summerparenting.com

8 SUMMER SLEEP STRATEGIES:
BETTER SLEEP FOR PARENTS AND KIDS

by Ann Douglas

A recent study conducted at Stanford University indicated that at least one in four people find it difficult to get a good night's sleep during the summer months. Here are some tips from Ann Douglas, author of Sleep Solutions for Your Baby, Toddler, and Preschooler, that will helping kids of all ages to beat the heat so that the entire family can get more zzzs.

1. Keep it cool.
Keep your child's room at a comfortable temperature—ideally in the 68° to 72° Fahrenheit range. If you want to be "green" as well as cool, only air condition the sleeping area of your home and aim for the lower end of the temperature range—and rely on other methods of ventilation (ceiling fans, fresh air via child safe window ventilation systems) as often as possible.
2. Swaddle smart.
If your baby likes to be swaddled for comfort, make sure the swaddle isn't causing your baby to become too warm. Switch to a light-weight fabric and consider removing all layers of clothing except for your baby's diaper. Important: Be sure to pay attention to all necessary precautions when swaddling your baby. Don't wrap your baby too tightly and make sure the swaddling cloth won't come loose and cover your baby's face.
3. Do a temperature check-in.
To roughly gauge if your baby is too warm, put your hand on the back of your baby's neck to see if she's sweating. Your baby's hands and feet don't provide a reliable enough indication of her overall body temperature.
4. Darken the room.
Blackout liners and blackout shades can help make your child's room darker if she has a hard time getting to sleep when it's bright outside.
5. Give your kids the big chill.
Encourage your child to cool down with a pre-bedtime shower or bath. Or simply encourage them to soak their feet before tuck-in-time if they protest the idea of getting clean again. Giving your feet the big chill can really help to bring your overall body temperature down.
6. Do an anxiety check while you're tucking in your child.
Spend some time talking to your child at bedtime so he'll have a chance to open up about any scary or upsetting experiences (like being chased down the street by a strange dog or falling off a swing) that may make it difficult for him to relax and fall asleep.
7. Avoid holiday jet lag.
Resist the temptation to allow family members' eating and sleeping habits to get too far off track while you're on summer vacation. Otherwise, you'll experience the biological equivalent of "jet lag," whether you stepped on an airplane or not.
8. Watch the caffeine.
Watch your kids' intake of caffeine while you're on holidays, particularly if you're dining out at fast-food restaurants. Encourage them to order milk (plain or chocolate-flavored) rather than caffeinated soft drinks and to go easy on chocolate bars and other treats that are common sources of caffeine in kids' diets.

10 REAL-WORLD SUMMER MEALTIME SOLUTIONS:
MORE DINING, LESS WHINING

by Ann Douglas

All bets are off when it comes to feeding kids during the summer months: who knows what foods will be appealing on super-hot days and who will even be at the dinner-table at a time of year when schedules tend to get tossed out the window on a regular basis? Here are some suggestions that are high in kid-appeal and ways of taking the stress out of mealtimes during what should be a fun and low-stress time of year.

1. Keep it fresh.
Take advantage of the wide availability of farm-fresh produce while it's in season. Foods like blueberries aren't just delicious: they're also rich in nutrients and high in kid-appeal.
2. Get your kids in on the meal-planning act.
They’ll be less likely to gripe about what shows up on the dinner-table or go into great theatrics about how there’s “nothing to eat” in the house if they had a role to play in planning meals, drawing up the grocery list, or—better yet—helping you choose some fresher-than-fresh produce at the local farmer's market.
3. Stock up.
It can be hard to predict ahead of time how many extra kids will show up at your dinner-table during the summer months. And be sure to stock up on foods that can be enjoyed on the run: cheese cubes, hard-boiled eggs, bagels, homemade muffins, and the like.
4. Get ahead of the game.
Do some food preparation ahead of time or look for items in the grocery store that can save you time on the food preparation front (e.g., salad in a bag, mini-carrots, etc.). Prepare foods as soon as possible after arriving home from the grocery store or the farmer's market. That way, your kids will have plenty of healthy foods to snack on when the munchies strike.
5. Plan meals that require minimal preparation and very little clean up.
Think grilled meat or fish or vegetarian protein; a baked potato; some fresh vegetables (grilled, raw, or made into a salad); and some fresh fruit. Hint: If you throw a few extra pieces of meat on the grill, you’ll end up with some tempting leftovers for meals and snacks the next day.
6. Go for quick and easy menus.
Load up on cookbooks that feature menus that can be whipped up quickly and easily, and that are both healthy and kid-friendly. (Ask other parents and your local bookseller for recommendations.)
7. Beat the heat.
Aim for no-cook meals at this time of year or meals that avoid very little oven time preparation (to avoid heating up the kitchen) .
8. Batch cook.
Make at least one extra meal on the weekends, either by cooking that meal all by itself and popping in the freezer, or by making “doubles” of one of your family’s weekend meals (e.g., a double batch of spaghetti sauce or lasagna) so that you can have leftovers during the week.
9. Have “leftover night” or “make your own dinner night” at least once a week.
It’s a great way to clean out the refrigerator, give yourself a break from cooking, and allow your kids to make themselves something they’ll really enjoy. It’s a win-win situation all around.
10. Schedule family picnics on a regular basis.
Even if your kids try to convince you that they’re too old for picnics, encourage them to join in the fun anyway. Summer tends to whiz by in a flash: who wants to spend it being holed up in a kitchen?

4 MUST-HAVES FOR YOUR FAMILY TRAVEL KIT

by Ann Douglas

Traveling with kids is easy—if you have the right gear on board. Here are some tips on what to pack and why:

Food and drinks: Tote along a cooler packed with healthy snacks if your family is going to be hitting the road for a family vacation. That way, you won't have to rely on whatever snacks are available at the roadside fast food restaurant where you decide to pull over for your family rest stop. Some solid bets for the cooler: low-fat chocolate milk or soy beverage, fresh fruit and veggies, and oatmeal-raisin cookies (homemade, if you can swing it).
Cleaning essentials: Hand-sanitizer is great for washing hands at roadside picnic tables. Baby wipes are great for cleaning up mealtime messes (and pretty much any other mess that goes with kids), but a more earth-friendly option is to tote along wet, soapy washcloths in a zipper-sealed bag.
On-board entertainment: Pack a back-seat organizer with age-appropriate toys and learning materials. Craft kits, magnetic board games, felt boards, puppets, books, and a lap-desk are always good bets. Music and audiobooks can help pass the time on a long and boring stretch of highway. Note: if you have a portable DVD player and it can play mp3s, you might be interested to know that a single DVD can hold 1400 songs.
Comfort: Neck supports (available in both kid and adult sizes) may encourage kids to nap on the go.

HEAD OFF COUCH POTATO SYNDROME:
5 SUMMER FITNESS SOLUTIONS FOR KIDS AND PARENTS

by Ann Douglas

A recent study looking at the growth patterns of 5,380 kindergarteners and first-graders revealed that kids gain weight twice as rapidly during the summer months than during the school year. In addition to keeping tabs on the amount of junk food in the home and encouraging kids to plan snacks and meals (as opposed to "grazing" all day long), a more active lifestyle will help kids to avoid unnecessary weight gain. Here are some tips from Ann Douglas, author of Mealtime Solutions for Your Baby, Toddler, and Preschooler and The Mother of All Parenting Books, on encouraging kids to be physically active during the summer months.

1. Budget screen time.
Screen time includes TV time, computer time, and video games—any form of entertainment that involves staring at a screen.
2. Give your kids the chance to play recreation director.
Encourage each of your kids to pick at least one new sport or activity they’d like to try this summer, and then try to figure out a way to fit that sport or activity into your family’s summer plans.
3. Get other families on your block on board.
Join forces with other parents and organize a joint activity so you can motivate everyone's kids to get moving together. It's hard to encourage your own kids to be active if there's no one for them to play with.
4. Be prepared to walk the talk as a parent.
Kids pay attention to what you do more than what you see. If all they see is you sitting on the couch, they won't be as motivated to get off the couch themselves.
5. Reserve the hour after dinner for active play.
Leave the dishes in the sink and use that hour after dinner to enjoy some active outdoor playtime with your kids. Go for a bike ride as a family. Play a game of “eye spy” as you walk around the block.

AVOIDING THE B-WORD
24 SUMMER BOREDOM BUSTERS

by Ann Douglas

Teaching your kids to learn how enjoy simple, old-fashioned fun. You won't get trapped on the "I need a new toy every week" spending treadmill and your kids will be able to entertain themselves any place, any time (which means less whining, less fighting with siblings, and fewer discipline problems for you). Here are some activity ideas from Ann Douglas, author of The Mother of All Toddler Books and The Mother of All Parenting Books.

1. Design your own board game.
If you’ve got a kid who’s a board game freak, toss him the ultimate challenge (along with a set of dice): ask him to design his own board game and to teach the rest of the family to play. He can borrow elements from existing board games or create his own game from scratch using materials you have around the house.
2. Start your own family blog.
Keeping a web log (or “blog”) is the hottest online craze. Your family can get in on the fun for free by signing up for a blog with one of the free services like Blogger.com. You can use your blog to keep in touch with friends and family members across the country, share artwork and family recipes, swap photos, or keep a trip diary while you’re traveling.
3. Organize a treasure hunt.
Encourage your kids to plan an indoor or outdoor treasure hunt for their friends, complete with a treasure map.Host a neighborhood fun day. Play it straight by sticking to tried-and-true picnic games like the wheelbarrow race, the egg toss, x's and o'x beanbag toss, and the three-legged race or go a little crazy by coming up with your own wacky events—like playing a game of road hockey using pool noodles and a beach ball. Let the games begin!
4. Start your own parent-child book club.
Pick a book that both parents and kids would enjoy and send out book-shaped invitations to your book club guests. If you want to get really fancy, bake a book-shaped cake, too. It's a great way to keep the kids on track with reading during the summer months (and to get through some of the books on their summer reading lists, if they were assigned a long list of "must reads" at the end of the school year).
5. Help your preteens to plan their own murder mystery party.
They’ll have fun planning everything from the menu to the “murder.”
6. Schedule a neighbourhood movie night.
Rent a few kid-friendly flicks and make a smorgasbord of healthy snacks, keeping allergy and choking hazards in mind. Then get ready to enjoy some great movies together.
7. Make a fort—indoors or outdoors.
It's a childhood rite-of-passage that every kid should experience.
8. Plan a progressive dinner with other families on your block.
Have veggies and dip at one house, pizza at another house, and a fresh fruit buffet at a third house. (It’s kind of like playing follow the leader, except you’re playing follow the food!)
9. Make your own jigsaw puzzle out of a thick piece of cardboard.
Or buy a pre-cut jigsaw puzzle kit at your local craft store. You can also find puzzle template online that turn your photos into puzzles. Your child's favorite stuffed animal can become a puzzle in a flash.
10. Decorate clay flowerpots.
To keep the paint from rubbing off, finish the flowerpot by spraying on a layer of spray-on acrylic. Or leave it "au naturel," if you prefer.
11. Make hand puppets out of a pair of oven mitts.
Glue or sew on fabric, felt, hair, buttons, sequins, and other materials to finish your puppet. Then have your own puppet show.
12. Make a map of your house, your backyard, or your neighborhood.
When you’re finished making your map, laminate it and hang it on the wall.
13. Go back to collage.
Make a collage out of pictures cut out of magazines, brightly colored swatches of paper and fabric, and “found objects” from around the house—popsicle sticks, feathers, wallpaper remnants, ad flyers, old sewing patterns, and miscellaneous kid-friendly treasures.
14. Play architect.
Turn an old shoe box into a miniature dream home. (The lid makes an ideal “roof.”)
15. Make your own musical instruments.
An old coffee tin makes an ideal drum, provided you file off any rough edges and glue the lid on tightly. An unsharpened pencil with an eraser on the end makes a great drumstick!
16. Start climbing your family tree.
Send e-mails and letters off to relatives asking them to share their best family history stories via a postcard, letter, or email. If they have access to a computer scanner, ask them to scan in the best and oldest family photos in their possession so that everyone has copies.
17. Make your own placemats.
Draw colourful designs on a piece of construction paper and have your artwork laminated at your local office supply store.
18. Make face masks out of paper plates or paper plates.
Then write a play based on the colorful characters you've created.
19. Host a backyard craft party.
That way, your kids can enjoy really hands-on art activities without anyone having to even think about the mess: painting with squirt bottles, finger-painting with their feet, and finding never-before-dreamed-of ways of using glue.
20. Make a flower power t-shirt.
It's a great way to get additional mileage out of a t-shirt with a spot or stain. Simply paint flowers over the stained area using fabric paints. Suddenly, this castaway t-shirt will become a "brand new" favorite.
21. Create a seashell picture frame.
Seashells and sand can be used to give an old wooden picture frame a really summery feel. Glue on a seashells using a glue gun. (Seashells are available from a craft store.) Sprinkle sand on the remaining glue and you’ll end up with a sparkly treasure that can showcase artwork or family vacation photos.
22. Whip up some "homemade fossils".
Press an object (e.g. a shell with ridges) into a piece of clay and then spoon plaster of paris on top of the clay mould they’ve created. Once the plaster of paris is fully hardened, simply peel away the clay to reveal the fossil.
23. Play "shoe scramble".
Everyone chucks their shoes in a pile. When the whistle blows, you have to scramble to find your own shoes and get them on your feet. Note: To level the playing field a little, everyone over the age of five has to wear a blindfold!
24. Try your hand a mirror writing.
Show your kids how to write “backwards” messages by printing letters and words backwards so that the messages can be read when they’re held up to a mirror. Hint: Older kids will find the activity more challenging if they try using handwriting rather than printing.

7-STEP SUMMER SAFETY CHECKLIST
KEEPING KIDS SAFE DURING THE TOP SEASON FOR INJURIES

by Ann Douglas

Summer isn’t just the season for catching bugs, running through the sprinkler, and licking ice cream cones. It’s also the season when children are most likely to be injured. The good news is that the majority of these injuries are preventable. Ann Douglas, author of The Mother of All Baby Books, The Mother of All Toddler Books, and The Mother of All Parenting Books, offers this seven step plan for avoiding the top summer hazards for young children.

1. Don’t overestimate your child’s road safety skills.
Your eight year old may seem to be road-smart, but he’s probably not ready to ride his bike or rollerblade on the street just yet. Studies have shown that most children aren’t able to make safe judgments about traffic situations until they’re nine years of age or older. This is because they can’t see out of the corners of their eyes as well as adults can, they are less able to pinpoint the direction that a sound is coming from, they have trouble judging how quickly a vehicle is traveling towards them or how far away it is, and they are easily distracted. That’s why it’s important for you to carefully supervise your kids when they’re riding their bikes on or near the road and to be careful not to overestimate their road safety skills.
2. Make sure that your backyard playground is safe.
Carefully check your backyard playground equipment, looking for sharp edges, broken parts, animal feces, puddles of water that could pose a drowning hazard, debris, and other hazards that could result in injury. Supervising outdoor play closely (e.g. standing right beside your child as opposed to supervising from a nearby park bench) and you should make a point of teaching your children the principles of safe play (e.g. not tying skipping ropes to the playground equipment, due to the risk of strangulation).
3. Take steps to prevent a drowning tragedy.
Drowning is one of the leading causes of death for children between the ages of one and four, second only to motor vehicle accidents. Children can drown in less than 1 1/2 inches of water—just enough water to cover the nose and mouth—and the majority of drowning tragedies occur when an adult’s attention is momentarily distracted (e.g. someone runs in the house for a moment to answer the phone). Many accidental drownings can be prevented by turning wading pools upside down when they are not in use, by ensuring that fences around full-sized swimming pools meet municipal standards and that they are designed in such a way that they cannot be climbed by young children, and by ensuring that children are properly supervised whenever they’re playing in or near water.
4. Help your child to avoid sports injuries.
Ensure that your child wears the appropriate protective gear and teach your child the importance of warming up and stretching before each practice. You may also want to consider having your child play sports year round. Children who play one sport a year are more likely to experience strains and other related injuries.
5. Teach your child how to avoid dog bites.
Teach your child to stand still if he is approached or chased by a strange dog. Make sure that he understands the importance of not running, kicking, or making threatening gestures toward the dog, no matter how frightened he may feel. Instead, he should face the dog and back away slowly until he’s out of the dog’s reach.
6. Keep fireworks out of your child’s reach.
Make it a family rule that only adults can handle fireworks. Nearly half of the people injured by fireworks each year are children under the age of 15.
7. Teach your child to be sun smart.
Protect your children from the harmful effects of the sun. Most cases of skin cancer could be avoided if people practiced proper sun safety. Children should wear sunhats and suncreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 15 (according to the American Academy of Pediatrics) and they should avoid the sun around midday, when the sun’s rays are strongest. Be sure to reapply your child’s sunscreen throughout the day to ensure maximum protection.

KEEP IT COOL, MAMA
5 STRATEGIES FOR BEATING THE HEAT DURING PREGNANCY

by Ann Douglas

Ann Douglas, author of The Mother of All Pregnancy Books, offers these five mom-proven strategies for staying cool despite the dual-challenges of pregnancy and soaring summer temperatures.

1. Dress the part of the sizzling hot mama-to-be.
Zero in on comfortable, free-flowing styles made from breathable fabrics—whatever you can find to keep yourself cool. The same goes for sleepwear: choose loose-fitting sleepwear and light-weight cotton sheets: they’re your best bet for getting some zzzs.
2. Install a ceiling fan in your bedroom.
Keeping the air circulating will help to keep you cool and will also help to minimize odors (a common morning sickness trigger). (See summer sleep tips, above, for more ideas.)
3. Rely on some of the same instant cool-down techniques that your great-grandmother relied on to stay cool a century ago.
Apply a cold cloth to the nape of your neck and dip your wrists into a bowl full of cool water. Dip your feet in a basin filled with the coldest water you can stand.
4. Stay well hydrated.
Keep a jug of ice water within easy reach so you’ll keep refilling your glass throughout the day. Add a few slices of cucumber or orange for an extra-refreshing effect.
5. Avoid exercising during the hottest times of day.
Time your workouts for early morning or in the evening, or plan to work out in an air-conditioned facility or in a swimming pool. In other words, keep it cool.