Keeping Kids Safe During the Holidays

Author: Suzy Buglewicz


With the holiday season in full swing, shopping, decorating, parties and family gatherings can take center stage making this the one of the busiest times of the year for families. Unfortunately, the holiday season is also one of the busiest times of the year for emergency departments due to unexpected accidents and injuries.
Follow these tips for keeping your kids safe during the holiday season:
1. Parking Lot Precautions – Shopping malls and parking lots are full of distracted shoppers and drivers. Keep an eye on the kids at all times while shopping and don't let them run ahead of you once you get outside. Hold your child's hand until they are safely in the car and be extra cautious when backing out of parking spots.
2. Hazardous Holly and Mistletoe - Popular holiday greens used for decorating like holly and mistletoe are poisonous if ingested. Symptoms of plant poisoning include diarrhea, a rash and vomiting. Keep kids safe by decorating with artificial holiday greens found at craft stores.
3. Control the Spread of Germs – Practice healthy habits by encouraging kids to wash their hands frequently. Discourage "double dipping" at large family gatherings by preparing a separate plate of snacks for each child.
4. Eat Healthy – Minimize tummy aches that can quickly put a damper on holiday cheer by providing healthy snacks like fruit, vegetable and cheese platters, along side the holiday treats.
5. Put a Damper on Fire Danger - Keep lit candles, wires and extension cords well out of reach. Check for frayed wires on light strands and never use indoor extension cords for outdoor lights.
6. Who's Watching the Kids? - During large gatherings, put someone in charge of watching the kids or volunteer to take turns. Many accidents happen when kids are unsupervised because everyone thinks someone else is watching them.
7. Manage Kitchen Chaos – The kitchen is a hub of activity during the holiday season. Keep sharp knives and hot baking pans out of kids' reach. Turn pot handles away from the front of the stove so kids can't accidentally grab them or run into them.
8. Give Age Appropriate Toys - Before letting your child play with a new toy, make sure that it's age appropriate and that your child knows how to use it properly. If a toy or small part is small enough to fit into the mouths of toddlers, it is a choking hazard.
9. Alleviate Kid Stress – A disruption in their regular routine is the main reason kids suffer from holiday stress. Help them cope by sticking to a routine as much as possible and making sure they get plenty of rest. Start a holiday tradition they can look forward to every year like decorating a gingerbread house.
10. Enjoy Safe Travels – Other homes you visit during the holidays might not be childproof. Watch out for danger spots like fragile ornaments, dangerous toys and household items that should be kept out of reach.
The staff at Healthgen wishes everyone a safe and healthy holiday. If you do need medical assistance, iTriage can help. To search symptoms, medical conditions, or to find the closest urgent care center or emergency room, download the free iTriage app for your smartphone or visit www.iTriagehealth.com.
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/holidays-articles/keeping-kids-safe-during-the-holidays-3817335.html
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Educational Play Toys: Give Children Something Useful This Christmas!

Author: Marcia Griffiths

Educational play toys allow children to learn valuable lessons that will help them in the future and the popularity of this category of toy is growing considerably within the Christmas gifts market. These days more people are realising the value of buying a child something worthwhile that could instil in them precious knowledge rather than something that only has cosmetic appeal and is inevitably a five minute wonder and waste of money. There is nothing worse than spending a fortune on a Christmas gift for a child and then seeing it cast aside just a few days later. Traditionally, toys that have an educational aspect are designed to capture children's imagination and be used over and over again which means they are a good investment. Learning through play is vitally important in any child's life and making learning fun is the best way to filter important messages through. Things that could make a significant difference to a younger person's lifestyle development, such as healthy eating for example, can be put across in a attention grabbing way so that the messages stay with them for life. At Christmas we are met with so many thousands of choices when buying children's gifts and it is often very difficult to find something that is unique amongst all the dolls, cars and other traditional toys and games that are available online or in the shops. However, if you shift your search into the educational toys category you could be very surprised at what you might find. Learning games these days are not just about puzzles! There are a great deal of innovative products out there just waiting to be wrapped up and presented to the younger members on your Christmas list. Give children a valuable gift this Christmas: the gift of learning.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/childhood-education-articles/educational-play-toys-give-children-something-useful-this-christmas-596387.html

About the AuthorMarcia Griffiths is the Managing Director of Principle Play Products, the company behind Healthy Helpers, a range of fun children’s books, educational play toys and classroom resources that use unique, endearing characters such as Marcia the Mango and Andy the Avocado to help children aged 3-10 learn about healthy eating. Any school, nursery or parent looking for an innovative way to educate pupils about the benefits of healthy eating in a fun way and to introduce them to different cultures, is sure to find Healthy Helpers a valuable resource. For more information visit http://www.principleplayproducts.com

Healthy Recipes for Healthy Lifestyles

Author: clare

Among the family members, children will be your hardest challenge to change to the healthy recipes since they are used to the toaster tarts, pizza rolls, and sugar cereals. They will fight at first when you present the mixed salads and fresh vegetables. You can talk to them about the benefits of a healthier diet with the nutrients their bodies need to function and remain well. Talk to them about the negatives of salt, sugar, and the many other additives in the foods they are used to eating. Once they understand how food plays a role in their lives, they will be more willing to try the new diet that is nutritious and full of "good stuff" for their bodies.

Life would so much easier if our children didn't ask for candy. Even though it is beneficial to talk to them about the nutritional factors of food, it is not the complete solution. To convert the family to healthy recipes you need to introduce them gradually a little at a time. Be able to keep some of the favorites in the home to make the changes so much easier without the headaches of a complete conversion immediately. Once you get most of the meals converted, you will find your family eating the healthy foods while still being able to keep some of the favorites keeping everyone happy. Remember that kids always find a way to do things their way so your diet is not something they will willing give up control. Allow them to add options to the diet and snacks.
Make the transition easier by creating tasty healthy foods that will encourage the family members to eat happily. Use fresh herbs to change the dull tastes into an outstanding meal that makes their mouths water. If you have the space, plant an herb garden with the kids to get them involved with the new lifestyles.
Most of the healthier foods are low in fat with little to no added preservatives and taste great; it is easier to have the freshness of the foods filling numerous recipes to fit your lifestyle and tastes. The Internet is filled with fabulous recipes that are quite nutritious.  With time, you will find healthy eating has endless benefits as well as helping to lose weight and feeling better with higher energy levels. Your family will look great as the body is getting the essential vitamins and nutrients for healthy skin and hair. You will see a difference in as little as a month after starting the new diet.
The new eating habits are new life skills. Your family will not face the health problems and you are doing your kids a favor at their young age. As a parent it is your responsibility to teach your children many things, healthy eating habits is something they will take into their adulthood.
The healthy recipes are easy to make and available online and in books. The meals taste great and fun to make as well as eat with the family friendly foods you added to new lifestyle. Watch your family transform with the new habits right before your eyes.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/wellness-articles/healthy-recipes-for-healthy-lifestyles-3634626.html

About the AuthorYou're invited to visit - http://slimmingit.com/

Effective Tips for Your kids Healthy Eating Habits

Author: Darnell X Hardin

Healthy eating habits would lead the children to have the healthy lifestyle. On the other hand, it would be great challenge for the parents to introduce these habits. You have a big job to keep the children having a great feeling of a healthy life. There are some effective tips to lead the kids to the healthy habits for eating.Step 1The great commitment to make eating healthy a part of your lifestyle would be the first thing you have to do. Create the positive change in the useful habits in your family. You should keep in mind all the great things about healthy habits. Be patient and do not try to go back to the previous habits.Step 2Replace some inappropriate food in your home to the natural and healthy food. Check the content of your refrigerator and make sure that you put only the healthy diet inside your refrigerator. It is really important because the temptation to have poor food is everywhere. However, you should provide the good food for your kids in your home every day.Step 3It would be a big job for you to provide an attractive healthy food to cheer the kids. They would be more likely to eat healthy if you could deliver the tasty vegetables in their daily meal. Serve healthy food as the only option in the daily menu in your home would contribute the new eating habit for the children.Step 4Keep giving the great example of having a healthy eating habit to your children. Your kids would learn the way you get the healthy lifestyle. As the good food mentor, you have to show your effort to get healthy lifestyle perfectly.Step 5Lead the children to do the mental effort to have the healthy eating habit by a learning experience. You could let them discover the process of healthy eating. Giving the explanation about the benefits of healthy eating would be the great learning process of encouraging the healthy eating to the children.



Kids health

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/nutrition-articles/effective-tips-for-your-kids-healthy-eating-habits-2729098.html

About the Author Providing the fresh healthy food is also the effort to introduce the healthy eating habit to the children. However, you need a high technology refrigerator to keep the high quality of the food. You could discover the information about top freezer refrigerator and the information about glass refrigerator.

Healthy Lifestyle Tips for Busy Moms

Being a mother, especially a working mother, is a daunting task. It is not easy to keep a full time job and raise children together. keep in good health often falls into the bottom of the pile of priorities. You do not have time to exercise or watch what you eat - when you have time to sit and eat - sounds familiar?

Now give this consideration. Say you're thirty now, and your youngest child is five. In ten years they will be in high school, research at colleges or find employment in recent years. You'll be forty. Scientists tell us that our bodies slow down and consume less energy when we turn thirty. We lose muscle mass and gain weight - without doing anything wrong. In another ten years, it got worse. The less you take care of your health now, it is more difficult to change, and the more damage you have to try to reverse. You owe your children to take care of you right now.

Staying healthy should not be complicated. You do not have to join an expensive gym or spend hours every day to count calories and meal planning; However, there are things you can do that will make you healthier, cleaner and maybe even thinner - and more capable of dealing with the joys of being a busy mom.

1. Eating and drinking again instead of 2 or 3 meals a day, share them with 5 or 6 small meals. Do not eat more, eat less and more often. It gives your metabolism to promote throughout the day, so you have more energy and burn a little of fat.

2. Go, Mom! healthy exercise should not happen in the gym. Little things, like going with the kids when they are walking the dog, when the stairs instead of walking around the block a lunch break can make a big difference. Walking is good exercise, and do not need to be fit to start doing it.

3. Children not to eat the leftovers. Many of us were raised not to the mantra 'waste not 'want not' , and instead of throwing a few bites of children left on your plate, you eat. These small bites of food can add up. Instead of eating them, wrapping them for lunch tomorrow.

4. Play! We are all tired after a day's work, and it is much easier to go home and hit the couch. Playing - whether it be children or a dog - it will be active. If you try to return, ball games or just a bit up and down on the bed - Let the games begin! It is physical, it's fun, and it is a good time with your children.

5. Watch what you eat is not easy to eat healthy on a tight schedule. But as the food we eat is the fuel that keeps your body moving, you owe it to yourself to keep an eye on the junk and sugary foods. You know what to avoid - what it does. If you can eat healthy, you halfway.

6. Losing that extra weight - now life is catching up and before you know it, you've collected more books than you owe. Before it is unmanageable, consider trying a weight loss program. Many are available online at a reasonable price, and many of them are very flexible and easy to follow on a busy schedule. You can lose 10 pounds in 14 days easily in certain programs and that can only be the kickstart their needs for healthy lifestyle.

In an ideal world would not have to worry about money for college, much less income. We like our jobs waltz glamorous, well paid, zip to the gym for an hour with a personal trainer and burly guards his house for a gourmet dinner prepared by our loving husbands. It is when we wake up on the sofa where dozing while 7 years to read his book for us! Remember - laughter has many health benefits, too!

Kids health