School is in full swing for many kids and for many, school days mean sending those tiny humans off to the bus stop. So how do we keep our little ones safe when they board that bus? Here are a few tips to keep in mind and to remind your kids:
- Try to arrive to the stop at least 5 minutes early. Stand 3 GIANT steps back from the curb and stay there until the bus comes to a complete stop.
- Remind your child to always use the handrails when getting on and off the bus to help avoid accidental injuries from tripping or falling.
- If you’re child must walk in front of the bus, tell them to take 5 GIANT steps from the bus before walking across, ensuring as much visibility as possible. Remind them to never walk behind the bus.
- Tell your child to make the driver aware if he or she drops something near the bus. The driver may not notice if she they bend down to pick it up.
Tips provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
Lots of fun things lined up at the Birmingham Zoo this month!
It’s that time again! Time for us to agonize over packing healthy, “perfect” lunches.. Or anything somewhat resembling healthy just to avoid sending little Junior to school with a Slim Jim and a fruit roll-up (not that there’s anything wrong with that, we all get busy….)
As children return to school, feelings of anxiety can escalate. “Parents and other caregivers can teach their children simple strategies to help with anxiety, such as organizing materials and time, developing short scripts of what to do and say when anxiety increases, and learning coping strategies to relax under stressful conditions,” says Jennifer Cooper, Ph.D., NCSP, assistant professor in NLU’s School Psychology program.
Whether they’re starting Kindergarten, or starting a new school, their first day can be exciting, fun and a little scary. Here are some ideas for making that 1st Day Special and Memorable for you and the tiny humans.
If you have a child who loves to be center stage, people will probably tell you to sign her up for acting classes. But, what about her brother who hides behind you when someone says hello in public: that’s the last activity you should consider for him, right? Maybe not. Research shows that the most common phobia is “glossophobia,” or fear of public speaking. In fact, 74% of the U.S. population meet criteria. Usually, adults can avoid giving speeches or addressing crowds by going into fields where these skills aren’t required; however, most of us have to interact with others at some point and a significant fear of speaking to strangers can really impede that process. For children, class presentations are a required element throughout school – anxiety or no. If you have a child who’s fearful of speaking to people he doesn’t know well or in front of a group, there are ways to help him cope. Although it may seem counter-intuitive, sometimes a little taste of the spotlight is just what he needs to feel more comfortable.
Last week my mom took me and my sisters to steel city jump park. Never in a million years would I have thought that my mom would say yes to a jump park, but she did.
y long trampolines that lean on the wall! You can shoot hoops and play dodgeball while jumping on trampolines! They have a foam pit and a little area for age 6 and younger. I had so much fun and think this is a great activity for all ages, even adults.
a blast this summer helping Iron City with their FREE summer movie series, but all good things must come to an end.
Just because parenting isn’t categorized as a “sport” doesn’t mean it doesn’t sometimes feel like it is. Whether you’re participating in what feels like a marathon of a day, reffing the wrestling matches that can break out over a LEGO or Goldfish, or you’re in the heat of a serious training session with your 2 year old over the potty.. Parenting is like a myriad of sports and training sessions all rolled into one. Much like the Olympic Games. Only we don’t get to stand on a podium and collect our medal at the end of the day. Although sometimes a good glass of wine is as good as gold..
