As spring break approaches for many high school students across the country, many parents worry about their child’s safety as they travel to various destinations to spend their break with friends. Law enforcement encourages parents to keep a close eye on their children at this time of year, not only as the break approaches but as the weather improves and children spend more time outside.
According to Officer Jeff Hopson of the Nacogdoches Police Department, they see a lot of criminal mischief during this time of the year. "We have the bb guns, and paint balls and so forth. Just keep an eye on their kids. Be careful, watch them. Don’t let them stay out late. If they have a lot of idle time, they’ll be on the roads and young inexperienced drivers can get hurt and cause a problem".
And while you may not be able to be with your kid 24/7, local parents advise from experience.
You have got to always call and make sure they’re where they’re supposed to be and make sure somebody responsible is with them" advises Scott Smith, a Lufkin Parent.
Holidays can be a traumatic time for your child with all of the events and traveling, but even more so if you have an autistic child. The News Anchor Mom offers up some great tips for your making sure your autistic child feels safe this holiday season:
-To help your autistic child cope with the holiday from school, you will need to plan several activities to keep them busy.
-Go about your normal routine for a school day as much as possible. This will help your autistic child deal with the time off from school.
-Holidays will bring many visitors to your house. This can make your autistic child feel nervous if they are not used to lots of people coming by. This can also mean a change in their normal daily schedule.
-The holidays can mean many different outings. These can interfere with your autistic child’s normal schedule. This does not mean you have to pass them up. You simply need to plan for them. Tell your autistic child about the outing in advance. Talk with them about what the outing will entail.
The saga of Bisphenol A, or BPA, continues on this week as the Food and Drug Administration admits it was too early to declare BPA safe for children. The chemical used to make plastic has widely be criticized for leeching toxic chemicals into liquids that children ingest.
On Wednesday, a panel of toxicology experts said the FDA hadn’t properly assessed the potential health risks posed by the chemical bisphenol A (BPA), which some studies have linked to cancer, diabetes, heart disease and developmental delays in children. The toxicologists said the FDA had relied too heavily on studies funded by the chemical industry to make its decision, and had failed to consider other studies that questioned the safety of BPA.
The panel of toxicologists had been convened by the FDA after the agency ruled that BPA was safe at current exposure levels — a stance that prompted criticism from some lawmakers and consumer groups. On Friday, the FDA’s Science Board, which consists of scientists from academia, government and industry and advises the FDA commissioner, seconded the toxicologists’ concerns about the FDA’s August ruling. The issue will now go to FDA Commissioner Dr. Andrew von Eschenbach. It’s unclear how the FDA might respond, the Washington Post reported.
Many parents these days don’t know the best way to protect their child, so they fall into one extreme camp or the other, the ones that hover and others that are hands off. Surely there is a happy medium in there somewhere, no? Parenting expert Pattie Fitzgerald lays out a few key things to remember in a commentary she wrote for MomLogic.com:
1. It’s a parent’s job to help our kids learn to recognize unsafe situations or behaviors in others, especially when we aren’t around to intercede. But we need to do so in a way that empowers our children with confidence and self-esteem.
2. Kids need an inner barometer that tells them when something or someone doesn’t seem quite right.
3. Not every stranger is waiting in the wings, ready to scoop up an unsuspecting child.
To read the rest of Pattie’s recommendations, check out her commentary, as well as her site SafelyEverAfter.com.
Are your kids getting enough exercise? Not as they get older according to new research , which is having adverse effects on their health.
Kids who were averaging three hours of moderate to vigorous activity when they were 9 barely manage to get more than a half-hour of daily exercise by the time they reach 15, according to a study in the July 16 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
The lack of physical activity is linked to the growing problem of childhood obesity, and most experts recommend that children should be getting at least one hour of moderate to vigorous activity each day, reports the study.
Modern conveniences such as the ability to drive to school as well as elevators and other means of automatic transportation have been a big aid to children not getting enough physical activity. Parents are encouraged to stress the importance of this so that their children can live as healthy a life as possible.
Getting your kids to brush their teeth is a struggle isn’t it? They either think the toothbrush is a toy for them to play with, or a chew toy for them to bite down on and chew up instead of using it to actually brush. But good teeth health is so important and something that needs to be started at an early age to instill good, healthy habits in kids. Dr. Mahnaz Khan gives Newsday some fantastic tips to make sure your children keep their teeth and gums as healthy as possible.
Another fantastic development is the electronic toothbrush. Let him pick one with a cartoon character on it, or one that has flashing lights or music. The musical choice is a great one because it actually times the brushing - he should brush until the music stops, Khan said.
If you have severe issues with your children and brushing their teeth, consult with your pediatric dentist for other tips that might work in your specific case.