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What We Offer• Accredited by the National Lutheran Schools Association• Open to all faith traditions• Certified/Degreed Teachers• Strong academic program in a safe and caring

environment• Daily devotions and weekly chapels• Dedicated technology center and student library• Art, Music, PE, and Spanish classes• Daily hot lunch program• Licensed before and after school program for registered

students in our Child Development Center, includingsummer child care/camp

• After school clubs and activities including StudentGovernment,Robotics, STEM, Chess club and more!

• Active Parent - Teacher League

Open HouseMonday, February 3 at 6:30pm

For more information contactJen Armstrong

Admissions Director301 932-0963

jarmstrong@growingwithgrace.orgOr visit our Website at www.growingwithgrace.org

Celebrating 40 years of Christian Education: 1974 - 2014

Our Children 2014 Page 3

OurChildren

2014

National Catholic Schools Week celebrated 4

What to consider when choosing summer camps 5

‘500 by Five’ local library program 6

Teach children to be charitable 8

Banish bad bedtime behavior 9

Kids’ vitamin deficiency signs 10

Healthy, happy family travel 11

Make flossing easier for kids 12

More parents reporting cyberbulling to police 13

Fostering healthy eating habits in kids 14

Common household ingredient can kill lice 15

Encouraging kids to read 16

Preventing TV tip-over injuries 17

The growing problem of peanut allergies 18

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New Owner & New Center DirectorMonique Gaines

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We are more than a child care center!We strive to educate nurture and develop productive

children through our creative thinking curriculum,weekly martial arts, sign language, kindergarten

prep and so much more!

We provide transportation toJames Craik, Walter Mitchell &

Mary Matula Elementary SchoolsHours of operation 6:00am - 6:30 pm

6 weeks to 12 years of age

One week’s

tuition FREE

with ad!

6310 Crain Hwy. La Plata, MDwww.LALCEDUCATE.COM

301-609-4545 • 301-934-1700

Little AngelsLearning Centerp: 301.221.9651

f: 240.491.9551jfairfax@jenniferfairfax.com

www.jenniferfairfax.com

• Domestic andInternational Adoption

• Assisted ReproductionTechnology Law

Family Building Attorney

Jennifer Fairfax

Fellow of theAMERICAN ACADEMY OFAdoption Attorneys

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Page 4 Our Children 2014

National Catholic Schools Weekis the annual celebration of Catholiceducation in theUnitedStates. It startsthe last Sunday in January and runs allweek,which in2014 is Jan. 26 toFeb. 1.Schools typically observeNation-al Catholic Schools WeekwithMasses, openhouseand other activitiesfor students, families,parishioners andcommunity mem-bers. Through theseevents, schoolsfocus on the valueCatholic educationprovides to youngpeople and its contri-butions to our church,our communities and ournation.

The theme for the National Cath-olic Schools Week 2014 is “Catho-lic Schools: Communities of Faith,Knowledge and Service.” This year’stheme was developed in response tomember requests for a themeand logo

that would last more than a year, andthe new one will be used for at leastthree years. It’s especially appropriatethat this new theme will mark Nation-al Catholic Schools Week 2014 — the

40th anniversary of this annualevent.

The theme encom-passes several con-cepts that are at theheart of a Catholiceducation. First,schools are com-munities — smallfamilies in theirown right, but alsomembers of the

larger community ofhome, church, city and

nation. Faith, knowledgeand service are three measures

by which any Catholic school can andshould be judged.

Thenew logo features a swirl of col-ors interacting around a cross, whichis at the center of all Catholic educa-tion. The vibrancy of the colors and

the movement and shadowsin the logo portray the inner-connectivity and communitylife that are present in ourCatholic schools.

A National Catholic Edu-cational Association studyfoundpositivesandnegativesin Catholic school statisticaltrends for the 2012-13 schoolyear. More than 32 percentof the nation’s 6,685 Catho-lic schools reported waitinglists for attendance, but over-all enrollment dipped 1.5percent. Twenty-eight newschools opened, many ofthem started by parents andboardswho seek an excellenteducation rooted in Gospelvalues for students. But 148schools closed or consolidat-ed, many of them in urbanareaswhere the student pop-ulation has declined.

At the same time, parentalchoice in education contin-ues to grow. Twelve statesand the District of Colum-bia offer 18 different voucherand scholarship programswith more than 100,000 voucherrecipients. Eleven states provide 14 taxcredit scholarship programs serving

more than 150,000 students. Anothersix states provide tax credits or deduc-tions for education expenses benefit-ing about 850,000 taxpayers.

National Catholic SchoolsWeek now through Feb. 1

CHALLENGING ACADEMICS, CHRISTIAN VALUES

13000 Zekiah Drive,Waldorf, MD 20601

301-645-0406www.graceknights.org

$50 OFFProgram Fees ForNew Families Only.

Must PresentWith Application.Expires 4/30/14

Ask About Summer Camp

CAMPUSVISITATION

EVENTSTUESDAY, FEBRUARY 18@ 7PMTHURSDAY, FEBRUARY 20@ 10AMTHURSDAY, MARCH 20@ 10AMTUESDAY, MARCH 25@ 7PM

Easter Camp • April 14-19PK 3-5th grade

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Waldorf Soccer ClubSpring 2014 Registration

Junior Academy for Recreational Players U6 & U8Emphasis on Individual Skill and Ball Mastery by Travel Program Coaching Staff

Traditional Recreational Program for Players U10-U18Adult Recreational Program (Over 25)

The Waldorf Soccer Club Spring Recreational RegistrationSchedule is listed below. Visit www.waldorfsoccer.com for details.

On-Line Registration (Preferred) Now thru Feb 9, 2014

Mail-In Registration Now thru Feb 7, 2014

Walk-In Registration Jan 18 and Feb 01, 2014

Walk-In Registration will be held on Jan. 18 at Capital Clubhouse(3033 Waldorf Market Place) and on Feb. 1at Dicks Sporting Goods (St. Charles Towne Center Mall) between 11am - 2pm

ATTENTION: Recreational FEE STRUCTURE - Cost: $80 per player.**RECEIVE A $10 DISCOUNT IF REGISTERING BY Feb 1, 2014**

Waldorf Soccer Club P.O. Box 314Waldorf, MD 20604 info@waldorfsoccer.com

Available Age Group Divisions and Required Birth Date RangesBoys or Girls U6 1August 2007- 31 July 2009Boys or Girls U8 1August 2005 - 31 July 2007Boys or Girls U10 1August 2003 - 31 July 2005Boys or Girls U12 1August 2001 - 31 July 2003Boys or Girls U14 1August 1999 - 31 July 2001Boys or Girls U18 1August 1995 - 31 July 1999Adult Coed 25 and Over 1August 1912 - 31 July 1988

Our Children 2014 Page 5

ThoughFebruarydoesnotoftenelicitimagesof youngsters building campfiresor playing games in the pool, themonthmore synonymous with Valentine’s Dayis a great time for parents to start think-ing about summer camps for their kids.

Summer camp is often somethingkids look forward to, and somethingthey will fondly recall long after theyreach adulthood. For many kids, sum-mer camp provides a first taste of inde-pendence, as youngsters spend signifi-cant timeaway fromhomewithout theirparents for the first time in their lives.But as great an experience as summercamp can be for youngsters, it can bejust as difficult an experience if parentsdon’t find the right fit for their children.That’s why it behooves parents to startthinking about summer camps for theirkids in winter, before camps start fillingout their rosters, which tends to happenin early spring. The following are a fewthings parents should take into consid-eration when seeking a summer campfor their kids.

StaffThe right summer camp staff can

make all the difference. Many childrenare understandably shy when arrivingat a summer camp, as their friends fromback home might not be joining them.That can make kids hesitant or lessenthusiastic about activities. But a goodstaff will know how to make kids feelwelcome,whichshouldhelp themcomeout of their shells. The quality of staffscan vary significantly depending on thecamp, so it’s important that parents askrepresentatives about their staffs beforemaking any commitments. Ask howlong the staff has been together and thetypes of training new and veteran staffmembers undergo before the start ofcamp season. Does the training includefirst aid andemergencymedical trainingand certification?

It’s also good to ask about the vettingprocess thecampemploysbeforehiring,includingbackgroundchecks.Are crimi-nalbackgroundchecksconducted?Howmany references must potential staffmembers supply to be considered foremployment?Agoodcampwillbe forth-coming with answers to your questions,so eliminate those that appear hesitantto share information about their staffs.

A day in the lifeWhen vetting camps for kids, parents

should ask what a typical day is likeonce the season hits full swing. Manyparents want their youngsters to have awell-rounded experience, while othersmight want their kids to attend a morespecialized camp, whether it’s a sportscamp focusing on a particular sport ora music camp devoted to helping kidsbecome better musicians. Regardlessof the type of camp parents are con-sidering for their kids, they should askabout what daily life at the camp is like.Ask to see schedules and how strictlycamps adhere to those schedules.Whenconsidering specialized camps, ask thestaff representative if kids will have thechance to simply have a little fun andwhich types of recreational activities areplanned to give kids a break from whatare often rigorous schedules.

Camp goalsAnother thing parents must consider

before choosing a summer camp fortheir kids is the goals of each individualcamp. A camp should be dedicated toensuring kids have fun, even when kidsare attending more specialized campsthat tend to be more strict. In addition,parents should look for a camp thatwants its attendees to foster relation-ships with their fellow campers. Campcanbe lonely for someyoungsters, espe-cially those attending summer camp forthe first time, but a summer camp thatstrives to promote friendship among itscampers can reduce, if not eliminate,any feelings of homesickness.

Too soon? No way!What to consider beforechoosing a summer camp

Page 6 Our Children 2014

Southern Maryland children are being chal-lenged to read 500 books by the time they turn5 years old. The free initiative, called “500 by

Five,” is a partnership between Calvert Library,Charles County Public Library, St. Mary’s CountyLibrary and Southern Maryland Regional LibraryAssociation to challenge young children in South-ern Maryland (and their parents) to make readinga fun, family habit.

Created by Calvert Library in 2012, 500 by Fivespread to the other county libraries last year. Chil-dren register for the program and create a “holder”for their booklists. When they have read 500 books,the child receives a certificate of completion, makesa 500 by Five crown, and has his or her picture takenfor the 500 by Five “Wall of Fame” in the library.

According to Emily Ferren, Charles County Pub-lic Library director, the goal of reading 500 books iseasily attainable. “Think about this,” she said. “Justone book a day equals 730 books in two years. If achild just attends library story time from his or herbirth, they will reach 500 books by five years old.”

Another way to reach the 500 by Five goal is toread two books each weeknight at bedtime, whichwill complete the challenge in one year. And if yourchild loves to hear the same story read to them overand over — those repeats count toward the total.

“Reading with young children on a daily basis isa lifetime gift for everyone,” said Beverly Izzi, youthservices coordinator for Calvert Library. “It builds astronger relationship with your child and increasesbasic speech and communication skills.”

According to Izzi, reading also improves logicalthinking, increases vocabulary, enhances concen-tration and discipline, and helps ease transitionsto major milestones or other potentially stressfulexperiences — all of which promote school readi-ness and a love of learning. “And,” she adds, “Let’snot forget, it is just plain fun!”

Within months of starting the program, all threecounty libraries had their first children completethe 500 by Five challenge — 159 children havecompleted the program since it began in CalvertCounty. Now it is a regular part of story time inevery library branch in Southern Maryland and hasspread to Anne Arundel County, as well.

“We had a four-year-old girl who completed theprogram but refused to have her picture taken untilshe got her hair cut,” said Janis Cooker, St. Mary’sCounty Library youth coordinator. “She was soexcited to get her picture taken wearing her 500 byFive crown that she wanted to wear a pretty dressand have her hair cut for the photo.”

According to Cooker, the 500 by Five programhas been a positive program for both children andtheir parents.

“The parents are excited about 500 by Five,which makes us, as children’s librarians, excited,”she said. “Anytime we can make reading a fun partof a family’s routine, we have been successful.”

All three county library systems have numerousstory times throughout the week for children frominfancy up. Check the library websites for timesand locations. A check of those sites will reveal

tons of other free events and workshops for olderkids, as well. For more information about the 500by Five initiative, talk to your local librarian or visityour library’s website: Calvert Library — calvert.lib.md.us; Charles County Public Library — ccplon-line.org; and St. Mary’s County Library — stmalib.org.

Libraries challengechildren to read 500books by the age of 5

Submitted photo

Ethan Atanga of Waldorf is rewarded for his stellar reading efforts.S b i d h

‘500 by Five’

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Our Children 2014 Page 7

1917500

La Plata United Methodist ChurchCorner of Port Tobacco Road (Rt.6)

and Crain Highway (Rt. 301)

2, 3 & 4 YR OLD PROGRAMSBLESSED LAMBS PRESCHOOL

REGISTRATION OPENS FOR2014 / 2015 ON FEBRUARY 3, 2014

Call 301-934-2289 Julie Robbins, DirectorMSDE License #08-124839

MSDE Accredited Child Care Center

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Saturday Morning Samurai CampMartial Arts Training for the Whole Family

Southern Maryland Aikido Center70 Industrial Park Drive, Unit 1B

Waldorf, Maryland301-645-6660

Traditional Japanese Martial ArtsTraining for the Whole Family!

• Saturday Mornings at 9:30• Individual Children 8-11 years old$35 per month

• Bring the entire family for $50 permonth! We require an adult toparticipate with children under 8years old.

• Information at SMDAIKIDO.com orcall 301-645-6660

Saturday Morning Samurai Camp is agreat opportunity to interact and learnwith your children!

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Page 8 Our Children 2014

It is often during times of extremedevastation when children first seehow communities can join together tohelp one another. Such effortsmay be achild’s initial exposure to charity whilehighlighting the importance of puttinganother person’s needs before yourown.

But children need not be exposedcharity solely during times of tragedy.Teachingchildrentobecharitable isoneof the ways to help them become goodcitizens of the world. By helping oth-ers, parents can instill early on lessonsof kindness, empathy and compassioninto their sons and daughters. Childrenwho are ready and willing to lend ahelping hand may grow up to be moreappreciative of what they have in theirown lives. What’s more, they may learnto be selfless while assigning less valuetomaterial things.

Youngsters who repeatedly see theirown parents and other role modelsdoing good and lending a helping handmay be more inclined to repeat thatbehavior, andgivingwill be thenormforthem rather than the exception.

Tomold charitable children, familiescan employ the following techniques.

• Start locally. There are people rightin your own community or on the streetwhere you live who can benefit froma helping hand. Ask an elderly neigh-bor if he or she needs assistance withshopping for groceries or could benefitfrom your child taking in the garbagecans after pickup. Children can helpshovel snow from sidewalks or do otherage-appropriate tasks, such as place acarelessly strewn newspaper closer to aneighbor’s door.

• Volunteer as a family. The entirefamily can get together and spend timeworking at a community-sponsoredcarnival or cleaning debris from an areabeach. Volunteer workmay be availableat your child’s school, where familiescan plant gardens around the property.When volunteering as a family, not onlyis your entire family helping to do good,butyou’re spendingquality time togeth-er aswell.

• Make charitable donations. Letchildren see the solicitations for mon-etary donations that come in the mail.Read aloud the pleas for funds to helpchildren and adults who may not haveenough toeatorwhomayrequiremedi-cal care. This is an important lesson

in humility and helps show childrenthat not every person in the world iscomfortable. Once kids have read aboutthe needs of others, involve them in thedonation process. They can assist withsorting clothing and toys they may nolonger need and thenhelp bag it up anddonate it to an agency that takes col-lected items.

• Give throughout the year. Char-ity need not be limited to the holiday

season. Inform childrenthat many peopleneed through-out the year,

and that volunteering is a year-roundactivity.

• Match kids’ charitable fundraising.Encourage children to start their ownfundraising efforts andmatch the fundsthey raise. Find companies that will alsomatch the amount your children haveraised.

• Set up a giving policy. Children canlearn the importance of giving at anearly age by dividing their allowancesand financial gifts into different catego-ries. They canput one-third toward sav-ings, one-third toward spending andone-third toward donations. If childrendo not have a lot of money in a piggybank, they can donate their time, whichmany charities need asmuch asmoney.

Teach children to be charitable

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Offering students a wealth of musical training

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Music Teachersin

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Contact one of our teachers to start lessons NOW!

• private lessons• performances

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• camps and scholarships

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St. John’s SchoolOpen House Friday, January 31, 2014Open House Friday, January 31, 2014

From 10am - 12pmFrom 10am - 12pmTours of the school and refreshments willTours of the school and refreshments will

be available for all visitorsbe available for all visitors

43900 St. John’s Road • Hollywood, Maryland 20636301.373.2142 www.sjshollywood.org

CATHOLIC IDENTITY • ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE • STEMSTEWARDSHIP • EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES • BAND

SPORTS CLUBS • ROBOTICS • TECHNOLOGY • PRAYERFOREIGN LANGUAGE INSTRUCTION • SERVICE

LIFETIME OF LEARNING • FUTURE OF FAITH • COMMUNITY

Our Children 2014 Page 9

As much as parents may anticipatetheir childrens’ bedtime as a point inthe day when they can finally enjoysome peace and quiet, there are thosemoms and dads who dread bedtime,which can be frustrating for even themost level-headed parents. Parentsmay face a host of issues at bedtimeeach night, but each requires patienceand perseverance so bad behaviorscan be broken once and for all.

Wired childrenWhat parent hasn’t experienced

a child who is too excited to go tobed? Experts say that, depending ontheir age, children need 9 to 11 hoursof sleep every night. Most childrenshould be in bed by 8 p.m. to get thesleep their bodies need. If you missthe window of time to get them inbed, you may enter the overtired andwired period. A consistent bedtimeand wake time can help set the pacefor happy kids who are sleepy whenthey shouldbe.Theirbodieswill adjustto the schedule, andover time theywillinvoluntarily become tired when thetime is right.

Over-stimulationChildren havemanymore toys and

recreational activities at their disposalthan their parents and grandparentsdidwhentheywerechildren.Thepres-ence of these devices, including videogame consoles and personal tabletcomputers, may not make for an idealsleep environment. Sleep therapistsadvise that television watching andactivities that engage the mind a gooddeal should be ceased prior to bed andreplaced with more relaxing activities.This can include listening to sooth-ing music or reading a few pages of afavorite story. Avoid activities that willincrease energy levels, such as exercise

or rough-housing, before bed.

The bed hogThere are plenty of parents who

embrace the concept of the “familybed,” where everyone sleeps comfort-ably together. However, those whowant their beds to be their privatedomain may be put off and disturbedby small feet kicking them in the night.But when faced with a midnight tem-per tantrum, many parents relent andlet their child climb into their bed. Thiscan cause a pattern of behavior that isdifficult to break.

Sleep training involves getting tod-dlers or older children accustomed tosleeping in their own beds again. Itmay begin by a parent “camping out”in the child’s room to provide secu-rity. Over a period of days, the parentgraduallymoves closer to thedoor andthen out of the room entirely once thechild can comfortably sleep solo in hisor her room. Initially, the process maybe uncomfortable for kids and parentsalike. But eventually it may solidifygood sleeping habits.

Banish bad bedtime behavior

See Bedtime, Page 19

Melwood’s Camp Accomplish is aninclusive day and overnight campoffering countless activities for kids.

Transporation to and fromday camp is free with pickups inCharles. Prince George’s andSt. Mary’s Counties.

CampAccomplish.com301.870.3226

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37 Glymont Road Indian Head, MD 20640301-753-9350 WWW.PHCA.us

PHCA OPEN HOUSE DATES:WEDNESDAY, FEB 26 @ 6:30PM

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 19 @ 10AM & 6:30PMSATURDAY, APRIL 26 @ 10AM

Tuition: $5,995/student ages 2yrs old to 8th grade

Referral Discount= 5% OFF per student referred

Quick Facts:Teaching with a Christian worldview

Charles County Public School busing system is usedPreSchool program is a full day program accepting students turning

2 yrs old by September 1st. No potty training needed for the 2 yr old class.Walk-throughs are available anytime!

We also have summer camp available from June 23rd - August 22nd, at $170/camper per week which includes a t-shirt, 1 field trip a week, and two days at thepool. Students must be 3 yrs old by June 23rd, 2014

Please visit our website atwww.phca.usor call us at 301-753-9350.

Military Discount, Serviceman Discount= 15% OFF TUITION

Page 10 Our Children 2014

A healthy diet is supposed to pro-vide all of the essential vitamins andminerals necessary to sustain a body.But thanks to finicky eating habitsand limited choices, many childrenare not getting the vitamins and min-erals they need to grow up healthy.Although many foods are fortified withcertain vitamins, they still may not beenough to provide the level of nutritionrequired for a growing body. Parentsmay be well informed of a child’s needsof vitamin C to boost immune systemfunction, but they may not be as readilyinformed about other vitamins that areessential to human health.

• Vitamin A: Vitamin A promotes ahealthy immune system and propereyesight function. A child lacking invitamin A may be tired and weak andexperience weight loss. Other symp-toms include dry eyes, skin scaling andrespiratory infections.

• Vitamin B6: Hyperactivity andimpulsiveness are often blamed on anunderlying medical condition, such asADHD. But such conditions may be theresult of a deficiency in vitamin B6.

• Vitamin B12: Nervous system func-tion is largely governed by proper levelsof vitamin B12. Children who do not

receive enough vitamin B12 may expe-rience weakness, insomnia, edema andabdominal pain.

• Vitamin D: Vitamin D is calledthe “sunshine vitamin” because it isproduced in the body after exposureto the sun. Children who spend manyhours indoors or wearing thick layers ofsunscreen may not get enough vitaminD. Irritability, muscle cramps and evenlate teething could be tied to vitamin Ddeficiency.

Parents should consult with pedia-tricians about the proper levels of vita-mins children need.

Kids’ vitamin deficiency signs

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Our Children 2014 Page 11

Looking to take a road trip butdread hearing the infamous “Are wethere yet?” or “Can we please, pleasestop for fast food?” questions.

Never fear, Registered Dietitian,author and mother, Pamela NisevichBede, offers creative ways to keep yourfamily (and you) satisfied and enter-tained while traveling.

• Who cares if we’re there yet? Avoidhearing “Are we there yet?” by packingplenty of entertaining options for littletravelers. In addition to today’s tech-nological offerings, think back to whatkept you occupied while sitting in thebackseat. Equip your pint-sized pas-sengers with books and travel boardgames, and play no-equipment-need-ed games, such as license plate bingo,I spy, or 20 questions.

• Energy to burn. You’ve got theirminds exercised now, but what abouttheir bodies? Do a little research aheadof time and plot your stops at rest

areas that have green space. When youget there, do a quick round of familyjumping jacks or a 10-minute gameof tag. It might feel silly, but releasingpent up energy will definitely make thecar ride more peaceful.

• Plan ahead. There’s nothing worsethan being buckled in the car for hourswith nothing healthy to snack on. Foryour next trip, avoid feeling trapped bypacking all-natural, healthful snackssuch as those from Gourmet Nut.They combine great flavor and healthyingredients ina lineofGourmetOntheGo snack mixes, such as Mega Omegaand Almond Cranberry Crunch. Theyare full of protein-containing nuts andantioxidant-packed, fiber-filled driedfruits sure to please the pickiest pas-senger.

• Drink up. Make sure you and yourfamily stay hydrated during road tripsby packing refillable water bottles forthe long ride. Visit your local dollar

store to stock up on different coloredwater bottles to assign to each person.If you’re feeling crafty, have your kidsdecorate their own bottles with mark-ers, stickers, puffy paint and anythingcreative from the craft store. Your fam-ily will not only enjoy drinking waterfrom their own personalized bottle,but everyone will be proud of theirhandiwork.

• Don’t fight it. As the saying goes,timing is everything. When planningyour next road trip, work with your

child’s schedule and not against it.Put them to bed at their regular timeand feed them breakfast as you alwayswould. For example, leave before thesun comes up so your child is stillable to sleep during part of the ride.Once it’s time for a rest stop, you’llbe able to gas up and give your kidsa proper, healthy breakfast at theirregular time. You’ll be grateful for thequiet moments at the start of your tripand for happier children as the ridecontinues.

Healthy, happyfamily travel

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L P Y S AL P Y S AL P Y S ALaPlata YLaPlata Youth Soccer Associationouth Soccer AssociationLaPlata Youth Soccer Association

Spring SoccerSpring SoccerSpring SoccerSign UpsSign UpsSign Ups

Age Groups based on ageas of August 1, 2013

U6 Co-Ed* - U8 - U10U12 - U14 - U18* Must be 4 by March 1, 2014

ONLINEONLINEONLINEREGISREGISTRATIONTRATIONREGISTRATION

IISS OPEN!OPEN!IS OPEN!

www.LPYSA.org

Questions? 301-609-7800Walk-In Registration at Milton Somers:

Saturday, February 15 - 10 am to 12 noonWednesday, February 19 - 6 pm to 8 pm

Saturday, February 22 - 10 am to 12 noon

DON’T MISS OUTCOME JOIN THE FUN!

Page 12 Our Children 2014

It is well known that a combina-tion of brushing, flossing and peri-odic dental checkups are essential tooral health. Some parents teach theirchildren to brush thoroughly earlyon, even taking them for dental vis-its at young ages so youngsters canbecome acclimated to the dentist’soffice. But flossing is one componentof oral hygiene thatmaybeoverlookedbecausemany kids simply don’t enjoyit.

Flossing is one of those tasksthat people understand they mustdo regularly, but many still do not.According to Humana Dental, floss-ing cleans bacteria and trapped foodfrombetween the teeth. Brushing onlyreaches the surface of the teeth, butfloss is required to get into the smallcrevices to prevent bacteria from turn-ing intoplaquebuildup.TheAmericanDental Association recommendsfloss-ing at least once per day. It is far betterto floss once a day and do a thoroughjob rather than several times a day andmiss areas of the mouth by doing itquickly.

Children should be urged to flossregularly inadditiontobrushing.How-ever, flossing can be cumbersome foryoungsters who have yet to developthe dexterity needed to manipulatedental floss. There are many productsavailable and techniques that can beused to assist children with cleaningbetween their teeth. The following aresome flossing tips for kids.

• Begin the introduction to flossearly. The younger children are intro-duced to floss, themore likely they areto embraceflossing aspart of their oralhygiene routine.

• Show visual proof of the benefitsof flossing. Oftentimes, children aremore likely to respond to somethingthey can see. Show pictures of dentaldecay and what occurs when prop-er oral hygiene is not followed. Thismay helpmake the concept of flossingmore attractive.

• Get the proper tools. Kids cannot

floss unless they have floss productson hand. There are various age-appro-priate flossers and types of dental flossavailable. Children may not be ableto use dental floss properly becauseof a lack of dexterity. However, flosspicks are much easier to hold andwork between the teeth, particularlyfor kidswith small hands. Floss shouldalways be on hand, whether at homeor when you go on vacation.

• Let kids choose. Take kids downthe dental aisle at the store and letthem pick and choose which productsthey want to use. They may be moreexcited to brush and floss if they’reusing something they picked outthemselves.

• Lead by example. Children willbe more likely to floss if they see theirparents flossing. That means adultsshouldfloss regularly and let their chil-drenwatch and learn.

Benefits of flossingRemoving bacteria and trapped

food from teethhas anumber of bene-fits. Bacteria can cause badbreath, butflossing and brushing helps to keepbreath smelling fresh.

Dirty teeth can lead to dental cavi-ties. Childrenmay bemore inclined tofloss if they know they’ll be preventingcavities and avoiding potentially pain-ful trips to the dentist.

Plaque trapped between the teethand along the gum line that leads toperiodontal disease puts a person ata greater risk for heart disease. Thereare some studies that show bacteriafrom the mouth can end up in thebloodstream.

Flossing is a necessary componentof good oral hygiene. Everyone shouldfloss, nomatter their age, and childrenshould begin flossing as soon as theirmouth starts to fill out with pearlywhites.

Makeflossingeasierfor kids

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30

Call to schedule yourpersonal tour,

any time, any day,301-870-2550

Southern Maryland Christian Academywww.

.com9805 Faith Baptist Church Rd.White Plains, MD 20695

Our Children 2014 Page 13

As more people becomeaware of the harmful con-sequences of cyber bully-ing, parents are more likelyto report cyber bullying inci-dents directly to their localpolice than local school offi-cials.

That’s the finding of anew national survey of 642American parents conductedby the Fraud Prevention andInvestigations business unit ofThomson Reuters.

According to the survey, 36percent of parents would turnto lawenforcementfirst if theylearned that their child wasthe victim of cyber bullyingthreats and attacks versus 29percent of parents who saidthey would go to their localschool officials.

One reason that parentsmay hesitate going to theirlocal school officials is that 30percent of parents surveyeddidn’t know if their child’s

school has a policy to addresscyber bullying.

Cyber bullying is definedas bullying that takes placeusing electronic technol-ogy, according to stopbully-ing.gov, a website managedby the U.S. Department ofHealth and Human Services.Cyber bullying can take manyforms - hurtful messages orembarrassing photos postedon social media sites, harass-ing text messages and emails,and private information pur-posefully shared through textmessages, email or throughthe Internet.

The issue has become apriority for parents surveyed,of which 50 percent indicatedthat they are very concernedabout the rise in cyber bul-lying.

Today, more than 80 per-cent of teens use a cellphoneregularly, making it the mostcommon tool among cyber

bullies, according to doso-mething.org. The presence ofteenson socialmedia sites hasonly compounded the issue,blurring the lines between aschoolyard problemand a lawenforcement concern.

In a related survey of U.S.law enforcement profession-als conducted by ThomsonReuters in conjunction withPoliceOne.com, 48 percentof law enforcement agenciesreport that time spent investi-gating cyber bullying, bullyingand school violence has dra-matically increased over thepast two years. Yet, most lawenforcement agencies feel ill-equipped to effectively inves-tigate these cases, with 76 per-cent reporting that training tohandle cyber bullying com-plaints has been insufficient.

Whileparentsmaytrust lawenforcement officials morethan school officials with han-dling cyber bullying incidents

involving their children, 68percent of the law enforce-ment professionals surveyedsaid that they work to fosterstronger relationships withschool officials and/or princi-pals to prevent or deter cyberbullying.

“Though cyber bullying is achallenging issue for students,parents, school officials and

law enforcement, these statis-tics suggest that people wantto work together to under-stand the issue, protect kidsfrom cyber bullying, and helpkids understand the seriousconsequences of participatingin cyber bullying,” said JasonThomas, manager of Innova-tion for Thomson Reuters.

Brandpoint

Growing number of parents turnto police to report cyberbullying

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Page 14 Our Children 2014

If kids had their way, pizza, chickenfingers and french fries would makeup a significant portion of their diets.But parents know they must makekids’ culinary choices for them soyoungsters get all of the vitamins andnutrients they need to grow up strongand healthy.

Parents also tend to know how dif-ficult it can be to convince kids toembrace healthy eating. Healthy eat-ing habits can help kids live healthierlives and perform better in the class-

room while setting them up for a life-time of making the right choices atmealtime. Though encouraging kidsto eat healthy may not always be easy,the following are a few tips for parentshoping to foster healthy eating habitsin their children.

• Stick to a schedule. Parents shouldestablish a regular eating schedule,for both meals and snacks, so kidslearn the importance of not skippingmeals. Kids who learn to eat at regularintervals are more likely to continuedoing so as they grow older. When kidsstick to a meal schedule, they are lesslikely to overeat and they’re likely tohave more energy throughout the day,which should help them stay attentiveat school and be more engaged in theirextracurricular activities.

• Involve kids when choosing themenu. Kids might be more excitedabout eating healthy when you involvethem in choosing the menu. Invitethem along on trips to the grocerystore and allow them to choose oneof their favorite foods for the meal inexchange for eating the healthy fareyou have chosen. Parents may end upeating a lot of side dishes of macaroniand cheese, but their youngsters willalso end up eating their vegetables.

• Plan healthy desserts. Dessert isoften considered an unhealthy indul-

gence, but there’s plenty ofnutritious desserts that are sodelicious kids likely will notrealize they’re eating healthy.A dessert of fresh fruit and asmall serving of yogurt canprovide the same post-mealrefreshment as ice cream orcake, but it does so with muchfewer calories and a lot morenutrients and vitamins. What’smore, kids will come to look atdessert as a chance to eat freshfruits instead of an opportu-nity to load up on ice cream orother, less healthy alternatives.

• Serve healthy portions. Some-times it’s not just what is on the platebut how much is on the plate thatcan be healthy or unhealthy. Whendoling out portions for the family, cre-ate healthy portions so kids are notencouraged to overeat. Kids who growup eating healthy portions are morelikely to continue doing so into adult-hood. Overeating is one of the culpritsbehind being overweight and obese,so kids who learn to control their por-tions are much less likely to overeatand gain excess weight.

• Don’t reward kids with food.Some parents try to reward youngsterswith food, allowing kids to indulge inunhealthy fare in acknowledgement

of a good report card or somethingelse kids should be proud of. But usingfood as a reward is an unhealthy eat-ing habit that can lead to problemsdown the road as kids become adultsresponsible for their own eating hab-its.

• Set a positive example. Kids aremore likely to eat healthy when momand dad are healthy eaters. If your firstchoice at snack time is to reach fora bag of potato chips, then don’t besurprised when your kids opt for chipsover healthier fare like a piece of fruit.“Do as I say, not as I do” is a tough sellto youngsters when it comes to theireating habits, so parents should seta positive example for their kids byensuring their own diets are healthy.

Fosteringhealthyeating

habits inchildren

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For Wendy Langley, a nightmareordeal with head lice has turned into amultimillion dollar dream. With sheerdetermination and passion, the Ore-gon mother has turned the head liceindustry on its head with a productthat kills lice with, of all things, salt.And it’s all because she was trying toprotect her child, and millions more

just like her.“When my daughter was in ele-

mentary school shehadher first attackof head lice,” said Langley. “So I wentto the pharmacy to find a treatment.I opened the bottle and was takenaback by the smell that came from it.

How one common householdingredient can kill head lice

See Lice, Page 19

Our Children 2014 Page 15

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Page 16 Our Children 2014

Reading can have a profound impacton a child’s life in and out of the class-room.Reading canhelpayoung studentdevelop a more extensive vocabulary,and a study from the Federal Interagen-cy Forum on Child and Family Statisticsfound that reading to young childrenpromotes language acquisition, makingit easier for them to learn a foreign lan-guage. That’s a significant advantage forchildren growing up in a world that’sincreasingly global.But reading has benefits outside the

classroom as well. Reading can providean escape from the daily grind, which issomething even today’s youngsters canappreciate. Reading also is a great wayforkids to relaxandunwindwhile simul-taneously giving their brains aworkout.While many parents recognize the

impact reading can have on their chil-dren, it’s no secret that getting kids toembrace reading can be difficult. Dis-tractions such as video games, socialmedia and even the great outdoors areall there todrawkids away fromreading.But parents who want to instill a love ofreading in their children can still takesteps to ensure their kids don’t miss outon thebenefits of a goodbook.

Read to your childrenNumerous studies have discovered

various benefits of reading to childrenwhen theyare young. TheNationalCen-ter for Education Statistics notes thatchildren whose parents read to themtypically becomebetter readers andper-form better in school. Reading to chil-dren early on is the first step towardfosteringa loveof readingkidswilldevel-op and continue throughout their lives.Many parents read to their children atnight before bedtime, but any time ofdaywill suffice.

Don’t get discouragedIf yourkidsarenot immediately inter-

ested in books, branch out. While read-

ing fiction can help develop a young-ster’s imagination, parents should notbediscouraged if kids don’twant to readbooks. Reading the newspaper, maga-zines and even comic books can helpkids develop strong reading skills andan extensive vocabulary and, in the caseof comic books, inspire their imagina-tions. Young sports fans might be moreinclined to read the sports page than anovel, so let them do so. Kids are morelikely to embrace reading if what they’rereading interests them, so encouragekids to read up on those interests, evenif that reading does not involve pickingup abook.

Head to the libraryVisiting the library is a great way to

encourage kids to read, especially if kidshave their own library cards. Childrenwith their own library cards tend to lookat visits to the library as “shopping trips”where they get tomake their own choic-es about what they’re taking home withthem. Andonce kids reach a certain age,they can visit the library on their own.

Share your own readingexperiences with childrenKids look up to their parents and

often want to mimic their behavior. Soparents can set a good example by read-ing as well. On trips to the library, checkout yourownbook.While youmightnotwant todiscusseverybookyoureadwithyour children, discuss the books they’rereading. Chances are you read many ofthose same books yourself when youwere a child, and discussing books withyour child is a great way to improve hisor her reading comprehension.Distractions abound for today’s

youngsters, who might not embracereadingasreadilyas theydovideogamesor social networking. But parents cantake many steps to instill a love of read-ing in their kids thatwill last a lifetime.

Encouragingkids to read

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Big-screen televisions are often thefocal points of family rooms and dens.Members of the family gather aroundto watch their favorite sporting eventsand movies, while kids may line up toplay video games on the large screen.Although these large televisions canadd some life to home theaters, largertelevisions may pose dangers to youngchildren.

According to a report by Safe Kidsthat includes data from the Consum-er Product Safety Commission, therehas been a 31 percent increase in thenumber of children injured by a televi-sion tipping over in the last 10 years.The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphiastates that there were 3,000 childreninjured in this manner over the courseof a single year. In 2011, 37 childrenwere killed from injuries resulting intelevisions, furniture and appliancesfalling on them.

Flat screen televisions have con-tinually dropped in price as there hasbeen more competition in the market.This means that larger televisions arebecoming affordable for the masses. Aperson who is vacillating between twosizes may opt for the larger screen sim-ply because there isn’t much differencein price.

According to Safe Kids, many flatscreen televisions are very top-heavy.Childrenwhoare naturally curiousmayclimb up on furniture to investigate theTV or attempt to push the buttons toturn it on. All it takes is a little push orpull to tip the television over and putkids at risk of injury. Many flat screentelevisions are placed on stands low tothe ground, making them even moreaccessible to curious kids.

Parents may wonder how to keep

their youngsters safe. There are someprecautions to take.

• Older tube televisions should beplaced on low-profile stands that aresturdy and less susceptible to beingtipped over.

•Whenusinga stand,place theTVasfar back as possible.

• Ensure that the television stand isbig enough to hold the TV sturdily.

• Flat screen televisions are saferwhen attached to thewall.

• Inexpensive straps and wallanchors canbepurchased toaffixheavyfurniture and televisions to the wall toprevent tip overs.Make sure the anchoris drilled into awall stud.

• Keep remote controls readily avail-able so children will not have to climbto find them.

• Do not place toys or other inter-esting items on top of tall furniture ortelevisions.

Tip-over accidents are not just dan-gerous to children. The elderly, whomay use furniture to brace themselveswhen walking, are also at risk, furtheremphasizing the need to secure televi-sions asmuch as possible.

Preventing TVtip-over injuries

Our Children 2014 Page 17

Page 18 Our Children 2014

Parents tend to be quite familiar withfood allergies. In an effort to protectyoungsters, schools have begun to crackdown more regularly on foods that tendto cause allergic reactions, often placingrestrictions on what children can bringin for lunches or snacks.

Parents and children who grew uparound peanut and tree nut allergies arequite familiar with what triggers aller-gic reactions associatedwith such foods, and thepotential side effects ofconsuming these foods.But those who are lessexperienced with foodallergies may not knowwhat to expect.

According to the MayoClinic, being allergic tonuts us one of the morecommon food allergies,especially among chil-dren. Many people whoare allergic to peanuts arealso allergic to other tree nuts, includingwalnuts, almonds and pecans.

As with any allergen, reactions varyfrom person to person. Some may expe-rience mild symptoms, such as lightrashes or swelling, while others mayhave severe reactions, including ana-phylactic shock, which is characterizedby shortness of breath, a severe drop inblood pressure, constriction of airways,and potential heart failure. Accordingto Spire Health Partners, more than 3million people in the United States havea nut allergy, and one-third of them willsuffer from a severe symptom if theyingest nuts.

A peanut allergy occurs when yourbody mistakenly identifies peanut pro-teins as something that can be harmful.Just as your body might fight a cold,it releases chemicals from the immunesystem to fight off the peanut invader.The number of kids with peanut aller-gies has been increasing over the last10-15 years, doubling in the last half-decade alone. It isn’t known why somepeople are prone to nut allergies whileothers are not. However, Michael C.Young, M.D., Assistant Clinical Professorof Pediatrics at Harvard Medical Schooland a practicing pediatrician at Chil-dren’s Hospital, has a few ideas. Nursingmothers and very young children areeating more peanuts, particularly in theform of peanut butter, than ever before,something that Young feels could becausing a higher incidence rate of pea-nut allergies. Young also theorizes that

better hygiene may play a role, suggest-ing that because children have fewerinfections (due to improved hygiene androutine immunizations),their immunesystems are more likely to target otherthings, such as foods and environmentalfactors, resulting in allergies.

Although peanut allergies are preva-lent and can be dangerous, there is noreason to act rashly. Young notes that

approximately 20 percentof children will outgrowtheir peanut allergies bythe age of 6, and he advis-es that it is worth havinga child retested as theyget older to gauge if therehave been any changes inthe status of the peanutallergy.

When dealing withpeanut allergies, it isimportant to separatemyths from facts.

• Direct contactis the most common cause of a reac-tion. This results from eating peanutsor foods that contain peanuts. Cross-contamination,which occurs when pea-nuts unintentionally come into contactwith other foods, is another commoncause.

• Some people can have a reaction bytouching peanuts with their skin. A rashmay occur, but a very dangerous reac-tion will not result unless the peanutsenter the mouth or come into contactwith the nose or eyes.

• An allergic reaction can occur frominhalation of peanut dust, such as pea-nut flour or ground shells during pro-cessing. Aerosol cooking sprays thatcontain peanut oil also can produce areaction. It is important to note that thesmell of peanuts will not induce an aller-gic reaction.

• Sometimes an allergy is not reallyan allergy, but rather an intolerance to acertain food. A food intolerance does notinvolve the immune system. A personwith a food intolerance can eat smallamounts of the food with only mildsymptoms, such as indigestion, ratherthan a severe reaction with a true allergy.

While being diligent in reading foodlabels and asking what ingredients are inprepared foods at restaurants is key forpeople with peanut allergies, so is avoid-ing potential skin contact. This meansthoroughly washing areas where pea-nuts or peanut butter may have beenand ensuring other children wash upafter lunch.

The growing problemof peanut allergies

1902267

it. It smelled like bug spray. Ithought, ‘I’m going to put this onmy daughter’s head?’”At home, Langley did what

millions of Americans do eachyear and put the toxic producton her daughter’s scalp. It wasa traumatic experience thatwracked Langley with guilt. Sheinstructed her daughter to holda towel over her forehead to keepthe liquid from getting in hereyes. “It was horrible,” Langleysaid. “Wewere both crying.”The trauma of that experi-

ence lingered with Langley. “AllI could think about was all theparents out there who were fac-ing the same horrible ordeal thatI did.” With that, she became amother on a mission to help herdaughter and themillions of par-ents looking for a non-toxic andsafe alternative to killing lice.After months of research, she

found the silver bullet she waslooking for: natrummuriaticum,also known as sodium chloride,or common table salt. It was a

safeactive ingredient that the licecouldn’t survive or build a resis-tance to.“It was just one of those ‘aha’

moments, that hit me like abrick,” said Langley. She workedwith a top formulation scientistfrom a local university to cre-ate a gel version of the product.But the gel had to be left on thehair for an hour to kill the lice.Langley knew that, to be suc-cessful, she needed somethingthat would begin killing lice oncontact. Her determination andpersistence eventually led to thecreationof Licefreee! Instant LiceKilling Spray in 2009.The unusual product proved

to be 100 percent effective killinglice and their eggs in indepen-dent laboratory testing. Lang-ley was elated. Licefreee Sprayfound its way on to more than20,000drug store shelves, includ-ingWalmart,WalgreensandDol-lar General, within the first twoyears of its introduction and hasbecome a runaway hit. Too seefor yourself howwell the productworks, view the video of how saltkills head lice at licefreee.com.

Brandpoint

LiceContinued from Page 15

InconsistencyA routine lets children known when it

is time to go to sleep. Lacking a consistentschedule may not provide the physicalcues that it is time to go to bed. Adhereto a routine each and every night so chil-dren become trained to go to bed at aparticular time. This routine may includebrushing teeth, picking out pajamas andthen snuggling together for a few min-utes. Children are creatures of habit, andknowingwhat to expectwill help set them

up for sleeping success.

Safety issuesSomeparentscannotgetagoodnight’s

sleep because theyworry about their chil-dren rising in the middle of the nightand wandering the house unattended oreven leaving the home. Childproofing thehome can calm those concerns. Placing asecure gate at the doorway of the child’sroom can limit roaming, while alarmsplaced on doors and windows can alertparents if a child is trying to open a win-dow or exit the home.Parentscantakemanystepstofixprob-

lematicbedtimebehaviors andensure theentire household gets the sleep they need.

BedtimeContinued from Page 9

Our Children 2014 Page 19

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