Reading Aloud to Children from Birth

The American Academy of Pediatrics believes reading aloud is so important they now recommend families read to infants as a daily fun activity. That’s right. Read from birth.

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The group recognizes that an important part of brain development occurs during the first three years of life and that reading aloud to children enhances vocabulary and other important communication skills. 
Along with talking and singing, reading increases the number of words that young children hear during their growing years.  Research has shown that children who are read to have heard significantly more words than children who do not have this experience.

Gap Begins at 18 Months 
   New research suggests this gap begins as early as 18 months of age! It is critical to develop these pre-literacy skills for success in school. The benefits of a real person reading aloud cannot be duplicated with modern digital media.

 How do we go about establishing a read-aloud program at home?  Hold babies in your lap or snuggle up under the covers.  Read aloud from a variety of children’s books.  As they grow, allow children to help turn the pages.  Read the words together.  Tell the story from pictures.  Ask questions such as: What do you see?  What does it remind you of?  What do you wonder about? For a few years you might be asking and answering your own questions. That’s OK.

   Go to the library and allow very young children to select books that they want to hear from the boxes of durable books with thick pages and bright colorful illustrations. Choose some that you would like to share with them. Plan to read aloud for at least ten minutes twice a day.  Just before a nap or bedtime works well. Also take advantage of bath time and riding in the car to sing songs and repeat nursery rhymes together.

What Else Can We Do?

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   What have other families done?  Alice Ozma described her childhood experience of being read to by her father in the book, “The Reading Promise.” They had always enjoyed reading time from early on. When she was in 4^th grade, they made a promise to read aloud together for 100 consecutive nights.  When they reached this goal, they decided to go on as long as they could.  The streak continued until the day that she left for college.  In addition to her academic success, Ozma says many life lessons were shared and many adolescent pitfalls avoided by the bonding they shared through reading.  

 A list of books they read is included. Ask your children’s librarian for additional book suggestions. Check out “The Read Aloud Handbook” by Jim Trelease or go to http://trealease-on-reading.com/  for more  titles and book reviews.

Photos: Fran Darling, fdarling fotos

More Ideas and Activities....See the authors’ book “Learning Through the Seasons” at area bookstores and grandparentsteachtoo.org. For more help to prepare young children for success in school see the authors’ web site: www.grandparentsteachtoo.org. Also check our audio Podcasts WNMU Radio 90; Youtube video activities; and join us on Pinterest

Fluoride: Keeping Kids’ Teeth Healthy

Do you remember going to the dentist as a child? Remember your cleaning ending with a funny tasting fluoride gel squishing out the sides of mouth trays? Four minutes was a LONG time. The good news is that fluoride flavors have improved and everyone today only has to swish or sit for one minute making it much easier to do. 
Some offices use fluoride varnish and “paint” fluoride on the children’s teeth. The varnish sticks to the tooth’s surface. Fluoride products can also be purchased over the counter and used daily, such as in toothpastes, rinses, and other dental products, even embedded in dental floss! 
What is Fluoride?
Fluoride is the thirteenth most common element in our earth’s crust and is naturally present in most water sources, even in the oceans. So fluoride is a mineral that naturally helps fight tooth decay. That is why it is often called, “nature’s cavity fighter.”
American Dental Association research shows that fluoride helps repair the early stages of tooth decay even before the decay can be seen. Fluoride helps prevent cavities in children and adults by making teeth more resistant to the acid attacks that cause cavities.  When people brush their teeth with fluoride toothpaste, or use other fluoride dental products, they are preventing cavities and strengthening teeth’s enamel.
Many families don’t have access to fluoridated water because they live in areas that aren’t able to fluoridate, such as areas with their own well water. Families today are “on the go” and grab bottled water to drink or worse, a sugary drink such as soda pop, flavored coffee drinks, or juice boxes. Most of the bottled water doesn’t contain significant amounts of fluoride. Although bottled water is better to drink, these children and adults are missing out on the benefits of fluoridated water. 
Healthy Fluids  
Find out if you have fluoride in your water by contacting your local health department.  If you don’t have fluoride in your drinking water, your dentist can write a fluoride prescription for children. Fluoride supplements such as drops or tablets help strengthen the teeth forming under young gums. 
   Make drinking water fun. Families can purchase water bottles or water bottle decorating kits at local stores. You can also make personalized water bottles via online photo programs, such as Shutterfly. Then families can use their own tap water.

   Keep a special water bottle at home for grandchildren to use. Make a “dental overnight bag” together and let your grandchild pick out a special toothbrush, and fluoride toothpaste. Brush teeth together. Check they brush properly and examine results. Children are notorious for faking it.

  Guest writer is Rebecca Maino, dental health care professional.

Photos: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Wmeschoolkids.JPG
This Image was released by the United States Navy with the ID 070622-N-6278K-006

More Ideas and Activities....See the authors’ book “Learning Through the Seasons” at area bookstores and grandparentsteachtoo.org. For more help to prepare young children for success in school see the authors’ web site: www.grandparentsteachtoo.org. Also check our audio Podcasts WNMU Radio 90; Youtube video activities; and join us on Pinterest

Fun and Learning: Lasagna Gardening

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Fall is a great time to get out and garden with your kids and grandkids even if there is a little snow. It is not too late to make new successful garden plot with good soil. Children will hardly be able to wait until spring to start planting.

  Patricia Lanza has an easy way to make new garden beds and start the process for growing beautiful, healthy plants: Lasagna Gardening! Families can start late into the fall even though there is snow since there is no tilling, digging or weeding involved. Children will be layering newspaper, cardboard and other biodegradables right on top of the grass patch you want to turn into your new bed. These materials breakdown and also eventually provide food for worms, essential to making healthy nutrient-rich soil.

  Start by talking and thinking with children, making a list as you go. What do you need for plants to grow besides good soil: sun, water, and warm temperatures. Where do you have all these things in your yard? How big is this space? How much do you want to plant? Will you have room? Talk about favorite vegetables and flowers. Think about their colors and plants sizes. Will these plants grow in your area?

  Now plan and gather materials for the layers. To get good soil composition, you need some dry brown materials (carbon) and some fresher green materials (nitrogen). Do you have old of newspaper or cardboard with no colored or glossy pages? What about leaves, hay, other garden waste or grass clippings, peat moss, pine needles, saw dust, wood ashes? You can also work in other kitchen compost: coffee grounds, eggshells, and tea bags. Do not use pet waste.

  When you have gathered all the materials you found, it’s time to create your layers. Wet down layers of old newspaper and lay out over the area you chose for your garden, 5 or more sheets thick. Layer one is leaves, peat moss or other dry brown organic material on top of the newspaper. Then spread a thin layer of green or compost materials. Repeat this process until you build 5” to 12” of layers. This will give enough depth to allow room for the roots of your new plants to grow.

  Finally, water until spongy. You can cover with plastic and a few rocks.

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 In the spring, the layers will have settled and be ready to plant when the ground has thawed and danger of frost has passed. In a future article we will talk about painting stones, and borders to place in your spring garden. Kids love painting and making colorful garden containers, a good wintertime activity.

  Particia Lanza has many more garden preparation tips on her web page and book called “Lasagna Gardening: A New Layering System for Bountiful Gardens: No Digging, No Tilling, No Weeding, No Kidding!” or find Patricia's How To site: http://ourgardengang.tripod.com/lasagna_gardening.htm

Photos: Fran Darling-fdarling fotos

More Ideas and Activities....See the authors’ book “Learning Through the Seasons” at area bookstores and grandparentsteachtoo.org. For more help to prepare young children for success in school see the authors’ web site: www.grandparentsteachtoo.org. Also check our audio Podcasts WNMU Radio 90; Youtube video activities; and join us on Pinterest

Taking Good Care of Family Teeth

American homes are now loaded with Halloween candy and pounds of sugar, an important link with bacteria in tooth decay. Did you know that an estimated 51.7 million school hours are lost each year due to dental-related illness?  However, most tooth decay is easily preventable according to the American Dental Association research and reports.

  There are a few major trends that are creating more tooth decay. There are many gummy items for purchase, such as gummy vitamins and gummy snacks for children.  Gummy equals sticky. Sticky things that contain sugar get stuck on your teeth and combine with sugar for tooth decay!

  Americans are also a population on the go.  Some families take sugary drinks and juices to sip on all day long. Sipping all day long or chewing on gummy snacks sets up anyone for tooth decay. If family members, especially children, are not able to brush their teeth after meals because they are at work or school, their teeth will be bathing in decay -causing acids created by the bacteria in the mouth.  These acid attacks last for about 20 minutes. If the acid attacks are frequent throughout the day, tooth decay can occur.

Good Teeth Health Choices

  Making good food and drink choices can help reduce family tooth decay. Stay away from food that can stick to your teeth, such as gummy snacks, caramel, or sugary candy. If you can’t brush your teeth after you eat, drink water in between meals and/or chew on sugarless gum. Pack water and ice cubes thermos for children to sip.

   According to the ADA, chewing on sugarless gum increases the flow of saliva, which washes away food and other debris. It neutralizes acids produced by bacteria in the mouth. Increased saliva flow also carries with it more calcium and phosphate to help strengthen tooth enamel. Of course, chewing sugarless gum is not a replacement for daily tooth brushing, flossing, or regular dental checkups. 

Visit the Dentist

  Dentists encourage children as young as one year old to visit the dental office.  By doing this, families establish a “Dental Home” and help children be more familiar with the dental staff. 

  Besides limiting the amount of candy stash children eat, what else can families do? Here are helpful tooth tips for a healthier smile:

·  Brush after meals and before bedtime.  If you can only brush once a day, make sure it is before you go to sleep.

·  Use a soft toothbrush with fluoride toothpaste and floss at least once a day. 

·  If you don’t have access to a toothbrush during the day, drink water and chew sugarless gum.

·  Visit your dentist regularly!  Twice a year is best to prevent any problems before they become severe.

·  If adults take care of their smile, (grand) children will too. 

   Make a tooth-brushing chart.  Children can help decorate the calendar-like chart. They can earn a star or a sticker when they brush their teeth and inspected by an adult. At the end of the week, they can earn a prize, such as going to a movie or watching a movie at home while staying up a little later. Thank you to guest writer Rebecca Maino, R.D.H. 

Photos: Fran Darling-fdarling fotos; Mark Nowicki

More Ideas and Activities....See the authors’ book “Learning Through the Seasons” at area bookstores and grandparentsteachtoo.org. For more help to prepare young children for success in school see the authors’ web site: www.grandparentsteachtoo.org. Also check our audio Podcasts WNMU Radio 90; Youtube video activities; and join us on Pinterest