Making Mealtime Traditions for Your Family

Making Mealtime TraditionsFor Nancy Richmond, Sunday dinners are something to treasure. While her family sits down to eat together in the dining room practically every night (with candles and tablecloths no less), these meals are special. “My husband cooks the same kind of wonderful meals he makes all week long, but it’s different. We’re all more relaxed,” says Richmond. “Sunday night is the evening we’re most likely to invite company and the night my kids invite their friends.”

Mealtime traditions – whether it’s Sunday supper, Saturday morning bagels or Tuesday night pizza – are more than just good food and fun times. They are the glue that holds families together. “These traditions are the things that make us feel we belong somewhere and that we’re special – that our family is different from other families,” says Barbara H. Fiese, Ph.D., director of the Family Resiliency Center at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, and a researcher in the way routines knit families together.

It isn’t easy to pull off a family dinner every night of the week, which is why designating one day for a special meal is so important. “The average meal gets eaten in anywhere from 18 to 20 minutes,” says Fiese. “The average kid watches four to six hours of TV a day. There’s room in there somewhere. Just turn off cell phones, computers and the TV and sit down together.”

Here’s how to keep everyone at the table…and happy to be there:

Tweak your tradition… Sooner or later, most kids will groan and snort at the idea of spending any more time at the table than they have to. “As kids grow up, expect plenty of eye-rolling but don’t give up,” says Fiese. “Teens may act like they want you to drop the routines entirely, but they don’t.” Ask if they’d like to try a little cooking instead of always getting stuck with the dishes, for example. For Richmond, allowing kids to invite friends has made a huge difference: “Sometimes we get 10 kids here – there’s always something we can fix in the kitchen to feed them.”

…Or borrow someone else’s. For anyone who grew up in a traditional Italian home, the scent of slow-simmering sauce (known as gravy, to some) is a cherished memory. Many Southerners feel the same way about chicken-after-church dinners. If you love your Sunday dinner tradition, but are tired of your traditional Sunday food, take a page from someone else’s cookbook. Vary the menu on your typical Sunday meals and see what happens.

Make It Extra Special

Tere Estorino and her 3-year-old son, Max, live seven houses away from her parents, so they share many meals together. But her favorite occasion is the monthly brunch her parents host, when her siblings and their kids all converge for an hours-long Sunday brunch – Cuban style. “I love that my son is getting to know his aunts, uncles and cousins this way. I know it’s good for Max, but it’s also good for me,” says the 31-year-old Miami mom. “I so look forward to a Sunday spent talking and laughing with my family. I need that connection, too.”



August 14, 2013 | Filed Under Community | 2 Comments 

Child Health & Safety News Roundup: 08-05-2013 to 08-11-2013

twitter thumbWelcome to Pediatric Safety’s weekly “Child Health & Safety News Roundup”- a recap of the past week’s child health and safety news headlines from around the world.

Each day we use Twitter to communicate relevant and timely health and safety information to the parents, medical professionals and other caregivers who follow us. Occasionally we may miss something, but we think overall we’re doing a pretty good job of keeping you informed. But for our friends and colleagues who are not on Twitter (or who are but may have missed something), we offer you a recap of the past week’s top 20 events & stories.

PedSafe Headline of the Week:

What is Omegle? An app to “chat with strangers online“. What Parents Need to Know… http://t.co/8hMbQUJoeq

August 13, 2013 | Filed Under Awareness | Leave a Comment 

The 5 Best Stress-Reducing, Back-to-School Apps for Parents

Getting your kids back to school doesn’t have to be stressful. These great apps will make your life easier now — and all year long.

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1. School Supply List

Works with: iPhone, iPod touch, and iPadThis easy-to-use app will make sure you don’t forget any supplies this year. It lets you create separate lists for the students in your family and then combine them to make shopping easier — and take advantage of any sales. You can also sort the lists by items or stores.

Cost: Free

2. Cozi Family Organizer

This app’s motto is “Family Life. Simplified.” And boy, does it live up to it. Cozi does it all — allows you to share a family calendar, create to-do and grocery lists, and more, keeping everything and everyone synced. Plus, it sends out automatic texts or emails to family members so no one misses an event or appointment, saving you the time and mental effort of reminding everyone.

Works with: iPhone, iPod touch, iPad and Android

Cost: Free

3. MyHomework

No more forgotten math tests or last-minute realizations that a miniature replica of the Taj Mahal is due tomorrow. This app will help you and your kids keep track of assignments, tests and more with a simple color-coded calendar and reminders on your devices.

Works with: iPhone, iPod touch, iPad and Android

Cost: Free

4. iEarnedThat

Trying to motivate your child to clean his room (without all the yelling and threatening)? Skip those old-school sticker reward charts and use this app instead. Simply snap a photo of a reward your child wants (say, a new toy) and this app breaks it into up to 60 puzzle pieces. Your kid can then earn the reward one puzzle piece at a time — no stickers required.

Works with: iPhone, iPod touch and iPad

Cost: $1.99

5. Is It Contagious?

Should you keep your child home from school because he (or his schoolmates) have an illness other kids could catch? This app, created by the folks at KidsHealth.org and reviewed by pediatricians, answers that dire question about dozens of common childhood conditions from pinkeye to ear infections and more. (Of course, you should always check with your doc too.) In addition, you get essential info on prevention, symptoms, treatment and when to seek immediate care.

Works with: iPhone, iPod touch, iPad and Android

Cost: Free

What are your favorite back to school apps?



August 12, 2013 | Filed Under Community | 4 Comments 

At What Age Are They “Old Enough” to Swim Unsupervised?

Editor’s Note: In honor of Pediatric Safety’s 4 year bloggiversary, we are publishing 4 of our favorite posts from the past, one each Friday for four consecutive weeks. This – our 4th and final post – was originally published in April 2011 by Rebecca Wear Robinson, a member of our PedSafe Expert Team. Rebecca has dedicated her life to keeping kids safe around water and it is both an honor and a privilege to work with her.
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When should you allow your child to go to a pool or beach without adult supervision? How old is ‘old enough’?

Old enough to swim alone?Stefanie (from PediatricSafety.net) alerted me to an interesting article last week that prompted the question – a 14-year old girl saved her 10-year old brother from drowning while the two played at a hotel pool, unsupervised. No charges were filed against the parent because 10 was deemed ‘old enough’ by the local police to be in the pool without adult supervision.

But there was no mention of either child’s swimming abilities. Could the 10-year old swim? Could he truly swim or just paddle a bit? How responsible was the younger brother? Was he a dare-devil or a cautious kid? How deep was the water? Was he tired or jet-lagged? Did he have any physical, emotional or mental issues that would have impaired his abilities or judgment? There are plenty of guidelines that tell us what age and weight our child has to be to change car seats. Laws dictate when our child can drive, drink and vote. But water safety is the great unknown – so many variables that are hard to measure.

So how do parents determine if a child is ‘old enough’ to be unsupervised at a pool or beach? Broward County in Florida is on the cutting edge of water safety and they recommend a minimum age of 12, though some experts believe it should be even higher.

Until national standards are developed, as a parent I’d set 12 as the minimum age (though I’m feeling better with 15), but I’d also look closely at all the other variables. Is your child a truly competent swimmer? (ask their swim teacher, don’t rely on your judgement or your child’s) Who else will be in the pool? Are they competent swimmers or could your child get in trouble with a panic-stricken friend who could pull someone under? How many children? More children = more adrenaline = more potential trouble. Is it a pool or open water? If it’s open water does your child have experience in that particular kind of open water? A river is different from a lake which is different from an ocean.

As parents, if we do our job right our child grow up to self-regulate their behavior and make responsible decisions, but it’s also our job to keep them safe until those skills are in place. Besides, volunteering for pool patrol is a pretty nice way to spend the summer!

I’d love to know your thoughts!

August 9, 2013 | Filed Under Community | 3 Comments 

Engage Your Family in Keeping Your Home “Pet-Clean” and Healthy

Keeping House Pet-CleanFor animal lover families, life without pets is just unthinkable. Still, there are days when hair-covered couches, stained carpeting and the constant scent of Eau de Woof get to even the most tender-hearted, causing a domestic meltdown: “Why am I the only one cleaning up after this dog?!” Clever moms, however, know it doesn’t have to be this way.

Having children care for pets fosters both responsibility and compassion. Here are seven ways to make keeping your home pet-clean a family affair:

1. Simplify cleaning.

“The important thing is to make it as easy as possible for kids to clean up messes as they happen,” says Tracie Hotchner, host of both Dog Talk and Cat Chat radio shows. “Feed animals on plastic place mats and keep a chamois cloth close by water bowls.”

2. Exercise pets.

Well-exercised dogs tend to be more relaxed — and that translates into a cleaner house. Mellow pooches are less likely to shred that box of tissues or unstuff the couch cushions. (They’re also less likely to have an accident on the floor.) Plus, when kids walk them, kids stay fit too!

3. Grooming.

Brushing your pet is an easy chore for kids and a boon for housekeeping. Frequent brushing allows you to limit where the fur flies, which means less hair all over the place. Find a nice spot where kids can sit comfortably, and store the brushes there for daily use. “Just like kids, dogs like a routine — it’s comforting. If you brush your animals outside, the kids can see how birds and mice use hair for their nests. Plus, you don’t have to vacuum,” says Hotchner.

4. Wipe out stains.

When your pet urinates on the carpet, speed is your best weapon against staining. The Humane Society recommends these steps for cleaning up the mess: Place a thick layer of paper towels on the wet spot, covered by a thick layer of newspaper. If you can, place newspaper underneath the soiled area as well. Stand on the padding for about a minute. Remove and repeat until the area is nearly dry.

Put the wet paper towel in the area where it belongs — the litter box or typical outdoor spot where your pet goes — to reinforce the right behavior. Rinse the accident area thoroughly with clean, cool water. Then remove as much water as possible by blotting with paper towel or using a wet vac.

5. Wash your pet.

Giving your dog a footbath right after returning from the outdoors can dramatically reduce the amount of dirt your pet tracks into your home. “Use one of those plastic under-bed storage bins, fill it with 1 inch of water and put a towel down on the floor for the dog to step on,” says Hotchner.

6. Scoop cat litter.

Neglected cat boxes are the main reason kitties go where they shouldn’t. Boxes should be cleaned daily (after all, people flush every single time) and topped up with fresh litter. Monica Leighton, president of the National Association of Professional Pet Sitters recommends putting out an extra box so there’s plenty of room. (Note: Not all kids can handle cleaning a cat box, and cat feces can carry disease. So be careful when delegating this chore.)

7. Open the windows.

Many clean-air experts advocate airing your home for 10 or 15 minutes per day to let a variety of household toxins out. Dander, dust and odor can all be managed by daily airings, except during the most extreme weather.



August 7, 2013 | Filed Under Community | 2 Comments 

Child Health & Safety News Roundup: 07-29-2013 to 08-04-2013

twitter thumbWelcome to Pediatric Safety’s weekly “Child Health & Safety News Roundup”- a recap of the past week’s child health and safety news headlines from around the world.

Each day we use Twitter to communicate relevant and timely health and safety information to the parents, medical professionals and other caregivers who follow us. Occasionally we may miss something, but we think overall we’re doing a pretty good job of keeping you informed. But for our friends and colleagues who are not on Twitter (or who are but may have missed something), we offer you a recap of the past week’s top 10 events & stories.

PedSafe Headline of the Week:

A comprehensive guide to Childhood Sports Injuries – How to Avoid Both Common & Serious Problems by EMS Safety Expert Greg Atwood http://t.co/qhblGIkNTP

August 6, 2013 | Filed Under Awareness | 1 Comment