With earthquakes wrecking havoc on so many families throughout the world, I find myself focusing on the communities destroyed by Mother Nature (the toughest Mommy of us all) and how devastating their world became in the blink of an eye. Thankfully, missionary types are willing to sacrifice their time and lives to offer rescue efforts, aid and selfless compassion. These Disaster Relief teams from all over the world are viewed by me as angels here on earth, and I’m sure the people of Haiti and Chile are thankful for those who find helping others a life calling.
I have a group of girlfriends (all pediatric nurses) who I have already shared a full life of experiences in only a decade. These women are dear friends who I don’t see very often, but seem to show up for all life emergencies. Marriages: They’re there in uncomfortable shoes and dresses and looking good! Births of our children: Right there with presents, giggles and smiles. Divorces: All together for cocktails and talk of smack. And full-term stillborn…right in the delivery room all 4 of them to share tears and the strongest form of support one can imagine. My “Disaster Relief Team,” if you will.
I have other incredible friends who are supportive and there on a regular basis. I love them and need them for their daily support and fabulous nag sessions and brainstorming about kids and relationships; but my “Disaster Relief Team” will come to the rescue and give them a break when life truly crumbles.
My “team” all started our nursing careers together on a children’s cancer floor. Something about children dying routinely pulls the staff together in a way that seldom is found anywhere else in nature. A bonding of souls with a common drive and dedication, devastating tales, and a sense of humor which no one else appreciates or understands. It’s a healing friendship for us all when we get together – we lost so many children in so little time. We truly were part of those hospital families and each of our “children” (patients) took a part of our soul and heart to heaven with them.
Yesterday, another big event occurred for our Disaster Relief Team. But it is a GOOD story! Our youngest of our team, our pride and joy (we are family you know), is having her first baby in a few weeks!! Now we could have celebrated at any of her numerous baby showers attended by her adoring friends and family, but “Hey! She’s part of our group and we are not going to share!” So we got together and celebrated her good story. When there is so much bad in the world or even just in our little gang, we must celebrate the beauty!
(Lifting the proverbial cocktail proudly) So here’s to Baby Kate: “You have more Mommies than you could ever imagine. But don’t let it overwhelm you – it comes with benefits…we have a many guardian angels looking over us and they will now watch over you too! We love you and can’t wait to see your beautiful face!”
Most parents have overwhelming safety lists which can make their heads spin! But when you are frantically plugging in your outlet covers, don’t forget to give your children enough water. (Not at the same time, please!) The simple act of not drinking adequate amounts of water is unsafe.
Q: Why is water essential to my child’s health?
A: Dr. Sarah Hampl, a Kansas City, MO, pediatrician says, “Our bodies are 70 percent water and we need to keep them well hydrated, because we lose water constantly, and we need to replace it. Adequate water maintain(s) healthy digestive function and prevent(s) constipation. It helps ensure our bodies do not get overheated during times of exercise or fever (and) it helps prevent dehydration and electrolyte abnormalities. It also maintains “healthy skin (and) muscles.”
Q: How much water is required daily for my child?
A: Kansas City pediatric registered dietician, Stephanie Jones says, “Water recommendations for children range from 4 to 6 cups per day. It is also very important that children are consuming adequate servings of milk (2-3 cups) along with their water. Children who are out in the heat or doing sports need to increase their water consumption above this amount.”
Q: Do fruit juices, sodas and sports/energy drinks count towards the daily requirement?
A: Yes, they do count, but the amounts of sugar and caffeine in these drinks are not recommended for children. Caffeine is a diuretic so it will dehydrate the body.
Q: How can I convince my child to drink more water?
A: “It is important for the parent to be a good role model in drinking water,” says Jones. “It is also helpful to limit children’s access to other beverages that might seem more appealing. If a child does not like plain water, fruit slices can be added to the water. Having a child carry a reusable water bottle during their day can increase their water intake. It can even be a family contest to see who can meet their goal.”
Q: Can water help prevent childhood obesity?
A: Hampl answers, “If kids (and adults) are drinking adequate amounts of water, it helps keep their appetite for less healthy drinks lower. Drinking a glass of water before a meal may help prevent overeating at the meal.”
Q: Is bottled water safer than tap water?
A: The Environmental Protection Agency says bottled water isn’t “necessarily safer than tap water. Some bottled water is treated more than tap water, while some is less or not treated at all.” All tap water has to pass an annual water quality test. “Your water supplier must notify you if your water doesn’t meet EPA or state standards.”
So make sure at every meal (and snack) your kiddo is getting something healthy to drink. Whether it’s bottled water or straight from the tap, whether it’s milk or watered down juice, plenty of fluids keep your child from dehydration. And remember, it’s always fun to drink something with a super curly straw!! Cheers!
Stacey Hatton is a pediatric nurse, mommy and freelance writer from Overland Park who is quite parched after writing this.
Here is a question from a concerned mom. I don’t normally post these questions, for I advise parents to always talk to their pediatrician, but I thought at this time of year, it might be helpful for many parents:
Nurse Mommy,
I think my little boy has an ear infection. He had one in December and it cleared with a round of mild antibiotics (amoxicillin, i think). Am I a terrible Mom to take him to a (one-minute/drug store) clinic instead of our pediatrician for this one? The visit to the pediatrician is about $30 more our of pocket and I would love to save the money as long as it won’t compromise his care. I’d appreciate your input.
Worried in KC
Dear Mommy,
Great question! For the most part, I find Nurse Practitioners are pretty thorough and usually are running the one-minute clinics, but you want one that has had a pediatric rotation (such as a family medicine practitioner). All medical providers can look in an ear, but the problem is a child’s ear is harder to diagnose; and if there is not a glaring infection, someone not used to looking at kids ears might not be as accurate as a pediatrician. This is a tough call. If your son is pulling and complaining of ear pain, has mucus pouring out of his head, you probably would be okay taking him to the one-minute clinic. However, if you aren’t confident in what is wrong with your kiddo and you can afford it, I would recommend a peds provider (Pediatrician or a pediatric Nurse Practitioner).
I always recommend you call your pediatricians nurse line to obtain the advice from your providers no matter what . They are a wealth of information and will tell you what your pediatrician would say to you. They will be keeping track of your child’s illnesses in one chart. If your child is getting numerous ear infections in a year, a referral to a ENT (ear, nose and throat) specialist may be needed for assessment of ear tubes. They would need to have a complete record of illnesses and if you are jumping around from providers, a problem could be missed.
Also, kids can develop a raging ear infection faster than SuperMom can wipe a green “11″ away from under their nose. Much faster than adults. It can go down hill pretty fast, so I wouldn’t wait.
Link to the “Ear Doc”. A vibrating device that the sponsors/doctors claim can prevent inner ear infections.
(Not recommending this, just putting the link out there for interested readers.)
I have been one of those women you hear at the grocery store or standing in line at the tattoo parlor, who is becoming Negative Nancy about this year’s winter slap in the face. I can whine and complain about our arctic temperatures with the best of them – Voted #1 Member of the Mommy Whine and Dine Club.
However, my negativity needs to stop! I need to find the sunny side of the street. Bad example. I have little ears (my childrens, not mine) soaking up every complaint. They are learning negativity at every turn. I can hear it now at preschool in the gym, “Mary, this cold weather is awful! I just can’t get anything done. It’s cutting into my learning: my numbers are suffering, my alphabet has tanked, and I’m not even going to mention my shapes!”
I have Californian and Washington state friends in Facebook who are showing pictures of their cats curled up on their deck sunning themselves and speaking of the beautiful day. Friends hiking up a mountain trail with gentle breezes caressing their cheeks. The only gentle caressing of my cheeks is when I run back in the house frantically massaging parts of my body I want to regain circulation after being attacked by icy rain pellets. Was that complaining again? Sorry. Hard to break old habits.
Now that March is approaching, and here in the Midwest, that means we only have about a month before we might see 50 degrees, I am going to start celebrating spring early. I am going to have my girls start making colorful art projects out of tissue paper and pipe cleaners. Fill the house up with vases of paper flowers. To thumb my nose at old man winter, I am going to turn on every light in the house, crank up the heat, put on our swimming suits, flip flops, and sunglasses and play pool party. Umbrellas in everybody’s sippy cup!
When I go to the grocery store, instead of complaining in line about the cold and slush, and ice, AND snow…I am going to purchase a bouquet of flowers, set it on the front table, open up the curtains and share it with the neighbors. Tulips for everyone!!
Do you have a toddler who refuses food on a regular basis? Who has an aversion to vegetables, or meat, or anything healthy? As a parent of a picky eater and a health educator, it drives me insane to watch a child throw a nightly fit at the dinner table. It wasn’t until I learned of Ellyn Satter, a well-known nutritionist and developer of the Satter model of eating, that I realized I was doing it ALL wrong! What a shock to learn that parents don’t know everything!! (I am not getting anything in return for plugging Ms. Satter…unless she offers to come to my house every night to give me a break at the dinner table. I would have no problem with that.)
The Satter model can be simplified into this:
Parents responsiblity:
1. What food is offered to the child.
2. When it is offered to the child.
3. Where the food will be consumed. (She recommends meals and all snacks at table with no distractions.)
Child’s responsibility:
1. Which of the “offered” foods is eaten.
2. How much of it is eaten – unlimited portions (I know… calm down, I’ll get to this later!)
How many of you gasped or screamed when you read the child decides how much of something is consumed? I did! It still makes me squeeze up my face when I write it. Especially, at Halloween time or after the most recent Valentine’s Day party at school. Here is her reasoning. If you provide nutritious foods (meaning the same food prepared for the entire family, not different meals for each kid), the kids will decide which of the foods sounds good to them and will listen to their hunger cues to know when to stop eating.
She suggests that no labeling of foods “good” and “bad” is key to growing a healthy eater. They should know that healthy foods are consumed more often, but treats are not taboo, just a special treat.
Here is the screamer…at Halloween she suggests you let the children eat as much as they want that first night. Don’t comment on it, don’t judge, just trust your child to figure it all out. The next day they can have at it again, but Day 2 the candy disappears. I usually have my husband take it to work or you can freeze it for later. We tried this candy binge-method this year and were surprised our kids didn’t go too crazy each time and didn’t notice the disappearance of it on Day 2. I think they got tired of their blood sugar spiking and dropping and wanting to “sleep it off.”
Satter also suggests you are the best role model in whether or not your kids will eat certain things. If they watch you enjoying vegetables, most kids will eventually mimic you. Offering a variety of foods every day is beneficial nutritionally and aesthetically. Secrets to Feeding a Healthy Family is one of her books that I highly recommend. Trying to making meal time a nice time to share and not have a battle of wills is the goal and Ms. Satter will show you how to implement this.
Children always have such a gift for creating humorous scenarios. My girls are no different. While my husband was reading the “Funnies” section of the newspaper; and yes, routinely before the Business and Sports, Munchkin #1 (age 4) approached him and said…
“Daddy, can we read about the planets?”
Appearing over the FYI section with a sideways glance, I saw him glance over the paper front and back for any picture which would be a match to her question. He came up empty.
“The planets? What do you mean?” he questioned.
Munchkin #1 annoyed with my husband’s slowness, “You know…the one about comets!”
My husband and I replied in unison, “Ohhhhh!”
Hubby gently said with a smile, “You mean the comics!”
He reached down and swooped her up on his lap for a bonding moment of “Daddy and Daughter Comic Reading Time.” I went back to reading my paper, but failed to concentrate because this was one of those proud moments when realization of your child’s brilliance outshines the stars she is learning about! Sipping my coffee, I eavesdropped on them laughing at the jokes and memorized that feeling for another day when I would need a lift in my spirit!
Please share a story about your genius children…how often do people ask you to brag publicly?!
I have been working on an article on Asthma, Allergies and Eczema (working title: Why Can’t I Ever Spell These Blasted Words?) and after interviewing a local Allergy and Asthma specialist, he confirmed what I thought was just a kooky rumor – Infant Acetaminophen has been linked to Asthma in children. WHAT?! He said that children who received more acetaminophen as infants have more severe cases of asthma later on! He sited a study in CHEST Magazine 2009 (don’t worry this would be a G-rated magazine) which reports these findings. He also said that moms who used acetaminophen often during pregnancy might be responsible for more severe asthma in their kids too. Isn’t that nice for instilling a guilt complex?!
OK, my children are doomed!! Pediatric nurses are surely going to be the highest percentage of moms with kids suffering with asthma. Peds nurses are a breed of medication servers who know too much and want to prevent our kids from dealing with any pain or sniffle. I think I had tube of Oragel in my pocket for an entire year when my kids were teething! I think the next study should be who’s kids are coughing up the most phlegm. And the winner is…nurses kids!!
I will be delving into this study more in KC Parent’s April’s issue, so please stayed tuned. Does this freak out anyone else or do you have any stories to share about your kids teething experience? I would love to hear them!
Do you remember a time when Valentine’s Day was about young, sweet flirtations and chock full of excitement?
And speaking of chock, those dreadful candy hearts molded out of blackboard chalk were such a hit. He gave me, “Be Mine!” Or better still: He thinks I’m a “Cutie Pie!” Ah, so creative, so deep — sheer poetry at its best!
And do you remember making Valentine mailboxes out of your dad’s big-footed shoe box so your loving suitors could cram bountiful love letters and joke cards into it? Then ever-so- carefully, you covered your romantic dowry trunk with red and pink construction paper hearts and lacy doilies with thick white paste — the very glue that one kid in first grade secretly ate off the stick whenever the teacher faced the chalkboard. If memory is accurate, the paste (and the boy) smelled like peppermint.
When I was in second grade, another boy even cut off his ponytail and put it in my Valentine’s box. I know many of you are thinking, “Eww!” But it was this boy’s kind gesture that first taught me about crushes. Looking back, I hope his mother didn’t freak out when he came home from school missing his hair, but I digress.
Now as adults who have been brained-washed by mass marketing and societal pressures, Valentine’s Day has morphed into elegant dinners, aromatic bouquets of crimson roses, shiny heart-shaped boxes of fine chocolates the size of your head, and diamonds…oh, yes, the diamonds! But do we really know how and why this beautiful holiday for lovers came to be?
I went to my most reliable source on the internet, Almost-the-Truth-Ipedia, and searched for the history of Valentine’s Day. Now if you are faint of heart or can’t talk about lab dissections at the dinner table, you might not want to research this topic. I would like to summarize what I learned, so you can see how far our demonstrations of love have come over the ages.
Valentine’s Day started as a darling, little pagan holiday called Lupercalia. This Roman festival, held in February, always began with an animal sacrifice; afterward, the men would remove the animals’ skin and then slap young women with bloody skin strips. (I did not make this part up!) This was to protect their women from curses and increase fertility. Charming!
In third century A.D., the Roman Emperor Claudius II decided all this festival love stuff had to go and banished the pagan festival, as well as all future marriages and engagements. He felt his army would be more aggressive if they weren’t homesick for loved ones. However, a priest named Father Valentine ignored the Emperor’s rulings and secretly married young lovers. This occurred until the Emperor found out and threw Father Valentine in jail.
Of course, the priest fell in love with the prison guard’s daughter, and on the day of his execution, February the 14th, he passed a note to his beloved, which read something like, “Sorry about the beheading… I think you’re great… Signed, Your Valentine.”
After a commercial break, someone high up felt bad about killing Father Valentine, so they declared him a saint, which was a pretty good way to make up to his family for the head-chopping incident. It’s the same old story: take a life, feel a touch of remorse and then make amends by dedicating a statue to your victim. Get it right the first time, perhaps?
So as you are picking out the perfect gift for your love, my advice is you might want to steer clear of the whole Roman tradition. If diamonds aren’t in your budget, a jar of that sweet peppermint glue could take your beloved back to a time when people really knew how to woo and pursue!
Stacey Hatton is an Overland Park pediatric nurse and freelance writer.
After dropping off the girls at school, I was walking back to my car and noticed a crowd of mommies in the parking lot. This is not a normal site, for most of us are running to our cars so we can begin our big day without children! I had noticed that one of the moms needed to have her car jumped when I was taking my children in the building, but saw that others were helping and it looked like things were going alright. However, on the way out…not such a good site!
This one mommy was having one of those top-notched BAD DAYS! Not only did her car need to be jumped, and she said the battery was only 1 month old, but when she got in the car to start the ignition, her elbow bumped the door lock, so that when she got out to thank her friend, the door locked her out and her toddler IN! (Yes, enter your gasp here!) The poor little thing was strapped securely in his car seat with only a sippy-cup to keep him company for what was going to be an eternity for his mommy!
Thankfully, the mommy had a friend (her new BFF) who drove to her house to break in and get the other set of keys to the vehicle to bail her out, but the trick was to keep the child calm for the 20 minutes it was going to take her friend to get the spare key. After about 5 minutes the child looked calmed and entertained by the sippy-cup, but the mommy had to hide out of view from the child, because she knew if the kid saw her, he would yearn for mommy and a melt-down could ensue.
Isn’t this a horror story? A Mommy nightmare? She did nothing different than anyone of us would have done. Accidents happen all the time and she was a smart, good person who was stuck in the public view and locked out from her child!! I wanted to hug her, tell her she wasn’t stupid; let her know I thought she looked beautiful or skinny or whatever she needed to hear to make her feel better – but words escaped me at the time. I asked her if she wanted me to stay and keep her company, but she said they were okay and I hesitantly turned to my car.
The last thing I heard this mommy say was, “I’m not going anywhere else today. I’m just going back home and stay there.” Aren’t there days when we all just wish we could stay in bed and miss the day?
So here’s to the wonderful mommies of the world who are fabulous, make mistakes, and then pick up and carry on. I think she is one of the bravest mommies I have seen in awhile and I wanted to make that known and remind the rest of us, to be thankful for the good days and make sure to have an extra set of keys available for the unforeseen circumstances.
As I sit at my computer and watch the gi-normous snowflakes float down from the sky, I am reminded once again that I am glad meteorology was never my thing. Today the news said 2-4 inches of snow in Kansas City, and I am already observing six and it doesn’t look like it is letting up very soon. I know meteorologists are smart people and you would think their equipment that they boast about so often is state of the art, so WHY can they rarely get the prediction correct? How frustrating for them. I would hate it if I came to work every day and had to say, “Well, I guess I messed that up again!” Must be terrible for the self-esteem. And what other profession allows such mistakes on a regular basis?
Or do the weather persons come to work and think, “You know…no one ever gets it right, so I’m going to grab another doughnut and take a nap under my desk. The viewers don’t expect perfection, so why should I?” Either way, I don’t think it is a healthy profession. I’m sure they get stopped all the time by total strangers who complain about their incorrect predictions; or even worse, blame them for the weather itself.
I need to make certain my children show no interest in meteorology. I don’t want my girls subjected to such a life of low standards and constantly being wrong. If they want to be wrong all the time, they should have children of their own. (Just not for at least another 20 years!)
arthquakes wrecking havoc on so many families throughout the world, I find myself focusing on the communities destroyed by Mother Nature (the toughest Mommy of us all) and how devastating their world became in the blink of an eye. Thankfully, missionary types are willing to sacrifice their time and lives to offer rescue efforts, aid and selfless compassion. These Disaster Relief teams from all over the world are viewed by me as angels here on earth, and I’m sure the people of Haiti and Chile are thankful for those who find helping others a life calling.
