Protect Baby At Ballgame

Story of real? Books picture life changes

Children's books show how other people live. Through stories, children learn empathy and ways to cope as their own circumstances change.

Every family is different. Some have lots of children who seem to get along. In "The Penderwicks of Point Mouette" by Jeanne Birdsall, the biggest challenge occurs when the loved, respected, reliable and oldest Penderwick joins a friend at the beach instead of going to Maine with Aunt Claire. Other families face more wrenching challenges and cope with divorce, depression or poverty.

Some become families by choice, not through birth or marriage. Books follow and dramatize all kinds of family encounters.

In healthy families, caring and involved adults enforce rules and provide guidance. Dysfunctional families make more interesting fiction with more opportunity for kids to solve their own problems.

This is hardly new. Hansel and Gretel's loving father was blind to his new wife's antagonism to his children. Loving but naïve, Little Red Riding Hood's mother sent her daughter alone into the dangerous woods. Way back in 1942, the orphaned Boxcar Children believed their grandfather, whom they never had met, would be cruel.

An unwritten key to a successful book for teens is to "get rid of the parents."

I have heard this rule attributed to authors as different as Robert Cormier ("The Chocolate War") and Katherine Paterson ("Bridge to Terabithia" and "Jacob Have I Loved"). That was the advice of Nancy Werlin's editor, when she read the first draft of Werlin's first book, "Are You Alone on Purpose?"

Paterson explains, "This doesn't mean you can only write about orphans, but it does mean that your kid characters get themselves into their scrapes, and they've got to get themselves out. The loving dad or grandma or guidance counselor can't step in and save the day."

In "It's Not the End of the World", Judy Blume dealt with divorce in 1972 when divorce was less common and more shocking (or shameful) than today. By 1978, author Richard Peck, said, "In an age when hardly more than half my readers live in the same homes as their fathers, I was moved to write 'Father Figure'. In it, a teenaged boy who has played the father-figure role to his little brother is threatened when they are both reunited with the father they hardly know.

Sweet Treats: Protect Your Children's Teeth with Excellent Oral Health

Kids definitely have a whirlwind romance with sugar and candies. By making a commitment to children’s oral health and hygiene we are saving them from future problems and complications. If you find that your kids are over indulging in sweets there are some tactics you can use to reduce the risk of tooth and gum complications. Here are some tips on how to protect your children’s teeth so they can have good strong teeth and optimal oral health when becoming adults.

When we think of a season that holds the most fun for kids, we think of summer. We think of longer warm days full of activity and fun. Kids are thrilled when they get out of school and their daily diets can become a bit unstructured. If you spend the summer months with your kids going to basketball and baseball games, or possibly a swim meet, you know that there are concession stands and vending machines at every turn. It is easy for kids to grab something fast such as a pack of Gummi Bears or an ice cream.

If you know you are planning to go to these places full of junk food and candy, why not plan ahead. Bring healthy snacks such as trail mix and cut up fruit. Pears, apples and celery are an excellent choice for rinsing away all that bacteria that lingers in the mouth. These healthy food items will decrease the risk of developing cavities and will protect your children’s teeth in the long run. If you want to protect your children’s teeth; watch what they eat.

When eating sugary snacks with your kids, make sure they have water and a small protein based meal as well. Make sure they chew their food numerous times before swallowing as this will rid their mouths of bad bacteria that can grow over time.  If you want to protect your children’s teeth, make sure you read the labels on the back of their favourite cereals and snacks. Avoid items with too much sugar like sports drinks, juices and soda pops. Water is always the number one choice when it comes to optimal oral health as it rinses away the acid that forms when sugar and bacteria come together. When out on the run, keep water bottles and sugarless gum on hand for those candy craving attacks.

At first sight

Breakfast at Tiffany's and three stories

Owl at Home

Last Night at Chateau Marmont

Barbarians at the Gate, The Fall of RJR Nabisco