Parent August 2012

Parent Columbus

August - September 2012

easier orthodontics • power of ‘no’ • OTC medications

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Parent Columbus

Also inside Calendar of events. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Learning to say ‘no’. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Mary Garvey column . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Baby monitors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Christine Main column. . . . . . . . . . 25 Jennifer Tchida column. . . . . . . . . 26

Improved orthodontics, page 8

Handle with care, page 18

Year-round school, page 16

Eat your vegetables, page 28

Kids Craft. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

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5-2-1-Almost None Moms, remember your kids need 5-2-1-Almost None every day!

Eat at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day.

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Watching too much television is linked to being overweight, having lower reading scores, and attention problems.

Get one hour or more of physical activity per day.

Regular physical activity is needed for good health.

Drink less sugar. Try water and low-fat milk instead

of sugary drinks.

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Parent • August - September 2012 • 3

Calendar of events Continuing event Downtown Columbus Farmer’s Market. 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday through Sept. 29. Cummins parking lot, between Brown and Lindsey streets.

Fresh produce grown by local farmers and gardeners, fresh-cut flowers, home-baked goods, coffee, tea, lemon shake-ups, local art and jewelry, herbs, hot peppers, mosaics, gluten-free baked goods and local music.

August

2

— JCB Neighborfest: Parrots of the Caribbean, Jimmy Buffett Tribute, 5:30 to 730 p.m., 300 block of Washington Street. Free.

Foreigner will headline Rock the Park Aug. 18 at Mill Race Park.

18

— Rock The Park with Foreigner. Mill Race Park.

Admission: advance $13; gate $15; students 18 and younger $10. Opening will be winner of this year’s Battle of the Bands.

19

— Bark in the Park End-ofSummer Doggie Swim. 6:30 to 8 p.m., Donner Park Aquatic Center.

Cost $5 per dog. All dogs must be sociable, accompanied by an owner/handler and on leash (except while swimming).

Vendors will be present with information for dogs and their owners, plus perfor-

The 2012 swim season will go to the dogs Aug. 19 with the annual Bark in the Park event at Donner Aquatic Center.

List your events l Fax 812-379-5711 l E-mail: dshowalter@therepublic.com l Mail: Columbus Parent, 333 Second St., Columbus, IN 47201 l Deadline for next issue: Sept. 7.

4 • August - September 2012 • Parent

games, music and activities for the whole family. Food items will be available for purchase. Presented by Family Service Inc. Information: familyservicebc.org.

September

1

— Hospice Community Concert featuring Three Dog Night. 7 p.m., Mill Race Park. Free event, proceeds benefit Hospice of South Central Indiana.

Rain location: Columbus North gym.

4 Linda Robertson stops to admire the work of Flat Rock artist Wayne Campbell as he paints a downtown Columbus scene at last year’s ArtFest.

— Jack Williams at Americana Downtown. 7 p.m., Jacksson Contemporary Art Gallery, 1030 Jackson St., Columbus. Doors open at 6:15 p.m.; $10 to $15 suggested donation. Hosted

by Tim Grimm. Light food and beverages available.

6

— JCB Neighborfest with Naptown Boogie. Free, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., 300 block of Washington Street.

7

-9 — Columbus Scottish Festival.

8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday; 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Bartholomew County Fairgrounds. Admission: Friday concert $7; Saturday ceilidh $20; one-day festival $8; two-day festival $15; all-event combo $40. Information: 546-6060 or scottishfestival.org.

8 Grayson Newhart tries to throw a football through a hole in a wooden cutout of a Columbus East football player during the 2011 Family Fest held as a benefit for Family Service. mances at 5 and 8 by the Indy Air K9s Disc Dogs.

25

— Columbus ArtFest. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Washington Street in downtown Columbus. Artwork from local, regional and national artists: mixed

media, ceramics, fiber, leather, furniture, glass, jewelry, printmaking, sculpture, woodwork and more. Information: columbusartfest.com.

25

— Family Fest 2012. 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Mill Race Park. Free

— Columbus Hydrocephalus Association Walk. Mill Race Park.

Registration begins at 9 a.m. at River Vista Shelter; walk begins at 10 a.m. This is a free event to help raise awareness about hydrocephalus. Information: www. walk4hydro.kintera.org/indiana.

8

— Columbus Bluegrass Jamboree Concert. Mill Race Park. Free event.

Open jam at 4 p.m.; group performances at 5 p.m. Rain location: Donner Center.

Donations accepted.

15

— Hot Rods & Rock ‘n’ Roll.

Downtown Columbus. Free car show and concert.

Parent • August - September 2012 • 5

22

— Let’s Get Ready! Drive-in movie event 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.; movie at 8 p.m., Mill Race Park. Free movie, games, music, prizes and more.

Information: 376-2680.

that wind through the heart of downtown Columbus. Hosted by Columbus Running Club, the city of Columbus and Healthy Communities Initiative. Information: millracerace.org.

22

28

— Hope Bike Ride. Enjoy tours of the charming and picturesque Duck Creek Valley, meet interesting people, scenic tours, live music, pancake breakfast, root beer floats. Information: hoperide.org/about.html.

22

— Mill Race Race & Mayor’s Walk. Scenic 15K & 5K courses

-30 — Hope Heritage Days.

Hope Town Square. Parade, fireworks, music, food, vendors, car show, pioneer village and more.

October

12

-13 — Ethnic Expo. Downtown Columbus, near City Hall. Host

country this year is Brazil. Wide variety of international cuisine, live entertainment and bazaar vendors. Information: ethnicexpo.org.

13

— Croptoberfest (fall scrapbooking event). 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Donner Center. $26/person. Join us for an entire day of scrapbooking. We will be demonstrating new techniques. Free gifts for each guest and drawings for great prizes. The day will also feature lunch, snacks, drinks and, of course, chocolate.

A store of scrapbooking supplies will be available for you to make purchases.

All activities led by Creative Memories Consultants. Information: 376-2680.

16

— Little Chefs Ghost and Goblin Goodies. For ages 5 to 8. 1 to 2:15 p.m., Donner Center. Join us as we make a variety of out-of-this-world Halloween goodies. Registration deadline Oct.12; $14 per person. Information: 376-2680.

19 Southern Indiana Pipes and Drums marches through the Bartholomew County 4-H Fairgrounds at last year’s Columbus Scottish Festival. This year’s event will be Sept. 7 and 8.

Music lovers fill Mill Race Park each Labor Day weekend to benefit Hospice of South Central Indiana. This year’s concert features Three Dog Night.

6 • August - September 2012 • Parent

— Trick or Treat Tales. 6:30 to 8 p.m., Donner Center. $1 per person (all children must be accompanied by an adult). An evening of not-so-scary Halloween tales and songs, crafts and games. Snacks will be served.

Information: 376-2680.

27

— Night of a Thousand Jacks.

3 to 6 p.m., PNC Bank Lot, 333 Washington St., free admission.

Participants carve jack-o’-lanterns and submit them, along with a $5 entry fee, to be judged. Turn-in Friday at kidscommons. Judges select the most creative and scariest jacks in each of three age categories. Additionally, participants compete for the grand prize by collecting votes ($1=1 vote). Strolling Night activities include a costume contest, Monster Mutt Parade pet costume contest, kids games and activities, musical entertainment and food. Information: 372-2808 or nightofathousandjacks.com.

3

— Wine-A-Ree wine and beer tasting event benefiting Hoosier Trails Council, Boy Scouts of America. Noon to 6 p.m., The Commons. Featuring Indiana wineries and local breweries, the event will include a silent auction. Tickets are $20 in advance at Viewpoint Bookstore or $25 at the door. Unlimited wine and beer tastings and a commemorative wine glass are included in the price of the ticket. Food will be available for purchase.

Information: Melinda Clark, 343-6980.

The Mill Race Race and Mayor’s Walk will be Sept. 22, starting at Mill Race Park.

Ongoing MOMSNext provides fellowship, support and friendship to mothers of elementaryage children. Meetings are twice a month throughout the school year from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Grace Lutheran Church.

Information: 372-4859.

Hamilton Center Ice Arena. 25th Street and Lincoln Park Drive. Admission: child (5-17) $3.50; adult (18 and older) $4; 4 and younger free. Skate rental $2. Call for schedule and programming. Information: 376-2686.

Rain precautions quickly turned into candy gathering tools during last year’s Hope Heritage Days parade.

27

— UnCommon Cause. The annual gala and auction to support the arts in Columbus. 7 p.m., The Commons. Information: 376-2539 or artsincolumbus.org/caac.

28

— Halloween Costume Contest. Donner Center. 2 p.m. for ages up to 6; 3 p.m. for ages 7 to 12.

Free. Prizes awarded for scariest, prettiest, funniest, most adorable, most original and best animated. Numbers for judging available at 1:30 p.m. All participants receive a ribbon and a treat

bag. Crafts available from 2 to 3:30 p.m.

Information: 376-2680.

November

2

— Old National Bank’s First Fridays For Families — “Harry the Dirty Dog.” Free. 6 p.m., The Commons.

ArtPower Theatre presents the wonderful children’s story of Harry, the dog who runs away and gets so dirty his family doesn’t recognize him when he returns home. Information: artsincolumbus.org.

Kidscommons. 309 Washington St., climbing wall and wonderland of discovery, education and imagination for children up to age 14. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday; 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday. Closed Monday.

Admission is $6. Information: 378-3046.

Bartholomew County Public Library.

Story time sessions and other children’s activities: barth.lib.in.us.

Foundation for Youth. 405 Hope Ave. For a complete schedule of activities: foundationforyouth.com.

Columbus Gymnastics Center. 405 Hope Ave. Classes and open gym for children. Information: 376-2545.

Parent • August - September 2012 • 7

Going straight Photos by Doug Showalter

Dawn Satterfield adjusts a patient’s braces at the office of Dr. Daniel S. Martin in Columbus.

8 • August - September 2012 • Parent

Technology has improved comfort and speed of orthodontics

By Barney Quick

“W

e need to make an appointment to get your teeth straightened” is a message that modern orthodontics patients hear with a much different emotional response than those of 20 years ago. A number of new procedures and devices have been developed to make the experience actually enjoyable.

For one thing, it’s much more convenient now.

“Treatment time used to be 36 months. That’s been reduced to a time frame of 18 to 24 months,” says Becky Hunter, practice manager for Daniel S. Martin Orthodontics. “We used to see patients every three to four weeks; now it’s six. Patients spend about 10 minutes in the chair, compared to 45 just a few years ago.”

“One basic change is that we do an intra-oral scan on the teeth instead of making impressions,” says Martin’s orthodontic assistant Roxanne Swope. “It’s faster and more accurate.”

Martin adds, “We’re getting to the point where we can make retainers from those scans.”

He says another significant development is new materials for wires, particularly nickel titanium alloy, which is replacing stainless steel.

“It has a memory to it,” he says. “It’s a more flexible wire that retains its shape.” He describes it as “a gentle wire with lighter force that straightens teeth faster.”

Some titanium wires are heat-sensitive. The patient’s body heat enhances their flexibility. “You can get into really crowded areas, and then the wire will regain its original form,” Martin says.

Dr. Charles McDermott, who also has a Columbus practice, is likewise an enthusiast of nickel titanium wires.

Parent • August - September 2012 • 9

“If there’s a lot of discrepancies in the heights of brackets, you can engage them easily,” he says. “We keep them in the refrigerator and then spray on a chilling solution, which makes them as limp as a piece of string.”

Improved appearance

appliances,” Martin says. These are devices that work with oral motions such as eating or speaking to achieve skeletal correction. “They accelerate the growth of the lower jaw and possibly prevent the need for jaw surgery later in life.”

Brackets are smaller and lower profile, a plus for appearance-conscious adolescents. Bands, the metal rings that used to be wrapped around each tooth, are generally not used anymore. A lot of brackets are ceramic and glued to the front of the tooth.

The Forsus, the brand name for a permanent corrective spring, is used in overbite situations now.

“Ninety percent of adults want ceramic brackets,” says McDermott. “Some kids do as well, but most of them like the colored ties, so they still go for ligatures.”

Martin, Hunter and Swope are all pleased with the advent of fluoride varnish. It has proven to be an effective preventive of decalcification.

Both the McDermott and the Martin practices use a light-curing unit to harden the glue. It was formerly glued with chemicals.

Continually evolving

“The patient used to have to lie there with his mouth open for eight minutes,” says Hunter. “That time has been significantly reduced.”

“There’s been an increase in the use of functional

“The patient isn’t having to take rubber bands in and out,” says Swope. “Children don’t have to be responsible for putting them in or making sure they don’t lose them.”

Some developments have come to the fore and run their course in the last 20 years. The Temporary Anchorage Device, or TAD, is a miniature screw that anchors the jaw to move the teeth large distances.

“It’s yielded mixed results,” says Martin. “We don’t push it a lot. When it works, it works well, but that’s not

Above are standard metal braces, left, while the model on the right features ceramic clear braces. Opposite page, this Forsus device doesn’t need rubber bands and is used for tooth movement.

10 • August - September 2012 • Parent

clear plastic tray that can be used in many circumstances as an alternative to braces.

Again, he cites an Invisalign treatment program as an example of the advantages of scanning. Digital impressions are used to make a series of trays that will be fitted on the patient.

Invisalign’s benefits are myriad. From an appearance standpoint, they are barely detectable. The patient removes them to eat, brush or floss, which means there aren’t the dietary limitations or dental care inconveniences that go with conventional braces.

The patient is fitted with a new Invisalign set approximately every three weeks. Treatment time for teens is approximately the same as with braces. the consistent result.”

McDermott also has a nuanced view of the TAD’s usefulness. “People were using them for just about everything. I found that you can accomplish most things without them. The nice thing is that they’re not very invasive. You can move a tooth without affecting other teeth because you use them as a point of force.”

Martin’s office offers Invisalign, the brand name for a

McDermott notes the vast increase in convenience for the orthodontic patient over the last 20 years. “Nowadays we just bond everything directly onto the tooth, and with light-cured acrylics, it’s a fast and comfortable experience.”

Swope says Martin’s patients “genuinely like to come here. People used to have to find soft foods to eat for several days after an appointment. Now they can go right out and eat a burger.”

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Just say no

Parents should resist being held hostage to children’s demands

12 • August - September 2012 • Parent

y

By Sarah Suksiri ou’ve seen them before: The 6-year-old at Target who begs, pleads, screams for a new toy. The 10-year-old in the electronics store who wants “just one more” video game to add to his collection. The pre-adolescent at the shopping mall who insists she needs an iPod, and she needs it now because, after all, “everyone has one.”

And the parent — exhausted by her son’s tenacity or his daughter’s endless whining — who gives in.

“It’s sad when I see parents give in on a whim because they don’t want the repercussions,” says Jenny Taylor, a second-grade teacher and mother of 7-year-old Sam and 3-year-old Lydia. “The kids scream and yell in the restaurant or in the store, and they give in instead of using the moment to teach patience, contentment and appropriateness. It’s not practical or sustainable.”

Like Taylor, many parents firmly believe that giving children everything they ask for can be a bad thing for both the parent and the child, and yet it can still be hard to say no, especially when a new Lego set seems a small price to pay for a few minutes of peace and quiet. But saying yes can have long-term consequences.

“Saying no can be hard,” admits Kathleen Lewis, who also has two small children at home. “But it’s something that you have to do. You don’t want your children to grow up feeling like they can have everything and they’re entitled to everything.”

Taylor adds that “kids who are given everything they ask for may become more self-centered. By saying no, you teach kids that they’re a part of a bigger picture, that they’re one person in a bigger family.”

While children will vary in the types of things they want, in the ways in which they express their desires and in the motivations behind those desires, their behaviors commonly grow out of habit and expectation.

Parent • August - September 2012 • 13

If a child is in the habit of getting the toy that he wants or if she is constantly exposed to social and media messages that tell her she should expect to have the latest and greatest gadget, then the child is more likely to behave inappropriately when a parent says no.

Too many choices Dan Boyer, a licensed clinical social worker and family counselor with Sandcrest Family Medicine, says that part of the issue can be traced back to parents giving their children too many choices at too young an age.

“If we’ve begun even in toddler times with giving them lots and lots of choices — What kind of juice would you like to drink? What kind of cup do you want your juice in? — if we’ve begun that way and continued that way, they’re going to expect that what they want is what they get,” Boyer says.

“Instead, we should make it clear that parents are the

ones who make the decisions. The younger the child, the more decisions the parent should be making. The child then becomes accustomed to hearing no from parents and to accepting what the parent decides for them.”

Parents benefit the most when they can turn potentially stormy “no” moments with their children into opportunities for young ones to learn and grow.

Taylor says that when Sam complains of not having this or that new toy, she asks him to go around the house and pick out things that he’s grateful for. She says the key is to turn the focus from what a child doesn’t have to what he does have. Helping a child distinguish between wants and needs also helps plant the early seeds of gratitude and perspective in that child’s life.

Saying no can also be a chance for children to learn the positive rewards of responsibility. Attaching a “not yet” to the end of a “no” can give kids an incentive to 14 • August - September 2012 • Parent

learn patience and work hard for something they want.

Allowing kids to help think of ways to earn that new toy also lets them evaluate what it is they want and to put a price on it, so to speak. If they’re unwilling to work for it, they may find they didn’t want it very much in the first place.

Troubleshooting For parents whose children’s behavior in stores is a problem — or for parents whose ability to say no often wavers — clarity and conviction are key. Boyer recommends that parents have an old-fashioned discussion with their children about what exactly everyone’s expectations ought to be before going into a store.

“Let the child know that if there’s something they want, the answer will be no,” says Boyer. “Help them understand that if they act out inappropriately, they’ll be going home immediately to deal with it there with whatever discipline the family uses. It will only take a couple times and the child will begin realizing that you mean what you say.”

Boyer adds that running some non-urgent or practice shopping trips first can be useful in helping the parent remain firm.

Most importantly, he says, parents need to practice what they preach.

“If we’re telling our children that they can’t expect to have whatever they want, and then we impulse buy for ourselves, it’s very hard for them to hear what we’re saying.”

As children grow older, parents’ reactions change and adapt. Rose Shaffer, whose children are now young women, recalls, “Often when we said no, it was because the time was not right. It was a maturity thing.”

Towards middle school, says Boyer, children should be given more choices, more resources and more responsibility. At this time, a child who has learned early on to distinguish needs from wants and to recognize that some things are best saved for later will be prepared to choose self-control instead of self-centeredness.

But no matter what the situation, saying no doesn’t have to always be about discipline and training.

“If you always say yes, they don’t appreciate the yes,” says Taylor, pointing out that sometimes repeating no is necessary to make the yes feel special in a way that children and parents can celebrate together.

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By Beth J. Harpaz n Associated Press

B

y the time summer’s over, many families can’t wait for school to start. Working parents have struggled to find camps or baby-sitting, kids are bored and teachers fret over “summer slide” — the academic losses that research shows hit kids from poor families hardest.

Year-round schooling might seem like the antidote, and in some parts of the country, schools with just a few weeks off are not uncommon. In Raleigh, N.C., for instance, July 9 was the first day of school for 26,000 students on a year-round calendar.

Debate co

year-r

vs traditiona

But year-round schools, which once seemed like a panacea for everything from low test scores to overcrowding, have proven to be a mixed bag. And some places that once embraced them — including Las Vegas, Salt Lake City and parts of California — have returned to traditional calendars.

Research on whether learning improves in year-round schools is mixed, with some year-round schools reporting gains and others finding that kids on traditional schedules do better. Esther Fusco, a professor at Hofstra University’s School of Education, Health and Human Services, says that overall, “research suggests that students in high-needs districts and those who have disabilities do better in year-round learning situations. This is logical because these students do not have the down time that occurs over the summer. But the results are not very significant. I have not seen any study that shows students greatly improve.”

Parents unfamiliar with the year-round concept may not realize that kids on these schedules usually have the same number of school days — about 180 a year — as kids in regular schools. But vacations are distributed differently. So instead of having 10 or 12 weeks off in summer, kids might have a series of three-week breaks.

Or they might have six weeks off in summer with additional two-week vacations. For parents who need child care, those repeated short breaks can actually mean more headaches than one long summer break.

Year-round schools also typically cost more to run, thanks to air-conditioning, extra transportation costs and other expenses. And it’s harder to make major repairs when classrooms are empty only for short periods.

Salt Lake City ended its year-round schools in 2011 after an analysis showed that comparable local schools with traditional calendars had better test scores, accord16 • August - September 2012 • Parent

ing to Jason R. Olsen, spokesman for the Salt Lake City School District. Going back to the regular calendar also saves the district money, Olsen said.

And yet, the year-round calendar has its fans. A survey showed that a majority of Salt Lake City parents preferred year-round schools to the regular calendar. “They liked having two weeks away from school every nine weeks,” said Olsen.

Shannon Oelrich of Cambridge, Minn., loves having her kids in a year-round school that’s offered as an option in her district on a first-come, first-served basis.

“I think it’s good,” she said. “The kids don’t get as

ontinues:

round

s. al schools

program in Jacksonville, Fla., in the early 1990s, partly because she had an older child in high school on a traditional calendar and they had no vacations together. She transferred her younger two to a magnet school that went by the regular calendar, but she said that within a few years, the year-round schools in her district returned to the traditional schedule because “they never had any success to point to. It’s one of those things. They try it for a couple years, then go back to the regular thing.”

In districts where year-round calendars are adopted to ease overcrowding, children are placed on what’s called a multitrack system with staggered vacations. This can be a huge cost-saver: The kids are never all there at the same time, so the school can accommodate more students in the same space.

In California, multitracking began in the ’80s as a way to cope with “an upturn in elementary grade enrollments — the baby boom echo,” said Fred Yeager, a spokesman for the California Department of Education.

Multitracking meant the state didn’t have to build as many schools, and the shorter summer breaks were thought to combat “the learning brain drain,” he said.

But the number of multitrack schools has since gone down, to 95 from several hundred in past years.

In Wake County, N.C., where 50 public schools are on the year-round system, “we definitely use the year-round calendar to maximize space and address some capacity issues,” said spokesman Mike Charbonneau. “We have had a rapidly growing school system for the last 10 years.”

Clark County, Nev., which is the Las Vegas school district, also used multitrack year-round schedules to cope with overcrowding. But enrollment has been falling in the area, and all the schools there have gone back to traditional calendars.

Associated Press

bored for the long break in the summer, and it’s good to have a couple of breaks in the middle of the year. They’re happier. And when they spend less time away from school, the teachers don’t waste so much time reviewing.”

Some year-round schools also use the short breaks for enrichment or remediation, which can keep struggling students on track throughout the year rather than dumping them in summer school. The year-round concept is also popular among some charter and private schools, where it’s seen as a way to make sure kids don’t lose ground during long breaks.

But Ann Barrett took her two kids out of a year-round

Up-to-date statistics on year-round schools are hard to come by. The most recent data from the National Center for Education Statistics found 14 percent of U.S. public schools were on year-round calendars in 2008, with the largest percentage in the South and West.

Billee Bussard, who runs an organization in Florida called Summer Matters, says there’s another piece to the argument against year-round schools. “The year-round calendar limits the window of opportunity for parents to give their children learning experiences outside the school walls,” she says, echoing many parents who cite the importance of extended family time, opportunities for summer camp or travel, and summer jobs that help teens earn money and build resumes.

Parent • August - September 2012 • 17

Over-the-counter medications for children require vigilance from parents

By Jennifer Willhite

M

ary Poppins sang about a spoonful of sugar to help the medicine go down. And despite the ease with which children take flavored cough syrup or chewable Tylenol, it is always important to exercise caution when administering any medication, including non-prescription drugs.

Jennifer Roehm, staff pharmacist with Bevers Family Pharmacy in Seymour, says a common parental misconception is just because a medication is over-the-counter, it is safe.

There are several things to consider when selecting the right OTC medication for your child.

Always check the packaging for directions, which will usually state age recommendations, such as “adults and children 12 years and over” or “children under 12 years.”

Roehm cautions some OTC medications are safe for certain ages, while others may not even work in young children.

Pharmacist Patrick Cashen, owner of Doctors Park Pharmacy in Columbus, says often too many parents give adult medicine to their children, which can cause a lot of problems. He says much of the issue lies with giving cough and cold medicines, especially those with a decongestant.

The use of decongestants in young children can increase the risk for heart problems. Not only can the stim-

18 • August - September 2012 • Parent

Parent • August - September 2012 • 19

ulants in decongestants cause the heart to work harder, they can induce insomnia.

He recommends parents work closely with their child’s pediatrician to establish an appropriate strategy for administering OTC medications.

“We do like to train parents to understand conditions children have and know how to respond to them,” says Cashen. “But they need to have guidelines on what they can use and what they cannot use.”

When selecting an OTC medication for your child, it is important to choose one that will alleviate your child’s symptoms while treating the cause of his illness. Giving the right medication for the child’s condition will not only help him get better sooner but will minimize his risk for side effects.

To lessen the risk for an adverse reaction, Cashen cautions parents to refrain from giving adult medications in adult doses to children younger than 10. He says a fine line defines what is and isn’t appropriate, and the line is measured in weight.

“Once a kid becomes 50 pounds, the dosing is a lot easier,” he says. “It is the ones who are 25 pounds and under that are a problem. Once they get to be 75 pounds, they’re almost an adult.”

It is safest to stick with medications formulated for children.

20 • August - September 2012 • Parent

Measure carefully Dosage is also important. According to Roehm, if too high a dose of an OTC medication is given, potentially fatal complications may occur. Conversely, if too low a dose is administered, there’s a risk the medication may not even work.

Measurements need to be precise. If the directions say give two teaspoons every four hours, you can’t necessarily use a teaspoon from the kitchen silverware drawer to measure the dose. A teaspoon is not necessarily a teaspoon.

Of course, the measurement is close, but in this case close doesn’t count. Over time, those discrepancies add up. The Food and Drug Administration recommends the use of appropriate measuring devices, such as a dosing syringe for liquid, oral medications, to avoid inaccuracies.

“In a pinch, measuring spoons are OK to use,” says Roehm. “But an eating teaspoon or tablespoon should never be used for medication.”

The risk for side effects exists with the use of any medication, whether it is available over the counter or by

prescription. However, there is a correlation between dosage and the risk for complication.

“You have side effects at any dose,” Cashen says. “And when you give too much, you’ve just doubled the side effects without increasing the positive effects.”

Depending on what the medication is, a child may exhibit a range of signs that he is experiencing an adverse reaction. Decongestants containing stimulants can cause irritability and hyperactivity, while other OTC medications may cause drowsiness.

Roehm says pronounced, severe side effects, such as difficulty breathing, rash and vomiting, should prompt a call to the pediatrician or emergency services for help.

“Parents should trust their instincts,” she says, “as they know their children better than anyone.”

Read the directions While it is important to get the dosage correct, it’s equally important to make sure the medicine is being delivered via the right route. For instance, placing an oral medication in the ear would clearly not work correctly.

As absurd as that may sound, it is possible to mistake the administration route for some medications.

“It sounds funny,” Roehm says. “But most pharmacists have had a call sometime in their career where a patient was putting a medicine in the wrong place.”

She recommends parents contact their pharmacist with any questions about dosing, administration or potential side effects associated with OTC medications.

What other precautions can you take?

Always store medications in a cool, dry, dark place.

Medications requiring special consideration, such as refrigeration, will usually carry a label detailing storage information. Store OTC meds just as you would prescription drugs, out of the reach of small children.

Seeking additional information? Check out online resources, including All Children’s Hospital (www.allkids. org) and the American Academy of Pediatrics (www. healthychildren.org), for guidelines and information about over-the-counter medications.

There are also numerous smartphone apps, such as Medilyzer and MEDS-OTC, and sites offering resources and apps, such as the U.S. National Library of Medicine, designed to help you make informed decisions about choosing the right medication for your child.

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Mary Garvey

Parents learn when to referee, when to let it go

O

ne thing we parents don’t like is when our kids fight with each other.

“He took my toy! I was playing with it first! That’s mine and not his!”

Once children are able to talk, we become all too accustomed to these kinds of statements and conversations between siblings, and that can be exasperating.

Sometimes, this is the only form of communication our children have with each other, and the fighting can be constant.

One local mother shared with me that just recently when she picked her kids up from day care and they were in each other’s presence, they immediately began arguing with each other in the back seat of the car.

The fighting can wear you down. But at the same time it is important to know that it is a normal, natural part of child development.

Kids fight. This is how they learn to get along with others and how they learn to deal with conflict. It’s also another tactic our children use to see who can get the most of your attention as a parent and compete with their siblings.

However natural it may be, we must be sure as parents to not encourage or tolerate this kind of behavior on a regular basis.

It is not OK for an older child to brutalize

22 • August - September 2012 • Parent

or antagonize his younger sibling. You also must be certain to not let one child have the upper hand during situations that may arise.

If you always step in and police fighting, your kids will notice and may use their arguing as a power struggle to see who can get the most from you.

How do you know when you should step in and break up a fight? What are some creative ways you can keep fighting to a minimum while still allowing your children to learn how to get along and resolve conflicts that come up on their own?

Here are a few tips that might help answer these questions and more: l Find routine ways to resolve some disputes. If you find your kids fighting over the television, arguing about doing a chore or about getting a certain item to play with, set up some simple guidelines to make sure their privileges and responsibilities rotate.

Life isn’t always fair, but as a parent it is your job to help balance a child’s life and create security. Setting boundaries and access to items that instigate fights, such as defined television-watching hours, is the first step in showing your kids what you expect of them. l Have your kids get creative. When fights erupt over and over and you find

yourself in the middle of them often, enlist your children in coming up with a fair solution. Remind them that how they treat the other child will reflect how she treats them the next time around. By giving them the power to come up with a plan that works, you’re providing them with ownership of the solution, and the chances that they follow their own advice may be more effective than you always administering punishments or new rules. l Sometimes, let them fight. Remember that learning the skills to cope with conflict is important in your child’s development.

Allow children a few minutes of fighting so long as the fight is verbal and not physical, hurtful or abusive.

Resist the urge to step into every fight and solve all disputes. You may be surprised how some conflicts have a way of working out on their own. l Call a timeout. If kids can’t solve a dispute and continue to fight over the same

toy, for instance, take it out of service.

Remove what’s causing the fight or remove the children from each other’s presence.

Have your children go to their separate rooms and play alone for a while and don’t forget that sometimes you need a timeout, too. l Make kids responsible. If you have routine ways set within your family to keep the peace, have your kids be responsible for remembering whose turn it is to pick the television program, set the table or sit in the most desirable seat in the car.

As children grow older, we should hold them responsible for their actions and decisions, and show them the value of taking turns, talking through problems and keeping peace within your family.

Mary Garvey works with children and parents as a licensed marriage and family therapist at Centerstone. She can be reached at Mary.

Garvey@Centerstone.org.

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Parent • August - September 2012 • 23

A boom in smarter baby monitors

MCT photo

By Deborah Netburn Los Angeles Times

T

he cry has been heard: After 20 years with little change to baby monitoring devices, new designs promise Wi-Fi connectivity and highdefinition video that streams live to a smartphone.

Some new monitors will have two-way audio, allowing parents to whisper comforting words in their baby’s ear without stepping foot in the room. Other monitors will text messages when a baby starts to cry, and still others will allow parents to shift the camera’s view up, down and around the room remotely, using an iPad. The next generation of technology represents a leap from most of today’s monitors, which consist of a radio transmitter equipped with a microphone in the baby’s room, and a receiver in another room, often no more than 1,000 feet away. When the baby stirs, or coos, or cries, mom and dad can hear and decide whether to intervene.

Baby monitor makers such as Graco, Fisher-Price, Sony and Samsung have made modest attempts to jazz up their monitors over the years: Baby cams, which allow parents to see video from the crib, entered the market in 1993 and have since improved image quality. Even basic audio monitors now come with extras to make them more appealing. Some glow in the dark or give the temperature of the baby’s room.

But given a rapidly changing technological environment, plus a parenting culture that’s obsessed with safety and seemingly undeterred by price, people

24 • August - September 2012 • Parent

in the tech industry said baby monitors have long been overdue for a makeover.

“It’s been surprising that it has taken so long for the major players in the industry like Sony and Samsung to catch up iBaby monitor for iPod Touch, iPhone and iPad and push the boundaries of baby monistores and in Apple stores. tors,” said James Hunt, marketing manThe BabyPing monitor, which also ager for a new monitor called BabyPing. uses the iPhone and iPad interface, was “It’s a market that is crying out for it, so developed by Y-cam, a British company to speak.” that specializes in high-tech security Many of the new monitors are designed to help parents check their baby, even when they are away from home.

“More and more, both parents are part of a mobile workforce, and we felt there was a demand for a product that would allow a mother, father or caregiver to see the baby — not just hear the baby — at any given time, wherever you are in the world,” said Adam Lin, senior vice president and general manager at iHealth, a tech company specializing in health and wellness that launched the iBaby monitor last year.

Like many of the new monitors on the market, the iBaby is designed to work with an IOS device. Parents can use their iPhone and iPad to watch their baby whenever they want, and from wherever they are. They can also snap pictures of their sleeping baby remotely, talk to the baby as long as an external speaker is placed near the crib, share live video of the baby with up to three other devices, and even use an interface on the iPad to pan the camera around the baby’s room.

The iBaby costs $200 and is available at select Babies R Us, some Best Buy

cameras for residential and commercial spaces. The company decided to branch out into baby monitors when it learned that some of its customers were using security cameras to monitor children.

Hunt said it was easy for Y-cam to load BabyPing with infrared night vision, full color video with 600-by-480 pixel resolution and a high-quality microphone that cuts static background noise. That’s the company’s bread and butter. It retails for $199.

Because these baby monitors are so new, it’s hard to know how appealing they will prove to be. Would parents find it comforting to check on the baby if they are out to dinner with friends or about to see a movie? Or would it induce stress to know the baby was crying?

As for using these monitors for older children, Lin said it hasn’t worked for him. “When we were testing out the product I used it to watch my 13-year-old son and he got pretty upset,” Lin said. “I had the camera set up in the living room and I’d move it up and down from my office and then I’d get the call. ‘Dad, cut that out.’”

Christine Main

Important questions elicit honest answers

M

y oldest child has always been the questioning type. “Why can’t I watch R-rated movies?”

“Why can’t I take my DS to school?” ”Why are you two stricter than all my friends’ parents?”

At almost 10 years old now, the questions are getting a bit more … personal.

When I became pregnant with his sister, he was just 3 years old. Of course, at that point he asked where babies came from. I gave him a very simple answer about the male and female “puzzle pieces” (an egg and a sperm) coming together to create a baby.

This gave him the information he was seeking and we moved on — for a while.

When I became pregnant with his little brother, he was 7. The new question was how those “puzzle pieces” came together.

So, right there in the minivan, I gave a very simple explanation of sex. (Is it just me or do all the big questions come to them in the minivan?)

There have been many other questions along the way, some of them tame, others blunt enough to make a sailor blush.

Although I am nowhere near finished with these conversations with him, I have learned a few things in the process: • Be completely honest. I am just

amazed at the number of parents who still try to pull off the stork thing. At some point, they’re going to have to say that they lied. Explaining to my child that I lied to him is one conversation I’m just not willing to have.

• Answer only the question he is asking. My son at 3 was not looking for a full explanation of sex. If he continued to question how the “puzzle pieces” matched up, he would have gotten a more detailed explanation, but he didn’t, so why should I offer?

• Check your own biases at the door.

I would rather not have talked about my son’s body changes at the breakfast table this morning, but that’s when he was ready to talk about them, and so we did.

Yes, he is given my opinion and reasons for my opinion (such as saving sex for marriage), but I want him to understand that no matter what choices he makes, I’m still here to listen and help him navigate this learning process.

I’m counting on this openness transferring to the times when it really matters.

Christine Main is the stay-at-home mother of Eli, 10; Ruby, 6; and David, 2. She was previously an elementary teacher and a developmental therapist. She resides in Columbus, although she and her family are planning a move to North Dakota.

Parent • August - September 2012 • 25

Jennifer Tchida

Heading back to school?

Don’t forget the library

Picture books “Yellowbelly and Plum Go to School” by Nathan Hale — Yellowbelly does everything with Plum, his purple teddy bear, and both have a great time in music and art.

At recess Plum goes missing, but with the help of his new friends Yellowbelly is reunited with Plum. Ages 3 and up.

“You Can’t Go to School Naked” by Dianne Billstrom — A little boy hates to wear clothes so it’s up to his parents to stress the need for them. The consequences convince the boy to wear clothes, but what will he wear? Laugh-outloud fun for everyone! Ages 4 and up.

“Is Your Buffalo Ready for Kindergarten?” by Audrey Vernick — This hilarious book tells readers that it’s Ok to be different and everyone can fit in at school — even if you have hooves. Ages 4 and up.

“Mom, It’s My First Day of Kindergarten” by Hyewon Yum — Colors and sizes are beautifully used to convey the emotions of the first day of school. The mom is worried at first, but the boy is thrilled about his new adventure.

This switches as the boy becomes nervous, but he quickly adapts and both mom and son are happy … until the little boy wants to ride the bus. Ages 4 and up.

“Marshall Armstrong is New to Our School” by David Mackintosh — Marshall Armstrong seems odd to the rest of his class. He eats “space food,” he doesn’t play at recess and his family doesn’t own a TV. When the class is invited to his birthday party, they are convinced they will have a terrible time. But there is more to Marshall than meets the eye. Ages 5 and up.

26 • August - September 2012 • Parent

Chapter books “Duck for a Day” by Meg McKinlay — Annie yearns for a pet of her own, but her parents always say no. Then the new teacher introduces Max, a duck, as the class pet.

Students have the opportunity to bring Max home for the night, but will Annie get her chance? Ages 7 and up.

“Word After Word After Word” by Patricia McLaughlin — An author visits Lucy’s fourth-grade class and tells the students about the magic found in writing. Funny, sad and full of hope — such a powerful book. Ages 8 and up.

“Hound Dog True” by Linda Urban — Mattie is starting fifth grade at a new school. Painfully shy, she spends most of her time with her uncle, a custodian at her school. His love and support help Mattie find the courage to be herself, make a friend and embrace her love of writing. Such great characters. Ages 8 and up.

“The Popularity Papers” by Amy Ignatow — Lydia and Julia are best friends who decide to observe the popular kids and write everything down in a journal with the hopes of becoming popular when they start junior high.

But when they put the observations into practice, things don’t go as planned. Full of humor, this book is a hit. Ages 9 and up.

“Spy School” by Stuart Gibbs — This exciting book starts off with ordinary Ben Ripley recruited to attend the CIA’s Espionage Academy. Spy school is nothing like normal school … ninjas, bombs and assassination attempts sure can liven up a place. Ben learns these incidents are not part of the curriculum; someone is trying to take over the school. It’s up to Ben and his fellow classmates to stop the villains, all while keeping up with their homework.

Ages 10 and up.

Jennifer Tchida is children’s services librarian at Bartholomew County Public Library.

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recipes to please vegetable-averse kids Associated Press

Do you have trouble incorporating enough vegetables into your child’s diet? Try these two dishes to tempt young taste buds.

BROKEN FLORENTINE LASAGNA BAKE Start to finish: 1 hour (15 minutes active) Associated Press photos

Servings: 4 4 tablespoons (½ stick) butter 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour 3 cups milk Salt and ground black pepper, to taste Ground nutmeg, to taste 1½ cups grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, divided 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 garlic clove, cracked 1 bunch green chard, stems removed and leaves roughly chopped 2 pounds spinach, tough stems removed and leaves roughly chopped 12-ounce box no-boil lasagna noodles Heat the oven to 375 F. In a medium saucepan over medium, melt the butter.

Sprinkle the flour over the melted butter and cook for about 1 minute. Slowly whisk the milk into the butterflour mixture, then season with salt, pepper and nutmeg.

Let the milk mixture heat and thicken a couple of minutes, then stir in about 1 cup of the Parmigiano-Reggiano.

28 • August - September 2012 • Parent

Set the sauce aside.

In a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high, heat the olive oil. Toss in the garlic clove and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the chard and wilt it down, about 2 minutes, then add the spinach, a few handfuls at a time as they wilt down. Season with salt and pepper.

Break the pasta sheets into large pieces. Toss them into the skillet and give them a good stir to incorporate them with the greens. Pour the sauce into the skillet, stirring again to evenly mix. Smooth the top down and sprinkle the remaining ½ cup of Parmigiano-Reggiano over it.

Cover the skillet with foil and bake for 30 minutes.

Remove the foil, then bake for another 15 minutes to brown the cheese.

— Recipe from Rachael Ray

PAPPA AL POMODORO Start to finish: 20 minutes Servings: 6 2 pounds tomatoes, cored and chopped 2 to 3 slices ciabatta, torn or cut into small chunks 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil 2 tablespoons finely chopped garlic 2 tablespoons kosher salt 1 to 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper (to taste) 1 to 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar 1 to 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar ¼ cup chopped fresh basil In a large non-reactive bowl, combine the tomatoes and bread. Set aside.

In a saute pan over medium, combine the olive oil and garlic. Cook, stirring often, until the garlic turns just golden. Remove the pan from the heat and stir into the tomatoes and bread.

Season with 1 tablespoon of the salt and the cayenne. Use your hands to mix and work the ingredients until uniformly chunky smooth. Add 1 tablespoon each of the balsamic and sherry vinegars.

Mix well, then taste. Add more vinegar if desired. While mixing, discard any excess tomato skins.

Adjust seasonings, then mix in the basil. Serve at room temperature. If desired, drizzle with additional olive oil.

— Recipe from Holly Smith, of Food Network’s “The Next Iron Chef”

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Kids Craft

give plants

elephantsize drink

By Kathy Antoniotti n Akron Beacon Journal

W

ith the high heat and lack of rain this summer, your outdoor plants will need a hearty drink of water just as much as you will.

This elephant watering can, made with two empty gallonsize plastic milk jugs, was featured in Family Fun magazine.

Younger children will need help from an adult to do some of the cutting and gluing, but older kids should be able to make it with ease.

Supplies you will need:  Two empty, clean gallon-size milk jugs.  1 lid from one of the jugs.  Scissors.  Black marker.  Low-temperature glue gun.  Large wiggle eyes.  Foam sheet, any color.  1 nickel.  4-inch plastic lid for pattern.  1 push pin.  1 wooden bamboo skewer.  Sandwich plate.

where you will need help from an adult.

Push the tabbed end through the hole and use a glue gun to attach the cap to the tabbed handle, holding firmly until the glue sets.

Place the cap on the second jug. Hold with glue if necessary.

Use scissors to cut the handle from the first jug, leaving a collar around each end.

To make a filling hole, trace around the lid placed under the handle of the second jug. Use scissors to cut out the hole.

With a push pin and wooden skewer, make eight holes in the bend of the handle.

Place the plate on a foam sheet and trace around it for ears. Cut the circles out and glue to the sides of the second jug.

Trim the opposite end into a 1-inch circle. Make slits in the end for tabs.

Place a nickel on the center of the top of a jug lid and trace around it with a black marker. Cut the circle out. This is 30 • August - September 2012 • Parent

Glue large wiggle eyes on either side of the handle.

Fill the can with water through the filling hole and give your thirsty plants a drink.

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Parent • August - September 2012 • 31

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