Healthy Holiday Snacks!

It takes great will power to stay away from treats this time of year. Office parties, celebrations with friends, and family get-togethers all pose a threat to one’s diet. While adults can entertain their palette with a selection of healthier choices, children may easily be distracted from a balanced meal by treats and sweets. In order to ensure your whole family has access to nutrition, here are some fun, healthy, holiday-oriented snacks you can provide!

Pita Tree Appetizers "Cut each pita fold into 8 wedges. Insert pretzel stick half into center of bottom of each wedge to form "tree trunk." In small bowl, mix sour cream, guacamole, parsley and garlic-pepper blend. Spread about 1 teaspoon sour cream mixture on each pita wedge. Blot bell pepper with paper towel to remove excess moisture. Sprinkle about 1/4 teaspoon bell pepper on each wedge or arrange to form a garland. If desired, cover and refrigerate up to 8 hours before serving." From Live Better America!

Snowman on a Stick "For each snowman, you will need three thick slices of banana, a grape, a sliver of carrot, and a triangular piece of apple. (Tip: Poke a hole in the apple piece with a bamboo skewer first to make assembly easier.) Have your kids slide the fruit onto the skewer, then use the carrot slivers for noses, mini chocolate chips for eyes and buttons, and pretzel sticks for arms." From Spoonful!

 Frosty Sandwich “To make Frosty all you really need is a circle cookie cutter. This Frosty is a ham and cheese sandwich, but feel free to choose your preferred fillings :) I cut the bread, cheese and ham with the cookie cutter. I placed the cheese on top. For the face Frosty has a carrot nose that I cut with a knife and mini chocolate chips for his eyes and mouth. The hat is cucumber and the scarf is red bell pepper slices.” From Creative Food!

Edible Fruit Tree "Using the cookie cutters create various shapes out of the melon slices. Attach toothpicks to a Styrofoam cone. Attach one piece each of a fruit to a toothpick. (Think free-form; as the tree starts building you will know more about which fruit combinations are looking better and how densely packed you want your tree to be). Continue building the tree as dense as you want! Use cilantro leaves as grass garnish." From Ginger and Garlic!

'Tis the season!

During the holiday season, just like in America, many other countries have unique traditions. Children tend to think that everywhere celebrates the same, so for parents, this time of year is perfect to teach your children about other cultures!

Here are some fun facts about other countries and cultures that you can share with your children!

• In Sweden, Norway and some areas of Finland, one of the biggest days on celebration in December is St. Lucia’s Day. This day marks the start of the holiday season and is mean to bring light and hope during the darkest time of year! 
• In Australia, the holidays fall around the middle of the summer! Children believe that when Santa comes to Australia, he gives the reindeer a rest and uses kangaroos!
• In Holland, the most important day for children is December 5th, or the eve of St. Nicholas’ Day! This holiday, Sinterklaas, or Santa Claus, comes to town to deliver presents to children.
• For Chinese families, the most popular time to celebrate is during the Chinese New Year! This is a time to honor ancestors and deities and gives families the opportunity to get together.
• Eid Al Adha, the Festival of the Sacrifice, is celebrated by Muslims on the 10th day of the month of the lunar calendar to commemorate the willingness of the prophet Ibrahim to sacrifice his son for God. Today an animal is sacrificed and the meat is shared with family, friends Muslims or non-Muslims, as well as the poor members of the community.
• Jewish people celebrate Hanukkah, a holiday honoring the Maccabees victory over King Antiochus, who forbid Jews to practice their religion. For eight nights, Hanukkah is celebrated with prayer, the lighting of the menorah, and food. A menorah has nine candles, a candle for every night, plus a helper candle. 
• On December 26, Kwanzaa is celebrated. It is a holiday to commemorate African heritage. Kwanzaa lasts a week during which participants gather with family and friends to exchange gifts and to light a series of black, red, and green candles, which symbolize the seven basic values of African American family life that are unity, self-determination, collective work and responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity, and faith.

Every country has their own traditions surrounding the winter (or summer if you’re south of the equator) holidays!

Sources:
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Safe Travel Tips for Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving is the most heavily traveled time of the year. Because so many of us will be driving, flying, and using other modes of transportation, it is important to remember a set of tips for safe and efficient travel!

• During your trip, a good way to avoid the "are we there yet" question is to give your children a map so they can see where you are and how far you have until you reach your destination. 
• Children can be a distraction in the car. Let other adults accompanying you settle distracting situations so you can keep your eyes on the road!
• Use good judgment when deciding what toys to bring in the car. In the event of a car accident, items can go flying everywhere. Bring small toys and leave everything else in the trunk!
• Driving without proper rest is very dangerous, so get proper rest. Set aside time to pack your clothes, load your vehicle and get a full night’s sleep for you and your family so you can hit the road rested!
• Simple safety first! Buckle up, and make sure all passengers are secured properly with safety belts and age-appropriate child safety seats before you head out on your trip. 
• Try to do most of your traveling during daylight hours, when visibility is best. If you find yourself driving into the glare of a rising or setting sun, consider taking a break until lighting conditions improve.
• When traveling by RV, make sure passengers buckle up in approved seating locations.
• If flying, bring your car seats with you. If it is approved for use on an aircraft, you can secure your child and help protect them from unexpected turbulence.
• Booster seats may not be used on an airplane because they require a lap/shoulder belt, so it is a good idea to check it when traveling.
• If traveling internationally with your children, be sure to bring all birth certificates, passports and documentation with you. Single parents traveling with children should bring a letter signed by the other parent giving permission for travel listing dates, location and names of those in the travel party.

For more tips on safe travel, click here.

NCA Launches PSA

This week, the National Children’s Alliance launched a campaign about the courage it takes for kids to disclose abuse and the courage it takes for adults to report it. The “Help Victims Become Survivors” campaign began with a public service announcement called “Stand Up Step Forward.” On Tuesday, with the help of Peter Connors of NCA and other PR experts, the PSA aired nationally and played during the Colbert Report on Comedy Central. There's no dialogue in the spot, but a message comes on the screen that reads, "She found the courage to report her abuse," and then the words, "So can you."This is encouraging all survivors and people who know about abuse to come forward. 

Child abuse is under reported and has huge impacts on victims, families, and communities. One of the most important things we as community members can do to help end child abuse is to say something if you suspect something.

To watch the PSA, click here.

To find out where your closest CAC is, click here.

If you do suspect a child is being harmed, reporting your suspicions may protect the child and get help for the family. Call the DCFS Child Protection hotline at 1-855-4LA-KIDS (1-855-452-5437) toll free 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Eating Healthy Over the Holidays

With Halloween treats running out just in time for pantry shelves to be packed with Thanksgiving food, we would like to provide some helpful tips on how to keep a balanced diet for you and your family during the holidays!

•  Use healthy substitutes! Cooking with lemon juice, olive oil, and other natural products when cooking. Instead of loading up on soda at the family get-together, why not bring natural juice? As for sweets- try using whole grain flour and unrefined sugar!

•  Be mindful of portions! For parents, it is important to make sure your children are getting proper portions. Since children need fewer calories than adults, it can be easy for them to over indulge- especially with sweets! Try using smaller plates for children and monitor their portion sizes.

•  Engage your children! While preparing a holiday feast, ask for your child’s input on the menu. This will help make them feel like an important part of the celebration. This is also a perfect opportunity for parents to educate their children on what a balanced meal should consist of, even during the holidays! 

•  Don’t skip meals! Help set a healthy example for your children by eating breakfast and lunch, even if there is a big holiday dinner planned! Skipping meals can be harmful to an individual’s metabolism, and can lead to overeating during the holiday feast. Keep in mind, snacking could help keep off hunger pains!

• Put extra thought into “extras!” Since children already require less calories than adults, adding that whipped cream or extra helping of gravy to an already excessive meal can really do some damage! Be sure to monitor your child’s consumption!

For more information on how to eat over the holidays, click here & here.

Did you know that November is Child Safety and Protection month?

Although child safety campaigns for this month are generally geared toward household safety and injury prevention, we can pause to review important tips regarding sexual safety and education.

The Good Men Project recently featured an article describing age-appropriate discussions and behaviors for parents to demonstrate with their children. “The Healthy Sex Talk: Teaching Kids Consent, Ages 1-21,” was created with the hope that “parents and educators find this list of action items and teaching tools helpful, and that together we can help create a generation of children who have less rape and sexual assault in their lives.”

The authors of this article believe that education can start as early as one year old. The guidelines are separated into three age groups- very young children, older children and teens/young adults. Here are some of the guidelines listed in the article:

For ages 1-5: 

•  Teach children to ask permission before touching or embracing a playmate. Use language such as, “Sarah, let’s ask Joe if he would like to hug bye-bye.” If Joe says “no” to this request, cheerfully tell your child, “That’s okay, Sarah! Let’s wave bye-bye to Joe and blow him a kiss."

For ages 5-12:

• Teaching kids that the way their bodies are changing is great, but can sometimes be confusing. The way you talk about these changes—whether it’s loose teeth or pimples and pubic hair—will show your willingness to talk about other sensitive subjects.

For Teens and Young Adults:

• Education about “good touch/bad touch” remains crucial, particularly in middle school. This is an age where various “touch games” emerge: butt-slapping, boys hitting one another in the genitals and pinching each other’s nipples to cause pain. When kids talk about these games, a trend emerges where boys explain that they think the girls like it, but the girls explain that they do not.  We must get kids talking about the ways in which these games impact other people. They will try to write it off, but it’s important to encourage them to talk it through, and ask them how they would feel if someone hit them in that way, or did something that made them feel uncomfortable or violated.

For the full article with all of the guidelines, click here.

Halloween Safety Tips!

Festive costumes, a surplus of candy at the grocery store, and Hocus Pocus reruns have all come together to signal that special time of year again- Halloween. While Halloween is one of the most exciting nights during the year for children, it also has the reputation of being one of the most worrisome nights for caregivers. Here are some tips to help you and your family maximize on safe fun this Halloween!

• Tell your kids not to enter any home unless you are with them
• Supply your children with glow sticks, flashlights or brightly colored costumes so that they are visible when it gets dark outside
• Make sure that your child knows your cell phone number and home number, as well as address
• If they cannot memorize it, allow them take a cell phone trick or treating with them in case you get separated
• If wearing a mask or hat is part of their costume, make sure that they have proper visibility out of their head wear and can see all around them
• Make sure that your trick or treat route is on brightly lit streets and in a well-know area, while avoiding unlit porches and alleys
• Teach your children to dial 9-1-1 in case there is an emergency or they get separated
• Finally, teach children to yell "NO" if they are asked to go anywhere with strangers

You can compare the tips listed in this blog to here, here and here! Have a safe and happy Halloween!