Choosing Right After School Program

By AFT
Sept. 2, 2009

What happens after school is equally as important as what takes place during the school day. It’s important that you and your child choose the right after school activities.  Obviously as the parent, you’ll be the one making the decisions.  However if you can include your child in the process, you’ll have better buy-in.

If your child has sports practice, dance lessons or choir practice, there will be other adults present.  That’s a good thing.  Dropping your child off at the mall isn’t such a good idea.  If children have nothing to do, the potential for trouble is much higher.

Walking around the mall isn’t really considered, “something to do.”  If you want to go to the mall with your child, that’s great. What I’m referring to is your child taking the bus or getting dropped off, without an adult there to accompany her.

One third of shoplifters apprehended are teens age 13-17. Not suggesting that all teens are out to shoplift, just merely that the opportunity is greater when kids are wandering the mall un-chaperoned, with nothing to do.

Another not so hot idea is dropping your child off at a movie theater.  Unless you’ve seen the movie he wants to see, you haven’t approved the content.  Besides there are much better things your child could do with his time that sit and watch a movie.

If they want to go to a friend’s house after school, make sure an adult will be present.  By “making sure” I don’t mean asking your child if the friend’s parent will be home.  Get a home phone number (not a cell phone number) and talk to the mother.  You’d be surprised at the number of times the other parent didn’t even know the children were planning to be together.

Many schools now have after school care which basically means your child can stay at school until you can pick her up.  This gives them a chance to get homework done and play in the gym, in the presence of an adult.

Children grow up way too fast.  Make sure they are using their time wisely.  Remember, they are our future generation!

Source: Apples 4 The Teacher

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

Childcare – While at Work

By ARW
August 27, 2009

When you decide to return to work after having your children you will need to arrange adequate childcare provision.

This is one of the most important decisions that you can make as it affects the upbringing of your child. You will need to pay a great deal of attention to this decision and as such you need to allow plenty of time. Many of the best childcare providers have long waiting lists, especially those in high income areas where people are prepared and able to pay for the best possible care.

The various types of childcare may not all be available in your area. Give yourself plenty of time before you return to work to weigh up the possibilities and to see which option best suits your circumstances. Please be aware that some childminders and nurseries accept children on their waiting list when the mother is only three months pregnant!

Be armed with a list of questions to ask whoever will be looking after your child, so any expectations are clarified from the beginning. Depending on your preferences and attitude, the list may include such questions as –

• Do you have any outdoor space for the children to play?How many other children do you look after?
• How flexible are you if I am required to work late at short notice?
• What transport do you have?
• What insurance do you have?
• What food will you provide for the children?
• What relevant qualifications do you have?
• What fees will you charge during holidays (i.e. when you look after your child)
• What would you do in an emergency?

Do check if you are entitled to any financial help to pay for childcare. The current tax credits system allows families with an income of up to £55,000 to receive some help. Look at the government website to find out what you are entitled to claim.

Relatives

You will truly be subject to ‘babysitter envy’ if your mother, mother in law or another relative is happy and able to look after your child on a regular basis after you return to work. This has a great number of benefits – invariably you will have similar views on childcare, such as healthy eating and manners – and your child will be able to bond with a family member rather than a ‘stranger’.

If you are lucky enough to be able to have regular childcare from a close relative, make sure that you confirm the terms of employment, however happy they are to do it. Over time, goodwill can be eroded by differences in expectation, so be honest and open upfront. If they do not want to be paid for their time, you could still arrange some sort of monetary remuneration – vouchers or payments directly into their bank. It may just be that they don’t want to ask for money but it would still be appreciated.

Childminders

Childminders vary greatly. The best way to find a reputable childminder is through word of mouth – ask your friends with children if they know of any vacancies. Arrange to meet the childminder and take your child with you – you will be able to sense if they will be compatible and you can see how they interact with your child.

Work Crèche

Large organisations may have a subsidised crèche for you to use. This is very practical because you will be able to take your child to work with you and will be nearby if required. You will also be able to call in unannounced to assess the environment.

Work crèches tend to be well run, with plenty of qualified staff and good learning and playing facilities.

Nursery

Nurseries are actually the least regulated of all non-family childcare facilities, so it is worth checking the government approved list before you commit. This can provide the most flexible type of childcare though, as there will usually be a number of staff able to provide early and late cover.

Source: Return To Work

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

National Zoo – American Alligator

By FNZ
August 25, 2009

The average size for an adult female American alligator is 8.2 feet (2.6 m), and the average size for a male is 11.2 feet (3.4 m). Exceptionally large males can reach a weight of nearly half a ton or 1,000 pounds.

Both males and females have an “armored” body with a muscular flat tail. The skin on the back is armored with embedded bony plates called osteoderms or scutes. They have four short legs; the front legs have five toes while the back legs have four toes.

Alligators have a long snout with upward facing nostrils at the end; this lets them breathe while the rest of the body is underwater. The young can be distinguished from adults by the bright yellow stripes on the tail; adults have dark stripes on the tail.

Distinguishing Alligators from Crocodiles

The easiest way to distinguish an alligator from a crocodile is by looking at the teeth. The large fourth tooth in the lower jaw of an alligator fits into a socket in the upper jaw and is not visible when the mouth is closed. This does not happen in crocodiles. Alligators have between 74 and 80 teeth in their mouth at a time. As teeth wear down they are replaced. An alligator can go through 2,000 to 3,000 teeth in a lifetime.

Female alligators usually remain in a small area. The males occupy areas larger than two square miles. Both males and females extend their ranges during the courting and breeding season. Young alligators remain in the area where they are hatched and where they are protected by their mother. After two to three years, they leave that area in search of food, or are driven out by larger alligators.

One interesting aspect of alligator biology is that they undergo periods of dormancy when the weather is cold. They excavate a depression called a “gator hole” along a waterway and use it during dormancy.

In areas where the water level fluctuates, alligators dig themselves into hollows in the mud, which fill with water. These tunnels are often as long as 65 feet (20 m) and provide protection during extreme hot or cold weather. Many other animals also use these burrows after they are abandoned by their creators.

Distribution and Habitat

The American alligator is found from North Carolina to the Rio Grande in Texas.

Alligators are usually found in freshwater, in slow-moving rivers. They are also found in swamps, marshes, and lakes. They can tolerate salt water for only brief periods because they do not have salt glands.

Diet in the Wild
Crocodilians are carnivorous. They have very strong jaws that can crack a turtle shell. They eat fish, snails and other invertebrates, birds, frogs, and mammals that come to the water’s edge. They use their sharp teeth to seize and hold prey. Small prey is swallowed whole. If the prey is large, crocodilians shake it apart into smaller, manageable pieces. If it is very large, crocodilians bite it, then spin on the long axis of their bodies to tear off easily swallowed pieces.

Zoo Diet
At the Zoo, the American alligator is fed rats and occasionally chickens and rabbits.

Reproduction
Both males and females reach sexual maturity when they are about six feet (1.8 m) long, a length attained at about ten to 12 years. Breeding takes place during the night, in shallow waters. Males roar to attract females and to ward off other males. The male circles the female and mounts. Courtship starts in April, with mating occurring in early May.

After mating, the female builds a nest of vegetation. The nest measures seven to ten feet (2.1 to 3 m) in diameter and is two to three feet (.6 to .9 m) high. Then, around late June and early July, the female lays 35 to 50 eggs. Some females lay up to 90 eggs. The eggs are then covered with the vegetation nest through the 65-day incubation period. The sex of the juveniles is determined by the temperature of the nest: above 93° F (33.8° C) all are male, below 86° F (30° C) all are female, and temperatures in between will produce both sexes. Red-bellied sliders may sometimes deposit their eggs in alligator nests.

Toward the end of August, the young alligators begin to make high-pitched noises from inside of the egg. This lets the mother know that it is time to remove the nesting material. When the alligator hatches it measures about six to eight inches (15 to 20 cm). Newly hatched alligators live in small groups called “pods.” Eighty percent of young alligators fall victim to birds and raccoons. Other predators include bobcats, otters, snakes, large bass, and larger alligators. Females aggressively defend their young during these first few years. Crocodilians are unusual among reptiles in providing maternal care to their young. The juveniles grow about a foot a year. Maturity is reached during the sixth year.

Life Span
American alligators may live to about 50 years in the wild. After it is four feet long, an alligator is safe from predators except humans and occasionally other alligators.

Status
Once on the verge of extinction, the American alligator has made a remarkable recovery. Due to strict conservation measures and extensive research, it is no longer endangered except in scattered areas of its range. However, the American alligator is listed as threatened on the U.S. Endangered Species List because it is very similar in appearance to the American crocodile, which is endangered, and hunters are likely to confuse the two species. Hunting is allowed in some states, but it is heavily controlled. The greatest threat is currently destruction of habitat; this includes water management systems and increased levels of mercury and dioxins in the water.

Because alligators will feed on almost anything, they pose a mild threat to humans. In Florida, where there is the greatest alligator population, there were five deaths to alligator attacks from 1973 to 1990. Dogs and other pets are also sometimes killed.

Fun Facts
The alligator became the official state reptile of Florida in 1987.

The alligator family includes the American and Chinese alligators and all caimans. Spanish sailors visiting the New World thought the unfamiliar alligator was a huge lizard. In Spanish, el lagarto means the lizard. English sailors took the name as allagarter and in time it has become alligator.

Alligators are hunted mostly for their skins, but also they are hunted for meat. Today, there is a multi-million dollar industry in which alligators are raised in captivity for the production of meat and skin. Also, alligators are a tourist attraction, especially in Florida, where visitors enjoy feeding them.

Taxonomy
Order: Crocodylia
Family: Alligatoridae
Genus/species: Alligator mississippiensis

Editor’s Note: For more information, including references, see the Animal Diversity Web account for this species, here: Animal Diversity Web

All or part of this information was provided by the Animal Diversity Web and Museum of Zoology of the University of Michigan.
It appears here with their permission. The original author of this information was Benjamin Schechter and Robin Street.

We would like to know what you think: dan@goldcoastchronicle.com

Source: National Zoo

National Zoo – Cheetah

By FNZ
August 18, 2009

The world’s fastest land mammal is vulnerable to extinction throughout its range.

Physical Description: Built more like greyhounds than typical cats, cheetahs are adapted for brief but intense bursts of speed. They have wiry bodies and small heads. Their coats are golden or yellowish, embellished with many small black spots, and their tails are long with a few black bands and sometimes a white tip. Black stripes run from their eyes down to the corners of their mouths.

Size: Cheetahs grow to between three and a half and four and a half feet long, not including their 30-inch tails. They weigh between 75 and 145 pounds and stand two to three feet tall at the shoulder. Males tend to be a bit more robust and weigh about ten pounds more than females.

Geographic Distribution: Cheetahs live in small, isolated populations mostly in sub-Saharan Africa. They are very rare in southern Algeria and northern Niger, and range from Senegal east to Somalia and south to northern South Africa. A few have been reported from Iran. However, many of their strongholds are in eastern and southern African parks.

Status: The cheetah is listed as vulnerable on the World Conservation Union’s (IUCN’s) Red List of Threatened Animals.

Habitat: Savannas, both open and more densely vegetated, give cheetahs the open areas they need for quick stalks and chases. They are not found in forest areas or wetlands.

Natural Diet: Cheetahs eat primarily hoofed mammals weighing less than 90 pounds, including gazelles and young wildebeest. They will also eat smaller game such as hares, warthogs, and birds.

National Zoo Diet: The Zoo’s cheetahs eat ground horse meat and sometimes beef, rabbits, and chicks.

Reproduction: Cheetahs can breed at any time of year but tend to copulate in the dry season, with cubs being born at the onset of the wet season. Females reach breeding age by 21 or 22 months of age. Males live in small permanent groups called coalitions, which are usually made up of brothers. Males are drawn to females in heat, but only one male in a coalition usually mates with the selected female. On average, three cubs are born about three months after mating takes place. Until five or six weeks old, the cubs remain hidden; if she needs to move, the mother carries them from place to place. After five or six weeks, cubs follow their mothers and share her kills. Cheetah cubs wean at about three months old.

Life Span: In zoos, cheetahs may live up to 17 years; in the wild, they may live eight to ten years.

Behavior: Female cheetahs live alone, except when raising cubs. They rarely associate with other cheetahs, except when ready to mate. Males live in small permanent groups called coalitions, which are usually made up of two to four brothers. To avoid lions and leopards, cheetahs usually hunt in the middle of the day. Cheetahs stalk their prey, approaching to within about 50 feet before dashing out from cover and sprinting at the targeted animals. Cheetahs grab their victims’ throats and suffocate their quarry within a few minutes. After securing their meal, they may drag it to nearby cover. Despite their best efforts to hide their catches, their kills are often stolen by larger predators and picked at by hordes of vultures. Lions and hyenas also eat cheetah cubs; lions and leopards also kill adults.

Past/Present/Future: Once widespread across arid Africa, into the Middle East and east to India, the cheetah has suffered dramatic declines over the last century. It now lives in Africa, and a few may survive in Iran. Hunted for their spotted coats and because they sometimes attack livestock, they disappeared from many areas. More recently, widespread habitat destruction has fragmented cheetah habitats, isolating many populations. In many areas, the cheetah’s prey has been overhunted by people. Scientists have also found that many cheetahs suffer from genetic defects due to inbreeding, possibly the result of a population bottleneck—a sharp decline—that occurred perhaps as far back as 10,000 years ago. Among other things, inbreeding could raise cub mortality, lower cheetahs’ resistance to disease, and cause infertility. An estimated 8,000 to 10,000 wild cheetahs survive. Cheetah strongholds, where possible, must be connected to allow genetic interchange if this species is to survive. Also, conflict between cheetahs and humans needs to be moderated. For example, in Namibia, ranchers may legally shoot cheetahs that prey on livestock.

A Few Cheetah Neighbors:

Thomson’s gazelle (Gazella thomsonii): Within its range, this smallish, striped animal is a favored prey of the cheetah.

beisa oryx (Oryx gazella beisa): A large, long-horned antelope with black stripes on its flanks and face.

vulturine guineafowl (Acryllium vulturinum): A bare-headed gamebird with dazzling black, blue, and white plumes.

By saving cheetah habitat, we protect these and many other animals.

Fun Facts:
A sprinting cheetah can reach 45 miles per hour within 2.5 seconds. Top speed—up to 64 miles per hour—can only be briefly sustained.

In the 16th century, emperors and other royalty hunted gazelles with trained cheetahs.

Order: Carnivora
Family: Felidae
Genus and Species: Acinonyx jubatus

Source: Friends of the National Zoo

Editor’s Note: We would like to know what you think?

Further Reading: Cheetahs of the Serengeti Plains, by T.M. Caro; The University of Chicago Press, 1994.

Finding Good Daycare

By ARW
August 18, 2009

For some working mothers, finding good childcare is as easy as phoning their responsible, reliable mum to arrange pick up times and organic lunches. For others, finding good childcare is like taking on a whole new project with seemingly no decent answer.

If you fall into the first category and you have excellent childcare (maybe even free! Oh, the envy) in the form of your mother or another family member, you must guard them with your life. Be prepared that, especially if you live in a prosperous area, your childminder may get poached by harassed mothers at the school gates, promising untold riches and a benefits package you could only dream of.

Responsible Relative

For many working mothers, having a family member look after their child is the best possible solution, as they are likely to have similar views on raising children and tend to be more flexible. However, this situation is not without its problems. Be careful resentment does not build on either side by making the arrangement formal as soon as possible – confirm hours, payment and expectations on both sides.

Personal Network

Speaking to friends who also have young children is a good way to get word of mouth recommendations, which is helpful for childminders and day care. While you can get a good feel of a place by making an initial appointment, personal recommendation enables you to hear a more balanced view. Do bear in mind that your friends may have different standards or values regarding childcare, so try to gain advice from mothers who share similar views.

Internet Forums

Internet forums are a great place to find objective information – if you find a forum that seems to appeal to women with similar views to your own, you can ask questions about places that have vacancies and see what responses you get. A further benefit to gaining online advice is that you can decide to take it or leave it, whereas this can be trickier if you ask a friend’s opinion and then do not act on it.

Mother & Baby Group

If you are a member of your local mother and baby group, this is a mine of excellent information and support. Many women with older children will be able to advise you on good quality childcare in your region and it is also common for one or more women to set up their own day care facility after having a child. These places are also great for building relationships with other new mums and buying and selling baby equipment. Mother and baby groups can be especially helpful for women who have their first baby before their friends start families.

Local Council

In order to find the most regulated child care in your region, you can look at your local council website. They will either have online, or can send you, a list of their approved child care services.

Do not just act on this alone though; you will still need to visit the potential childminder or nursery of your child before you confirm that you will take them there. If at all possible, take your child when you go to look at the available childcare to see how the childminder or nursery staff interact with your child. You will be able to tell the response of your child, too, which can be a great indicator of which childcare provision is most suitable

Source: A Return To Work

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

BSO Helping People Who Care

Jim Leljedal / PIO
August 14, 2009

 

The Broward Sheriff’s Office is lending helping hands and its parking lot to a community outreach where volunteers will be serving the needy in a program called “Dare to Care.”

Dare to Care involves volunteers from the Faith Center, Women in Distress, Fort Lauderdale Police Department and BSO. It’s estimated that a thousand people will receive free food, baby items including diapers, car seats and strollers, school supplies, books, bicycles and more.

BSO’s empty parking lot was selected for its central location and weekend availability. Tents will be set up to shelter the crowd and organize the massive give-away project.

For more information, call 954-742-7832.

Sat., Aug. 15th, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
BSO PSB parking lot,
2601 W. Broward Blvd., Ft. Lauderdale

 

Source: BSO

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

Sticky Situation #6

By Scholastic News
August 11, 2009 

DeShawn wants to be part of a club that his friends made up. To join this club, you must say something hurtful to another person in your class. The boys in the club say DeShawn can’t be their friend if he doesn’t join.What should DeShawn do?Click on “Comments”  to write a paragraph explaining what you think DeShawn should do. Other Scholastic News readers will be posting their thoughts about this week’s ethical dilemma, too. So come back to the Sticky Situation blog to discuss their solutions!

 

 

 Source: Scholastic News Online

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

 

 

 

Species Discovered in Himalayas

By Fox News
August 11, 2009

Editor’s Note: There has been a new discovery of 353 Species in Himalayas. Here is a slide show of some of them.

Gumprecht’s green pitviper, a venomous snake that can grow over four feet, is among 353 new species discovered over last decade in the Himalayas.

Litter Frog

Smith’s litter frog , identified in 1999, one of five new frog discoveries in the Indian state of Assam, ranks among the most extraordinary-looking frogs in the world. Measuring only a few centimeters, this small frog has a giant pair of piercing, bulging and vivid golden eyes. Smith’s litter frog was reportedly discovered in the Mayeng Hill Reserve Forest and Garbhanga Reserve Forest, Kamru District, Assam. (WWF)

Source: Fox News

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

Sticky Situation #5

By Scholastic News
August 6, 2009

Nicholas is at his friend Robert’s house. Robert’s mother offers Nicholas soda. Nicholas’s parents don’t allow him to drink soda. But he really wants the soda because he never gets to have one.

What should Nicholas do?

Click on “Comments” to write a paragraph explaining what you think Nicholas should do. Other Scholastic News readers will be posting their thoughts about this week’s ethical dilemma, too. So come back to the Sticky Situation blog to discuss their solutions!

 

Source: Scholastic News

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

What is VetDogs?

By VetDogs/PIO
August 5, 2009

Helping those who have served our country honorably to live with dignity and independence whether they are visually impaired or have other special needs, by using guide dogs,.

The VetDogs project is a new program from the Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind, Inc. Since its beginning in 1946, the

Foundation has always served the needs of veterans, but it has done so as part of its overall mission to improve the quality of life for people who are blind or visually impaired.

In recent years, the Foundation has come to recognize that as veterans age, and as wounded soldiers return home from the global war on terrorism, there would be a greater need for guide dogs and specialized service dogs to help them maintain mobility and independence.

Thus VetDogs was born. We realized that it was important to consolidate our outreach to disabled veterans to address these increased needs. By building cooperative relationships with the military and the Department of Veterans Affairs, and by forging strategic partnerships with other guide and service dog schools to widen the options and availability of services to the veteran, we will ensure that disabled veterans receive all the benefits they need to live in dignity and independence.

We will train and supply guide dogs for the visually impaired veteran and service dogs for those who have disabilities other than blindness. In addition, training on Trekker, an orientation aid that uses GPS technology and digital maps to help blind and visually impaired people navigate unfamiliar territory, is also being offered.

The Guide Dog Foundation plans to be the standard by which the military and the VA measure assistance dog providers, and VetDogs is our way of recognizing the sacrifice made by our men and women in uniform

All of our services are provided at no cost to the veteran.

VetDogs Services

The VetDogs program offers a variety of training services. Please select from the following choices:

I would like a guide dog.

I would like a service dog.

Source: VetDogs

Editor’s Note: Here is how you can help! You can contact them at:

VetDogs HQ
c/o Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind, Inc
371 East Jericho Turnpike
Smithtown, New York 11787-2976
Phone: 1-866 VETDOGS (1-866-838-3647)
E-mail info@vetdogs.org

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

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