Your guide to activities and fun things to do with your preschoolers, toddlers and kids in saint louis, MO

What Every Parent Should Know About H1N1 Flu

May 12, 2009

The H1N1 (Swine) Flu has garnered a lot of attention in the last few weeks. Our children hear conversations and catch headlines about pandemic flu scenarios that scare them and don't always know fact from fiction. As a parent, it is hard to wade through the stories and understand how to protect our families from illness and it is even harder for children to understand the situation. It is important to talk to school age children about the flu and reassure them that everything will probably be okay but teach the skills necessary to lessen the chances they will catch the flu. Because the flu was called "swine flu" when first identified, kids may get the mistaken idea that they can catch the flu from pigs or eating pork and you should reassure them that the virus isn't spread in this way. Also explain that even if family members catch the flu, they will most likely be fine since the virus appears to be more mild than previously thought. Of all the cases in the United States, there has only been one fatality and most people have fully recovered.

One of the most important things to do to prevent getting the flu is becoming educated on what flu symptoms are and how to avoid contracting the virus. For Missourians, the Missouri Department of Health's Web site is an informative resource for facts about the spread of the H1N1 Flu in the state. As of May 9th, there are 14 confirmed cases of H1N1 Flu in the state with 3 cases in St. Louis County and 3 more in St. Charles County. The Health Department page is updated daily with the latest figures and statistics as well as information on how to avoid contracting the virus. The national Center for Disease Control is also maintaining a Web site with the latest information on the latest flu information. There are nation-wide statistics, case counts by region and health information available through CDC Web site.

Tips on avoiding the new flu virus are the same for avoiding regular, seasonal flu viruses. Teach your children good health hygiene by instructing them to sneeze or cough into a tissue then throw it away. If a tissue is not available, kids should be taught to sneeze or cough into their elbow instead of on their hands. Hand washing is one of the most important things anyone can do to avoid contracting the virus. Kids should be taught not just to wash their hands  with soap but to wash them for the proper length of time. An easy way to teach this lesson is to tell them to sing Happy Birthday or Twinkle Twinkle Little Star while washing their hands and explain they aren't done washing until the song is finished. If soap and water are unavailable, alcohol based sanitizers like Purell are also useful for killing germs on hands.

What do you do if you or a family member gets sick? Recognize flu symptoms and learn when it is necessary to seek medical attention. H1N1 Flu symptoms are similar to seasonal flu symptoms and include: fever, coughing, sneezing, sore throat, body aches and headaches. At this point, doctors are advising people to stay home if they have flu symptoms and assuring that people don't need to go to the doctor when they begin to experience flu symptoms. As always, people should seek medical attention if they have problems breathing, a very high fever or other serious symptoms. The Missouri Department of Health page suggests staying home for seven days after symptoms arise and longer if the illness persists.

Any flu can be dangerous to young children or people with a compromised immune system so when in doubt, be cautious. Some school districts in other states closed in late April to slow the expected spread of this new flu. Since that time, the spread and severity of the H1N1 Flu appears to have slowed and school closings have decreased. Parents of students can often get information from the district at their web sites or through emails and text alerts. My son's elementary school has been sending home information updates and pushing hand-washing and proper sneezing/coughing techniques with students. If your child's school does decide to close to be cautious in avoiding the spread of the virus, reassure your child that classsmates and teachers will also be okay and the closing is just precautionary to keep everyone safe.

25 Ways To Say Good Job

March 09, 2009

Preschool aged children can be charming, sweet and kind but they can also be contrary, whiny and screamers who throw frustrating tantrums. Discipline can be difficult and exhausting for parents because there is no magic wand that makes a kid behave. One way to teach kids your expectations for their behavior is by rewarding them when they do things the right way to prevent times when they "do it wrong". Instead of using candy or toys as rewards, parents can reward kids by using positive verbal reinforcement, i.e. telling them good job. The main idea is to catch your child doing something right and heap on positive feedback and reinforcement. By praising your preschooler, you are teaching them your expectations for good behavior which can lead to less bad behavior. Use exaggerated voices, expressions and reactions to show you are very happy with their behavior. Get excited!

However, saying "Good Job" over and over again can become mind-numbing and lose impact because the kid has heard it so many times. The following is a list of ways to say good job without actually saying good job. Praise the behavior you want to encourage with one of these phrases and include the specific action (or lack of action) the child performed with these positive statements. 

1. I'm so proud of you!
2. Excellent choice
3. It makes me happy when you do that
4. Good remembering
5. You are awesome
6. Congratulations, you did it right!
7. Thank you for remembering
8. Nice going/Nice Job
9. Keep it up
10. You are getting better at that every time
11. Now you have it
12. Good listening
13. You've just about got it
14. You must have been practicing
15. That is the best ever
16. You are learning a lot
17. You did very well today when we ____
18. That is the best you've ever done!
19. Way to figure it out
20. That's it!
21. You make me smile when you _______
22. You are very good at that
23. I like it when you did______
24. Wow, you are so nice!
25. Great, Wonderful, Fantastic, Excellent, Perfect, Super, Bueno, Wow or Outstanding!

It's cold and flu season again!

by Kim

November 05, 2008

Unfortunately, we have entered cold, flu and RSV season in our part of the country. This will be our fourth winter with former preemies so we have gained a lot of knowledge about how to avoid common illnesses. While they are now 30lbs a piece and much stronger than in their NICU days, we still have to worry about respiratory viruses because they struggle to recover more than other kids. Last  Read more...