ParentDishhttp://www.parentdish.comParentDishhttp://www.parentdish.com/media/feedlogo.gifParentDishhttp://www.parentdish.comen-usCopyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only.Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/Helping Kids Beat Homesickness at Sleep-Away Camphttp://www.parentdish.com/2011/06/02/homesickness-sleep-away-camp/http://www.parentdish.com/2011/06/02/homesickness-sleep-away-camp/http://www.parentdish.com/2011/06/02/homesickness-sleep-away-camp/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Homesickness

I visited nine sleep-away camps last summer and talked to a lot of children about their experiences of being away from home. What impressed me was how proud kids are of overcoming their homesickness, especially if they had a pretty bad case of it their first week or their first year.

One girl, Jenny, remembering her homesickness at camp said, "I felt like I had a fire in my stomach, and it was burning. ... I didn't know what it was but it terrified me. ... I didn't want my friends to make it better. I just wanted to wallow in my sadness."

Did the staff help her? "People told me that I should get distracted and that would help me, but I just wanted to get my tears out."

I asked whether she had cried all day at camp. "Not all day," she related with a big smile. "There were breaks in there." And how did she manage? "There was a girl here my first year who helped me. ... She told me to think of it in three-day chunks. So I lasted."

The girl who was telling me this was 14 years old, enjoying her fifth summer at residential camp. Early on, she had been one of the most homesick campers. It took her three summers to beat it, and, looking back, she was angry at her mom and dad for letting her leave early that second summer.

When I asked her whether she felt proud of herself, she said, "If it had only been one year, maybe I'd be prouder. ... It was just something that was there, and I learned to do it."

She sounded matter-of-fact, but I could tell she felt victorious.

Ninety-five percent of children experience at least a bit of homesick feelings when they are away from their parents at summer camp. Homesickness is completely normal. If a child loves his or her parents and has a good home, why wouldn't he or she feel some longing for Mom, for Dad, for the dog or for home cooking? The paradoxical thing about camp is that even though children sometimes report painful levels of homesickness, they often rate themselves as very happy in the activities of the day.

The parents' problem is figuring out whether their child is happy or miserable at camp. It's tough to judge from a distance, especially if your child is one of those campers who sends notes like this:

Dear Dad/Mom,

I'm still not feeling good. I have thrown up four times since I got here. I'm having no fun and just really want to come home and see my doctor to figure out what is going on with me. I hate Windy, it is worse than Camp Sunset. My cabin is OK, but I haven't slept a full
night yet.

Throwing up? Not sleeping? Reading this note, the conscientious mother has grabbed her car keys and is half-way out the door, heading for camp to rescue her child. But wait ... the letter continues:

My fave person in my cabin is our AC Lisa (AC is assistant counselor) she is really great.... I even miss Ben & Johnny. At least this week has kind of gone by sort of kind of fast... Well, tell the cats hello for me...

Love you, Miss you & Want to come home,

Haley

This letter makes me laugh because it was written by the daughter of a camp director in Minnesota who had sent her to a residential camp in Massachusetts, where, a decade later, she is now a long-term member of the staff.

The research tells us that even though almost all children will have some "homesick feelings," only one in five campers -- like Jenny -- experience real distress. And only 8 percent of children develop such severe homesickness that they're unable to beat it. For those children, homesickness remains high throughout the camp session, dipping only in the last few days when they know their caretakers will be arriving soon.

What can you do to help your child beat homesickness at camp?

  • Do some preparation. Tell your child homesickness is normal, that it means he or she has a home that he or she loves.
  • Empathize with your child's fears, but do not get infected by them.
  • Express confidence in your child's resilience and admiration for his or her courage in going to camp.
  • Tell your child you are sure he or she will get help from counselors and friends when needed.
  • And, please, tell your children you want them to have fun. Children need to go off to camp with your blessing, not your anxiety.
If your child's been to sleep-away camp before, was his homesickness manageable? If this will be your child's first overnight camp experience, are you overly concerned about how she'll fair?

This article originally appeared on PBSParents and was written by Michael Thompson. Michael Thompson, Ph.D. is a consultant, author and psychologist specializing in children and families. He is Senior Advisor to the PBS Parents Guide to Raising Boys and the host of the PBS documentary Raising Cain

He and his coauthor, Dan Kindlon, wrote the New York Times bestseller, Raising Cain: Protecting the Emotional Life of Boys, in 1999. Most recently, he has published a comprehensive guide for raising boys entitled, It's a Boy! Your Son's Development from Birth to Eighteen (Ballantine, 2008). Michael Thompson has appeared on The Today Show, The Oprah Winfrey Show, 20/20, 60 Minutes, The Early Show and Good Morning America. He is the clinical consultant to The Belmont Hill School and has worked in more than two hundred fifty schools across the United States, as well as in international schools in Central America, Europe and Asia. He is the father of Joanna, 24, and Will, 19.

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]]>campHomesicknesssleepaway campSleepawayCampsummer campPBSParents.orgThu, 02 Jun 2011 17:00:00 ESTConnect With Your Child Through Playhttp://www.parentdish.com/2011/05/25/connect-with-your-child-through-play/http://www.parentdish.com/2011/05/25/connect-with-your-child-through-play/http://www.parentdish.com/2011/05/25/connect-with-your-child-through-play/#commentsFiled under: , ,

child play

When you think about your own childhood, do you recall times when you and your parents played together? Maybe it was hide-and-seek, or Monopoly or rock-paper-scissors. I remember pretending to be circus performers with my mom and dad, and playing gin rummy with my grandmother.

We used to think of family games as inexpensive entertainment or simple ways to pass the day. Now, with competing demands on everyone's time, the excess of toys marketed to kids and so many electronic diversions, these kinds of activities can seem a bit dated. But they are the stuff memories are made of. They were fun, and they allowed us a chance to feel close to people we love. That's reason enough to play together as a family.

But there are also many other benefits of play -- and research shows its role in children's development.

Play is both a catalyst and context for learning. Through play, children make sense of their experiences, and express their ideas and emotions. Play helps them develop and practice skills underlying success in school and beyond: self-control, working memory, cognitive flexibility, persistence and following rules among others. Playing with others also helps children build relationships.

We also know that, despite evidence of the benefits of play, opportunities to play have diminished. Kids are more likely to be involved in scheduled and structured activities, and plugged into digital devises. To make matters worse, play has largely disappeared from the school day, even in the earliest grades.

So what does this mean for parents? And how does playing with your child fit into the picture?
  1. It is important that your child has uninterrupted play time every day with simple materials that can be used in many different ways.

  2. Resist interrupting or taking over when he's contentedly playing alone or with other kids. But, remember, he also loves and needs to be with you.

  3. When you're busy, you can take advantage of daily routines to play together. You might play peek-a-boo when you're changing your toddler's diaper, a guessing game when you're making breakfast for your preschooler, pretend when you're doing chores with your kindergartner or a license plate game when you're taking your older child to school.

  4. When there's more time, your child will thrive on your undivided attention as you play together. In the process, you'll have many opportunities to tune into his interests, concerns and needs and to support his development and learning.

While you'll find many opportunities to capitalize on teachable moments during play, the key is to do what comes naturally. Playing together shouldn't be a chore or something you feel pressure to do. Enjoy the time you spend with your child. It will pass all too soon! If you don't like card games, ride bikes or dance together. Take cues from what interests your child and follow his lead. Playing together will help you build strong connections that he will rely on as he grows and quite possibly memories that will last a lifetime.

Here are a few more simple activities you and your child or family might enjoy:
  • What's missing?: Take turns lining up several items. One player covers his eyes and the others remove one or more items. The guesser tries to figure out what's missing. This is a great game to play while you're waiting at a restaurant.

  • Surprise Jar: On slips of paper, write messages of things for family members to do. For example, wiggle like a worm, do 20 jumping jacks, empty the trash or try to touch your tongue to your nose. Put these in a jar, and take turns drawing a message from the jar.

  • Sidewalk Games: Use sidewalk chalk to draw paths to follow. For example, draw a long line to make a "tightrope" to walk on or take turns drawing an obstacle course to navigate.

  • Earth Day Play: Go on a scavenger hunt to find interesting leaves or stones, follow ant trails, watch pigeons or collect and release insects. Make a bird feeder or create something beautiful together from discarded materials.

What are some of your favorite family activities?

This article was originally on PBSParents and was written by Ann Barbour.Dr. Ann Barbour is Professor of Early Childhood Education at California State University, Los Angeles, (CSULA) and Series Content Advisor for the Peabody Award winning daily television series A Place of Our Own and Los Niños en Su Casa. These programs are designed to help parents and caregivers nurture the development and enrich the learning experiences of preschool-age children.

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]]>child playplayplaying with your childplaytimePBSParents.orgWed, 25 May 2011 17:00:00 ESTWhen to Introduce Kids to Music: Early and Oftenhttp://www.parentdish.com/2011/05/23/introducing-kids-to-music/http://www.parentdish.com/2011/05/23/introducing-kids-to-music/http://www.parentdish.com/2011/05/23/introducing-kids-to-music/#commentsFiled under: , ,

music

As a musician, music educator and researcher, parents often ask me when they should begin introducing their children to music. As with most easy questions, there's an easy answer that is incomplete and a more nuanced answer that is correct.

The easy answer is: You should begin age-appropriate music "lessons" soon after birth, or maybe even before birth. That being said, please stay with me before giving your 6-month-old a trumpet.

There is a great deal of research supporting the notion that musical ability develops during a critical period from birth through age 9 (or 10 or even 11, depending on the research). However, it seems clear that after age 11 the window for developing certain musical abilities is shut -- and shut forever.

This makes sense. Our brains seem to be "wired" for learning and processing the patterns we hear. This is most obvious in how young children develop language. They hear the patterns and inflections in their native tongue and their brains internalize them. Language learning seems natural, and they learn the language of the culture they're living in. A child can also learn multiple languages at this time and being bi-lingual seems natural. Yes, an adult can learn a second language, but it will rarely be as natural as the first language or without an accent.

The same is true with music. At its most basic level, music is made up from a surprisingly small vocabulary of rhythm and pitch patterns. These basic patterns vary by culture, (which is why Japanese music sounds different from Canadian music), but the basic principle of music being comprised of patterns is true of all music.

These patterns can be considered the basic units of music, much like words are the basic units of speech. The individual notes are like letters -- they only take on meaning when combined into a word. Likewise, the individual notes only take on musical meaning when they are combined into patterns.

A child learns the musical patterns of the music they're exposed to during their formative years. The patterns are internalized and become the child's natural musical language. So, early music "lessons" should have as its goal engaging the child with music in a way that will help him or her focus on, and learn, the basic building blocks of music.

This internalizing of musical patterns is most often accomplished by singing and movement at an early age. Like language, it is best learned if the entire environment is immersed with music.

This takes us right back to our basic question. While weekly "lessons" or "Mommy-Baby Classes" are worthwhile, the fact that they only meet once or twice a week makes them enhancements to the process, not the core of the process. Imagine if your child only heard language during prescribed classes once or twice a week and the rest of the time the child experienced no language. The chance of a regular development would be remote.

So, providing basic music experiences is really up to the parents. Now, before you start protesting, "I can't carry a tune in a bucket" or "I haven't played my instrument since I was in middle school," there is some good news. You don't have to be a musician! The key is to help your child focus and internalize the basic patterns of music -- to engage her in music. Here are a few ways in which you can go about it:

  1. Sing with your child. The reason many children's songs (for example, "Itsy, Bitsy Spider" or "Row, Row, Row Your Boat") have lasted through generations is that they have the basic patterns we're trying to instill.

  2. Download songs to your iPod and do the movements along with the song. The purpose is to focus attention on the music.

  3. Hold your child and sway while singing or listening to music.

  4. March around your living room.

  5. Clap a rhythm. Any rhythmic "dancing" to music at this age will fulfill this purpose.

  6. Have music as a constant "soundtrack" in the home. This will be especially helpful if there is repetition of certain pieces.

The musical learning you build in your child will last a lifetime. If later in life (whether it's age 7 or 52) he or she decides to learn an instrument, your child will already have the basic "musicality" developed in his or her brain. Even if they don't, kids will have an enhanced appreciation of the music they hear for the rest of their lives. These basic active and passive musical experiences early in life are not just beneficial for the future musicians. They lead to an enhanced quality of life for anyone, regardless of calling.

So, the answer to the original question is: Start your child's musical development as early as you can, but do it in an age-appropriate way, with age-appropriate goals.

How are you engaging your child in music?

This article was originally on PBSParents and was written by Rob Cutietta. Rob is the Dean of the University of Southern California Thornton School of Music. He is a noted author and popular speaker whose areas of expertise include the middle-school learner, choral education, learning theories and the psychology of music. Additionally, he is a highly-regarded musician and educator, and he has extensive knowledge about the full range of musical talent nationally as well as internationally.

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]]>babies musicdevelopmentintroducing musicmusicmusic lessonsturning kids onto musicPBSParents.orgMon, 23 May 2011 17:00:00 ESTAnnoyed Your Kids Don't Get Along With Your Best Friend's Offspring? Here's How to Make It Work!http://www.parentdish.com/2011/05/20/getting-kids-to-get-along/http://www.parentdish.com/2011/05/20/getting-kids-to-get-along/http://www.parentdish.com/2011/05/20/getting-kids-to-get-along/#commentsFiled under: ,

kids playing

Isn't it nice when we all just get along? Credit: Getty Images

It's hard enough to find cool people to hang out with, let alone cool people who happen to have kids your kid's age and who have the same Saturday afternoon free that you do. (Adult conversation! In your very own home!)

But instead of relaxing in the backyard over glasses of wine while the kids swarm the swing set, you keep having to get up and police.

Grrrr. Why can't they just get along?! Can't they see Mommy is socializing???

The good news is if you invest some time teaching the kids how to work things out, you may be able to get your dream afternoon back -- at some point in the future, says developmental psychologist Nancy S. Buck, Ph.D and founder of Peaceful Parenting Inc.

Her advice:

Make a playdate plan with your child in advance.
"Ask her to imagine it and tell you the story of how it will go, so she has a sense of creating the plan," Buck says. "Ask, 'how shall we handle it if there's a disagreement?' Listen to her idea, and if it's too 'magical' give her a reasonable solution."

You should also go over the rules, and ask your child if she has it in her to follow those rules at the playdate.

"If she says no, believe her and don't go," Buck advises.

Agree to connect with your child.
"She may need to know she can come snuggle on your lap for a few minutes," Buck says. "Let her know she can come get Mommy if she needs your help working something out with the other kids."

Give it a few months.
Not working? Give it some time.

"Every six months, kids alternate between a cooperative stage (where fun and love are the strongest needs) and a competitive phase (where power and freedom drive needs)," Buck says.

Two kids in a competitive phase equals rough going; one kid in each stage is workable; and two cooperative kids (not surprisingly) will be easiest.

A favorite trick of ours? Let your kid quarantine a toy or two before a playmate comes over -- especially if fights are erupting over sharing.

Finally, remember that just because you and the other mom are besties, it doesn't mean your kids have to be, too. They simply need to learn to tolerate each other enough so that you and yours can sip Merlot in peace.

More from iVillage:

Nude Pregnant Celebrity Cover Shots -- So Gorgeous!

The Duggars Know Best: Parenting Lessons From America's Biggest TV Family

12 Things No One Told You About Raising a Toddler

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]]>friendsgetting alongparentingthe editors at iVillage.comFri, 20 May 2011 11:30:00 ESTParents' Bumblings and Stumblings, Uh, Help Kids to Speak, Study Showshttp://www.parentdish.com/2011/04/15/parents-bumblings-stumblings-help-kids-to-speak-study/http://www.parentdish.com/2011/04/15/parents-bumblings-stumblings-help-kids-to-speak-study/http://www.parentdish.com/2011/04/15/parents-bumblings-stumblings-help-kids-to-speak-study/#commentsFiled under: , ,

children learning language

Sentences with stumblings and pauses are easier for children to follow. Credit: Getty Images


Parents who, uh, you know, kind of like, that is to say, stumble over their words may actually be, sort of, teaching their children how to speak.

So, don't worry, you inarticulate clod. You are doing good.

Actually, you are doing well. But researchers at the University of Rochester say there is little cause to nitpick. Sentences littered with stumblings, bumblings and pauses are actually easier for children to follow than those executed with flawless elocution.

Ha! Take that, Professor Higgins!

You remember Henry Higgins, the anal-retentive professor of phonetics from "My Fair Lady." He asks the musical question, "Why can't the English teach their children how to speak?"

According to the Independent in London, it could be because they talk too much like Higgins.

For example, the newspaper reports, slightly halting, mangled speech might clue babies in that a particularly hard new vocabulary word is on its way.

Children have a lot of new words to learn, the Independent reports, so they need time to work out what they mean. Hesitations can give them that time.

"The more predictions (a toddler) can make about what is being communicated, the more efficiently he or she can understand it," Richard Aslin, professor of brain and cognitive sciences at the University of Rochester and one of the authors of the study, tells the Independent.

Researchers studied three groups of children from 18 to 30 months of age, as they sat on their parents' knees watching a pair of images on a screen. One of the images was of a familiar object (a ball or book) and one was of an unfamiliar one with a made-up name (such as a "dax" or "gorp").

A recorded voice talked about the objects. When the voice stumbled, the children were 70 percent more likely to look at the made-up image than the familiar one.

"We're not advocating that parents add disfluencies to their speech, but I think it's nice for them to know that using these verbal pauses are OK," Celeste Kidd, the study's lead author, tells the newspaper. "The 'uhs' and 'ums' are informative."

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]]>children speechlanguagespeech developmentTom HendersonFri, 15 Apr 2011 15:00:00 ESTMore Girls Entering Puberty at a Very Young Agehttp://www.parentdish.com/2011/04/12/age-of-puberty/http://www.parentdish.com/2011/04/12/age-of-puberty/http://www.parentdish.com/2011/04/12/age-of-puberty/#commentsFiled under: ,



More and more parents are reaching for "Are You There God, It's Me, Margaret" when choosing a bedtime story for their daughters, thanks to a rise in the number of girls entering puberty early.

According to CBS' The Early Show, a study published last year in the journal Pediatrics reveals that 15 percent of all Caucasian girls are developing breasts and other outward signs of maturity by age 7. The rate among African-American children is even higher: 23 percent of girls are entering puberty early. The study looked at 1,239 girls and the results are double that of a 1997 study.

Dr. Jennifer Ashton is a medical correspondent for CBS and she tells The Early Show that the effects of precocious puberty are not "cute."

"You have to remember, this is occurring at a time of childhood development where all girls and children want to do is fit in and look like the person sitting next to them," Ashton says. "It can generate a lot of fear. It's not cute. Adults can look at it and say, 'Oh, how cute.' It's really an adult body, a developing adult body in a child's age."

The emotional effects of entering puberty at such a young age are many and varied, she adds. Girls could suffer from depression, increased peer pressure and low self-esteem -- and early sexual activity.

"They are known to participate in sexual activity in an earlier age because of this," Ashton tells The Early Show. "Also, they can be shorter because we know that estrogen is one of the key hormones in puberty that closes off the growth plates and girls will not be as tall as if they went to puberty in a later age."

So, what's causing the shift? There are a number of factors to consider, but Ashton says childhood obesity could be one of the culprits. Body fat generates the female hormone estrogen -- and estrogen is one of the body's triggers for initiating puberty.

The effects of early puberty don't end when a girl is young. It can cause issues as they grow up, as well, including an increased risk of breast and uterine cancer.

Ashton recommends that parents who see the signs of early puberty in their daughters should seek the advice of their pediatrician.

"This could be a very frightening process for a child as well as a parent," Ashton tells The Early Show.

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]]>age of pubertypubertyAmy HatchTue, 12 Apr 2011 14:30:00 ESTExplaining ADHD to Othershttp://www.parentdish.com/2011/04/12/explaining-adhd-to-others/http://www.parentdish.com/2011/04/12/explaining-adhd-to-others/http://www.parentdish.com/2011/04/12/explaining-adhd-to-others/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

explaining adhd

Credit: Getty Images

Dealing with an ADHD diagnosis can be tough. The complexities of this disorder -- like when your child has a meltdown in the supermarket checkout line -- are not easily understood. You know that it's all part of the disorder, but all around you, eyeballs roll, and you hear judgmental comments like, "Why can't you control him?" or "She just needs to cut back on sugar." If only it were so easy!

Does ADHD define your child? Of course not! So how do you help others see past attention issues and appreciate your whole child? How can you explain your child's disorder to others, without sounding apologetic or preachy?

Not every situation allows you to fend for your child, but among friends and family, it's good to set the record straight and separate the symptoms of ADHD from your child's overall demeanor. As we've all been told: knowledge is the key to understanding.

When possible, inform friends and family of your child's disorder in advance of an encounter. This will sensitize onlookers and help you manage the situation. With its prevalence (the AAP reports that 4.4 million children have been diagnosed with ADHD) many people are already sensitive to its impact.

But for those novices, give them the bare facts:

Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a condition of the brain that makes it hard for children to control their behavior. Inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity are the key behaviors of ADHD. Children with ADHD have frequent, severe problems that interfere with their ability to live normal lives. ADHD is usually diagnosed in childhood, although the condition can continue into adult years.

Analogies are another popular and useful way of explaining ADHD to outsiders. But since there are many different ways ADHD controls the brain, there are just as many appropriate analogies. Comparisons have been made to a moth drawn to the brightest light or the brain as a brakeless bike.

One particularly compelling one comes from an ADHD message board:

"When normal people look up at the night sky they see a starry night and they see the stars. They may focus on one particular star but they still see the rest of the sky around it.
When an ADHD person looks up at night, they see a star, then they look at another star, and then another. When they see another star they get distracted and lose their focus on the previous one. They see only single stars without seeing the whole picture."

For those who are deeply interested, or who continue to express skepticism about your child's disorder, invite them to accompany you to a doctor's visit. Check with the doctor first, of course, and then allow the doctor to address concerns and questions. Even though you are the expert on your child, some people need to hear from a professional to get the message!

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]]>adhdCarolyn RogalskyTue, 12 Apr 2011 12:00:00 ESTBedwetting More Common in Boys Than Girls, Study Showshttp://www.parentdish.com/2011/03/28/bedwetting/http://www.parentdish.com/2011/03/28/bedwetting/http://www.parentdish.com/2011/03/28/bedwetting/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

boy girl picture

Boys are twice as likely to wet the bed. Credit: Getty Images

Bedwetting is one of those anxiety-producing, embarrassing situations most kids and parents just don't want to talk about.

But, if you've got a son in grade school, you might want to make sure the Spider-Man, Star Wars or shark sheet ensembles are waterproof.

Doctors don't know for sure what causes bedwetting -- or why it stops -- but new findings suggest boys are twice as likely to wet the bed, Reuters reports.

In a study of 6,147 children in Hong Kong, researchers from the Prince of Wales Hospital at the Chinese University of Hong Kong found seven out of 100 boys, and three out of 100 girls, ages 6 to 11 wet their beds, averaging out to five in 100 kids, according to the study published in the Journal of Pediatrics.

But wetting the bed is nothing to be embarrassed about and usually stops by age 15, Reuters reports.

In four out of 10 cases, bedwetting is hereditary, Dr. Joseph Barone, pediatric urologist at the Bristol-Myers Squibb Children's Hospital in New Brunswick, N.J., tells Reuters.

The reason boys wet the bed more often, he tells the news service, is because sometimes the link between the bladder and the brain is not fully developed. Girls mature faster, so they outgrow bedwetting faster, he adds.

Unsurprisingly, the researchers found bedwetting decreased with age. Nine out of 100 6-year-olds wet their beds, versus two out of 100 11-year-olds, according to Reuters.

Though there are no fool-proof cures for bedwetting, Barone recommends using an alarm that is connected to a sensor in a child's underwear, which goes off when it gets wet. These cost $50 to $150 and work 80 to 90 percent of the time, he tells Reuters.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends using a bedwetting alarm if prescribed by the child's physician and says they tend to be most helpful for kids who have some dry nights and some bladder control on their own.

"Nothing else is going to cure bedwetting, other than outgrowing it," Barone tells Reuters.

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]]>bedwettingMary Beth SammonsMon, 28 Mar 2011 14:30:00 ESTTry This: How Do You Encourage Personal Hygiene in Your Kids?http://www.parentdish.com/2011/03/07/personal-hygiene-kids/http://www.parentdish.com/2011/03/07/personal-hygiene-kids/http://www.parentdish.com/2011/03/07/personal-hygiene-kids/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,



Many kids put up a fight when it comes to the daunting task of brushing their teeth or taking a bath. It can be a challenge to explain to younger kids why hygiene is so important.

We asked some moms how they encourage hygiene in their kids and they agreed that persistence is key. It's important to monitor hygiene habits until kids are old enough to do it on their own, one mom added.

AdviceMama offers a few helpful tips:

  • Instead of making brushing a part of your child's bedtime ritual, consider having him brush right after dinner, or before a favorite evening TV show. Some children dawdle about brushing before bed to delay the dreaded time when lights get switched off. Unless he's eating after dinner, there's no reason he can't get the same benefit from brushing an hour or two earlier.
  • Buy your child an electric toothbrush. Many children enjoy using a "machine," especially if you also let him pick a toothpaste that he likes. Try adding music to his brushing ritual; most songs run 2-3 minutes, which is an ideal amount of time to spend on dental hygiene.

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]]>AdvertiserMon, 07 Mar 2011 00:01:00 ESTThe Chinese Mom Gets Her Just Desserts: Does Strict Parenting Spell Success?http://www.parentdish.com/2011/01/28/the-chinese-mom-gets-her-just-desserts-does-strict-parenting-sp/http://www.parentdish.com/2011/01/28/the-chinese-mom-gets-her-just-desserts-does-strict-parenting-sp/http://www.parentdish.com/2011/01/28/the-chinese-mom-gets-her-just-desserts-does-strict-parenting-sp/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Amy Chua, aka The Chinese Mom, author of "The Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mom," is the woman who rejected her 4-year-old's homemade birthday card because it wasn't good enough. I could argue her no playdates, no second-place child-rearing regime is an attempt at control in a complicated world. I could speculate that it's a middle finger to the reigning parenting culture with its everybody-wins-a-medal, let's-talk-it-out while I drive you and your five friends to the birthday party.

Or I could treat the Tiger Mom to some of her own medicine.

She wants results. I got them.

Bring on the results, the cold hard evidence. Does "Chinese parenting" help kids? Or is it the fast track to an adulthood spent in therapy? Here's what we know:

Authoritarian parenting. These parents, like Chua, cherish rules and expectations but not negotiation or warm fuzzy moments. We got piles of evidence children raised by strict, stern parents aren't as well-adjusted or successful as those with "authoritative" parents who show more affection and wiggle room ("Tell me, honey, why did you hit your brother?").

Make that kids raised in the U.S. and other cultures that value individuality and independence.

Chinese kids do just fine with authoritarian parents. They often appear better off than those with authoritative parents. Cross-cultural studies suggest people raised in cultures that value interdependence perceive tough love as a sign of affection. The fate of Chinese American kids -- those raised in the U.S. by Chinese or other non-Western authoritarian parents -- that's another question under investigation in a large study right now by Chinese-American researcher Ruth Chao.

Self-Esteem. Cross-cultural studies also find strict parenting by itself doesn't lower self-confidence. How kids perceive it is key. If you think mommy doesn't find you all that, you got issues. Affluent teenage girls appear especially vulnerable to mommy's disapproval, but most of this data comes from studies on white U.S. youths. By the way, psychologist Roy Baumeister, the man who put self-esteem on a pedestal back in the '70s now regrets it. Says it's overrated.

Praise. It may be overrated, too. Research shows applause can backfire if parents focus on results ("Awesome drawing!") or innate abilities ("You're an amazing artist!") rather than efforts ("You worked so hard!"). Kids told they're smart over and over attribute achievements to their brains and not their efforts. Bad grades mean they're not smart, so hey, why bother studying next time. Good grades mean they're smart, so why study? Non-Westerner parents tend to attribute success more to effort than talent or ability and that's good for motivating kids. Tiger Mom obviously believes in the power of practice and hard work at least in so much as it achieves stellar results. Unfortunately, anything less is failure.

What else? There's been mention of high suicide rates among Asian American youths, though the stats are inconsistent. There's also some talk about a lack of creativity in Asian parenting, but not much there to pick apart either. However, lots of research attests to the benefits of social intelligence and how the most successful adults aren't the smartest but the most socially gifted. So the birthday parties and sleepovers aren't mere child's play, but productive work sessions. Any fun, thus, icing on the cake.

No, I didn't read Chua's memoir because there's not going to be a test. Certainly Ms. Chua doesn't expect me or anyone to read it for pleasure.

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]]>amy chuaAmyChuatiger momtiger motherTigerMomTigerMotherPolly PalumboFri, 28 Jan 2011 11:35:00 ESTWhat Are the Signs My Child May Have ADHD?http://www.parentdish.com/2011/01/26/what-are-the-signs-my-child-may-have-adhd/http://www.parentdish.com/2011/01/26/what-are-the-signs-my-child-may-have-adhd/http://www.parentdish.com/2011/01/26/what-are-the-signs-my-child-may-have-adhd/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,




Q. What Are the Signs My Child May Have ADHD?

Dr. Jim Sears, Pediatrician, host of "The Doctors," answers:

A lot of younger kids tend to struggle in school, whether it's paying attention or just being too hyperactive and disruptive to the class. That can be a problem with the teacher and the parents.

I have a lot of parents coming into my office saying the teacher is asking me to do something, but maybe I don't want to do a prescription. I always sit down and talk to those parents and say to them, if you think your child is having a hard time in school, whether its attention or activity, look at the child's lifestyle, look at what they're eating and how much they're exercising; because a lot of those problems can be improved by improved nutrition.

Whether it's eating more fruits and vegetables or eating more fish, especially fish oils; we've really found that fish oil supplements in the diet can help a child pay attention. Also, it's very important to eat a good breakfast. Kids that eat a good, hearty breakfast with a good source of protein, some good complex carbs, whole grains, yogurt, and things like that, tend to pay better attention in school.

So whether your child gets a label put on them or if there is a diagnosis of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or not, if you think your child isn't doing as well as you think they should be, get the help, talk to your doctor. Improve their nutrition, make sure they get some exercise, especially before school, and you will see an improvement, I guarantee it.

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]]>adhdthe editors at AOLHealthWed, 26 Jan 2011 12:00:00 ESTHow to Address Violent Behavior in Childrenhttp://www.parentdish.com/2011/01/20/how-to-address-violent-behavior-in-children/http://www.parentdish.com/2011/01/20/how-to-address-violent-behavior-in-children/http://www.parentdish.com/2011/01/20/how-to-address-violent-behavior-in-children/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

violent children

If a child tries to find a solution to his or her violent behavior, it's more likely to stick. Credit: Getty Images

When parents catch their children acting violent, they need to address it.

Allowing a child to kick, hit, bite or hurt another person without consequences can cause a child to become violent in a worrisome way, child behavior experts say.

"You have to make it very clear that it's not acceptable," says William M. Buzogany, a child and adolescent psychiatrist based in Dousman, Wis. "You have to break the cycle. If he can get away with it, he's going to do it again."

But in addition to disciplining a child, it's also important to have a discussion about what violence is and why your family doesn't tolerate it, adds David Lowenstein, a psychologist in Columbus, Ohio.

After an incident, ask the child to come up with a better way to address his or her feelings, Lowenstein suggests. Spend some talking about what happened, why it was wrong and how to do better the next time, he says.

If a child tries to find a solution to his or her behavior, it's more likely to stick, Lowenstein says.

It's also important for parents to follow through with threats and punishments, he says, adding that if you tell a child you're taking his or her cell phone away for a month, you've got to do it.

Parents should worry if a child shows no remorse for violent behavior, Lowenstein says, and that parents need to help their children develop a conscience.

"We can breed (violence) by not giving (children) a sense of responsibility," he says.

Violent behavior that becomes repetitive, chronic or harmful also is cause for worry, Buzogany says. When you notice a problem, talk with the child's teachers to see if he or she is having issues at school, he says.

It's a good idea to discuss concerns with a pediatrician or family doctor before consulting with a psychiatrist.

Parents have to walk a fine line between seeking help "way too quickly" and waiting "until there's some serious trouble," Buzogany notes. "You don't have to go to a psychiatrist right away," he says. You want kids to "take some responsibility for their behavior."

He also recommends counseling before trying to use medication to change behavior.

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]]>disciplineevergreenhittingkickingviolent behaviorviolent childrenMelissa Kossler DuttonThu, 20 Jan 2011 12:00:00 ESTAre Your Kids Getting Enough Pretend Play Time?http://www.parentdish.com/2011/01/06/are-your-kids-getting-enough-pretend-play-time/http://www.parentdish.com/2011/01/06/are-your-kids-getting-enough-pretend-play-time/http://www.parentdish.com/2011/01/06/are-your-kids-getting-enough-pretend-play-time/#commentsFiled under: , ,

kid playing blocks picture

Not all toys have to plug in. Credit: Getty Images


Back in the day, "play time" didn't mean "screen time," because there weren't that many screens available. Now, of course, children have so many electronic entertainment options that they may not be getting enough good old fashioned pretend play.

One mom, Sarah Wilson, decided to do something about that. The New York Times reports that Wilson brought back the balls and blocks in her house after she visited her local kindergarten and saw "a wall of computers and little desks" instead of a sandbox and toys.

What do you think? Are your kids getting enough pretend play time?

Got an idea for the Chatterbox? Talk to us!

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]]>chatterboxplayplay timePlayTimepretend playPretendPlaySandboxscreen timescreen time and playScreenTimeScreenTimeAndPlayBrett SingerThu, 06 Jan 2011 10:00:00 ESTTeacher Assigns Extra Credit Project for 6th Graders: Grow Uphttp://www.parentdish.com/2010/12/28/teacher-assigns-extra-credit-project-for-sixth-graders-grow-up/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/12/28/teacher-assigns-extra-credit-project-for-sixth-graders-grow-up/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/12/28/teacher-assigns-extra-credit-project-for-sixth-graders-grow-up/#commentsFiled under: , ,

The sixth graders in Joanna Drusin's English class get a strange assignment every year: If they want to, for extra credit, they can grow up.

Oh, she doesn't call it that. The New York City teacher calls it the "Do Something on Your Own" project. Her idea is that, by age 11, kids are capable of a lot more than they're usually allowed to do. They can walk to school. They can make dinner. They can (I remind myself when my 12-year-old is lolling in bed) get themselves up without a million, "COME ON!"s.

But a lot of the time we don't make (or let) our kids do these things because we think they're not ready. This project changes all that -- and more.

I went to Drusin's class last week to read the students' papers on their projects. It turns out several kids had made dinner -- including one girl who overcame about 19 hurdles at once. "My mom's really protective," she explained. "So I'm not allowed in the kitchen."

"How do you get your snacks?" asked a fellow student.

"She gives them to me," the girl said, blushing. For the sake of the project, however, her mom let her enter the sanctum sanctorum and stir some corn soup.

"How was it?" someone asked.

"Awful!" But the taste of freedom -- delicious.

Another boy understood her predicament precisely: "I live down the street and my parents still walk me to school! And I still have a babysitter!" He cringed. His parents had not let him do the extra credit project. He'd asked if he could walk to school by himself.

Other parents, however, gave their blessing and the kids wrote of their excitement buying groceries, or even just walking around the neighborhood on their own (sweet freedom!). One boy proudly caught a city bus only to realize he was going the wrong direction. He panicked! "I practically screamed at the bus driver!" he says. But somehow he managed to hold it in, get off, and go back in the right direction.

Now he keeps that paper bus transfer in his wallet, the way you'd press a rose from your first dance. It reminds him of a failure and of a success, but mostly it reminds him of the day he grew up.

We all want our kids to grow confident and responsible. Maybe a "Grow Up" project is what they need.

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]]>Lenore SkenazyTue, 28 Dec 2010 11:00:00 ESTWhen Autistic Son Denied Service Dog, Mom Bites Backhttp://www.parentdish.com/2010/11/19/when-autistic-son-denied-service-dog-mom-bites-back/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/11/19/when-autistic-son-denied-service-dog-mom-bites-back/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/11/19/when-autistic-son-denied-service-dog-mom-bites-back/#commentsFiled under: , ,

autistic dog

A Florida school district doesn't want any doggone service animals. Credit: Jennifer Hlad/Capital News Service/MCT

What's with the Collier County School District in Naples, Fla., and dogs?

A dog could get the distinct impression he's not wanted in southwest Florida schools. District officials just refused to a let a 6-year-old boy with autism bring his service dog to school.

The Naples Daily News reports this decision comes eight months after district officials agreed to pay $125,000 to settle a lawsuit brought by the parents of another boy denied a service dog.

William and Brenda Hughes filed the suit, claiming the district violated, among other laws, the Americans with Disabilities Act. They argued their son, Derek, needed a dog to help him deal with both autism and epilepsy.

The current case involves John "J.C." Bowen, a 6-year-old with autism. His mother, Elizabeth Lasanta, tells the Daily News he needs the dog because it helps her son remain calm in class and can respond properly if he has a seizure.

School officials say Lasanta fails to make a convincing argument. District policy defines a service animal as "an animal trained to accompany its owner or handler for the purpose of carrying items, retrieving objects, pulling a wheelchair, alerting the owner or handler to medical conditions or other such activities of service or support necessary to mitigate a disability."

Sorry, they say. Pepsi the yellow retriever just doesn't qualify.

Lasanta tells the Daily News the school district has another fight on its hands.

"You wouldn't deny a student the right to bring an asthma inhaler to school if he had a prescription," she tells the newspaper. "My son has a prescription for his service dog."

The fight is already a year old. It began in preschool, when Lasanta tried to get a service dog added to her boy's individualized education plan.

"Given John's progress, a service dog was not needed for the purposes of the individualized education plan that we had developed for John to provide him with an appropriate education," Estates Elementary Principal Francine Eufemia wrote in a letter to Lasanta.

The letter adds that school officials "considered the mother's request to have the dog in public areas of the school so that J.C. could bond with the dog."

That part really ticked Lasanta off.

"My son doesn't need to bond with his dog," she tells the Daily News. "That was not the reason for my request."

Jon Fishbane, the Collier County School District's attorney, tells the newspaper he can't comment on the issue. School officials and Bowen's family are in the middle of a hearing, which resumes in December.

The $125,000 school officials agreed to pay in April to the Hughes family included a provision that the district doesn't have to admit it did anything wrong.

The Daily News also reports the money will be paid by the district's insurance carrier and doesn't involve any direct district funds.

As part of the settlement, the newspaper reports, the Hughes family agreed to drop all complaints and not to enroll Derek in Collier County Public Schools ever again.

Lasanta tells the Daily News she's not going anyway. Unlike the Hughes, she says, she can't afford to settle out of court and get out of Dodge. If school officials want to fight, they better make some sandwiches. It could be a long siege, she says.

"We have 14 more years with my kids in this school district," she tells the paper. "We can play nice. Or we can battle it out. But I will not have the district infringing on his rights."

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]]>autismschool lawsuitSchoolLawsuitservice dogServiceDogTom HendersonFri, 19 Nov 2010 16:48:00 ESTVictoria's New Secret: Your 7-Year-Old May Be the New Kid on the Bra Store Blockhttp://www.parentdish.com/2010/10/27/victorias-new-secret-your-7-year-old-may-be-the-new-kid-on-the/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/10/27/victorias-new-secret-your-7-year-old-may-be-the-new-kid-on-the/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/10/27/victorias-new-secret-your-7-year-old-may-be-the-new-kid-on-the/#commentsFiled under: ,

child mirror picture

Girls, they grow up so fast. Too fast. Credit: Getty Images

For parents intent on keeping their little girls, well, just that -- little girls -- we hate to tell you, but tweendom is just around the corner. Translation: Your 7-year-old could be getting boobs.

Specialists in glands and hormones have noticed an alarming increase in girls as young as 6 or 7 showing signs of puberty, according to a new study conducted through the Breast Cancer and the Environment Research Centers, established in 2003 by the National Institute of Environmental Health Science and the National Cancer Institute.

That means the trek to the bra store and the pressure to cover those little bumps may be mounting earlier than you anticipated. The new study reported in the journal Pediatrics found that very young girls are showing protrusions from their chests earlier than ever before, increasing their risk of breast cancer and other health problems, as well as taunts from boys, says Frank Biro, M.D., director of adolescent medicine at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center and the study's lead author, in a release.

The study found that the proportion of girls who had breast development at ages 7 and 8, particularly among white girls, is greater than that reported from studies of girls who were born 10 to 30 years earlier, according to the release. At age 7, 10 percent of white girls, 23 percent of black girls and 15 percent of Hispanic girls had evidence of breast development.

The issue is of concern, Biro says in the release, for both medical and psychosocial reasons. Studies suggest that earlier puberty, as measured by the age a girl is at first menstruation, can slightly increase the risk of breast cancer.

"What causes earlier onset of puberty isn't entirely clear at this time, but we are looking closely at several different potential factors, including genes and environmental exposures, as well as how those two may interact with each other," Biro says.

Overweight girls were more likely to have more breast development, the study shows. But Biro says he does not think weight is the whole story. He adds in the release that it is possible environmental chemicals are also playing a role, and that future research will examine girls' hormone levels and their exposure to various chemicals.

What the study means for retailers, who have come under fire for offering over-sexualized clothing to kids, remains to be seen. Last April, a survey by the Guardian.co.uk, found an array of items available in major chains, from a T-shirt for a 3-year-old bearing the slogan "Future WAG" to a top for a toddler with a pink bikini appliquéd on the front.

The Guardian's report prompted British retailer Primark to remove its line of padded bras for little girls, according to TheAge.com.

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]]>hormonespubertytweensMary Beth SammonsWed, 27 Oct 2010 15:25:00 ESTWatch Your Language: Young Children Unprepared for 'Snark' Attackhttp://www.parentdish.com/2010/10/15/watch-your-language-young-children-unprepared-for-snark-attac/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/10/15/watch-your-language-young-children-unprepared-for-snark-attac/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/10/15/watch-your-language-young-children-unprepared-for-snark-attac/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , ,

funny baby picture

Little kids are just so ... literal. Credit: Getty Images

A Republican walks into a bar in Idaho with a frog on his head. Bartender says, "Where'd you get that?" The frog responds, "This is Idaho. They're everywhere."

Tap. Tap. Is this thing on?

Wow. Tough room. Note to self: Quit playing elementary schools.

Good idea. A new study suggests kids younger than 10 might just hurt their necks from trying to see the sarcastic and ironic comments flying over their heads. Not really. That was just the kind of metaphorical statement many young children wouldn't "get."

The New York Times reports Canadian researchers observed young children in a laboratory and concluded that kids have virtually no grasp of irony until they are 6. Even after that, their grasp is tenuous.

It's not until they're 10 or 11, researchers found, that they stop taking everything so dang literally.

Still, many children grow to old age being severely irony-impaired. Left untreated, they spend their final days telling people in the nursing home that, by cracky, that young Stephen Colbert fella makes a lot of sense.

(Psst, Colbert only pretends to be a conservative commentator. No one would be that over the top. It's all a joke. Like Glenn Beck.)

Researchers say their conclusions are important to keep in mind when talking to young children and clueless adults who are going to take things literally and will be probably end up confused or perturbed.

Even when the irony-impaired try to dabble in irony and sarcasm themselves, researchers found, they really don't understand what they're doing. Asked to explain irony, they might look like they just got clocked upside the head with a two-by-four.

"You really see that they respond appropriately to this language in conversation," Holly E. Recchia, the lead author of the report, tells The Times. "That's not the same as saying they can explain their understanding explicitly."

Recchia is an assistant professor of education at Concordia University in Montreal, and, The Times reports, she and her colleagues found mothers tended to use irony and sarcasm more negatively than fathers.

"It may be that mothers take on roles as teachers or managers," Recchia tells The Times. "If moms are more engaged in conflict management, then it could be that rhetorical questions are more effective than sarcasm."

As children start getting snarky, they are more like to use sarcasm ("Gee, thanks a lot") rather than understatement ("I'm just a bit angry with you right now").

Of course, you can be ironic without being mean.

"Parents tend to view ironic language negatively, but it's not always negative or nasty," Recchia tells the newspaper. "Sometimes it's quite playful. It may be that humor and irony can help to defuse situations that might otherwise cause conflict. It may be an effective tool."

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]]>ironyirony researchIronyResearchsarcasmTom HendersonFri, 15 Oct 2010 16:30:00 ESTHalloween Crafts: Gruesome Gourd Creatureshttp://www.parentdish.com/2010/10/15/halloween-crafts/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/10/15/halloween-crafts/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/10/15/halloween-crafts/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

halloween crafts picture

Need some Halloween crafts? Scare Halloween revelers with wacky gourd creatures like this creeping critter. Credit: Gina Provenzano

Tired of the same old jack-o-lanterns and tombstone lawn ornaments that serve as standard Halloween decor? DIY creepy creatures will delight kids young and old this season.

Unleash your pint-sized peeps with overactive imaginations on a pile of pumpkins and gourds and see what comes of it all. OK, you might need to lend a hand or two. Here's how to scare up some family fun.

What You'll Need:

  • Gourds and pumpkins
  • Dowels or wooden skewers, 3 -4 inches in length
  • White glue
  • Permanent marker
  • Sharp tool to punch holes, an awl or metal skewer (to be used by adult only)
Directions:

Play with gourds and pumpkins to find the perfect combination and general location for placement. Indicate where gourds should be placed by making a dot with a marker. Adults should pierce both entry points on gourds at markings. Then, allow child to dip ends of dowel in glue and insert halfway into main body and extremity. Get crafty. Use mini gourds for eyes, curly squash as a nose or legs (our octopus could have easily been a spider by swinging his legs in the opposite direction). If necessary, use a knife to trim ends in order to fit one end to another.

Allow to dry. Then set out to scare and inspire.

halloween crafts picture

Get tangled up in an orange octopus. Credit: Gina Provenzano

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]]>craftsgourdshalloweenhalloween craftsHalloweenCraftskidsGina ProvenzanoFri, 15 Oct 2010 10:00:00 ESTYou Can Insure Just Your Child ... for a Pricehttp://www.parentdish.com/2010/10/14/you-can-insure-just-your-child-for-a-price/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/10/14/you-can-insure-just-your-child-for-a-price/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/10/14/you-can-insure-just-your-child-for-a-price/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Sorry, kid, no individual insurance policy for you. Credit: Getty Images

Slowly, the man in the pinstripe suit raised the corners of his mouth in a self-satisfied smile.

"Yeeees," he said as he rubbed his hands together. "You can have your precious child-only health insurance policy back. And all it will cost you is ... higher premiums!"

From out of nowhere, there was sudden, loud and ominous blast of organ music. The man seemed to erupt in flames, and before the young mother could gather her wits, the mysterious stranger vanished as quickly as he had appeared. All that remained was a cloud of smoke that smelled faintly of brimstone.

To be fair and balanced, insurance companies are not the devil. Or even his minions. That's just an incredibly popular (and probably only partially true) legend.

Another is that the Obama administration made a Faustian bargain with insurance companies. That legend, however, is based on actual events.

Earlier this year, health insurance companies dropped child-only insurance policies because the kids just didn't bring in enough money. Administration officials feared sick children may go uncovered and untreated, so they struck a deal.

If companies agreed to restore child-only policies, in return, the administration would allow companies to jack up their premiums so they can turn a profit. That is, assuming individual state laws permit it.

But not all the companies are playing ball.

"Unfortunately, some insurers have decided to stop writing new business in the child-only insurance market, reneging on a previous commitment made in a March letter to 'make pre-existing condition exclusions a thing of the past,' " Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius says in statement quoted by The New York Times.

Insurers argue they're not greedy devils, just economic realists. They won't have the resources to help anyone if they don't turn a profit. In other words, they can't help the sick unless the majority of the people paying premiums are healthy.

They told administration officials child-only policy are fiscal disasters waiting to happen because, under health care reforms, families can buy insurance for their children at the last minute. While that may make sense from a humanitarian standpoint, insurance executives argued it hampered their ability to do the greatest good for the greatest number of people.

All this may be moot in 2014.

Unless Republicans win enough seats in Congress next month to make good on their plans to scuttle health care reform, all Americans will be required to have health insurance by 2014. Insurance companies won't be able to turn either adults or children away because of pre-existing conditions.

The Times reports the Obama administration and insurance companies have been locking horns for months. Administration officials want companies to cover children with cancer, autism, heart defects and other conditions.

Yet, most parents are lucky if they can find insurance that covers braces.

In a letter quoted by The Times, Sebelius calls the continued reluctance of some insurance companies to offer child-only policies "extremely disappointing."

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]]>child only health careChildOnlyHealthCarehealth carehealth care reformhealth insuranceHealthCareHealthCareReformHealthInsuranceTom HendersonThu, 14 Oct 2010 13:30:00 ESTSchool Cafeterias to Try Psychology in Lunch Linehttp://www.parentdish.com/2010/10/13/school-cafeteria/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/10/13/school-cafeteria/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/10/13/school-cafeteria/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

school cafeteria picture

The U.S. government is trying new approaches to get kids to choose healthier foods. Credit: Mark Humphrey/AP

Hide the chocolate milk behind the plain milk. Get those apples and oranges out of stainless steel bins and into pretty baskets. Cash only for desserts.

These subtle moves can entice kids to make healthier choices in school lunch lines, studies show. Food and restaurant marketers have long used similar tricks. Now the government wants in on the act.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced what it called a major new initiative Tuesday, giving $2 million to food behavior scientists to find ways to use psychology to improve kids' use of the federal school lunch program and fight childhood obesity.

A fresh approach is clearly needed, those behind the effort say.

About one-third of children and teens are obese or overweight. Bans on soda and junk food have backfired in some places. Some students have abandoned school meal programs that tried to force-feed healthy choices. When one school district put fruit on every lunch tray, most of it ended up in the garbage.

So instead of pursuing a carrot or a stick approach, schools want to entice kids to choose the carrot sticks, figuring children are more likely to eat something they select themselves.

"It's not nutrition till it's eaten," said Joanne Guthrie, a USDA researcher who announced the new grants. The initiative will include creation of a child nutrition center at Cornell University, which has long led this type of research.

Some tricks already judged a success by Cornell researchers: Keep ice cream in freezers without glass display tops so the treats are out of sight. Move salad bars next to the checkout registers, where students linger to pay, giving them more time to ponder a salad. And start a quick line for make-your-own subs and wraps, as Corning East High School in upstate New York did.

"I eat that every day now," instead of the chicken patty sandwiches that used to be a staple, said Shea Beecher, a 17-year-old senior.

"It's like our own little Subway," said Sterling Smith, a 15-year-old sophomore. (Hint to the school: Freshen up the fruit bowl; the choices are pretty narrow by the time Smith gets to his third-shift lunch period.)

Last year, the USDA asked the Institute of Medicine for advice on its school lunch and breakfast programs, which provide free or subsidized meals to more than 31 million schoolchildren each day. The institute recommended more fruit, vegetables and whole grains with limits on fat, salt and calories. But it was clear this wouldn't help unless kids accepted healthier foods, Guthrie said.

"We can't just say we're going to change the menu and all of our problems will be solved," she said.

The agency requested proposals from researchers on how to get kids to actually eat the good stuff. Cornell scientists Brian Wansink and David Just will get $1 million to establish the child nutrition center. Fourteen research sites around the country will share the other $1 million.

"Findings from this emerging field of research - behavioral economics - could lead to significant improvements in the diets of millions of children across America," Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said in a statement.

Cornell's focus will be developing "smart lunchrooms" that guide kids to make good choices even when more tempting ones are around.

"We're not taking things away from kids," Wansink said. "It's making the better choice the easier, more convenient choice."

Wansink is a prominent food science researcher, known for studies on the depiction of food in paintings of the Last Supper and how the placement of a candy jar can affect how much people eat from it.

Christine Wallace, food service director for Corning City School District near Cornell University, met him a few years ago and invited him to use her 14 schools as a lab.

"We tend to look at what we're offering and to make sure it's well prepared and in the correct portion size, and not the psychology of it. We're just not trained that way," Wallace said.

For example, some Corning schools had express lines for a la carte items - mostly chips, cookies and ice cream. The idea was to reduce bottlenecks caused by full tray lunches that took longer to ring up. But the result was a public health nightmare.

"We were making it very convenient for them to quickly go through the line and get a bunch of less nutritious items," Wallace said.

After studies by Wansink, they renamed some foods in the elementary schools - "X-ray vision carrots" and "lean, mean green beans" - and watched consumption rise. Cafeteria workers also got more involved, asking, "Would you rather have green beans or carrots today?" instead of waiting for a kid to request them.

And just asking, "Do you want a salad with that?" on pizza day at one high school raised salad consumption 30 percent, Wansink said.

Copyright 2010 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. All active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL. This article was written by MARILYNN MARCHIONE, Associated Press Writer.

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