Childhood Safety-Fire

Childhood Safety: Fire

I would have to say that this is one area that I am most concerned about yet we have no plan of action. I think in the back of my mind I think we could get out without one but WHAT IF? What if the fire separates me from my son and I have not taught him what to do or how to get out.

This article is as much for you as it is for me. Our son had been through fire training in school but the home fire plan is just that a home lesson. I realized that the windows in his room do not even open far enough for him to get out. It is so important that I make this a priority as you should too.

Home fire plan:

1.Know the floor plan of your home
2. Know the way out of the house
3. Have smoke alarms in the main rooms in the house
4. Meeting place
5. Practice

You will need to go over the plan many times as a family and quarterly practice an actual fire drill. It would be helpful to get your children fire ladders for there room so they are not stuck in the room. Go over the basic procedures for a fire and fire precautions such as:

1. Stop, Drop and roll
2. Not playing with fire
3. Never leave candles burning
4. Cooking safety-cook with adults, use pot holders, never leave food unattended
5. Electrical safety- using electrical outlets in proper way, proper working order on cords
6. Heating safety- don’t put things near direct heat source, fireplace safety-screens, chimney checked
7. Fire Alarm safety- replace batteries and make sure they function

Fire Safety is so important to the family and our knowledge will go along way toward prevention and practical use if ever needed. Take the time today to have a mock fire drill in your home and protect your family.

(playsets, swingsets, Atlanta playsets)

Top 10 things to do get you kids off the computer

1. Send them outside to play on the playset

2. Have them do chores

3. Get out homework

4. Create fun activities

5. Call a friend to come over

6. Help a neighbor

7. Start a business

8. Create a new game for the family to play

9. Ride bike outside

10. Talk with mom and dad

I have went AWOL…

I have went AWOL on my normal post style and it has been replaced by my ever increasing article submission. I have been writing these articles and you my blog friends get to be privy to all that my mind has to offer. So slim!

Anyway there is so much going on in my life that it is impossible to keep up with the rapid pace at which it keeps changing. I hope you have been enjoying the articles and sharing the blog with your friends. I am at the beginning of a Childhood Safety series that I am excited about- I hope you will follow along and learn something along the way.
If you are missing my regular blogging follow me at http://onhisplans.wordpress.com/

Childhood Safety: The Playground

Childhood Safety: The Playground

I have decided to do a series on Childhood safety and I will start with the playground since it is most nearest and dearest to my heart. There are many concerns for parents and children when playing on the playground. From the obvious to the not so obvious. This article will prepare you the parent to prepare you child for what to look for on the playground.

Lets start with the obvious things that we might over look.

1. Adult supervision: Always stay near and pay attention to your young children on the playground. It is easy to get distracted and that is when the safety issues will become a problem
2. Improper care of equipment: Make sure the playset has been properly maintained. If it is a backyard playset make sure to have professional help you out every few years to tighten bolts and general safety inspections. At a public playground make sure it looks like it has been taken care of and that there are no broken parts.
3. Improper surfaces: Make sure that the playset is on a soft surface to protect from falls
4. Predators: Make sure there are no loitering adults without children around a playground. Keep close eye on any suspicious person
5.Check inside any enclosure for spiders or other animals that might be inside the enclosed space

Those are a few of the basic safety concerns when playing on playground equipment. Kids are fast so I suggest if they are on a piece of equipment that is off the ground that you be near to help if they are young. Falls are the number one injury at any playground and you can avoid that by staying close by and paying full attention to the kids as they play.

The top ten list for keeping you playground safe:

1.Have a soft surface around the playset at least 12 inches thick
2. Equipment should have a 6 foot use zone
3. Any opening should be less than 3.5 inches apart or more than 9 inches
4.Guard rails around all platforms off the ground over 48 inches
5.Look for exposed concrete footing
6.Check for sharp edges
7.Make sure you kids play on age appropriate equipment
8.Playground should be maintained
9.Remove hoods or drawstrings that could get caught
10.SUPERVISION!!!!!!

Kids of all ages enjoy playing on the playground. Keep your kids safe and observe the playground or play set before you allow them to play. Always be focused on them as they play and you and your family should have a safe and fun time.

Childhood Safety: The Playground

Childhood Safety: The Playground

I have decided to do a series on Childhood safety and I will start with the playground since it is most nearest and dearest to my heart. There are many concerns for parents and children when playing on the playground. From the obvious to the not so obvious. This article will prepare you the parent to prepare you child for what to look for on the playground.

Lets start with the obvious things that we might over look.

1. Adult supervision: Always stay near and pay attention to your young children on the playground. It is easy to get distracted and that is when the safety issues will become a problem
2. Improper care of equipment: Make sure the playset has been properly maintained. If it is a backyard playset make sure to have professional help you out every few years to tighten bolts and general safety inspections. At a public playground make sure it looks like it has been taken care of and that there are no broken parts.
3. Improper surfaces: Make sure that the playset is on a soft surface to protect from falls
4. Predators: Make sure there are no loitering adults without children around a playground. Keep close eye on any suspicious person
5.Check inside any enclosure for spiders or other animals that might be inside the enclosed space

Those are a few of the basic safety concerns when playing on playground equipment. Kids are fast so I suggest if they are on a piece of equipment that is off the ground that you be near to help if they are young. Falls are the number one injury at any playground and you can avoid that by staying close by and paying full attention to the kids as they play.

The top ten list for keeping you playground safe:

1.Have a soft surface around the playset at least 12 inches thick
2. Equipment should have a 6 foot use zone
3. Any opening should be less than 3.5 inches apart or more than 9 inches
4.Guard rails around all platforms off the ground over 48 inches
5.Look for exposed concrete footing
6.Check for sharp edges
7.Make sure you kids play on age appropriate equipment
8.Playground should be maintained
9.Remove hoods or drawstrings that could get caught
10.SUPERVISION!!!!!!

Kids of all ages enjoy playing on the playground. Keep your kids safe and observe the playground or play set before you allow them to play. Always be focused on them as they play and you and your family should have a safe and fun time.

Fun Fitness for the Family

Fun Fitness /Nutrition for the Family

So you say, “How do I get my family to exercise and eat right?” It all starts with you and a good attitude. It seems that attitude accounts for about 90% of life and whether our choices will become habits. I can say that I have had many bad habits in my life but the good ones out weigh the bad. When you are focused on the good habits they will win over the bad.

If you will take this idea into your families fitness and nutrition you will be successful. I have heard it said that it takes 21 days to make a habit. 21 days of choosing the right thing and it will be more natural for you. 21 days of a good attitude, 21 days of eating right, 21 days of exercise.

If you are a mom, I appeal to that. You are so important in how and what your family choose in regards to food and fitness. I can say first hand that it is hard but if you put into practice, and stick with it you will find that you have less and less resistance. I am the preparer of most meal in my family and if this is you then you have control. No more making different meals for different kids. No more processed foods. Make a menu at the beginning of the week and let the kids get involved picking healthy options. After dinner go for a family walk around the neighborhood. This is a lifestyle choice not a diet or fad. I fear that many of our children will be obese due to lack of planning and execution of a healthy lifestyle. Not a DIET but a way of living.

So how can we get the family involved:

1. Mom sets the tone for the family-Set the example
2. Family decided together the menu
3. Family members choice activity (take turns)
4. Do short workout throughout the day
5. Pick fruit or veggies for snacks
6. Change your mentality about dessert- use fruit and yogurt-naturally occurring sugars
7. Stop buying processed foods
8. Make one meal out of the week a special meal where you can choice the sweets and such
9. Family hobby- hiking, biking
10. Outdoor playgrounds or residential playsets are a fun place for the kids to get in exercise

It is our responsibility as parents to teach our children and we are falling short in this area. So many children cannot even pick out healthy food choices given the choice. Where are we falling short? In our homes! There is no excuse in this age of information to be lacking in knowledge of how to eat right and workout. If you need help or direction there are so many sources on the internet. You are always welcome to email me at http://www.FitnessRN.net
God Bless you as you equip your children with the knowledge to live a healthy lifestyle.

Back to School- The little things matter- EXERCISE

Back to School- The little things matter- EXERCISE

Do you ever get the idea that exercise is slowly leaving our culture. Kids especially are lacking in physical exercise and seem to be on the computer or inside more and more. The obesity statistics for American children are staggering. It really saddens my heart to see obese children. My desire to help other children learn to love exercise is fueled by my own son. I desire to teach him the proper nutrition and exercise patterns to be a healthy child and adult. The thing is kids in the past did not have to worry about this as much because they were out playing all afternoon. Our children MUST learn how to eat right and exercise otherwise they WILL have weight issues. Another big thing we have now is processed food and more fast food options. Processed foods usually are high in calories with little nutrient qualities. So you wonder how do I get my kids to exercise. I have a few idea…..

1. A outdoor playset -is a great way to get your kids out exercising in disguise. The more climbing option you have the better. Encourage them to get out there and use their imaginations it will help with creativity and physical health.

2. Wii- The Wii is a great way to get the kids up and playing. They think once again they are having fun but they are burning calories as they play.

3. Sports-If you have a sports minded kid get them involved in a sports team.

4. Boot Camp family style- Lead a evening boot camp with the whole family and let the kids lead. Nothing like leading to get them involved.

5. Dance- Zumba has a kids version or just make up your own dance and dance your heart out for 30 minutes.

6. Jump rope- Create a jump rope routine

7. Trampoline- Get out and bounce for awhile- Great calories burner

8. Hula-hoop- Great for core strength and so much fun.

I have found that the key to fitness is music. If you have the right motivating music you and your kids will work that much harder. The other important thing is consistency. The kids will not keep the consistency if you do not enforce it. I found that out first hand this morning when my homeschooler talked me out of going for our morning exercise. YOU are the key to teaching your children how to take care of body. Don’t let them down.

Back to School-The little things-NUTRITION

Back to school: The little things-Nutrition

It is amazing the things we put in our mouths and the mouths of our children. Most kids have no idea what a balanced meal looks like. Living on the go and eating processed food has really left our kids at a disadvantage. I am guilty of this myself. Life is so busy it is easy to grab a quick bite at the fast food place or throw in a frozen meal but our kids are really missing the link to a healthy life.

I had my son do a program from the USDA that has him create a healthy balanced meal and he had a hard time. I am into health and healthy foods but I guess I have missed the mark along the way. When kids think healthy, they think gross but there are so many ways to disguise the good stuff and make it enjoyable. I had a friend mention to me that she now makes her potatoes with cauliflower. Imagine that!!

With all the knowledge and resources we have today it is shameful what we have done to our bodies with the choice we make. We all know that this stuff is not good for us yet it is convenient. What is not convenient will be the toll that is played out in society as our children grow up with no foundation of a healthy balanced meal. I want to share a few ideas and recipes that will help you and your family incorporate some healthy and tasty snacks and meals that you will be proud to say you served your kids.

1.String cheese or cube cheese
2. Nuts
3. Fruit
4.Natural peanut butter
5. 100 calories packs of chips or cookies
6. Pudding
7. Jello
8. Pretzels
9. Yougurt
10.Fruit Smoothies

Granola Bars
Ingredients
3 cups quick-cooking oats
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 cup flaked coconut
1 cup sliced almonds
1 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup sweetened dried cranberries
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9×13 inch pan.
In a large bowl, mix together the oats, sweetened condensed milk, butter, coconut, almonds, chocolate chips and cranberries with your hands until well blended. Press flat into the prepared pan.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in the preheated oven, depending on how crunchy you want them. Lightly browned just around the edges will give you moist, chewy bars. Let cool for 5 minutes, cut into squares then let cool completely before serving.
Nutritional Information 
Amount Per Serving Calories: 144 | Total Fat: 5.9g | Cholesterol: 8mg
Nutritional Information
Easy Granola Bars
Servings Per Recipe: 24
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 144
Total Fat: 5.9g
Cholesterol: 8mg
Sodium: 37mg
Total Carbs: 20.2g
Dietary Fiber: 1.9g
Protein: 3.6g
VIEW DETAILED NUTRITION
About: Nutrition Info
Powered by: ESHA Nutrient Database

Let you kids get involved in making the decisions and use it as a teaching time. Keep the high fat and JUNK food out of the pantry. Fill the pantry with whole grains, fruits and other nutrient dense food sources. Let you kids prepare dinner with you and the weekly menu. Ask them for healthy food choices as you are preparing and teach as you are preparing. The kitchen is a great place to talk through food items and what is considered a good balanced meal. Of course you would not have all starches at dinner but your kids need to know that and then why it is important to balance your meals. We are raising the future generation of citizens and it is important that we equip them well to feed the body for optimal health.

Food is fuel and we need to teach our children how to put the right fuel in their bodies. You would not put the wrong gas in our cars but we will fuel our children’s body with the wrong fuel. It is time to step up and take responsibility for teaching our children how to be healthy children and one day healthy adults. As my pastor is fond of saying,” We are not raising children we are raising adults. We like to end our day out on the swing enjoying the breeze and enjoying the fact that we fed our bodies good. If I really fed it well, I like to climb up in the playset and work off some of those health calories.

Back to School- The little things-SLEEP

Back to school: The little things-SLEEP

I have been thinking about why sleep is so important and how can we get our kids and even ourselves to realize how important it really is to good health and good brain function. The average child needs around 10 hours a night of course that depends on the child and their activity level. My son needs at least 10-12 to function at his optimal level. Any less and I notice a snappy attitude and whining . I know the biggest issue with today children and parents is probably schedule and what all is on the schedule. I cannot tell you how to run your family but I prioritize sleep. Sleep is the bodies way of repairing itself and preparing for the next day. It is bad enough we do it to ourselves but when we pack our kids schedule so full that their sleep suffers we are doing them a disservice.

I do not have a fail prove way to make sure that our children get enough sleep but I know that a schedule is about the most important thing you can do for yourself and them. It seems sticking to a schedule sometimes is the hard part. Lay out a schedule and then try to work your life around it. When my son was a baby, he was on a tight sleep schedule and he thrived. He was such a good sleeper and still is. It is harder as they get older to make it stick quite the same but the schedule is the start.

Another important factor is a bedtime routine-It might look like this
Have a light snack Take a bath. Put on pajamas. Brush teeth. Read a story. Make sure the room is quiet and at a comfortable temperature. Put your child to bed. Say goodnight and leave. Nightly routines are the part the provides the comfort and ease for bedtime.
There are many things you can do to make is smoother such as limiting TV, keep a bedtime environment with special lighting or music. These things bring comfort and relaxation into our children’s bedtime routines

Sleep is beneficial:
1. Sleep Restores the brain
2. To little sleep can cause issues with hormones leading to obesity
3. To little sleep causes behavior issues
4. School performance suffers
5. You will sleep more also

http://www.sleepforkids.org/html/games.html Great resource for reaching your children the importance of sleep.

Back to school means back to a schedule and back to a routine for sleeping. We always like to go outside and swing on the playset to start our bedtime routine. It is a nice a soothing activity that helps us wind down and have time to discuss the day. Don’t forget the importance of talking to your kids about their day because there day will affect their sleep. Happy sleeping!

Back to School- The little things that count!

Getting back into school: The little things matter

Wow the summer just flew by and here we are in the second week of school at our house. I am a home school mom and boy has my life changed. It is really the small things that I have found hard to get adjusted to but they also cause the most chaos in our home.

1. Back to a sleep time:Boy, during the summer you kind of head to bed when you are tired but now it is so important that we actually go to sleep on time. Nothing like trying to teach a cranky kid so the number one small thing you can do is make a plan and stick to the plan. Do not get to far off on the weekends because this to will through the whole week off.

2. Good nutrition: I found that our summer time nutrition is very lacking in nutrients. During the school year, our kids need adequate nutrients to function at optimal level. Make sure to give them a balanced breakfast that includes grains, fruit and milk. Milk does a body good you know. I find that every new school year my family and I end up trying to revamp our eating style. Don’t forget to pack a healthy lunch filled with fruits and veggies and a good protein source. After school the kids are so hungry, so pick healthy foods that will carry them over until dinner. Some ideas are:
Monkey Bars
Applesauce Oatmeal-Raisin Cookies
Walnut-Raisin Somersaults
Carrot Pineapple Sweetbread
Banana Fruit Smoothie
Mixed Berry Smoothie
Hummus
Veggie City Dip
Guacamole for Kids

It is important to eat dinner before it gets to late as that will sometimes make it harder to get a good nights sleep.

3. Exercise: The one thing most American children are lacking is exercise. Kids always want to come in and play video games and such. Get them out for at least 30 minutes of playtime after school. A playset is a great way to get hidden exercise. Pick a playset that offers a lot of climbing features. Swinging is a great way to have fun and burn some calories. Another great idea is a trampoline. Bouncing on the trampoline when tear through some calories and provide a great cardiovascular workout.