Al l abou t
s d i K
M a rch 2013
A Special Publication of the I-75 Newspaper Group Sidney Daily News • Troy Daily New • Piqua Daily Call
ALL ABOUT KIDS
I-75 Newspaper Group
March 2013
Page 2
Your kitchen is the ‘pulse’ of the home BY JENNIFER RUNYON Civitas Media TIPP CITY — The kitchen has long been known as the heart of a home. For years, kitchen tables all over have been the settings for sharing family meals, completing homework assignments and having deep conversations. “The kitchen is the pulse of the home… where we learn about
life and each other,” said Julie Fabing Burleson, co-founder of Young Chefs Academy. According to their website, “Young Chefs Academy is the nation’s first national franchise offering culinary classes, mini-camps, and birthday parties geared toward kids ages 4-14. YCA’s environment gives kids the opportunity to discover the significance of cooking while building self confidence
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and improving math, science, reading, social, and social studies (multicultural cuisine) skills.” Tipp City mother of three Andi Trzeciak agrees with this statement and enjoys having her children in the kitchen. The Trzeciak children, Logan, 13, Riley, 10 and Beckett, 6, love to help their mom cook. This is something Trzeciak sees great value in. “It’s a life skill that they’ll use forever,” she said. Trzeciak said her old-
est has a strong passion for cooking. “Maybe he’ll have a career in that someday,” she said adding that his favorite items to make are breakfast foods. Trzeciak believes it’s important for children to cook because so many academic skills are used. These skills include science, reading and, of course, math. Relevance, meaning showing students why it’s important that they learn something, is currently a buzz word in education. See KITCHEN/Page 3
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ANDI TRZECIAK, of Tipp City, and her children have always enjoyed spending time in the kitchen. Logan, now 13, Riley, now 10 and Beckett, now 6, use their math skills to help mom prepare and clean up family dinners.
ALL ABOUT KIDS
I-75 Newspaper Group
March 2013
KITCHEN
From Page 2
Kid-friendly recipes BY ANDI TRZECIAK
Chili 1 can black beans 1 can dark kidney beans 1 can light kidney beans 1 can corn 1 can diced tomatoes 1 can tomato sauce 1 p o u n d g r o u n d beef 1 onion, chopped 1 teaspoon chili powder (more or less) 1 to 2 cups salsa Drain and rinse all beans. Brown beef. Put all ingredients in crock pot and cook for 4 to 6 hours on low.
Texas Sheet Cake Ingredients for the cake: 2 cups flour 2 cups sugar 1/4 teaspoon salt 4 heaping tablespoons cocoa 2 sticks butter 1 cup boiling water 1/2 cup buttermilk 2 whole, beaten eggs 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract Frosting 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans 1 3/4 sticks butter 4 heaping tablespoons cocoa 6 tablespoons milk 1 teaspoon vanilla
or almond extract 1 pound (minus 1/2 cup) powdered sugar Preparation instructions Note: Use a 18-inch by 13-inch sheet cake pan. In a mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar and salt. In a saucepan, melt butter. Add cocoa. Stir together. Add boiling water, allow mixture to boil for 30 seconds, then turn off heat. Pour over flour mixture, and stir lightly to cool. In a measuring cup, pour the buttermilk and add beaten eggs, baking soda, and vanilla. Stir buttermilk mixture into butter/chocolate mixture. Pour into sheet cake pan and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. While cake is baking, make the icing. Chop pecans finely. Melt butter in a saucepan. Add cocoa, stir to combine, then turn off heat. Add the milk, vanilla, and powdered sugar. Stir together. Add the pecans, stir together, and pour over warm cake. Cut into
squares, eat, and totally wig out over the fact that you’ve just made the best chocolate sheet cake. Ever. More kid-friendly recipes to try!
Yummy Fruit Dip Yield: 2 cups 1 3-ounce package instant vanilla pudding mix 1 8-ounce container sour cream 1/2 cup yogurt Assorted fruit for dipping Directions: In a medium bowl, mix pudding, sour cream and yogurt. Chill in refrigerator at least 2 hours before serving.
English Muffin Pizzas Assemble your family’s favorite English muffins and pizza toppings. Kids and parents get to “design” their own pizzas. Bake on a foil-lined cookie sheet at 350 degrees until heated through. Pizzas also can be microwaved. Serve with a fresh fruit salad. Enjoy!
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Piqua City Schools Curriculum Director Neil Long believes cooking is a great way to show the relevance of math skills. “Children who are involved in cooking and planning for food preparation are able to apply their understanding of measurement units to get needed ingredients or change from one given unit of measure to another in order to use a recipe. Many times fractions are part of measurement or needed if one needs to increase or decrease proportions of a recipe,” Long said. Trzeciak said her daughter Riley is currently working on fractions in her math class. By measuring ingredients and doubling recipes, she gets to apply what she’s learned. The Trzeciak children’s involvement doesn’t stop when the meal is done. According to their mom, the kids help with clean up, too. “They all have to learn to do their part,” she said. Trzeciak’s youngest is learning to write. She saw his love of cooking come through in words recently when he wrote a note telling her it was time to bake. The mother said her husband, James, also cooks and the family is involved with cooking nearly every day. “Everyone’s always in our kitchen,” she said.
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Visit us on the web: www.shelbyco.lib.oh.us
ALL ABOUT KIDS
I-75 Newspaper Group
March 2013
Page 4
Civitas Media Photo/Luke Gronneberg
SOPHIA MCDONALD (left), 9, and Jaydalin Glenn, 9, both of Sidney, hurl a ball with the use of a blanket during a "Lets Move" YMCA kids fitness class recently. Watching them is YMCA youth coordinator Jessica
Lehmkuhle, of Sidney. Kids in the class never stop moving as they switch from one activity to another. Sophia is the daughter of Melissa and Andrew McDonald. Jaydalin is the daughter of Josh Glenn and Tara Smith.
First lady draws attention to fight on childhood obesity BY PATRICIA ANN SPEELMAN Civitas Media pspeelman@civitasmedia.com First lady Michelle Obama has thrown a national spotlight on the problem of childhood obesity. The statistics are sobering. According to Molly Douglas, a registered dietetic technician at Wilson Memorial Hospital, who quoted HealthyDay.com, “Only half of parents whose children are overweight think their children are overweight and nearly one in three kids in America is obese or overweight.” Sidney pediatrician Chandulal
Ghodasara, M.D., said the local area is not immune. “It is a major problem in Shelby County. It is a major problem everywhere,” he said. He noted there are two main reasons for obesity in children: genetic problems and overeating/under-exercising. “A genetic problem is one thing we can’t do too much for other than to help them control things so (the obesity) doesn’t get too bad,” the doctor said. But most overweight kids suffer from the second cause. The answer is to get children to eat a healthier diet and to be more active. Ghodasara does not prescribe med-
ications for fat kids. “I tell them it’s like a bank account,” he said. “You want to keep the account balanced. If you deposit more and more money, it keeps piling up. If you deposit more and more calories, it keeps piling up. The other end is how much we spend. If we spend the same amount we put in, we keep the back account in balance. “When a person is obese, they need to spend more and deposit less. In kids, what I see in the majority is putting in more and spending less. That’s the wrong way to go,” he added. See OBESITY/Page 6
ALL ABOUT KIDS
I-75 Newspaper Group
March 2013
Page 5
Vaccinations vital to children BY NATALIE KNOTH Civitas Media nknoth@civitasmedia.com
Civitas Media File Photo/Anthony Weber
CHRIS COOK embraces his daughter Kennedi while getting a shot last year with her twin sister, Preslee, at the Miami County Public Health Department in Troy. know this is not an option; it has to be done,” Youtz added. Parents are encouraged to keep up with the series of vaccines that begin during infancy. If vaccines are spread out throughout the early years, only two boosters will be required prior to kindergarten. Keeping track of vaccines received is very important, Youtz said, especially in the event a doctor’s office should close. “No matter where you get your vaccines, make sure parents get a copy of the record and they keep it with them. They get a yellow paper and we can call it a gold pass and tell them to keep it for life,” Youtz said. She added that health care providers can refer to the state registry for a personal immunization record if need be, but it’s simpler to keep your own records. The weeks leading up to the start of school tend to be busy for the health department, so Youtz
urges parents to get children vaccinated earlier in the year. Clinics are offered 8 to 11 a.m. and 1 to 3 p.m. Tuesdays, 8 to 11
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Vaccinations are vitally important for kids — and all people — to prevent debilitating lifethreatening diseases, the Miami County Public Health Department reports. Any perceived risk from vaccines is very low — and the protection is vital, stressed Donna Youtz, public health nurse at the health department. “There’s risk versus benefits of anything you do in life, and people who are looking at the risk of vaccines need to look at the risks if you don’t have the vaccines,” Youtz said. “The problem is, most of these people have not seen these diseases in their lifetimes because of vaccinations.” Under the Ohio Revised Code, kindergartners are required to get the DTaP (diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis), polio, MMR (measles, mumps and rubella), hepatitis and chicken pox vaccines, which are all available only in injection form. Parents should be open with their children about the immunizations, Youtz said. “First of all, don’t lie to your children. Don’t say they’re going to get ice cream when they’re going to get shots,” she said. “We’ve actually had that happen. Be frank with your children and be honest — it will sting a little bit but not hurt that bad. “If parents panic, the kids panic. Let them
ALL ABOUT KIDS
I-75 Newspaper Group
March 2013
OBESITY Shirley Sprague, senior program director at the County Sidney-Shelby YMCA, has developed specific opportunities for children to start spending calories. Let’s Move, in its second year, was designed to “get kids off the couch,” she said. It meets once a week and keeps kids active for 45 minutes through games, races and sports-like activities. “Kids don’t realize they’re doing exercise,” Sprague said. Recent games included bouncy ball races, catchball with a blanket and flag football. “They like it. They keep coming back,” she said. The program is for boys and girls 6 to 12. It is led by Jessicia Lehmkuhle,
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From Page 4 the youth and aquatics coordinator at the YMCA, and is open to members and nonmembers. The fee is $15 for members, $27.50 for nonmembers, for four weeks of sessions. The program runs throughout the school year and Presidential Awards are given to participants who qualify for them. There are no weigh-ins or measurements taken. And active movement, like running laps, is never used as a punishment. “Any child who is in good activities through play will learn to appreciate that those activities are good for him,” she said. She disagrees with sports or cheerleading and other physical education pro-
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grams that require children who are late or misbehave to run laps or do push-ups. “Activities can’t be used as punishment. Then kids don’t think they’re fun,” she said. “Kids need to know that these activities are good for their bodies.” Douglas feels the same way about children’s counting calories or dieting. “They should never count calories or say they’re on a diet. We should say to them, ‘We’re going to eat healthier.’ We should make healthy eating fun,” she said. For good tips on how to do that, she directs parents to the website, www.choosemyplate.gov. There, moms and dads and older children will find ideas for eating on a budget, being healthy role models, cutting back on sweets and other weightbusting initiatives. “Kids need the same thing as adults, a protein, a dairy, a grain, but the portion sizes are different for different ages,” she said. “And doing something fun with food instead of ‘Here’s a banana. You have to eat this.’ gets children to make healthy choices.” Douglas has a nineyear-old child who often says she is hungry when she comes home from school. According to Douglas, other parents have reported the same complaint from their children. The dietetic technician thinks that the reduced portion sizes in school meals, which are standard thanks to Obama’s emphasis on healthy nutrition, may be
to blame. But she readily admits that the hunger could also be the result of her child’s not eating everything that is served. “It’s typical for kids to be picky,” she said. One way to encourage kids to eat what they think they don’t like is to make eating fun, she said. “Renaming things — instead of a cup of yogurt, which most kids don’t like, make a smoothie. Make bugs on a log (celery with peanut butter and raisins or cranberries or cherries),” she added. Douglas also recommends asking children to help prepare meals. “Then it’s their creation,” she noted. “If they’re cooking it, they’ll eat it.” Another step parents and older children can take is to look at some of the habits of kids who are not overweight and emulate them, Douglas said. They don’t drink sugary drinks, they don’t eat large portions, they are more active. Ghodasara cautions that there is a general misunderstanding about what constitutes a healthy drink. “We think fruit juices are healthy foods,” he said. “That’s all sugar calories. Older kids, they drink pop. That’s the worst thing. Go with fruits and vegetables instead of juice. No fruit juice. No pop. Drink water,” he advised. And to lose weight, he counsels children to “cut back 10 or 15 percent on everything. Eat pizza, but eat less. Don’t keep sitting. Be active. This is the way we can control obesity.”
ALL ABOUT KIDS
I-75 Newspaper Group
March 2013
Page 7
Making healthy food choices Molly Douglas, a registered dietetic technician at Wilson Memorial Hospital, furnished the nutritional guidelines below to assist parents in making choices for their children that will combat and prevent childhood obesity. For children 1 to 3: Grain group: six servings per day. Representative portions: bread, 1/4 to 1/2 slice; buns, bagels, or muffins, 1/4 to 1/2; crackers, two or three; dry cereal, 1/4 to 1/3 cup; cooked cereal, 1/4 to 1/3 cup; rice and pasta, 1/4 to 1/3 cup. Fruit and vegetable group: five servings per day. Whole fruits or vegetables, 1/2 small; cooked, canned or chopped raw, 1/4 to 1/3 cup; juice (limit to 100 percent fruit juice), 4 to 6 ounces per day. Milk group: three servings per day. Milk or yogurt, 1/2 cup; cheese, 1/2 ounce. Meat group: two servings per day. Lean meat, chicken or fish, 1 to 3 tablespoons; dry beans and peas,
2 to 4 tablespoons; peanut butter, 1 to 2 tablespoons; egg, one. Fat group: three to four servings depending on calorie needs. Margarine, butter, oils, dressings or dips, 1 teaspoon. For children 4 to 6: Grain group: six servings per day. Representative portions: bread, one slice; buns, bagels or muffins, 1/2; crackers, four to six; dry cereal, 1/2 cup; cooked cereal, 1/2 cup; rice or pasta, 1/2 cup.
Fruit and vegetable group: five servings per day. Whole fruits and vegetables, 1/2 to one whole; cooked, canned, or chopped raw, 1/2 cup; juice (limit to 100 percent juice), 4 to 6 ounces per day. Milk group: three servings per day. Low-fat milk or yogurt, 3/4 cup; cheese, 3/4 ounce. Meat group: two servings per day. Lean meat, chicken or fish, 1 to 3 tablespoons; dry beans and peas, 4 to 5 tablespoons; peanut butter, 1 to 2 tablespoons; egg, one. Fat group: three to four servings (depending on calorie needs). Margarine, butter, oils, dressings or dips, 1 teaspoon. For children 7 to 10: Grain group: six to nine servings per day. Representative portions: bread, one slice; potato, 1/2 cup; crackers, six; cereal, 3/4 cup.Fruit and vegetables: five to seven servings per day. Cooked or canned fruits or vegetaSee CHOICES/Page 15
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ALL ABOUT KIDS
I-75 Newspaper Group
March 2013
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Helmet Safety a Must this Season Dayton Children’s reminds parents to keep your kids safe on-the-go by remembering to always wear a helmet Regardless of the number of wheels they have, children love to play with things that move. From the time they can walk, they’re pushing around a stroller. Once they grow into their walking legs, they graduate to a big wheel. Once in school, it’s rollerblades, skateboards, scooters and finally a bicycle. Unfortunately, apart from the automobile, bicycles are tied to more childhood injuries than any other consumer product, including trampolines, ladders and swimming pools. Whether your child is riding his or her bike around the block or going to the skate park – a helmet will make him or her safe on the go. “Helmets could prevent an estimated 85 percent of severe head injuries and up to 45,000 head injuries to children who ride bikes each year,” says Laurence Kleiner, MD, a board certified pediatric neurosurgeon at Dayton Children’s. “Wearing a helmet is the single most effective safety device for protecting a child’s head.” Children should always wear the right helmet designed for each wheeled sport. • When biking, roller skating, inline skating or riding a scooter, a bike helmet
should be worn. • For skateboarding and long boarding, a skateboarding helmet is best. What parents can do As a parent, the best way that you can ensure your child wears a helmet is to wear a helmet yourself. In addition to modeling safe behavior, ensure your child’s helmet is properly fitted and explain each step to your child so that he or she can learn how to do it each and every ride: • Place the helmet low on the forehead, just above the eyebrows. • Show your child that the helmet straps should be snug under the chin so the helmet stays in the same position. • Show your child that the helmet should not move back and forth or side to side. • Show your child how wearing a helmet on the back of the head (with the forehead well exposed) will not do a good job of protecting the brain. “Teach children about helmet use early and make sure you are consistent in requiring its usage,” says Kleiner. Helmets are not the only safety item that can be used to prevent injuries while playing with wheeled toys and nonmotorized vehicles. Here are some additional reminders for
This mother is helping her child learn to ride her new bike for the first time. She also is making sure her daughter is wearing her helmet.
parents and kids: • Follow all traffic laws and ride only in designated areas • Avoid listening to music or texting while riding a bike, skateboarding or rollerblading • Wear other appropriate protective gear including knee pads, elbow pads, mouth guards and wrist guards. • Wear properly fitting shoes. Remember to tie shoelaces and don’t wear close-toed shoes. • Follow the rules of the road
established in your community. Wheeled safety begins at home. Teaching your children the important lessons they need to be safe on the Big Wheel, bicycle, skateboards and beyond is very important. Helmets keep kids safer than any other safety precaution that you can take. Make sure you and your children are practicing good street awareness and always check their equipment to make sure it’s safe too.
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ALL ABOUT KIDS
ALL ABOUT KIDS
I-75 Newspaper Group
March 2013
Page 10
It’s important to teach children fiscal responsibility BY TOM MILLHOUSE tmillhouse@civitasmedia.com Fiscal responsibility is a skill that a local bank officer says parents should strive to begin instilling in their children at a young age so they can hopefully avoid some financial pitfalls when they reach adulthood. In addition to lessons at home, area schools also provide lessons in handling life’s financial decisions as part of the school curriculum. Randy Hoehne chief financial officer for Mutual Federal Savings Bank in Sidney, said it’s important to instill the importance of fiscal
responsibility in children. “I think by the time they get in the second or third grade you should start to instill the idea of saving money and impress on them that everything that comes in the door can’t go out the door,” he said. Hoehne said “it used to be easier” to show the benefits of saving money when interest rates on savings account were higher, but parents can still show their children that when they make a deposit in their saving account that “it’s making the pile grow.” As children grow older and they begin earning money by passing newspapers, mowing grass or
babysitting, it is important to require that they save a major portion of the earnings. By the same token, Hoehne said parents need to allow their children to spend some of the money so they see an immediate benefit from earning money. “There has to be some incentive for kids,” Hoehne said on allowing children to spend part of their earnings. “For kids today, gratification is high on their list.” Virginia McClain, curriculum director for Sidney City Schools, said fiscal responsibility lessons are incorporated into the curriculum for students in grades six See FISCAL/Page 13
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ALL ABOUT KIDS
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March 2013
Page 11
Tips to turn kids into readers (StatePoint) — With all the gizmos, gadgets and electronic media available these days, it can be tough for parents to get kids to sit down with good old-fashioned books. But regular reading, done for fun, is linked to better school performance and can expose kids to a world of knowledge. Experts advise parents of reluctant readers to, above all, keep the activity enjoyable. “Reading should never feel like a chore,” said David Borgenicht, father of two young children, author, and publisher of Quirk Books. “There are so many exciting books out there for all ages. It’s
just a matter of finding what your child likes.” Here are some ways you can encourage your child to drop the remote and pick up a book instead: • Start early: Good habits start young. So set aside time daily to read together until he or she can do so alone. Visit the library regularly to attend story time and other children’s literacy events, and to check out books. • Set an example: Children learn by watching. If you aren’t already a regular reader, become one today. • Stock up: The more types of reading materi-
als in a home, the better students perform in reading proficiency, according to the Educational Testing Service. So stock your home with newspapers, mysteries, biographies, poetry, historical fiction and every genre of interest to your family. “You may even want to leave some books and magazines in the car so kids can squeeze a short read in during commutes,” said Rekulak. • Think ahead: Serial novels can keep kids continually engaged in books. Look for something full of action and adventure that’s fraught with suspense, like the new Lovecraft Middle School
series by Charles Gilman about the strange world of a creepy middle school. A nod to H.P. Lovecraft, the iconic horror author of the 20th century, the book is appropriate for boys and girls ages 10 and older. The newest in the series, “The Slither Sisters,” is about two monsters disguised as students who are plotting to abduct the entire seventh grade. To learn more about the series, visit www.LovecraftMiddleSch ool.com. • Make it easy: Give your child the right tools he or she needs to read comfortably. An armchair pillow and a bedside readSee READERS/Page 13
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ALL ABOUT KIDS
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March 2013
Page 12
What every child needs to know before the first day of kindergarten BY MELANIE YINGST Civitas Media myingst@civitasmedia.com
Civitas Media File Photo/Anthony Weber
STUDENTS FROM Troy City Schools visit the Miami County Fairgrounds recently where Miami East High School’s FFA students hosted its annual Ag Day. Several educational stations and demonstrations were available to children, including a “how to milk a cow” stop with Bair-Trax Dairy Farm from Elizabeth Township. Here CaVerion Marsh from Jessica Bruns’ kindergarten class at Cookson Elementary School is assisted by Annette Bair with milking a Jersey. pictures and communicate information such as what are goods and services. Stephey said children need to be able to count to at least 100 and write numbers and letters correctly. Reading and phonetics are also stressed at the kindergarten level. Kindergarten standards state that children should understand groups of 10, recognize the value of money, measurement and identify and sort objects by shape, size and other characteristics. Kindergarten students also must be able to reread their own writing, organize ideas and write
left to right, top to bottom. “Phonetic awareness is an ability they need to know in kindergarten now,” Stephey said. “The child needs to be able to
break down a word and successful read the word even if they do not recognize it.” Stephey said the shift doesn’t often faze chilSee KNOW/Page 15
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Gone are the days of milk and cookies and nap time, because kindergarten has beefed up its classroom. “What Kindergarten was 25 years ago is what preschool is now,” said Cookson Elementary School Principal Brian Stephey. “What we are doing now in Kindergarten was once done in first grade — everything has been pushed down.” Stephey said kindergarten students now have academic benchmarks in subjects such as reading, writing, math science and social students. The Ohio Department of Education has many resources for parents located on its website. “A Standards Guide for Families” is available to help parents understand what is expected of their child in Kindergarten on the Ohio Department of Education website. For example, children should know their upper and lower case letters, rhyming words and patterns and syllables in the language arts. “Writing is important; they have to be able to write,” Stephey said. “Teachers expect kids to be able to write going in to first grade.” In social studies, children should be able to compare similarities and differences in objects and
ALL ABOUT KIDS
I-75 Newspaper Group
March 2013
Page 13
READERS
From Page 11
ing lamp will make reading a comfortable experience. • Tune out: Be sure to have a period each evening where no television, gaming systems or gadgets are allowed. Make this “reading time,” go hand in hand with something fun — like dessert — so there’s no protest. THERE ARE many places to find a You can find agood book to read. children’s reading list of recommended books from the American Library Association at www.ala.org. After school, homework and extracurricular activities, reading may not be a child’s top priority. But by taking a few key steps, you can instill a lifelong love of reading.
Civitas Media Photo/Luke Gronneberg
m ile s!” S ’ s d i K r u Yo “We Love
NOAH BUNDY, 4, of Sidney, places a dollar coin in a bank recently. Noah is the son of Tasha and James Bundy.
FISCAL through eight, as well as in elective classes — such as economics — for high school students. “Under the new state standards, it’s placed in social studies,” McClain said of instruction to help students learn habits that will make them fiscally responsible adults. The focus for the sixthgrade program is comparing products. In the seventh grade, students examine the price and quality of foreign products as part of world studies. McClain said the school district teams with
From Page 10 the Lima branch of The Ohio State University to present a program in which focuses on the present and future consequences of choices. The students go from station to station making choices in a variety of real-life financial settings, such as career choice, purchase of a home, buying cars, etc. The students then learn the consequences of their choices on their financial situation. “It presents examples of real-life situation for money management skills,” she said.
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ALL ABOUT KIDS
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March 2013
Page 14
Developing healthy sleep habits for new moms, baby BY SHERYL ROADCAP Civitas Media PIQUA — When a new baby comes home, there are many adjustments, and getting any sleep at all can seem like a dream in and of itself. So creating healthy sleeping habits for moms with new babies may certainly seem like a paradox, but once the first month has passed, a bedtime routine is paramount toward the path to success. Dr. Rachel Sidwell, a board certified pediatrician who is an M.D. with the Pediatric Group, located in Piqua, Troy and Tipp City, says that, “at bedtime, a routine is important.” She said during the first month however, do not expect to begin any type of sleep training methods. Newborns (babies under a month old) will naturally sleep more during the day, and therefore, want to be awake during the night. She says perhaps parents should try to keep them awake more during the day so they will sleep more during the night. Sidwell strongly recommends putting babies to sleep on their back until they are rolling over on their own, and putting nothing (such as pillows or stuffed animals) in the bed with the child, for fear of suffocation. She said newborns awaken a lot during the night to eat, and should never go
Civitas Media Photo/Sheryl Roadcap
BUSY MOTHER of two, Erin Cress, holds her youngest, Josie, six months, and talks openly about practicing healthy sleeping habits with her children. more than four hours between feedings, but after the first month, babies tend to taper off of that routine and begin to set their own schedule. Sidwell also advises against offering “white noise,” such as music, saying that a quiet room is best to promote sleep. “If it is something on the bed, but not in the bed, like a little musical thing, it’s safe, but I do usually recommend for developing good sleeping habits that it be a quiet room and advise against music; to keep the room quiet,” Sidwell said.
Sidwell said babies usually begin sleeping through the night anywhere from five or six weeks up to a year old, but, of course, it really just depends on the child. Also, she said the first few months is safest for baby to be in the same room as the parent, but after that, it’s up to the parent as to whether to keep the baby in a separate room or not. She also certainly believes in picking up and soothing a crying newborn during the night, and that as the months go on, to still briefly go into the room
and give the child a quick hug and kiss to reassure them, but put them right back to bed. Busy mother, Erin Cress, of four-year-old Jacson and six-month-old Josie has learned to balance her family life, college classes and music career (with popular group Higgins Madewell), and still manage to develop healthy sleeping habits for her daughter Josie. Cress swears by her nightly routine — and the huge help of her husband Jonathan — for how she manages to get sleep, and See SLEEPING/Page 15
KNOW dren in their first year of school and encourages parents to find a preschool to introduce concepts like reading, writing and simple math before elementary school beings. According to Stephey, children aren’t as ready academically as in years before and can reap benefits by enrolling them in a preschool program. Stephey said children kindergarten readiness tests have dropped fairly significantly in recent years and factors could be babysitting instead of preschool. Yet, at Cookson Elementary, Stephey and his kindergarten staff have implemented an early screening for par-
From Page 14 ents and children in June. The screening helps parents identify what their child needs to work on to prepare for kindergarten. Check with your local school district if early screening is available. As far as age of the child and maturity level, Stephey said the choice to send them to school is ultimately theirs. “It’s a parent choice,” Stephey said. “They have to look at their kid and decide what’s best for them.” For more information on what is expected of kindergarten students, visit the Ohio Department of Education website and search for kindergarten at www.ode.state.oh.us.
SLEEPING for partly why their baby began sleeping 8-to-12 hours a night since she was four months old. “I’m a firm believer that routine had a lot to do with it (sleeping well). Every night right after dinner, I would play with her for about a half-hour, or so, give her a bottle and then she would go straight to bed — and it would be the same thing every night. And also, we started putting them in their cribs at four weeks old. It worked well with Jacson, so it seemed to do well with her, as well,” recalls Cress of her parenting style. Single mother Amber Johnson, of 15-month-old Cameron, says her son began sleeping through the night for the first time at three months old.
I-75 Newspaper Group
March 2013
Page 15
CHOICES
From Page 7
bles, 1/2 cup; raw, 3/4 cup; fresh fruit, one piece; juice, 4 ounces. Meat group: two to three servings per day. Meat, 2 ounces; peanut butter, 2 tablespoons; egg, one; beans, 1/2 cup. Milk group: four servings per day. Milk, 8 ounces; yogurt, 3/4 to 1 cup; cheese, 1-1 1/2 ounces; cottage cheese, 1/2 cup. Fat group: four servings per day. For children 11 to 18: Grain group: six to 11 servings per day. Representative servings: bread, one slice; hot cereal, pasta or rice, 1/2 cup; cold cereal, 3/4 cup; crackers, six. Fruit and vegetable group: five to nine servings per day. Cooked or canned fruits or vegetables, 1/2 cup; raw, 1 cup; fresh fruit, one piece; juice, 4 ounces. Meat
group: two to three servings per day. Meat, 2-3 ounces; peanut butter, 2 tablespoons; egg, one; beans, 1/2 cup. Milk group: four servings per day. Milk, 8 ounces; yogurt, 1 cup; cheese, 1 1/2 2 ounces; cottage cheese, 1 cup. Fat group: four servings per day. Snacks Best not to offer one to two hours before mealtime. Fresh fruit of any kind (watch some fruits for choking with children 1-3). Vegetables: carrots, celery, cauliflower, broccoli, cucumbers. Milk: smoothies, yogurt, pudding, cheese. Meat: hard boiled eggs, tuna or egg salad, peanut butter. Grain: unsweetened cereal, crackers, bread, plain tortilla.
Piqua Pi iqua • Troy Troy • Tipp Tipp City City 937.773.0752
From Page 14
She believes keeping him active, along with a routine, is part of what has helped with his good sleep patterns — that, and the help of a musical swing, which seemed to sooth him to sleep on occasion. So, although many parents have their own twist on the bedtime ritual, bottom line is that there are several, key things that the professionals think are important for establishing healthy sleeping habits: a routine, a quiet room, nothing in a newborn’s bed, and always putting a child to sleep on their back. For more information and tips on creating healthy sleeping habits for your baby go to www.aap.org and/or w w w. s l e e p i n s a f t e y growinstyle.org.
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March 2013
Page 16
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