Spring Cleaning Chore Checklist
Spring cleaning can be a grueling task, but with these tips and checklist, you can free up some time and leave your home fresh and clean.
Fitness
Winter Games to play outside
I know as the weather gets colder your kids would rather stay inside to stay warm; however, it’s probably more important to keep your kids active during the winter months.
Autumn Themed Games
This fall, make sure that your kids stay active and engaged by using these fun and easy Autumn themed games and activities that can be played outside or in!
Outdoor Fall Activities For Kids!
The weather is getting cooler, indicating the arrival of the much awaited fall. The leaves are slowly changing color, becoming brighter, and offering a rare beauty that is not seen or experienced at any other time of the year. Why then, must your little ones sit indoors, when there are such great outdoor activities that can have them enjoy the best of nature combined with a whole lot of fun? Accompany them in these different outdoor fall activities for kids, and have them perceive the beauty of the outdoors during fall in a completely unique manner.
Fall Traveling Tips – Child Passenger Safety
Whenever you’re on the road, make sure your child passengers are buckled into appropriate safety seats. The safest place for children of any age to ride is properly restrained in the back seat.
Flu Season Is Here- Vaccinate to Protect You and Your Loved Ones from Flu
Now that kids are back in school and the weather is getting colder, that usually a good indication that flu season is just around the corner. By getting a flu vaccine now for yourself and your entire family, you can help prevent flu-related illness, missed school, and missed work.
The best way to protect against influenza is to get a flu vaccine every flu season. Influenza (flu) is a contagious respiratory disease that can lead to serious complications, hospitalization, or even death. Anyone can get the flu, and getting a flu vaccine is the single best way to protect yourself and your family. Even healthy people can get very sick from the flu and spread it to friends and loved ones.
Everyone Needs a Flu Vaccine
While flu activity usually peaks in January or February, the flu itself is unpredictable. And although there are many different flu viruses, the yearly flu vaccine protects against the three viruses that research suggests will be most common that flu season.
Everyone 6 months of age and older should get a flu vaccine each flu season, and it’s especially important that the following groups get vaccinated either because they are at high risk of having serious flu-related complications or because they live with or care for people at high risk for developing flu-related complications:
- Pregnant women
- Children younger than 5, but especially children younger than 2 years old
- People 50 years of age and older
- People of any age with certain chronic medical conditions
- People who live in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities
- People who live with or care for those at high risk for complications from flu, including:
- Health care workers
- Household contacts of persons at high risk for complications from the flu
- Household contacts and out of home caregivers of children less than 6 months of age (these children are too young to be vaccinated)
For a complete list of all people recommended for flu vaccination, as well as those who are not recommended for flu vaccination, visit Who Should Get Vaccinated.
Get a Flu Vaccine Every Flu Season
People should get vaccinated every year for two reasons. The first reason is that because flu viruses are constantly changing, flu vaccines may be updated from one season to the next to protect against the most recent and most commonly circulating viruses.
The second reason that yearly vaccination is recommended is that a person’s immune protection from vaccination declines over time so annual vaccination is needed for optimal protection. So, yearly vaccination is recommended even for those who received the vaccine during the previous season.
A Reminder for Parents
Many children need two doses of flu vaccine this season to be fully protected. Children 6 months to 9 years of age who did not receive at least one dose of the 2010-11 flu vaccine should receive two doses this season.
Vaccine Options
So what are your vaccine options? There are two types of vaccines- the flu shot and the nasal spray.
- The “flu shot” — an inactivated vaccine (containing killed virus) that is given with a needle, usually in the arm. The flu shot is (sometimes called TIV for “Trivalent Inactivated Vaccine”) approved for use in people older than 6 months, including healthy people and people with chronic medical conditions.There are three different flu shots available:
- The nasal-spray flu vaccine — a vaccine made with live, weakened flu viruses that is given as a nasal spray (sometimes called LAIV for “Live Attenuated Influenza Vaccine”). The viruses in the nasal spray vaccine do not cause the flu. LAIV is approved for use in healthy* people 2 through 49 years of age who are not pregnant.
Best Back-to-School Savings Tips From Moms Around the Country
Fall clothes, No. 2 pencils, book bags, magic markers … the back-to-school shopping list can quickly grow out of control and overtake the family budget. So we asked moms around the country for their best money-saving tips on everything from school supplies to brown-bag lunches. We want to hear from you, too! Share your best school-related cost-cutting tips in the comments section below
Back-to-School Transitions: Tips for Parents
Getting a new school year off to a good start can influence children’s attitude, confidence, and performance both socially and academically. The transition from August to September can be difficult for both children and parents. Even children who are eager to return to class must adjust to the greater levels of activity, structure, and, for some, pressures associated with school life.
Back To School Wisdom – Setting School Year Goals With Your Child
With a new school year coming up, your children (and you!) have a clean slate. As parents it is important to remind children of the importance of goal setting and how together you can make it a great, productive year for everyone. Remeber to focus on learning objectives as well as continuing a healthy lifestyle. Set goals for after school and homework that involve physical activity and healthy, fun family time!
Help your Kids Avoid Heat Stress this Summer
During these hot summer months it is important to remember that children do not adapt to the heat as well as teens or adults. Outdoor activities are popular and great during the summer, however with excessive heat, children can suffer from heat stress and dehydration. Follow these helpful tips and have a fun and safe summer outdoors with your children!
