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November Issue 2008
Welcome to this issue of my free parenting
E-zine in which I bring you small snapshots of the joys and problems of
raising children.
SPECIALS
FEATURES
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SPECIALS
Stress
With the global financial crisis
many families will experience high levels of stress. Here in Australia we
are lucky at the moment because our economy is in good shape but employment
has already fallen slightly and many people feel gloomy about the future.
This feeling can lead to stress in the whole family.
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Worried adults are less tolerant
and children react to changes in the moods of their parents.
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Grandparents who may have been
planning to retire may now have to postpone that retirement.
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Young people may worry about job
security.
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School leavers will have a
harder time to find work and further study opportunities may be
affected.
Here are some tips:
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consider your present
situation and talk about what may be necessary
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no one wants children to go
without but if the bread winner is retrenched changes will follow
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minimize stress by looking
for the positive aspects in every day
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keep laughter in your life
especially with the children
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show physically that you love
one another – hugs, smiles and words of encouragement are free
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recycle toys, clothes, books
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walking is one of the best
exercises. Choose a beautiful environment and push the little one there
in the stroller. It beats the gym
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buy fruit and vegetables in
season, not the expensive ones
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plant a vegetable garden with
the kids, include strawberries that most children love so that you’ll be
able to have treats
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use
fruit treats and muesli instead of lollies
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cut down on sugar and you’ll cut
down on stressful feelings
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keep to a good sleep routine so
no one is overtired
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organize your home - washing
piled up, clutter everywhere, nothing in its place all leads to stress
whereas a pleasant environment makes for more positive attitudes
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sit
down with the kids and make cards ands simple gifts for Christmas. Use
recycled materials for this.
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FEATURES
Ages and Stages -
Sick children
It is always worrying if your child is sick and getting
treatment can be very stressful. When my children were very young we could
ring for the doctor to visit our home if the child was very ill. Nowadays
that is impossible. However ill a child is, we must bundle them up and
either go to the surgery or to emergency at the hospital. Often there is a
very long wait in an unfamiliar environment which can upset both the parent
and the child. By the time you actually see the doctor, the child may not be
co-operative in an examination, and the doctor may seem dismissive of your
concerns, or rushed and be writing out a script before you can tell the
whole story. We have all heard horror stories of tragedy when proper
attention was not given by health officials. Minimize stress by introducing
your baby to people outside the family from birth, taking your toddler to
the doctor for your appointments so he/she will be familiar with the
environment and the people, talking about how the doctor can help sick
people, telling stories - use the child’s toys to role play sickness,
medicine, doctors, nurses, injections etc.
In an excellent parenting monthly newsletter I read the
following tips for how to get the best from your doctor.
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Prepare to state in
one or two sentences why you've brought the child in (or why you're
calling for an appointment), and identify the symptoms you have
observed.
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Write down the
sequence of events of your child's illness, being as specific as
possible about times and dates.
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Describe the quality
and quantity of the symptoms (how many times did your child vomit in the
night, for example), and what, if anything, relieved the symptoms or
made them worse.
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Review and be ready to
tell the doctor about your child's medical history, particularly
previous hospital admissions, surgeries and injuries.
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Write down (or take
with you) any medications your child is taking and what the dose and
frequency are.After your child has been examined, and the doctor has
made a recommendation, you'll want to ask: What therapies is the doctor
suggesting and why? What are the risks of each?
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If the recommendation
is to do nothing, is there any risk to this?
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If the recommendation
is to do nothing, but your child has symptoms, what can be done about
the symptoms?
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If medication is being
prescribed, what side effects should you watch for?
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If your child is
being treated by anyone other than the regular doctor—for example, in an
emergency room or by a specialist, here's a question you should ask:
"How will the results of this exam and any tests be communicated to the
regular doctor?"
These tips are taken from
How to Talk to Your Child's Doctor: A Handbook for Parents by
Christopher M. Johnson, (Prometheus Books)
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The chapter, "When The
Conversation Turns Sour," provides three valuable reminders to those of
us who are not physicians:
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Intervene immediately
if you do not understand the doctor, or if you are concerned the doctor
has not understood you or your child.
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It is the doctor's
responsibility to communicate with you in a way you can understand; you
have every right to insist on this.
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If you believe the
doctor's behavior has been inappropriate, consider contacting the
hospital or clinic's patient relations office.
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If the doctor is in a
small private practice, consider a letter to him or her outlining your
concerns.
Reprinted with
permission from Parenting Press News for Parents, copyright 2008. For
a no-cost subscription, see
www.parentingpress.com
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Kids 'n Gardening –
Growing tomatoes
Tomatoes are one of the easiest and most rewarding
plants to grow. The seed likes warmth to germinate, so if spring comes in
cold in your area, show the kids how to keep seeds warm to start them off
early. Simply cut the top off a clear plastic drink bottle and upend it over
the pot and seed. Stand in a bright place - but not full sun - until it
germinates.
There are so many different kinds of tomatoes, your
kids could have a tomato contest to see which kind grew the best and
produced the most, biggest, sweetest or earliest tomatoes. They could keep
notes on which tomatoes germinated first, had flowers first and ripened
first. They could even keep a visual record if you have a digital camera.
From tiny cherry tomatoes, though to egg-shaped tomatoes and even the
giants, it’s all great fun. You can get pink, red or yellow - and even
splotchy, streaky tomatoes. Try looking for the seed of unusual tomatoes
from specialty nurseries like Diggers. Your kids might even like to grow a
salad with the addition of lettuce, cucumber and corn to their tomato patch.
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Kids in the news -
Children's Week
The week beginning 20th October was
Children’s week in Australia. Many communities organise fun activities for
children during this week and the media focuses on these activities at
pre-schools, playgroups and schools. It is a good time to put long term
plans into action too.
Helping children have healthy, happy, safe lives is
vital and our government is aware of this. Before the elections there was
emphasis on a new, better direction in education, more child care
facilities, and paid maternity leave which seems at last to be within sight.
With the economic squeeze, plans are being re-thought in many areas. I hope
that children’s programs won’t be sidelined. The government has announced
that the emergency intervention program in the Northern Territory, started
by the previous government, will remain at for least another year. The
decision was made because statistics from supermarkets shows that more
fruit, vegetables and other healthy food has been purchased under the
compulsory income management system. Let us hope that ongoing support will
improve health and safety for children and all members of their families.
The pre-school years of life are the most important
time for a child’s development and by helping parents and grandparents we
are helping children. Affordable child care, parent education programs,
early intervention, nutrition programs, and libraries are important
government initiatives. Communities can do much too to make towns child
friendly. Young mothers are often isolated. Help can be given in many ways.
Has your community got
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Volunteers to make home visits?
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Playgroups with ideas for baby and toddler play?
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Help with transport free ?
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Social occasions so young parents can interact?
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A toy library
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Discussion groups where child care is available so
a parent has some time to learn or follow an interest?
Here is a link to a site where you might get ideas on
making your community more child friendly
www.childfriendly.org.au
I have just been sent a link to a new Australian
government website for families seeking early learning issues and
initiatives. It is at http://mychild.gov.au
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Special study on special children
I have just been contacted about a study that is being
done at La Trobe University in Victoria. This important study will
help autistic children and their families. Volunteers are needed. Here are
the details:
Relationships, social
understanding and responsiveness in children with Autism
A new study is underway at the Child Development Unit
at La Trobe University examining the way children with autism think about
their relationships with caregivers, their ability to think from another
person’s point of view, and their social and emotional responses to others
in social situations. Children who have been diagnosed with Autistic
Disorder or Autism Spectrum Disorder aged between 8 to 12 years and who are
high functioning with good verbal ability, along with one parent or
caregiver, are invited to participate.
The testing will take place over two sessions at the
Child Development Unit at La Trobe University. The results of the
developmental assessment undertaken as part of the study will be available
to parents free of charge. If you and your child would like to participate
or if you wish to obtain further information about this research, please
contact Dr Cheryl Dissanayake at the School of Psychological Science, La
Trobe University, Bundoora, 3083 (Tel: 03 9479 1162; email: c.dissanayake@latrobe.edu.au),
Ms Felicity Chandler (Tel: 03 9479 2151; email: f.chandler@latrobe.edu.au)
or Ms Amanda Newbigin (Tel: 03 9479 2151; email:
a.newbigin@latrobe.edu.au).
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Healthy Living -
Swimming
My grandfather taught his boys to swim by throwing them
into the river and telling them to swim to the bank. Fortunately my brother
and sister and I didn’t have such traumatic experiences. We went to proper
swimming lessons at the local pool. Nowadays, even babies can learn to swim
if the parents approach the lessons with love not fear, and lots of patience.
There are many benefits when babies and children have regular fun time in a
pool. Benefits can be social, emotional, cognitive and physical and help
children to relax. Those with special needs such as poor muscle
co-ordination or autism, become calm in the water and can do more than on dry
land. Never force the child or harm may be long lasting. Small steps and
lots of reinforcement and practice are the key.
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Begin by teaching your baby confidence in the bath.
There the water is warm and calm and can be dribbled over the body and
the head.
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Use toys to engage baby and to reach for toys from
a lying position as well as sitting.
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When baby lies in the water, he/she will become
used to the water lapping into the ears.
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When taking baby into a pool make sure the water
temperature is pleasant. Don’t wait for baby to shiver.
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Never ever leave your baby in the water without
your supervision.
Make water time short. Little ones learn from their
peers so groups of babies enjoy time in the water even more than just with
parents.
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Book review –
Bread Comes to Life
– A Garden of Wheat and a Loaf
to Eat by George Levenson Photography by Shmuel Thaler
Tricycle Press 2008
ISBN978-1-58246-273-8
This splendid non fiction picture book is all about
bread from sowing the seed to eating your slice. The photos are really works
of art as well as being clear and informative. Some small pictures are
grouped on a page, others are large, taking up the whole page with the words
written onto the picture. Rhyme is used but never forced. The text is in
minimal words but very expressive.
For example with seven pictures on one double page,
there are the words:
“Dump it. Thump it.
Dust it. Knead it.
Squash it. Stretch it.
Toss it.”
This is a book that children from toddlers to senior
primary school will enjoy. Many different types of bread are shown. There is
even an easy recipe at the end that children will delight in using. A must
have book for schools and a delight for any family.
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Play ideas
–
Cooking games.
Children enjoy cooking immensely. They like the smells
of food, the messiness of preparation, the tasting, and the cleaning up.
Sometimes it is good to give children real food to use in pretend games with
their toys. Oatmeal or dry ingredients such as cornflakes or rice bubbles
give children practise in pouring, spooning, stirring and measuring. Provide
dishes, a jug, spoons, a saucepan patty pans, scraper etc. If there is water
available too, children see what happens to the different foods in this
preliminary science experiment. The suggested foods can be safely eaten by
the children if they wish, or just be spooned out for the toys to enjoy.
If you are worried about mess, set it up on a table
outside under shade. Any spilt food will be eaten up later by birds. The
clean up will be fun for the children if a sponge and a supply of water are
provided.
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Click here to contact Helen
if you would like to make suggestions or have comments to make.
Copyright 2008
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Helen's latest book, Simply Storytelling,
will help you to tell stories to your children. ISBN 9780864588104 published
by Tertiary Press but now available from
www.pearsoned.com.au/VetDirect
Look in the Professional and vocational section.
Three of Helen's picture books are available as downloads or CD's from
Writer's Exchange at Reader's Eden. Children from 3 to 10 will love them.
Here is the link: http://tinyurl.com/2hm2db
This will take
you to my author's page.
If you have enjoyed this e-zine, please tell your friends about it.
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