Entry bubble Children's Dental Health Month

By: Joanne | February 24, 2009 | Category: Health

young boy brushing his teethAt my daughter’s first dentist visit, the hygienist remarked, “She doesn’t drink much soda, does she?” My first reaction was shock, and I wondered if the average 3 year old drinks so much soda that the dental hygienist can see it on their teeth? For the record: they can.

February is National Children’s Dental Health Month, a friendly reminder to help your kids learn the importance of taking care of their teeth. The American Dental Association sponsors National Children’s Dental Health Month to promote the importance of good oral health beginning at a young age.

As a parent, it’s my job to make sure my kids are brushing, flossing, have regular checkups and are eating healthy snacks. Regular visits with the dentist can help you prevent problems in the future. Treatments like fluoride, sealants or even braces can help keep your kid’s teeth healthy and strong. Would you believe that my daughter got braces on when she was 7? I was so surprised I almost fell out of my chair when the dentist told me it was time.

My kids are comfortable at the dentist. A lot of credit goes to our dentist and his staff, who are always gentle and concerned about our comfort, but I do what I can to put them at ease too. The equipment and bright lights and strangers with face masks can be frightening. I schedule our appointments together and then I go first so they can see exactly what happens and how comfortable I am. I think it also helps that there’s a basket of little toys for the kids when we finish the appointment. What are your good ideas to help kids love taking care of their teeth?

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Entry bubble Celebrate Child Health Day!

By: Stephanie | October 06, 2008 | Category: Health

Child Health Day 2008 logoThe other day, I was startled to notice my 14-month-old watching me while I ate an apple. When I peeled it and handed it to him, his eyes lit up as he bit into it like a big kid (until he accidentally dropped it and our dog got it, and that was it).

Children watch us and emulate us in so many ways, not the least of which are our eating habits and level of physical activity. Today is the 80th annual Child Health Day, and this year’s theme is “Eat Healthy and Be Active for a Healthy Future.”

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) estimates that one in six U.S. children between the ages of two and 19 is overweight. In less than 30 years, obesity has more than doubled among children ages 2-5 and more than tripled among children ages 6-12 and adolescents ages 13-19.

Being overweight is a risk factor for serious health consequences such as asthma, diabetes, and heart disease.

HHS, which sponsors the presidentially proclaimed Child Health Day, urges adults to take the surgeon general’s pledge to:

  • Be a role model by making healthy choices for myself.
  • Help children be physically active through everyday play and participation in sports.
  • Support children’s healthy eating habits.

You can celebrate Child Health Day by following some tips for you and your children on eating healthy and being active. And be sure to check out the child obesity prevention checklists for parents and other caregivers, schools and teachers, and communities.

The Federal Citizen Information Center also offers information on helping overweight children become healthier, and USA.gov offers links to child health information for parents.

Do you try to lead a healthy lifestyle as a role model for children?

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Entry bubble Child Support

By: Nancy | August 07, 2008 | Category: Money

I had lunch with a special friend recently. She's a little over three and a half feet tall, loves French fries, recess and all things pink. She also loves her mom, who hasn't seen her in a long time. Her mom's not just been absent physically though. Her dad, who's struggling to pay the afterschool program bills, hasn't seen a child support payment from Mom in a long time either.

child and parent holding handsIf your child's other parent isn't paying child support, there are things that the government can do to help try to make the situation right. USA.gov's section on child support features links to basic information sources for frequently asked questions about child support enforcement and has contact information for your state's child support enforcement program.

The Handbook on Child Support Enforcement (CSE) details the process you'll go through with your state CSE program if you're beginning the process of seeking child support. If your child's other parent is missing, your state CSE program can use the resources of the US Department of Health and Human Services' Office of Child Support Enforcement to trace that parent, whether he or she is across the country or outside the US, incarcerated or deployed in the military.

Once the parent has been found and paternity has been proven, a support order will be established, spelling out exactly how much the non-custodial parent is to pay each month for healthcare and other support for your child. The way this dollar amount is calculated varies from state to state.

The biggest challenge a lot of single parents run into is getting those monthly support payments in the right amount and on schedule. If your child's other parent has stopped paying or skips payments, CSE programs have a variety of ways to enforce the support order and get that money for your child. This could include garnishing the non-paying parent's wages, freezing bank accounts, offsetting federal income tax refunds or economic stimulus payments, denying a passport, contacting credit bureaus, suspending a driver's license, and putting liens on or seizing and selling personal property. Non-payment could also result in jail time for that parent.

Of course, not every non-custodial parent is trying to get out of supporting his or her children. If you're the parent ordered to pay child support, there are also guidelines to help you know your role, rights and responsibilities in caring for your child financially.

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Entry bubble Choosing Child Care

By: Sommer | March 07, 2008 | Category: Home and Family

Now that I’m about 5 weeks from my son being born my husband and I are talking more and more about the type of child care we’ll use when I return to work later this summer. We know we have a few options including using the child care center that’s in the GSA buildingbabysitter holding one baby and entertaining two others where I work (I’m on the waiting list so we’ll see if I get in!). Other options include finding a home day care, a child care center closer to home or to my husband’s job, or hiring a nanny.

I’ve been searching for resources to help us make a choice and there’s quite a bit out there. Here are some of the helpers I’ve found most useful:

I’d love your advice on smoothing the transition between staying home with my baby and returning to work. I know many of you out there must have a lot of experience since most mothers these days return to work after having children.

| View Comments [0] | envelope E-mail This Entry | Tags: baby   babysitter   child   childcare   daycare   family   mother   nanny   sommer   work  

 

Entry bubble Car Seats Make Me Crazy!

By: Joanne | February 12, 2008 | Category: Home and Family

But before you think I’m a horrible mom, allow me to explain myself. For the past 7 years I have been wrestling irritable young children into car seats and strapping them in for a safe ride. Safe, yes – but you try having a rational discussion about crash safety with an immobilized and indignant toddler. Gone are the carefree days of the free floating children in the back of the station wagon. That was me, playing cards, napping, and waving to everyone on the highway.

These days it’s different – we know more about child passenger safety than our folks did. So I will wrestle and wrangle and do what I need to do to make the kids safe in the car.

The thing that really bugs me the most is actually positioning a seat in the car. Am I alone in thinking that it’s frustrating and back breaking and I feel like I have to be an iron man contortionist to get the dang thing installed properly? How my mother laughed at me when I told her that my infant car seat came with a 36 page instruction manual!

That’s why I was so excited to see that the National Highway Traffic Safety Association has done something absolutely brilliant – they’re now publishing ease of use ratings for child car seats.

I’m past the point where these ratings will help me plan my car seat purchases – what’s done is done. I do hope that they’ll spare some of you some pain in the back and a pain in the neck as well!

| View Comments [6] | envelope E-mail This Entry | Tags: car   child   crash   joanne   safety