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parents wonder New school year scares some So, your perfect child gets….Bs, or Cs, or Satisfactory. That first report card has arrived and all the salutations from your child - “I've finished my homework in two minutes! It was easy!” - don't seem to ring quite true at this moment. Here are tips for parents on what to expect, and how to react, now that the unexpected has come home in the backpack, as provided by www.FrankSchaffer.com (go to: Activity Center (Aha!): • Establish a partnership in the learning process. Contact your child's teacher immediately and make it clear you want to play a major role in the academic improvement process. • Find out exactly where the problem lies. Ask the teacher what skills your child is struggling to develop, and take good notes. Whether it's reading comprehension or fractions, parents must determine what stymies their child. Get recommendations on what to do. • Your home computer is an ally. Use it for research and learning opportunities. • Get involved at school. There is nothing a teacher loves more than involved parents who want to help. If you can't assist in the classroom for an hour each week, ask for work you can do at home. A teacher will happily send projects home with your child for you to prepare at your convenience, such as bulletin board components. You can also chaperone field trips or send in extra supplies, like tissue boxes and anti-bacterial hand soap. Parents who get involved show teachers that they value academics and gain incredible insight into their children's academic careers. • Show your appreciation. By sending a teacher an e-mail or a hand-written note, you are letting the teacher know how you appreciate all efforts to help your child. This is exactly the extra energy boost a teacher needs after a challenging day. Tips provided by Frank Schaffer Publications. family finance By Paul Glowienke Beyond the Minivan Personal planning for women in their 30s Thirtysomething women are spending their time, money and energy on their children and homes. In fact, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) says a baby born in 2003 will cost a middle-class family $170,460 to raise through age 17. And that doesn’t include ever-escalating college expenses. Generation X women also are continuing to accumulate more personal belongings more furniture, clothing, or the family-sized SUV. Many are also still paying off frivolous credit card debt from their 20s and amassing even more. Compounding the issue is that many women in their 30s are taking time off from work to care for family. The typical woman in 2002, according to the Women’s Institute for a Secure Retirement (WISER), loses $659,139 in earnings as a result of caregiving during her lifetime. Now is a good time for women to take charge of managing their personal finances and retirement plans by: • Maintaining good credit. Keep credit card purchases to a minimum and pay off as much of the monthly balance as possible. Consider transferring credit card balances to a lower-interest credit card. • Maximizing the 401(k). Sign up and contribute the maximum allowed to get the most from tax deferral and employer match. • Contributing to other retirement savings vehicles. For some, a 401(k) alone may not be enough for retirement. They may benefit by paying into a special retirement plan known as a spousal IRA. • Diversifying their portfolio. Retirement funds shouldn’t be solely invested in an employer’s stock or in the stock market. Utilize additional retirement strategies such as life insurance, savings accounts, CDs, bonds and annuities. • Starting a college savings program early. One option is a 529 account, which is a state-sponsored investment vehicle that has certain tax advantages. Other options are UGMA/UTMA (custodial) accounts and Education IRAs. • Establishing basic estate planning. Learn about developing a will, determining power of attorney and establishing healthcare proxy. • Expanding insurance coverage. Evaluate coverage and consider health, car, homeowners, and disability insurance. Talk with a financial professional to help determine adequate coverage of life insurance. Paul Glowienke is a financial representative with Northwestern Mutual Financial Network/The Waltos Group in Newport Beach, for the Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Co., Milwaukee, Wis. Information: 949.863.5800 or www.nmfn.com/waltosgroup nut allergies Lifesaving advice for children If your child is allergic to nuts, you know how serious a reaction to exposure to nuts of any kind can be. Sadly, those who don't suffer from the allergy tend not to view it as a potentially life-threatening condition. However, 1.5 million Americans are living with the condition and each year in the U.S., 100 people die after exposure, even after minimal exposure such using a fork that has touched a nut. Here are suggestions: • Be aware of foods with hidden nuts. Many processed foods and sauces may contain nut products that aren't visible. • Non-food products may also contain nuts, such as lotions and sunscreen, so be conscious of any item you come in contact with. • Read food product labels for nut-based ingredients and learn synonyms such as Lecithins. • Avoid cross-contamination by properly cleaning all utensils. • Be prepared with an action plan should you accidentally ingest or are exposed to nuts. • Get a MedicAlert bracelet to ensure proper treatment in an emergency. • Educate your child on how to better understand the allergy and how to avoid contact with nuts, as well as how to discuss it with teachers and other adults.m Source: “How to Live with a Nut Allergy,” by Dr. Chad Oh and Carol Kennedy. special gifts Toys for kids with disabilities What kind of holiday gift do you buy for a disabled child? According to the National Lekotek Center, a nonprofit organization that offers toy-buying tips for what it calls “differently abled” children, they often get too many clothes or practical items as gifts because people lack the confidence to purchase appropriate gifts for them. Through the “Toy Guide for Differently Abled Kids,” available at Toys 'R' Us stores, they offer these suggestions. • Look for toys with multi-sensory appeal. Are there lights, sounds and movement that engage the child? Lekotek toy specialists say that children use a variety of senses to explore and learn. • Is the toy easily activated? Consider the number of steps, the force required and the challenge to put the toy in motion. • Is the toy easily used in a variety of positions such as when lying on one's side or when used on a wheelchair tray? • Is success with the toy easily attained? There should be no right or wrong way to play with the toy. • Is there potential for interaction? A toy that encourages other children to participate in play helps involve the differently abled child with peers.m Information: www.lekotek.org. 10 Signs… … that you may be the mother of a preschooler 10. There are enough Cheerios and cheese fishies in the bottom of your purse to serve as a week's dessert rations for a family of five. 9. You just left the grocery store and told the checker, “Night-night”… 8. Today you argued with “Dora the Explorer.” “Swiper, no swiping! Yeah, right. Like that's gonna work.” 7. Your wildest fantasy involves sleeping in, flossing, and going to the bathroom alone. 6. You're still distraught about Steve leaving “Blue's Clues.” 5. You refer to anything short of a skull fracture as an “owie.” 4. Your last memory of true relaxation was your epidural. 3. Your current hairstyle includes at least one variety of finger food. 2. You just asked the waiter, “Where's your potty?” 1. You recently welcomed guests into your home only to find feminine hygiene products stuck to your front door in the shape of Elmo's head. By Lisa Espinoza Orange County resident and mother Lisa Espinoza is author of “Days of Whine and Noses - Pep Talks for Tuckered Out Moms.” whooping cough Be aware of telltale signs during flu season Pertussis, commonly known as whopping cough, is a highly contagious bacterial infection of the respiratory system that might be playing a larger-than-normal role in this flu and cold winter season. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 39% of reported pertussis cases in 2003 affected children ages 10-19. This has prompted the Society for Adolescent Medicine (SAM) to warn parents that what seems just like a cough may be something more dangerous. According to a June SAM survey, more than 25% of parents aware of the whopping cough could not name a symptom. Also of note, the immunization against pertussis wears off five to 10 years after the vaccination shot, another factor parents need to assess, according to the group. This puts adolescents at risk. Symptoms include a mild fever, severe coughing fits and runny nose. Vomiting may occur. Those who experience severe coughing should seek a diagnosis within seven days of that first cough. The CDC recommends that physicians test pertussis if patients exhibit signs. According to GlaxoSmithKline, which seeks FDA approval of a booster vaccine against the disease, pertussis is the only disease for which children are routinely vaccinated that is on the rise nationwide. It quotes the CDC as reporting 1,000 cases in 1976 and 10,000 in 2003. Free information: www.adolescenthealth.org/whoopingcough.html SAM is a healthcare organization committed to improving the physical and psychological health and well-being of adolescents. open-air center Victoria Gardens sells in Ranch Cucamonga A bit of the old-fashioned downtown experience, where a day of shopping or dining out means a stroll along the sidewalk from shop to shop, has come to the rapidly growing Inland Empire with the opening of Victoria Gardens. Much more than just another mall, Victoria Gardens is a new open-air shopping, dining, and entertainment center in Rancho Cucamonga. The new center is located near the intersection of Interstate 15 and Foothill Boulevard in Rancho Cucamonga, with some 30 buildings arranged in a 12-city block village. Anchored by a 12-screen AMC Theatre megaplex and JCPenney, Macy's, and Robinsons-May department stores, more than 120 retailers are going to set up shop in Victoria Gardens. Some well-known names such as The Apple Store, babyGap, and P.F. Chang's Chinese Bistro are making their first Inland Empire appearances at Victoria Gardens. Visitors to Victoria Gardens will find fountains and other water features coursing through park-like green spaces, evidence of the designers' desire to honor the area's agricultural heritage and create a link to the dramatic backdrop of the San Bernardino Mountains. A free trolley will operate daily in Victoria Gardens for those shoppers whose feet and legs may fade before their desire to see what's around the next corner. Something big is taking shape around one of those corners, too. The Victoria Gardens Cultural Center is expected to be completed in spring 2005 and will feature the 540-seat Lewis Family Playhouse, a library, and the multi-use Celebration Hall. The Playhouse will play host to professional touring shows, musicals, and special guest performances, as well as programs designed to enhance local schools' curriculum. "The Cultural Center at Victoria Gardens will be an important asset for our community," says City Manager Jack Lam, "that will contribute greatly to its quality of life." For complete details about Victoria Gardens, call 909.463.2828 or visit www.victoriagardensie.com. Family News Bytes AWARD-WINNING STUDENTS Two student artists from high schools in Riverside, Josh Hockel from La Sierra High School and Olivia Anthony from Ramona High School, created the winning artwork in the Riverside Public Utilities' sixth annual BottledWater Label Art Contest. The utility sponsors the annual art contest in conjunction with its "Splash Into Cash" water giveaway program, which provides free bottled water for school support and fundraising for Riverside middle and high schools. Hockel's artwork took top honors in the "Green Power" category and Anthony's was selected the best "Riverside Citrus Heritage" entry. Their winning designs will be featured on labels covering more than 100,000 bottles of water to be given out by the utility during the coming year to support "Splash Into Cash" and other community events. For more information about the "Splash Into Cash" program, call 951.826.5984. TEMECULA FEST CD ON SALE The Temecula Valley International Film and Music Festival may be over until next September, but the music can still be heard on the festival's first-ever compact disc. The CD is a compilation of the festival's 10th anniversary showcase artists and is produced by Emmy-nominated songwriter and performer Monty Seward, an honoree at the 2002 festival. The CD is available for sale online at www.tviff.com for $10, including shipping and handling, or by calling 951.699.8681. Additionally, the CD is being distributed locally by eight Inland Empire Blockbuster locations. Blockbuster Video will donate all proceeds from the CD sales to the festival, which will split the proceeds with the artists. BALLET FOLKLORICO DE RIVERSIDE HONORED The city of Riverside, the Riverside Arts Council and the Riverside Cultural Trust recently named Ballet Folklorico de Riverside as the 13th Arts Honoree of the Month. Since 1977, under the direction of founder Ana De La Tejera, the dance company has celebrated Mexican culture throughout the region with a rich blend of authentic costumes and choreography. The programs that Ballet Folklorico de Riverside offer represent times in history and celebrations from 18 states of Mexico. They reach more than 50,000 people annually with visits to schools, senior centers, churches, homes, and art galleries throughout Riverside and San Bernardino counties. GRANT TO TRAIN FUTURE SCIENCE TEACHERS UC Riverside recently received an $11.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education to develop and use a program that will identify prospective science teachers early, educate them in science and teaching strategies, and mentor them through their early years of teaching. The project, known as Copernicus, seeks to substantially increase the number, quality and diversity of the state's science teachers. Science is one of the subjects of greatest need in the state and the nation, according to education researchers. A 2003 analysis of the federal Schools and Staffing Survey found that nearly a quarter of secondary school students take at least one class with a teacher who did not even minor in the subject taught. In high-poverty schools, that number climbs to nearly a third of all students. The Copernicus Project seeks to address this problem. |
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