JUNE SCHEDULE OF EVENTS:

We have some really fun events planned this month that we are really excited about! You won't want to miss out!



JUNE 5th, 10:30 am - 12pm: "Kids & Cars"
Motor-Vehicle related accidents are the NUMBER 1 cause of death and serious injury to children aged 1-9 years in North America. We will be discussing life-saving tips and information to help keep your kids safe!


JUNE 12th, 1-3pm: "Children's Literacy Fair"
Come out and learn about great ideas that you can do at home to help your children (0-5) build a solid foundation for future literacy! We are also very excited to be entertained by a special story-telling performance by Sis. Karen Krammer!



JUNE 19th, 1pm: Backyard Splash Party! (weather dependent)
Bring your bathing suits and towels and join us for a fun backyard sprinkler party at Tanya's!




JUNE 26th, 10:30am: Field Trip to the Petting Zoo!!!
Come and bring your little ones to see, touch, and feed all of the different animals at the petting zoo! (admission $3)

May 29th: Field Trip to the Spray Park

The weather was marvelous and we had a wonderful time soaking up the sun and cooling off in the spray! The moms chatted while the kids had a great time snacking, chasing each other around, running through the sprinklers, and blowing bubbles!

May 20th - Emergency First Aid (CPR & Choking) for Infants & Small Children

QUOTE: "If ye are prepared ye shall not fear." (D&C 38:30)

For the Moms:
If you walked into a room and found your child not breathing would you know what to do?

Today we learned life-saving CPR and choking First-Aid skills from a qualified instructor in a hands-on seminar.

For more information, or to learn the steps, go to:

www.babycenter.com/0_infant-first-aid-for-choking-and-cpr-an-illustrated-guide_9298.bc

To take a First-Aid course, call the Red Cross 327-7117, St. John Ambulance 327-2847, or ask Abby about qualified instructors in our ward.

For the Tots:

We snacked on candied popcorn, talked about the beautiful blossoming trees outside, sang "Popcorn Popping On the Apricot Tree," and glued popcorn to a picture of a tree.

May 15: Oral Health for Your Baby and Child

BY NICHOLE:

For the Moms:

Oral health for your baby begins at birth and continues throughout their life by the patterns that parents set.

One of things we discussed was baby bottle tooth decay. When babies are put to sleep with a bottle, the milk pools in their mouth and decays the enamel. Here are some picture of the different stages.

We also talked about thumb-sucking/and pacifier use.

It is best to try to kick the habit earlier than later. My dental hygiene books said to get rid of the soother at 3 months, because they only need it for comfort for their first 3 months, but I found with my 3 kids they needed it till they were 6-7 months and then I could take it away. It is always hard, but easier to do it when they are younger than older. It can also cause the teeth to form incorrectly and deform the jaw structure. I also never let my kids suck their thumbs and take out the thumb whenever I saw them putting it in their mouth. There are findings that show the soother does more damage than thumb sucking, but you can't take a thumb away.

Make sure to set a good example for your children and spend time taking care of their teeth. It will make them have a happier smile their whole life.

For other information: here is one link I found for your baby/child about how to have good oral health, that will set a pattern for their whole life.

www.bchealthguide.org/healthfiles/hfile19a.stm

For the Tots:

We did a cow craft, frankly out of convience for me; nothing to do with teeth. I needed to have a farm craft for the next day for something else and just added a few more to my pile. So we used foam sponges and made spotted cows. This was the picture we used, which was brought to my attention that this cow has some problems: horns for a male and udder for a female, which one is it? Who knows, but the kids had a fun time.

May 8th - Celebrating Mommies!

QUOTE: President David O. McKay (1873–1970): “Motherhood is the greatest potential influence either for good or ill in human life. . . . motherhood [is] the noblest office or calling in the world. She who can paint a masterpiece or write a book that will influence millions deserves the admiration and the plaudits of mankind; but she who rears successfully a family of healthy, beautiful sons and daughters, whose influence will be felt through generations to come, … deserves the highest honor that man can give, and the choicest blessings of God” (Gospel Ideals [1954], 453–54).

For the Moms:

We discussed some information about the chemical "bisphenol A" found in polycarbonate plastic baby-bottles and sippy-cups which can leech into beverages and cause negative health effects in infants and young children.

For more information and reccommendations for parents go to:

www.chemicalsubstanceschimiques.gc.ca/challenge-defi/bisphenol-a_fs-fr_e.html

For the Tots:

We ate mini-muffins and made macaroni necklaces for our moms and grandmas to show the mothers in our lives that we love them!

May 1st : Nutrition and Healthy Eating

QUOTE: www.providentliving.org: "Maintaining good physical health allows our minds and bodies to function optimally, so we can more fully enjoy life. Proper diet and nutrition, exercise, and abstinence from harmful substances keep us healthy physically and more sensitive to the promptings of the Spirit. Not only does attention to physical health make it more likely that we will have productive and meaningful lives, it also makes possible the physical, mental, and spiritual vitality necessary to offer worthwhile service to the Lord. When we keep our physical bodies in good condition, we become more useful to the Lord as servants in His kingdom."

For the Moms:

We discussed the importance of proper nutrition for our families using the information provided by the government of Alberta's "Healthy Eating and Active Living" pamphlet specifically designed for 1-5 year olds.

visit: www.healthyalberta.com/186.htm for more information.

For the Tots:

We ate "apple monsters" made from apples, peanut butter, grapes and raisins, and made "veggie-faces" from paper-plates and pictures of various fruits and vegetables teaching the kids to eat more fruits and vegetables.