Preparing for the Holidays | VIVIAN KIRKFIELD – Writer for Children

With holiday toy shopping just getting underway, here are six tips that remind gift-givers to keep safety in mind when selecting toys for preschoolers. Many of these tips come from the American Academy of Ophthalmology www.eyenet.org

Select only toys and gifts that are appropriate for the child’s age and maturity level. Check the packaging for age recommendations.
Avoid toys with sharp, protruding or projectile parts.
Check labels for the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) approval to be sure toys meet national safety standards.
BB, paint or pellet guns and airpower rifles are classified as firearms and make dangerous gifts in homes where there are preschoolers, even if the gift is intended for an older child. Similarly, darts and bows and arrows are also dangerous when they fall into the hands of a young child.
Younger children are now participating in sports such as baseball, football, hockey and soccer. If you are giving sports equipment, make sure to include the appropriate protective headgear such as helmets and facemasks or goggles with polycarbonate lenses.
A picture book, whether an older classic or one of the newer additions to bookstore shelves, is always a safe and welcome gift. Reading the story to the child will add so much value to the gift…it costs you nothing, but means the world to the listener. Choosing which book can be a daunting task. There are several sources you can consult. THE READ-ALOUD HANDBOOK by Jim Trelease is an excellent guide. You can also check out The New York Times Parents Guide to the Best Books for Children and quite a few other resources for choosing books for children at LibraryThing http://www.librarything.com/work/273100 For a list of 100 picture books every preschooler needs to hear, find a copy of SHOW ME HOW! BUILD YOUR CHILD’S SELF-ESTEEM THROUGH READING, CRAFTING AND COOKING. This ultimate resource for parents and teachers of preschoolers also provides a story summary, parenting note, eco-friendly craft project and child-friendly healthful cooking activity for each recommended title. http://www.amazon.com/Self-Esteem-Through-Reading-Crafting-Cooking/dp/0967014751/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1289532916&sr=1-1

Happy Holidays, everyone! With the passing of Halloween, I feel we are really into the official holiday season…Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanza…all celebrating life, family and love!

As much as we love holidays, they do bring additional safety concerns, especially when there are preschoolers in the home. As families gather, there may be even more young children in your home, so read this list of 10 crucial holiday tips for parents of preschoolers. Then, check them off the list as you make sure you take care of each safety measure to prevent accidents and ensure your family has a safe holiday season.

Check your smoke detectors (you should have 1 on every level of your home) and replace the batteries, if needed. Fire is the 2nd leading cause of unintentional death in the home. Each year, thousands of people die in residential fires. You should also have at least 1 fire extinguisher in or near the kitchen…and make sure every adult and grown child knows how to use it. Sit down and write out a family escape plan…and practice at least once a month.
Check your houseplants. Holiday plants like Poinsettia and mistletoe are POISONOUS! Make sure you keep ALL plants out of your children’s (and pet’s) reach. If you suspect your child has ingested plant material that might be poisonous, call your local poison control center immediately.
And on that note: Check to see that you have a list of important phone numbers (doctor, poison control center, hospital, 24-hour nurse line, several friends or family members who can be called upon at a moment’s notice to drive you somewhere or take care of your child temporarily). Then make sure this list is posted where it will be highly visible, near a phone…and keep a pen and pad of paper there as well.
Check to see that you have an emergency first aid kit…and make sure there are several working flashlights with fresh batteries.
Check that there are guards around open heaters and fireplaces and make sure no fabric (like curtains or bedspreads) or decorations touch lamps or night lights.
Check that all electrical outlets that are not being used have plastic plug covers and keep cords, wires and power strips out of your child’s reach. With holiday decorations, we often add many more items needing electrical power. Be careful not to overload power strips or circuit breakers.
Check that scissors (for doing holiday crafts and wrapping presents), knives and other sharp objects are locked up or in high cabinets. The same goes for cleaning supplies and items like potpourri oil. We get so busy during the holiday season, but we want to make sure our little ones are safe.
Check that pot and pan handles are turned away from the outer edge of the stove. Use the back burners when preschoolers are in the house. Involving your children with the holiday food preparation is great fun (and wonderful for building their self-esteem), but we want to make sure they are doing the measuring and mixing in a bowl at the table, not pouring the ingredients into the pot on the stove.
Check that decorations that are within reach of preschoolers have no little parts or pieces that can become detached. Soft stuffed decorations with sewn on ribbons are beautiful and festive. Perhaps you can put away the precious glass ornaments until your children are older…or you might decide to make a lovely display of those breakables on a high shelf, visible to adults, but unavailable to little ones. Homemade ornaments will be treasured for years (we still have several that our children made over 20 years ago). They can be made of paper, ribbon, yarn, felt and clay. The joy you all feel when crafting today will become a very important part of your families’ holiday tradition.
Check that your holiday schedule is not overwhelming, for you and for your child. Entertaining, attending holiday services and events, shopping, preparing the house for guests…these activities require extra time, energy and money…and add stress to our lives that are already often on the edge. Changes in routines can wreak havoc with your children’s tempers…and yours. So don’t feel you have to do EVERYTHING! If purchasing cupcakes from the store instead of baking them yourself for your child’s nursery school holiday party makes life a little easier for you, do it! Remember to take time for yourself…try to get enough sleep…eat as nutritiously as you can…walk or dance at least 30 minutes 4 times a week…and breath deeply.

I’m planning to do at least 2 more holiday themed posts: 5 Tips for Safe Holiday Toy Selection for Your Preschooler and 7 Critical Tips for Safe Holiday Shopping and Traveling with Preschoolers. I’ll also post some of the eco-friendly craft projects and child-friendly healthful cooking activities you can do with your preschoolers this holiday season.