Infants 0-6 months: Infants should be kept out of the sun. Their skin is too sensitive for sunscreen, does not yet have enough melanin to provide sun protection, and is extremely susceptible to the sun’s damaging effects. Long sleeves, pants and a bonnet or hat are a must.

Babies 6-12 months: Sunscreen can now be used. Apply broad-spectrum, SPF 15+ sunscreen to areas left uncovered such as hands; choose a tear-free formula that won’t sting their eyes. Apply 30 minutes before going outdoors and reapply every two hours or after swimming or excessive sweating.

Toddlers/Pre-School Age: Protecting toddlers from the sun can be more challenging. Apply a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF 15 or higher. Water-resistant, spray-on sunscreens are a good choice for toddlers who won’t sit still, but do not spray directly to the face. Instead, mist the spray into your hands, and then spread on the face.

More essentials:

• The sun’s rays are at their most intense between 10AM and 4PM, and it’s preferable to keep young children in the shade. Check the outdoor area where your child plays to make sure there is adequate shade.
• Dress children in lightweight clothing that covers more of their skin to reduce sun exposure. Long-sleeved, unbleached cotton clothing is cool and comfortable, and highly protective. Clothing with an Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UPF) listing on the label offers extra security. The Skin Cancer Foundation recommends clothing with a UPF of 30 or higher.
• A child’s neck and ears are often forgotten when it comes to sun exposure. Don’t forget to apply sunscreen to these delicate areas. Hats with wide brims also help shield these areas from the sun’s rays.

Don’t forget sunglasses! UV exposure is harmful to eyes of all ages, and eyes can actually be sunburned. Eyes can become swollen, blood-shot and light sensitive, and can lead to future eye problems as well. People with blue eyes are even more at risk for UV damage than those with brown eyes.

It’s not necessary to buy expensive sunglasses. Choose a pair that offers protection from both UVA and UVB rays. Both types of rays can damage vision. Look for a label that also says the sunglasses meet ANSI (American National Standards Institute) standards.

Make sure the glasses fit comfortably and your child understands why it’s important to wear them. And knowing kids, buy a couple of extras, so you have a spare pair when they got lost or forgotten somewhere.

Adapted from information from The Skin Cancer Foundation and WebMD.

About the author: Brenda Cabrera is the Founder and Director of the multi-award-winning Kidz Childcare & Preschool. She is passionate about fostering a positive, safe and fun environment for children that promotes learning and social skills. Learn more at www.Kidz-Care.com.

The Harvard School of Public Health reports that “Over the past three decades, childhood obesity rates have tripled in the U.S., and today, the country has some of the highest obesity rates in the world: one out of six children is obese. Childhood obesity has been called one of the most serious public health challenges of the 21st century. Obesity can harm nearly every system in a child’s body-heart and lungs, muscles and bones, kidneys and digestive tract, as well as the hormones that control blood sugar and puberty – and can also take a heavy social and emotional toll. What’s worse, youth who are overweight or obese have substantially higher odds of remaining overweight or obese into adulthood, increasing their risk of disease and disability later in life.”

Here’s a sugar shock fact: The average American eats about 22 teaspoons of added sugar every day. This adds up to over 70 pounds of sugar a year. Even worse, American teens are eating closer to 34 teaspoons a day!

A nutrition label presents specific contents in grams, making it challenging for parents to figure out what their child is actually consuming. To help you out, you should know that every 4 grams of sugar equals 1 teaspoon of sugar.

Serving size is also a factor. Often, what “looks” like a single serving may actually be multiple servings – but your child doesn’t know that – and they may be consuming double or even triple the size, and corresponding amounts of sugar.

According to the Mayo Clinic, a healthy diet for children limits sugars. They note that “naturally occurring sugars, such as those in fruit and milk, are not added sugars. Examples of added sugars include brown sugar, corn sweetener, corn syrup, honey and others.” Note that because food labels list ingredients in descending order of how much of that item is being used in the product, if you see sugar in the first 1-3 ingredients listed on a food label, it’s probably high in sugar.

The American Heart Association has made the following recommendations about sugar limits:

• Children = Limit to 3-4 teaspoons per day
• Adult women/teens= Limit to 5 teaspoons per day
• Adult men/teens= Limit to 8-9 teaspoons per day

While numbers will vary by brand, to give you a perspective on how sugar is “hiding” in many foods young children enjoy, here’s a few numbers.

• 12-ounce can of soda = 10 teaspoons
• Single service kid’s yogurt = 3-4 teaspoons
• Instant oatmeal – 3 teaspoons
• Cereal bars – 3-4 teaspoons
• Apple juice (1 cup) – 7 teaspoons
• Apple sauce (1/2 cup) – 3-4 teaspoons
• Spaghetti sauce – 2 teaspoons

As a parent, you’re responsible for what your children eat. Do them a favor, and take charge of their sugar intake so as to lay the groundwork for better health.

About the author: Brenda Cabrera is the Founder and Director of the award-winning Kidz Childcare & Preschool. She is passionate about fostering a positive, safe and fun environment for children that promotes learning and social skills. Learn more at www.Kidz-Care.com.

Read Ten Kidpower Safety Tips for Parents of Young Children a very informative and helpful list of safety tips that will keep your child safe.

1. Put Safety First.

2. Stay calm and upbeat.

3. Stay in charge.

4. Pay attention to your own intuition.

5. Set a good example.

6. Give your kids practice in taking charge.

7. Accept children’s right to be upset or have unhappy feelings when you need to set limits.

8. Empower children with choices when you can.

9. Remember that affection should always be a child’s choice.

10. Listen to Children!

(Source: http://www.livingseriesmagazines.com)

What do we all have in common when it comes to the raising of healthy children? Isn’t the peace of mind that comes from knowing that we are providing them with the food they need to grow healthy and strong? I am not suggesting that food alone is the answer to a happy, healthy child but the FDA has made a necessary contribution by taking a long overdue step toward providing us with the updated information that will soon be available with the new nutrition facts label.

Below are a few questions and links you may find interesting that provide additional information to help you gain a better understanding how the new label will affect your food choices.

Why was the nutritional facts label updated?

Per the FDA, “The current label is more than 20 years old. In order to make sure consumers have access to more recent and accurate nutrition information about the foods they are eating, it’s time to make changes to the Nutrition Facts label. The changes announced today are based on updated scientific information, new nutrition and public health research, more recent dietary recommendations from expert groups, and input from the public.”

Label Format: Original vs. New

Note: The images above are meant for illustrative purposes to show how the new Nutrition Facts label might look compared to the old label. Both labels represent fictional products. When the original hypothetical label was developed in 2014 (the image on the left-hand side), added sugars was not yet proposed so the “original” label shows 1g of sugar as an example. The image created for the “new” label (shown on the right-hand side) lists 12g total sugar and 10g added sugar to give an example of how added sugars would be broken out with a % Daily Value. (Source)

Who will benefit from the new label?

“People who want make healthier food choices will really benefit from the more prominent display of calories and updated information about serving sizes that more accurately reflects what people are likely to eat in one serving.” (Robert M. Califf, M.D., and Susan Mayne, Ph.D. – Source)

Will the new label make a difference in what I eat?

The nutritional facts label is used to measure macro-nutrients (fats, carbohydrates and protein). Added to the new label will be vitamin D and potassium. The updated label is an improvement likely to be noticed due to the increased serving size and larger text size for the calories. And, that may be enough to adjust the consumption of sugary foods. Per the FDA, “Nutrition Facts label will make it easier for consumers to make informed decisions about the food they eat.”

Fun should not be the only consideration when balancing the needs of preschoolers. A healthy regimen for that age will include functional tasks like walking. But the real trick is keeping those activities from falling into the boring category from a child’s point of view..

There can be a fair amount of sedentary fun allowed as long as there is an appropriate time dedicated to building strong bones and stirring the young explorer’s mind to adventure. Parents need to ensure that exercise and outdoor activity do not get replaced by television and video games.

So, what to do? When we consider taking kids out for a walk think of doing something that can be turned into a game, or an engaging and interactive activity. A scavenger hunt along the way should do the trick and add to the quality time spent.

The challenge for most parents is finding the time to spend in these types of activities. An example of a simple outing can be a picnic. Take time to head over to your local park and have fun and never underestimate the power of a ball, trike/bike or a kite to rack up a couple hours of enjoyment. These activities will not only yield adequate activity, but will also build awesome memories.

Don’t let a hectic work schedule or sedentary lifestyle prevent you from enjoying the most precious time of being a parent. Get out and have some fun with your child!

http://www.education.com/activity/preschool/outdoor/

As parents, we have the utmost intention of caring for our children and strive to keep them safe from harm. But, often we find ourselves struggling to make that one fundamental step in developing a healthy diet for our children. A fuller understanding of what’s appropriate to nourish a growing body and mind can be a little confusing, particularly when we are constantly exposed to foods through media ads that are designed to appeal to a healthy culture but, in fact, deliver an unhealthy blow to our children.

It’s important to recognize that what may be the best nutrition and diet for you as an adult, is not necessarily the right balance for your child.

Many parents face long hours of work and commute times that are often deterrents to the traditional sit-down, nutritious home-cooked meals. Instead, we may be more likely to grab take out, or convenient packaged foods that may not be as nutritionally balanced as our children need for healthy minds and bodies.

There are many web sites that offer helpful information in developing a better understanding related to a child’s nutritional requirements. If you have a concern, or special need, please follow up with your family doctor to get a medical assessment.

Here are a couple sites that will provide simple tips to help you on your way.

The MyPlate Daily Checklist (formerly Daily Food Plan) shows what and how much your child should eat to meet his or her needs. Checklists are based on average needs by age and activity level, so you should use the Checklist as a general guide. http://www.choosemyplate.gov

Meal planning doesn’t have to be intimidating, and you’re going to learn the essentials of putting together a healthy one week menu for your family. http://stupideasypaleo.com

Thoughtfully plan paleo and gluten free “real food” weekly menus using a printable grocery list that gives step-by-step prep-day instructions. http://prepdish.com