The Switch Witch- what to do with halloween candy

As Halloween approaches there is always the dilemma of  what to do with all the candy. Well, here is what I am going to do this year with my granddaughter’s haul complete with a “fairy  witch’s tale”.

Have you heard about the Switch Witch?  The Switch Witch is a great way to deal with all of that Halloween Candy.

The story goes like this: a child gets to eat all the candy they want up through Halloween night.  On Halloween night, before the child goes to bed, s/he lays out all their candy for the Switch Witch. The Switch Witch comes when they are asleep and takes the candy and switches it for a toy. Ta da! Cavity-creating candy is gone and desirable new toy is there instead!

via The Switch Witch- what to do with halloween candy | A Child Grows.

“Parenting in the Loop” and SPAM…

RANT on “SPAM”

I simply cannot believe the amount of spam that I have encountered since beginning this blog.

Spammers…you will never appear in any of my comments since WordPress does an excellent job in scanning for spam.

I will never approve a comment if it is not worthwhile and you all know if your comments are worthwhile.

So spammers why don’t you go visit another site and quit leaving garbage on mine?

You are self-serving, aggravating individuals and businesses who have nothing to add to my site.

Good bye…

End of rant….

“Performance Artist Births a Healthy Boy in a Brooklyn Gallery, as Planned | Being Pregnant”

A Brooklyn Gallery was the chosen “birthing center” for this performance artist. It seems that the mom, who is an artist, delivered her son in the Gallery where she set up a birthing space similar to a home setting. It was her first baby and it seems that all went well with her labor and delivery.

As a maternal child nurse, I am always amazed when a woman chooses to deliver at home…because of my medical experience…I am afraid of “home births” no matter how well attended and how well planned they are.

But I do respect a mother’s choice…I recommend seeking an excellent support system and preparing a viable back-up plan should the unforeseen happen.

I am reserving my thoughts about the Brooklyn Gallery birth and whether or not it is life as art…I do find it fascinating that a woman would choose to share her experience in this way.

I never consciously thought about the art of birthing when I was assisting moms during labor and delivery…although I was always conscious that nursing care was an art and a science.

For me as a nurse, being present and assisting in the delivery of a baby was no less than a miracle each and every time.

I hope that those who see this exhibit in Brooklyn experience a little of that feeling.

The performance artist Marni Kotak gave birth to healthy 9 pound baby boy, Ajax, in front of a gallery audience yesterday.

via Performance Artist Births a Healthy Boy in a Brooklyn Gallery, as Planned | Being Pregnant.

Kids and Allergies-“Allergy friendly party: How to host a kids party – latimes.com”

NOTEWORTHY WEDNESDAY!

Although only a small percentage of children in the U.S. have reported food allergies it can be deadly for that small number.

It is important for those of us who are not affected by this problem to remain empathic for those that do ….

…..it can mean life or death within minutes of exposure.

With that being said, if your child has friends with allergies or your child, herself, has allergies it means that childhood parties and holiday celebrations at school can be problematic.

There are many ways to host an allergy free event…it may not be all that easy but well worth the effort.

I would urge any parent or grandparent to become familiar with common food allergies and the signs of an allergic reaction so that they can respond appropriately if necessary.

When in doubt if it is an allergic reaction….call 911…better to be safe than sorry!

So…I came across this information in the LA Times which might be helpful.

The latest research shows that 8 percent of children in the United States have food allergies, which means that even if your kid can eat her weight in PB&J or egg salad, she’ll probably have a friend who can’t.

Here are some tips from Beasley on how to host an allergy-friendly kids party:

1. On party invitations, mention upfront if there will be a food-centric theme, such as decorating your own pizza or assembling gingerbread houses.

2. If the parent of a food-allergic child contacts you before the party, offer to put out a “safe” dish (prepared by the parent and dropped off with the child) amid buffet items.

3. Choose dishware that comes in a variety of colors instead of a uniform print. This will help an allergic child avoid accidentally using someone else’s tainted cup or fork.

4. If traditional cake is being served, don’t make a big production out of cutting and handing a slice to each guest. If ice cream is being served, have a nondairy fruit sorbet on hand that can be substituted without drawing attention to the milk-allergic child.

5. If crafts will be a focal point, beware of common allergens that might be ingredients in art supplies, such as glue (milk), modeling clay (wheat) and tempera paints (egg).

6. Giving out goody bags? Be sure any food you include is thoroughly wrapped. Crumbs from a cookie or chocolate’s oils can contaminate the toys bundled beside it. Or leave out food altogether.

Andrea Pyros writes for the coupon site RetailMeNot.com.

Distributed by MCT Information Services

via Allergy friendly party: How to host a kids party – latimes.com.

AAP NEWS RELEASE – HALLOWEEN SAFETY TIPS

NOTEWORTHY WEDNESDAY TUESDAY!

Halloween is one of my favorite holidays…I love the costumes,candy and I especially love the “little ones” coming to the door dressed up.

For the safety of  the kids…the American Academy has issued safety tips for the holiday.

I like to review them to make sure I remember all the tricks that can make a happy holiday a real horror!

AAP NEWS RELEASE – HALLOWEEN SAFETY TIPS.

Giuliana Rancic battles breast cancer…

Giuliana Rancic has chronicled her attempts to get pregnant on her reality show, Giuliana & Bill, with husband Bill Rancic. Two in vitro fertilization treatments failed. On the season finale, they decided to try again.

via Giuliana Rancic reveals she’s battling breast cancer.

Since I am a women’s advocate and nurse specialist I wanted to include this news about Giuliana Rancic.

She has been attempting to get pregnant through in vitro fertilization which requires a woman to receive hormones to mature her eggs in order for them to be harvested during the first process of in-vitro fertilization procedure.

These hormones can encourage the development of breast cancer…they do not necessarily cause breast cancer but if a cancer is lurking around, hormones may give it the necessary hormonal support that it needs to surface.

It is very lucky for Giuliana that her doctor insisted that she have a mammogram prior to further in-vitro procedures.

I wish her well in her battle with breast cancer…she caught it early and seems to have good support and a hopeful attitude towards her complete recovery.

Women seeking to become pregnant should always make sure that they are taking care of themselves by having routine mammograms, continuing to perform breast self exams and preparing themselves physically for becoming pregnant…this is even more important if a woman is receiving hormone treatment to encourage pregnancy.

Gummy Bears…new way for teens to consume Alcohol…

Underage drinking…I have written about this in the past and just saw this new way for teens to get drunk with Gummy Bears and Gummy Worms

Just in time for Halloween

I hope this helps to open up a conversation between you and your children about alcohol use and responsible drinking.

“Hard” Gummy Bears are not for kids…

One of the scariest things about raising teens is the possibility that they might be influenced to drink. You can warn them of the dangers and consequences until you’re blue in the face, but sometimes, peer pressure gets the best of them. The American Academy of Pediatrics found that more than four million adolescents drink alcohol in any month

via Underage Alcohol Usage: Soaking Gummy Bears In Alcohol Is Newest Trend For Teens.

KELOLAND.com Video.

Related Posts:

http://parentingintheloop.wordpress.com/2011/03/16/teenagers-and-alcohol/

http://parentingintheloop.wordpress.com/2011/09/28/other-teens-drink-and-use-marijuana-but-my-kids-dont-do-you-say-this/

http://parentingintheloop.wordpress.com/2011/04/06/alcohol-awareness-month/

The 6 Best Baby Care Books

NOTEWORTHY WEDNESDAY!

“SECOND ADDITION”

Back in the day, an extended family of wise women would be around to reassure parents about weird gurgling noises, breastfeeding “latch,” and infant acne. But for most modern Americans, that wise old aunty comes in the form of a big fat baby book.

But which one? There are a lot out out there, but the 6 I’ve picked here will teach you what basic  things there are to know about babies and how to keep them safe, healthy and relatively happy.

via The 6 Best Baby Care Books | Being Pregnant.

It is often said that our children do not come with “owner’s manuals” like the ones we get when we bring home a new car.

In a way, this is a good thing but where do we go when we really need answers?

The internet…Barnes and Noble…or to our cellphone to call an experienced friend or better yet the pediatrician.

If you are looking for books on parenting here are a few of the best ones out there …already reviewed and recommended.

My personal choices include these plus….The Happiest Baby on the Block and The Happiest Toddler on the Block…both by Dr.Harvey Karp.

New parents and not so new parents… this one is for you.

Happy reading…

PARENTING BLOGS…

NOTEWORTHY WEDNESDAY!

From: FB page of Phd in Parenting:

Do you find the articles posted here and the discussions on the page valuable? Consider suggesting the page to some of your friends who might like it too. The more the merrier!

via Do you find the….

From my FB page...Parenting in the Loop

This is a great blog and valuable discussions for anyone who is concerned about making the world a better place now and for the next generation…two thumbs up here!

Lunch Notes ….

NOTEWORTHY WEDNESDAY!

Lunch Notes…Just some random thoughts…

With my morning coffee I read this article on lunch notes…

Yet another thing to make moms feel guilty.

If they are not putting notes in their kids’ lunches…their kids may feel left out.  Oh no!

Worse yet… they may feel that their moms don’t care enough about them to buy a pre-written note to stick in their bento box.

I have to admit…

for fun, I used to cut my kids’ sandwiches into heart shapes…I had some free time and thought it would be cute.

I was operating out of  guilt because…OMG… I worked, teaching nursing and had to leave very early in the morning…before my girls were even out of bed.

There were no cell phones to text …so… I had to use hearts and notes left with their breakfasts as a way to make them forgive me for not being present during every their every waking moment.

What was their reaction to this???

Not  exactly what I thought it would be.

“Lame”…I think was the word  they often used in the 80’s to describe some of my thoughtful moments.

What has changed since then…to make notes cool and competitive?

I am not sure…but what I want to know…is..

Are you sending notes to school in your child’s lunch?

and if you are …why?

and honestly…what are your children’s reactions???

The lunch-box note used to be an occasional smiley face on scratch paper. Now it’s an elaborate fixture of the school cafeteria. Some kids complain when they don’t get a lunch note. Or they may compare lunch notes with friends. Parents hear about it when their efforts fall short.

via Lunch Notes Get Crafty, as Parents Design—Or Buy—Motivational Messages – WSJ.com.