Showing posts with label Kiddie Academy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Kiddie Academy. Show all posts

Monday, February 20, 2012

When to call the Pediatrician!

Ascending Butterfly's Kids Corner, Guest Article Contributed by the experts at Kiddie Academy


How many times have you retrieved your pediatrician's phone number from your rolodex, only to stare at your phone wondering: Should I call, or shouldn't I? No one wants to pester the doctor needlessly or halt the day's plans for no good reason. On the other hand, a call to the doctor can put your mind at ease and prevent a child's illness from escalating to something more severe.

If you are on the fence about whether or not to call your pediatrician, you may want to consider the following guidelines, as recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), to help you make an informed decision.

When a fever warrants a call to the pediatrician


The seriousness of a fever depends largely on the age of the child and how high the fever is. The AAP urges parents to call their pediatrician if a child is:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Two months or younger and has a rectal temperature of 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit (38 degrees Celsius) or higher.
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Three to six months of age and has a fever of 101 degrees Fahrenheit (38.3 degrees Celsius) or greater.
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ -  Older than six months with a temperature of 103 degrees Fahrenheit (39.4 degrees Celsius) or higher.
Miscellaneous symptoms that warrant a call to the doctor
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - A sore throat that makes it difficult to swallow, or that lasts for more than two days
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - An earache that wakes a child from sleep or interferes with daily activity because of associated pain, or that lasts for more than a day or two
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - A cough that is nonstop, interferes with normal activity (sleeping or physical activity), is accompanied by wheezing, or that persists for several days
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - An unexplained rash
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Repeated vomiting or diarrhea
Behavior counts
A fever doesn't always tell the whole story. Nor do other tangible symptoms like a sore throat. Experts inform us that our children's behavior is often the best barometer of how well, or bad, they feel. So, if your child has a fever but maintains a hearty appetite and activity level close to normal, that generally means there's less to worry about than when a fever is accompanied by other worrisome, but perhaps less tangible, symptoms—like extreme lethargy or fussiness.
The bottom line is this: You know your child best—how active, happy, or fussy she typically is. Any dramatic changes in behavior—for example, complete loss of appetite in a child who's typically a good eater—should serve as a red flag.


Do you have additional tips to share? Have you ever avoided the doctor and then found out your child really needed medical attention?

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FTC Disclosure: This article was provided and sponsored by Kiddie Academy®. The company has been a leader in education-based childcare for 30 years serving families and their children ages 6 weeks to 12 years old, offering full time care, before- and after-school care and summer camp programs. You can visit the KA Family Essentials blog and LIKE them on FB as well as Twitter @KiddieAcademy for additional information.

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

5 Helpful Tips to Rearing Responsible Children! Ascending Butterfly's Kids Corner Guest Post by @kiddieacademy

Ascending Butterfly's Kids Corner, Guest Article Contributed by the experts at Kiddie Academy


 
When you're making your children's meals, doing their laundry and helping them get dressed in the morning, do you ever stop and think: How will my children ever become responsible, self-sufficient adults? It—a sense of responsibility, that is—happens to most everybody, eventually. As a parent, you can assist in your child’s long road to independence.

Here are some ways how:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Refrain from doing everything for your child. Yes it's quicker and often easier to do it your self, but at some point it's time to let her do things on her own. Start small, let her know you're there for support, and ready to assist—especially if frustration sets in. Gradually, you'll witness an increasingly independent and responsible child.

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Involve children in care of pets. Lots of children share a special bond with their pets, so it follows that they might be more willing to take on responsibility that involves their care—feeding the cat, for instance—than, say, taking out the trash. So when you're getting your child started on the road to responsibility, think about chores that connect to his pets or other passions.

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Equate responsibility with being “grown up.” Rather than presenting the act of cleaning up toys, putting clothes in drawers and helping around the house in other ways as chores, frame the tasks in a way that makes your child feel like a “big kid.” This tactic can be particularly effective if the child has a younger sibling and likes to be recognized for being able to do things that the younger sibling isn't “big enough to do yet.”

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Practice what you preach. When your child sees you hang up your coat every day, it will feel natural for her to do it too. The same goes for putting dirty dishes in the sink and replacing the cap on the toothpaste. Lead by example.

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Read about it. Reading about other kids who act responsibility can reinforce the lesson you’re trying to instill in your own child. These are a few book choices that illustrate the importance of responsibility: Caring for My Things, by Jane Moncure; I Have a Pet, by Shari Halpern; and The Shepard Boy, by Kristine Franklin.

Do you have additional tips to share? How do you foster your child's independence while helping them to be more responsible?

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FTC Disclosure: This article was provided and sponsored by Kiddie Academy®. The company has been a leader in education-based childcare for 30 years serving families and their children ages 6 weeks to 12 years old, offering full time care, before- and after-school care and summer camp programs. You can visit the KA Family Essentials blog and LIKE them on FB as well as Twitter @KiddieAcademy for additional information.

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Where Compassion Begins!



Compassion

We all think we know just how important compassion really is and many of us even think of ourselves as compassionate. But for the most part it's not until your sick and in need of human kindess and compassion that you learn how compassionate (or NOT) the people around you are.

It is believed that we undergo hard times just to learn how to be more compassionate after someone else befalls the same fate. With my recent health scare and horrific hospital stay I quickly learned how compassionate and in some cases what a lack of compassion the people around me exhibited. Oddly enough sometimes during times of stress or illness you will find complete strangers show you more kindness and compassion than people you love and trust.

How can we turn this around? You cannot change someone's true nature, but if you are a parent, you have a shot at raising a compassionate human being, one who shows kindess to others when it's needed most.

Raising Compassionate Children

Compassion is one of those character traits that some children seem to possess in abundance right from the beginning, while others appear to have a woefully short supply of it. There's the tiny tot who runs right over to his friend when he falls, places an arm around that friend's shoulder, and inquires: "Are you okay?" Meanwhile, his peers gawk awkwardly, or continue about their business.

If it's not in your child's nature to be the compassionate one, know that this is completely normal. Many young children simply don't know how to express compassion, or are not tuned in to others' feelings. But you can introduce your child to the significance of compassion and how to express it. Here are some concrete ways how.

Nurture the idea of our connectedness to communities. All children live in a community and spend time daily with a community of peers, whether in a child care or school setting. Talk with your child about how important these communities are to us, what we get out of them, and how we can give back to them, e.g., taking part in 'stream clean up days' or similar community-wide events. The dynamic and reciprocal relationship that exists among healthy communities and their members represents an expression of compassion.

Assign to your child the responsibility of caring for something. Start with a small but significant task. If you have a pet, you can make its daily feeding your child's responsibility. Make sure your child understands the importance of what she's doing, and how this other being relies on her assistance.

Provide your children with the vocabulary of compassion. You're at the playground and the little boy swinging next to your son tumbles to the ground. This is an opportunity for you to say to your child: "Let's make sure that little boy is okay. Why don't we ask him if he is hurt, and if he needs some help." The first few times this happens, your child may just watch as you talk. But over time, he may find the courage to approach another child in need, and he'll know what to say.

Nurture your child's compassionate "niche." Some kids who see an injured bird on the sidewalk have an overwhelming urge to nurse it back to health. Others might walk right by the bird, but be the first to reach their friend who has taken a spill. Encourage your child's compassion in whatever form you find it. There's no one way, or right way, to show it.

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FTC Disclosure: This article was provided and sponsored by Kiddie Academy®. The company has been a leader in education-based childcare for 30 years serving families and their children ages 6 weeks to 12 years old, offering full time care, before- and after-school care and summer camp programs. You can visit the KA Family Essentials blog and LIKE them on FB as well as Twitter @KiddieAcademy for additional information.

Monday, January 9, 2012

Laughter - It REALLY is the Best Medicine, and Then Some!



Did you know that babies begin to laugh when they're just 12 weeks old, and that the typical 4 year old laughs several hundred times a day? While we may take humor for granted, we shouldn't. Because by the time we're adults, we're only laughing a handful of times a day. That means we're missing out on the incredible benefits of laughter.

It's no joke. The experts, including those at the Department of Health and Human Services, tell us that having a sense of humor is good for a child’s mental and physical well-being. Just look at this laundry list of benefits we can glean from laughter:

· Relieves stress
· Loosens muscles
· Lowers blood pressure and may lower hormones that create stress and weaken immunity
· Helps move blood to our heart and lungs, boosting energy
· Triggers a point in the brain that helps us feel pleasure and want to have that same feeling
· Eases depression
· Strengthens immune system

For children, laughter offers not just these immediate benefits. Having a sense of humor also allows children to maintain a youthful, positive outlook on life. It's something they can turn to as a coping mechanism during challenging times. Humor also can help children develop social skills and maintain emotional and physical health. Last, but not least, laughing just plain feels good.

So, how can you encourage your child to develop and appreciate a sense of humor and the laughter that follows? Try the following strategies to get the giggling going in your home.

Make them laugh: Tickle your baby's tummy. Play hide-and-go seek with your toddler. Tell your 5 and 6 year olds funny jokes. Finding opportunities in everyday life to laugh with your children will make your home a happier place now, and will plant the seed of laughter in your children forever.

Be a good role model: Sure, our lives get weightier as adults, and we may not find as much to laugh about. But you won't raise laughing children if you're wearing a frown much of the time. If you can find the humor in everyday life and let your children see it, you'll help create a home environment that feels safe, comfortable and fun.

Add time for fun: Kids get so over-scheduled with activities during the day that we often forget they need time to just veg out and have fun too!

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FTC Disclosure: This article was provided and sponsored by Kiddie Academy®. The company has been a leader in education-based childcare for 30 years serving families and their children ages 6 weeks to 12 years old, offering full time care, before- and after-school care and summer camp programs. You can visit the KA Family Essentials blog and LIKE them on FB as well as Twitter @KiddieAcademy for additional information.