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Yesterday, in Brushing Toddler Teeth, I wrote about things Cathy could do to help get her 4 year old to brush his teeth and also help get her 1 year old off to a good start. I gave her a couple suggestions to make brushing teeth not only a habit but a positive experience. To review, Cathy has three children, ages 1, 4 and 9. Only the 9 year old has seen a dentist, the 4 year old fights brushing teeth and the one year has several teeth.

Cathy had a second excellent question; she asked about getting her 4 year old ready for his first trip to the dentist. This is a great question because you want visiting the dentist to be as easy as possible, you need to know what to do before going to the dentist.

The first thing you should do in getting your child ready for a dentist is find a pediatric dentist. A pediatric dentist is a dentist that has received additional training after dental school to specialize in children. A pediatric dentist will not only have more experience in working with children, their offices are more child-friendly. This combined will mean a less traumatic visit to the dentist. Working with toddlers requires a special touch, especially when it comes to their teeth.

The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends that children see a dentist by their first birthday. A pediatric dentist will most likely be able to examine you child’s teeth more easily than a dentist that usually sees adult patients. The early exams are often quick. At these appointments the dentist will teach you how to care for your child’s baby teeth. Your child’s dentist will show you and your child how to brush and floss.

Once you have a pediatric dentist selected, you help prepare your child for their first visit to a dentist by doing several things. First and foremost is to not let any anxiety you feel about seeing a dentist show. It is my opinion that dentistry has improved drastically since I was a child so try to let go of any unpleasant memories you may have.

Tell your child that a dentist will check their teeth and will teach both of you how to care for them. Do a little role playing. Take turns being dentist and patient and practice opening wide and looking at teeth.

If it is your child’s first trip to the dentist or they are just nervous, be sure to let the dentist know. If they are aware of the situation or emotions they can adjust their approach if necessary. Some children also benefit from a quick tour of a dentist’s office or a first visit that doesn’t involve an exam but is a quick meet and greet the dentist where they get a new toothbrush to use before they go in for an exam.

Keep going to the dentist a positive experience, don’t make it sound scary. Remember that prevention is the key when it comes to cavities. Brushing teeth and seeing the dentist for checkups is important and will help prevent expensive treatment.

If you have any concerns about your child’s first or subsequent visit to the dentist, don’t be afraid to talk to the receptionist or dental assistant for advice. The staff at a pediatric dental office will be more than happy to help you prepare your child for a visit; it makes the actual dental appointment much easier on everyone. Getting your child ready for the dentist is just as important as going to the dentist.

Brushing your toddler’s teeth is important but it is often a problem for some parents. Cathy emailed me the other day after reading Caring for Teeth. Cathy has three children, ages 1, 4 and 9. Her 4 year old hates to brush his teeth. She’s not only worried about him getting cavities; she’s worried her 1 year old will pick up the “I hate brushing my teeth” slogan. Cathy asked what she can do to get her toddler to brush teeth with out a battle. She also asked how to prepare her children for a trip to the dentist; only her oldest has seen a dentist.

Proper care of teeth is important. Children need to be in the habit of brushing their teeth at least twice a day to prevent cavities. Prevention is an important step and far less expensive that undoing the damage caused by failure to brush. Learning how to care for their baby teeth should begin early.

There are a couple things to do to help make your toddler more willing to brush his teeth. The first thing I would do is take him to the store and let him pick out a toothbrush. There are toothbrushes made for children in a variety of colors, many with characters like Barney, Strawberry Shortcake and Spiderman. Use the right size toothbrush so it fits in mouth. An adult size toothbrush will most likely be too big and uncomfortable. Let your child pick out toothpaste. The simple fact that Spiderman or Scooby Doo is on the toothpaste container may make teeth brushing more pleasurable. Many toothpaste companies make toothpaste just for children in different flavors such as fruit or bubblegum flavored. You do not need toothpaste for the 1 year old but pick up a small baby toothbrush.

Your toddler should be brushing his teeth twice a day. In our house we started the pajama rule. When pajamas are put on or taken off it’s time to brush teeth. You want it to be part of a routine and not a stand alone event. This will help it become a habit. Start this with your four year old and one year old.

For your four year old you might have to use a reward system. Right now brushing teeth is a negative event so you want to make it a positive one. Use a calendar or chart and a bunch of stickers. Each time your toddler brushes at brush time, without a battle reward with a sticker. After a specified number of stickers are collected, let him trade them in for a small token gift. In the beginning you will probably want to make sure he reaches the “prize level” quickly, say after 15 or 20 stickers. Use inexpensive toy cars, new crayons, coloring books, bubbles, trip to playground and so on as the trade in prizes. As he gets into the habit you can stretch it out into more stickers to redeem.

Cathy did not mention if her oldest gave her trouble with brushing teeth. I feel that most nine year olds are old enough to understand that he/she has to brush teeth twice a day to prevent both cavities and bad breath. That is usually enough to motivate most to brush teeth. If needed, you can try the reward system only on a higher level (which is more stickers to reach reward).

Once your children are in the habit of brushing their teeth you can work more on the technique and also start flossing. A dentist can help with proper techniques for both.

I will talk about how to prepare for a visit to the dentist in next article.

The idea of standing outside a supermarket on a cold and damp winter day may not be fun for many but for a group of Cub Scouts and their families it was a wonderful day. That cold and rainy day in February was the day for my son’s Cub Scout Pack’s annual food drive to benefit City Harvest. Cub Scout Pack 255 of Queens NY is an active pack with big hearts. Throughout the year we have toy drives, coat drives and many other events to benefit the community and the environment. The boys give every event their all, especially when it is a project that benefits others. Most boys and their families not only honor the shift they sign up for, but they stay longer and give more.

For a few boys this was their first food drive. Quite a few lessons were learned that day. We saw many things that made us proud, not only of the boys and their families but proud of those in our community too. We learned that everyone can help. We saw everyone doing what they could. First, there was the Key Food Supermarket who graciously allowed us to set up in front of their store. We saw young boys in first grade, brave and articulate, asking others to help Cub Scout Pack 255 help the needy. We saw older boys in second, third, fourth and fifth grade teaching the younger ones what to do and helping store patrons with their bags. Of course, the food drive would not have been successful if it weren\’t for the store patrons who not only gave what they could, but inspired and encouraged the boys with their kindness and compliments. Even the vendors making deliveries either donated to the drive or supplied some snacks for the scouts.

The donations varied greatly from bags of rice to cans of soup. Some passersby were able to donate a 20 pound bag of rice or a bag filled with canned goods. Others were able only to spare a can or two or handed us a dollar so we could purchase something on their behalf. Many of those who gave were also struggling and to see them give is inspiring. That single can or box from a person on a limited income is priceless.

Another valuable lesson the boys learned is that every little bit helps. By the end of the day those single cans and boxes of food amounted to over 1,200 pounds of food. Over 1,200 pounds on a cold and rainy winter day when many people probably just stayed home rather than go out shopping. This food was later delivered to City Harvest and earmarked to help feed the needy in our area.

My son and my daughter always look forward to working the food drive and similar events whether it is through Scouts or another organization. My children feel like it is their chance to help. When we talk about the homeless or people who are struggling to feed themselves or their families they are saddened. Many times children feel powerless to help and I believe that we need to show our children they can help and can contribute. Participating in events like the food drive or contributing to a charity reminds us we can all do our share. It also reminds us that many people do care about others and that gives us all strength and power. It also gives us, and our children, hope. A little hope goes a long way.

The reward for that day is not measured by the patches the boys earned. The rewards are in the lessons learned and the knowledge that we all did what we could to help others.
cubpack255fooddrive

I know you are probably wondering what in the world I mean by the power of children’s pajamas. As an adult we may not give much thought to our pajamas, mostly we go for comfort. For children, pajamas are much more.

When they are babies, we choose pajamas for our children that are soft and comfortable; pajamas that keep baby just warm enough. We select the colors, designs and fabrics. We learn what baby feels most comfortable in and choose from what we find. In Choosing Pajamas we discussed how the choice of pajamas can affect your child’s sleep. As your child gets older the choice of pajamas should shift to the child. In Sleep -Bedtime Routine we mentioned that one of the steps is allowing your child to pick out pajamas at night.

As our babies become toddlers they begin to develop their own tastes. They may start to shun the cute pale pink or blue pajamas with teddy bears, cars or Winnie the Pooh. All of sudden it seems like they want pajamas with certain designs or characters like the Wiggles and Dora. We usually try to get them what they want in the hopes that they will sleep better at night. Another year or so and their tastes change again. Now your child may choose to wear Superman or Spiderman pajamas and assume a secret identity. A young girl can dress as Ariel or Sleeping Beauty. Fans of Hannah Montana, the High School Musical, Pokemon, Bob the Builder or SpongeBob can wear those pajamas. Since pajamas are worn in the privacy of a home children wear what they want without worrying about what someone else thinks. Choosing their pajamas seems to be a time when a kid can just be a kid.

Pajamas are a way for children to express their personality or interest free from any outside pressures. They don’t have to worry that their friends will think their pajamas are too “babyish”. Some children who are facing challenges or struggles may find great comfort in choosing a certain pajama. Sometime a girl needs to feel like a princess or superhero. Sometimes a boy needs to feel like a superhero or pretend he’s solving a mystery with Scooby Doo. Other times they may just need to borrow a shirt from mom or dad. Whatever they need, the comfort of a favorite character or a favorite color, let your kids choose their pajamas.

One simple fire safety rule every home should have is regular checking of smoke detectors. Most fire departments and other safety professionals recommend that batteries should be checked and changed at least twice a year. The easiest way to remember is to do it when we adjust clocks for daylight savings. Currently, in the United States, we set clocks forward one hour the second Sunday in March and set clocks back one hour the first Sunday in November. Just wanted to take a moment to remind all of you in the US that daylight savings time begins this weekend. When you go to bed Saturday night set your clocks forward one hour. When you adjust your clocks also take a few minutes to change the batteries in your smoke detectors.

Smoke detectors save lives. If you do not have smoke detectors please make that a priority. Free or low cost smoke detectors are available in many areas. Free smoke detectors may be available through local fire departments, local government and insurance companies. To find if they are available in your area you can do a couple of things. You can try a web search using the term “free smoke detectors in ______” (fill the blank with your town or city). You can also call your local government information phone number or call your local fire department and ask them, just be sure to use the non emergency number.

While you are changing batteries and testing the smoke detectors, be sure that everyone in your house knows what the smoke alarm sounds like and what they should do when they hear it. Another good idea is to contact your local fire department to find out if they offer a free fire safety course. They will review with you and your family some basic fire safety rules. This is usually done in a non threatening manner with catchy phrases such as “Stop, drop roll” and “Stay low and go!”. The fire safety awareness programs will also review the importance of having exit routes planned as well as having a safe meeting place outside the home.

Changing the batteries in your smoke detector only takes a few moments. A few moments that can make a huge difference.

I was talking about activities for St Patrick’s Day with a friend who teaches in an elementary school. She was looking for something a little different to do with her students in her third grade. In addition to needing to plan for her school children, her own children are having a party this weekend. Her children are 6, 8, 11 and 12. Turns out they all saved some reward stickers they earned and have pooled them to have a holiday party. Each child is allowed 4 friends so that means she needs to plan activities for 20 children with a range of ages.

With unpredictable weather this time of year that might have been tricky but I have the perfect solution for her. Last year I discovered Printable Games for Holidays and Parties! which has birthday party games, games for bridal shower and baby shower as well as games for Christmas, New Years, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Easter, Valentine’s and St Patrick’s Day. With these you have immediate access to games and activities to print out on your computer. I’ve used their printable games for several ocassions and I am quite impressed.

You can either choose the complete year of holiday games, just a couple games or one theme such as the set of St. Patrick’s Day Printable Games. With one simple purchase you have immediate access to games and activities to print out. There are a variety of games to suit different ages and they are fun. You can print as many copies of the games as you like.

If you are looking for more party games for St Patrick’s Day, another fun activity for a party is decorating cookies. Simply make up a batch of sugar cookies the day before, either circle or shamrock shape is fine. Either buy or make up a batch of plain vanilla icing. Leave half the icing plain and turn the other half green (just add a couple drops green food coloring to the plain icing). Be sure to have assorted sprinkles and small candies like Skittles and M&M available. During the party let the children decorate a cookie anyway they want with icing, sprinkles and candies. It might be a good idea to make sure table top is covered by a plastic sheet, it makes clean up a lot easier. You can do the same thing with cupcakes instead of cookies. Add a little theme music and of course teach everyone how to a jig or try Irish step dancing.

Between the printable games, the cookie decorating, the dancing and some snacks you have a complete party that can take place indoors or out depending on the weather. If you have different age groups like my friend divide the children into age groups and have them each do a different activity. If parents or older children are attending they can also play the St Patrick’s Day games along with the children.

Play dough is fun for children of all ages and can be very relaxing. Many adults also enjoy working with play dough. My children love when we make our own playdough, they love to make their very own colors. Here’s a simple recipe for play dough that uses ingredients you probably have right in your kitchen. This is a great arts and craft activity.

Play Dough Ingredients

For each ball of play dough you will need:

• Food coloring - assorted colors
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup salt
• 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
• 1 cup flour

Mix salt, cream of tartar and flour in a small pot. Into your cup of water add the vegetable oil and what ever color food coloring. Just a couple drops of food coloring, mix colors if desired. Slowly pour the water/oil/food coloring into the pot with the flour mix stirring as you pour. Mix until smooth. Now slowly heat the mix until it forms a ball. Remove from heat and let cool. Once it has cooled knead it until it is very soft. Your playdough is now ready!

Store the playdough in a small container. I like to reuse small deli containers. The play dough will keep about 3 months or so.

When you hear high blood pressure you may think it’s an adult disease but it is becoming more common among children of all ages. It is important to make sure your child’s doctor is monitoring your child’s blood pressure at each visit. Talk with your pediatrician about your child’s blood pressure. The normal blood pressure of a child is very different than that of an adult. A doctor must take into account the child’s age, sex and height in order to evaluate whether a child has high blood pressure. Untreated, hypertension can cause serious side effects

Although a family history of hypertension is a factor, another major cause of hypertension in children is the rise in obesity among children. Being overweight increases the risks of developing hypertension. To help reduce the risk for your child be sure to offer healthy snacks. Try to limit salt and fats.

Make sure your child is getting enough exercise. Turn off the television and video games and get your child moving. It is important to remember that someone does not need to be overweight to have hypertension, even someone of healthy average weight can have high blood pressure.

Other conditions may cause or be related to hypertension in children so it is important to know the risks. For example, a child with Neurofibromatosis may be at an increased risk for high blood pressure. It is important know your child’s risks and talk with your children’s doctors. Take an active role and also set an example for your child by taking care of your own health.

If your or your child have high blood pressure it is a good idea to have a medical alert tag. The tags should be engraved with the condition and medications taken. Also list emergency contact information or carry a card in wallet or pocket with this information. Read more about Medical alert tags for children and
adults.

My ten year old daughter and I went to see the movie “Hannah Montana & Miley Cyrus Best of Both Worlds Concert 3D Movie”. We were one of those that went on the first weekend of it’s release, back when it was a “limited engagement”. I never for a moment thought it would only show for a week but my daughter really wanted to go and was worried we’d miss it. All it took was one “What if you’re wrong mom?”  to convince me to go at 8 am on Sunday morning for double the usual ticket price.

It was a good movie - I enjoyed it and my daughter and all the other tweeners, teens and younger girls loved it. It would havebeen nice if there was another song or two, but all in all a good movie.

Over the past week or so there has been a lot of airtime devoted to discussing how Miley Cyrus and her dad, Billy Ray Cyrus, did not wear their seatbelts. Personally I don’t even remember the scene with them in the Range Rover. I asked my daughter if she remembers anything about Miley and her father not wearing seatbelts. She replied that she did not pay attention to whether they put on a seatbelt. According to my daughter it is an automatic thing that when you get in a car you put it on.

We have always had the rule that everyone puts on a seatbelt. When my children were young enough and small enough for car seats and booster seats they used them. They know we will not move the car unless everyone is buckled up properly. My children know when they get in a car, any car, they buckle up. As my daughter said, it does not matter what we see someone else do, the rule is “Buckle Up!”. She went on to say “I don’t care what they did, it was just acting in a movie. I know right from wrong.” I am happy to know that she thinks like this. We once spent 15 minutes digging out
a seatbelt in my father-in-law’s car so it is definitely a habit.

I have always instilled in my children the importance of wearing seatbelts. I share the story of my car accident many years ago, long before they were born. The force of the impact in that car accident was enough to rip the front seat from the floor of the car. I stayed buckled to the seat which got stuck by the dashboard. My life was saved because I was wearing a seatbelt.

Perhaps she is influenced by a hazy memory of a car accident we were in. She was almost 2 years old and I was in my final days of pregnancy with my son when we were in an accident. She was safely buckled in her car seat and I was wearing a seatbelt. She did not even suffer a scratch or bump. I also escaped injury although I did have labor pains and put quite a scare into many. The fire department and other emergency personnel credited her lack of injuries to her being properly buckled up in a car seat. A month or so earlier we had stopped by a car seat check that was operated by a AAA and they had made sure our car seats were properly installed.

I can understand the disappointment many have with Miley and her dad not wearing a seatbelt, but I tend to think most did not even notice the lack of seatbelts. I wish the Disney company had put a little more effort into ensuring that the movie encouraged good habits. Having said that, I think the emphasis is still on parents to make sure their children automatically buckle up. If they’ve been doing it since they were born it will be automatic. Besides it’s the law in most areas.

All in all Miley Cyrus seems to be a postive role model. Everyone makes a mistake. I am sure they will correct the scene before it’s released on dvd so this will all be a distant memory, that is if the children even noticed in the first place.

My last thought on the Hannah Montana movie is not really about the movie. What I still wonder is - why in the world were most of the people in the packed theater eating nachos with cheese, popcorn and hotdogs at 8 o’clock in the morning?

Arts and craft activities are great ways to not only fill the hours of both child and parent, they can result in long lasting keepsakes. Making pet rocks or paperweights is a simple activity to chase away boredom. The paperweights make a great gift for parent or grandparent. It is a simple arts and craft for toddlers thru young teens.

Materials needed are simple - some rocks, Tacky glue, paint and items to decorate the rocks. Some good items are scraps of yarn, scraps of foam, small pom poms, google eyes and other similar materials. Flat rocks work best for younger children. Let your child decorate the rock as they want. If they are stuck for ideas on what to do, give them some suggestions. A rock can be made to resemble a person or a pet. Paint the rock what ever color is desired then decorate with hair, eyes, mouth and so on. We have rocks that have foam hats and bow ties.

Older children can probably handle making a stand up pet rock and you can help them by gluing a small round head onto a slightly larger round body. To make a stand up pet rock first paint the head and body if desired. Since it is often easier to do the bulk of the decorating before gluing the head and body together your child should now use Tacky glue to attach eyes, hair and other features. If desired small arms or feet can be made of foam. When done with most of the decorating, you should consider using a glue gun to glue the head and body together after most of the decorating is done.

The petrocks or paperweights can either be simple or very detailed. Let your child’s imagination be your guide. As we mentioned we have pet rocks with hats and ties, a superhero rock that wears a cape, a gardener that holds a small flower and even a pet rock with a dog on a yarn leash.