Things are different now…different than when we adults were children.  There is more knowledge about the effects of the sun on our bodies, and as most of us know the ozone is being depleted causing less filtering of the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) radiation.   That being said, we and our kids need more protection from these harmful rays.

How to protect our kids

1. Do not allow skin to burn – this increases risk of future skin cancers
2. Avoid tanning & tanning beds
3. Generously apply sunscreen – it is recommended that you apply sunscreen 20 minutes before exposure to the sun.  Also, choose a minimum of 15 SPF protection.  Make sure it protects from both UVA & UVB rays.  Reapply every two hours even if it is cloudy outside, especially when children are sweating & swimming.
4. Choose protective clothing.  There are lots of choices out there now that actually provide UVA & UVB protection in the clothing.
5. Stay in the shade.
6. Make sure you are consuming enough vitamin D, which often times can be low due to the lack of sun exposure that we are allowed to have.
7. Babies that are 6 months old or younger should be kept out of the sun completely.
8. Pay attention to the expiration date on the sunscreen.

How to choose sunscreens

1. Choose broad-spectrum or multi-spectrum protection for both UVA & UVB rays.
2. Look for ingredients such as benzophenones (oxybenzone), cinnamates (octylmethyl cinnamate and cinoxate), sulisobenzone, salicylates, titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, avobenzone (Parsol 1789) and ecamsule (Mexoryl SX).
3. SPF 15 is typically sufficient.  If you have fair skin or a family history of cancer you should increase this to SPF 30 or more for added protection.
4. If you plan to sweat a lot or are going to be in the water, buy sunscreen that is meant for that.

Sunscreens for children

1. Buy a sunscreen designated for children.
2. Avoid sunscreens with para-aminobenzoic acid (PABA) and benzephenones like dioxybenzone, oxybenzone, or sulisobenzone, as these may irritate young skin.
3. For sensitive skin, look for titanium dioxide or zinc oxide instead of chemicals like para-aminobenzoic acid (PABA), dioxybenzone, oxybenzone, or sulisobenzone.  Also avoid sunscreens with alcohol, fragrances, or preservatives.

As always, enjoy the warm weather but be safe!

You’ll find some tips about composting, growing tomatoes and ways to involve your children on a previous post titled “Summer Gardening with Your Kids”.

Gardening Resources

This topic is almost endless when looking online, but I’ll mention the resources that I enjoy.  Some are related to organic gardening, including sites where you can order organic plants online.

• Burpee.com is a wonderful resource for almost every aspect of gardening…buying plants, seeds, gardening tips & tools, advice and videos.  This includes both veggie and flower gardening, organic and not.  I LOVE this site.
• The Natural Gardening Company is the oldest certified organic nursery in the USA.  You can purchase your seeds and plants online for shipping at the appropriate planting time for your zone.
• Ed Hume Seeds has a great resource for what to grow for a family of four.  They offer a seed planting chart.  This has been a great help to me.
• If space is an issue, check out How to Grow a Vertical Garden in Raised beds.
• If you live in an area like me, you’ll need to consider a fence to keep the critters out.  I found some great tips at OrganicGardening.com.  They offer tips for do-it-yourself fencing.

I’ve also found a fantastic blog called “5 Minutes for Mom” and they are giving away Love Your Veggies Books & Garden Supplies.  All you need to do is go to the blog and make a comment.  How easy is that.

I hope I’ve helped you a bit.  It is so important to make gardening a family oriented tradition.  We have a great time with it and my boys really love getting dirty.

Let me know if you have any great tips, ideas or other input….even if you  have a question, I’d love to hear from you and find you the answer you are looking for.

Thanks and happy gardening!

Rae Lynn @ Kidz Comfort

My boys are 6 and 7 years old, and fortunately they are still willing to snuggle.  The public displays of affection are decreasing, but they will still kiss me goodbye when I drop them off at school (albeit a quick smooch) and they will hug and kiss me goodnight, good morning, etc…

So why does this happen to so many families?  Many experts believe that there is an association with public displays of affection between child and parent that is somewhat stereotyped as being for babies by the child.  This is much more prevalent with boys and their mothers.

Parenting consultant Barbara F. Meltz suggests making light of your child’s wishes to not hug or kiss by joking around with your child, perhaps suggesting another way of saying goodbye or goodnight that is less “childish” in their eyes.  You can also create a “house rule” such as “bedtime requires a kiss from Mommy & Daddy”, but forgo kissing at other times.

There are always exceptions to this typical scenario of kids wanting less public affection from their parents as they age.  I’d love to hear your story.

For more good reading about raising a son, Meltz suggests:

• Real Boys: Rescuing Our Sons From the Myths of Boyhood

• Raising Cain: Protecting the Emotional Life of Boys

• Packaging Boyhood: Saving Our Sons from Superheroes, Slackers, and Other Media Stereotypes

Like many Americans, we are on a tighter budget this year, so we are looking for great gifts at reasonable prices.  We are thinking long and hard about our choices.  Will they truly be interested in this item, enough to make the price worth paying?  Can we see them using it for more than a few months?  Is it age appropriate?

With these concerns in mind, we have made a top 10 list for Christmas gift ideas for children between the ages of 4 and 8 years old.  Of course, use your own judgement with regards to how your own kids will understand and be able to use these suggestions.

1. Mouse Trap Game is a great gift to help enhance a child’s coordination and thinking skills.  Our boys LOVE this game.
2. Why Don’t Eyelashes Grow Book…I don’t know about your kids, but my kids never stop asking questions.  A large percentage of the time I cannot even answer the questions, so what better way to find the explanations than this great book.  It is both educational and fun!
3. Monopoly Junior is another great board game that teaches more than just FUN!  It’s simplistic design is great for kids just learning to count, add and subtract.  My kids actually learned about money as well. 
4. Marble Mania Genius is really cool and one of our favorite picks for this Christmas.  This is a great way to bring the little architect out of your child. 
5. Ultimate LEGO Building Set is yet another way to encourage strategy; and the whole family can build together.  The designs are endless!
6. ScienceWiz Chemistry Experiments Kit is a winner!  My 5-yr old is constantly begging for his own science kit, so after much research, this kit is the perfect addition to his desire to learn about science.
7. Leapfrog Leapster Learning Game System gets very high ratings in my book.  I know my son would be thrilled with this game, and it is a learning hand-held game system to boot!  The best of both worlds.
8. IlluStory Make Your Own Story has to be one of the coolest things I’ve seen in a long time.  Your child actually writes and illustrates their own story, including the cover and biography, then sends it back to the company to be made into a hardcover book for keepsake.  What a fantastic idea!
9. Melissa & Doug Underwater Floor Puzzle will be a GREAT addition to my 4-yr old son’s collection.  He is obsessed with Melissa & Doug puzzles.  We have collected 6 versions so far.  They range from easy to very difficult and he loves them all…some are educational as well, such as his favorite, The Human Anatomy.
10. Planet Heroes Action Figure Gift Set is sure to please my 4-yr old as well.  He LOVES Planet Heroes and Ace is his favorite.  It’s nice to find action heroes that are not depicted as violent and don’t come with dangerous weapons attached.

I hope you’ve found this to be helpful in your Christmas shopping quest.  For more shopping ideas, visit Amazon.com Toys & Games…they carry almost everything!  Be sure to take advantage of their super saver shipping. 

And, if you haven’t heard of this yet, Amazon.com now offers Frustration Free Shopping!  I am certain that you can related to the hour long struggle trying to get those little metal twisties undone, as if you were trying to get into Fort Knox.  Well, now they offer frustration-free packaging for your convenience!  Great news.

Take care!

raelynn @ Kidz Comfort