Rosemary
Jack
Sawyer
Casey
Kristian
Caleb
Manny-James
Gavin
Cole
Anthony
Killian
Harper
Avery
GO ONLINE TO REGISTER AND VOTE! bradfordera.com oleantimesherald.com salamancapress.com Each person can vote once per day.
Bret
Violet
2 • The Bradford Era, The Olean Times Herald, The Salamanca Press • March 3, 2016 • Beautiful Baby Contest 2016
Avery
Kylie
Ballard
Mallorie
Logan
Kiara
Knox
Ella
Addison
Sophia
Cecelia
Paisley
Ellyott
Madyxx
Dominic
John
Mikey
Kieran
Aubrey
Xsaver
Vote by going to: bradfordera.com, oleantimesherald.com or salamancapress.com
Beautiful Baby Contest 2016 • March 3, 2016 • The Bradford Era, The Olean Times Herald, The Salamanca Press • 3
Safety guidelines for new parents W
elcoming a new child into a family dynamic requires certain adjustments on the part of family members. New parents have come to expect shortened sleep schedules as they handle early-morning feedings and babies who haven’t quite adjusted to their parents’ sleep/wake schedules. Parents soon learn another aspect of childcare that fills their days is safety. Keeping little ones safe, whether at home or on the go, becomes the utmost priority. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s “Childhood Injury Report” indicates more than 12,000 children die each year in the United States from an unintentional injury. Injuries involving transportation, drowning and suffocation account for the largest number of accidental deaths among young children. One of the first safety steps parents can take is to become informed about common childhood injuries and statistics. Educating oneself about the potential for injury is the key to preventing accidents from occurring. The next step is to take measures to childproof areas in and around the home. Various organizations, including Kids Health, the Consumer Product Safety Commission and the National Safety Council, recommend caregivers take the following safety measures. · Use safety latches and locks for cabinets
and drawers to keep children away from potentially harmful poisons and household items. · Employ safety gates to prevent falls down stairs and to keep children from entering rooms that are not supervised or contain possible dangers. · Keep track of baby’s milestones, including when infants learn to pull themselves up in the crib. The crib mattress should be set to the lowest position and items removed so curious kids cannot climb out of the crib. · Bathtubs are a common location for injury. Never leave a child unattended in a bath even for a minute. Bathrooms can be made safer by installing a soft cover on the bath faucet head, using a secure and non-skid bath seat for the child and relying on a thermometer to check the temperature of the bath water. · Use knob covers to prevent access to the stove. Always supervise children in and around the kitchen, where there are many hazards and hot surfaces. · Use bolts or anchors to secure items like televisions, bookcases or dressers to the wall to prevent them from tipping over. · Getting a shock is easy when babies with saliva-drenched fingers touch electrical outlets. Use safety plugs or special covers to prevent access. · Make sure area rugs are secured with a
nonskid backing and repair any tripping hazards so children do not fall while learning to walk. · Drapery and blinds cords should be kept out of youngsters’ reach. Window coverings that are cord-free are safer options. · Parents can benefit by learning CPR and other first aid techniques. You never know when they might come in handy. · Window guards and safety netting can prevent falls from windows, balconies, landings, and decks. Check these safety devices frequently to make sure they are still secure. · Be sure to check that smoke and carbon monoxide alarms are functioning as they should and have fresh batteries. · Create layers of protection around a swimming pool, which includes installing self-latching fences, alarms and safety covers. · Make a first aid kit and store emergency instructions inside. Post important phone numbers close to a landline phone or program them into a mobile phone. · Use corner guards to protect young heads from falls against furniture or fireplace hearths. These are just some of the safety measures parents can take to safeguard their young children from injury at home. Kids’ pediatricians also may have other information that can help prevent accidents and save lives.
A tidy house with kids is not impossible C
onquering the clutter Cleanliness wtih kids is not impossible Many parents realize that having children means their homes will be filled with a vast assortment of toys, clothing and other items that seemingly spend more time scattered across the family room floor than in children’s bedrooms. Homes where young children lay their heads at night may not be as tidy as the photos lining home decorating magazine spreads. But while lived-in family homes may never be spotless, they do not have to be overrun with clutter, either. It’s possible to find a happy balance with the right strategy and by investing in a few organizational products. · Work one room at a time. Cleaning up cluttered homes can seem like a monumental effort when looking at clutter as a whole. But parents can do themselves a favor
by choosing a starting point and tackling the project one room at a time. Find the room that needs the most work or a space where clutter causes the biggest headaches. Once you clean such rooms, you may discover extra motivation to move on to the others. · Resist the urge to wander. One of the obstacles many people face when attempting to declutter a home is the tendency to remove an item from one room only to add it to the existing clutter in another room. For example, if a child’s toy is in the living room, you may walk that toy up to the bedroom and get involved in tidying up the bedroom, leaving the mess behind in the living room. When organizing a home, stay in a particular room until that room is clean. Have designated bins or bags for items that need to be carried into another room, but only transfer such containers after a
room has been cleaned. · Cull twice a year. Children accumulate the greatest number of new toys on birthdays and holidays. Set a schedule to go through existing toys prior to these events and sort out the broken, old or seldom-used items. Donate these toys to preschools, afterschool programs, family support centers, or babysitting centers at your office or gym. Whatever can’t be salvaged should be put into the trash or recycling bins. · Invest in storage cubes and bins. Toys that are easily accessible and seen are easier to find and put away. Develop a storage system that works for your family. Labeling bins with words (or pictures for children who can’t yet read) helps children identify where things belong. Find a system that will have longterm functionality and grow with the family. Many stores sell storage bookcases that blend with home
de^acor. · Tame the toys. Making too many items available at any given time can become overwhelming to children. Rotate toys rather than always buying new ones so that items will be fresh and interesting. Toys out of the rotation can be stored in a basement or attic. Belongings that are not requested or missed can be given away. Another idea is to create wishlists for birthdays and holidays. This way friends and relatives only buy what kids want, rather than an array of toys that may just end up taking up space. · Get items off of the floor. Any organizational system that can move items vertically is beneficial. Children will become accustomed to hanging things up rather than leaving belongings on the floor. Hooks, hangers and shelving mounted on walls, will free up precious floor space.
· Choose furniture that serves double duty. Beds with drawers underneath or a toy chest that doubles as a bench can work well in spaces that need some clutter control. · Establish a school memory box. Parents can give each of their children a plastic bin where they can store memorable items from school. Not every assignment or drawing sent home needs to be kept.
Reserve the memory box for those special things that have the most meaning. Kids and clutter often go hand in hand. However, there are ways to keep the mess under control.
4 • The Bradford Era, The Olean Times Herald, The Salamanca Press • March 3, 2016 • Beautiful Baby Contest 2016
Kinsley
Sarah
Olivia
Reagan
Piper
Noah
Rowen
Skylar
Ace
Jackson
Arianna
Meryem
David
Alyssa
Frankie
Maddox
Braxton
Lily, Logan, & Oliver
Maria
Kendall
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Beautiful Baby Contest 2016 • March 3, 2016 • The Bradford Era, The Olean Times Herald, The Salamanca Press • 5
Adrianna
Scarlett
Robin
Sawyer
Ellie
Alexander
Gabriel
Joshua
Kaylyn
Elijha
Sophia
Scarlett
Axel
Averie
Marvin
Tania
Evan
Axel
Ellie
Mia
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6 • The Bradford Era, The Olean Times Herald, The Salamanca Press • March 3, 2016 • Beautiful Baby Contest 2016
Elianna
Serina
Colton
Autumn
Adelyn
Mattie-Lynn
River Rose
Emilia
Katerina
Elena
Jack
Bella
Josiah
Kamryn
Steelie
Noel
Rilynn
Ty
Landon
Aubree
Vote by going to: bradfordera.com, oleantimesherald.com or salamancapress.com
Beautiful Baby Contest 2016 • March 3, 2016 • The Bradford Era, The Olean Times Herald, The Salamanca Press • 7
Zachary
Keegan
Blake & Codie
Liam
Chase
Kalista
Harper
Natasha
Lucas
Emmalynn
Ryla
Kora
Joey
Vedderlynn
Faylinn
Kyrha
Maddox
Aksel
Barker
Lylah
Vote by going to: bradfordera.com, oleantimesherald.com or salamancapress.com
8 • The Bradford Era, The Olean Times Herald, The Salamanca Press • March 3, 2016 • Beautiful Baby Contest 2016
How to select a babysitter H
iring a babysitter can be a difficult decision for many families. For the first several years of their children’s lives, many parents only trust themselves or direct family members to take care of their kids. But most parents must eventually rely on babysitters to look after their children. Selecting a babysitter is not something to take lightly. Putting your child into the care of another person requires trust and careful vetting of that person. The best place to begin looking for a babysitter is within your own community. Churches, preschools and a network of friends can usually yield suggestions for potential babysitters. An older child of a close friend is often a person to consider. Otherwise, ask around at your child’s day care center or preschool. Some teachers watch children as a side job, while others may offer recommendations. A school that conducts background checks on their employees as well as screens them for drug use and illnesses can take much of the work out of the vetting process for you. As a parent, you may simply need to call up some of the sitter’s references to validate his or her claims of responsibility. The next step is to interview a sitter and see how he or she interacts with your child or children. Ask questions at this point, finding out if the sitter is trained in CPR and first aid and if the sitter complet-
ed any courses in handling medical emergencies or other potentially sticky medical situations. Be sure to ask about experience watching particular age groups as well. Discuss your rules with the sitter, including bed times, food restrictions, policy on visitors, use of certain appliances and use of social media or digital devices while babysitting. The babysitter should understand all of your requirements and agree to them readily before being offered the job. Once a babysitter has been selected, have the sitter come to the house roughly 30 minutes before you decide to leave. This time gives your children time to grow acclimated to the sitter’s presence, and it gives you the chance to answer any questions the sitter may have. Leave emergency phone numbers as well as details on how you can be reached and where you are going. You may want to inform a close neighbor that you are having a sitter watch the kids and find out if he or she can be available in case of an emergency. You will probably be anxious the first time you leave your children with a sitter. Call home several times to check on things and reassure yourself that all is well. When you return home, ask the sitter how things went. Talk about situations you know may have been a problem, such as a reluctance for the kids
to go to sleep. Reassuring the sitter that these behaviors are not a reflection on his or her skills as a sitter will make the babysitter feel more comfortable and secure. Some parents feel better by using a nanny cam to keep a close watch on the situation at home. This is a personal preference and may not be necessary unless you suspect something is awry. In such instances, it is better to look for a new sitter instead.
Your children can tell you if they liked the sitter and if they felt comfortable with him or her. Kids who appear reluctant to be around the sitter or who exhibit a strong desire for their parents to stay home should raise some red flags. However, if you’ve done your research and have found someone you believe to be a reliable and safe sitter, there should be no problems.
Most common parenting mistakes to try to avoid
I
nstall a new appliance, which comes with an instruction manual. Buy a new gadget, and there will be an operation booklet tucked into the box. But have a child, and there’s no how-to guide that comes with the new baby. Parents must learn the ropes themselves with some guidance from others who have been there. Parents with good intentions make mistakes when parenting their children, and most of these mistakes are quite common.
Parents employ many strategies for raising children the right way. It is often a task of trial and error to find methods that work in certain families. When making parenting decisions, individuals may want to avoid these common pitfalls that may lead to potential problems down the line with children’s behavior. * Do as I say, not as I do. Parents are often guilty of instructing children how to do something, but not following their own advice. For example, telling children to eat a balanced meal (including those vegetables) while the parent doesn’t put any on his or her plate. Children learn best by example, and they are always watching their parents’ behavior. Setting a good example all of the time is important. * Failure to be consistent. Empty threats will soon be recognized by children for what they are. If a certain punishment is mentioned in reference to poor behavior, it is important to follow through. Don’t allow children to feel as though they can behave badly without
facing consequences. * Setting unrealistic expectations. This is a fast-paced world, and one in which many people are trying to keep up with the Jones’. This can cause parents to compare their children to others the same age and wonder whey their kids are not yet meeting a milestone someone else may have accomplished. As a result, parents tend to get pushy and impatient with their own children. This is often the case with a toddler who is not yet ready to potty train or a teenager who has yet to a commit to a course of study at school. Parents should set realistic expectations for their children, taking time into consideration. All children mature or do things on their own schedules -- and will come around in time. * Offering too many choices. Children presented with too many options might become indecisive. Parents can keep this in mind when allowing kids to have some independence by making a few decisions but limiting the choic-
es to a manageable amount. For example, when asking children what they may want for breakfast, only give three choices, such as: cereal, oatmeal or yogurt. They’ll still feel like they are making choices, but fewer options are less likely to overwhelm kids. * Packing the schedule. More is not necessarily better when it comes to setting a child’s schedule. Too often parents fill their kids’ schedules with too many activities, especially extra-curriculars. Although afterschool activities help kids make more friends and become well-rounded individuals, overdoing it can cause stress, fatigue or inability to concentrate. Children need a balance between just having fun with free play and their school and extracurricular commitments. Having something to do each and every afternoon may overwhelm some children. * Over-praising mundane things. It’s good to reinforce positive behavior with praise, but often parents heap on too much praise or reward things that
don’t have much merit. This may cause children to expect a pat on the back every time they do something. When parents applaud everything a child does, he or she may end up undermining the effectiveness of praise as a form of positive reinforcement. * Nagging doesn’t work. Repetitively asking for something to get done may cause children to tune out. If the child doesn’t comply in a reasonable amount of time, then he or she will face some sort of punishment. * Children and adults are not equal. In an effort to befriend their children, parents often worry about hurting feelings or having their kids mad at them. Children shouldn’t be treated as small adults, and parents should remember they are parents first and foremost. Some decisions will be unpopular, but such decisions need to be made if they are in the child’s best interest.