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 Autumn is one of nature’s most colorful times of the year! The fall colors inspire awe in even the youngest. Children love to view the changing leaves and enjoy the outdoor activities of the season. It’s a great time of year to resume walks and hikes and take in all of the changes. Here are some activities for fall.
- Put the little ones in the stroller, carrier, or wagon and enjoy a stroll through the neighborhood or a park. Take your toddler and older children on a nature hike. Point out what changes you see.
- Pick up different leaves, seeds and nuts along your walk.
- Photograph your yard and gardens in their autumn state.
- Let the kids rake leaves into piles for jumping in.
- Decorate your home with various leaves, apples, gourds, and pumpkins.
- Preserve leaves in wax for decorating.
- Draw leaves and color in yellow, orange, red and brown.
- Stamp a leaf, pumpkin or autumn design on a tablecloth or kitchen towel.
- Discuss what a harvest is and what crops are harvested in your area.
- Visit a pumpkin patch and let your child pick out his or her own pumpkin.
- Go for a hay rack ride.
- Make hot, spiced apple cider.
- Carve jack-o-lanterns.
- Make roasted pumpkin seeds and pumpkin pie, bars and muffins.
Hot, Spiced Apple Cider
Pour 1/2 gallon cider in large pot. Add 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1 tablespoon whole all spice, 1 tablespoon whole cloves and 4 sticks of whole cinnamon. Simmer for 20 minutes. Remove whole spices before serving.
Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
1 cup pumpkin or squash seeds (separate seeds from stringy portion of pumpkin and allow to dry.) Mix seeds with 1 tablespoon melted butter and 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce. Spread on shallow baking pan. Roast at 250 degrees, stirring occasionally, for about 45 minutes or until brown and crisp. Cool. Store in refrigerator.
Waxed Leaves for Decoration
Select colorful and varied leaves.
Melt paraffin wax in a double boiler (or make your own double boiler using an empty 14.5 oz. can placed in a pan of water). Simmer over medium heat until wax melts but do not boil. Remove from stove and place on flat surface protected with newspaper.
Carefully dip leaves into wax holding by the stem or with a tong. Lay flat on waxed paper to dry.
 8 Fun Outdoor Activities
- Go for a nature walk. Check for signs of spring. Look for buds on trees and shrubs, grass emerging, and flowers sprouting. Listen for birds singing. Notice which bugs have begun crawling or hiding under rocks and logs.
- Perform a parade. Decorate your bikes, scooters, trikes, wagons and strollers with festive ribbons, streamers, and balloons! Dress up your pets or stuffed animals and parade down your street and back.
- Fly a kite. Enjoy the spring breezes and watch the clouds floating by! Try building your own kites. Have a kite race.
- Blow bubbles. Chase and catch them as they are carried away in the wind. Have a contest for the biggest, smallest, fastest or highest!
- Make a bird house or feeder. Check for instructions or kits at your local hardware or hobby store, nature center or online.
- Make a frog or “fairy” house to place in your garden. Decorate a clay pot, place pot upside down with one edge propped up with rocks for a toad or frog house. Convert a bird house into a whimsical “fairy” house by enlarging the “door”, furnishing and decorating for a beautiful little garden ”fairy” to move in.
- Decorate your driveway or sidewalk with chalk drawings. Have a theme for the day like circus animals, under the sea, or a jungle safari. Play hopscotch or four-square.
- Have a spring clean up day in your own yard or at your favorite park. Decorate planters or pots for planting flowers or vegetables.
 Exquisite snowflakes to catch on your tongue, snowmen to build in the snow, snowballs to throw at your brother, races with sleds down the hills, ice skates and hockey on frozen rinks, and snow angels to make on the new fallen snow. Children love the snow and all of winter’s playground. But playing in the cold, should be fun and safe!
Staying Warm
- Dress your child in several loose thin layers of clothing. Trapped air will insulate against the cold.
- Outer garments (snow pants and hooded jacket) should be water-repellent and brightly colored. Have your child wear mittens and a hat.
- Protect the child’s face, mouth and eyes from wind with mask and googles, if needed.
- Protect your child’s face and lips with sunscreen, if exposed.
- Babies should stay indoors if the outside temperature is below 40 degrees since they can quickly lose body heat.Set reasonable time limits for staying out in the cold. Have your child come inside to warm up periodically.
- Check on your child often to be sure his mittens and clothing are dry and faces and nodes are not too red.
Hypothermia
- Occurs when your child’s body temperature falls below 95 degrees F. It can happen due to a child’s exposure to cold especially if not dressed properly or if clothing gets wet. Severe hypothermia can cause damage to internal organs or death.
- Symptoms of hypothermia include shivering, numbness, lethargy, clumsiness, drowsiness, slurred speech, disorientation, slow pulse, exhaustion, and lowered body temperature.
- If you think your child may have hypothermia, call 911. Take your child inside. Remove wet clothing and wrap your child with warm blankets or clothing. Cover your child’s head and neck also.
- Warm your child slowly starting with the body core first and then the arms and legs. This is important so that cold blood is not driven toward the heart which could cause heart failure.
- Do not give your child hot liquids or food.
- Do not expose your child to any direct heat such as a hot bath, heating pads, hot water bottles, fireplaces, or radiators.
Frostbite
- Frostbite occurs when your child’s skin and soft tissue freezes. Usually frostbite occurs on fingers, toes, ears and noses.
- Frostbite can occur in as little as 30 minutes if the wind chill is -20 degrees.
- Symptoms of frostbite include pale white or gray (eventually black) or blistered skin. Frostbitten areas may feel numb, tingling, burning or painful.
- If frostbite occurs, bring your child inside. The skin needs to be warmed up carefully. If your child also has symptoms of hypothermia, warm the body core before warming the extremities.
- Do not rub the frozen skin.
- Warm frostbitten parts in warm not hot water or apply a warm washcloth for a few minutes. Then dry and cover your child with warm clothing or blankets. Give your child something warm but not hot to drink.
- Call your child’s doctor if the numbness continues for more than a few minutes.
Sledding
- Supervise your child while sledding.
- Choose a safe hill for your child’s sledding. The hill should be not too steep, away from traffic, covered in snow and not ice, and free of trees, rocks, fences or other obstacles. And a flat landing area at the bottom of the slope is ideal.
- Be sure there is no water, frozen water or a roadway near the sledding area.
- Have your child sled feet first or sitting up to help avoid a head injury.
- Consider having your child wear a helmet.
Ice Skating
- Have your child skate on approved surfaces only, like an ice rink or approved recreation area.
- Never allow your child to skate or walk on a frozen pond or lake without your own or expert verification of ice thickness and safety. Never assume that the ice will hold even a small child’s weight.
- Never allow your child to skate or walk on ice over moving water like a river or stream.
- Consider having your child wear a helmet.
Snowboarding and Skiing
- Have a qualified instructor teach your child to snowboard or ski.
- Be sure your child’s equipment fits properly. Consider a helmet.
- Supervise your child.
- Choose a safe site.
- Snowboarders should wear gloves with built-in wrist guards.
Snowmobiling
- Children under six years old should not ride on a snowmobile even with an adult. Children under sixteen should not operate a snowmobile.
- Equip your child with an approved safety helmet and goggles.
- Operate your snowmobile at safe speeds and only on safe trails. Avoid water, roadways and railroads.
- Be sure someone knows where you are going.
 Keep your child safe and have fun! Then come inside for hot cocoa and a snack!
 Congratulations to KH winner of the 1st Baby Joy Forum Prize drawing! Join Baby Joy Forum for your chance to win the next prize drawing to be announced.
Getting ready for baby! Decorating the nursery. Will your baby’s space be dreamy, posh, contemporary, imagin ative, eclectic, chic or whimsical?
The decor can be extravagant or simple. You may want a baby theme or a theme more grown up that your baby will grow into. Add accents or fun details for whimsy. Consider your organization for baby supplies, clothing, diaper items, books, toys, and other essentials. Remember that you will also spend many hours there with baby day and night! Place a comfortable chair or rocker and a foot stool or a recliner for mom. Include a side table for a lamp, clock, music, place for a glass of water and other items.
Browse designs for nursery ideas. View pictures of rooms and try to recreate a design or come up with your own design. You might try www.hgtv.com , www.ashleytaylorhome.com , and www.potterybarnkids.com for inspiration. Also look at crib bedding for ideas. Some bedding sets also have matching accessories available. If you want to sew your own, patterns are available in sewing stores and at www.Mccall.com under home decorating. Crib bedding comes in all styles from simple to lavish and inexpensive to expensive. Try your favorite store sites like Target, WalMart, BabiesRUs, Younkers, etc. Also browse specialty sites like www.dimplesanddandelions.com , a chic children’s boutique with specialty crib bedding and unique wall art from shabby chic to sports nostalgia. Some other sites are www.bananafishinc.com , www.poshtots.com , www.brandeedanielle.com , www.glennajean.com , www.cottontaledesigns.com and www.beansproutbypemamerica.com . Another site with specialty bedding and coordinated accessories is www.lambsivy.com . Lambs and Ivy customizes crib bedding with wall border, wall art, valances, lamps, rugs, hampers, mobiles, wall appliques, wall decor, pillows, chairs, night lights, switch plate covers, drawer pulls, baskets with liners, photo frames, growth charts, diaper stackers, clothes pegs, ceiling sculptures, port-a-crib sets, and plush toys.
Choose a paint color. If you have chosen a theme or crib bedding, you can coordinate with that. You may want an accent color. Consider different paint techniques and wall options like wallpaper, border, chair rail, stencil, wainscoting and murals. Check out websites like www.benjaminmoore.com which also features Pottery Barn paint colors, then go to For Your Home- Get Inspired- Room Design Ideas for room design ideas. Other paint brands with websites include www.behr.com which features Disney paint colors, www.valspar.com , www.glidden.com , www.dutchboy.com , www.olympic.com , www.diamondvogel.com , and www.sherwin-williams.com . Most sites have inspiration sections and color guides. Go to the store and get paint chips in your favorite choices. Bring them home and start imagining your baby’s room! Also try your local do it yourself, home improvement, and hobby stores for ideas or wall decor.
Put it all together: paint, accents, wall decor, shelves, window treatment, lamp, flooring,  rug, furniture, crib and bedding, night light, baby essentials, and finally a bundle of joy!
Potty training is a major milestone for your child. And a major cost savings to you! So how do you know if your child is ready? Most children begin to show readiness between 18 and 24 months.
Your child might be ready if he or she:
- is dry after a nap or for 2 or more hours.
- has more predictable and regular bowel movements.
- can follow simple directions.
- shows an interest in using the potty chair or toilet.
- is uncomfortable in a wet or soiled diaper.
- shows an awareness (words, facial expressions, body language or a body stance) that he/she is about to urinate or have a bowel movement. ( I used to find my son behind a chair when he was about to “poop” and then I would just redirect him to the toilet!)
Now are you ready?
- Gather your energy and patience! Be prepared for many trips to the bathroom, lots of laundry, and some extra cleanups! Your efforts will be rewarded with a more independent toddler and no more diapers!
- Choose what words you will use for toilet, urine, bowel movements and also the body parts. Remember that these words will sometimes be said in public! It is usually best to use proper, less embarrassing terms.
- Talk with your partner, daycare provider, sitter and child’s grandparents about your intentions and expectations. Find out if your daycare has a policy for toilet training.
- Set up a potty chair.
- Help your toddler recognize signs of needing to go. Praise your child for telling you. If your child tells you that his/ her pants or diaper is wet or dirty, praise him/ her and the say next time try to tell me before you go!
- Take your child to the potty often. Determine a routine for frequent visits to the potty. This will help to avoid accidents if your child is busy playing and doesn’t want to acknowledge the signs of needing to go in time.
- Buy “big kid” or training underpants. Let your kid pick out his/her special under pants. Pick out a day for your child to start wearing the “big kid” pants. Make a big deal of getting rid of the diapers and being a “big kid” now! (And then be prepared for some accidents but most kids don’t like being wet or dirty and so will be motivated to stay dry.) Some parents like the convenience of disposable training pants but they are more expensive than several pairs of underwear. And some kids may take longer to train in disposables since they don’t have the same motivation to stay dry.
- Let your child know what you expect and praise your child for accomplishments. Some parents use lots of verbal praise with clapping, kisses and hugs! Or do a celebration dance!
- Try to stay positive! Smile and be patient! Your efforts will be rewarded with a more independent toddler and no more diapers!
 The following health and safety tips are from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).
MAKING THE FIRST DAY EASIER
- Remind your child that she is not the only student who is a bit uneasy about the first day of school. Teachers know that students are anxious and will make an extra effort to make sure everyone feels as comfortable as possible.
- Point out the positive aspects of starting school: It will be fun. She’ll see old friends and meet new ones. Refresh her positive memories about previous years, when she may have returned home after the first day with high spirits because she had a good time.
- Find another child in the neighborhood with whom your youngster can walk to school or ride with on the bus.
- If you feel it is appropriate, drive your child (or walk with her) to school and pick her up on the first day.
BACKPACK SAFETY
- Choose a backpack with wide, padded shoulder straps and a padded back.
- Pack light. Organize the backpack to use all of its compartments. Pack heavier items closest to the center of the back. The backpack should never weigh more than 10 to 20 percent of the your child’s body weight.
- Always use both shoulder straps. Slinging a backpack over one shoulder can strain muscles.
- Consider a rolling backpack. This type of backpack may be a good choice for students who must tote a heavy load. Remember that rolling backpacks still must be carried up stairs, and they may be difficult to roll in snow.
TRAVELING TO AND FROM SCHOOL
Review the basic rules with your youngster:
School Bus
- If your child’s school bus has lap/shoulder seat belts, make sure your child uses one at all times when in the bus. If your child’s school bus does not have lap/shoulder belts, encourage the school to buy or lease buses with lap/shoulder belts.
- Wait for the bus to stop before approaching it from the curb.
- Do not move around on the bus.
- Check to see that no other traffic is coming before crossing.
- Make sure to always remain in clear view of the bus driver.
- Children should always board and exit the bus at locations that provide safe access to the bus or to the school building.
Car
- All passengers should wear a seat belt and/or an age- and size-appropriate car safety seat or booster seat.
- Your child should ride in a car safety seat with a harness as long as possible and then ride in a belt-positioning booster seat. Your child is ready for a booster seat when she has reached the top weight or height allowed for her seat, her shoulders are above the top harness slots, or her ears have reached the top of the seat.
- Your child should ride in a belt-positioning booster seat until the vehicle’s seat belt fits properly (usually when the child reaches about 4′ 9″ in height and is between 8 to 12 years of age). This means that the child is tall enough to sit against the vehicle seat back with her legs bent at the knees and feet hanging down and the shoulder belt lies across the middle of the chest and shoulder, not the neck or throat; the lap belt is low and snug across the thighs, and not the stomach.
- All children under 13 years of age should ride in the rear seat of vehicles. If you must drive more children than can fit in the rear seat (when carpooling, for example), move the front-seat passenger’s seat as far back as possible and have the child ride in a booster seat if the seat belts do not fit properly without it.
- Remember that many crashes occur while novice teen drivers are going to and from school. You should require seat belt use, limit the number of teen passengers, do not allow eating, drinking, cell phone conversations or texting to prevent driver distraction; and limit nighttime driving and driving in inclement weather. Familiarize yourself with your state’s graduated driver license law and consider the use of a parent-teen driver agreement to facilitate the early driving learning process.
Bike
- Always wear a bicycle helmet, no matter how short or long the ride.
- Ride on the right, in the same direction as auto traffic.
- Use appropriate hand signals.
- Respect traffic lights and stop signs.
- Wear bright color clothing to increase visibility.
- Know the “rules of the road.”
Walking to School
- Make sure your child’s walk to a school is a safe route with well-trained adult crossing guards at every intersection.
- Be realistic about your child’s pedestrian skills. Because small children are impulsive and less cautious around traffic, carefully consider whether or not your child is ready to walk to school without adult supervision.
- If your child is young or is walking to new school, walk with them the first week to make sure they know the route and can do it safely.
- Bright colored clothing will make your child more visible to drivers.
- In neighborhoods with higher levels of traffic, consider starting a “walking school bus,” in which an adult accompanies a group of neighborhood children walking to school.
EATING DURING THE SCHOOL DAY
- Most schools regularly send schedules of cafeteria menus home. With this advance information, you can plan on packing lunch on the days when the main course is one your child prefers not to eat.
- Try to get your child’s school to stock healthy choices such as fresh fruit, low-fat dairy products, water and 100 percent fruit juice in the vending machines.
- Each 12-ounce soft drink contains approximately 10 teaspoons of sugar and 150 calories. Drinking just one can of soda a day increases a child’s risk of obesity by 60%. Restrict your child’s soft drink consumption.
BULLYING
Bullying is when one child picks on another child repeatedly. Bullying can be physical, verbal, or social. It can happen at school, on the playground, on the school bus, in the neighborhood, or over the Internet.
When Your Child Is Bullied
- Help your child learn how to respond by teaching your child how to:
1. Look the bully in the eye.
2. Stand tall and stay calm in a difficult situation.
3. Walk away.
- Teach your child how to say in a firm voice.
1. “I don’t like what you are doing.”
2. “Please do NOT talk to me like that.”
3. “Why would you say that?”
- Teach your child when and how to ask for help.
- Encourage your child to make friends with other children.
- Support activities that interest your child.
- Alert school officials to the problems and work with them on solutions.
- Make sure an adult who knows about the bullying can watch out for your child’s safety and well-being when you cannot be there.
When Your Child Is the Bully
- Be sure your child knows that bullying is never OK.
- Set firm and consistent limits on your child’s aggressive behavior.
- Be a positive role mode. Show children they can get what they want without teasing, threatening or hurting someone.
- Use effective, non-physical discipline, such as loss of privileges.
- Develop practical solutions with the school principal, teachers, counselors, and parents of the children your child has bullied.
When Your Child Is a Bystander
- Tell your child not to cheer on or even quietly watch bullying.
- Encourage your child to tell a trusted adult about the bullying.
- Help your child support other children who may be bullied. Encourage your child to include these children in activities.
- Encourage your child to join with others in telling bullies to stop.
BEFORE AND AFTER SCHOOL CHILD CARE
- During middle childhood, youngsters need supervision. A responsible adult should be available to get them ready and off to school in the morning and watch over them after school until you return home from work.
- Children approaching adolescence (11- and 12-year-olds) should not come home to an empty house in the afternoon unless they show unusual maturity for their age.
- If alternate adult supervision is not available, parents should make special efforts to supervise their children from a distance. Children should have a set time when they are expected to arrive at home and should check in with a neighbor or with a parent by telephone.
- If you choose a commercial after-school program, inquire about the training of the staff. There should be a high staff-to-child ratio, and the rooms and the playground should be safe.
DEVELOPING GOOD HOMEWORK AND STUDY HABITS
- Create an environment that is conducive to doing homework. Youngsters need a permanent work space in their bedroom or another part of the home that offers privacy.
- Set aside ample time for homework.
- Establish a household rule that the TV set stays off during homework time.
- Supervise computer and internet use.
- Be available to answer questions and offer assistance, but never do a child’s homework for her.
- Take steps to help alleviate eye fatigue, neck fatigue and brain fatigue while studying. It may be helpful to close the books for a few minutes, stretch, and take a break periodically when it will not be too disruptive.
- If your child is struggling with a particular subject, and you aren’t able to help her yourself, a tutor can be a good solution. Talk it over with your child’s teacher first.
© 2009 - American Academy of Pediatrics
 Can you imagine your baby with rickets? Or that your child may be at higher risk for bone disease and heart disease?
A recent nationwide study indicates 70% of our children are deficient in vitamin D. Researchers have found a decline in vitamin D levels in the US over the past 20 years. Children are at more risk if female, African- American, Mexican- American, obese, drink milk less than once a week, or spend more than 4 hours a day watching TV, playing video games or using computers. Another study shows that US adolescents with low vitamin D levels are more likely to have high blood pressure, high blood sugars, insulin resistance, and abnormal cholesterol levels.
Our children are more sedentary, are not spending as much time outdoors, and sunscreen blocks the sunlight needed to produce vitamin D. Since it is hard to get enough vitamin D in diet alone and it’s hard to know how much sunlight is safe, a supplement of the “sunshine vitamin” advised. American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that all infants, children and teens take a supplement of 400 IU of vitamin D daily.
Good nutrition, exercise, and some sunshine (without tanning and burning) along with vitamin D will help keep our kids healthy!
  Your children are too young to know the tremendous rewards they will reap throughout their lifetime for being avid readers. But you can encourage their cultivation of reading skills from a young age. As a baby and toddler, we can read to them often. As a preschooler, they begin to spend time with books. Visits to the library will interest them and offer a chance to find more and more books to choose. Check with your local library for story times, too.
Read often! Be a good role model. Set a time every day for quiet reading. Encourage the older ones to read to younger ones or to their pets. Read in different settings. Try reading under a table, on the floor, on the bed, on a blanket, in a tent, in a shady spot outdoors, or on a park bench.
Motivate summer reading for school age kids. Participate in summer reading programs at your local library. Set goals for number of books to be read each month and reward with a favorite activity. Have a basket or bin stocked with small toys, stickers, art supplies (or even school supplies) as rewards for books read.
 Summer - some might conjure images of feeling warm breezes on a sun-kissed face, walking lazily on sandy beaches, finding sea shells at the shore, and listening to the gentle crash of waves on the shore. But have you ever imagined life as a cat on Nantucket?
Beautiful island scenes illustrate the story of Comet’s Nine Lives. Comet is a cat on Nantucket. Your child will follow his adventures in humorous predicaments throughout the island. Jan Brett is one of the nation’s most talented author illustrators of children’s books. Her illustrations charm with seaside villages, flower gardens, beaches, seaside trails and the sea. Jan cleverly includes canines including a shaggy sheepdog captain who travels through the story and even into the borders of the pages.
After reading the book, check out www.janbrett.com for coloring pages of sea shells and Comet or activities. You can make learn how to make the sailor’s bracelet that Maisie, a beautiful yellow lab, wears in the book. Make a collection of seashells in a jar of sand to remember the story. (Purchase shells at your hobby store if needed.)
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