Are Your Grandchildren’s Parents Overprotective?

By Lenore Skenazy
Sept. 24, 2009

A popular columnist and author argues that parents go too far protecting kids from nonexistent dangers

Adapted from Lenore Skenazy’s Free-Range Kids: Giving Our Children the Freedom We Had Without Going Nuts With Worry (John Wiley & Sons, 2009).
In case you haven’t been keeping up, let’s take a look at some of the new products the Kiddie-Safety Industrial Complex is marketing to your grandchildren’s parents, starting with baby kneepads.

Yes, kneepads. Exactly what you’d want a 9-month-old to wear, if he were drafted to play pro hockey. Except that these pads — “The cushiest, comfiest kneepads ever,” according to the One Step Ahead catalog — are for crawling. “These medical-grade neoprene knee guards give little crawlers unparalleled protection, while slip-proof ‘traction beads’ guard against skidding.”

Skidding? Like a baby is going to go around the corner so fast, sparks will shoot out her Huggies? What kind of fools do they take parents for? Knees were made for crawling. And yet, look what one mom wrote on the One Step Ahead website, as a baby knee pads “product review”:

“Sometimes my daughter has problems going from carpeting to the wood and marble floors. It helps her with traction to keep from spinning out. Unfortunately, she did not like the feel on her legs and refused to wear them.”

Score one for the baby! But that mama — she really worries about her daughter “spinning out” while crawling. And other parents writing to the site are just as sold.

Extreme Toddling?

Photo courtesy of freerangekids.wordpress.com Free-Range Kids by Lenore Skenazy

Another product seen advertised in parenting magazines lately is the Thudguard — a helmet to protect grandchildren engaged in that extreme sport known as toddling.

“It’s about time that someone has addressed the diffuse head injuries that are … on the rise for toddlers learning to walk,” wrote one doctor in an endorsement of the product.

Oh, really? “On the rise”? Are toddlers careening into walls and tables like never before? And are they really in danger of sustaining serious “head trauma,” as claims the ad for this $39 helmet?

Let’s ask the vice chairman of pediatrics at the St. Louis Children’s Hospital, Dr. F. Sessions Cole. His is one of the five largest children’s hospitals in the country. “We see 65,000 to 70,000 patients a year,” says Dr. Cole. “How many are associated with significant head trauma that resulted from instability as toddlers learned to walk?” he asks.

None.

Keep Your Eyes on the Backseat

At the Babies R Us near me, there’s an entire room devoted to child-safety devices: Legitimate stuff like cabinet locks and electrical outlet covers, but also a whole display of mirrors that allow you to watch your baby in the backseat as you drive. “Why do you need one of these?” I asked a dad reaching for one.

“To see if the baby’s okay,” he shrugged.

I suppose I knew he’d say that. But what we’re talking about here is a parent checking up, while driving, on a child who is already strapped snugly into a federally-approved car seat with a five-point belting system. It’s hard to imagine how the child would not be okay and besides, if he was fussy, you’d hear him. Then, at a stoplight, you could turn your head and look at him.

But now, with about ten different car mirrors to choose from, it starts to make good parents feel as if they should check on their car-seat baby more often while they’re driving — which is dangerous!

A Watched Baby Never Boils

Here’s one last safety product that parents don’t need, one that undermines their own good sense: The heat-sensitive bath mat.

This is a mat you put in the bottom of your tub. Turn the water on and if the words, “TOO HOT!” magically appear in a bubble near a duck’s head, you know that the water is, indeed, TOO HOT! Because who can trust their own senses anymore?

Oh, wait. We all can. Just dip a wrist in the water and you can tell if that water is warm, cold, or boiling hot. (Key word: Yeow!) So why do we have not only this bath mat, but also a competing tub turtle that will indicate, “TOO HOT” too? (Not a real turtle, who would indicate that by turning into soup.)

Why? For the same reason you can buy a blanket with a headboard built into it, in case you want to hold your baby but are worried about hurting his neck. Forget the fact you have an arm built for that job.

For the same reason you can buy a harness to hold up your kid while she learns to walk. Forget the fact you could hold her up yourself, or even let her fall. She’s got a bottom built for that job.

In fact, forget the fact that human children are pretty sturdy and parents are pretty competent. We have entered an era that says parents cannot trust themselves. They have to trust a product instead.
Elsewhere on grandparents.com, get a reminder of 6 things you got right as a parent,  find a surprising take on which baby products will really make your grandchildren brilliant, read columnist Adair Lara’s take on grandparenting then and now, and consider how much you are like your grandparents.

Source: Grandparents

Editor’s Note: We would like to know what you think. dan@youngchronicle.com

Killer Whale (Orca)

By American Cetacean Society
September 23, 2009

CLASS: Mammalia
ORDER: Cetacea
SUBORDER: Odontoceti
FAMILY: Delphinidae
GENUS: Orcinus
SPECIES: Orca

The orca, or killer whale, with its striking black and white coloring, is one of the best known of all the cetaceans. It has been extensively studied in the wild and is often the main attraction at many sea parks and aquaria. An odontocete, or toothed whale, the orca is known for being a carnivorous, fast and skillful hunter, with a complex social structure and a cosmopolitan distribution (orcas are found in all the oceans of the world). Sometimes called “the wolf of the sea”, the orca can be a fierce hunter with well-organized hunting techniques, although there are no documented cases of killer whales attacking a human in the wild.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION:

The orca is a stout, streamlined animal. It has a round head that is tapered, with an indistinct beak and straight mouthline.

COLOR:

The orca has a striking color pattern made up of well-defined areas of shiny black and cream or white. The dorsal (top) part of its body is black, with a pale white to gray “saddle” behind the dorsal fin. It has an oval, white eyepatch behind and above each eye. The chin, throat, central length of the ventral (underside) area, and undersides of the tail flukes are white. Each whale can be individually identified by its markings and by the shape of its saddle patch and dorsal fin.

FINS AND FLUKE:

Another distinctive feature of the orca is its dorsal fin, which can reach 6 feet (1.8 m) high in males and is shaped like an isosceles triangle. The immature male and the female dorsal fins are also large, reaching 3 feet (.91 m) high, but are falcate (curved). The dorsal fin often has identifying nicks, cuts, scars and indentations. The paddle-shaped pectoral flippers are broad, rounded, and can reach a length of nearly 6 feet (1.8 m) and a width of 3 feet (.91 m).

Length and Weight:

Males can grow as large as 32 feet (9.6 m) long and weigh 8 to 9 tons. Females can reach 23 feet (8.2 m) in length and weigh up to 4 tons.

Feeding:

The mouth of the orca is large and well adapted for hunting. It has 46 to 50 conical shaped teeth that point slightly backwards and inwards. The upper and lower teeth interlock, which aids in gripping large prey and tearing it into smaller pieces for easier swallowing. Depending on the population and geographic area, the diet of orcas varies. Food preference and availability may have led to the distinct population types, such as resident, transients, and offshores that have been observed/identified in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States and other areas around the world. Generally speaking, transients will feed on a variety of animals including: sea lions, elephant seals, harbor seals, porpoises, squid, sharks, fish, penguins, smaller whales, such as belugas and narwhals and even large baleen whales, such as gray whales. Resident whales tend to feed primarily on fish species such as salmon or herring. The diet of offshores is still being studied by scientists.

Mating and Breeding:

Little is known about the orca’s breeding habits. Newborn calves have been observed throughout the year suggesting that that mating can occur at any time with no particular breeding season. In the wild, orcas become sexually mature between the ages of 10 and 18 years of age and are thought to be actively reproducing by the time the male reaches about 20 feet (5.1 m) in length and the female reaches about 16 feet (4.1 m). Based on long-term field studies, females are believed to be reproductively active into their early 40’s. The maximum age for males is unknown. Captive females can bear a calf every two years, but a more typical period between calves in the wild is 3 to 5 years. The gestation period is estimated to be between 13 to 17 months. At birth, a calf is generally about 6-7 feet long (1.8-2.1 m) and weighs around 400 pounds. However, calf size and weight does vary slightly between populations/regions.

Distribution and Migration:

The orca is found in all the oceans of the world, though they are more abundant in cooler waters. Unlike some other species of whales, which follow a regular migration route each year, the orca seems to travel according to the availability of food. They are one of the few species of whales that move freely from hemisphere to hemisphere.

Natural History:

Orcas generally live in pods (groups) consisting of several females, calves, one or more males, and/or juveniles. Some pods consist of a mother and her offspring who stay with her for life. This type of matrilineal family structure has been observed in the U.S. Pacific Northwest where resident pods have been documented as stable, consistent matriarchal family groups with several generations traveling together. Transient pods appear to be more fluid; individuals come and go, groups often contain unrelated females with offspring, offspring do not stay with their mother and pods may form solely as a temporary foraging pack. The social structure of other populations, including offshore orcas, is being studied to document whether certain family groups always stay together or return to each other after periods of time. Mothers are very protective of their calves, and orcas are known to protect and care for sick and injured companions.

Sparked by the increase in live capture for aquaria and public concern, scientists have been studying resident pods along the northern Pacific coast of the United States and Canada since 1970. By 1973, photographs were being used to identify individuals based on differences in saddle color pattern, dorsal fin shapes and other identifying marks and scars. Identified orcas have all been numbered and careful records are kept of their re-sightings. Recordings of the sounds made by these orcas have revealed that each pod has its own “dialect.” Each pod has some sounds in common with other pods, and other sounds that are unique to its own pod. Through these scientific studies, much has been learned about population, travel patterns, reproduction, behavior and social habits of orcas.

Status:

Although orcas are widely distributed, total world population is still unknown. They have no natural enemies and have not been hunted as much as other whales. Recent studies suggest that a significant threat to orcas, and other marine mammals, may come from man-made chemicals. Yet, toxins are not the only threats facing orcas. Many fish populations around the world are decreasing. This may be having a direct effect on the populations of fish-eating resident whales. Loss of fish may also cause a decline in seals and sea lions, often the primary prey of transient orcas.

Acknowledgements:

• Thank you to Elizabeth Petras of NMFS for her assistance revising this fact sheet.
• Illustrations courtesy Uko Gorter, copyright© 2003, 2004, 2006 all rights reserved.
• Orca vocalizations while feeding courtesy Joe Olson – location Dyes Inlet, Puget Sound, Washington, using a Cetacean Research™ hydrophone, copyright © 1997.

Source  American Cetacean Society

Editor’s Note: We want to know what you think? dan@youngchronicle.com

Grade 1 Science

By Natalie Smith
September 24, 2009

Why does the weather change? Why do things melt? Why do some animals have claws? Kids discover the answers.

In first-grade science, teachers focus on helping students learn to observe the world around them. Textbooks typically divide the year into three units — life science, earth science, and physical science. During their earth science study, kids learn about sand, rocks, soil, and air — what they are and what they’re made of. Students learn about why the weather changes and how to use measurement tools like thermometers. In life science, children explore the differences between living and nonliving things, the parts of a plant, and the characteristics of various animals. Children learn that organisms, including people, have basic needs (such as air and food), live in many types of environments, and have different body parts to help them meet their needs, such as claws, tails, and trunks. As part of their introduction to physical science, first-graders discover that materials can come in different forms, such as solids, liquids, and gases. Teachers may demonstrate how materials can change properties through mixing, heating, or cutting. Children also begin to learn about the properties of heat, light, and magnets. Above all, first-graders learn that careful investigating means asking good questions and recording what they learn.

Green Kids. Elementary schools have taught children the importance of caring for the environment for decades. But in today’s first-grade classrooms, students are learning that being environmentally responsible means more than just picking up their trash. Expect your grandchildren to learn how to sort recyclables and conserve energy and water, and don’t be surprised when they bring those lessons home and question why you’re not doing all you can for the planet.

• Learning to make observations using all five senses is a key entry point into the study of life science. This article offers suggestions for activities that will help parents and grandparents aid children in their sensory development.

• As first-graders learn to use measuring tools, they’ll also learn about units of measurement. But they may not realize that before people developed the metric system, they based many units of measurement on parts of the body. David Adler and Nancy Tobin’s entertaining How Tall, How Short, How Faraway? (Holiday House, 1999) introduces grandchildren to the surprising history of measurement.

• It’s important for first-graders to observe objects and organisms in different environments. And though there may not be a coral reef near your town, Marianne Berkes and Jeanette Canyon’s colorful Over in the Ocean: In a Coral Reef (Dawn Publications, 2004) could be the next-best thing. Encourage kids to interact and respond to the images they see inside.

• The first-grade physical-science curriculum will have kids experimenting with forces like magnetism and electricity. Help your grandchild explore these concepts and more with interactive science clips from the BBC.

• Understanding basic weather terminology is an essential part of first-grade physical science. In Lucy Cousins’s Maisy’s Wonderful Weather Book (Candlewick, 2006), the beloved mouse can help you review these words with your grandchild.

Watch Mommy and Daddy Grow Up. Children love seeing pictures of their parents as youngsters, so why not use those photos to help kids learn about life science? As you show grandchildren pictures of their mom or dad growing up, point out how he or she changed over the years, and ask the kids to identify similarities and differences in the photos as they progress over time. Ask your grandchildren to pull out their own family pictures and consider how they, too, have changed since they were infants.

A Bird Observatory. Here’s a simple activity to help grandchildren engage with nature: spread peanut butter on a pine cone, roll it in birdseed, then use string to hang it outside. Observe with your grandchildren how birds come to eat the seed. As you watch, note that food is just one reason that animals need plants. Ask the kids if they can think of others.

From Liquid to Solid Snack. In the right grandparent’s hands, even snack time can become a science lesson. Show grandchildren how to turn a liquid into a solid by making juice pops. Pour their favorite juice into an ice tray, put a toothpick into each cube, freeze, and enjoy. Extend the lesson by asking kids if they can think of how the liquid could change into a gas instead.

Editor’s Note: Natalie Smith is an assistant editor at Scholastic News Edition 4 and a freelance writer based in New York City.

We would like to know what you think? dan@youngchronicle.com

Source: Grandparants

Our Children Sing Songs of Obama’s Glory

By Allahpundit
Sept. 24, 2009

No word on where or when this was shot but it was posted to YouTube just two days before The One’s speech to students, which makes me wonder if it was part of some school’s festivities for the screening.

I think parents’ fears about their kids being politically indoctrinated are usually overblown, but I’m open to persuasion by compelling evidence — like, for example, this, or the vid you’re about to see. Getting little kids to croon about how awesome the president is troubles me less than the pop quiz the boss posted, mainly because they’re too young to understand and/or assimilate the agenda they’re singing about (and way too young to vote, natch). But Guy Benson got my atheist ire up when he noted that one of the lines about The One here, heard near the beginning from the kid who’s singing solo, is an adaptation from a hymn about how much Jesus loves the little children.

Which makes this an extreme example of what the boss was so worried about vis-a-vis Obama’s speech: Not that he’d say something nutty or overtly political to kids but that some of his more devout cultists in the teaching ranks would take the speech as a license to push the political envelope in the classroom. And here we are.

Source: Hot Air      Fox Nation

Editor’s Note: We would like to know what you think? And did you know this was going on in your child’s school? dan@youngchronicle.com

Kids Want Boundaries

By Jim Burns, Ph.D
Sept 21, 2009

Do your teenagers really want boundaries? While I’m sure they will never seriously say to you, “Can you please add some more restrictions to my life?” they really do want to know what’s expected of them and what the consequences of violating boundaries will be. In homes where parents set clear boundaries for their kids’ behavior, kids are actually less likely to rebel – especially when parents take the time to discuss their expectations with them. Why would your kids want you to set boundaries for them in the first place? Let me give you five reasons.

Boundaries provide a sense of comfort. When kids clearly know what is expected from them, the result is a sense of comfort. They don’t have to be concerned regarding what you may or may not require of them behaviorally – or fear that you will constantly change the rules.

Boundaries provide a sense of security. Kids really do what to know what is right and what is wrong. They want some guidance in navigating life. Teenagers will still test the limits from time to time, but clear boundaries provide the stability and security that will allow them to thrive.

Boundaries mark out the “playing field” for freedom. Imagine two teams playing football – but without the playing field being marked in any way. Imagine the players having no way to tell what was “in bounds” or what was “out of bounds”. In the game of football, a marked playing field is foundational to playing the game. On a marked playing field, players know where their boundaries are. Similarly, kids want their parents to set clear boundaries for them so they can know their “playing field” – where they can roam freely “in bounds”. Boundaries, in this way, actually create freedom – and teenagers want to be able to experience and learn to handle freedom within the boundaries that have been created.

Most teenagers don’t really want to be totally free and responsible for themselves at this point in their lives. Kids who have no boundaries and are completely on their own regarding behavioral decisions tend to feel isolated and are at risk for giving into peer pressure. Kids whose parents have set clear boundaries for them, experience freedom within the boundaries and can use these boundaries as reasons to say no to inappropriate behaviors. Generally, kids who have clear boundaries simply fare better behaviorally than those kids who don’t have clear boundaries.

Kids want to gain their parents’ trust – the trust that results from living within clear boundaries. Trust is a vitally important issue for teenagers. They aren’t dumb. They know that having your trust is the pathway to greater freedom and ultimately to adult independence. Kids who don’t have clear boundaries experience greater difficulties earning their parents’ trust because they are left to themselves to make behavioral decisions that may or may not turn out to be acceptable. On the other hand, kids who have clear boundaries and live within those boundaries understand that they are regularly making deposits into your “trust” account. This, of course, doesn’t mean that kids with boundaries don’t ever violate those boundaries or ever struggle with earning or regaining trust with their parents. Most do from time to time. Still, with boundaries in place, your kids will have a greater understanding of how to build trust with you.

Source: Home Word

Editor’s Note: We would like to know what you think? dan@youngchronicle.com

Firefighter of the week – Battalion Chief Battalion 8 Thomas P DeAngelis

By Dan Samaria
Publisher/GCC
Sept. 23, 2009

In the Thick of Things

Five years ago, when Thomas P. DeAngelis was promoted to battalion chief in the New York City Fire Department, his wife, Patty, told him: “You’ve been running into burning buildings for 22 years. But you’re a battalion chief now, so you won’t have to do that anymore.”

In her heart, she knew better. Tommy DeAngelis would never send a firefighter into a building he had not personally entered and checked out. Around the East 51st Street firehouse in Manhattan, he was known as “Chuckles” because of his sunny good humor and his lust for life: sports, cooking, sailing, carpentry, writing. But when the alarm sounded, he would suddenly become all business.

Sometimes he would kick around the idea of retiring in a year or two — he was 51 — maybe to take up writing children’s books. But, again, Mrs. DeAngelis knew better. “He loved being a firefighter way too much to ever quit early,” she said.

On Monday, Sept. 10, she had lunch with him at their home in Westbury, on Long Island, before he headed into Manhattan to pull a 24-hour shift. “See you Tuesday night,” she said as he left, giving him a kiss. “Be careful.”

Profile published in THE NEW YORK TIMES on December 16, 2001.

Source Legacy

Wish of the Week – Jason

By MWF/PIO
Sept.21. 2009

Gym class, soccer, the Florida Marlins and more – these are some of 10-year-old Jason’s favorite things. During his battle with leukemia, he often turns to sports as an escape. So what did this sports fanatic from Palm Beach Gardens wish for? He wished for his bedroom to be converted into a sports memorabilia room so he could surround himself with his most prized possessions. Jason, who has been collecting memorabilia for years, has enough sports gear and autographed items to rival the local sporting goods store. A lot of preparation went into transforming his bedroom into a sports lover’s dream and he didn’t mind a bit. Jason’s room was outfitted with a new coat of blue paint, carpeting, sports-themed bedding, a huge corner bookcase unit, custom shelves, frames and display cases. There’s even a customized wall cling of Jason. He said, “My room is awesome now. I love it!”

Wish Granters: Barbara Colsky & Gabrielle Strati
Referred by: St. Mary’s Hospital
Sponsored by: Mr. & Mrs. Patrick Martucci

Source Make A Wish Foundation

Editor’s Note: We would like to know what you think? dan@youngchronicle.com

Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs

Movie Reviews: Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs

 
by Kerry Bennett
September 18, 2009

It has long been the ambition of Flint Lockwood (voice of Bill Hader) to leave his mark on the world by inventing something that will improve life for mankind. When his experiments result in food falling from the sky, he also catches the attention of Sam Sparks (voice of Anna Faris), an aspiring television news reporter who has flown in to cover the event..

 

In-Depth Review

Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs is rated PG: for brief mild language.

You’ll never look at lunch or the weather forecast the same way after watching Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs. Personally, the idea of meals just blowing in and raining down appears to be a good one. No stewing over what to make for dinner and no more lengthy trips to the grocery store. However, the best laid plans don’t always pan out.

Flint Lockwood’s (voice by Bill Hader) intentions are good. He’s always been the nerd, the weirdo, the freak with a head full of big ideas. But nothing has ever turned out to be as successful in reality as it looked on paper. Now the small town where Flint lives with his father Tim (voice by James Caan) is in serious trouble. The sardine factory has closed and the citizens on the tiny island are the only ones left to eat the salty seafood. Unfortunately a steady diet of sardines is becoming pretty unappetizing.

Squirreled away in his lab, Flint comes up with a tasty solution to their dilemma. He creates a food-making machine that will turn simple water molecules into yummy entrees. Unfortunately a power surge sends the machine hurtling into the stratosphere. Instead of serving dinner from the safety of his lab, the scrumptious meals begin falling from the sky.

The enterprising mayor (voice by Bruce Campbell) of Swallow Falls sees this new weather phenomenon as a way to rejuvenate business in the faltering town. He, without any input from the rest of the citizens, creates a food-based amusement park and begins promoting it to tourists around the world. But as the demands increase on the food processor, the gentle mealtime showers develop into severe storm patterns. With reporter Sam Sparks (voice by Anna Faris) broadcasting on location, the world watches as the town of Swallow Falls is caught up in the center of some nasty squalls.

This film’s delectable script, a cast of delicious characters and a hearty dash of topical jokes for the adults in the audience make this film entertaining for almost everyone. Very young viewers, however, may be frightened by some moments of peril, especially when a grown-up ‘Baby’ Brent (voice by Andy Samberg) is chased and eaten by a headless roasted turkey. Another man is electrocuted after sneaking into a power sub station. He also has to deal with constant bullying from his peers.

Still these characters discover that everyone has something to offer, particularly when they stay true to who they are. And while too much of any good thing can be bad, the forecast for this family film is sunny with a chance of laughs.

Studio: 2009 Columbia Pictures. Visit the official movie site.

Content Details: Beyond the Movie Ratings…

From the time he is a child, Flint is bullied and teased by his peers in school and even adults on the street. He also deals with his father’s disappointment. After one science experiment goes wrong, Flint is seen hitting his feet, trying to cut something off of them and banging them against the floor. One character is electrocuted in a power substation. An accident causes the total destruction of an amusement park. A man runs with scissors in his hand. An animal appears to be eating excrement. A character throws snowballs at others. A father and son have a disagreement. Characters experience severe weather including tornados. A dam threatens to break and flood the people who live below it. Characters are chased by a flock of headless, roasted turkeys. One man is eaten by one of the turkeys. A girl suffers from the effects of anaphylactic shock after being exposed to peanuts. Characters lie to one another. They also experience moments of peril, including being attacked by giant gummy bears. The script contains some name-calling and brief mild language.

Discussion Ideas: Talk About the Movie…

Video alternatives

Food also plays a starring role in the movie Charlie and the Chocolate Factory where a young boy finds a golden ticket that allows him access into a magical candy-making plant. In The Absent-minded Professor, a teacher at a small town university discovers a new substance known as flubber. Another young inventor with great ambitions is introduced in Meet The Robinsons.

Source: Parent Previews

Editor’s Note: Kerry Bennett is interested in media from both a journalist and parent perspective. Along with authoring articles for several family-oriented publications, she has written for Parent Previews for nearly 10 years. She serves as Vice President of the Alberta Association for Media Awareness. She and her husband Garry have four sons.

We would like to know what you think? dan@youngchronicle.com

Teddy Bear Jigsaw Puzzle

Source: Jig Zone

« Previous Page — Next Page »