It’s summer time and many of us will be spending time at the beach or a pool to beat the heat. Here is a reminder of how we all can stay this summer with a list of tips from the Red Cross.

Make Water Safety Your Priority

• Swim in designated areas supervised by lifeguards.
• Always swim with a buddy; do not allow anyone to swim alone. Even at a public pool or a lifeguarded beach, use the buddy system!
• Ensure that everyone in the family learns to swim well. Enroll in age-appropriate Red Cross water orientation and Learn-to-Swim courses.
• Never leave a young child unattended near water and do not trust a child’s life to another child; teach children to always ask permission to go near water.
• Have young children or inexperienced swimmers wear U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jackets around water, but do not rely on life jackets alone.
• Establish rules for your family and enforce them without fail. For example, set limits based on each person’s ability, do not let anyone play around drains and suction fittings, and do not allow swimmers to hyperventilate before swimming under water or have breath-holding contests.
• Even if you do not plan on swimming, be cautious around natural bodies of water including ocean shoreline, rivers and lakes. Cold temperatures, currents and underwater hazards can make a fall into these bodies of water dangerous.
• If you go boating, wear a life jacket! Most boating fatalities occur from drowning.
• Avoid alcohol use. Alcohol impairs judgment, balance and coordination; affects swimming and diving skills; and reduces the body’s ability to stay warm.

Prevent Unsupervised Access to the Water

• Install and use barriers around your home pool or hot tub. Safety covers and pool alarms should be added as additional layers of protection.
• Ensure that pool barriers enclose the entire pool area, are at least 4-feet high with gates that are self-closing, self-latching and open outward, and away from the pool. The latch should be high enough to be out of a small child’s reach.
• If you have an above-ground or inflatable pool, remove access ladders and secure the safety cover whenever the pool is not in use.
• Remove any structures that provide access to the pool, such as outdoor furniture, climbable trees, decorative walls and playground equipment.
• Keep toys that are not in use away from the pool and out of sight. Toys can attract young children to the pool.

Maintain Constant Supervision

• Actively supervise children whenever around the water—even if lifeguards are present. Do not just drop your kids off at the public pool or leave them at the beach—designate a responsible adult to supervise.
• Always stay within arm’s reach of young children and avoid distractions when supervising children around water.

Know What to Do in an Emergency

• If a child is missing, check the water first. Seconds count in preventing death or disability.
• Know how and when to call 9-1-1 or the local emergency number.
• If you own a home pool or hot tub, have appropriate equipment, such as reaching or throwing equipment, a cell phone, life jackets and a first aid kit.
• Enroll in Red Cross home pool safety, water safety, first aid and CPR/AED courses to learn how to prevent and respond to emergencies.

Contact your local Red Cross chapter to find out which aquatic facilities in your area offer Red Cross courses. To find your local chapter, enter your zip code in the far right column of this page.

I just wanted to thank all of you who attended last night’s KidoConversation about Raising Kid’s in a Digital World. I love the opportunity for us to meet up and mingle around a topic. Props to the panelists and moderator for sharing their opinions, wit and wisdom. As a parent I find it helpful to hear how things work (or don’t) in other households and schools. Collectively we have much knowledge to share.

The resource guide distributed at last night’s event included the panelists’ and Providence Children’s Museum’s top resources and tips about kids using digital media. The guide will be soon be available online.

The online news site GOLOCALProv covered the event:

It’s every parent’s fear… rapidly evolving digital playgrounds that their kids explore, from online video games to social networking sites, and parents don’t know where the dangers lie.

Kidoinfo.com, a socially savvy Web site for families launched in 2007 by Providence resident Anisa Raoof, brought a panel of five educators, a room full of parents as well as media experts last night to the Speakeasy Space at Local 121 to educate parents on what’s happening in the “digital playground.”

The bottom line?  “Kids haven’t changed,” said Dr. Alice Wilder (second from left), high-profile digital media innovator, “but the toys in their toy boxes have really changed.” (Read full article on GOLOCALProv.com)

If you decorate a tree, Safe Kids USA and the United States Fire Administration recommend these precautions:

• Never leave a lighted Christmas tree or other decorative lighting display unattended. Inspect lights for exposed or frayed wires, loose connections and broken sockets. Do not overload extension cords or outlets and do not run an electrical cord under a rug.

• Natural Christmas trees always involve some risk of fire. To minimize the risk, get a fresh tree and keep it watered at all times. Do not put the tree within three feet of a fireplace, space heater, radiator or heat vent.

• Decorate with children in mind. Do not put ornaments that have small parts or metal hooks, or look like food or candy, on the lower branches where small children can reach them. Trim protruding branches at or below a child’s eye level, and keep lights out of reach.

• Do not burn Christmas tree branches, treated wood or wrapping paper in a home fireplace.
• Do not put candles on a tree or a natural wreath, or near curtains or drapes, and keep matches and lighters locked out of reach of children.

• Battery-operated flameless candles are an alternative that does not have a fire risk. Decorative lighting should be labeled with the seal of an independent testing lab and should only be used outdoors if it’s labeled for outdoor use.

Safe Kids USA also offers these tips to prevent poisoning:

• Keep alcohol (including baking extracts) out of reach and do not leave alcoholic drinks unattended.

• Color additives used in fireplace fires are a toxic product and should be stored out of reach. Artificial snow can be harmful if inhaled, so use it in a well-vented space.

• Mistletoe berries, Holly Berry and Jerusalem Cherry can be poisonous. If they are used in decorating, make sure children and pets cannot reach it.

• In a poison emergency, call the national Poison Control Hotline at 800-222-1222 to be routed to your local poison control center.

For more information, visit http://www.usa.safekids.org/fire/.

Check Your Smoke Alarms

November 1 marked the end of Daylight Savings Time. When you change your clocks back one hour, you should also change the batteries in all of your smoke alarms. So if you have not done so yet, make a plan to check today. Find out why on the Safe Kids fire safety page.

Safe Crossing Week

Hundreds of Safe Kids safety experts, police officers and volunteers from CN (one of the largest railroads in North America) will be fanning out across the U.S. and Canada to teach elementary school children the importance of rail safety for Safe Crossing Week, which runs from November 1 to 7, 2009. Learn lifesaving tips at www.usa.safekids.org/rail/.

By Tracy Andryc
Executive Assistant,
Prevent Child Abuse Rhode Island

Homework is an important part of your child’s school day and can count for a large percent of his/her grade. It’s a parent’s job to make homework a priority during the school year. Children need support from their parents to develop good homework habits.

Here are some tips to help your child:

•    Give your child a nutritious snack when he/she gets home from school. Children can concentrate better when they aren’t hungry.

•    Provide a quiet place, free from distractions like television, radio or video games.

•    Have your child work on homework soon after getting home while he/she is still in “school mode”.

•    If you notice that your child is struggling with one subject every day, contact his/her teacher.

•    Help your child be organized by providing a folder to bring homework to and from school in.

•    Discuss your child’s homework with them every day and help them think it through. Check your child’s homework for accuracy and neatness. Have your child correct the mistakes him/herself and recheck it for them.

Read the October newsletter from Prevent Child Abuse Rhode Island for more ways to help your child be successful at school.

Tracy Andryc is a mother of three and the executive assistant at Prevent Child Abuse Rhode Island. She writes a monthly parenting newsletter called Parenting Rules! that covers a variety of parenting and child safety topics. Prevent Child Abuse RI is a private nonprofit organization whose mission is to ensure the safety and well-being of children in Rhode Island through awareness, education, and advocacy.

Photo courtesy of Prevent Child Abuse Rhode Island

The Soft Landing has partnered with Cool Mom Picks to announce the Big Bottle Swap that allows consumers to send in their old SIGG bottles that are not BPA-free and receive a discount when they purchase clean, non-leaching stainless steel water bottles. The promotion runs through September 14, 2009 (See list below). This is a great example of moms and businesses finding ways to deal with whatever curve ball comes their way. Thank you.

Last month, SIGG’s CEO, Steve Wasik, divulged in a press release that SIGG bottles manufactured prior to August 2008 contained BPA. Parents spent big bucks buying SIGG water bottles thinking they could get away from BPA contaminated bottles. The press release ignited a firestorm, not only for the belated admission but also over the fact the company continued to hide the information after changing their lining formula. Since SIGG’S admission, retailers, bloggers and consumers have been venting their outrage at the company’s handling of the situation.

The Soft Landing’s CEO, Alicia Voorhies, has partnered with Cool Mom Picks to announce a program that will allow consumers to redeem their unwanted SIGG bottles. “We thought it would be a great idea for consumers to be given the opportunity to trade-in their SIGG bottles for something safer, and The Soft Landing offers some of the best options out there, many of which we’ve featured on our site, all in one place.” said Kristen Chase, COO and Co-Founder of CoolMomPicks.com. ”

As part of this initiative, The Soft Landing will provide them with a code good for 30% off one of the BPA-free stainless steel water bottles the retailer carries. Consumers can go to www.bigbottleswap.com and fill out a form to receive redemption instructions.

“We are very excited to be able to offer this program. We carried SIGG some time ago,” said Alicia Voorhies. “But we had our suspicions about the lining of their bottles. They were always very evasive when we asked what was in that lining, so we dropped them. The manufacturers we carry now all have the highest ethical standards and we’ve felt for some time that stainless steel was the only way to go when it comes to sustainable, reusable bottles. So we’re really excited that we have the opportunity to help people dispose of their SIGG bottles and continue to get the word out about the companies that are really leading the fight against BPA.”

The bottles and brands that will be available as replacement choices include The Safe Sporter^TM and The Safe Sippy 2^TM by Kid Basix, Klean Kanteen^TM (all products), Thermos^TM Hydration Bottle, Nathan^TM Flip Straw Drink Bottle, Thinksport^TM Insulated Sport Bottle, CamelBak^TM (all products), Green Sprouts Kids Bottle^TM by iPlay and Crocodile Creek^TM Kids Drink Bottle.

More information is available at www.thesoftlandingblog.com.

Don Cowart, Principal of Hope Highlands Elementary School shares helpful tips and reminders for parents, kids and school staff on how to help keep our schools germ-free. especially in response to the increase of reported H1N1 cases. Read more at principalcowart.blogspot.com.

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is projecting that as many as 40% of Rhode Islanders will get the H1N1 virus (also known as Swine Flu).  The highest risks are for school age children and adults from 18-45 years old. That means everyone going to school is at high risk. Schools will be on alert for kids and teachers with “Flu Like” symptoms.  Even unconfirmed cases of the H1N1 virus may result in high absences from school.

Here is a list of things parents and students should do recommended by the CDC to minimize spreading germs:

• Remind students about using good health habits at school (sneezing into elbow, washing hands often)

• Give students hand gels for backpack and remind them to use it before eating and after sneezing and coughing

• Report flu like symptoms to the school nurse immediately (fever plus cough or sore throat)

• Purchase cold and flu care products ahead of time

• Have alternate childcare plans arranged ahead of time

Sending sick children into school is the worst thing you can do. Some parents will pump a child up with Motrin or Tylenol and send them to school. By 1:00 they are in the office with 103 degree temp and needing to be picked-up from school. In the meantime they have spread the sickness to all the students and teachers in the classroom. The CDC says that a child must be fever free (without medication) for at least 24 hours before they return to school. The CDC has made some recommendations for schools as well. Below is the list of things schools will need to do:

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National data has recently shown that approximately 17,000 children are injured each year in school bus accidents. Nearly 1/4th of those injuries occurred when the child was boarding or leaving the bus, slip and falls, or being bumped around when the bus suddenly stops or turns.

If your child is one of the 23.5 million children who ride a school bus, you need to talk with him/her about riding safety. School bus safety is an important issue that you should talk with your kids about before the first day of school.

The following are safety tips to go over with your child:

• Wait at the curb until the bus comes to a complete stop and wait for the driver to open the doors before stepping off the curb.

• Never push or play rough at the bus stop.

• Stay seated at all times while riding the bus, never walk around the bus or play/rough house with other kids.

• Wait for the driver to come to a complete stop before leaving your seat to exit the bus.

• Keep head, hands, arms – everything – inside the bus at all times. Never put any part of your body outside of the bus windows.

• Check for loose drawstrings or other objects that could get caught in the bus doors.

• Only cross the street 10 giant steps in front of the bus and only when the driver signals it is clear to do so.

Tracy Andryc is a mother of three and the executive assistant at Prevent Child Abuse Rhode Island. She writes a monthly parenting newsletter called Parenting Rules! that covers a variety of parenting and child safety topics. Prevent Child Abuse RI is a private nonprofit organization whose mission is to ensure the safety and well-being of children in Rhode Island through awareness, education, and advocacy.

Photo courtesy of Prevent Child Abuse Rhode Island.

By Tracy Andryc
Executive Assistant,
Prevent Child Abuse Rhode Island

When the warm weather arrives the first thing we want to do is open the windows and let in the fresh air. However, parents need to be aware that open windows are a very real danger for children. Across the country, thousands of children are killed or injured every year as a result of falling from a window. Sadly, two Rhode Island children have already been injured this year after falling from windows in their homes.

Following safety precautions when you open your windows can keep your children safe from dangerous and deadly falls. Here are several simple precautions to keep in mind:

• Open windows from the top so children cannot reach the screened part of the window. Visit the National Safety Council for more window safety advice.

• Screens are not strong enough to keep a child from falling out the window, never rely on them to keep your child safe.

• Install window guards that are available at your local hardware store. They are designed to keep your child from climbing or falling out of the window. For more info on window guards, visit www.window-bars.com or www.totsafe.com.

• Keep furniture away from windows so kids won’t have something to climb on. Many children have fallen from windows while playing on a sofa placed by the window. The Home Safety Council has lots of helpful information for keeping your family safe.

• Set and enforce rules against playing near the windows. Never put your child’s toy box or playthings near a window.

• Teach your child to stay away from windows. Be sure to teach your child the dangers of window falls and be diligent about window safety. Click here to download a window safety activity book for your child.

Tracy Andryc is a mother of three and the executive assistant at Prevent Child Abuse Rhode Island. She writes a monthly parenting newsletter called Parenting Rules! that covers a variety of parenting and child safety topics. Prevent Child Abuse RI is a private nonprofit organization whose mission is to ensure the safety and well-being of children in Rhode Island through awareness, education, and advocacy.

Photo courtesy of Prevent Child Abuse Rhode Island.