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The TSL Kids Crew Blog
Is this baby properly installed in this child-safety seat? A professional could tell us. At right is a photo Jenna Casado Rabberman posted on Facebook after her car accident. Her Honda CRV was totaled. Her sons' car seats, however, survived the accident beautifully and protected her little ones. Maybe you were among the 168,000 or so people who hit the Like button on Facebook after seeing a Pennsylvania mom's post in the last week. Or the more than 304,000 people who shared it. We certainly saw it, and the message that Jenna Casado Rabberman of Lancaster, Pa., conveyed was personal and powerful – and one all parents should note. Her young sons – one almost 3, the other an infant – survived a potentially devastating car accident that her 2015 Honda CRV didn't because they were properly strapped into their car seats.
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Sixteen years ago this month, we in New York's Capital Region and the rest of the world watched in horror as terrorists attacked the United States. Unfortunately, terrorist attacks continue around the world today, and our children are exposed to those images, even as much as we try to shield them.
At some point, we all need to talk to our children about terrorism – even from our safe homes in Troy or Albany or Clifton Park. Here are some tips on how to discuss the topic of terrorism, or other uncomfortable topics in the news, with your children, inspired by the National September 11 Memorial & Museum. OK, so Mother Nature isn’t exactly cooperating on the first day of fall.
Instead of cooler temperatures and a brisk breeze, the forecast calls for summer-like temperatures for the next week. Still, every week in this space we’re going to bring you Friday Fun -- tips of great things to do with your kids. Let’s get started! As parents, we always want to expose our children to experiences that will benefit them in both the short and long term.
We take them to the libraries or places like the Museum of Innovation and Science in Schenectady or the Via Aquarium in Rotterdam or the Five Rivers Environmental Education Center in Delmar to learn and see new things. But how about the experience of youth sports? The fields of the Capital Region, from Bethlehem to Ballston Spa, are filled with youngsters playing football, soccer, field hockey and fall baseball these days. Is that right for your child? The perils of youth sports are in the news these days with all the talk of concussions in football. Still, youth sports can be a huge positive for both boys and girls as they grow up. Some of the benefits: Dog. Man’s best friend.
But a dog, or a cat, or any number of pets can be the best friend of a little boy or a little girl, too. Your child might be clamoring for a pet. And the idea is growing on you, as you envision all the fun your family can have watching a pup prance around your backyard or at one of many fabulous dog parks in the Albany area, such as the Normanskill Farm Dog Park or the Town of Bethlehem Dog Park. But how do you know if your family -- and you -- are ready for the responsibility of a pet? Here are some questions to ponder, and research, before you take the plunge into pet parenthood, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association:
That annual rite of every school year is just around the corner for elementary school students: school picture day.
School pictures are wonderful mementoes of childhood and make great holiday gifts for grandparents. So why do the words “school picture day” cause moms so much stress? Because we want the perfect picture. In reality, the perfect picture is the one that perfectly captures our kids at that stage of life. A cowlick that just won’t lay down? Adorable. Missing front teeth? Even more adorable! Follow these tips, gleaned from the pros, to get your little one as ready as possible for those annual pictures. Then, let the photographers who work in the schools throughout Troy, Albany, Guilderland, Clifton Park -- and the whole Capital Region -- do what they do best. Our TSL Adventures family, like the rest of the nation, has watched in sadness as families in Texas and Florida struggle in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey and Irma. Our thoughts continue to be with them. And while the Albany-Schenectady-Troy area doesn’t face the same threat of hurricanes as the Gulf Coast or the same threat of earthquakes as the Pacific Coast, we aren’t immune to emergency situations. Remember the ice storm of December 2008, which left 300,000 utility customers in the Capital Region without power? Because of incidents like that one, every household should have an emergency kit. And what better time to assemble it than now, when the sun is still shining, before the temperatures drop and without the distractions of the holidays that are just around the corner. Take a few hours to put together your kit. You have many of the necessities in your home already. Get the kids to help! Here’s what the Department of Homeland Security suggests you include in your kit. Remember to place your items in airtight plastic bags -- those vacuum-sealed large travel bags work great -- and store them in containers such as plastic bins or a duffel bag that are easy for you to carry. The basics
Children are often excited when they get a summer break after a long and tough academic year and they want to be entertained for the entire day, however, for parents it could be equally exciting yet tough to find a good and affordable summer child care programs. It feels great to be with kids for a few days or even a week, but soon you want to keep your kids occupied so that you have some time for your daily routine. Hence proper planning is essential than the last moment rush. Though the process starts in winter where you need to line up for summer childcare, but it mostly goes on till it is back to school days. For people who work at home, one solution to summer childcare does not work. Thus planning sooner for the summer can make your life much easier. Summer childcare should be one that not only entertains your child, but should be quite affordable for you too. Here are 4 ideas for summer childcare that are affordable and fun for your kids too.
Besides safety, quality and cleanliness most parents think a lot simple yet essential things before sending their child to a childcare. One amongst the most essential things to think about is the best types of food snacks to send with their child to child care. Most children are quite choosy when it comes to food and want to binge on all the unhealthy food items that are not safe in the long run. Ice-creams, chocolates, chips, cookies, pastas, pizzas, noodles etc. may be on top of their priority list, but what about their health? Every parent’s main concern is that their child should eat healthy and balanced meal so they do not suffer from any deficiencies or illness.
Make sure you stock in plenty of fresh food items that are loaded with essential nutrients. Avoid giving your child pre-packaged or processed food stuff. These meals are high on sugar, fat and salt. Processed food contains preservatives that are really harmful for your child’s health. Plan a night before so that you have all things sorted. Pack your child’s lunch box neatly without any kind of messy food that get sticky and wet after some time. Think about some simple, easy to pick, small bite size food snacks which are:
Every parent wants that their kids should never miss their schools even for a day, but it is not possible. Kids fall sick ever so often and they need rest. Usually kids are vulnerable to viral infections almost every month which can lead to health conditions that can last for nearly 7 days. When the kids fall sick, the most confusing decision for you as a parent is when to keep your child home if they are not feeling well. This is really hard to decide as you have to consider several parameters before coming to a conclusion. You want your kid to be back to normal at the soonest and also don’t want other kids to get infection and suffer later. But at the same time you do not want your kids to miss their school as their education suffers eventually.
It is definitely a difficult choice, but you need to consider the medical viewpoint as well.
The Ideas Written About In This Blog Are Based On The Personal Opinions And Philosophies Of The Contributor Who Has Taught Elementary School For Twelve Years And Has Run A Recreational Childcare Business Since 2009. |
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