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Pets and Pills May 30, 2008

Posted by artinshamrocks in Pets, health.
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In this country we like to take a pill for just about anything so it isn’t surprising that we take that same attitude with our beloved pets.  Everyday new pet medications are popping up but here are some ways to avoid trips to the vet and some pet meds.

For car sickness you should start your pet young to get use to a car with short trips.  Avoid feeding them a few hours before the trip and if you are going on a long car trip be sure to stop frequently and exercise them vigorously. 
 
For depression your first step is getting a correct diagnosis.  Using these meds without knowing what is really wrong can be worse than no medication.  Try increasing play time, exercise, human contact or even bringing a new pet into the family to see if that helps before your vet gives you medication for depression.
 
For the overweight pet the routine is the same as with the obese owner.  More activity and less food!  Your vet can help you understand what a healthy diet is for your pet and how much you should actually be feeding the animal depending on what they should weigh normally.  It is a very slow process to take off ounces on an overweight snack loving animal but in the long run they’ll be more active and live longer.
Sometimes our pets seem like our children.  We love them and get very attached to them and they help make a house a home.  Like our family we only want what is best for them.  A good vet that you can talk to is extremely important to the health of your pet.
 
 

Home Sweet Home Page May 28, 2008

Posted by artinshamrocks in Parenting Teens, education, safety, technology.
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As you first log on to the Internet the first page you see is your home page.  With Internet Explorer, you can set a number of home pages that your children can navigate and enjoy-you just might enjoy them too.  Many adults set their home page to read the latest news, play games and check the weather. Kids can do this too.  They can start surfing at a site they like right away and parents can relax and know it’s okay.
*ScholasticNews Online, is a great site where you can read the dayily news, catch up on a campaign and election updates or participate in a poll.  They let your child give their opinion too regarding current topics.  The Kids Press is a news column written for kids by kids.  You can test your IQ with games and quizzes and read the latest sports, television and music news.  You can have news downloaded to your desktop five days a week and all of it is timely but geared to kids.
*Science News for Kids, is the place to go to read about all the latest science news.  From there you can link to the game zone and puzzle zone.  Read and have fun with animals, chemistry, the environment, space, math, technology and the weather.  If your child is crazy for anything science than this a particularly good one. features the latest news, a poll zone, kid scoop, games and a homework helper.
*Kids Yahoo, is more commercial but it has a lot of bells and whistles that kids like.  They can heck out the latest music and games, send e-cards, read your horoscope and it’s a good place to access reference materials for reports and homework.
*At PBS Kids News Flash Five,  animated characters report on art, technology, science, sports and national and world news.  You can even write and submit your own story.

One nice thing about these homepages for your kids-you know they are safe and they won’t be seeing anything you’d rather them not see or read.

What Does a Piece of Cheese and a Stick of Sugarless Gum Have in Common? May 28, 2008

Posted by artinshamrocks in Food and Nutrition, fun products, health.
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Helping your child learn to care for his teeth does a lot more than prevent cavities.  Maybe more importantly it helps guard against gum disease and the problems associated with that -such as heart disease and diabetes. 

 Here are a few habits geared toward a healthy mouth that you might not have heard of:
 
*When you can’t have your child brush or floss, my dentist recommends chewing a stick of sugarless gum.  It increases saliva and whisks away bacteria.  Gum varieties that contain xylitol make the mouth’s pH less hospitable to germs.
 
*Eat cheese.  Scientists think Cheddar, American and other popular varieties contain fatty acids that the bacteria in the mouth do not like.
 
*Bacteria feed on sugar; so brush before you eat sweets as well as after.  This means there will be fewer of them hanging around to do any damage. 
 
A fun  toothbrush will also entice kids to brush better and longer. I just walked through the dental care aisle of my grocery store and saw these.  Each of the four Crayola Games toothbrushes from GUM comes with kid-friendly games in the handles.  Some tooth brushes have timers to be sure kids brush long enough and the Hasbro Tooth Tunes brushes play songs that keep kids brushing for as long as the music plays.  The handle of the Dr. Fresh Firefly Toothbrush flickers on and off for 60 seconds to keep kids at the sink longer.
 
I think I’m going to try the cheddar cheese idea for better dental and gum health and maybe get a toothbrush that Hannah Montana sings on.  Why let the kids have all the fun??

Learning from Explaining May 27, 2008

Posted by artinshamrocks in education.
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Recently researchers have found that children learn the solution to a problem best when they take the time to explain it to a parent or adult.  Teachers have known this for years.  Many excellent teachers have their students reteach the concept to another child if an adult is not available.

“We know that children learn well with their moms or dads or even with a peer, but we did not know that was because they were getting feedback and help,” said the study’s author and assistant professor of psychology at Vanderbilt’s Peabody College of Education.  “In this study, we just had the children’s mothers listen, without providing any assistance.  We’ve found that by simply listening, a mother helps her child learn.”

It is more effective to the child’s learning if they can explain things themselves rather than adults just telling them the answer. The simple act of listening makes all the difference in the quality of the child’s explanation and how well they can  solve more difficult problems later on.  Learning is greatly enhanced. Just listening to your child is a wonderful gift you can give to them and their education.

Summer Means Swim Time for Kids May 27, 2008

Posted by artinshamrocks in Discipline, Parenting Teens, Toddlers, education, safety, toys.
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Nothing says summer like water!!!  Taking a dip in the pool, going to the splash park, trips to the beach, floating the river, boating or just playing in the a wading pool.  Water however poses one of the season’s biggest safety hazards.  Sorry to say, the National Safety Council says that children under four have the highest death rate due to drowning and 64% of theses deaths happen in the summer months.
 
Constant supervision is the key to safety.  Don’t let your kids near water unless you have the time to watch them, no matter what your child’s skill level is and no matter how deep the water is.  When it comes to protecting children from drowning, nothing works better than good old fashioned vigilance.  If you sunning, reading a book or talking to another parent, then you are not actively supervising.  Do not totally relax even if there is a life guard on duty.  Even a few seconds of inattention can lead to disaster for children around water. 
 
Here’s a few safety tips:
 
1.  Enroll children in a water safety course early but keep in mind 
     that the American Academy of Pediatrics says most kids aren’t
     ready for swimming lessons until after their
     fourth birthday.
 
2.  Do not allow children who cannot swim to use inflatable toys 
     such as water wings or mattresses unless you are in the water
     with them.  When boating everyone should use approved life
     jackets ALL the time.
 
3.  If you have your own pool you need to create and enforce
     safety rules.
 
4.  Take a CPR course; it could save your child’s life!
 
5.  Never leave kids alone near water and keep a watchful eye on
     them at all times even if you are at a public pool with a life
     guard on duty.  Encourage children to watch out for
     each other too.
 
6.  Be respectful of the ocean and beach because conditions can
     change rapidly and become dangerous.
 
Also realize that children are fascinated with water and can get a little too excited.  Don’t rely on their judgement as to their swimming ability or if they can handle deeper water.  Also watch for rough play that is getting out of hand in the pool.