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Back to School: Ensuring an A+ start to the school year

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Back to school…three words that represent great joy to parents who are ready to get back to routine and bring great anguish and “pain” to kids who aren’t quite ready to give up their summer freedom. In order to ensure a smooth transition from the fun and less structured summer into a new school year, I think it is important as parents to take the time to talk to our children about their worries and concerns going into the fall semester.

Back to School

Back to School: Ensuring an A+ start to the school year

Back to School – Ask Questions

The question could be as simple as, “Is there anything you are worried about for this school year?” I know in my office when I ask this question, I have had many a parent be surprised by the answer their child might give. When we know what our children are worried or afraid of, it makes us, as parents, better equipped to give them the guidance they need to maneuver through the unchartered waters of a new school experience happily and successfully.

Back to School – Set Expectations

I encourage parents to teach children to view school as their job—what better time to start teaching children about work ethic than from the very beginning of school. As parents, we should set expectations for our children in regards to their “job” performance, and if these expectations are not met, then they should be held accountable.

Now, the expectations, as well as the consequences, will, of course, vary by age, but even the youngest child should understand that they should strive to be the best they can be at their job. Even my son, who is starting Pre-K 3, knows that mommy and daddy expect him to listen to his teacher, follow directions, and be a good friend to his classmates. If he doesn’t achieve these things, he doesn’t get to read books at night (his favorite pre-bedtime activity).

These expectations are established from the get-go so that there is no confusion about the “job description.”

Back to School – Establish a good rapport with your child’s teacher

I also encourage all parents, but especially the parents of elementary-aged children, to establish a good rapport with their child’s teacher. After all, the reality is that in many cases, their teacher will spend more time with them during the weekday than we will.

It is crucial to make sure there are channels of communication that exist between parents and teachers, and these should not be one-way avenues. Parents should feel comfortable bringing up concerns to teachers, just as teachers should be respected when they bring concerns back to parents.

A partnership between teacher and parent is vital to helping children achieve success in the classroom which often translates to increased self-confidence in kids.

Stay positive

So as everyone heads back to school, establish those expectations, let them know their “job description,” and then make sure your voice as a parent is a positive one with excitement, support, and encouragement for the upcoming school year.

As kids make the trek up the ladder to reach those expectations you have set, make sure they know you are their biggest cheerleader and will always be behind them to catch them when they stumble, to give extra little pushes along the way, and to celebrate all of their achievements all from a place of unconditional love.

“Ask the Experts” is a series on Baton Rouge Family Fun where local experts share their thoughts, opinions and answer questions relating to health, wellness, parenting, and living in Baton Rouge.Ask the experts Baton Rouge Moms

Disclaimer: The purpose of this site is to share family resources and Baton Rouge Family Fun’s experiences with food, fitness, and health as well as opinions from some of our local experts. This content is for informational purposes only and isn’t a substitute for professional medical advice.  When it comes to your health or the health of your child, please be sure to contact your physician.

Parents Ultimate Guide to Insect Repellent for Kids

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It’s that time of year again, with warmer weather comes the return of Louisiana’s second state bird… the mosquito!  In this installment of our Ask the Expert series, Dr. Mindy Calandro shares the best way to protect yourself and your kiddos from those pesky, Southern mosquitoes.

Parents Ultimate Guide to Insect Repellent for Kids

N,N dimethyl-m-toluamide (DEET)– This compound has been used as an insect repellent since the 1940s, and it is the insect repellent that is likely most widely known. DEET insect repellents may last anywhere from 2-8 hours depending on what percentage of DEET is contained in the products.

On average, products with 10% DEET will last about 2 hours while those closer to 30% DEET will last closer to 8 hours.  There are products available with DEET concentrations higher than 30%, but studies show that these products do not provide any longer/additional protection.

DEET can protect against not only mosquitoes that transmit West Nile Virus and Zika virus but also against biting flies, gnats and ticks that can carry Lyme disease (although our ticks here in Louisiana do not carry Lyme disease).

Now, a quick Google search will produce results citing that DEET can cause neurologic issues namely seizures.  This sure makes for good headlines, but the bottom line is that there have been 10 reported cases of seizures in children after applying DEET products to the skin in over 50 years!!

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that the risk of adverse reaction when DEET is appropriately used (i.e. applied only on the skin according to the recommended time intervals) is on the order of 1 per 100,000,000 people!

Insect Repellent

So what are the downsides to DEET? Well, if you have ever used a repellent containing DEET, you may recall a rather strong smell and a bit of a greasy feel.  Also, DEET can cause skin irritation for those with particularly sensitive skin.  Finally, DEET can cause damage to materials such as plastics, rubber, or leather so make sure to wash your hands prior to touching things like eyeglass frames, golf clubs or certain water bottles.

Recommendation for use: DEET 30% or less is ok for children 2 months of age and older.

Common Insect Repellent with DEET: Off! Familycare and Deep Woods, Cutter Skinsations and All Family, Repel Family

Picaridin– This product was approved by the Center for Disease Control for use as an insect repellent in April 2005 although it has been used for many years prior to this in other countries.  Picaridin is created from the extract of the leaves from the pepper plant and has really no odor, does not damage plastics, and has less risk of skin irritation when compared to DEET products.

Picaridin products are available in strengths from 5-20% with approximately 3-5 hours of protection with a 10% formulation.  Studies show that Picaridin can protect people from many of the same biting insects that DEET protects from including those pesky mosquitos that carry West Nile and Zika virus.

So what is the downside to Picaridin?  Since it is a relatively new product approved by the CDC and EPA, there are not as many long-term studies available here in the US.  However, based on what we know of this compound as well as reviewing many years of data from other countries on the use of Picaridin, it seems that Picaridin is likely a very safe and effective alternative to DEET.

Recommendations for use: 10% Picaridin lotions for children 2 months and older.

Common products with Picaridin: Avon Skin so Soft Bug Guard, Natrapel, Sawyer Picaridin

Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus– If we are talking about the CDC and EPA approved version of this compound, it is actually a chemically synthesized version of oil of lemon eucalyptus and not the “pure” oil.  Most versions of this repellent you will find are concentrations of 30% and can provide about 2 hours of protection.

However, the data is still out on if oil of lemon eucalyptus can protect as well as DEET or picaridin against West Nile mosquitos.  Another important thing to know about oil of lemon eucalyptus is that it should not be used on children under 3 years of age because of risk of skin irritation as well as significant eye irritation.

Recommendations for use: Only in children 3 and older, and I would consider it a distant 3rd to DEET and picaridin

Common products with Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus: Repel Lemon Eucalyptus, Off! Botanicals

Plant based oils:  In this final category, we will group all essential oils but those referenced most commonly include soybean, lemongrass, citronella, peppermint, and lavender.  It is important to realize that none of these oils have been approved by the EPA or CDC for efficacy in protecting against insects.

If these products do provide any protection from bug bites, and that is a big “if,” it is likely a very short window of less than 1 hour.  Also, as with all essentials oils, I would use extreme caution with these products on children with sensitive skin.

Recommendations for use: In my mind, I would not use these as insect repellents.

Common products with plant-based oils: California Baby Natural Bug Blend, Babyganics Natural Insect Repellent

A few things to keep in mind no matter what type of insect repellent you choose:

  • For young children, parents should use their hand to apply the repellent to children rather than spraying it on them.  For those children who tend to put their hands in their mouth, do not put the repellent on the hands.
  • Do not apply in close proximity to the eyes or mouth of children
  • Do not apply to open cuts or wounds
  • Products that are a combination of sunscreen AND insect repellent should not be used.  Since sunscreen should be applied every 2 hours, this would lead to most insect repellents being applied far too frequently.
  • When coming inside make sure to wipe/wash all insect repellent off prior to children getting into bed.

As you and your family are enjoying the last days of summer, and if you are like me, looking forward to the upcoming fall, realize that those pesky mosquitos will be hanging around for at least another few months.

Across the board for all of those 2 months of age and older, there may be many options out there when it comes to insect repellents, but I would recommend sticking with either a DEET or picaridin based product to provide the most protection for your loved ones.

“Ask the Experts” is a series on Baton Rouge Family Fun where local experts share their thoughts, and opinions and answer questions relating to health, wellness, parenting, and living in Baton Rouge.

Ask the experts Baton Rouge Moms

Disclaimer: The purpose of this site is to share Baton Rouge Family Fun’s experiences with food,  fitness, health, and life as well as opinions from some of our local experts. This content is for informational purposes only and isn’t a substitute for professional medical advice.  When it comes to your health or the health of your child, please be sure to contact your physician.

What concerns me more than Ebola…a pediatrician’s perspective

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As many of you probably already know, the first case of Ebola diagnosed on US soil occurred on September 30, 2014 in Dallas, Texas. Ebola…the word alone is frightening and likely conjures up images ranging from people in hazmat suits to scenes from the movie Contagion. But guess what? There are viral illnesses out there that scare a doctor like me far more than Ebola does.

Ebola in the US

What you should know about Ebola.

I think the most important thing for people to understand about Ebola is how this virus is spread. Unlike the common cold or the flu, Ebola is not spread through the air. The only way to contract Ebola is by coming in contact with bodily fluids (i.e. sweat, tears, blood, urine, or feces) of someone who is having symptoms of the illness. If an infected person is having no symptoms such as fever, vomiting, diarrhea, or bleeding, then they cannot spread Ebola.

There are countless reasons why we are fortunate to live in the United States of America, and in this case, our highly advanced and well equipped health care system is one of those reasons. The countries of West Africa that have been ravaged by Ebola are some of the poorest countries in the world and have very limited medical resources. In fact, there are not even enough hospital beds for the number of sick and dying Ebola patients right now in those countries. We are lucky to have hospitals that have isolation rooms that can keep a patient diagnosed with an illness such as Ebola away from all other patients. We have the benefit of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) with countless doctors and scientists who are casting a huge net to find anyone who may have had contact with any infected people in the US so that we can prevent the spread of this disease further. I am confident that our health care system will prevail over Ebola. To find the most up to date and reliable information on Ebola, visit http://www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/index.html.

children and fluSo let’s talk about those viruses that give me so much more worry than Ebola. The flu and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)…the “seasons” are fast approaching. Both of these viruses cause significant disease in thousands of children each year in this country. Last year alone 108 children died from the flu – now that gets my attention. Both the flu and RSV are spread through the air by respiratory droplets, meaning through coughing or sneezing. The flu can affect children and adults of any age, and while it can cause significant disease and even death in healthy children, the youngest children and those with underlying lung or immune problems are at highest risk of severe complications of the flu. RSV is typically an illness of the very young as most children will have had RSV by their second birthday. Those infants who were born prematurely and those with lung or heart problems are at the highest risk for serious illness when they have RSV.

How to help protect children from Flu & RSV

What can we, as parents, do to protect our children from these much more common and prevalent viruses? In regards to the flu, the answer is simple…get your kids the flu vaccine. It is recommended that all children 6 months an older receive a flu vaccine every year. Even if your child had a flu vaccine last year, they need another one this year. The flu vaccine provides immunity to the flu but only for a short period of time, about 6-9 months, which is why annual vaccination is important. If your child is 6 months to 8 years of age and it is their first year to receive a flu vaccine, they will need two vaccines separated by 4 weeks. For those children 2 years and older who are otherwise healthy and have no history of asthma or wheezing, then the intranasal flu mist is recommended. For those less than 2 years of age, anyone with a history of asthma or wheezing, or those with a lowered immune system, then the flu shot is the only option. The peak of flu season is generally from December to February, so it is important to get the flu shot early, typically late September or October, so that the immune system has time to build the appropriate response to the flu virus for the season.

 handwashingWhen it comes to RSV, prevention of the illness really focuses more on good hand washing and trying to limit the spread of germs by encouraging children to cover their cough and sneezes and not sharing drinks (or toys) with those that might be sick. For a VERY select few infants and children, namely those born before 29 weeks gestation, those with significant cardiac disease and those with chronic lung disease, there is a vaccine called Palivizumab, or Synagis, that aims to prevent RSV. Since this vaccine is very expensive, the criteria to qualify for this vaccine are very stringent. If you think your child falls into any of the above categories, you should talk with your child’s pediatrician to see if they might qualify for this vaccine.

So while the media will continue to camp out on the lawn of Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital in Dallas, Texas to bring us “breaking news” updates in regards to Ebola, I hope this article helps you to put the risk of Ebola vs other viruses into perspective. Let us not forget about the fast approaching flu and RSV seasons which are guaranteed to bring significant illness and unfortunately, even death, in the coming months.

PBS KIDS MARKS DR. SEUSS’ BIRTHDAY WITH AN ALL-NEW CAT-EBRATION

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I’m sure man of you are familiar with the Dr. Seuss, Cat in the Hat books and how they made reading a little more fun and enjoyable. Now, as parents, we read and re-read the Dr. Seuss books to our own children all over again.

PBSKIDS_Boy_C_circleR_webreadyDr. Seuss would have been 110 today. He gave us the gift of literacy through his funny, whimsical stories and in his honor, PBS KIDS has announced a week of new adventures with the Cat in the Hat to celebrate Dr. Seuss’ birthday. “Dr. Seuss’ Birthday Cat-ebration” kicks off on Monday, March 3, with the debut of a one-hour THE CAT IN THE HAT KNOWS A LOT ABOUT THAT! special. New half-hour episodes also premiere on Tuesday, March 4, and Wednesday, March 5. The new episodes follow the Cat, Nick and Sally as they explore a variety of animal attributes: from the benefits of crickets’ chirps and birds’ feathers, to the mimic octopus’ remarkable ability to imitate other sea creatures. Viewers also learn how glass is made, how multi-legged creatures walk and how cotton is spun into fabric.

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Through ‘Dr. Seuss’ Birthday Cat-ebration,’ PBS hopes to inspire kids and stimulate their imaginations with a week of natural science exploration. In this special multiplatform event, families will join the Cat, Nick and Sally as they journey to zany Seussian places — from the Grassy-Grove-Dell to Feathery Flats — and learn from their quirky animal friends, such as Bugsy the Beetle, Sharky McGee and Greg the Gecko.

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“Dr. Seuss’ Birthday Cat-ebration”

The following is a listing of the episodes that will air during – March 3-7, 2014 (check local listings).

One-hour special, featuring the following four stories – Premieres Monday, March 3, 2014

“Step This Way”: The kids are playing dress-up, with Sally wearing her mom’s shoes and Nick wearing his dad’s shoes. They’re having trouble walking, and the Cat thinks it’s because their feet are the wrong shape. But doesn’t everyone have the same shaped feet? Not at all! The Cat takes them to the Jungle of Bingle-Bungle Boo to meet his friends Emily the Teal, Mikey the Lemur and Greg the Gecko. They see that animals have differently shaped feet to help them do different things! You need the right feet for the right job!

Educational Objective: Creatures have different feet for different uses.

“Anything You Can Do”: Nick and Sally are pretending to be the Cat in the Hat. But there’s only one Cat, no doubt about that! Pretending to be other people is hard. The Cat takes Nick and Sally to meet his good friend Mimi the Mimic Octopus to learn some tips on how to pretend to be someone else. They learn how to observe, pick out something special about the person and then copy it. Mimi does it to protect herself, but now Nick and Sally can pretend to be the one and only Cat!

Educational Objective: The mimic octopus has a remarkable ability to imitate other sea creatures.

“Name That Sound”: Sally and Nick are trying to stump each other by guessing the animal sounds they’re making. The Cat stumps them both when he tries to make the sound of a cricket!  But that didn’t sound like a cricket. They all try but just can’t figure out how a cricket makes its noise. Well, Cat’s friend Clarence the Cricket can surely show them! Off to the Grassy-Grove-Dell to meet him! He shows him his wings, one that is comb-like, the other a scraper; when he rubs them together, he makes his wonderful cricket noise. Back at home, Nick and Sally find things around the house they can use to mimic Clarence — a deck of cards and a comb!

Educational Objective: Male crickets make a chirping sound by scraping one pegged wing against the other wing, which is ridged. This is done so fast one doesn’t hear the individual clicks, rather a trilling chirp, which is why it is hard for us to copy. The sound is used to get the attention of other crickets, either as a warning or for mating.

“Fabulous Feathers”: Sally is playing dress-up, but her favorite hat no longer has any feathers on it. Where can they find more? The Cat’s good friend Puranjay might be able to help! He’s a peacock who lives in Feathery Flats; he has plenty of feathers! Sally collects the feathers that have fallen out of Puranjay and discovers that each one has its own distinct job. But it’s his tail feathers that are just jazzy and snazzy enough for her hat! They are the most fabulous feathers!

Educational Objective: Feathers serve a variety of functions, including flight, heat conservation, waterproofing, camouflage and display.

PBS KIDS MARKS DR. SEUSS’ BIRTHDAY WITH AN ALL-NEW CAT-EBRATION

New Episode: “Balancing Act/Marvelous Marbles” – Premieres Tuesday, March 4, 2014

“Balancing Act”: Sally and Nick are trying to walk across a beam in their backyard, but are having trouble staying on it! Can the Cat help? Why of course! His friend Zappa the Snow Leopard is an amazing balancer! He uses his big wide feet and his long tail to help him keep his balance. Nick and Sally don’t have tails, but they see how Zappa moves carefully to keep his weight balanced. Now they know what to do at home. Using broomsticks to help them stay balanced, Nick and Sally are able to cross the balance beam. And just in time to have some yummy bran berry muffins!

Educational Objective: Sally and Nick learn how a snow leopard balances.

“Marvelous Marbles”: The kids are playing with glass marbles, until one of them rolls away! It was Nick’s “extra luck never miss marble.” Now what is he going to do? Cat will take the kids to a sandy beach that’s full of marbles! But when they get there, all they see is sand. Cat’s friend Sharky McGee explains that sand makes glass. He shows them how sand is turned into glass and all the wonderful things you can make with it — including marbles!

Educational Objective: Glass is made from tiny particles of sand, then formed into all sorts of useful items.

New Episode: “Take a Walk/Cotton Patch” – Premieres Wednesday, March 5, 2014

“Take a Walk”: Sally and Nick are practicing to be in a three-legged race, but walking on three legs is hard! Well, if anyone knows about walking, its Cat’s friends Sid the Centipede, Spinny the Spider and Bugsy the Beetle! They all teach the kids how they walk on many legs by keeping a steady pace and walking in a rhythm and a beat. Back at home, Nick and Sally practice what they learned by using their own special rhythm!

Educational Objective: Nick and Sally discover how creatures with more than two legs (centipedes, spiders and beetles) walk.

“Cotton Patch”: Oh no! Nick has torn his favorite shirt! He needs a perfect patch of cotton to fix it. Good thing Cat’s friend Dr. Twiggles knows all about cotton! Off to Fluff’n Stuff Fields to see him! Once there, the kids are astonished to learn that you can make clothes from plants! Dr. Twiggles shows them how to pick the cotton, clean and dry it, comb it and spin it into thread. Finally, he demonstrates how the thread comes together to make a patch by using his loom. They even learn how to dye the cotton by using berry juice. Nick’s favorite shirt is as good as new!

The book is so amazing it will make your children want to have an actual cat, and take care of it like Sally and Nick and cease cat spraying, if that’s the case of one of your children, you don’t need to worry because with CatLitterExpert, all you cat problems will be resolved!

Educational Objective: Nick and Sally discover how the cotton fibers of the cotton plant can be cleaned, carded, spun and woven to make clothes.

“Name That Sound/Fabulous Feathers” – Repeats as a half-hour episode, Thursday, March 6, 2014

“Step This Way/Anything You Can Do” – Repeats as a half-hour episode, Friday, March 7, 2014

For more information on specific PBS KIDS content supporting literacy, science, math and more, visit pbs.org/pressroom, or follow PBS KIDS on Twitter,  Facebook.

Follow Louisiana Public Broadcasting – Kids on Facebook too!

Parenthood Is Not Romantic.

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It’s nearly impossible to think romantically with Veggie Tales blaring in the background.

 

I know this because I want to talk to you about romance after kids, but I am having a hard time focusing because I used to be romantic with my husband, we have small children as a result, and now neither of us can think straight. The irony is almost too much. Parenthood is so not romantic.

 

Source:517creations.blogspot.com

Source:517creations.blogspot.com

 

I read so many articles and books before I had kids about how people lose their spark or even struggle to stay in love once kids enter the picture. I remember looking at my husband – so handsome – and I thought, “That will never be us.” Three kids later, it’s really hard to find time for each other. I LOVE THAT MAN. But I also want to RIP HIS FACE OFF. I’m sure you understand what I mean.

 

I’d like to be the same person I used to be, back before I became a mother. I miss her. But the truth is, motherhood irrevocably changes us, and even if we somehow managed to look and act the same as we did pre-kids … we will never, ever truly be the same. And honestly, that’s how it should be.

 

Does parenthood change men that deeply? I don’t think it does, which presents the old cliche of the man who continues to act the same as he always has after his children arrive, yet wonders why his wife is always nagging him and never wants him to grope her. It’s not because she doesn’t love him; it’s because she always has someone grabbing or pinching her. What she wants more than anything in this world is for him to take the kids, tell her to go take a bubble bath by herself, and remind her that he still sees her. He thinks she’s beautiful.

 

(Cooking dinner would be a bonus.)

 

My husband and I let nearly 18 months slip by without taking a night away from our busy life together. Things just kept roadblocking our plans, and it didn’t seem important enough to make it a huge priority. We had two babies back-to-back … need I go on? We are living in a season of insanity.

 

Anyway, last month his birthday rolled around, and we had the opportunity to get away for the night – to a hotel where no one whined for bananas or threw food on the floor. No one woke us up at toddler o’clock. For 24 hours, it was just us, the way it used to be. We held hands and walked in a leisurely fashion – I even wore heels – and we talked about WHATEVER WE FELT LIKE TALKING ABOUT.

 

I came away from it remembering not only why I fell in love with him in the first place, but why he fell in love with me. It’s good to be reminded. And then we came home and were met by three children who wedged their tiny bodies between us, happy as clams to be part of what our oldest calls a family hug. 

 

As unromantic as raising children can be, I have to say … watching my husband be a father to them is super hot. So we’re just going to work with that for now.

 

How have you kept the romance alive after kids?

Keeping the romance alive after kids.