Reall info

NEWS from CPSC
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
Office of Information and Public Affairs
Washington, DC 20207

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 15, 2008
Release #09-065

CPSC Recall Hotline: (800) 638-2772
CPSC Media Contact: (301) 504-7908

Pool And Spa Safety Law Aimed At Preventing Drain Entrapments of Children Goes Into Effect This Week:
Failure to comply with Congressionally-enacted law can result in closure

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is again reminding public pool and spa owners and operators nationwide that the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act becomes effective on December 19, 2008. This law requires installation of anti-entrapment drain covers and other systems as outlined in the Act.

The Pool and Spa Safety Act was enacted by Congress and signed by President Bush on December 19, 2007, and is designed to prevent the tragic and hidden hazard of drain entrapments and eviscerations in pools and spas. Under the law, all public pools and spas must have ASME/ANSI A112.19.8-2007 compliant drain covers installed and a second anti-entrapment system installed, when there is only a single main drain. Congress gave all affected pool and spa operators one year to comply with this law.

Public pools and spas that operate year-round are expected to be in compliance by December 19, 2008. CPSC staff has taken the position that seasonal public pools and spas that are currently closed must be in compliance with the law on the day that they reopen in 2009.

"Our mission at the CPSC is to keep American families safe," said Nancy Nord, CPSC Acting Chairman. "CPSC will enforce the requirements of this pool and spa safety law with a focus on where the greatest risk of drain entrapment to children exists, such as wading pools, pools designed specifically for toddlers and young children, and in-ground spas, particularly where these types of pools and spas have flat drain grates and single main drain systems."

Nord added, "State health and enforcement agencies share the responsibility to ensure this law is properly enforced. I recommend these agencies take the same approach as CPSC concerning enforcement priorities."

Pool and spa operators are encouraged to continue working as diligently as possible to come into compliance, as the agency and state Attorneys General are empowered to close down any pool or spa that fails to meet the Act's requirements.

For more information about the Pool and Spa Safety Act, how to comply, and which companies have been certified to manufacturer drain covers and safety vacuum release systems, please log on to: www.cpsc.gov/whatsnew.html#pool

To see this release on CPSC's web site, please go to: http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml09/09065.html



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The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of serious injury or death from thousands of types of consumer products under the agency's jurisdiction. The CPSC is committed to protecting consumers and families from products that pose a fire, electrical, chemical, or mechanical hazard or can injure children. The CPSC's work to ensure the safety of consumer products - such as toys, cribs, power tools, cigarette lighters, and household chemicals - contributed significantly to the 30 percent decline in the rate of deaths and injuries associated with consumer products over the past 30 years.

To report a dangerous product or a product-related injury, call CPSC's hotline at (800) 638-2772 or CPSC's teletypewriter at (800) 638-8270, or visit CPSC's web site at www.cpsc.gov/talk.html. To join a CPSC email subscription list, please go to www.cpsc.gov/cpsclist.aspx. Consumers can obtain this release and recall information at CPSC's Web site at www.cpsc.gov.


Becka has a Bachelors in Early Childhood Education and Development, and has 17 years experience in the field. She is a Certified Parent Educator and Licensed Baby, Toddler, and Preschool Sign Language Instructor. You can visit her site, at www.learnandgrowtogether.com




Proud Mama To

Positive Parenting Idea of the Day

Those who succeed in our society are able to handle problems effectively.

--Michael H. Popkin, Active Parenting Now
Becka has a Bachelors in Early Childhood Education and Development, and has 17 years experience in the field. She is a Certified Parent Educator and Licensed Baby, Toddler, and Preschool Sign Language Instructor. You can visit her site, at www.learnandgrowtogether.com




Proud Mama To

Recalls

This message consists of the following:

1. The Toro Company Reannounces Recall of Electric Blowers Due to Projectile Hazards (http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml09/09062.html)

2. Propane Gas Fireplace Inserts Recalled by Wolf Steel Due to Laceration Hazard (http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml09/09063.html)

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1. The Toro Company Reannounces Recall of Electric Blowers Due to Projectile Hazards

NEWS from CPSC
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
Office of Information and Public Affairs
Washington, DC 20207

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 11, 2008
Release #09-062

Firm's Recall Hotline: (888) 279-3191
CPSC Recall Hotline: (800) 638-2772
CPSC Media Contact: (301) 504-7908

Note: The Toro Company originally recalled these electric blowers on July 26, 2007.

The Toro Company Reannounces Recall of Electric Blowers Due to Projectile Hazards

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

Name of Product: Toro Power Sweep Electric Blowers

Units: About 900,000

Manufacturer: The Toro Company, of Bloomington, Minn.

Hazard: The blower's impeller, which is a rotating component on the blower, can break, resulting in pieces of plastic flying out of the blower. This poses a risk of serious injury to the user or a bystander.

Incidents/Injuries: Toro has received 162 reports of broken impellers, including 28 reports of minor cuts and bruises resulting from projected impeller pieces.

Description: The recall involves Toro Power Sweep electric blower model 51586 that was manufactured between 2000 and 2002. The recalled units have serial numbers that range between 000055100 and 220255609. There are two decals on the main housing of the blower. One decal reads, "TORO Power Sweep" and the decal on the opposite side of the blower contains the model number and serial number (shown by the letter "A" in the picture below). The recalled units can be identified by a black impeller fan, which can be seen through the air inlet screen on the bottom of the unit.

Sold through: Toro dealers and various mass retailers nationwide including The Home Depot, Lowes, Target and K-Mart stores from January 2000 through late December 2002 for about $32.

Manufactured in: United States

Remedy: Consumers should stop using the recalled blowers immediately and contact Toro to receive a replacement blower.

Consumer Contact: For more information, contact Toro at (888) 279-3191 between 7:30 a.m. and 7 p.m. CT Monday through Friday or 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. Saturday. Consumers can also visit the Toro web site at www.toro.com. The Toro Company has notified registered owners directly.

To see this recall on CPSC's web site, including pictures of the recalled product, please go to:
http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml09/09062.html

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2. Propane Gas Fireplace Inserts Recalled by Wolf Steel Due to Laceration Hazard

NEWS from CPSC
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
Office of Information and Public Affairs
Washington, DC 20207

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 11, 2008
Release #09-063

Firm's Recall Hotline: (866) 539-2039
CPSC Recall Hotline: (800) 638-2772
CPSC Media Contact: (301) 504-7908

Propane Gas Fireplace Inserts Recalled by Wolf Steel Due to Laceration Hazard

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

Name of Product: Napoleon Propane Gas Fireplace Inserts

Units: About 1,200

Manufacturer: Wolf Steel USA, of Crittenden, Ky.

Hazard: Delayed ignition due to a build-up of propane gas can cause the insert's glass cover to break, posing a laceration hazard to consumers.

Incidents/Injuries: Wolf Steel has received one report of a consumer who suffered minor lacerations when the glass cover shattered.

Description: This recall involves Napoleon propane GDI44 gas fireplace inserts. Model number GDI44 is located on the front cover of the operating instructions or on the rating label found behind the right side panel next to the insert's viewing glass. The glass size is 36" wide and 22" high. Napoleon natural gas GDI44 inserts are not affected by this recall.

Sold at: Authorized Napoleon fireplace hearth dealers nationwide from July 2002 through September 2008 for about $2,000.

Manufactured in: Canada

Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the fireplace and contact Wolf Steel to receive a free repair kit.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Wolf Steel toll-free at (866) 539-2039 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or visit the firm's Web site at www.napoleonfireplaces.com

To see this recall on CPSC's web site, including pictures of the recalled product, please go to:
http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml09/09063.html



********************************************************

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of serious injury or death from thousands of types of consumer products under the agency's jurisdiction. The CPSC is committed to protecting consumers and families from products that pose a fire, electrical, chemical, or mechanical hazard or can injure children. The CPSC's work to ensure the safety of consumer products - such as toys, cribs, power tools, cigarette lighters, and household chemicals - contributed significantly to the 30 percent decline in the rate of deaths and injuries associated with consumer products over the past 30 years.

To report a dangerous product or a product-related injury, call CPSC's hotline at (800) 638-2772 or CPSC's teletypewriter at (800) 638-8270, or visit CPSC's web site at www.cpsc.gov/talk.html. To join a CPSC email subscription list, please go to www.cpsc.gov/cpsclist.aspx. Consumers can obtain this release and recall information at CPSC's Web site at www.cpsc.gov.


Becka has a Bachelors in Early Childhood Education and Development, and has 17 years experience in the field. She is a Certified Parent Educator and Licensed Baby, Toddler, and Preschool Sign Language Instructor. You can visit her site, at www.learnandgrowtogether.com




Proud Mama To

Economic recovery must include moms

"So far this week around 40,000 job cuts have been announced by an array of companies as varied as Dow Chemical, Electronic Arts, the National Football League and Sony Corp," writes CNN this morning¹.  Times are tough. But they can be even tougher for people who have (or had) part-time positions.  Did you know that two-thirds of the states don't provide unemployment compensation to part-time workers? That's right, for the 6.6 million mothers of children under 18 who work part time², many have zero economic security in this time of historic levels of job loss.
Which begs the question:  "What are we, chopped liver?"  Our paid and unpaid work isn't just gravy, it's essential to the economic survival of our families.
Ask your Senators to support the Unemployment Insurance Modernization Act (UIMA) as part of the economic recovery package they're working on now.

http://www.momsrising.org/ModernizeUnemployment
Forward this message to your friends, and to anyone you know who works part-time, so they can contact their Senators too.  Congress is making big decisions, right now, about what to include in the economic recovery package -- they need to hear from as many people as possible that this issue should be at the top of their list for inclusion in the recovery package.
Including the UMIA in the economic recovery package is essential because right now only 37 percent of unemployed workers are eligible for unemployment benefits.  That leaves 63% of people out! This is because Unemployment Insurance was created in 1935, but the workforce has changed dramatically since then: There are far more low-wage, part-time, and women workers in the labor market whose incomes are essential to the family budget.
To be an effective safety net, Unemployment Insurance needs to be updated to meet 21st century economic demands on families³.  Without these updates, the economic recovery package will fall short of  supporting working families who will be the engine of our long-term economic success.  Current Unemployment Insurance programs that do not cover part-time workers and low wage workers discriminate against mothers and threaten the economic security of families.
Click here to ask your Senators to support the Unemployment Insurance Modernization Act today.
http://www.momsrising.org/ModernizeUnemployment
Thank you!
--Donna, Katie, and the MomsRising.org Team
P.S.  Have you been denied unemployment insurance because you work part time or have low wages?  If so, share your story here: http://www.momsrising.org/node/1234
1. CNN article from this morning -
http://money.cnn.com/2008/12/09/news/economy/no_layoffs/index.htm?postversion=2008121105
2. In 2007, according to the Census, 6.6 million women with children under age 18 worked part-time.  This represents 25.8 percent of all employed mothers.
3. The UIMA responds to this need for modernization by rewarding states that adopt innovative and successful reforms, thus providing benefits to  workers who are now falling through the cracks of the unemployment program.For more info on the UIMA, see a great (and short) article at
http://www.businessweek.com/bwdaily/dnflash/content/dec2008/db2008127_576014_page_2.htm

Becka has a Bachelors in Early Childhood Education and Development, and has 17 years experience in the field. She is a Certified Parent Educator and Licensed Baby, Toddler, and Preschool Sign Language Instructor. You can visit her site, at www.learnandgrowtogether.com




Proud Mama To

Positive parenting idea of the day

Praise, praise, praise!  When children are expressing their feelings appropriately, let them know you like what you hear.  Remember, the behaviors you pay attention to are the behaviors that are being reinforced.  Catch your children behaving.

--Stephen J. Bavolek, Nurturing Skills for Families

 

Becka has a Bachelors in Early Childhood Education and Development, and has 17 years experience in the field. She is a Certified Parent Educator and Licensed Baby, Toddler, and Preschool Sign Language Instructor. You can visit her site, at www.learnandgrowtogether.com




Proud Mama To

Britax Recall

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Kate Clark

Britax Child Safety, Inc.

(704) 409-1700

BRITAX ANNOUNCES VOLUNTARY SAFETY RECALL

- Remedy kit will be shipping no later than January 7, 2009 -

CHARLOTTE, NC (December 12, 2008) - Britax Child Safety, Inc. announced today that it is conducting a voluntary safety recall on the FrontierT combination Harness-2-BoosterT child restraints. The recall includes Frontier child restraints manufactured between April 1, 2008 and September 14, 2008 for Model #s E9L54E7, E9L54H6, E9L54H7 and E9L54M6 and between April 1, 2008 and September 17, 2008 on Model # E9L5490.

If the harness straps are repeatedly loosened one strap at a time, then the harness strap(s) may become detached from the metal yoke located on the back of the child seat. If the harness strap(s) becomes loose or detached then the condition can be corrected by inspecting the back of the child seat and reattaching the harness straps. If this condition occurs, the child may not be properly restrained, and in the event of a vehicle crash there could be an increased risk of injury.

To address this issue, Britax will provide two rubber caps that can be easily placed on the yoke slots to prevent the harness straps from detaching. The rubber caps have been specifically designed for the Frontier yoke to provide a secure fit and have been tested to verify their effectiveness.

No later than January 7, 2009, the rubber caps will be mailed with an instruction sheet to all registered Frontier child restraint owners with manufacturing dates prior to September 15 or 18, 2008. Additional caps will be made available to retailers with affected inventory of Frontiers manufactured prior to September 15 or 18, 2008. All Frontier child restraint owners should confirm whether their Frontier is affected by verifying the date of manufacture. Detailed instructions for locating this information can be found at www.FrontierRecall.com

Until consumers receive their remedy kit, they should confirm that their harness system is properly attached to the metal yoke and they may continue to safely use their child restraint.

Owners of the Frontier child restraint who have not registered their product or need to verify existing registration should contact the Britax information line, toll free at 1-800-683-2045 or visit www.FrontierRecall.com.

Becka has a Bachelors in Early Childhood Education and Development, and has 17 years experience in the field. She is a Certified Parent Educator and Licensed Baby, Toddler, and Preschool Sign Language Instructor. You can visit her site, at www.learnandgrowtogether.com




Proud Mama To

Positive parenting idea of the day

Be as in charge as possible in regard to your child’s exposure to films, music and the Internet.

-- Kerby T. Alvy, The Positive Parent: Raising Healthy, Happy and Successful Children, Birth through Adolescence.

 

Becka has a Bachelors in Early Childhood Education and Development, and has 17 years experience in the field. She is a Certified Parent Educator and Licensed Baby, Toddler, and Preschool Sign Language Instructor. You can visit her site, at www.learnandgrowtogether.com




Proud Mama To

Vote and Show Leadership for Parenting Education

Dear
Colleague: 

Last week you
received an announcement from the National Effective Parenting
Initiative (NEPI) about working with President-elect Obama to
Make Effective Parenting and
Parenting Education a Presidential Priority.

Now there is
something YOU can do right away to
make this a reality! 

The President-elect has
created a vehicle for submitting ideas for how citizens think his
administration should change America. It's called "Ideas for Change
in America." 

I've submitted an
idea on behalf of NEPI and am asking everyone I know if they
would take a look at it. We need you to do
this AS SOON AS POSSIBLE! 

We are in
competition with many other ideas that have been
suggested.   

The top 10
ideas with the most votes will be presented to the Obama
administration on Inauguration Day and will be supported by a
national lobbying campaign run by Change.org, MySpace, and more than
a dozen leading nonprofits after the Inauguration.

If we get the most
votes parenting education has a real chance at becoming
policy.

The title is:
Make Parenting Education a National Priority. You can read
and vote for the idea by clicking on the following
link:

http://www.change.org/ideas/view/make_parenting_education_a_national_priority
(NOTE: When you click on the vote button (which has the
number of people who have already voted) you will be asked to
create an account. If you already have a Change.org account it will
tell you to "Click here." If you are just setting up an
account, you will  be sent a verification
e-mail. Once you receive the verification e-mail, you
will be asked to click on the link in your email. You'll then
be taken back to the site. Once registered, click on "Ideas" in the
upper menu bar. Then in the "Search Ideas" on the right hand side
box enter "parenting education." Then Vote by clicking on
the rectangular "Vote" logo (the one with the number of people who
have already voted) next to the title, Make Parenting Education
a National Priority.)

You can make a real
difference!  America's children need and deserve the best
parenting possible.  You can help make it happen! So
VOTE NOW!

Also please take a minute or
two and FORWARD this communication to your
family members, friends and colleagues so that they too can vote.

Thank you!

Kerby T. Alvy,
Ph.D.

Founder and Advisory Board Member
National Effective
Parenting Initiative
6260 Laurel Canyon Blvd., Suite 304
North
Hollywood, CA 91606
(818)
980-0903

Becka has a Bachelors in Early Childhood Education and Development, and has 17 years experience in the field. She is a Certified Parent Educator and Licensed Baby, Toddler, and Preschool Sign Language Instructor. You can visit her site, at www.learnandgrowtogether.com






Proud Mama To

Developmental games ages 4 months to 12 months

4 to 6 months
At this age, your baby will become a lot more physical, learning how to roll over and even sit up. She can now hold, handle, and mouth objects, and she'll spend a good part of her busy days doing so (meaning extra vigilance is needed on your part).

Games can get more physical now. Your baby might enjoy knee rides or tickle games. She's also more responsive to you, making noises and meeting your eyes.

Smell the Spice Rack
You're in the kitchen, trying to throw some kind of dinner together when your baby starts wailing. Take her over to the spice rack and introduce her to the intoxicating scent of cinnamon. Rub some on your hand and put it up to your baby's nose. (Don't let it get in her eyes or mouth.)

If she likes it, try others: Vanilla, peppermint, cumin, cloves, nutmeg, and many other herbs and spices have intriguing fragrances that your baby might love. Other household goods are fragrant, too: Dad's shaving lotion, Mom's hand cream. Sniff out everything yummy — just be careful not to let your baby eat it!

Bubbles, Bubbles Everywhere
There's something magical about bubbles, and at this point your baby can see far enough away to focus on them. Blow bubbles when she's getting fussy waiting for the bus and watch the tears dry up. Blow bubbles in the park to attract older kids who'll caper nearby and entertain your baby in the process. Blow bubbles in the bathtub or out on the porch when it's late afternoon and your baby is cranky. Bubbles are unbelievably cheap, easily transportable, and endlessly fascinating for babies.

I'm Gonna Get You!
Your baby is old enough to have a sense of anticipation now. And no baby can resist your coming at her mock-menacingly with a threat of hugs, kisses, or tickles. Here's what you could say: "Hey, Andrea! I see you over there sitting up! Well, that just makes you closer to my lips and I'm going to come over there and kiss you! I'm going to steal a kiss, baby! I'm coming! I'm coming! I...gotcha!" Then cover your baby in smooches.

In our house we threaten to eat the baby and punctuate our advances with lip chomps on her fat little feet. A delicacy! When your baby's older you can modify this game to include a chase around the house — this works wonderfully as a way to get your child out the door when you're in a rush.

This Little Piggy
Touch your baby's toes in turn, starting with the big toe. Say, "This little piggy went to market, this little piggy stayed home, this little piggy had roast beef, this little piggy had none. And this little piggy went wee-wee-wee all the way home."

As you say that last part, run your fingers up your baby's belly. This game is useful for putting on socks and shoes or distracting your baby during diaper changes. You can also play this game in the bathtub with a squirt bottle targeting your baby's toes.

Tummy Time
By now, your doctor's probably nagging you to get your baby on her tummy, and your baby may be protesting vociferously.

Get down on the floor with your baby. Look her in the eye as you lie on your own belly. Lay your baby down on a towel and use it to gently roll her from side to side. Try saying, "Oops-a-daisy, Oops-a-daisy" as you roll her.

Fly, Baby, Fly!
Now that your baby can hold her head up, it's time to hoist her into the air. You can play that she's a rocket ship, flying her over you and making realistic rocket noises (dads are great at this). You can play that your baby is in an elevator, which advances up floor by floor before sinking quickly to the bottom (my husband likes to bump noses with our baby and say "Ding!" at this point). Or pretend that your baby's doing a helicopter traffic report.

7 to 9 months
Your baby's becoming an expert at sitting and may soon be crawling as well. Encourage these physical feats by celebrating each new milestone: "Joshua, you sat up! Amazing baby!" Include a big hand for the little fella.

The ability to transfer objects from hand to hand and the fabled pincer grasp are part of your baby's increasing hand control (which means you'll be forced to carry a container of O-shaped cereal with you at all times for the next year).

Your baby also begins to understand that when an object disappears, it hasn't fallen off the edge of the earth. This discovery makes games like peek-a-boo a favorite.

Touch It, Hold It, Bang It
If your baby has one object, he'll bang it on the table. If he has two objects, he'll bang them together, hold them up to the light, squint at them, bang them separately on the table, hit the table with both at the same time, see if the object sounds different when hit using the left hand rather than the right hand, and on and on.

Help him out by handing over objects that make interesting sounds: hollow containers, metal spoons, bells.

Pay attention to tactile sensations as well: Your baby will be fascinated by a greeting card laced with glitter or the slickness of Mom's enameled jewelry box. A baby with strands of cooked spaghetti to play with wouldn't notice if a bomb went off.

I Can Control the World
Babies love cause and effect at this age, as in: I do this, the light comes on. I do that, the light goes off. Showing your baby how to work light switches, remote controls, cell phones, and more will thrill him — but can make life more difficult for you when he insists on being held up to work the lights yet again.

Instead, you may want to offer a toy phone or remote to satisfy his craving for control, or a jack-in-the-box to provide a thrillingly surprising result. Or, let him manage his environment by filling a low-lying cabinet or drawer with safe objects and letting your baby rummage around. Make sure there are no sharp edges or other dangers (dressers with drawers pulled out can turn over on a child) and then let your baby go to town.

Obstacle Course
If your baby's crawling, scooting, or walking, he may enjoy the challenge of having to move over things. (This is great for developing his motor skills, too.) Pillows, phone books, tired parents, and laundry make good obstacles. Sleeping cats do not make good obstacles.

So Many Variations on Peek-a-boo
The classic: Hold up a towel between your face and your baby's and ask, "Where's Sam? There's Sam!" over and over again. You can vary this game in a million ways. Hide behind a door and make your baby push it open to see you. Hide behind a chair and pop out first from above then from the sides. Go behind a corner with another person and alternate who jumps out and yells "Boo!"

Keep a selection of hats behind the couch and pop up wearing a different one each time. This game will make your baby laugh like the main character in Reefer Madness. A surefire laugh-getter is to put a hat on your head, hiding your eyes, and let your baby take it off, saying "Oh!" in surprise each time he does it. (This will also guarantee that you'll never wear a hat in peace again.)

Roll Play
Babies are fascinated by balls and how they move. You'll get a big laugh by juggling or tossing balls up in the air and letting them hit the floor while you make a silly sound effect: "Whoops!" Roll a soft ball toward your baby and watch him grab and squeeze it. Eventually, with encouragement, he'll roll the ball back toward you. And someday he'll be able to kick and toss the ball or drop it into a big bowl or bucket. For now, bounce and roll.
10 to 12 months
Developmentally, your infant has suddenly morphed into an almost-toddler. Games that allow her to practice gross (not as in "eww, gross!") motor skills such as standing, pulling up, and climbing are important for her now. Your baby will also like to work on her fine motor skills by fiddling with the tag on your shirt or the pages of a book — and your breasts if she's still nursing.

Rearrange and Re-rearrange
Your baby is figuring out the connections between objects in the world. She'll love to stack and arrange objects, as well as fill and empty them.

Give your baby a box that's easy to open (like a shoe box) and show her how to put things inside and take them out. At our house, this game quickly evolves into "Take everything out of Mommy's purse and fling it wildly around the living room," which is why I no longer carry change or pens.

Another way to play this game: Get a bunch of cups (maybe even stackable measuring cups — ooh, two toys in one!) and show your baby how to pour water, sand, or cornmeal from one to the other, or into a larger container.

The Endless Cruise
Once your baby is up on her feet, you can encourage cruising by placing a favorite toy at the far end of the couch or over on the coffee table. Try imitating your baby by putting one of your toys, such as your cell phone, a distance away and cruising on your knees toward it. Your baby may find this amusing and come over to join you.

Encourage your baby to push an object around the room. Push toys and large empty boxes work well. Avoid folding chairs, which can fold up unexpectedly.

Top That, Kid
Babies this age love to imitate. Encourage this behavior by making a ridiculous noise and then nodding at your baby to go ahead and try a noise. She may imitate you or make her own noise, which you can imitate. Or you can make up a new noise of your own.

Eventually you'll have created something that sounds like a techno song. Get up and dance to it! You can also play this game with faces or movements — our kid likes to make the Nixon "V" sign and wave her hands around angrily. When we do it back, her expression is of someone witnessing magic.

The Bath Is Fun
No longer is your baby content to sit in the tub and be washed. Older babies want to stand up, splash, grab your hair, pat the shower curtain, and so on. (Note: Never leave a baby unattended in the bath, not even for a second.)

Encourage the craziness by bringing in lots of toys. Plenty of stuff around the house can be endlessly filled, drained, poured from or into, and floated. Pile up some plastic cups, yogurt containers, funnels, and squeeze bottles, and bring them into the bath along with any of your baby's plastic toys.

Poke holes in the top of a plastic bottle with a flat cap to make a homemade watering can. Let your baby feel the sensation of the water dripping onto her and show her how to cut off the flow by pressing with her hands. Use your homemade toy to give her rubber ducky a shower.

At the end of the bath, drain the toys in a plastic colander or a net bag suction-cupped to the side of the tub. Now you're clean. Wasn't that fun?


Becka has a Bachelors in Early Childhood Education and Development, and has 17 years experience in the field. She is a Certified Parent Educator and Licensed Baby, Toddler, and Preschool Sign Language Instructor. You can visit her site, at www.learnandgrowtogether.com




Proud Mama To

An exerpt from Positive Toddler Parenting curriculum

                  Here are a few tips to define success, integrate your parenting goals into your daily activities, and shift your thought process to be more proactive and less reactive:
                  1. Appreciate your child’s unique personality and talents. Children come into the world with their own personality. While we can guide, support, and influence some aspects of their behavior, who they are at the core is pretty well established in utero! That’s part of what makes them unique and precious, and they should be celebrated.

                  2. Decide what parenting success means to you. Imagine a point in your child’s future (college graduation, wedding, etc.) when you will reflect on the adult your child has become. Set the platform to be proud of the wonderful person they have become, respecting their inherent traits as well as the values they hold and how they treat others and make decisions.
                  3. Set an intention to succeed. Set the image of parenting success clearly in your head and act as if it were a fait accompli. Make a commitment to make your success image come true.
                  4. Make a plan and make it easy. For each of the most important success factors, identify ways you can model to your children that value or behavior while you go about your everyday life. Get your children involved in the process. This is your opportunity to be proactive and reinforce positive actions each day.
                  5. Review at different stages in your child’s life. Find a way to remind yourself of your intention and your action plan. Review it periodically to make sure it is still relevant to you and appropriate to your children’s’ ages and interests. One of the best ways to ensure that you stay on track with any goal is to find an accountability partner – your spouse, a friend, a coach.
                  When you consciously and intentionally model the traits and behaviors you wish for your child, your opportunities to foster those values grow exponentially. You may never get a formal performance appraisal for your job as a parent, but it’s nice to know that you’ve done everything you can to help your child be the best person they can be. Now that’s a job well done!


Becka has a Bachelors in Early Childhood Education and Development, and has 17 years experience in the field. She is a Certified Parent Educator and Licensed Baby, Toddler, and Preschool Sign Language Instructor. You can visit her site, at www.learnandgrowtogether.com




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To Be A Better Parent I Will Strive To Be:

To Be A Better Parent I Will Strive To Be:

BRAVE enough to say no when it would be easier to say yes to my child, especially when I know that my refusal will make me unpopular and him angry.

PATIENT enough to let my child learn from his own mistakes.

LOVING enough to let him suffer the consequences of his actions.

HONEST enough to tell the truth when my child comes to me with a question.

SENSITIVE enough to be there when he needs me.

INTELLIGENT enough to realize that he has much to teach me if I will only be willing to listen.

DETERMINED enough to listen more and talk less, especially when my child is trying to tell me something.

ACCEPTING enough to realize that my child is a separate person with needs, qualities, strengths and weaknesses unlike me and unique to him.

BIG enough to apologize when I jump to conclusions or blame someone else when the fault is mine.

COURAGEOUS enough to take a good look In the mirror and honestly evaluate the self I see.

SELF-DISCIPLINED enough to attempt to master new goals.

STRONG enough to put forth the effort to become the person of my dreams.

TOLERANT enough to accept weaknesses and shortcomings in others without griping or belittling them.

SECURE enough to look for and affirm the good I see in others.

CAPABLE enough to cope with daily obstacles, attempting to solve problems and not just complain about them.

COMPASSIONATE enough to show respect to younger and older people by sacrificing time and energies for them.

KIND enough to be concerned about the needs of others.

WISE enough to remember that if I want my child to grow up to possess these noble traits, it will be necessary for him to see them first in me.

I will remember that hitting and/or screaming only tells the child to be more careful to not be caught the next time.

I will remember that hitting only teaches violence.

I will remember that talking and conveying feelings will help my child to better cope with his problems.

I will remember that re-directing behavior has more of a positive effect than yelling or hitting.

I will remember that my child is a child, and to let him be just that.

I will not withhold love when my child is bad-this just teaches him that he is not loved.

Becka has a Bachelors in Early Childhood Education and Development, and has 17 years experience in the field. She is a Certified Parent Educator and Licensed Baby, Toddler, and Preschool Sign Language Instructor. You can visit her site, at www.learnandgrowtogether.com







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About the More at Four Program for disadvantaged children

Overview
   

Overview

Publications/
Presentations

More at Four
Reporting
System

Research Team
   
About the More at Four Pre-kindergarten Program

Girl on a swingThe More at Four Program is North Carolina's statewide pre-kindergarten initiative for at-risk 4-year-olds, designed to help children be more successful when they enter school. The purpose of More at Four is to provide a high quality educational program for at-risk children in the year before kindergarten entry. The More at Four Program began in 2001-2002 and is overseen by the More at Four State Office of the Office of School Readiness in Raleigh, North Carolina.

More at Four provides funding for classroom-based educational programs at sites designated by each local county administration, including public schools, private for-profit and non-profit child care centers, and Head Start programs. The More at Four program guidelines provide standards related to staff qualifications, class size, teacher-child ratios, North Carolina child care licensing levels, curriculum, and provision of other program services. Children are eligible for More at Four based on poverty status and other risk factors with priority for service given to children who are otherwise unserved in a preschool program.

To learn more about the More at Four Program, please contact the More at Four State Office. Parents or caregivers interested in enrolling a child in More at Four should call 1-866-NC-PREK4.


About the More at Four Evaluation Project

The More at Four Evaluation team at the FPG Child Development Institute serves as the external evaluator for the North Carolina More at Four Program. Since More at Four began in 2001-2002, we have gathered information each year to evaluate the program’s effectiveness and to provide data for program improvement.

Major research questions include:

    * Who is being served by the More at Four Program?
    * What are the characteristics and quality of the services provided?
    * What are the outcomes of children attending these programs?
    * What factors are associated with better outcomes for children?
    * How satisfied are families with the program?
    * What factors have enhanced or impeded the implementation of More at Four?

The evaluation provides a "big-picture" look at the statewide program as a whole, and includes varying data each year from a variety of sources. The types of evaluation information gathered include:

    * Assessments of children's development
    * Observations of classroom quality and curriculum implementation
    * Surveys regarding parent satisfaction with More at Four
    * Monthly reports of program characteristics


Becka has a Bachelors in Early Childhood Education and Development, and has 17 years experience in the field. She is a Certified Parent Educator and Licensed Baby, Toddler, and Preschool Sign Language Instructor. You can visit her site, at www.learnandgrowtogether.com




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Health Coverage for All Children Campaign

The Children's Defense Fund has launched the Your Truth Aloud! video project so you can tell your elected officials why you believe all children need health coverage now. In this pivotal election year we need to send a clear message to all elected officials that we cannot continue to ignore the nearly nine million uninsured children in the United States.
To find out more, including how to submit your video or how to become a project organizer, visit www.childrensdefense.org/site/PageServer?pagename=act_election2008_videoproject#videosubmission.

Becka has a Bachelors in Early Childhood Education and Development, and has 17 years experience in the field. She is a Certified Parent Educator and Licensed Baby, Toddler, and Preschool Sign Language Instructor. You can visit her site, at www.learnandgrowtogether.com




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Market to Parents—Not Children!

As families struggle to cope with the growing economic crisis, they won't be getting any relief from the toy companies that bombard children with ads during the holiday season. Even though experts predict parents will spend less on toys and gifts this year, marketers are still planning their usual holiday ad blitz to kids.
It's never fair for corporations to bypass parents and market directly to children. But with parents everywhere worried about making ends meet, it's especially cruel to bombard children with ads for expensive toys and electronics. That's why we're launching a campaign to urge major toy companies and retailers to market to parents—not children—this holiday season.
Tell Toy Marketers: Target Parents, Not Kids, With Holiday Ads.
Even in better economic times, holiday gift-buying can be a considerable strain on family budgets, with many parents carrying credit card debt for months or even into the next holiday season. Given the strains of this economic downturn, it's imperative that companies refrain from exacerbating family stress by flooding children with ads for holiday gifts that their parents may not be able to afford.
We understand that manufacturers need to create awareness of their products. But they can do so by advertising directly to parents instead of using the advertising to enlist children as lobbyists for their holiday gifts. Since parents will be making the difficult purchasing decisions this holiday season, they should be the targets of any commercial appeals. A barrage of holiday marketing aimed at children too young to understand the economic crisis will create unrealistic expectations and make parenting in these uncertain times even more difficult.
Today, CCFC sent a letter to the CEOs of 24 toy manufacturers and retailers calling for a moratorium on holiday advertising targeted at children. Now they need to hear from you. Please take a moment to tell marketers to leave kids alone this holiday season by visiting salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/621/t/6914/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=26139.
And please, share this message with family and friends.
Please visit the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood's website at:
www.commercialfreechildhood.org

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Becka has a Bachelors in Early Childhood Education and Development, and has 17 years experience in the field. She is a Certified Parent Educator and Licensed Baby, Toddler, and Preschool Sign Language Instructor. You can visit her site, at www.learnandgrowtogether.com





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Guide to Commercial-Free Holidays

If there is ever a time when commercialism seems inescapable, it's during the holidays. Now, the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood has created a guide to help you find your way through the hectic holiday season. You can download your free copy here: www.commercialfreechildhood.org/holidayguide/home.htm.

Becka has a Bachelors in Early Childhood Education and Development, and has 17 years experience in the field. She is a Certified Parent Educator and Licensed Baby, Toddler, and Preschool Sign Language Instructor. You can visit her site, at www.learnandgrowtogether.com




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Help Make Effective Parenting a Presidential Priority

As leaders in the nation's efforts to promote, celebrate and advocate for effective parenting and parenting education, the National Effective Parenting Initiative (NEPI) extends its warmest and most heartfelt congratulation to Preseident-Elect Barack Obama's stunning victory!

  His accomplishment is a landmark in the history of our country.  It actualizes for all of us Dr. King's dream that the content of one's character exceeds in importance the color of one's skin.  It helps to remedy a wrong that our nation has struggled with since our beginning.

  It  is also a landmark in the history of effective parenting.  In speaking about fulfilling America's promise, he has eloquently exemplified and linked our future as a people to the competencies and commitment of parents in guiding the development of our children.  His speeches have urged and inspired parents to vigorously carry out their role as the leaders of families and have added to the dignity and status of that pivotal role.

  His emphasis on the importance of effective and responsible parenting in the lives of children, and in the future of our nation, has been particularly timely and welcomed.

  There are signs all around that many parents are not being as effective as possible, which is costing our nation an enormous price.

  Our rates of parental abuse and neglect of children are still shockingly high, with three million reported cases a year.  Such children and their families require an array of expensive services to prevent further abuse and to treat children for the physical, mental and learning problems that are the usual accompaniment of child maltreatment.

 In many of our cities the public school dropout rate has reached epidemic proportions, and ineffective parenting is one of the prime contributors. Dropouts drain our welfare resources and rarely reach their full human and workforce potential.

 Childhood obesity is a major health problem, and uninformed and ineffective parenting is here again implicated.  The drug and gang problems that plague our communities can also be seen as resulting from parents not being as responsible and effective in carrying out their guidance and supervision responsibilities.

 All of these problems cost our nation billions of dollars, and thus should be addressed for economic as well as humanitarian purposes.  For example, the direct costs of child maltreatment (judicial, law enforcement and health system responses) are estimated at 24 billion each year.  The indirect costs (long term economic costs of child maltreatment such as lost wages and taxes paid) exceed an estimated $69 billion annually.

 So linking efforts to assist parents in being more effective with overall economic recovery makes excellent sense and we urge President-Elect Obama to do so.

 His call for parents to be thoroughly involved in supporting our nation's moral obligation to provide every child with a world-class education is also right on the mark.  Urging parents to turn off television and see to it that children complete their homework is advice worthy of following.  Indeed, all of his parenting tips thus far reflect a keen appreciation of what can and is needed to be done.

 Our nationwide coalition of parents, providers of parenting services, and local and national organizations that develop and disseminate effective parenting programs -- we at the National Effective Parenting Initiative stand ready and able to share what we have learned and to help make effective parenting a national priority.

 We have spoken about how the presidency can be a vehicle to not only educate and inspire effective parenting, but to acknowledge parents for taking scarce time and energy to learn how to become more effective and involved. Presidential citations for completing parenting classes, and even tax credits for doing so, are options that we also encourage. 

  In addition, The National Effective Parenting Initiative has detailed blueprints for how the federal government can be positively involved in assisting America's parents to be the best that they can be.  We have shared such blueprints with the Clinton and Bush administrations, including through White House Briefings.  We are ready to do so again, and to work with our new president in seeing to it that all communities provide their parents with the educational opportunities that they need and deserve.

 Indeed, America already possesses the world's most varied and research-proven parenting and family skill-building programs, and other nations look to us to train their people how to train their parents.  American ingenuity and creativity has led us to develop effective parenting programs for parents of children of different ages and for parents of varied cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds. President -Elect Obama's recognition of this particularly American program expertise, and his actions to see to it that every parent has the opportunity to receive the education and support that matches their values, life circumstances and heritage would be a massive advancement.

 So we are not only congratulating President-Elect Obama's monumental achievement.  We are also, out of the spirit of service he is asking from all Americans, pledging our knowledge and expertise to work with him and his administration to make the United States the most nurturing nation in which to raise children.

Warmly,

Kerby T. Alvy, Ph.D.

NEPI Founder,

CICC Founder and Director

(818) 980-0903

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Wyatt's favorite books

As usual, we have been reading all day...so today I decided to list Wyatt's favorite books...

How do Dinosaurs Count to Ten?
How do Dinosaurs Learn Their Colors?
How do Dinosaurs Play With Their Friends?
How do  Dinosaurs Clean Their Rooms?
Baby Einstein Pretty Poems and Wonderful Words
Oh, the Places You'll Go!
Hooray for Diffendoofer Day!
Good Night, Sweet Butterflies
Excuse Me!
Goodnight Moon
Baby Einstein Let's Explore Series:
Nature
Rhymes
Art
Languages
Poetry
Colors
Shapes
Numbers
Animals
ABC's of Art A-M, N-Z
How do Dinosaurs go to School?
The Animals in the Ark
Noodles from Scratch
What Color?
How do Dinosaurs eat their Food?
Baby Einstein My First Book Of:
Numbers
Colors
Letters
Shapes
Oh my, oh my, oh Dinosaurs!
Hey! Wake Up!
Dinos to Go
The Dino Pals ABC/123
Horton Hears a Who!
Sneeches
Yertle the Turtle
Horton Hatches the Egg
Woodrow for President
Woodrow the Whitehouse Mouse
Peek a Moo!
Dinosaur's Binket


There are a few more he brings to be during the day, but those are his FAVORITE!!! Now, go buy them for your kids lol



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Send a card to President Obama

MomsRising.org actively supported mothers' needs throughout the presidential campaign. Now that the race is over, they are shifting their focus to the future and President-elect Obama.
To continue to make sure your voices are heard in Washington, sign their giant card for Obama that reads: We look forward to working with you to enact more family-friendly policies! They will deliver this huge card with thousands of signatures and display it outside of the White House.
To read the letter in its entirety, please visit MomsRising.org's action page here: salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/1768/signUp.jsp?key=3837



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