through. Cut into four sticks.
Spread recipe yields 1 2/3 cups.
Nutrition facts per serving: Calories 80 (53 percent from fat); Total Fat 5g (sat 1g, trans 0g, mono 2g, poly 1g); Cholesterol 0mg; Protein 3g; Carbohydrate 7g; Fiber <1g;>
Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Muffins
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 12 to 14 minutes
Ingredients:
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup quick oats
1/2 cup California Raisins
1/3 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup low-fat vanilla yogurt
1/3 cup canned pumpkin
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 egg white
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 F and spray 18 mini-muffin tins with nonstick cooking spray.
Stir together raisins and all dry ingredients in a medium bowl. Combine and stir remaining ingredients all together in a small bowl. Add to dry ingredients, stirring just until incorporated. Divide and spoon into prepared muffin tins and bake for 12 to 14 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.
Yields 18 mini-muffins, serves six.
Nutrition facts per serving: Calories 210 (23 percent from fat); Total Fat 6g (sat 0.5g, trans 0g, mono 3g, poly 2g); Cholesterol 0mg; Protein 4g; Carbohydrate 38g; Fiber 2g; Iron 5mg; Sodium 150mg; Calcium 52mg.
Courtesy of ARAcontent
Quick and Easy Meals on a Back-to-School Schedule
(ARA) - The start of a new school year means increasingly busy days are here. When your schedule suddenly fills with juggling work, soccer practice, PTA and carpool, the urge to grab dinner on the fly becomes more and more enticing. A few easy tips will help you get simple, delicious and healthy homemade meals on the table in no time.
Plan Ahead.
Devote one afternoon to prep for the week’s meals. Chopping and slicing ahead of time will allow you to quickly grab what you need to cook weekday meals. Trimming the minutes it usually takes to have that delicious meal on the table will leave you feeling less hurried at dinnertime.
Create Homemade Frozen Dinners.
Instead of reaching into the freezer for another expensive, prepackaged processed meal, double your favorite healthy recipes, separate into individual portions and freeze for serving later in the week. The Reynolds Handi-Vac Vacuum Food Storage System is a handheld vacuum sealer that virtually eliminates freezer burn, making it easy to store your homemade frozen dinners. This makes for a less expensive and healthier alternative when dinnertime is tight. These good-for-you meals on the go are also perfect as an easy lunch to take to work.
Satisfy Picky Eaters.
In the mood to try that great recipe from the neighbor, but worried your picky eater won’t touch the spicy red curry? Freeze your family’s favorite dishes in individual portions -- that way you are always armed with a Plan B if the hard to please eaters won’t bite on your occasional culinary adventure.
Let Kids Help.
Packing school lunches can be a time-consuming task during the busy morning rush. Measuring snack items like pretzels, nuts and cookies into single servings ahead of time shaves valuable minutes off lunch-packing prep. Reynolds Handi-Vac is easy to use, so kids can pack and seal their own lunchtime treats. With the lunch snacks already packaged to go, kids can have fun deciding what goes in their lunch.
Enjoy Mom’s Night Off!
Make sure your family isn’t missing out on a healthy and delicious meal because you’re taking a night off from the kitchen. A ready supply of individual meals that can be reheated and are ready to eat at any time will keep your family out of the drive-thru.
Courtesy of ARAcontent
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Letterboxing
click on image to enlarge
Letterboxing is our family's newest passion. We discovered our first one this past week while on Spring Break at Tyler State Park. It is awesome and my 13 and 10 year old boys loved it!! Basically it is a treasure hunt with easy enough directions, which teaches mapping and following directions, and also encourages the family to work together. You can look up any location in the U.S. and see if there are Letterboxes near you. There are about 16 letterboxes right here in Tyler! Then, you follow the directions and take a stamp pad and your "family" stamp and a book. When you find it, you mark your book and the book in the box and you can keep track of everywhere you have travelled. The website is www.letterboxing.org Check it out, and happy hunting!!!
Friday, September 21, 2007
If YOU LIKE COUPONS....check out these sites!
http://www.coupons.com/
We found this coupon site to be full of great savings and easy to use. Just log in, find the right coupons, print and start saving.
http://www.smartsource.com/
Grocery coupons galore, access to free samples, email updates, sweepstakes, and more are available here. The membership is free, convenient, and comes with the promise of no spam emails.
AnyCoupons.com
http://www.anycoupons.com/
Save more of your hard-earned cash with this great coupon site. They offer savings at great stores you probably already love to shop.
http://www.dealcatcher.com/
A cornucopia of coupons, this site compiles the best deals found online into a simple-to-use guide. Get your bargaining questions answered in the popular online forum and compare deals easily.
http://www.valpak.com/
Offers serious values on products and services in your area with a wide range of printable coupons and free membership. Any questions? We recommend the tour, which describes the site in detail.
http://www.keycode.com/
If you shop online you should definitely stop here first. We found discounts and free shipping for a wide range of products and services. A free newsletter will help keep you updated with new ways to save money.
Tuesday, September 4, 2007
Dyslexia Just Means, "I Can't Read!"
by Hannah Oliphant
Dyslexia is a label with a wide variety of meanings. “Dys” means inability and “lexia” means to read. So, dyslexia means a reading inability, or any difficulty reading. In summary it is used to identify individuals who struggle with reading. Dyslexic students often have little desire to read and only do so when absolutely necessary. When they do read, they typically read slowly and comprehend little of what they read.
You find yourself at a place where your child has been labeled dyslexic or you have a creeping suspicion that he is. Maybe you don’t honestly know if he has a problem reading, or if he’s right on target with other kids his age.
You’re beginning to do research on reading programs to find out how to help your son so that he has an easier time reading. You feel like you don’t know where to turn. Maybe you’ve spent hundreds of dollars on programs that don’t work. Perhaps your child was in a remedial class or LD, but has not yet learned to read with any fluency or proficiency.
Dr. Bennett Shaywitz’s experiments show that dyslexia is a reading problem caused by underlying cognitive skill weaknesses, or what he calls “faulty wiring in the brain…” To the right are the top profile elements and symptoms to grasp the scope of this misunderstood learning problem.
Finding the right program may seem like searching for a needle in a haystack. Take heart! You may have found that elusive needle! Read on. You will find out more about dyslexia AND be equipped to understand how to sift through the myriad programs available. Once you know what you’re looking for, the decision will be a snap!
There are a lot of programs that say that they can help a child learn to read. It’s true, many may help a little, some help a lot, but only one encompasses all of the important aspects of a reading program and builds it in a solid, strong learning skill base. This program has the tools to build a new reading foundation for anyone with reading problems.
Good decisions grow from good information. You need to first understand why reading problems exist and then get a grasp on the different approaches to reading. Then you will know what factors to consider when getting your child on the right path to reading. Let’s look at reading more closely.
Next time: what IS reading?...
Friday, August 24, 2007
Mom's Dictionary.....What Words REALLY Mean!
I don't recall where I came upon this "MOM's DICTIONARY" but it is soooooooo true! If you want a laugh, check it out.
_______________________________________________________
AIRPLANE: What Mom impersonates to get a one-year-old to eat strained beets.
ALIEN: What Mom would suspect had invaded her house if she spotted a child-sized creature cleaning up after itself.
AMNESIA: Condition that enables a woman who has gone through labor to make love again.
APPLE: Nutritious lunchtime dessert which children will trade for cupcakes.
BABY: 1. Dad, when he gets a cold. 2. Mom's youngest child, even if he's 42.
BATHROOM: A room used by the entire family, believed by all except Mom to be self-cleaning.
BECAUSE: Mom's reasons for having kids do things which can't be explained logically.
CARPET: Expensive floor covering used to catch spills and clean mud off shoes.
CAR POOL: Complicated system of transportation where Mom always winds up going the farthest with the biggest bunch of kids who have had the most sugar.
CHINA: Legendary nation reportedly populated by children who love leftover vegetables.
COOK: 1. Act of preparing food for consumption. 2. Mom's other name.
COUCH POTATO: What Mom finds under the sofa cushions after the kids eat dinner.
DRINKING GLASS: Any carton or bottle left open in the fridge.
DUMBWAITER: One who asks if the kids would care to order dessert.
DUST: Insidious interloping particles of evil that turn a home into a battle zone.
DUST RAGS: See "DAD'S UNDERWEAR."
EAR: A place where kids store dirt
EAT: What kids do between meals, but not at them.
EMPTY NEST: See "WISHFUL THINKING."
ENERGY: Element of vitality kids always have an over supply of until asked to do something.
"EXCUSE ME": One of Mom's favorite phrases, reportedly used in past times by children.
EYE: The highly susceptible optic organ which, according to Mom, can be "put out" by anything from a suction-arrow to a carelessly-handled butter knife.
FABLE: A story told by a teenager arriving home after curfew.
FAMILY PLANNING: The art of spacing your children the proper distance apart to keep you on the edge of financial disaster.
FEEDBACK: The inevitable result when the baby doesn't appreciate the strained carrots.
FOOD: The response Mom usually gives in answer to the question"What's for dinner tonight?" See "SARCASM."
FROZEN: 1. A type of food. 2. How Hell will be the day Mom lets her daughter date an older guy with a motorcycle.
FULL NAME: What Mom calls her child when she's mad at him.
GARBAGE: A collection of refuse items, the taking out of which Mom assigns to a different family member each week, then doing herself.
GENIUSES: Amazingly, all of Mom's kids.
GRANDPARENTS: The people who think your children are wonderful even though they're sure you're not raising them right.
GUM: Adhesive for the hair.
HAMPER: A wicker container with a lid, usually surrounded by,but not containing, dirty clothing.
HANDI-WIPES: Pants, shirtsleeves, drapes, etc.
HANDS: Body appendages which must be scrubbed raw with volcanic soap and sterilized in boiling water immediately prior to consumption of the evening meal.
HEARSAY: What toddlers do when anyone mutters a dirty word.
HINDSIGHT: What Mom experiences from changing too many diapers.
HOMEMADE BREAD: An object of fiction like the Fountain of Youth and the Golden Fleece.
ICE: Cubes of frozen water which would be found in small plastic tray if kids or husbands ever filled the darn things instead of putting them back in the freezer empty.
IMPREGNABLE: A woman whose memory of labor is still vivid.
INDEPENDENT: How we want our children to be as long as they do everything we say.
INSIDE: That place that will suddenly look attractive to kids once Mom has spent a minimum of half an hour getting them ready to go outside.
"I SAID SO": Reason enough, according to Mom.
JACKPOT: When all the kids stay at friends' homes for the night.
JEANS: Pants which, according to kids, are appropriate for just about any occasion, including church and funerals.
"JEEEEEEEEZ!": Slang for "Gee Mom, isn't there anything else you can do to embarrass me in front of my friends?"
RIDE: Going somewhere without the kids.
JUNK: Dad's stuff.
KETCHUP: The sea of tomato-based goop kids use to drown the dish that Mom spent hours cooking and years perfecting to get the seasoning just right.
KISS: Mom medicine.
LAKE: Large body of water into which a kid will jump should his friends do so.
LEMONADE STAND: Complicated business venture where Mom buys powdered mix, sugar, lemons, and paper cups, and sets up a table, chairs, pitchers and ice for kids who sit there for three to six minutes and net a profit of 15 cents.
LIE: An "exaggeration" Mom uses to transform her child's papier-mâché' volcano science project into a Nobel Prize-winning experiment and a full-ride scholarship to Harvard.
LOSERS: See "KIDS' FRIENDS"
MAKEUP: Lipstick, eyeliner, blush, etc. which ironically make Mom look better while making her young daughter look "like a tramp."
MAYBE: No.
MILK: A healthful beverage which kids will gladly drink once it's turned into junk food by the addition of sugar and cocoa.
"MOMMMMMMM!": The cry of a child on another floor who wants something.
MUSH: 1. What a kid loves to do with a plateful of food. 2. Main element of Mom's favorite movies.
NAILS: A hard covering on the end of the finger, which Mom can never have a full set of due to pitching for batting practice, opening stubborn modeling clay lids and removing heat ducts to retrieve army men and/or doll clothing.
OCEAN: What the bathroom floor looks like after bath night for kids, assorted pets, two or three full-sized towels and several dozen toy boats, cars and animals.
OPEN: The position of children's mouths when they eat in front of company.
OVERSTUFFED RECLINER: Mom's nickname for Dad.
OW: The first word spoken by children with older siblings.
PANIC: What a mother goes through when the darn wind-upswing stops.
PENITENTIARY: Where children who don't eat their vegetables or clean their rooms eventually end up, according to Mom.
PETS: Small, furry creatures which follow kids home so Mom will have someone else to clean up after.
PIANO: A large, expensive musical instrument which, after thousands of dollars worth of lessons and constant harping by Mom, kids will refuse to play in front of company.
PUDDLE: a small body of water that draws other small bodies wearing new shoes into it.
PURSE: A handbag in which Mom carries the checkbook and keys she can never find because they're buried under tissues, gum wrappers, a plastic container full of cereal, toys from a fast-food restaurant, a teddy bear, a football, wallpaper samples, a grocerylist and several outdated coupons.
QUIET: A state of household serenity which occurs before the birth of the first child and occurs again after the last child has left for college.
: Article of clothing Mom bought to keep a child dry and warm, rendered ineffective because it's in the bottom of a locker stuffed in a book bag or because the child refuses to wear"the geeky thing."
REFRIGERATOR: Combination art gallery and air-conditioner for the kitchen.
ROOM MOTHER: A position of great honor and responsibility bestowed on a mom who inadvertently misses a PTA meeting.
SCHOOL PLAY: Sadistic ritual in which adults derive pleasure from watching offspring stumble through coarse re-enactment of famous historic events.
SCREAMING: Home P.A. system.
SHOW OFF: A child who is more talented than yours.
SNOWSUITS: Warm, padded outer garments that, when completely zipped and snapped perform two important functions: Protecting children from the cold, and reminding them that they have to go to the bathroom.
SOAP: A cleaning agent Mom puts on the sink on the off-chance one of her kids will accidentally grab it while reaching for the towel.
SPIT: All-purpose cleaning fluid especially good on kids' faces.
SPOILED ROTTEN: What the kids become after as little as 15minutes with Grandma.
STERILIZE: What you do to your first baby's pacifier by boiling it and to your last baby's pacifier by blowing on it.
SWEATER: Magically charmed article of clothing that can ward away colds and even pneumonia.
SUNDAY BEST: Attractive, expensive children's clothing made of a fabric which attracts melted chocolate and grape juice.
TEACHER CONFERENCE: A meeting between Mom and that person who has yet to understand her child's "special needs."
TERRIBLE TWO'S: Having both kids at home all summer.
"THAT WAY": How kids shouldn't look at moms if they know what's good for them. Also applies to how they talk.
TOP BUNK: Where you should never put a child wearing Superman jammies.
TOWELS: See "FLOOR COVERINGS."
TRAMP: A woman with two kids and no stretch marks.
TROUBLE: Area of nonspecific space a child can always be sure to be in.
TWO-MINUTE WARNING: When the baby's face turns red and she begins to make those familiar grunting noises.
UMPTEENTH: Highly conservative estimate of the number of times Mom must instruct her offspring to do something before it actually gets done.
UNDERWEAR: An article of clothing, the cleanliness of which ensures the wearer will never have an accident.
UTOPIA: See "BUBBLE BATH."
VACATION: Where you take the family to get away from it all,only to find it there, too.
VERBAL: When a toddler is able to whine in words.
VITAMINS: Tiny facsimiles of cave people Mom forces you to swallow each morning as part of her sinister plot to have you grow up to be "Just like Daddy."
WALLS: Complete set of drawing paper for kids that comes with every room.
WASHING MACHINE: Household appliance used to clean jeans,permanent ink markers, loose change, homework, tissues and wads of gum.
"WHEN YOU FATHER GETS HOME": Standard measurement of time between crime and punishment.
WHODUNIT: None of the kids that live in your house.
XOXOXOXO: Mom salutation guaranteed to make the already embarrassing note in a kid's lunch box even more mortifying.
XYLOPHONE: Small toy musical instrument often given as gifts to children who show their appreciation by playing the stupid thing constantly, over and over, all day long! See also
"DRUMS."
YARD SALE: Heart-wrenching emotional process wherein Mom plans to sell kids' outdated toys and clothing that she decides at the last minute are treasured mementos she can't bear to part with.
"YIPPEE!": What Mom would jump up and shout if the school year was changed to 12 months. See also "YAHOO!"
ZILLION: Amount of times Mom must have gone to the supermarket already this week.
ZUCCHINI: Vegetable which can be baked, boiled, fried or steamed before kids refuse to eat it.
Monday, August 20, 2007
New Hope for Children with Reading Difficulties and Other Learning Disabilities
Cognitive skills are the foundational tools for learning. They are those skills that function “behind the scenes” when you process information. When you are paying attention, following directions, reading, and performing other learning activities, you are using your cognitive skills. A person’s cognitive skill set is made up of individual skills that enable each person to successfully think, prioritize, plan, attend, understand, remember, create useful associations and solve problems.
When cognitive skills are strong, academic learning will be faster, easier, more efficient and even fun. When cognitive skills are weak, the learning process is affected and an individual is faced with potential learning struggles. Cognitive skills are the essential tools for learning.
New research in brain plasticity demonstrates that cognitive skills can be significantly improved. There are new possibilities for children with learning disabilities. No child should be denied the joy of learning because of some correctable but hidden cognitive weakness.
For parents and families that are weary and discouraged, the best place to start is beneath the surface. It is worthwhile to dig deeper and fill in the holes of the foundation. Medicine, subject specific tutoring, working harder, and even discipline are all band-aids: a temporary fix for what is seen on the outside. Band-aids do not correct an internal problem. They only serve to cover it up until the real problem is dealt with. The hope is in the fact that the foundation can be corrected. Take heart, take the time to dig deeper.
