Child Parenting

Let's face it: As busy parents, it can be tough to find 10 minutes for a shower much less time for a long workout. But here's what I've learned from some great trainers I've met like John McGuire from PrimalNY.com: You can get in shape by sneaking in short bursts of exercise throughout the day.

Here's a video for some 10-minute arm exercises that'll help you get rid of arm flab (and we can all use that!! Well, I can, anyway...). I've been doing it, and it really has been making a difference. If you try it, please let me know what you think!

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• Best Ways Parents Can Feel Good and Look Good

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As we near the end of the school year (already!), many parents are struggling to come up with ideas for great teacher gifts.

If you have had as great a year as we have (a big "thank you" to all our teachers this year--you know who you are!), you'll want to show your appreciation with a token of your gratitude. Some great ideas for teacher gifts include gift cards, photo books, and healthy treats.

What ideas do you have? How will you show your appreciation?

Related Article:
• Great Ideas for Easy, Affordable Teacher Gifts

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Did you know that more than 4.7 million people in the U.S. are bitten by dogs each year, and more than half of those injuries happen to kids under the age of 14? Moreover, dog bite injuries to children tend to be severe.

Dogs are often our best friend, but it's important to teach kids safety tips around dogs--both ones they know and ones they don't. In an effort to raise awareness about how to prevent dog bites, the American Academy of Pediatrics, American Veterinary Medical Association and the US Postal Service are working together again this year and promoting National Dog Bite Prevention Week, which kicks off tomorrow.

To keep kids safe, experts recommend teaching kids to never bother a dog while it's eating, sleeping or caring for its puppies; training dogs to feel at ease in different situations; and never leaving a baby or small child alone with a dog. For more tips, read "Preventing Dog Bite Injuries in Kids".

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Have you already chosen a sleepaway summer camp? Is your child ready for the independence and self-reliance that being at an overnight camp requires? Here are some tips on how to prepare your child for sleepaway camp, and how to handle homesickness.

Some of the best tips for summer camp success have to do with giving things time to develop and allowing your child to work through his feelings of missing the familiar comforts of home. Most children experience intense separation anxiety, and it's something parents can discuss with them before they leave. For more tips, read "Is Your Child Ready for Sleepaway Camp?"

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As we approach the end of the school year, many families are gearing up for summer camp. Whether your child will be attending a day camp or sleepaway camp, you'll want to consider brushing up on ways to protect your child from a common problem among campers: head lice.

Head lice isn't just a problem at school. It's worth remembering that summer camp can also be a place where children can come into contact with head lice. Ask your child's camp how often they check for head lice, and who does the checking (is it someone experienced with spotting tiny lice and nits, which are the even tinier eggs hatched by head lice?). How do they handle head lice infestations? Is the camp careful about not organizing games that involve head-to-head contact?

You should also remind your child to never share combs, hats, or pillows with other campers. And do a thorough spot check of your own child to make sure he is free of lice before he heads to camp, and then do a regular screenings during (if it's a day camp) and after the camp session is over.

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• Head Lice in Children
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There is no question that playing sports provides kids with numerous benefits including opportunity for physical exercise, development of important social skills such as learning how to work with others on a team, and even learning good sportsmanship.

But playing sports can also pose some risk of injury for kids. One recent study commissioned by Johnson & Johnson and Safe Kids Worldwide revealed that as many as 1 in 3 children who play team sports are injured seriously enough to require medical treatment.

Even more disturbing, 9 out of 10 parents underestimated the amount of time kids need from any one sport to protect against overuse injuries, and more than half of the coaches surveyed believed that there is an acceptable amount of head contact (the reality is that the symptoms of head injury can often be subtle, and parents and coaches must be vigilant about avoiding head contact and have a child checked out if there is any possibility of a head injury).

As this eye-opening survey indicates, parents and coaches must be more educated about the potential risks of sports injuries, and must learn how to protect kids from getting hurt. We must also learn how to spot the signs of sports injuries and be advocates for our children's health.

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• How to Spot Signs of Sports Injuries in Children
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Need a quick and easy recipe for dinner with the kids? Here is a simple, healthy, and kid-friendly recipe for an oven-baked panko-encrusted chicken by Danielle Butler-Leu of Two Busy Moms Gourmet that's sure to be a hit with your family.

If you make it, let us know what you think! We would love your feedback. And check out About.com's new Parenting and Food You Tube Video Channels for more recipe ideas for busy parents.

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Today marks the start of the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood (CCFC)'s Screen-Free Week. By "screen," CCFC means TV as well as computers, video games, cell phones, and other electronic devices that vie for our kids' time and attention these days.

The goal of the campaign is to get families thinking and talking about how much electronic devices are cutting into other important activities in our lives (reading books, spending time together outside getting exercise, and more). (According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), kids are spending an average of 7 hours a day on electronic gadgets.)

There are lots of reasons to curb electronics in our homes. While television can certainly be beneficial (who can argue with the merits of Sesame Street or a great documentary that can teach kids about our planet or history?), the fact is that kids can be exposed to inappropriate content, such as violence, depictions of drug or alcohol use, and sexual images and situations. And excessive use of media has been linked to attention problems, difficulties at school, sleep problems, and eating disorders and obesity, according to the AAP.

Do you plan on cutting back on screen time this week? Or is this something you try to do all throughout the year?

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• Kids and Technology: When to Limit It and How
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• Screen-Free Week 2012
• Screen-Free Week - Will You Participate?

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What's going on inside your 10-year-old child's mind? In this action-packed phase of cognitive development, your child is devouring information and hungry for learning.

Read together, discuss current events, listen to music--in other words, enjoy the company of your growing grade-schooler. In these small steps, you will find yourself on a journey that will one day culminate in your marveling at the bright, informed, and interesting adult your child will grow to become. I, for one, feel blessed to find myself loving my child's company, and exchanging ideas and opinions with him. I don't know exactly who he will become, but he is learning, exploring, and growing, and right now, the promise of what's to come is thrilling to see.

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• 10-Year-Old Child Development: Cognitive Development
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• Child Development: Your Nine-Year-Old Child

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Recently, we've been hearing a lot about how sugar is bad for your body. Some researchers have gone so far as to suggest that sugar is a toxin. And recent studies have indicated a link between teens' sugar consumption and increased risk for illnesses such as diabetes, higher blood pressure and cardiovascular disease.

While scientists explore and debate just how bad the negative effects of sugar are, one thing seems clear: We are eating a lot of it, and it's a good idea to cut down our intake of the sweet stuff. But that can be easier said than done when you consider just how much most of us are ingesting every day. (In many cases, we are eating sugar when we don't even know it; often, foods that we wouldn't expect to contain sugar -- such as crackers and bread -- can have it as an ingredient).

The big lesson for me as I began to read more about sugar and its effect on the body was to read all food labels carefully. That's one important way you can monitor your family's sugar consumption. For more tips on how to cut down on the amount of sugar your family eats, read my tips on curbing sugar intake.

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