Recently, The New York Times had an article about the surge in sharing kids’ photos online.  Many parents use sites such as Flickr, Facebook, MySpace, YouTube and other social networking sites to share countless moments of their kiddos – whether they’re in a Halloween costume, at Grandma’s house or (gasp!) playing in the tub.  But in some cases, photos have ended up used in ways not intended by the parent.

Some examples include photos of baby being passed off as someone else’s who is faking a pregnancy; use of children’s head shots on profiles on a social networking site in Brazil, even getting “sexy” ratings.  And of course, parents are concerned about pedophiles singling out their children and in turn finding out where they live. 

But some parents say this is the age of the Internet.  No longer are moms and dads sending pictures of their children through the mail to the grandparents in another state.  These days, grandma and grandpa are hooked to the Web to see instant pictures. 

So is it exploitation or unsafe to post pictures?  Or are the fears irrational and this is just how the 21st century is? It’s a decision only parents can make.  But if you do post pics, be sure to use password-protected Web sites and always check your privacy settings on these sites.  

And when given the choice of “Share with the world” or “Private” … don’t always go with what the site “recommends.”  Go with your gut instinct instead.

-Erica Smith
esmith@opubco.com

I’ve written posts for Hiccups before on the importance of water safety, but in light of another recent drowning, I’d like to share my personal experience with a program my 3-year-old son is in.

Infant Swimming Resource is a program I found after a user on NewsOK.com posted a comment on a story about a baby drowning a couple of months ago.  Her comment was, “If the family only knew about ISR.”  That comment prompted me to look into this program. 

I went to their Web site, www.infantswim.com,  and watched the videos and read about parents’ experiences with the program.  I have to say, I was instantly impressed.  (Click below to see the video.)

These babies and toddlers weren’t just swimming, they were performing self-rescue skills.  I found an instructor in the Oklahoma City-area using the online locator and got him started in the lessons.

I’ve had my son in swimming lessons before, but have been very disappointed with the results.  He was only swimming with a floatie on or by using a noodle and these give children, and their parents,  a false sense of security.  Children don’t fall into pools with floaties on.  If they did, no child would drown.

What ISR does is look at all aspects of a child.  The program uses many fields of study in their approach – psychology, biology, physiology and anatomy.  And most children go through the program and are skilled in self-rescue swimming in only 4-6 weeks.

When my son started, he had never even been put underwater. He never floated on his own.  He was terrified of going underwater. Now he is in his last week in the program. He can swim underwater, turn to float to get his breath then continue swimming to the side of the pool.  Without the aid of any flotation device.  If you knew my son, you would know this is truly impressive.

The lessons are one-on-one with a highly trained instructor.  Because repetition is key, they are every weekday for the full 4-6 weeks. To prevent water fatigue, the lessons are only 10 minutes long. 

I urge every parent to check out this program.  I am truly impressed with what my son has learned and with the professionalism and knowledge of the instructors.  It’s a small price to pay and small amount of time to spend on preventing the senseless tragedy of losing a child to drowning.

-Erica Smith

esmith@opubco.com

The first five are for trick-or-treaters:

1. Cross the street safely at corners. Use traffic signals and crosswalks.  Walk, don’t run, and always look left, right then left again before crossing.

2. Stay on sidewalks or paths. No sidewalks? Then walk facing traffic as far to the left as possible.

3. Slow down, stay alert. Keep an eye out for cars turning or backing up.  Don’t dart into the street or cross in between parked cars.

4. Young kids should always be with an adult. Especially those younger than 12. 

5. Costumes should be safe. Reflective tap is essential.  If possible, choose a light-colored costume. Choose nontoxic face paint over a mask that can obstruct a child’s vision. Have kids carry glow sticks and flashlights. Make sure they can be seen.

The last five are for drivers:

6.  SLOW DOWN.  Especially in residential neighborhoods and school zones. Most often, trick-or-treating is done between 5:30 and 9:30 p.m.

7. Be especially alert. Take extra time to look for kids at intersections, on medians and on curbs. Kids can be unpredictable so be on guard.

8. Enter and exit driveways slowly and carefully.

9. Reduce distractions when driving.  Don’t talk on your phone or text. It only takes a second to miss a child darting out in front of your car. Concentrate fully on the road and your surroundings.

10. Keep your headlights on so you can spot kids at a greater distance. Children may not be able to see your vehicle.

Let’s keep these 10 important tips in mind so everyone has a safe and happy Halloween.

-Erica Smith
esmith@opubco.com

The free parenting seminar will be at the Edmond library on Wednesday, Sept. 23, from 3:30 – 5:00 p.m. It’s perfect for parents and caregivers of children from birth to age 5. The experts from Child Guidance Services will answer questions and address concerns, and give out great information about issues related to eating.  Techniques and resources will be provided.

To register, call Child Guidance at 425-4412 to register.  For more information about this program and others, call 427-8651 or go to www.cchdoc.com.

-Erica Smith
esmith@opubco.com

Experts will be available to give hands-on instruction on installing car seats and booster seats. 

“We are urging everyone to have their child checked to be sure they are using the right restraint – a car seat, booster seat or seat belt.  When it comes to the safety of a child, there is no room for mistakes,” said Christy Cornforth, local coalition coordinator, in a news release.  “Parents should not guess on the installation of their child restraint.”

The coalition says that according to a 2008 study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 4 out of 5 child restraints are critically misused.

Don’t be one of the 4.  Our children’s lives are too precious.

-Erica Smith
esmith@opubco.com

Here’s what your day care should have been told:

1. Encourage all staff to get vaccinated.

2.  Make sure children’s and staff’s hands are washed often with soap and water, and especially after children cough or sneeze. Keep alcohol-based hand cleaner nearby if a sink isn’t readily available.

3.  Remind children and staff not to touch their eyes, nose or mouth as germs are often spread this way.

4. Clean the environment regularly. Dirty areas and items should be cleaned immediately, especially play areas and toys.

5. Day care staffers deemed to be high risk for flu complications and parents of children younger than age 5 who become ill with flu-like symptoms should call their doctor immediately to see if they are in need of antiviral treatment.

6. If a swine flu outbreak is severe, staff should consider closing the day care center to decrease the spread of infection. A decision to close should be made in conjunction with local public health officials.

7. Remind staff to stay home and parents to keep a sick child at home when they have flu-like symptoms.  Send sick staff home immediately. If a child become ill at the day care, move them to a separate, but supervised, area until a parent can pick them up.

If an outbreak becomes more severe or symptoms more dangerous as the fall and winter season approach, the following guidelines should also be considered:

1. Let high-risk staffers stay at home.

2. Increase the distance between children; separate children into small groups of six or less.

3. Have children stay home if there are others in the child’s household who have the swine flu.

4. Inform parents of sick children and sick staff  members that they should say home for at least 7 days.

5. Close the day care center either as a reaction to the outbreak or even as a preventative measure.

For more information about swine flu, go to http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/.

Here’s to hoping we and our children stay healthy this flu season.

-Erica Smith
esmith@opubco.com

Discussions will allow for parenting questions in areas of speech, language, development and behavior.  Children don’t need to be present but may attend. 

Sessions are by appointment only.  To schedule an appointment, call 425-4412.  For more information about this program or others, call 427-8651 or go to www.cchdoc.com.

-Erica Smith
esmith@opubco.com

Sponsored by the Oklahoma City-County Health Department, “Common Challenges with Toddlers” is a free program focusing on common issues of this age group, including temper tantrums, biting and trouble sharing.   Parents will learn how to minimize their frustrations with these behaviors and learn solutions to help put an end to them.

The program is from 3:30 to 5 p.m. at the library, 10 S. Boulevard.

If you want to enroll, call 425-4412.  If you can’t go, no worries.  I’ll be there taking very detailed notes and I’ll be sharing what I learn and posting it here. 

-Erica Smith
esmith@opubco.com

With technology a staple these days, some parents are taking a different direction when documenting how fast their kids grow. 

One couple tracked it using a camera, taking a picture each day during their baby’s first year.  The result?  Click here.

-Erica Smith
esmith@opubco.com

THE TODDLER BED.

For two hours last weekend, I converted my son’s crib, Transformer-style, into a toddler bed.  My son was ecstatic. I was relieved. “A big boy bed!” 

I dutifully padded the floor around it, just in case of an accidental roll-out. I tucked him in for a nap and he did great.  No major injuries, no crying fits. Then came the real test … sleeping through the night.   I put him to bed, woke up the next morning and my first thought was “Wow! That worked! How easy is this!” 

Not so fast.

There they were.  Two little feet nestled next to my head.  My son sound asleep next to me.  A middle-of-the-night escape.

OK, I thought … so maybe it would take a night or two for him to get used to his bed.  Maybe he got scared.  Maybe there’s dinosaurs in his closet.  But now it’s Friday.  And I’m still waking up every morning to a visitor in my bed. 

Now, I’ve seen all the nanny shows on TV.  I’ve seen parents repeatedly put their kids back into their own beds, where they belong.  But what do you do when they sneak out of their bed every night and you don’t know until you have a knee in your rib or an arm draped over your head the next morning?

If you have any ideas, short of deadbolting his door shut, please let me know! 

-Erica Smith, Copy Editor
esmith@opubco.com