Chances are, it will happen – possibly at a mall, airport, “amusement” park, or during an outdoor excursion. While virtually always you and your child will be reunited, usually in a matter of minutes, being lost is an extremely frightening experience for all involved, remembered for a lifetime. 1. Prepare children for what to do […]
Getting kids to walk and hike: A primer
September 30, 2020 by
Hey parents. While you already know that family walks and hikes make your family healthier and help build closer relationships, do you know how far, how fast, and for how long you can expect kids at various ages to go – without choruses of “I’m tired” or “This is boring”? And how to motivate them […]
Seasonal Affective Disorder in Children
November 18, 2019 by
A larger dose of sunlight is the antidote for kids who become especially ornery as winter approaches and the hours of daylight dwindle down to a meager few. 1. Sunlight helps minimize being sad and having SAD. Sad (small letters) is having the “winter blues.” SAD (capital letters) stands for Seasonal Affective Disorder, a more […]
Home Alone
June 28, 2018 by
Is it reasonable for parents of young children to go on a seven-day vacation if they leave their child(ren) with a competent caretaker? Lots has been written on the subject. Google has 5,520,000 entries! No, I did not read them all. However, I did look at several dozen and read those who had thoughtful opinions. […]
How long is too long to allow infants to sleep in car seats?
March 31, 2018 by
Infant car seats present dilemmas for parents. 1. A car seat is practically part of your family. Chances are you had a car seat delivered to you before you delivered your baby; hospitals won’t discharge you without one. The seats are mandatory to take your baby for a car ride. Once home, with a car […]
Mom, I think I am going to vomit. Motion sickness/Children/Prevention/Treatment – An Update
January 18, 2018 by
If no one in your family has ever been motion-sick, it’s only because they haven’t yet encountered the right (or is it the wrong?) ride. It may be a storm at sea, an “amusement” park roller coaster that spins in three dimensions simultaneously while riders are strapped in upside down, a ride atop a camel […]
Are cruise ships healthy for young children?
April 23, 2017 by
You’re considering taking your kids on a cruise but then you hear about yet another outbreak of intestinal disease aboard a large ship. Do you go? It’s your decision. Here are the facts. My recommendation is below. 1. About 14 million passengers, including 1.5 million children, sailed from American ports last year. And, as in […]
Children/Cruises/Health and Safety
March 18, 2017 by
If you need to visit a ship’s infirmary while cruising with your family, chances are it will be (1) to obtain medications your child needs but you forgot at home or (2) to have your child seen for a minor illness, one you’d handle yourself when at home. Cruises are healthy and safe for children. […]
Should parents take vacations with their children – or from their children?
February 15, 2017 by
You are not the only one who has asked yourself this question. Type it into Google and you’ll get a mind-boggling 39,900,000 responses — with the vast majority of the respondents giving the same answer. [Confession: I did not read all 39.9 million responses before writing this article. (I am a slow reader.) I randomly […]
Children/Airports/Safety
December 30, 2016 by
If a car seat containing an infant is placed “just for a moment” on a non-moving conveyor belt at an airport security machine the infant may pass through the machine. It has happened. How? Parent places car seat on the belt. Parent turns around to take off his/her shoes or to tend to another child. Belt […]
