MOM Tip -Write It Down
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BuckleyBoo is a growing collection of stuffed toys co-created by a child psychologist and grandma!
BuckleyBoos encourage cognitive development through multi-stage learning. What this means is that from the ages of 15 months to 4 years your child will embark on a developmental journey where each mastered task serves as a springboard for the next level of learning.
Stage 1: Matching
Children first learn to visually scan and match the brightly patterned ribbons- polka dot to polka dot, stripe to stripe.
Stage 2: Buckling
At eighteen months, children are ready to buckle, but they cannot yet unbuckle, which makes BuckleyBoo, for a time, a toy to be shared between parent and child. At this stage, the child will likely leave all the other buckles in their environment alone; now they have their own buckles with which to play.
Stage 3: Unbuckling
At three years, children have both the physical strength and the problem solving skills to buckle and unbuckle and they will happily do for hours on end. Children will also begin to integrate their lovable pal into their world of imaginative play.
These days, my niece, age three, likes to play mommy as she buckles and unbuckles: "You have to put on your coat, BuckleyCat. Let me buckle you! Hold still, you silly. There! Now you're warm and cozy!"
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Back to School and Back to reading... these books will engage them quickly
Aerial, a young, orb weaver spider, is the "runt" of Spinnerellas's spiderlings. He suffers rejection and ridicule from the residents of Spiderville because of his size and inability to do the sorts of things the other spiders do instinctively. When he runs away, Aerial learns how to rise above his limitations in a most unlikely place.
Two new characters, Springer, a jumping spider, and Trap, a trapdoor spider, join Aerial on an adventurous expedition into the wooded realm behind Spiderville. The three best friends enjoy an emotional roller coaster of new experiences, foolhardy fun, perilous risk, and the indisputable solidarity of friendship. Aerial, Trap, and Springer survive their action-packed trek into the woods rife with toads, snakes, and ants and are grateful to be alive to share their stories over and over again from the safety of their homes upon their return to Spiderville.
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For all the scrapes and bruises -- not to mention fevers and stuffy noses -- that your child will get, it's a good idea to keep your medicine cabinet well stocked. Here's what you need to know -- from how to store stuff to using your medications and supplies correctly.
Not the bathroom. Storing over-the-counter and prescription medicine near sources of moisture or heat, such as in the bathroom or kitchen, can cause pills and liquid medicines to lose potency or, in rare cases, become toxic. The best spot: A high shelf in a linen or bedroom closet -- it's a more stable environment that's out of the reach of children.
A tube of antibiotic ointment for cuts and scrapes. If the tube touches an infected cut (especially one that's full of pus), toss it and buy a new one.
A box of alcohol wipes. They're much safer to have around than a bottle of rubbing alcohol, which is poisonous if swallowed. Use them to clean thermometers and the skin around wounds (stick to soap and water on open cuts, since alcohol hurts).
An anti-itch topical cortisone cream for rashes. Don't get it near the eyes (it's best to avoid the face entirely). And never apply to a baby -- he might lick it off.
A digital thermometer. Babies especially need a rectal reading, which is the most accurate. Once your child is around 4, it's fine to switch to oral. (Oral thermometers can often also be used under the arm for kids over 3 months who won't sit still for a rectal reading, but aren't ready to hold a thermometer in the mouth.)
Petroleum jelly or K-Y Jelly to lubricate a rectal thermometer.
Acetaminophen. Make sure it's infant-strength for babies under 35 pounds. And be careful to avoid giving more than is recommended (especially with infant drops, which are more concentrated), as even a small overdose may damage the liver.
Ibuprofen for children over 6 months only. Make sure it's infant-strength for babies under 35 pounds.
Saline nose drops (non-medicated), which are helpful for clearing a baby's nose.
A nasal aspirator (or bulb syringe), in case nose drops don't work. But don't overdo it, since the inside of a baby's nose is particularly sensitive.
Cough and cold medicine. It's best to keep separate medications for each symptom so you don't inadvertently double-dose your child on any active ingredients. But always talk to your pediatrician before giving your child cough or cold medication, especially for children under 3 years.
Seasonal allergy medication, if needed.
An oral rehydration solution, like Pedialyte. You'll have less waste with the single-serve size.
Teething gel. Be sure to stick to the recommended dosage.
Simethicone drops for gas.
Sterile cotton balls to clean your baby's eyes.
Cotton swabs.
Tweezers for removing splinters and ticks.
Adhesive bandages in assorted sizes. Keep a close eye on your child, as the small bandages can be a choking hazard.
Syrup of ipecac. The American Academy of Pediatrics no longer recommends it for poisonings. See "In case of poisoning," below.
Baby or children's aspirin, which are now known to cause Reye's syndrome, a serious disease. The same is true of products containing aspirin, such as Pepto-Bismol (or generic equivalents), topical ointments like Bengay, and certain wart removers.
A mercury thermometer. It's an environmental and health hazard if it breaks, so give it to your doctor to toss. Check Grandma's house, too.
An ear thermometer. They seem easy to use, but they're not accurate.
By law, an over-the-counter medication must have an expiration date based on when it may have only 90 percent of its original potency. Check your medicine cabinet periodically, and discard pills in the toilet (not the bathroom trash can); pour liquids down the drain.What to throw out:
* Any expired prescription drug (especially antibiotics -- some may be ineffective or even unsafe)
* Expired asthma medication
* Any medicine that has changed color or developed a "funny" smell
Other products that may simply not work as well after their expiration dates:
* Painkillers, decongestants, cough suppressants, and other OTC medicines won't be dangerous, but they may be slightly less potent.
* Sunscreen should not be kept longer than three years (it can lose its effectiveness even earlier if regularly exposed to extreme heat).
* Antibacterial bandages may no longer fight bacteria (but they'll still protect a cut).
If your child swallows medication accidentally:
* Stay calm.
* Don't administer anything or try to induce vomiting.
* Call 911 or your local emergency number immediately if your child is unconscious, has stopped breathing, or is having a seizure.
* Call Poison Control if your child is not in distress: 800-222-1222, day or night. You'll automatically be connected to your local center.
* Tell the center what's happened. Give your child's age and weight, any preexisting medical conditions, the time the incident occurred, exactly what your child took, and any unusual symptoms.
* Be sure you understand exactly what you are being told to do.
Having the right medicines and supplies on hand for scrapes or fevers is an important health measure. But you also need to make sure you regularly check any drugs and supplies you use to make sure they're still safe to use -- so you can help your child feel better fast.
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Here is a great article full of information on this topic from the FDA's website.
How to Dispose of Unused Medicines
Is your medicine cabinet filled with expired drugs or medications you no longer use? How should you dispose of them?
Most drugs can be thrown in the household trash, but consumers should take certain precautions before tossing them out, according to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). A few drugs should be flushed down the toilet. And a growing number of community-based "take-back" programs offer another safe disposal alternative.
FDA worked with the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) to develop the first consumer guidance for proper disposal of prescription drugs. Issued by ONDCP in February 2007, the federal guidelines are summarized here:
FDA's Director of Pharmacy Affairs, Ilisa Bernstein, Pharm.D., J.D., offers some additional tips:
Bernstein says the same disposal methods for prescription drugs could apply to over-the-counter drugs as well.
Disposal instructions on the label are part of FDA's "risk mitigation" strategy, says Capt. Jim Hunter, R.Ph., M.P.H., Senior Program Manager on FDA's Controlled Substance Staff. When a drug contains instructions to flush it down the toilet, he says, it's because FDA, working with the manufacturer, has determined this method to be the most appropriate route of disposal that presents the least risk to safety.
About a dozen drugs, such as powerful narcotic pain relievers and other controlled substances, carry instructions for flushing to reduce the danger of unintentional use or overdose and illegal abuse.
For example, the fentanyl patch, an adhesive patch that delivers a potent pain medicine through the skin, comes with instructions to flush used or leftover patches. Too much fentanyl can cause severe breathing problems and lead to death in babies, children, pets, and even adults, especially those who have not been prescribed the drug. "Even after a patch is used, a lot of the drug remains in the patch," says Hunter, "so you wouldn't want to throw something in the trash that contains a powerful and potentially dangerous narcotic that could harm others."
Despite the safety reasons for flushing drugs, some people are questioning the practice because of concerns about trace levels of drug residues found in surface water, such as rivers and lakes, and in some community drinking water supplies. However, the main way drug residues enter water systems is by people taking medications and then naturally passing them through their bodies, says Raanan Bloom, Ph.D., an Environmental Assessment Expert in FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. "Most drugs are not completely absorbed or metabolized by the body, and enter the environment after passing through waste water treatment plants."
A company that wants FDA to approve its drug must submit an application package to the agency. FDA requires, as part of the application package, an assessment of how the drug's use would affect the environment. Some drug applications are excluded from the assessment requirement, says Bloom, based on previous agency actions.
"For those drugs for which environmental assessments have been required, there has been no indication of environmental effects due to flushing," says Bloom. In addition, according to the Environmental Protection Agency, scientists to date have found no evidence of adverse human health effects from pharmaceutical residues in the environment.
Nonetheless, FDA does not want to add drug residues into water systems unnecessarily, says Hunter. The agency reviewed its drug labels to identify products with disposal directions recommending flushing or disposal down the sink. This continuously revised listing can be found at FDA's Web page on Disposal by Flushing of Certain Unused Medicines3.
Another environmental concern lies with inhalers used by people who have asthma or other breathing problems, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Traditionally, many inhalers have contained chlorofluorocarbons (CFC's), a propellant that damages the protective ozone layer. The CFC inhalers are being phased out and replaced with more environmentally friendly inhalers.
Depending on the type of product and where you live, inhalers and aerosol products may be thrown into household trash or recyclables, or may be considered hazardous waste and require special handling. Read the handling instructions on the label, as some inhalers should not be punctured or thrown into a fire or incinerator. To ensure safe disposal, contact your local trash and recycling facility.
This article appears on FDA's Consumer Updates page4, which features the latest on all FDA-regulated products.
Updated October 14, 2009
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NOISY NORA (Written and illustrated by Rosemary Wells, narrated by Mary Beth Hurt) What's a wee little mouse to do when little brother and big sister take up all of Mom and Dad's time? Make noise!
EMILY'S FIRST 100 DAYS OF SCHOOL (Written and illustrated by Rosemary Wells, narrated by Diana Canova) As the days and weeks of school go by, Emily and her classmates learn new ideas, expand their world, and grow closer together one day at a time.
VOYAGE TO THE BUNNY PLANET (Written and illustrated by Rosemary Wells, narrated by Maggie Gyllenhaal) Three bunnies are whisked off to the gentle Bunny Planet - a place that lies - far beyond the moon and stars.
READING TO YOUR BUNNY (Written and illustrated by Rosemary Wells, performed by Mary Chapin Carpenter, voices by Diana Canova, David DeVries, Rosemary Wells, and others) An original story by Rosemary Wells highlights the importance of reading to little ones.
MAX'S CHOCOLATE CHICKEN (Written and illustrated by Rosemary Wells, narrated by Clavelle Dalferes) Will Max and Ruby find the most Easter eggs to win the chocolate chicken? Only the Easter Bunny knows for sure.
MAX'S CHRISTMAS (Written and illustrated by Rosemary Wells, narrated by Jenny Agutter, and Rex Robbins) Max is told that he can't stay up to see Santa, but he sneaks down anyway. Will Santa still come if Max is awake?
MORRIS'S DISAPPEARING DOG (Written and illustrated by Rosemary Wells) Morris thinks his brother and sisters have better Christmas presents. But inside the last box under the tree he finds a magical gift that makes all his troubles disappear.
OTTO RUNS FOR PRESIDENT (Written and illustrated by Rosemary Wells, narrated by Diana Canova) Who will win the big school election at Barkadelphia School? Popular Tiffany, Sporty Charles, or good friend Otto?
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Children fall in love with Zillio at first sight. The large colorful rotating structure is not only beautiful and exciting, but it is a powerful model of math based on two critical math concepts: times tables and number lines.
Combined, these concepts create the foundation for 10 essential skills to help children learn, use, and understand the math necessary to grow and succeed. And nothing is more rewarding than helping them along the way.
The Zillio math playgrounds (either the 3D Mountains or the 2D game board) set the stage. They combine visual, tactile, and kinesthetic elements to meet the learning styles of most children.
The educational games and lessons are a perfect balance of fun and powerful learning. Progressively challenging activities are based on standards for grades Pre- K through 6+ including counting, addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, fractions, number lines, ratios, equivalency and algebra. It’s the learning that makes playing math really fun for everyone.
Find out why everyone falls in love with Zillio. Whether you are a parent looking for educational toys and games for you and your family to enjoy together, or an educator looking for a powerful math manipulative to help you provide instruction in a classroom environment and/or strategic one-on-one supplemental instruction, you’ll find what you need: educational games, standards based lessons and tutorials to help you get started today.
Mini Mountain
This Mountain measures 18” in diameter and 8” high and is easily portable. The maximum height reached (peak elevation) is 36. It is excellent for introducing and exploring even the most advanced concepts but it is more limited in developing fluency. The number of players varies by activity, from one to four. Hands-on activities and length of play are suited to beginning levels and skills as well as more advanced ones. Ages 4 to 94.
2D Playground
This colorful 2D version of our Mega Zillio can be used as a game board, a poster, and a worksheet. Perfect for 2- 4 students to practice math facts and or play games to develop problem solving and reasoning skills. It measures 24" by 24" and is laminated. It has a picture of the Mountain with multiples on one side and without on the other. It comes with instructions, 3 dice, and 1 set of 12 foam cards with tokens.
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