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Children’s Summer Camps - Frequently Asked Questions

Summer camp programs can be a wonderful experience for all children if you chose the right camp for them. If you follow certain guidelines, you can help your child have the best experience possible. These steps involve ‘choosing the right type of camp’, checking out the ‘facilities and staff’, and preparing your child for the upcoming children’s summer camp.

The idea of a youth summer camp can induce strong emotions on the part of parents and children. These sensations run the gamut from ‘excitement and fun’ to ‘fear and anxiety’. In many social circles it is a status symbol or a family tradition. The correct reason for providing the camp experience is if it is ‘in the best interest of the child’.

Deciding to camp or not to camp—How does a parent determine what is ‘in the best interest of the child?’ Some questions parents should ask themselves are: -

Are the summer camp activities being used to solve a childcare problem?

Is this an opportunity for my child to learn, grow and experience life in a unique way?

Is my child a risk taker?

Does my child enjoy new experiences even before I am ready to provide them?

Has my child enjoyed overnight experiences with family or friends?

Does my child have friends who attend camp?

Will camp provide prospects for my child to enjoy ‘favorite activities’?

What will be the expenditure for a moderate or super ‘kids summer camp’? Can I bear the burden?

If you answered ‘yes’ to questions two through eight you have it made. If you answered ‘yes’ to question one only, the odds of success are slim. If you answered ‘yes’ to at least four of questions two through eight, the odds are optimal for a successful traditional summer camp experience.

Selecting the right camp to support the interests of your child should be your main aim. Your child wants to camp, but you may have concerns. Be careful not to convey your concerns.

We offer the leading summer camp program source. Check it out only on the youth summer camps planet. All about summer camps on http://www.leandernet.com

Summer Safety Tips For Children

Summer is a fun time, but it’s also a time when a lot of accidents happen. Here are some ways to keep your children safe this summer.

Water safety.
If you have a pool or plan to be around the water at all, then make sure you’ve got all security devices in place. All gates must be locked, and alarms installed, especially if you have non-swimming children at home.

Some general simple rules for children around any body of water are:

1. No running or horseplay near the pool.

2. Kids only swim with an adult watching them.

3. Make sure your children are taking swim lessons that teach, not only the basic strokes, but also survival strokes and basic water safety as well. All American Red Cross certified programs incorporate water safety into their swim lessons.

4. Of course, if lightening is possible, leave the water until the weather risk passes.

5. If your children are swimming in the ocean, follow the flag warnings and be cautious of the tides.

Sun safety.
No matter how old we are or how careful we are, that sun will surprise us and we’ll suffer a burn.

Some simple rules to keep your children safe in the sun are:

1. Always apply sun screen – even if it’s a cloudy day.

2. Have your kids wear a t-shirt and hat if they have fair skin.

3. Make sure you have water proof sunblock on your kids if they’re in the water.

4. Apply sunscreen often, especially if your kids have fair skin or are playing in water.

5. Provide your children with plenty of water, juice, or popsicles. Keep them hydrated to help prevent heat stroke.

Bicycle safety.

Some simple rules to keep your children safe on their bikes are:

1. A helmet is a must. Ask any nurse in any Emergency Room and you’ll find out why.

2. If you’ve got a child who daydreams, wear a whistle around your neck when you go on a bike ride together. If you see him or her being unsafe, you can blow the whistle. This is much more effective than trying to yell.

3. Look for bike paths in the woods. These allow your child to ride freely without the hazards of traffic. Pack a picnic lunch and make a day of it.

So many life-changing accidents are preventable. Make it a safe -- and a fun summer!

Nicole Dean invites you to http://www.ShowKidstheFun.com -- a free website filled with activities to make memories with your children and http://www.ShowMomtheMoney.com -- a fun and informative resource for moms who want to make money from home.

Tips For Air Travel With Your Toddlers

It can be very difficult to travel by airplane with young kids. When you travel by car you can stop every few hours and let your toddler get a little exercise. When on an airplane, however, you are confined to a small space for the duration of the flight. This can be very stressful and difficult on a long flight and if your toddler is cranky, the flight can seem even longer. The following tips might help to make your flight more enjoyable for your toddler, you and the other passengers.

1. Consider purchasing a seat for your toddler. Although you are allowed to fly with your child in your lap, this may not be the most comfortable for you or your child. This will allow you a little more mobility and will make your child more comfortable.

2. Bring games and toys that will keep your toddler entertained. Include a portable DVD player so your child can watch their favorite movies during the long flight. This will help keep your toddler occupied.

3. Food on airplanes is usually limited. Bring along some nutritious snacks for your child to keep them from getting hungry. Include some milk, natural juices, fruit, cheese and crackers. Don’t give your child sugary snacks like sodas and candy. Excessive sugar can make your toddler feel over stimulated.

4. Make sure you have spare diapers and a change of clothes for your child. Remember to bring along zip bags for soiled diapers and dirty clothes. Your fellow passengers will appreciate your containing any offensive odors.

Your child may begin to annoy passengers if he does not behave well on the trip. There is the possibility that you might be seated near someone who loves children and may even try to assist you in finding ways to entertain your child. But then there’s the likelihood that someone will be seated near you who is easily annoyed by children and not at all tolerant. Whatever the case, you want to be polite to your neighbor. Acknowledge your child’s behavior and assure them that you are doing everything possible to control your child.

Flying with your toddler can be stressful, but good preparation such as bringing along necessities for entertainment and nutrition can help to calm your child and make the flight more enjoyable for you, your child and your fellow passengers.

Abby Johnson is a staff writer at Travel Gazette and is an occasional contributor to several other websites.

What to Expect With a Newborn

Caring for a newborn can be an overwhelming task, even if the baby is not your first. The task is best approached with common sense, but common sense is most useful when rooted in experience. Fortunately, even if you are having your first child, there is plenty of experience to draw on - people have been having babies for as long as there have been people.

A newborn baby can bring about a whirlwind of activity, and be a source of excitement. Baby can also bring stress as well as tire you out. Adjusting to life with a newborn can be a major change, and round the clock care for a newborn baby can turn your life upside down. Your newborn will bring a lot of joy to your life, though. Enjoy it, and cope with the rest as it comes.

One thing you need to be sure to do is take care of yourself. You must resist the urge to over-indulge in caffeine. Drink lots of water, eat healthy foods, get fresh air, and if you can, get regular exercise. Also, for your sanity, do something you enjoy every day. You may need to have a little time to yourself to keep you balanced. It is important to take good care of yourself. This will give you the energy to take good care of your newborn baby.

Sleep is at a premium when you have a newborn baby, but get it when you can. If you can, sleep when your baby sleeps, and work out a coordinated schedule with your partner so both of you can rest and still take care of the baby.

No doubt your friends and especially your relatives are eager to spend as much time as possible admiring your new baby. It may make sense for you to establish visiting hours to help you maintain a schedule that works for you and your newborn. Let your visitors know what time is best, and make sure anyone who is not feeling well visits when they are healthy. After all, you don’t want anyone to pass a cold onto your new, vulnerable baby. Now is not the time for social graces; don’t be afraid to be direct. You can also take advantage of the interest in your baby and have friends and family help with household chores so you can get some rest every now and then.

It’s never too early to establish a routine, but you have to let your baby set the pace. Make sure you set aside plenty of time for nursing sessions, naps and crying spells. Don’t schedule too many activities; most of your time is now baby time. Give yourself extra time to pack and get items together when you do have to go somewhere.

Be prepared to have a roller coaster of emotions. You will of course admire your new baby and adore him or her, but there will be times when you grieve for your fatally wounded independence, and worry about your ability to care for a newborn. These may be seconds apart. It’s all part of the process. You will be back to your normal self shortly. It is always OK to ask for help if you need it, and your newborn will thrive as you do.

Maria Cummings is a devoted parent, wife and expert author on family matters and parenting. She is devoted to helping children's organizations and activities. Maria is also the Sales Manager for BustlingBaby.com which offers a variety of baby mobility products, from convertible car seats to lightweight strollers

What Does Your Newborn See In His First Few Days

A young baby is aware of a lot more then we used to think in the past. In fact some of the capabilities of very young children are astonishing. In the “Good Old Days” people thought that a newborn was almost blind. They thought a baby couldn't focus and was more or less colorblind. Meaning that a newborn is only aware of a fuzzy colorless world. We know now that this is not the case.

A newborn is not that little being focused only on himself and his own needs, like hunger, thirst, and other discomfort. From day 1 a newborn is fairly alert, interested and aware of what is happening in his surroundings. He is capable of experiencing and very interested about what is going on is his world. Contrary to old beliefs a baby is able to focus on objects and people that are about 10 inches away. Things that are closer of further away are out of focus, if this were different our newborn would be highly intimidated by the multitude of stimuli. If a child can see color from the moment its born is still unknown, but chances are that he can. And if not he or she will learn in a very short while.

A natural preference for faces

So your baby sees the same things you see, but of course has no idea about its meaning. That's something he has to learn. Still very young children have a clear cut preference for certain objects. He or she will stare (or gaze if you will) to more complicated and will show more interest to moving then to static objects. This is one of the reasons your face is so enormously interesting to him. The eye contact that he is capable of during the first few days is very important for the development of his social skills.

Your baby is programmed so to speak to find your face attractive and inviting. As his interest in your face grows, his interest in the rest of the human species will grow with it.

It takes about 8 months before your baby is really capable of recognizing your face, at that point he or she will temporarily be scared by unfamiliar faces.

Linfa, mother of two is an inspired author of http://www.baby-strollers-guide.com/ and http://www.baby-product-guides.com/

What To Do If Your Newborn Has Jaundice?

Don't panic if your doctor tells you that your newborn baby has jaundice. Jaundice in a newborn baby is a common condition.

Most newborns have normal physiological jaundice and in very rare cases is the jaundice due to serious liver disorders.

Why my baby?

The blood cells in your baby's body are broken up into a yellow pigment called bilirubin. The level of bilirubin needs to be kept normal by the liver and kidneys by excreting it in the baby's poop. But the liver of a newborn baby is not very mature. So bilirubin levels rise in the blood causing yellow pigmentation of the skin.

More than 90% of newborn babies are affected by normal physiological jaundice. So relax. This type of jaundice is seen usually on second or third day of the baby's life and disappears by the 7th or 10th day.

How to tell if your baby has jaundice

Yellow discoloration of the skin and the white of the eye is the key symptom of jaundice. Your baby may also be sleepier than usual. This could be normal physiological jaundice especially when it appears 3-4 days after birth.

Monitor your baby after 1 or 2 days of his birth. You can diagnose jaundice in the newborn baby by doing a very simple test. Press your fingertip against your baby's forehead or nose tip. If it appears white, you have nothing to worry about. If a yellowish color appears, it is time to call your doctor. A blood test might be needed to confirm that there are no specific causes for the jaundice.

More on jaundice in the newborn

Normal physiological jaundice does not affect baby's general health.

Breast milk can also produce jaundice in a few babies. However, the pros of breastfeeding outweigh the condition and you will probably be advised continue breastfeeding.

Premature babies are more prone to developing jaundice. Blood group incompatibility between you and your child can also produce jaundice.

When jaundice is a cause for alarm

If jaundice appears within 24 hours of birth and persists for more than 14 days, it could be pathological jaundice due to a liver condition. Other pointers include baby's refusal to feed, dark yellow urine, pale or clay colored poop and a weak and irritable baby. Call your doctor immediately if you detect any of these warning signs.

How your baby will be treated

Normal physiological jaundice in your newborn does not require any special treatment. Adequate fluid intake is essential. Breast feed your baby at least 8-12 times a day.

A mini sunbath might be recommended. You may be asked to put your baby's crib near the window that gets the maximum sunlight. Make sure you protect baby's eyes and limit exposure to direct sunlight. Follow the instructions from your caregiver.

In case of severe jaundice, phototherapy or bililight therapy will be used. Your baby will be exposed to artificial light, which can decrease the bilirubin levels.

Most newborn babies have jaundice. In some, it so mild that it goes unnoticed and in some babies it may worsen to produce symptoms.

Detecting the symptoms early does help. So do keep a close watch on baby (as if you need telling). If your newborn is diagnosed with jaundice, you now know what to do.

This article has been provided by ParentingSurvivalGuide.com. Please visit our web site at http://www.ParentingSurvivalGuide.com to discover more articles.

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