Kid-proofing tricks for your favorite electronics

• You've spent bank on the latest and greatest device and you love it like a child. You want to keep your baby safe -- but you can't keep the kids away forever. How can you let your kids enjoy the great apps and games, but still protect it from their grubby little hands? Here are some tips for kid-proofing your electronics.
• Buy kid tough cases.
• You know your child is going to drop and/or step on, your phone or tablet. Make the investment in a durable case and it will save you the expense of a replacement down the road. Look into screen protectors to protect from scratches. Some stores even apply the protector for you if you're nervous about handling the thin polyester film yourself.
• Stock-up on screen cleaners.
• • Whether you prefer moistened electronic wipes or a simple screen cleaning cloth, teach your kids the right way to clean off fingerprints. Show them where you keep the screen cleaners and make them easily accessible. If you don't, your kids may come up with their own cleaning ideas — and it won't be pretty.
• Get something waterproof.
• If your phone will be accompanying you and your kids to a day at the beach or poolside, bring a waterproof pouch to put it in. This will protect your baby from kids coming dripping wet and sitting on the phone, as well as from curious toddlers who like to see what happens when you throw things in the water. For a quick and easy fix, bring a sealable plastic sandwich bag.
• Always have rice in the cupboard. 
• If your child does, per chance, introduce your cell phone and water, end the relationship immediately. Turn your phone off so it does not short circuit. If your phone has been in water, assume it is water logged even if it is still working. Remove the cover, battery, sim card and unplug any accessory ports. Dry things off the best you can with a soft cloth, then bury the phone is a bowl of rice and leave it overnight. Rice is super absorbent and will draw out water. Don't try turning your phone on again until after 24 hours.
• Designate and e-zone.
• Tired of never being able to find your phone or tablet? Set up an electronic zone in your house where the kids are allowed to sit and use your devices. That way, they don't get carried all around the house and yard and left on the floor. It's also a good idea to prohibit food and drink in this e-zone.
• Set passwords and turn off buying options.

• If your kids can't get past the home screen, they are less likely to use the phone without permission and do unsupervised browsing and buying.You can turn off buying options all together on your phone to protect yourself from surprise charges on games or social media. Go to your phone's settings screen where you can find options to set restrictions on purchases, require a pin number for purchases, or turn them off.

• Smartphones and tablets are a big investment in a sensitive but powerful tool. Go the extra mile to make sure your electronics are protected from little hands. With a little planning, you and your kids can enjoy using your favorite devices.

My daughter and I are not friends -- but that's OK.

My two oldest daughters are 15 and 13. We are not friends. It's not that we don't have a good relationship. We talk, we have a good time together and we don't fight all that much. We're not friends because I don't want to be their friends.

If I were my daughter's friend, I couldn't be her parent --
and being her parent is much more important.

I don't need to entertain her. Friends are there for a good time, but it's not my job to make sure my kids are never bored. It's my job to make sure they do their homework and pull their weight around the house. It's also important for kids to know that you have other things going on that need your attention. It's not always just about them and what will entertain them.

I don't gossip. I speak don't speak poorly of my children's friends and classmates and I don't let them do it either. I don't speak poorly of other adults or teachers in front of my kids and I make sure they show respect for those around them.

I don't encourage her to do age-inappropriate things. You may not be the cool parent, but don't let your kids talk you into letting them act like adults in their habits, entertainment or relationships. They are not ready for them. When teens do adult things, like drink alcohol or have sexual relationships, it actually stunts their emotional growth.

I don't sit by her at football games. While family time is important, it is also important for your kids to socialize on their own with people their own age. In her adult life, my daughter is going to need to learn to deal with more than me. She'll have co-workers, neighbors and hopefully, someday, a family of her own. She needs to learn how to not only talk to and work out relationships with others, but make decisions on her own free from my hovering. (Plus, her friends are way more fun at football games.)

I'm honest with her. If my daughter's room, hair or personal life is a mess, I'm going to tell her. If she's doing something that could offend someone else, I'll tell her that, too. Kids are never going to learn to do the good stuff if no one points out the difference.

I say, "No." You don't get everything you want in life and everything you want is not good for you. Too many kids feel entitled to have everything on their Christmas list and every whim catered to. Telling your kids, "No," can not only keep them out of trouble, it can help them learn to deal with disappointment. It can teach them they don't get everything they want and that's OK.

I have expectations. Your friends don't expect much of you except to be fun and be able to text and use social media with prowess. I want so much more from my kids. I want them to do good things. I want them to be responsible. I want them to contribute to the community around them. I want them to grow up and make the world a little better for being in it. That means I expect things from them. I expect them to work hard. I expect them to think of and do things that don't only benefit them.

I never never withhold my attention or affection and don't try to win hers. Friendships can be fickle. I'm in this relationship for the long haul. When she hurts me I'll let her know I love her anyway. But, I won't bend over backwards to get her to like me. Friends come and go, but I'll never give up on her and I'll always be there.

So while I can't think of anyone who wouldn't be lucky to have my daughter as a friend, I'll stick with being the parent. It will be better for me, and her in the long run.

Healthy family habits

Some of my favorite memories as a child were of my family outside and moving. We played backyard baseball and sometimes croquet. Every Sunday we took a walk together around the neighborhood, stopping to talk to friends who were out enjoying their front porches. Each summer we took a trip a mountain cabin and hiked and played in the river. My family enjoys many of these same activities today, and we've added some new ones.

Habits are very powerful things. In the book The Power of Habits, Charles Duhigg explains that each habit you form creates a pathway in your brain leading from a trigger to an action. This makes it very hard to change a habit. The pathway will always be there, and so even after a habit is changed, it is easy to fall back into it. Those habits our children form when they are young, will stay with them into adulthood and will be very hard to break in the future. This makes it very important to create healthy habits in our families. Though it is possible to change a bad habit, it is easier if we form good, healthy habits in the first place.  

Here are 10 habits of healthy families:

1. Foot power. Create a no-drive zone around your neighborhood. This is the area in which it is reasonable for you and your children to walk or ride bikes, skateboards or scooters. Try to include in your zone fun stuff like your school, a playground or a place to get a sweet treat. If you need to drop off something to a neighbor or if your kids have a play date close by, then walk.

2. Drink water. Skip all the sugar and empty calories. Make water your default drink and drink plenty of it. Staying hydrated increases energy.

3. Sleeping is for more than just beauty. A reasonable bed time is important for the whole family. Not getting enough sleep leads to fatigue, inability to concentrate, fighting and tantrums. It will affect your kids, too.

4. Here comes the sun. Get some sunshine and fresh air everyday. Even in cold weather you should bundle up and take a walk around the block or sit and sip hot cocoa on your porch. From improved concentration to faster healing, spending time outside has been shown to have numerous health benefits.

5. Screen free. Limit TV and video game time. Instead, encourage family members to spend time using their imagination or working on and accomplishing a project. Accomplishing big goals or even small tasks leads to better physical and mental health and increased self-esteem.

6. Backyard fun. Use your yard. Play games, grow a garden, eat outside, watch the sunset or sit and visit with neighbors.

7. Eat together. Make your meals fresh and cut down on eating out. Your family will consume less calories in a homemade meal. Dinner around the table is also a great time to strengthen family bonds. (If your kids want to eat, they have to talk to you.) A study from the University of Florida shows that family dinners have been linked to a lower risk of obesity, substance abuse, eating disorders and an increased chance of graduating from high school.

8. Home grown. Whether it's growing vegetables, raising chickens or keeping honey bees, a little self-reliance in your food chain will teach your kids the value of hard work and give them gratitude for the stuff on the table.

9. Get moving. Exercise to promote a healthy family culture. If you take a walk, bike ride or hike together, your kids are more likely to continue those activities into adulthood. Make these activities family traditions and include them in your vacations. You'll make great memories along the way.

10. Pay it forward. Make charity and service a part of your family's healthy lifestyle. Service is usually an active event, like shoveling an elderly neighbor's snow, and also promotes, selflessness, gratitude and civic mindedness. Join an organization to provide weekly service, work hard on a large project or just look for little ways to help those around you.

We're goin' to the zoo . . . how about you?

When my daughter was in kindergarten she took her first field trip to the the zoo. It rained, but I think the kids loved it even more for the weather. They sang a song at graduation with the line, "We're going to the zoo . . . How about you?" That song and the trip is one of my favorite Kindergarten memories.
Early spring is a great time to visit the zoo. The weather is good enough for you and your kids to be out in, but still cool enough that the animals will be out to play. Spring is also a time when there may be new baby animals to see. What kid doesn't love something new,
small and furry.
Many zoos also raise their prices for the summer season. If you go early enough in the spring, you'll still get the off-season discount. Plus, the zoo will be less crowded and you'll have more time to observe those playing animals.
A trip to the zoo is a great way to get out and get moving. You'll probably have walked a few miles by the time you're done circling around. Take your time and let the little ones rest when they need it.
Don't let a little rain scare you off. Many animals have no problem going out in a light shower and even love to play in the rain. Kids are the same way. Just bring enough umbrellas to avoid a fight.

Serve up health and happiness

When my daughter was in 5th grade, she loved to memorize facts, especially historical ones. As you might guess, this did not make her very popular. As part of a girl scout project we set up some time for her to volunteer at our town's history museum. She loved it and found another kid just her age who was just as into it as she was. Numerous studies have extolled the benefits of helping others on your physical and mental health. Making new friends is just one of them.

Volunteering is a great way to get your family off the couch and active in your community. Besides releasing those feel good endorphins, it will help you appreciate the good things in your life, like good health, food in the cupboard and a roof over your head. Participating in a volunteer project will help your kids gain confidence, social savvy and valuable job-related skills in a variety of settings.

This time of year is a great time to reflect on the things your family is thankful for and reach out to help those less fortunate.

Here are some great family service ideas.

Locally:
Serve at a soup kitchen
Help collect or stock at a food bank
Read with kids at a school or library
Clean trash from a park or a trail
Help an elderly neighbor or family member with yard work
Take meals to sick friends or serve the homebound with Meals on Wheels
Work in a community garden

Globally:
Donate money to a humanitarian fund
Participate in fundraising events
Collect items for donation
For more ideas on helping around the world, click here.

Let's go ride a bike!

Halloween candy has invaded the stores. It will soon be followed by more holiday treats. Do your kids need some help down from the Halloween sugar high? Get them outside and moving to burn off that extra energy.

This is a great time of year for a bike ride. The temperature is cool, but you’re not as likely to get caught in a rain storm as you are in the spring. On a sunny day you should be able to get away with a light jacket or sweatshirt for your ride. It should be about to tie around your waist in case you too warm. Also bring a pair of knit gloves since your hands can get cold easily holding on to the handlebars.

The warmest part of the day is, of course, late afternoon. It also gets dark early so you’ll want to plan on being done with your ride by around 5:30. Plan to ride for about 30 minutes to an hour. How far you go will depend on how big/small, fast/slow your kids are and how big their bikes are. When just out joy riding, most bikers average 10 to 15 mph.

You can ride just around the neighborhood or check out local bike trails. You can contact your city parks and recreation department, ask around for suggestions from friends, or ask about trails at a local bike shop. Think about how you will transport bikes to the trail if you decide to go on a designated bike path.

You may want to run through the route yourself before hand to scope out any potential problems for your kids (like hills that are too steep or roads that are too busy to cross). Make sure to bring helmets and water for everyone. It’s also a good idea to bring a small pump, bike tool kit, and a cell phone.

Enjoy the ride. Worry less about time and covering a certain distance and more about enjoying the outdoors. Take breaks to look at scenery, collect rocks and leaves, and stay hydrated.

Learning to ride well is a confidence booster for kids and can give them a measure of independence. Consider letting them bike to school, practice, or other activities. It’s better for their bodies and the environment.

Sleep tight!

Bedtime, kids hate it -- parents crave it. One of the easiest ways to improve your children's school performance is to make sure they are getting enough sleep.

An American Academy of Pediatrics study showed that when children ages 7 - 11 added just 27 minutes of sleep to their night they saw a significant improvement in not only absorbing curriculum, but regulating their emotions and controlling their impulses.On the flip side, children whose sleep time was decreased, had decreased function in these same areas.

Emotion and impulse control are areas looked at to diagnose some behavioral issues, like ADHD, so it's important to make sure more sleep isn't a simple solution to behavior problems.

How much sleep does your child need? The National Sleep Foundation says children
1-3 years need 12 - 14 hours
3 -5 years need 11 - 13 hours
5-12 years need 10-11 hours and
12 and up need 8 - 9 hours of sleep each night.

Tips for an easy bedtime:

• Keep a consistent bedtime (it doesn't have to be immovable, just regular).
• Create a relaxing bedtime routine.
• Turn off electronic stimulation an hour before bed and keep TVs and computers out of the bedroom.
• Avoid caffeine.
• Once your children have been put to bed, be firm -- don't let your kids stall or get out of bed.