August 2009 Archives

With Labor Day approaching, many are ready to celebrate the end of summer and enjoy time with their family and friends. Unfortunately, the Labor Day holiday also brings an increase in crime -- the crime of drunk driving on our highways. In Texas, it is illegal to drive with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 grams per deciliter or higher. In 2007, there were 1,292 alcohol-related fatalities on Texas roadways. Approximately one-third of fatal crashes are alcohol-related.

Impaired-driving crashes are not accidents -- they are crimes. Nationally, there is approximately one fatal alcohol-related crash with BAC .08 or more every 45 minutes. Drunk driving is one of the most often committed and deadly crimes in this country. The victims are not always just the drunk drivers themselves. Innocent victims often include the driver's family and friends. Many children are killed in these crashes.

From August 21 - September 7, 2009, law enforcement will conduct the annual Impaired Driving National Enforcement Crackdown. The title of the campaign is Drunk Driving. Over the Limit. Under Arrest. During this time, there will be no exceptions. Drunk drivers will be stopped and arrested. Violators often face jail time, loss of their drivers' licenses, or being setenced to use an ignition interlock. Even if a driver survives an alcohol-related crash, the consequences can still virtually destroy your life.

Drunk-driving fatalities are four times higher during nighttime hours than during the daytime and more than twice as high on weekends compared to weekdays. Law enforcement will be on a mission day and night to arrest drunk drivers and save lives!

To avoid the tragedy caused by drunk driving, follow these safety tips from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration:

• If you are planning to drink alcohol with friends, designate a sober driver before going out - and give that person your keys.
• If you are impaired, do not drive. Call a taxi; use mass transit if available, or call a sober friend of family member to get you home safely.
• Promptly report impaired drivers you see on the roadways to law enforcement.
• Wear your seat belt while in a car, or use a helmet and protective gear when on a motorcycle, as these are your best defenses against impaired drivers.
• And remember, if you know people who are about to drive or ride with impaired, take their keys - and help them get to where they are going safely.  

You've learned useful tips and food safety precautions when packing school lunch for the little ones the past few weeks. What can parents do when the child is a picky eater or refuses to try new foods? Here are some helpful tips that parents can try to solve the meal time dilemma:

• Be a good example -- It is no secret that kids will imitate their parents and other adults. When kids see their parents eating healthy foods, they will be more likely to develop a liking for those foods, too.
• Don't give up! -- It could take introducing a new food to your children 10 or 11 times before they decide to eat and like that food.
• Create a positive environment -- Your kids will be more willing to try new foods and develop healthy eating habits when you create a positive atmosphere during meals. Kids will eat less and tend to dislike foods when meal times are emotionally upsetting. Avoid complaining about food not eaten, making negative statements about the child, discussing difficult topics, and disciplining a child during a meal.
• Involve kids in food preparation -- Depending on the age of your kids and the stage of their development, allow them to help you with grocery shopping, washing fruits and vegetables, cutting, mixing, setting up the table, etc.
• Provide a selection of healthy foods -- Let kids pick which foods they want to eat from the selection. You can also make it fun by picking a color for the day and offer kids all fruits or vegetables of the color or picking a letter of the alphabet and offer fruits and vegetables that start with that letter.

Make meal time an enjoyable family time. Happy Eating! 

The first day of school is almost here!  If your child will be bringing lunch from home instead of buying school lunch, the following strategies can help make carried lunches hassle free:

*  Designate a spot in the fridge to store lunches, then everyone can just grab their lunch and go on those busy, hectic mornings.

*  Prepare lunches the night before to save time in the morning.  Remember to refrigerate!

*  Divide veggies, fruit, crackers, etc. into individual baggies or containers at the beginning of each week.  Sunday evening is a good time to do this!

*  Make a weekly "lunch menu."  Planning a weekly lunch menu in advance will ensure that you have all of the ingredients/supplies on hand, and save last minute trips to the grocery store - saving you both time and money.

Visit the Lifeline Blog next week for the final entry in this School Lunch Series and learn some fun lunch ideas that will "pack a smile" along with a healthy lunch.

Some children prefer to take their own lunch to school, or you may find it to be a more cost-effective option for your family.  If that's the case, pack meals that please - foods that are easy to prepare and fun to eat as well as healthful, safe, and nutritious.

*  Use a new brown bag every day or, if your child carries a lunch box or insulated container, be sure to wash it after every use.

*  If you send perishable foods, such as a sandwich with meat, include a small, frozen cold- pack to prevent bacteria growth.

*  Plan easy-to-eat foods - for example, sandwiches, raw vegetable pieces, crackers, cheese slices or cubes, string cheese, or whole fruit.

*  Remember to pack the milk money.  Kids need calcium in dairy foods for their growing bones!

*  Let children help to plan and prepare their school lunches.  When they're involved, they'll probably eat every morsel rather than trade their raw veggies for somone else's cookie.

*  Remind kids to store their carried meals at school in a clean, safe place - away from sunlight and the heat vent in the classroom.

*  You can add extra pleasure to a carried meal with an occasional surprise tucked inside - a riddle, a comic, or a note that says "You're somebody special!"  Knowing that someone cares is nourishing in it's own way.

For time saving strategies to make carried lunches hassle free, visit the Lifeline Blog next week.

Caregivers, teachers, peers, extended family, media, heredity, and the environment all contribute to a child's development; however, parents (if present) are the most powerful influence in the lives of their children. Parental involvement not only shapes development during the initial years of life, but also during the adolescent and adult years.

Given this important role, to what extent should parents be involved in their children's development? According to the National PTA, "Parental involvement is the participation of parents in every facet of the education and development of children from birth to adulthood, recognizing that parents are the primary influence in their children's lives." Parents have a tremendous responsibility to be involved with their children both inside and outside the home.

Decades of research have demonstrated that the more involved parents are in their children's development, the greater chance children have to succeed, particularly in their academic performance. Consistently, researchers have discovered that greater parental involvement in a child's education is associated with:

• higher student grades and test scores,
• better attendance,
• higher rates of homework completion,
• more positive student attitudes and behavior,
• higher graduation rates, and
• greater enrollment rates in post-secondary education.

When parents are involved, children achieve more regardless of their socioeconomic level, ethnic/racial background, or the parents' educational level.

As recent research on early brain development has shown, positive parental involvement needs to begin long before children enter info formal schooling arrangements. The early years of a child's life are critically important for healthy brain development, attachment formation, and language acquisition. When parents become actively involved with ther children at an early age, they lay a foundation for learning that will benefit children for the rest of their lives.

Source: Dr. Stephen Green, Child Development Specialist, Texas AgriLife Extension Service

For information about parenting classes contact Wenhsing Cheng at wcheng@ag.tamu.edu or 214-904-3050.

It's time to think about starting the school year off right with healthy meals from home or the cafeteria.  For many parents, school meals offer an inexpensive, convenient, and nutritious solution for one or two meals for their kids.  For many children and teens, school meals contribute significantly to their overall nutrient and energy intake.

If your child buys school meals, he or she may have choices on the cafeteria line, perhaps more than one vegetable or several types of milk.  Having choices helps students build smart eating skills - and helps to ensure that children eat healthful meals.  It's part of "eating right" education!  As a parent, you can help your child choose healthful meals at school:

*  Get familiar with the school meal menu, and go over it with your child.  Talk about making choices in the cafeteria line.

*  Have lunch at school with kids occassionally.  Parents are usually welcome to eat a meal at school.

*  Support school nutrition education, and reinforce what children are learning at school by applying this knowledge at home.

*  In the upper grades, school menus often offer burgers, pizza, and tacos.  Encourage your child to choose a salad, fresh fruit, yogurt, and/or milk to go with them.

*  Don't forget the drinks.  Encourage your child to make healthy drink choices - low-fat milk, 100% juice, or water instead of punch or other less healthy drink options which are often high in calories and low in nutrients.

Some children prefer to "brown-bag it."   If this is true of your child, visit the Lifeline Blog next week to get some tips on homemade lunches that are fun to eat as well as healthful and safe. 

The Law

Effective 9/1/09, all children under age 8, UNLESS taller than 4'9", need to be in a child safety seat system, which includes traditional car seats with harnesses AND booster seats, according to the manufacturer's instructions.

Best Practice

Children who are over 8 years old, but not yet 4'9" tall, are best protected in booster seats. Booster seats help to raise a child up so the vehicle lap/shoulder belt fits properly.

Follow the 4 STEPS

Step 1 -- Rear-facing seats in the back seat from birth to at least 1 year old and at least 20 pounds. Longer rear-facing is recommended to the maximum the seat allows.

Step 2 -- Forward-facing toddler seats in the back seat when child is a minimum of age 1 and 20 pounds to about age 4 and 40 pounds or more.

Step 3 -- Booster seats in the back seat from about age 4 to at least age 8, unless 4'9" tall.

Step 4 -- Safety belts at age 8 and older or taller than 4'9". All children age 12 and under should ride in the back seat.

Source: Texas Department of Transportation & Texas AgriLife Extension Service Passenger Safety. 

Additional information about booster seats: http://agrilifeblogs.tamu.edu/blogs/lifeline/2009/06/does-your-child-need-a-booster-seat.html

For more information or questions about passenger safety contact Bev Kellner at (979) 862-1782 or bkellner@ag.tamu.edu.