How to Talk to Your Children About the Ohio Kidnappings

“Amanda Berry turned 17 on the day that she was abducted, Gina DeJesus just barely a teen at age 13, Michelle Knight, the oldest of the Ohio trio kidnapped and held captive for over a decade, was a mere 21,” Powell-Lunder wrote on GalTime.com.

“As a parent it is hard to know what to think, let alone what to say to your children. This story has many angles, many themes. There is the tale about resilience and hope. Amanda Berry herself is quoted as saying it was the sisterhood of the three young women that kept them alive. There is the story about a neighborhood hero who did not decide to ‘mind his own business’ when he heard screams coming from his neighbor’s home. There is also the story of other concerned neighbors who on other occasions had called the police to the home because they thought there was something just not right. There is the story of intuition, a neighbor who directed her own children to play away from the house because her gut told her there was something not right. And of course there is the story of an investigation that could have come to an end earlier if the police had worked harder to follow through on the several occasions that they got called to that house of horrors.

“Like Elizabeth Smart abducted from her own bedroom at age 14 and found nine months later, and Jaycee Lee Dugard abducted at age 11 in 1991 and found in 2009, these young women are the heroes in a story about courage, hope and most of all of endurance. They remind us that the human spirit is strong and the will to live is mighty.

“As a parent, this story is just another reminder that the world in which we live can be cruel and scary. We will all certainly want to hold our children just a little bit closer, hug them just a little harder. We may even want to demand that they stay home beside us where we know they will be safe. Luckily, our children tend to see the world differently. Theirs is a world of wonder and excitement, a place where bad things may abound but they only happen to other people. We could all learn a lot from their worldview.

“Stories such as this one are perhaps the scariest from a parent’s perspective because they are about people we could easily know; the girl down the street, the man at the hardware store.

“What story will we choose to tell? What aspect will we focus on? Is this a story of triumph or treachery?

“The story I choose to tell my children is the one about strength and hope, resilience and courage. I choose to tell the story about three young women who refused to give up or give in. To tell the story of their captives is not worth the time it would take to write down the words.

“This story is about three young women who demonstrated bravery and faith. They remind us that where there is a will, there is hope, and with hope and a bit of tenacity even the greatest of challenges can be achieved and the greatest of odds can be overcome. Amanda Berry rapped on that window a few years ago, and she continued to rap until she was finally heard.

“When asked to comment, Jaycee Lee Dugard said it best when she cautioned that this is a story about what happened to three women, not a story of who they are.

“The story we each choose to tell will shape the way we see the world, and how we choose to face the challenges that define our daily lives.

“What story will you choose to tell?”

Jennifer A. Powell-Lunder, Psy. D. is an adjunct professor of psychology at Pace University in New York. She is a clinical administrator on an adolescent inpatient unit in a private psychiatric hospital, and maintains a private outpatient practice. She is author of the book “Teenage As a Second Language: A Parent’s Guide to Becoming Bilingual.”  Professor Powell-Lunder is a published researcher, accomplished speaker who has presented both nationally and internationally, and consultant on teen issues for national and international media outlets. She is available to comment on the Ohio kidnappings and what we should teach our children. Phone (914) 806-0288; email: jplund@optonline.net.

Home Organization: Simple, Strange, and Slightly Odd Clutter Busters

by Lorraine Brock

Have you ever had a hard time parting with a small twist tie, empty used container, or a thing-a-ma-jig that you are sure you will use later? Organizers call this clutter. Too much of this and that causes a lot of that, which causes clutter. This blog is all about helping those slightly stubborn folks that can’t seem to part with their “I’ll need it someday” stuff.

If you know you are a pack-rat and are ready to do something about it, here is a simple and seasoned idea. Anytime you bring a new item into your home that is not a gift, you have to find something in your home to throw away, sell, or donate. For example, if you bring in a new waffle maker, you have to get rid of the old one or something else in the kitchen. If you bring in a new camera, you need to get rid of the old camera or something else electronic. The item you give up does not have to be the exact item that you are bringing into the home, but it should be something that is in the general area and takes up about the same space.

Like some of you, I save simple, strange, and slightly odd things that some may consider trash but I consider organizing treasure. I use toilet paper rolls for storing extension cords or controlling cords on electric kitchen appliances. Ice cube trays are perfect for storing earrings, and clear glass candle jars can be cleaned and used to hold Q-tips®, cotton balls, or other small items.

Use empty Swiffer® containers for organizing small toys, kitchen or bath items, garage parts, and so many other things. The lids are clear and snap on tight, creating perfect, leak-proof, storage containers. Clean cardboard boxes make great dividers in sock and underwear drawers.

Black twist ties have many uses, but one of my favorites is to help keep electronic cords under control when stored and also to shorten cords when in use. Old magazines or a piece of a worn out swim noodle make great inserts to hold boots upright in the closet.

There is a difference between saving things you plan to repurpose, and keeping things you “think” you might use one day. One saves money and brings joy, and the other creates stress and clutter.
I tell my clients that we do not want clutter to take over the spaces needed for items used on a daily basis or an area that is supposed to be for rest and play. It is best to make savvy choices about what simple, strange, and slightly odd things to keep so the result is not just a bunch of clutter.

Lorraine Brock is a professional organizer, family coach, speaker, and founder and owner of Get Organized! Get Organized! is a professional organizing company in the Dallas, Texas area. Get Organized! specializes in organizing and de-cluttering homes as well as implementing systems in the home for better family management. A popular media guest, Lorraine has appeared on Dallas’ two top morning television shows: Good Morning Texas and Good Day Fox, and has been featured on various radio outlets. She has been hallmarked in many local, regional, and national print and online magazines, such as the Dallas Morning News, The North Texas Kids Magazine, SheKnows.com, and Daily Candy Kids. To get more information about Lorraine, visit www.GetOrganized.ws.

5 Tips for Infant Safety

Having a newborn child in the house should be a time of joy for new parents. These easy-to-follow tips can alleviate some of the natural worry of infancy and help you keep your child safe in the home.

1.  Accidents will happen, but being prepared is the best prevention. Keep a list of emergency numbers handy in several locations around the house so that you can get help at a moment’s notice. If you always keep your phone on you, program the numbers into your contacts with clear names such as “EMERGENCY,” “PEDIATRICIAN” or “INFANT WARD” so you know who to call even when you are panicked.

2.  You would probably love to watch your newborn all day and all night, but with so much to do that is simply not possible. You have to catch up on all sorts of tasks while your infant rests, but that doesn’t mean you can’t keep your eye on him or her. Surveillance cameras in your child’s bedroom provide live look-ins on your infant during naptime. Many surveillance cameras include access to streaming video from your computer or mobile device.

3.  Many parents also use baby monitors to listen while their newborn sleeps so they can hear if anything goes wrong. However, sometimes trouble does not make a sound, particularly if your newborn is rolling or bumping into the side of the crib. A motion detector can help parents know that their child has woken up or is in danger of rolling into an unsafe position.

4.  Babies are naturally curious, so we need to make sure that dangerous household supplies are out reach. Lock up any chemical cleaning products, and make sure to keep your newborn away while you use the products.

5.  Place an extra smoke and carbon monoxide detector in the nursery or your child’s room, even if there are no noticeable fire hazards. If a fire starts while your newborn is napping, a smoke detector may be the only way to know.

SafeMart, an international leader in home and personal security, helps new parents take proper safety precautions and react swiftly in the case of an emergency.

How to Relieve Seasonal Allergies

Spring has finally sprung, and along with the sun and beautiful weather also comes the dreaded allergies! No one wants to be sniffling and sneezing during this beautiful season so here are a few tips to relieve your allergies. Instead of having to skip the sunshine, there are plenty of things you can do to say ‘so long’ to the side effects of pollen.

To help both you and your allergy-suffering readers, please find examples of Surprising Ways to Relieving Spring Allergies below.

• Prepare for the Outdoors: If you know you will be taking a trip outside, don’t wait until you have your foot out the door to take your allergy relief remedy. Consuming a remedy about 2 hours before going out will help the active ingredients kick-in in time to relieve symptoms.

• Eat to Relieve: Research suggests that food rich in antioxidants – such as broccoli, cauliflower, or brussel sprouts – can lower you chance of suffering from allergies. A 2009 study from the University of California’s School of Medicine found that people ingesting 200 grams of broccoli sprouts had a 101% increase in multiple types of antioxidants in their airways, which can protect you from airborne pollen.

• Don’t Throw Away Winter Relievers: Once spring cleaning comes along, many people don’t think twice about throwing away cold & flu relievers used throughout the winter months. However, these remedies can come in handy when fighting allergies. Zinc Gluconate Lozenges, like Cold-EEZE Cold Remedy Lozenges, can help soothe sore throats as well as help stop a spring cold in its tracks with its formula clinically proven to shorten the duration of a cold by almost half.

• Exercise More: Physical activity can help to relieve allergy symptoms through boosting and maintaining a healthy immune system. If you are trying to avoid the pollen outside, at-home workout sites like DailyBurn.com will help you get your daily dose of fitness without having to endure the pollen-filled air.

• Wash Your Hair: While outdoors, it’s more than common to catch some pollen in your hair. Your beautiful, long locks are a magnet to any outdoor allergy triggers and can have you sneezing and sniffling all night long. If you don’t take the time for a rinse, pollen will stick to anywhere your head will go – including your couch and pillow!

How Can I Help My Stuttering Child?

by Erica L. Fener, Ph.D.

Stuttering is a widespread issue for thousands of children of all ages. It may be a problem for a few months, a few years, and in the rare case, all of their life. If your child is having difficulty with speech fluency, you may be thinking, “How can I help my stuttering child?”

Children commonly experience some problems with disfluency, which is the inability to speak fluently or without disruption, which may result in the child repeating parts of a word once or twice before saying the word, such as “th-th-this.”  As your child develops language skills, it is not uncommon for him or her to struggle with some syllables in newly discovered vocabulary.

Mild stuttering, which is not uncommon in children, is defined as repeating the same syllable more than twice on a regular basis. Stuttering is considered severe when the child stutters with more than 10% of his or her words and shows considerable effort when speaking. Some severe stutterers choose alternative words to avoid stuttering.

So how do you help your child?  

1. Pause when your child has finished speaking. This indicates that you have been actively listening and gives him or her a chance to relax. As the parent, always speak slowly and clearly so a pattern of less hurried speech is demonstrated.

2. Reassure your child that he or she can speak more slowly and that you are listening; this counteracts any feelings that he or she is not being heard over classmates or other family members. Encourage your child to gather his or her thoughts and relax when beginning to speak.  Self-confidence will grow and speaking will become easier with time and  practice.

3. Ask yourself, “How can I help my child be more relaxed?”  Althought he or she may not be a particularly nervous child, many children just become so excited at the opportunity to voice their opinions and questions that they stutter.

4. Pause after you speak; this is a good way to model that speaking need not be rushed. If you and other people your child is close to slow down their speech just a little, your child will benefit. Take the time to properly fully form and enunciate your words. However, there’s no need to speak so slowly that it becomes unnatural.

Why Stuttering Occurs

You may be wondering why stuttering occurs. The etiology is known for some factors, but many risk factors for stuttering are still unkown. What is known is that a family history of stuttering is common. Additionally, there are physiological factors that may contribute to stuttering. When a child begins speaking at about one year of age, in addition to learning how to communicate, physiologically the child is also learning to co-ordinate the movement of voluntary muscles in the oral area, including lips, tongue, and facial musculature. These are quite complicated and easily fatigued. This control is still very new to such young children and they may simply find their timing is off.  Most stutterers outgrow the behavior in five or six months.

However, the answer to how you can help your child stop stuttering may simply be…let it be. Slowing down and relaxing your own speech and that of close family helps because such modeling subtly gets across the message that not everyone is in a hurry to talk and that speech need not be rushed. Listening to children’s television can help adults learn to speak more slowly. Those programs are directed to young audiences and need to capture and retain their attention. Pay attention to how the adults speak on those programs to get an idea of good speech behaviors.

If your child still struggles with stuttering after six months, engaging the services of a speech pathologist may be helpful. Your pediatrician or local hospital can assist you in locating a certified and qualified practitioner, preferably one who has a certificate of clinical competence from the American Sign Language and Hearing Association.

Erica L. Fener, Ph.D., is Vice President, Business Development Strategy and Analysis at Progressus Therapy, a leader in connecting its candidates with school-based SLP jobs and early intervention service jobs.

Would you like to Win a SEASON PASS to Hawaiian Falls?

North Texas Kids is giving away one season pass to Hawaiian Falls. Here’s how to enter this contest:

Share it on Facebook!

1. “Like” North Texas Kids on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/northtexaskids  AND

2. Share this post publicly on your Facebook page by clicking on the Facebook button below. (Post must be public so we can see it; otherwise, it doesn’t count for the contest)  AND

3. Leave a comment below with a link to the url of your shared post (click on the grey date/time stamp of the post to get to the post URL; it will open on a separate page).

Contest ends on Tuesday, May 21st at midnight CST. Winners will be notified by email (the one you use to leave the comment below) and must respond ASAP!

Book Review: Mr. Lincolns Way

By Alexandra Battle

Patricia Polacco was born in Lansing, Michigan, and lived a long time both there and in Oakland, California. Even now the most influential presences in her life have been that of her grandparents—and she pays tribute to that by including a strong bond between a child and an elderly person in each of her children’s books.

I had some trouble finding a book this month, and would never have found this wonderful one if not for my mom, to whom I’m extremely grateful. It has a great story and message, and the art’s not too bad either!

Mr. Lincoln is the best principal ever, without a doubt. No strictness and off-putting attitude from him—he interacts with all of his students, from kindergarten up to sixth grade. Everyone gets his time of day, and even his time after the day is done. The teachers like him; the parents really like him; and the kids adore him.

Well—all the kids except a boy by the name of Eugene Esterhause.

Eugene is better known around school as “Mean Gene”, and he lives up to the nickname. He bullies kids of all ages, talks back to the teachers, and generally makes any area he’s present in a living nightmare. For Mr. Lincoln, though, the last straw is when he insults both a first grader and the principal himself, using very derogatory slurs to do it. At this point, there is no other option. Mr. Lincoln himself must find out what’s bothering Eugene enough for him to take it out on other kids.

As he watches Eugene, he notices that the boy is interested in birds, and able to identify many different kinds. But when he approaches him directly about this, Eugene only shrugs the principal off, or closes up.

At last, Mr. Lincoln gives Eugene a bird on books and a task—to entice the local birds back to the school’s atrium. But will Eugene even do it, or will he decide that bullying is easier than being a team player? And will he throw away his old prejudices with it?

The book’s out there if you want to find out! Though I haven’t read any of Ms. Polacco’s other works, I would highly recommend any I knew of.

Alexandria Battle is a long time contributor to North Texas Kids. A recent high school graduate, Alexandria is currently attending Cornell University in New York and comes back to the DFW area for breaks. She loves to read and share her thoughts. Her goal is to publish her own book.

Sci-Tech Summer Discovery Camps are filled with “Mind-Stretching Fun” meant to inspire and engage young learners with hands-on STEM learning. Participants range from PreK-5th grade. Themes include space exploration, survival skills, superheroes & more!

Sci-Tech camps feature special guests, team challenges, interactive games & experiments. All sessions have a 1:10 adult/student ratio, with a maximum of 20 kids per class. These 5-day experiences can be AM (9am-12pm), PM (1pm-4pm) or both. Extended care for working parents is available.

Camps run from June 15-August 16 and all take place at our center. Week-long, half-day registrations are $115/camper (member discounts are available).

If your child loves hands-on science fun, Sci-Tech Discovery Center’s summer camps are just the thing!

For more information on Sci-Tech’s summer camps, visit their website (www.mindstretchingfun.org), connect with them on Facebook or follow their tweets on Twitter. You can also see cool experiments on their You Tube page.

For more information on summer camps in North Texas, check out our Summer Camp Guide.

North Texas Kids is Giving Away a Week of Summer Camp at Sci-Tech Discovery Center!

 

One Winner

Prize is EITHER 1 week of a half-day camp for PreK (ages 3-5) OR 1 week of a full day camp for grades 3rd-5th (Does not include Netwon’s Lab summer camps)

Winner can choose the theme of their choice, pending availability in that class

To enter this contest, leave a comment below and tell us which Sci-Tech Summer Camp theme your child would enjoy the most. You can see the themes in our Summer Camps & Kids Activities guide

Contest ends on Thursday, May 16th at midnight CST. Winner will be notified by email and must respond ASAP. Email used will be the one you use you leave your comment below.

Creative Stress Busters perfect Mother’s Day Gift

Art and Journaling Techniques to Relax, Relieve Stress and Inspire Creativity

This workshop would make a perfect Mother’s Day gift just for you, Mom! 8 lessons that you can do on your own to relax, relieve stress or get in touch with your creative spirit again. Do you remember what it felt like to open a brand new box of crayons, all those sharp tips, bright colors and infinite possibilities? That is the feeling I will help you recapture in these 8 easy-to-follow lessons.

My husband just asked me what I want for Mother’s Day and honestly, I would love a day off to just play in my craft room and not have to worry about feeding anyone else, doing laundry, the grocery shopping and other typical Sunday activities that seem to fill my day. I could easily spend the day coloring, drawing, painting and writing in my journal. Oh, toss in a manicure and pedicure and it would be a perfect day.

Make the gift giving easy for your family this year. This 8-week workshop is only $29 between now and midnight Saturday, just in time for Mother’s Day! Click here for details.

This workshop is perfect for you if:

• You a ready to eradicate stress from your life.
• You are so done feeling depressed, overworked, tired and grumpy.
• You are a creative spirit looking for new forms of expression.
• You are longing for more creativity in your life.
• You love ready-made and easy-to-follow creativity prompts.
• You love to color, create collage, journal, doodle but aren’t making time to do any of them.
• You are drawn to meditation but don’t know where to start.
• You love guided visualization and art/journaling activities.

I hear comments from so many of the women that I coach or who respond to my blog posts on creativity. They feel a deep draw to creative expression and quiet time but don’t know where to begin or what to do when they can carve out the time. I have discovered that when I feel scattered, disconnected or sad, an hour of meditative creativity can lift my spirits, change my mood and help me to focus on what matters in my life.

Here are what some of the women I work with have to say about my art and journaling projects:

“I had a wonderful time and discovered much in creating a self portrait. Minette made an (another!) insightful comment that resulted in my appreciation of what I created. It was great in so many ways!” – M. Mim

“This was a fun and insightful workshop. I loved the meditation exercise which gave me an appreciation for the many stages in my life. The self-portrait was especially enjoyable in that the face I drew I realized later was coming out of water as though a rebirth. Great time.” – Laura Salerno

Could you use some stress relief right now?

If you shouted YES to that question, you need to participate in this workshop. Each week I will send you a new creative stress buster. You will have permanent access to these virtual classes and can use these ideas over and over or pick the one that works as the best stress buster for you personally.

Sample lessons:

Each lesson will include a guided visualization, easy-to follow activity and journaling prompts.

Lesson 1 – Color Mandalas for relaxation and focus

Here’s what Tara had to say about coloring Mandalas: “I started off pretty intense I think and towards the end allowed my self to soften my strokes and enjoy the process rather than just complete another task! I feel much more in the Flow…and know I have come into this artful practice at the perfect time in my life. This type of meditation, combined with art and allowing spirit to guide me is something I used to do a lot of and have really wanted to incorporate back into my life…so it feels really good”.

Lesson 2 – Color your way through your stress to relaxation and joy

Lesson 3 – Meditative doodling techniques to inspire relaxation and creative expression

This is just a taste of what you will see in each of the 8 lessons.

Mother’s Day Special – click here to buy now for $29.00!

New guide helps you get your family garden growing

Spring isn’t just a beautiful time to enjoy the outdoors, it is also a great time to get outside with your kids and start your own family garden.  A new guide, titled “Get Your Family’s Garden Growing” released by the National Wildlife Federation (NWF) shows just how easy and fun it can be to garden with your kids. The new guide is part of the National Wildlife Federation’s Be Out There movement and is being released in celebration of May is Garden for Wildlife Month.

Get Your Family’s Garden Growing is a simple 6 step how-to guide that provides the basics for even the most novice gardeners to start planting.  The 6 easy to adopt steps include:

1.     Plan—make a plan for your space and interests

2.     Shop, Swap and Borrow—shop for materials or borrow from neighbors and friends

3.     Prepare—put your plan into motion by getting your garden plot ready

4.     Plant—get seeds and seedlings into the ground

5.     Maintain—water, weed and cultivate your garden together

6.     Enjoy—enjoy all the benefits of your new garden space

“Whether you are new to gardening or a seasoned professional, this guide has great ideas for planting in large and small spaces alike,” says Lindsay Legendre, manager of NWF’s Be Out There movement. “It also includes fun gardening projects and ways to get kids involved, like planting a pizza garden, growing your initials, growing and eating a rainbow, and more.”

Download the full guide at www.beoutthere.org/garden  and get more tips and advice for parents. For more information on Gardening for Wildlife Month, visit the Garden for Wildlife website.

Studies show that children who spend more time outside are more likely to live an active lifestyle, maintain a healthier body weight, are less likely to be near-sighted, have higher vitamin D levels, display more empathy and less stress, have better mental health and have increased attention spans and improved critical thinking skills. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends 1 hour of outside play per day.

Be Out There™ is NWF’s movement to reconnect families with the outdoors. Kids today spend twice as much time indoors as their parents did, missing out on the simple pleasures and lasting mental and physical health benefits of daily outdoor time. NWF’s practical tools and information help make being outside a fun, healthy and automatic part of everyday life for American families. For other helpful resources and to learn more about NWF’s goal to get 10 million more kids spending regular time in the great outdoors, visit: www.BeOutThere.org. For more National Wildlife Federation news, visit: www.nwf.org/news.