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Listen Up
“Are you listening to me?” How many times have we heard
that saying, or have said those very same words as we communicate
with our children? As parents there are moments we feel the communication
system is broken down on the receiving end. We wonder how it is
that our children don’t seem to hear us, or do what is asked
of them. It drives us crazy and can make for unpleasant moments
in our households. We feel that it must be our children and that
they just don’t listen.
With that said let me ask you as a parent when was the last time
you really listened to your child? When was the last time you stopped
working on whatever it was you were doing to really make eye contact
with your child and to listen to them?
When you talk with your children is it usually while you are driving
in the car, reading the newpaper, watching television, or making
supper? Or do you talk around the dinner table without the distractions
of a television or radio, or just before putting your kids to bed?
When do you take time to really listen and communicate with your
kids?
Our society today has families running from work and school to
sports and extra curricular events all week long. With this kind
of schedule, we put a lot of stress on ourselves as parents as well
as on our children. We want to be parents that gave their kids the
best, but sometimes the best things we can give them is ourselves
and our uninterrupted time. So the next time we wonder if our kids
are listening, perhaps we need to check if we have been listening.
Remember our kids learn by example.
By: Johnna B. Jennings, Unit Educator, 4-H Youth Development,
DeKalb County
Sledding Safety
Snow is here, and with that comes thoughts of zooming down the
hills with our sleds, saucers and snowboards. Safety is something
that we should be thinking about as we get our youth ready for some
winter fun.
What you should know:
Children aged 5 to 9 are most susceptible to injury. They lack
experience with speed and have under-developed coordination that
aids in their knack for getting knocked around.
Boys are injured more often than girls. In 2001, more than 29,000
people were treated by hospital emergency rooms for sledding related
injuries (55% of them boys under the age of 14).
Help your child follow these simple rules for safer sledding:
- Sit face-forward (never head-first or standing).
- Go down the hill one at a time (one person per sled).
- Keep arms and legs within the sled.
- If you fall off the sled, move out of the way.
- Walk up the side of the hill leaving a sled path for others.
- Roll off a sled that won't stop.
- Never ride a sled being pulled by a moving vehicle.
Location
- Choose a hill with a manageable slope and a long path.
- Avoid slopes that end in a street, parking lot, pond, or other
hazards.
- Make sure the hill is free of jumps, bumps and obstacles, such
as trees or fences.
- Never ride into a snow bank – it may have a hidden object
(rock or tree stump) within it.
- Choose snowy hills and avoid icy surfaces.
- Sled in the daylight when visibility is good.
- Know the outside temperature – it can be too cold to sled.
Dress
- Wear a helmet (no specific sledding helmet is available so
wear a properly fitted helmet designed for a higher impact).
- Wear sensible clothing for the winter (hat, mittens, waterproof
clothes and footwear).
- Clothes should be dry (if wet, change them).
- Choose appropriate clothing to prevent strangulation (no scarves
or drawstrings).
- Avoid inflatable inner tubes or sled substitutes such as trays
or cardboard boxes – they are difficult to steer, stop and
secure (wooden sleds are preferred).
Adult Supervision
- A responsible adult should be present at all times.
- Children under 12 years of age should be actively watched.
- Children under 5 years of age should have an adult sled with
them.
Source: Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center Preventdisease.com
Intelihealth.com
Submitted by: Katie Wagner Roberts, Unit Educator 4-H Youth
Development, McHenry County
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