Family Summer Safety

Posted on May 24, 2015 by llpitlwp

Summer Safety

Safety is a concern for your family during these months when you are having picnics and may be around water. Children pose specific safety concerns at this time of year.

Here are some suggestions:

Sandy Fun

Summer Food Safety:

Cleanliness: Handwashing is most important and then keeping surfaces clean when you are preparing food so you do not cross contaminate any of the foods. Always thoroughly wash fresh fruits and vegetables.
Cooking: Make sure foods are cooked thoroughly and to the proper temperature so that bacteria and germs are destroyed. Allow food to rest for the recommended time so that the internal temperature of the food continues to destroy germs.
Chilling: Did you know that a room temperature bacteria can double in your food every 20 minutes? Refrigeration kills bacteria so keep foods at cold temperatures so that you do not get sick.

Outdoors:

Sunscreen is something everyone should use especially women who are pregnant as their skin is more sensitive to the sun. Sun exposure increases your risk of skin cancer and will age your skin prematurely.

A baby burns more easily than older children because their skin is thin. Sun safety is so important especially for babies younger than 6 months.

Sun Safety:

Stay out of the sun between 10a.m. and 4p.m. when the sunlight is strongest. Babies that are younger than 6 months should avoid the sun altogether.
Wear your hat with a brim along with your UV protection sunglasses.
Wear lightweight clothes that cover arms and legs.

A Day at the Beach…Martha’s Vineyard

Summer Water Safety:

• Never leave your children alone around water. Babies can drown in as little as one inch of water.
• Don’t be distracted when watching your children at the pool or beach. Make sure someone is always watching them and do not rely on family members unless they are specifically designated to watch your children at a given time.
• Use a proper fitting Coast Guard approved life vest for children under 5 years old
• Learn CPR.

Here’s to a safe summer!

Source: News Moms Need »

Tags: CPR, food safety, food-borne illness, sun safety, sunscreen, water safety

Summer Means You Can Slow Down!

Posted on June 17, 2014 by llpitlwp

Slow Down…It’s Summer

Gift from the Sea by Anne Morrow Lindbergh is one of my favorite books.

I read it for the first time about 10 years ago and it remains a book that I gravitate to each and every summer since my first reading of it.

Actually, I discovered Anne Lindbergh’s book many years before I actually sat down and read it while enjoying an idyllic vacation on Martha’s Vineyard.

Summer on Fuller's Beach Martha's Vineyard

Martha’s Vineyard-Edgartown

My hard cover copy is signed by my father, who received it through his “Book of the Month” membership in the 1950’s. I remember seeing this book around my house growing up and being pulled by the title to open its pages. But at the time, I was actually too young to understand or appreciate what Anne Lindbergh was discussing…although I surely could appreciate her love of the sea.

The sea has always made me feel at peace…my earliest experience of the ocean’s ebb and flow was actually at Rockaway Beach in New York. My grandmother’s dear friend, Alice had a bungalow there, where we would visit and soak up the salt air and play in the sand.

Other happy memories of the seashore included many trips to Jones Beach on Long Island.

It was an adventure with my Dad…since my parents were divorced it was my special time with him. He shared with me his life long love affair with the sea which I have inherited and carry with me to this day. He was an avid competitive swimmer. I always admired him from the shoreline as he swam back and forth way beyond the break of the waves. He taught me respect for the water which is ever our friend as long as we revere its strength and power.

July brings the heat of the summer and with that, out comes my copy of Gift from the Sea. Each time I read Anne’s words, I find new meanings…in my eyes she speaks to all women. Her book says different things to a woman depending on what is going on in her life at the time.

So, I hope you will relax with me, and open a copy of this book on your Kindle or buy the hard copy and jot little notes on the side of pages that pop for you.

Let me know if you are along for the read and most of all “Enjoy your summer!”

P.S.

I revisit this post each year and do a fresh edit in my effort to thank Anne Morrow Lindbergh and the effect her beautiful words have had on me!

Week in Review from Parenting in the Loop

Posted on July 20, 2012 by llpitlwp

Here are my pick reads for the week.

Have a wonderful weekend everyone!

🙂

Many of us want to have it all…but let’s be real…is it possible? My guess is, it depends on what “all” means to each one of us. Our definition of “all” may also change and morph over time just as we ourselves do. Marissa Mayer is the new, young, mother-to-be, CEO of Yahoo. This week she is causing a stir and is a trending topic among moms. It seems, she plans to work right through her maternity leave…does she not have a clue how becoming a parent changes your perspective. That is not to say that her plans are not “realistic” for her. What it seems to say is, she has no experience to reference her wishes as to how she will handle motherhood and a high profile job.

Joanne Bamberger: 6 Having it All Tips for Yahoos Marissa Mayer.

What does a beach day look like from Mom’s lens? This is a wonderful version of a summer day of fun and frolic.

Does it sound like something that you have experienced as a Mom or Dad?

Lifes Not A Beach With Kids | Kid Scoop.

“Mothers feel so overwhelmed by the sexualizing messages their daughters are receiving from the media that they feel they can do nothing to help,” she said. “Our studys findings indicate otherwise — we found that in actuality, mothers are key players in whether or not their daughters sexualize themselves. Moms can help their daughters navigate a sexualizing world by instructing their daughters about their values and by not demonstrating objectified and sexualized behaviors themselves.”

Girls as young as 6 want to be sexy, study says – TODAYMoms.

Beach Party…

Posted on July 19, 2012 by llpitlwp

Fuller Beach, Edgartown, MA

A day at the beach with kids sounds like fun and it can be with a great deal of effort usually on the part of the adults, usually the moms.

For many years we vacationed on Martha’s Vineyard, where we were a short walk away from the beach in Edgartown and a beautiful short ferry ride from the beaches on Chappaquidick. It was idyllic in many ways and I have so many fond memories from those vacations with my daughter, her friends and various family members who joined us for all or part of our vacation time.

Martha’s Vineyard and MOM

Our house was small but could sleep 7-8 people in a pinch or 6 very comfortably. It was not air-conditioned which proved to be somewhat hellish at times when the temperatures soared to the 90’s. We did have boxed fans which kept humming through those sultry days and nights. Some times it was even to hot to pack up and make the “trip” to the beach…those were the days spent on the sofa in front of the fan reading.

Martha’s Vineyard…

You probably are wondering what prompted this post…well I happened across two blogs today that discussed what it takes to create a fun day at the beach.

My answer… MOM and lots of planning…food, toys, umbrellas, towels, coolers, chairs, sunscreen…drinks and plenty of sweat and patience. If you have really little ones then of course you need extra bathing suits and swim diapers.

I would begin packing in early June for our July trip to the Vineyard…why?

Because summer rentals on the Vineyard usually do not come with linens. So I would send stuff ahead to the Mailroom in Edgartown where it would be waiting for me. We would take a very early Ferry on Saturday and hustle off to pick up our cartons filled with the sundries necessary for a comfortable couple of weeks at the beach.

I would be remiss if I did not include here the fact that we had to fly from Chicago on Friday night and drive to Woods Hole where we would all pile in to the Nautilus Motor Inn for the night…in later years we stayed with a college friend in Falmouth for the night.

Woods Hole, MA

From the Nautilus you could hear the comfort of the Ferry horn and quickly walk to the dock. We had to purchase our Ferry tickets in February in order to take a car on board…all of this was done by MOM. Even the Nautilus had to be booked well in advance…as it was a very popular place come summetime.

All the preparation was worth the lazy days spent on the Vineyard which still remains one of my favorite places and memories.

Finally on move in day ..there was the obligatory trip to Stop and Shop and Cronigs to buy staples like chips and dip and drinks. We would shop each daily for the catch of the day and head “Up Island” to the Farmers Market for our favorite pies and jams and containers of Pam’s Pesto.

Each morning MOM (me) would assemble all the “stuff” for the beach. Now mind you we stayed there most of the day…so snacks and lunch were necessities. The beaches that we liked had no concessions so you were at your own mercy when it came to food and drink.

There were always many hands to get us to the beach and back…but those hands disappeared fast when it came to washing and drying the towels and cleaning the cooler making ready for the next day.

Then there was dinner for the hungry souls that had spent the entire day reading, roasting, rollicking and eating in the sun or under one of the umbrellas that we had lugged along with us.

Finally after a relaxing dinner…day was done after a short walk to SCOOPS in Edgartown for the obligatory ice cream.

Vineyard Scoops

Yes, MOM made it happen…but this MOM really enjoyed those days and sultry nights at the beach.

Martha’s Vineyard just makes me feel nostalgic about times gone by…but now it’s on to this MOM and trips to the beach (no longer Martha’s Vineyard)…SIGH… with grandchildren, where I am still the organizer with help from PAPA.

It is hard to know who enjoys the beach more us or our grandchild.

Who plans fun with the kids or grandkids in your family?

Lifes Not A Beach With Kids | Kid Scoop.

Summer, “Slow Down”

Posted on July 14, 2012 by llpitlwp

Slow Down…It’s Summer

Gift from the Sea by Anne Morrow Lindbergh is one of my favorite books. I read it for the first time about 10 years ago and it remains a book that I have gravitated to each and every summer since my first reading of it.

Actually, I discovered Anne Lindberg’s book many years before I actually sat down and read it while on an idyllic summer vacation on Martha’s Vineyard.

Martha’s Vineyard

My hard cover copy is signed by my father who received it through his “Book of the Month” membership in the 1950’s. I remember seeing this book around my house growing up and being pulled by the title to open its pages. But I was actually too young at the time to understand or appreciate what Anne Lindberg was discussing…although I surely could appreciate her love of the sea.

Other happy memories of the seashore included many trips to Jones Beach on Long Island.

July brings the heat of the summer and with that, out comes my copy of Gift from the Sea. Each time I read Anne’s words I find new meanings…in my eyes she speaks to all women. Her book says different things to a woman depending on what is going on in her life at the time.

So, I hope you will relax with me, and open a copy of this book on your Kindle or buy the hard copy and jot little notes on the side of pages that pop for you.

Let me know if you are along for the read and most of all “Enjoy your summer!”

Lazy, Hazy Summer…

Posted on June 11, 2012 by llpitlwp

Yesterday was a day spent at the village pool with friends and very young grandchildren..3 girls all under 5 years old. It was exhausting but so much fun.

We were fortunately able to spend time on both Saturday and Sunday watching our granddaughter get back into the “swim” of things.

At 3 1/2 years old, she is totally comfortable in the baby pool…playing with water toys and of course having squirt and splash contests with us and who ever else will join in the fun.

However, the “big” pool is a challenge which requires some serious trust that we will not let go of her even with the promise that her “water wings” will keep her afloat….unlike last year there was no screaming and clinging to us for protection …there was just understanding that we would not let go of her until she was ready.

Surprisingly, it did not take long for her to want to be on her own…of course…with us nearby.

I am always amazed at growth and development even after so many years of working with children…they are so predictable and yet so unpredictable all at the same time. I love it.

Strides were definitely made in the swimming effort this weekend…”staying afloat” in a pool full of mostly strangers definitely takes on many meanings.

Have a happy Monday…