HaltonParents

Why babies and toddlers should stay in a rear-facing car seat as long as possible

Posted on May 11, 2015 by Karen Hay, RN

I remember a number of years ago (okay, full confession – about 18 years ago) when I couldn’t wait to move my baby out of her infant-only car seat and into her new forward-facing car seat. I was anxious to turn her around so I could see her more easily and I was worried about her crossed legs being injured in an accident. It’s what I knew at the time, but now I know better.

As a Certified Car Seat Safety Technician, I now know that babies and toddlers are much safer when travelling in the rear-facing position. Based on research and crash test data, the recommendations for how long children should stay in the rear-facing position have changed. Car seat manufacturers have responded to this new information by redesigning car seats that can be used in the rear-facing position with much higher child weight and height limits than before – great news for your little one’s safety! Continue reading →

Posted in Babies, Keeping Your Baby Safe, Keeping Your Toddler & Preschooler Safe, Parenting, Parenting Your Baby, Parenting Your Toddler & Preschooler, Play, Growth & Development, Play, Growth & Development for Babies, Toddlers & Preschoolers | Tagged baby, baby car seat, car seat, car seat safety, car seat tips, infant car seat, Keeping Your Baby Safe, rear facing, rear-facing car seats, toddler, Toddlers & Preschoolers | 4 Comments

“No smoking” near playgrounds, sports fields and pools – thanks to changes in Smoke-Free Ontario Act

Posted on May 8, 2015 by Dr. Hamidah Meghani

Now that spring has arrived, many of us are once again enjoying or making plans to enjoy the outdoors, but sometimes taking your kids out to enjoy some important physical activity like playing soccer, baseball or even a swim at the local pool can put you and your family at risk from someone else’s second-hand smoke.

I want to take a few moments to remind families about some important changes to the Smoke-Free Ontario Act (SFOA) that will allow all of us to breathe a little easier. Continue reading →

Posted in Alcohol, Tobacco & Drugs, Babies, Children & Tweens, Keeping Your Baby Safe, Keeping Your Child/Tween Safe, Keeping Your Teen Safe, Keeping Your Toddler & Preschooler Safe, Parenting, Pregnancy, Prenatal Health, Teens, Toddlers & Preschoolers | Tagged children, kids, Mental Health, new law, outdoor patios, parents, Physical Health, school, school health, smoke, smoke free law, smoke free ontario act, smoke free places, Smoking, soccer fields, special needs, Sports, teens | 1 Comment

Letting go will help my kids learn to be organized. Now where to start?!

Posted on May 4, 2015 by Cynthia Lindsay RN

In my household I am the primary “organizer.” I do many things, probably too many things. I am She-woman, hear me roar! I keep everyone organized, from homework to preparing and getting everyone to where they need to be. I take this role seriously, part of me thinks that without my outstanding organizational skills my family would be in total chaos and completely lost without me.

As my kids grow up, I am slowly realizing that by doing this, I have become a bit of a martyr. I do, do, do and expect gratitude AND everyone expects me to do it. I’ve come to accept that I may actually be doing a disservice to my family. Small tasks that should be second nature to my kids (and husband) seem to continuously fall on me. Have I created a cycle of dependency? Continue reading →

Posted in Children & Tweens, Emotional Well-Being & Mental Health for Your Child/Tween, Emotional Well-Being & Mental Health for Your Teen, Parenting, Parenting Your Child/Tween, Parenting Your Teen, Teens | Tagged homework, kids, Mental Health, organization skills, parents, Physical Health, plan, plan backward, planning, school health, teens, think forward, time management | 4 Comments

Are your kids ready to handle an emergency?

Posted on April 30, 2015 by Cynthia Lindsay RN

Emergencies happen. As adults, we try to prepare for them with home fire escape plans, emergency car kits, and some of us also take CPR and first aid courses. We also do our best to keep our families safe by preventing dangerous situations in the home.

But with all of our preparation, sometimes bad things still happen. When your children are old enough to stay at home alone or babysit others, it’s important for them to be and feel prepared by knowing what to do in case of an emergency. Continue reading →

Posted in Children & Tweens, Keeping Your Child/Tween Safe, Keeping Your Teen Safe, Keeping Your Toddler & Preschooler Safe, Parenting, Parenting Your Child/Tween, Parenting Your Teen, Parenting Your Toddler & Preschooler, Teens, Toddlers & Preschoolers | Tagged chocking, CPR, emergency, emergency preparedness, First Aid, Keeping Your Baby Safe, kids, parents, Physical Health, school health, teens | 1 Comment

Attitude changes and emotional outbursts. Should I be worried?

Posted on April 20, 2015 by Cynthia Lindsay RN

“Can you please clean the cat litter?”, I ask as I’m running out to get groceries. My daughter’s response: “No thank you!” I don’t know if she thought adding the “thank you” would soften her response and get her off the hook. Did I mention she’s a pre-teen? Yes that’s right, not a toddler. Remember those fun, strong-willed independent toddler days? Well somehow they crawl back into your life in a larger prepubescent body. Continue reading →