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38 Days (continued from the July 2010 issue)
by: Heather Tempesta and Angela Ardolino
Monday August 2nd
Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park
Stop by Panera Bread and grab a Panini and a smoothie. Take it to the park and picnic. Let the kids play on the playground, bring their bathing suits and let them splash in the fountains. Bring your camera and make a mini photo shoot.
Tuesday August 3rd
Be a Pottery Mason
Find a local shop, select your piece and paint it. This one is fun for all ages and easy on the wallet!
Wednesday August 4th
Wiregrass Wednesdays
Educational entertainment and fun for kids! Explore vendors and find great local shops that have great family products. Best part about Wiregrass Wednesdays….IT’S FREE! 10:00 am on Wednesdays at Wiregrass Mall. http://www.theshopsatwiregrass.com
Thursday August 5th
Boardwalk at the Park
Take a walk on the boardwalk and see nature up close and personal. A few suggestions: Lettuce Lake Park, Upper Tampa Bay Park and Sawgrass Park or if you live by a park explore that one.
Friday August 6th
Sleepover at Busch Gardens!
Enjoy Summer Nights and then sleep in Tiger Lodge in Jungala. Your kids also get front of the line access to rides and experience a Sunrise Safari. Geared towards children in 3rd grade and up & their parents. Events are offered on Friday nights through August 13th $78 per person, $68 for Passport members. http://www.swbg-adventurecamp.com/adventure-camps/bgt/sleepover/seasonal/family-fun-summer.htm
Monday August 9th
Splash Park
Relax while your kids cool off in the fountains. Here are a few locations that have great fountains for everyone to get wet in (even you!) Cypress Forest Park in Oldsmar; Zephyr Park in Zephyrhills; Kate Jackson Rec Center in S. Tampa and Sprayground in Dunedin.
Tuesday August 10th
Dinosaur World
A great place for the toddler/preschooler who is a lover of dinosaurs! They can even dig for fossils. Price ranges from $9.75-12.75 while children under 3 are free. Visit any day in August and you’ll get a pass to come back in December! http://www.dinoworld.net
Wednesday August 11th
Hillsborough River State Park
Enjoy a day at the park. Picnic, swim and see a little nature. http://www.floridastateparks.org/hillsboroughriver
Thursday August 12th
Adventure Island
Give your visit to this water park a twist. Get there later in the day and experience Island Nights. It’s a completely different atmosphere without the sun and heat. You’ll enjoy live entertainment, the kids will enjoy going down the slides at dusk and you won’t have to argue about reapplying sunscreen!
Friday August 13th
Captain Memo's Pirate Cruise Clearwater
Your children – especially your pirate lover- will be thrilled to get on this boat. Enjoy the wind, sun and likely even a few dolphins! Prices range from $11.00-36.00. http://www.captmemo.com
Saturday August 14th
Bonus Weekend Idea
Back-To-School Health & Safety Expo
Come out to the annual Back-To-School Fair from 9:00-4:00 and get prepared, protected, and inspired for the coming school year. Event is FREE with paid MOSI admission and FREE to MOSI Members.
Monday August 16th
Sea World
If you aren't a pass holder, a child's ticket is only $5 through December 31st. Try to make the park new to your family. See the areas that you often miss out on while trying to see the shows. Make sure you visit Shamu’s Happy Harbor and take a ride in the Sky Tower. Don’t forget to see a show that you often miss due to lack of time. http://www.seaworld.com/orlando/default.aspx
Tuesday August 17th
Ice Cream Social
Invite some friends over for a playdate. You can make this as big of an event as you would like. Have them dress up in their favorite Cinderella dress or favorite super hero costume. (Let’s get more use out of those $40 Halloween costumes!) Buy cones, ice cream, caramel and chocolate syrup, bananas, cool whip, sprinkles and cherries. The kids will have a blast!
Wednesday August 18th
Explorations Museum
This is such an amazing venue to inspire your child’s imagination! They will not be bored and they will not want to leave. Admission is $9 and children under 2 are free. Sunken Gardens is also on the property so if you have enough time, you could take a stroll through the beautiful scenery ad lush landscaping. Adults are $8, Children 2-11 are $4, Under 2 are free.
Thursday August 19th
Busch Babies
Busch Gardnes is premiering a new Busch Babies Series this spring. The preschool program was designed for ages 2 to 5 and a parent, grandparent or caregiver. The three-week program is offered 45-minutes each week, and combines crafts, story time and up-close visits from animals Call 1-877-248-2267 to book a series.
Friday August 20th
Weekend getaway
Plan a weekend in Orlando. Find one that has a place for the kids to play while you get a spa day. Go eat at T-Rex Cafe or go see Cirque Du Soleil.
Monday August 23rd
Day of Relaxation!
Have the kids pick out what they are going to wear for the first day. Pick out a movie and plan your kids’ favorite dinner. Get them to bed early in hopes that the morning will go smoothly. (We can dream, right?)
Tuesday August 24th
First day of school
Get the kids off to school and get to your massage appointment! (You know, the one you booked back in July.)
Pasco County schools begin on August 16th, while Pinellas and Hillsborough begin on August 24th.
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WOMAN WITH A MISSION
Local Mother creates and sells organic/natural baby food to public
“Inevitably, I have become my mother.” State Marlene Sundquist, owner of Seedlings, in South Tampa. But, she embraces this, because she believes her mother is the single most dedicated and devoted individual who pours out unconditional love. In an era of transitional roles and mothers fighting to manage time, Marlene’s mother made an absolute effort to bring their family together at the end of each day with a home-cooked meal prepared from scratch.
This rubbed off on Marlene and years later, when she found herself on her own, without a full-time chef. She was surrounded by a plethora of food choices, many of them fast and cheap. She thought she was too busy to cook, until she realized that everything that was available in restaurants was either too expensive or unhealthy to eat on a regular basis. So she began to cook.
The ultimate cooking challenge came when her daughter was born. She was so excited to give her daughter her first food that she couldn’t wait until she was 6 months old. She pondered what she was going to give her as a first taste. Think about it for a moment. Here is a little person who has never tried anything but milk in her entire life, yet she has the keenest tastebuds. Marlene wanted her first taste to be something different and fun.
So I picked spicy barbecue sauce. Marlene had heard that many babies like spicy foods, and my daughter confirmed it. Around 5 months old her daughter used to whimper all the time whenever she saw other people eating. She could smell food cooking from a mile away, and she would wake up from the deepest sleep as soon as she got a whiff of something good in the air. The pediatrician said that a child’s interest in food is generally a sign that they are ready to begin eating. At 5 months old, they were at a ribfest, and as you can imagine, she was very interested in all the different aromas in the air. Of course, Marlene caved in and gave her some spicy sauce off the edge of her finger. Her response was so enlightening, that Marlene vowed to make incredible little meals for her to enjoy.
Immediately she started researching how to make baby food, and found all kinds of recipes, many very plain. So she made plain food. It was easy. Steam one kind of fruit or veggie, puree it, and freeze it in little disposable containers. It seemed brainless, but it was time consuming and messy. Very, very, messy. It seemed like as soon as she filled the freezer with food, it was gone again, and she had to go back into the kitchen for a couple of days to batch prepare more pureed baby food. Again, and again, and again. As my daughter’s taste buds became more discriminating, she had to invent creative ways to satisfy her palate and hunger yet fulfill all her nutritional needs. More ingredients and less plain foods made an even bigger mess! Very soon, Marlene was running out of room. Both my fridge drawers and shelves were constantly overloaded with fresh fruits and veggies.
When she was running out of time and refrigerator space she went on the internet to see if she could find an equivalent, fresh baby food on the market to replace the food she was making for her daughter. To my surprise, there was absolutely nothing available in her area, nor in the entire United States. Almost every other English speaking country in the world sold fresh, organic, baby food, except for the US.
Marlene approached more and more people with the idea of making the real baby foods available to everyone, and the responses were overwhelming. So many parents, pediatricians, nutritionists, health professionals, family members and friends are so enthusiastic about fresh foods for babies and children, but just don’t know where to get it. Their support and interest drives Marlene’s passion to share her homemade happiness with other families.
Now, just like her mother, she toils endlessly over every detail, because she wants the best for her daughter and other children. All babies and children deserve something better, something real and not processed, and something equivalent to home-cooked. Marlene finds the best ingredients with the highest nutrients, like organic fruits and vegetables, hearty grains, fresh proteins, and organic dairies. Just like her mother said. “If it doesn’t grow that way, don’t eat it.” That’s why her motto is “Feeding children from the ground up.”
She hopes that all babies will be able to enjoy the real meals as much as her daughter does. “It makes me feel like I have accomplished something knowing that someday, my own daughter will be able to feed her children the recipes and love passed down from her family” says Marlene.
To try her recipes yourself visit Seedlings at 1530 S. Dale Mabry Highway, where you can see a cooking demonstration every Tuesday and purchase her organic baby food recipes for your own child.
DR. DADDY - Just say no to antibotics and see how your chiropractic can help
Dr. Thomas Myers
OUCH!!!!!! My EAR HURTS! Cries your child and you know you have a problem on your hands. In a flash you think to call your pediatrician with one hand and get the keys to your car with your other hand. Time is important since your child will only cry out with more pain as time goes on. There are about 30 million visits to the pediatrician each year are due to ear aches. More than 80 percent of children have at least one episode of ear aches by the time they are 3 years of age.
The most common treatment is, of course, antibiotics, which is also associated with its own risks. The chance of incurring asthma, for example, has been shown to increase fourfold if antibiotics are used in the first year of life, and this risk is dose dependent. 1 In addition, the CDC warns that 90 percent of upper respiratory infections, including children's ear infections are viral, and antibiotics do not treat viral infections. They then go on to say that more than 40 percent of about 50 millions prescriptions for antibiotics each year in physicians' offices were inappropriate.2 Unpublished work by Jochen Schacht from the University of Michigan has suggests that streptomycin, gentamicin and neomycin cause hearing loss by damaging the inner ear hair cells.3 Finally, in a commentary published in Pediatrics,5 and in a study sponsored by the federal Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, pointed out that in the Netherlands (where a waiting period is observed before antibiotics are given for otitis media), occurrence of antibiotic resistance is one percent, whereas in the United States (where antibiotics are given immediately), the rate is 25 percent. 4
Newer studies in the effectiveness of antibiotics for middle ear infections in children are reporting that children treated with antibiotics are more likely to have recurrences. Antibiotics are known to weaken resistance to disease and that is probably why children are so affected by their use. Did you know that more than 80% of the medically treated children suffered from at least one bout of ear aches while only 31% of the chiropractic treated children were so reported? It is true! Why not offer your child another, healthier alternative when those scream of pain echoes through the house?
What role does the chiropractor play in evaluating and treating these children?
The chiropractor's task is to ascertain if the reason for the body's inability to combat the infection caused by irritation of the small nerves in the spine (called free nerve endings).
When these nerve endings are irritated, an abnormal tension is produced in the small muscles of the neck. This muscle tension can place pressure on the lymphatic drainage ducts resulting in inadequate drainage from inside the ear, thus preventing the body from being able to naturally correct the problem.
Identification of such a problem is made by detecting increased tension in the neck and paraspinal muscles, usually more tension is felt on the side of earache. The chiropractor also looks for spinal vertebrae which are either slightly out of alignment or are not moving within their normal range. This problem may have been due to any one of the number of bangs, jolts and falls that most children experience in the early years of their life.
The chiropractor is the doctor most experienced in identifying these spinal problems and in correcting them, by using very gentle adjustments.
Chiropractic management of the patient with earache involves a detailed and thorough evaluation, usually followed by spinal adjustments and manipulation of the neck muscles to help restore normal lymph drainage. The treatments are usually short and the resolution is frequently swift. 6
I am a Doctor of Chiropractic and I have 3 sons all under the age of 5. We have our share of ear aches, BUT the difference is that not one ear ache has lasted more than 6 hours ----- THAT'S WHAT I SAID, 6 HOURS!! Ask my sons, they think it is magic that their daddy can make a terrible ear ache disappear. It's not, is just that CHIROPRACTIC WORKS! My son's have never taken antibiotics in their LIVES!! They are the healthiest kids I know. Sure we get colds, but they only last a day or two and not a week or so. I adjust them and they start to heal. The body has this incredible system called the immune system. It works if we just let it! Free up the nerves, strengthen the immune system and just watch the changes in your children. My 5 year old comes to me and says "Daddy, I need to be adjusted please. I fell today and I feel like a bone is out of its place." Or “Daddy, I think I am coming down with a cold. Can you please adjust me so I can get better fast.” WOW! We should all be so smart! If a bone is out of its place, it puts pressure on your nerves and makes it hard for your body to work to its fullest potential.
Stop listening to your kids cry because of ear aches, colds and sickness. It doesn't have to be that way. There is so much research backing up chiropractic these days. It is silly not to find the best one you can. For instance, there are chiropractors like myself in the USA which have advanced training in scoliosis. This is another childhood problem on the rise and 500 new cases are diagnosed daily while many go undiagnosed before it is too late. They know that scoliosis can actually shorten your life span up to 15 years. –
World Class Chiropractic
27732 Cashford Circle #101
Wesley Chapel, Fl 33544
(813) 973-8883
GOOD PARENT/BAD PARENT - Project Time
By Angela L. Ardolino
SCENARIO: Your 4th grader (we’ll call him Jimmy) casually brings up in dinner conversation…”Today in class we had to turn in our science project essay’s and Tommy is going to build a robot- isn’t that cool”. And all you hear is SCIENCE PROJECT, as you quickly come out of your daze you respond by saying “You have a science project due?”. “Yeah, it’s not due until like-uhhh another 3 weeks”, Jimmy grunts. “Okay”, you think “three weeks, plenty of time”- and then state in the most RESPONSIBLE manner “Now, remember Jimmy, don’t do what you did last year and wait till the last minute to get it done, it is YOUR responsibility so you need to get started right away.” You walk away and think damn I am a good mom. What you don’t know is that the Kid Traslation is – Firstly any sentence starting with the word NOW, stimulates a nerve in a child’s brain that makes them immeadiatley shut down and hear nothing. This incredible medical phenonmon is caused by the constant over use of statements that would make no difference if you never said them in the first place… like Now don’t forget to do…… or Now remember what happened last time you…… WARNING WARNING BRAIN PROCEED WITH SHUT DOWN. Then when they come back from there mini coma… you are at the point when you say “YOUR RESPONSIBILITY” which directly means “Mom will do it for me” and then hear’s “get started right away” which means to Jimmy, “I got TONS of time- if the due date was closer than she would have actually said a date.”
PROBLEM: Jimmy climbs into the car when you pick him up from school 2 weeks, 6 days, 12 hours and 36 minutes later and Jimmy says “my science project is due tomorrow” “AHHH! When is he going to be RESPONSIBLE” You scream in your head. Now luckly you know what the science project is because 3 weeks ago he has to turn in the infamous science project essay= essay about what my science project is going to be. So you say “Well is it done” you know the answer but you gently drift into a fantasy where you invision Jimmy and his father driving around to get the supplies and work dilingetly together laughing and learning together, then you see Jimmy receive the highest award and your husband is teary eyed by the sight of his brilliant son and then you see shaking hand with the president after winning the noble peace prize at the age of 12. THEN you SNAP out of and realize the light has turned green and Jimmy is still making excuses as to why his project is no where close to being complete.
So what first okay…. The presentation board which are same boards used you used when you were a kid, and you think man they must have a billion dollar company, I mean think of all the science projects that have to be done every year in America. If they were smart they would double their profits if they doubled the price the day before the project is due. Because you will pay anthing at this point for the the magic presentation board. So it is off to Target. GUESS WHAT after you spend 25 minutes trying to figure out where this type a thing would be you ask an store associate and she says “Yeah, we ran out of those last night, we’ll get more next Monday”. Of course you can’t respond about how stupid that is that Target wouldn’t make sure they have enough- but then you remember you’re the idiot standing ther the afternoon before the project is due” so you kindly say “Thank you for your help?”
15 hours, 23 minutes and 2 seconds (play the countdown sound you hear in the show 24) After you drive to three more places to find out they are also out because most of Hillsborough County parents are doing the same thing you are doing right now. You find the board at a local craft/framing shop where you end up paying $8.00 because the frame shop had to cut it for you and make the foldy sides. So after spending another 2.43 hours getting the other supplies you are finally going home after of course going through a drive through to get the family dinner.
So everyone eats their dinner it is time to do the science project. 13 hours, 15 miuntes and 19 seconds to go and the construction of the volcano begins. Of course you are doing most of the building because Jimmy is typing up the report and photos and your husband is driving to the 24 hour Walmart to get more ink for the printer.
The time is 1:15 am and Jimmy has passed out at the table andyour husband’s snore can be heard echoing through the house, you put your final touches on your- uh I mean Jimmy’s award winning science project on “ the creatinon of Tsunami ‘s in Thailand”
GOOD PARENT/BAD PARENT - No Whine!
By Angela L. Ardolino
During a recent visit to some of my favorite attractions in Orlando, I was amazed at the antics I witnessed from children at the parks. Here is a question for everyone, if a co-worker walked up to you and started whining and crying about how he was tired and didn’t feel like doing his work- What would you do? You would probably start laughing or you would think “this person needs to go to therapy immediately”. So why do so many parents except, respond and allow whining, “fake” crying and tantrums from their children?
Many parents give will give the screaming child what they want to “shut them up”. Anything to avoid a scene or embarrassment to themselves. I have news for you… when you give into your child’s tantrum that is much more embarrassing then ignoring it. Here is a little secret- DON’T RESPOND, ALLOW OR EXCEPT this behavior.!
Over the fifteen years of working with children I quickly learned I needed to break the bad behavior habits learned at home if I wanted to be able to teach and enrich their lives. Children in my program quickly learned that the antics they try with their parents were not going to work with me. Why you ask… because I will not respond, allow or except whining, fake crying, tantrums in my presence. If you “the adult” follow those three simple actions, the child quickly learns this behavior does not work to get them what they want. Of course a child who has had years of whine and tantrum training is somewhat like breaking a wild horse. As Cesar Milan of the “Dog Whisperer” (one of my favorite shows) says “be calm and assertive” and don’t allow the bad behavior. Yes, the training used in a changing dog’s neurotic and bad behaviors uses the same techniques we use to teach our children. Matter of fact SeaWorld Orlando now teaches parents techniques to use with their kids that they use to train killerwhales.
My worst case was a seven year old named Gracie, who attended one of my summer programs. Gracie’s tantrums happened over anything, someone got picked “it” and not her, she didn’t get something, the a/c came on, you name it anything would set her off. Her tantrums involved head banging, screaming, hyperventilating and sometimes hitting. When I see children like this I think two things: this poor child has some awful habits and this is going to be a challenge. I actually enjoy the challenge and over the fifteen years of working with children there has never been a challenge I took on in which I failed. So I looked forward to taming this wild horse and teaching her more productive and pleasant behaviors. Since I had another 59 children in the program with Gracie, I couldn’t allow her to disrupt the rest of the campers. After all, if the other children see that Gracie’s tactics are working and not only does she get what she wants but gets her a lot of attention, you will soon have more than one Gracie on your hands. So I would take Grace outside while another teacher continued the activity and in between the screams and while she was gasping for air- I would simply kneel to her level and say in a calm and assertive way, “Gracie when you are ready to speak to me like a human being, I will listen to your problem- until then I will be inside playing the game with the rest of the group, so let me know when you are ready”. Usually following this is the loudest screams, but I walk back into the room to join in with the group activities (there are glass doors and windows so I could see her the entire time). After screaming her loudest for about a minute straight, Gracie starts to realize that her tantrum is not getting her anywhere and she it is causing her to miss out on the fun going on inside, so she starts to calm down. When I see this I return to her and I say “are you ready to speak to me like a human being?” She nods yes and starts to speak in a whining, over-dramatic manner and I immediately stop her. I again repeat what I said before and the whining disappears and soon I have a calm, normal sounding seven year old, covered in snot and tears but acting calm. Now we can have a conversation- human being to human being- not teacher to screaming wild child. Her tantrums start to dissipate and soon there is barely a hint of whine in Gracie’s voice. The sad thing is the moment she sees her mother the whine is back on and the old habits kick in- because these behaviors work on her mother. However, she has now learned that she can’t speak to everyone that way and there is a more positive way to act with adults.
Over the years I have discovered that what comes naturally to me does not always occur to most people. However, I think many parents do know what is right but think they don’t have the time or resources to accomplish their goals. But they do. It is as simple as not tolerating bad behavior. Parents say to me all the time “I can’t believe you got these kids to do this” or “I can’t believe how well behaved these kids are with you.” It is because I do not tolerate anything else! I respect the children and treat them as capable, creative, wonderful HUMAN BEINGS and therefore that is what I get in return.
Imagine if you can get a killer whale to do back flips and wave to the crowd on command- imagine what you can teach your children.
Self-Esteem: What is it and how can you develop it in your child?
What is Self-Esteem?
Your child’s self-esteem is simply how “good” she feel about herself. These feelings come from the perception that they are valued and accepted by people who are close to them. During your child’s early years, it is the adults in his or her life that have the greatest impact on self-esteem.
Children with a healthy sense of self-esteem feel that the important adults in their lives accept them, care about them, and would go out of their way to ensure that they are safe and well. They feel that those adults would be upset if anything happened to them and would miss them if they were separated. They believe they have characteristics valued by the important adults in their lives.
Children with low self-esteem, on the other hand, feel that the important adults and peers in their lives do not accept them, do not care about them very much, and would not go out of their way to ensure their safety and well-being. They believe they do not have the characteristics valued by the important adults in their community. Families, communities, and ethnic and cultural groups vary in the criteria on which self-esteem is based. For example, some groups may emphasize physical appearance, and some may evaluate boys and girls differently. Prejudice and discrimination are also factors that may contribute to low self-esteem among children.
Ways that you can help develop your child’s self-esteem:
- Develop attachments in infancy, instill love, acceptance, and trust.
- Assist your child in developing healthy relationships with peers. As they grow, children become increasingly sensitive to the evaluations of their peers.
- Ensure your child that you support and accept him even if peers do not. A child may feel self-confident and accepted at home, but not around the neighborhood.
- Respond to your child’s interests and efforts with appreciation rather than praise. Support your child’s interests; help them to find more information on it, provide opportunities to engage in it.
- Involve your child in meaning activities that offer a real challenge. Young children are more likely to benefit from tasks and activities that offer a real challenge than from those that are merely frivolous or fun.
- Treat your child respectfully. Ask their views and opinions, take their views and opinions seriously.
- Help your child cope with defeats, rather than emphasizing constant success and triumphs.
During times of disappointment or crisis, your child’s weakened self-esteem may be strengthened when you let the child know that your love and support remain unchanged.
The information for this publication came from ERIC document “How Can We Strengthen Children’s Self-Esteem?"
Parent Support Series, Beyond the Basics, : Self Esteem.© 1999, Tampa, Florida
This is a publication of the Florida Center for Parent Involvement which was funded by the U.S. Department of Education. The opinions contained in this publication are those of the grantee and do not necessarily reflect those of the U.S. Department of Education. All or portions of this work may be reproduced providing the Florida Center for Parent Involvement, Louis de la Parte
Florida Mental Health Institute, University of South Florida is properly credited on all reproductions.
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Understanding Your Child's Behavior!
In order to understand why your child is misbehaving it is extremely useful to keep a diary:
- Identify one behavior that you would like to change. Be as specific as you can e.g. wont do as s/he is told, hitting, demands things, whines. Write the behavior down.
- When the behavior occurs, write down what led immediately up to it (triggers) and what happened afterwards (consequences)? Also record how you behave and feel?
- After a week try to see if there is a pattern to the behavior. When is it occurring (times, situations)? Who is it occurring with? What are the triggers? What are the consequences or "pay-offs" for your child? Often this is related to getting attention, "winding-up", getting their own way ("giving in for a quiet life").
- Ask yourself what is my child learning from the way I respond to the behavior? Am I setting limits and boundaries consistently?
Once you have a clear picture you are ready to change the pattern by changing the triggers and consequences. You may have to try and ignore certain behavior, try not to give in, remove certain privileges, look and sound as if you mean it when asking you child to do something. Most importantly concentrate on encouraging and rewarding good behavior!
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38 Days (continued from the July 2010 issue)
by: Heather Tempesta and Angela Ardolino
Monday August 2nd
Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park
Stop by Panera Bread and grab a Panini and a smoothie. Take it to the park and picnic. Let the kids play on the playground, bring their bathing suits and let them splash in the fountains. Bring your camera and make a mini photo shoot.
Tuesday August 3rd
Be a Pottery Mason
Find a local shop, select your piece and paint it. This one is fun for all ages and easy on the wallet!
Wednesday August 4th
Wiregrass Wednesdays
Educational entertainment and fun for kids! Explore vendors and find great local shops that have great family products. Best part about Wiregrass Wednesdays….IT’S FREE! 10:00 am on Wednesdays at Wiregrass Mall. http://www.theshopsatwiregrass.com
Thursday August 5th
Boardwalk at the Park
Take a walk on the boardwalk and see nature up close and personal. A few suggestions: Lettuce Lake Park, Upper Tampa Bay Park and Sawgrass Park or if you live by a park explore that one.
Friday August 6th
Sleepover at Busch Gardens!
Enjoy Summer Nights and then sleep in Tiger Lodge in Jungala. Your kids also get front of the line access to rides and experience a Sunrise Safari. Geared towards children in 3rd grade and up & their parents. Events are offered on Friday nights through August 13th $78 per person, $68 for Passport members. http://www.swbg-adventurecamp.com/adventure-camps/bgt/sleepover/seasonal/family-fun-summer.htm
Monday August 9th
Splash Park
Relax while your kids cool off in the fountains. Here are a few locations that have great fountains for everyone to get wet in (even you!) Cypress Forest Park in Oldsmar; Zephyr Park in Zephyrhills; Kate Jackson Rec Center in S. Tampa and Sprayground in Dunedin.
Tuesday August 10th
Dinosaur World
A great place for the toddler/preschooler who is a lover of dinosaurs! They can even dig for fossils. Price ranges from $9.75-12.75 while children under 3 are free. Visit any day in August and you’ll get a pass to come back in December! http://www.dinoworld.net
Wednesday August 11th
Hillsborough River State Park
Enjoy a day at the park. Picnic, swim and see a little nature. http://www.floridastateparks.org/hillsboroughriver
Thursday August 12th
Adventure Island
Give your visit to this water park a twist. Get there later in the day and experience Island Nights. It’s a completely different atmosphere without the sun and heat. You’ll enjoy live entertainment, the kids will enjoy going down the slides at dusk and you won’t have to argue about reapplying sunscreen!
Friday August 13th
Captain Memo's Pirate Cruise Clearwater
Your children – especially your pirate lover- will be thrilled to get on this boat. Enjoy the wind, sun and likely even a few dolphins! Prices range from $11.00-36.00. http://www.captmemo.com
Saturday August 14th
Bonus Weekend Idea
Back-To-School Health & Safety Expo
Come out to the annual Back-To-School Fair from 9:00-4:00 and get prepared, protected, and inspired for the coming school year. Event is FREE with paid MOSI admission and FREE to MOSI Members.
Monday August 16th
Sea World
If you aren't a pass holder, a child's ticket is only $5 through December 31st. Try to make the park new to your family. See the areas that you often miss out on while trying to see the shows. Make sure you visit Shamu’s Happy Harbor and take a ride in the Sky Tower. Don’t forget to see a show that you often miss due to lack of time. http://www.seaworld.com/orlando/default.aspx
Tuesday August 17th
Ice Cream Social
Invite some friends over for a playdate. You can make this as big of an event as you would like. Have them dress up in their favorite Cinderella dress or favorite super hero costume. (Let’s get more use out of those $40 Halloween costumes!) Buy cones, ice cream, caramel and chocolate syrup, bananas, cool whip, sprinkles and cherries. The kids will have a blast!
Wednesday August 18th
Explorations Museum
This is such an amazing venue to inspire your child’s imagination! They will not be bored and they will not want to leave. Admission is $9 and children under 2 are free. Sunken Gardens is also on the property so if you have enough time, you could take a stroll through the beautiful scenery ad lush landscaping. Adults are $8, Children 2-11 are $4, Under 2 are free.
Thursday August 19th
Busch Babies
Busch Gardnes is premiering a new Busch Babies Series this spring. The preschool program was designed for ages 2 to 5 and a parent, grandparent or caregiver. The three-week program is offered 45-minutes each week, and combines crafts, story time and up-close visits from animals Call 1-877-248-2267 to book a series.
Friday August 20th
Weekend getaway
Plan a weekend in Orlando. Find one that has a place for the kids to play while you get a spa day. Go eat at T-Rex Cafe or go see Cirque Du Soleil.
Monday August 23rd
Day of Relaxation!
Have the kids pick out what they are going to wear for the first day. Pick out a movie and plan your kids’ favorite dinner. Get them to bed early in hopes that the morning will go smoothly. (We can dream, right?)
Tuesday August 24th
First day of school
Get the kids off to school and get to your massage appointment! (You know, the one you booked back in July.)
Pasco County schools begin on August 16th, while Pinellas and Hillsborough begin on August 24th.
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WOMAN WITH A MISSION
Local Mother creates and sells organic/natural baby food to public
“Inevitably, I have become my mother.” State Marlene Sundquist, owner of Seedlings, in South Tampa. But, she embraces this, because she believes her mother is the single most dedicated and devoted individual who pours out unconditional love. In an era of transitional roles and mothers fighting to manage time, Marlene’s mother made an absolute effort to bring their family together at the end of each day with a home-cooked meal prepared from scratch.
This rubbed off on Marlene and years later, when she found herself on her own, without a full-time chef. She was surrounded by a plethora of food choices, many of them fast and cheap. She thought she was too busy to cook, until she realized that everything that was available in restaurants was either too expensive or unhealthy to eat on a regular basis. So she began to cook.
The ultimate cooking challenge came when her daughter was born. She was so excited to give her daughter her first food that she couldn’t wait until she was 6 months old. She pondered what she was going to give her as a first taste. Think about it for a moment. Here is a little person who has never tried anything but milk in her entire life, yet she has the keenest tastebuds. Marlene wanted her first taste to be something different and fun.
So I picked spicy barbecue sauce. Marlene had heard that many babies like spicy foods, and my daughter confirmed it. Around 5 months old her daughter used to whimper all the time whenever she saw other people eating. She could smell food cooking from a mile away, and she would wake up from the deepest sleep as soon as she got a whiff of something good in the air. The pediatrician said that a child’s interest in food is generally a sign that they are ready to begin eating. At 5 months old, they were at a ribfest, and as you can imagine, she was very interested in all the different aromas in the air. Of course, Marlene caved in and gave her some spicy sauce off the edge of her finger. Her response was so enlightening, that Marlene vowed to make incredible little meals for her to enjoy.
Immediately she started researching how to make baby food, and found all kinds of recipes, many very plain. So she made plain food. It was easy. Steam one kind of fruit or veggie, puree it, and freeze it in little disposable containers. It seemed brainless, but it was time consuming and messy. Very, very, messy. It seemed like as soon as she filled the freezer with food, it was gone again, and she had to go back into the kitchen for a couple of days to batch prepare more pureed baby food. Again, and again, and again. As my daughter’s taste buds became more discriminating, she had to invent creative ways to satisfy her palate and hunger yet fulfill all her nutritional needs. More ingredients and less plain foods made an even bigger mess! Very soon, Marlene was running out of room. Both my fridge drawers and shelves were constantly overloaded with fresh fruits and veggies.
When she was running out of time and refrigerator space she went on the internet to see if she could find an equivalent, fresh baby food on the market to replace the food she was making for her daughter. To my surprise, there was absolutely nothing available in her area, nor in the entire United States. Almost every other English speaking country in the world sold fresh, organic, baby food, except for the US.
Marlene approached more and more people with the idea of making the real baby foods available to everyone, and the responses were overwhelming. So many parents, pediatricians, nutritionists, health professionals, family members and friends are so enthusiastic about fresh foods for babies and children, but just don’t know where to get it. Their support and interest drives Marlene’s passion to share her homemade happiness with other families.
Now, just like her mother, she toils endlessly over every detail, because she wants the best for her daughter and other children. All babies and children deserve something better, something real and not processed, and something equivalent to home-cooked. Marlene finds the best ingredients with the highest nutrients, like organic fruits and vegetables, hearty grains, fresh proteins, and organic dairies. Just like her mother said. “If it doesn’t grow that way, don’t eat it.” That’s why her motto is “Feeding children from the ground up.”
She hopes that all babies will be able to enjoy the real meals as much as her daughter does. “It makes me feel like I have accomplished something knowing that someday, my own daughter will be able to feed her children the recipes and love passed down from her family” says Marlene.
To try her recipes yourself visit Seedlings at 1530 S. Dale Mabry Highway, where you can see a cooking demonstration every Tuesday and purchase her organic baby food recipes for your own child.
DR. DADDY - Just say no to antibotics and see how your chiropractic can help
Dr. Thomas Myers
OUCH!!!!!! My EAR HURTS! Cries your child and you know you have a problem on your hands. In a flash you think to call your pediatrician with one hand and get the keys to your car with your other hand. Time is important since your child will only cry out with more pain as time goes on. There are about 30 million visits to the pediatrician each year are due to ear aches. More than 80 percent of children have at least one episode of ear aches by the time they are 3 years of age.
The most common treatment is, of course, antibiotics, which is also associated with its own risks. The chance of incurring asthma, for example, has been shown to increase fourfold if antibiotics are used in the first year of life, and this risk is dose dependent. 1 In addition, the CDC warns that 90 percent of upper respiratory infections, including children's ear infections are viral, and antibiotics do not treat viral infections. They then go on to say that more than 40 percent of about 50 millions prescriptions for antibiotics each year in physicians' offices were inappropriate.2 Unpublished work by Jochen Schacht from the University of Michigan has suggests that streptomycin, gentamicin and neomycin cause hearing loss by damaging the inner ear hair cells.3 Finally, in a commentary published in Pediatrics,5 and in a study sponsored by the federal Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, pointed out that in the Netherlands (where a waiting period is observed before antibiotics are given for otitis media), occurrence of antibiotic resistance is one percent, whereas in the United States (where antibiotics are given immediately), the rate is 25 percent. 4
Newer studies in the effectiveness of antibiotics for middle ear infections in children are reporting that children treated with antibiotics are more likely to have recurrences. Antibiotics are known to weaken resistance to disease and that is probably why children are so affected by their use. Did you know that more than 80% of the medically treated children suffered from at least one bout of ear aches while only 31% of the chiropractic treated children were so reported? It is true! Why not offer your child another, healthier alternative when those scream of pain echoes through the house?
What role does the chiropractor play in evaluating and treating these children?
The chiropractor's task is to ascertain if the reason for the body's inability to combat the infection caused by irritation of the small nerves in the spine (called free nerve endings).
When these nerve endings are irritated, an abnormal tension is produced in the small muscles of the neck. This muscle tension can place pressure on the lymphatic drainage ducts resulting in inadequate drainage from inside the ear, thus preventing the body from being able to naturally correct the problem.
Identification of such a problem is made by detecting increased tension in the neck and paraspinal muscles, usually more tension is felt on the side of earache. The chiropractor also looks for spinal vertebrae which are either slightly out of alignment or are not moving within their normal range. This problem may have been due to any one of the number of bangs, jolts and falls that most children experience in the early years of their life.
The chiropractor is the doctor most experienced in identifying these spinal problems and in correcting them, by using very gentle adjustments.
Chiropractic management of the patient with earache involves a detailed and thorough evaluation, usually followed by spinal adjustments and manipulation of the neck muscles to help restore normal lymph drainage. The treatments are usually short and the resolution is frequently swift. 6
I am a Doctor of Chiropractic and I have 3 sons all under the age of 5. We have our share of ear aches, BUT the difference is that not one ear ache has lasted more than 6 hours ----- THAT'S WHAT I SAID, 6 HOURS!! Ask my sons, they think it is magic that their daddy can make a terrible ear ache disappear. It's not, is just that CHIROPRACTIC WORKS! My son's have never taken antibiotics in their LIVES!! They are the healthiest kids I know. Sure we get colds, but they only last a day or two and not a week or so. I adjust them and they start to heal. The body has this incredible system called the immune system. It works if we just let it! Free up the nerves, strengthen the immune system and just watch the changes in your children. My 5 year old comes to me and says "Daddy, I need to be adjusted please. I fell today and I feel like a bone is out of its place." Or “Daddy, I think I am coming down with a cold. Can you please adjust me so I can get better fast.” WOW! We should all be so smart! If a bone is out of its place, it puts pressure on your nerves and makes it hard for your body to work to its fullest potential.
Stop listening to your kids cry because of ear aches, colds and sickness. It doesn't have to be that way. There is so much research backing up chiropractic these days. It is silly not to find the best one you can. For instance, there are chiropractors like myself in the USA which have advanced training in scoliosis. This is another childhood problem on the rise and 500 new cases are diagnosed daily while many go undiagnosed before it is too late. They know that scoliosis can actually shorten your life span up to 15 years. –
World Class Chiropractic
27732 Cashford Circle #101
Wesley Chapel, Fl 33544
(813) 973-8883
GOOD PARENT/BAD PARENT - Project Time
By Angela L. Ardolino
SCENARIO: Your 4th grader (we’ll call him Jimmy) casually brings up in dinner conversation…”Today in class we had to turn in our science project essay’s and Tommy is going to build a robot- isn’t that cool”. And all you hear is SCIENCE PROJECT, as you quickly come out of your daze you respond by saying “You have a science project due?”. “Yeah, it’s not due until like-uhhh another 3 weeks”, Jimmy grunts. “Okay”, you think “three weeks, plenty of time”- and then state in the most RESPONSIBLE manner “Now, remember Jimmy, don’t do what you did last year and wait till the last minute to get it done, it is YOUR responsibility so you need to get started right away.” You walk away and think damn I am a good mom. What you don’t know is that the Kid Traslation is – Firstly any sentence starting with the word NOW, stimulates a nerve in a child’s brain that makes them immeadiatley shut down and hear nothing. This incredible medical phenonmon is caused by the constant over use of statements that would make no difference if you never said them in the first place… like Now don’t forget to do…… or Now remember what happened last time you…… WARNING WARNING BRAIN PROCEED WITH SHUT DOWN. Then when they come back from there mini coma… you are at the point when you say “YOUR RESPONSIBILITY” which directly means “Mom will do it for me” and then hear’s “get started right away” which means to Jimmy, “I got TONS of time- if the due date was closer than she would have actually said a date.”
PROBLEM: Jimmy climbs into the car when you pick him up from school 2 weeks, 6 days, 12 hours and 36 minutes later and Jimmy says “my science project is due tomorrow” “AHHH! When is he going to be RESPONSIBLE” You scream in your head. Now luckly you know what the science project is because 3 weeks ago he has to turn in the infamous science project essay= essay about what my science project is going to be. So you say “Well is it done” you know the answer but you gently drift into a fantasy where you invision Jimmy and his father driving around to get the supplies and work dilingetly together laughing and learning together, then you see Jimmy receive the highest award and your husband is teary eyed by the sight of his brilliant son and then you see shaking hand with the president after winning the noble peace prize at the age of 12. THEN you SNAP out of and realize the light has turned green and Jimmy is still making excuses as to why his project is no where close to being complete.
So what first okay…. The presentation board which are same boards used you used when you were a kid, and you think man they must have a billion dollar company, I mean think of all the science projects that have to be done every year in America. If they were smart they would double their profits if they doubled the price the day before the project is due. Because you will pay anthing at this point for the the magic presentation board. So it is off to Target. GUESS WHAT after you spend 25 minutes trying to figure out where this type a thing would be you ask an store associate and she says “Yeah, we ran out of those last night, we’ll get more next Monday”. Of course you can’t respond about how stupid that is that Target wouldn’t make sure they have enough- but then you remember you’re the idiot standing ther the afternoon before the project is due” so you kindly say “Thank you for your help?”
15 hours, 23 minutes and 2 seconds (play the countdown sound you hear in the show 24) After you drive to three more places to find out they are also out because most of Hillsborough County parents are doing the same thing you are doing right now. You find the board at a local craft/framing shop where you end up paying $8.00 because the frame shop had to cut it for you and make the foldy sides. So after spending another 2.43 hours getting the other supplies you are finally going home after of course going through a drive through to get the family dinner.
So everyone eats their dinner it is time to do the science project. 13 hours, 15 miuntes and 19 seconds to go and the construction of the volcano begins. Of course you are doing most of the building because Jimmy is typing up the report and photos and your husband is driving to the 24 hour Walmart to get more ink for the printer.
The time is 1:15 am and Jimmy has passed out at the table andyour husband’s snore can be heard echoing through the house, you put your final touches on your- uh I mean Jimmy’s award winning science project on “ the creatinon of Tsunami ‘s in Thailand”
GOOD PARENT/BAD PARENT - No Whine!
By Angela L. Ardolino
During a recent visit to some of my favorite attractions in Orlando, I was amazed at the antics I witnessed from children at the parks. Here is a question for everyone, if a co-worker walked up to you and started whining and crying about how he was tired and didn’t feel like doing his work- What would you do? You would probably start laughing or you would think “this person needs to go to therapy immediately”. So why do so many parents except, respond and allow whining, “fake” crying and tantrums from their children?
Many parents give will give the screaming child what they want to “shut them up”. Anything to avoid a scene or embarrassment to themselves. I have news for you… when you give into your child’s tantrum that is much more embarrassing then ignoring it. Here is a little secret- DON’T RESPOND, ALLOW OR EXCEPT this behavior.!
Over the fifteen years of working with children I quickly learned I needed to break the bad behavior habits learned at home if I wanted to be able to teach and enrich their lives. Children in my program quickly learned that the antics they try with their parents were not going to work with me. Why you ask… because I will not respond, allow or except whining, fake crying, tantrums in my presence. If you “the adult” follow those three simple actions, the child quickly learns this behavior does not work to get them what they want. Of course a child who has had years of whine and tantrum training is somewhat like breaking a wild horse. As Cesar Milan of the “Dog Whisperer” (one of my favorite shows) says “be calm and assertive” and don’t allow the bad behavior. Yes, the training used in a changing dog’s neurotic and bad behaviors uses the same techniques we use to teach our children. Matter of fact SeaWorld Orlando now teaches parents techniques to use with their kids that they use to train killerwhales.
My worst case was a seven year old named Gracie, who attended one of my summer programs. Gracie’s tantrums happened over anything, someone got picked “it” and not her, she didn’t get something, the a/c came on, you name it anything would set her off. Her tantrums involved head banging, screaming, hyperventilating and sometimes hitting. When I see children like this I think two things: this poor child has some awful habits and this is going to be a challenge. I actually enjoy the challenge and over the fifteen years of working with children there has never been a challenge I took on in which I failed. So I looked forward to taming this wild horse and teaching her more productive and pleasant behaviors. Since I had another 59 children in the program with Gracie, I couldn’t allow her to disrupt the rest of the campers. After all, if the other children see that Gracie’s tactics are working and not only does she get what she wants but gets her a lot of attention, you will soon have more than one Gracie on your hands. So I would take Grace outside while another teacher continued the activity and in between the screams and while she was gasping for air- I would simply kneel to her level and say in a calm and assertive way, “Gracie when you are ready to speak to me like a human being, I will listen to your problem- until then I will be inside playing the game with the rest of the group, so let me know when you are ready”. Usually following this is the loudest screams, but I walk back into the room to join in with the group activities (there are glass doors and windows so I could see her the entire time). After screaming her loudest for about a minute straight, Gracie starts to realize that her tantrum is not getting her anywhere and she it is causing her to miss out on the fun going on inside, so she starts to calm down. When I see this I return to her and I say “are you ready to speak to me like a human being?” She nods yes and starts to speak in a whining, over-dramatic manner and I immediately stop her. I again repeat what I said before and the whining disappears and soon I have a calm, normal sounding seven year old, covered in snot and tears but acting calm. Now we can have a conversation- human being to human being- not teacher to screaming wild child. Her tantrums start to dissipate and soon there is barely a hint of whine in Gracie’s voice. The sad thing is the moment she sees her mother the whine is back on and the old habits kick in- because these behaviors work on her mother. However, she has now learned that she can’t speak to everyone that way and there is a more positive way to act with adults.
Over the years I have discovered that what comes naturally to me does not always occur to most people. However, I think many parents do know what is right but think they don’t have the time or resources to accomplish their goals. But they do. It is as simple as not tolerating bad behavior. Parents say to me all the time “I can’t believe you got these kids to do this” or “I can’t believe how well behaved these kids are with you.” It is because I do not tolerate anything else! I respect the children and treat them as capable, creative, wonderful HUMAN BEINGS and therefore that is what I get in return.
Imagine if you can get a killer whale to do back flips and wave to the crowd on command- imagine what you can teach your children.
Self-Esteem: What is it and how can you develop it in your child?
What is Self-Esteem?
Your child’s self-esteem is simply how “good” she feel about herself. These feelings come from the perception that they are valued and accepted by people who are close to them. During your child’s early years, it is the adults in his or her life that have the greatest impact on self-esteem.
Children with a healthy sense of self-esteem feel that the important adults in their lives accept them, care about them, and would go out of their way to ensure that they are safe and well. They feel that those adults would be upset if anything happened to them and would miss them if they were separated. They believe they have characteristics valued by the important adults in their lives.
Children with low self-esteem, on the other hand, feel that the important adults and peers in their lives do not accept them, do not care about them very much, and would not go out of their way to ensure their safety and well-being. They believe they do not have the characteristics valued by the important adults in their community. Families, communities, and ethnic and cultural groups vary in the criteria on which self-esteem is based. For example, some groups may emphasize physical appearance, and some may evaluate boys and girls differently. Prejudice and discrimination are also factors that may contribute to low self-esteem among children.
Ways that you can help develop your child’s self-esteem:
- Develop attachments in infancy, instill love, acceptance, and trust.
- Assist your child in developing healthy relationships with peers. As they grow, children become increasingly sensitive to the evaluations of their peers.
- Ensure your child that you support and accept him even if peers do not. A child may feel self-confident and accepted at home, but not around the neighborhood.
- Respond to your child’s interests and efforts with appreciation rather than praise. Support your child’s interests; help them to find more information on it, provide opportunities to engage in it.
- Involve your child in meaning activities that offer a real challenge. Young children are more likely to benefit from tasks and activities that offer a real challenge than from those that are merely frivolous or fun.
- Treat your child respectfully. Ask their views and opinions, take their views and opinions seriously.
- Help your child cope with defeats, rather than emphasizing constant success and triumphs.
During times of disappointment or crisis, your child’s weakened self-esteem may be strengthened when you let the child know that your love and support remain unchanged.
The information for this publication came from ERIC document “How Can We Strengthen Children’s Self-Esteem?"
Parent Support Series, Beyond the Basics, : Self Esteem.© 1999, Tampa, Florida
This is a publication of the Florida Center for Parent Involvement which was funded by the U.S. Department of Education. The opinions contained in this publication are those of the grantee and do not necessarily reflect those of the U.S. Department of Education. All or portions of this work may be reproduced providing the Florida Center for Parent Involvement, Louis de la Parte
Florida Mental Health Institute, University of South Florida is properly credited on all reproductions.
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Understanding Your Child's Behavior!
In order to understand why your child is misbehaving it is extremely useful to keep a diary:
- Identify one behavior that you would like to change. Be as specific as you can e.g. wont do as s/he is told, hitting, demands things, whines. Write the behavior down.
- When the behavior occurs, write down what led immediately up to it (triggers) and what happened afterwards (consequences)? Also record how you behave and feel?
- After a week try to see if there is a pattern to the behavior. When is it occurring (times, situations)? Who is it occurring with? What are the triggers? What are the consequences or "pay-offs" for your child? Often this is related to getting attention, "winding-up", getting their own way ("giving in for a quiet life").
- Ask yourself what is my child learning from the way I respond to the behavior? Am I setting limits and boundaries consistently?
Once you have a clear picture you are ready to change the pattern by changing the triggers and consequences. You may have to try and ignore certain behavior, try not to give in, remove certain privileges, look and sound as if you mean it when asking you child to do something. Most importantly concentrate on encouraging and rewarding good behavior!
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