Saturday, March 16, 2013

creative and inexpesive things to do with your child



I saw a bumper sticker the other day that said good parenting requires Twice as much time and half as much money.
I agree!!  Below is one of the hand outs from my parenting class.


Nurse Judy’s Inexpensive and creative activity list

  • Collect and decorate rocks with colorful paints and glitter for a rock garden.
This is a great one to use as a reward for good behavior. When they see the pretty rocks, they will remember that they earned them.

  • Make a collage. Old magazines and old photos are great for this activity.

  • Make an musical instrument... Use your imagination: a shoe box with rubber bands can be a guitar; Glasses filled with different levels of water make different tones; Tapping different surfaces with chopsticks makes different sounds.

  • Go on a ‘use all your senses’ walk. What do they see, smell, hear, and feel?

  • Create a scavenger hunt walk. Plan a list ahead of time of thing to find…like a dog, an airplane, or even a girl with purple hair.

  • Go on an ABC walk. Find things that start with all the different letters…or find the actual letters on signs and license plates. This is a great game in a supermarket.

  • Download Free coloring pages from the internet. With a little searching, you can get a picture of just about anything.

  • Draw with chalk. Make a hopscotch board.

  • Make your own play dough. You can find the recipe on line

  • Make a fort using the couch cushions

  • Write a story and illustrate it together.

  • Decide on a recipe and bake or cook something. Kids will often try foods more eagerly if they helped with the cooking. Let them help sprinkle in different spices and be the taste-tester.

  • Have a Tea party. Invite the dolls, and get out the good china that you never use.

  • Trace your hands and feet and color them in.

  • Have some down time while watching a video or a special TV program. There are some lovely educational TV programs and videos out there.

  • Play a computer game. Don’t be afraid of controlled use. Children that don’t learn how to be comfortable on computers at a young age are at a distinct disadvantage in this high tech culture.

  • Blow bubbles

  • There is little out there that is as much fun as a big appliance box to get inside of . If you buy a new appliance or see a neighbor buying one, ask for the box.
  • Wash the car!

  • Read!


Nurse Judy' Blog


www.oathcare.com

Click the link above to see what I am up do these days!!

welcome to my blog.

At my job I answer questions about a huge variety of topics.
I combine 30 years of of being a pediatric nurse, my experience of raising children of my own,
a leaning towards taking advantage of natural remedies and an extra large dose of common sense.
These postings are my approach to dealing with a myriad of topics. I hope you find them useful.
I am happy to get comments or requests on topics that you would like me to address.

I often comment that if you pick a topic, any topic and ask 10 people a question you can get 20 different answers and opinions. This can be especially confusing and overwhelming to parents who are trying to figure out the best way to handle a variety of parenting issues.
I council that you should gather all of the various suggestions, sift through them and then figure out what instinctively feels right to you. If you try something and it doesn't work, learn the lesson, go back to the well and try one of the other choices.
If you have a partner it is a wise idea to have open discussions and find the approach that you can both agree with. (This sounds sensible, but often the individuals come from such different parenting styles themselves that it is a bit of work finding common ground)

During the course of my job as an advice nurse, there are some questions that we get fairly constantly.
I have found it useful to refer my patients to the blog posts for a basic overview.

Click on the right for a menu of the past topics. You need to click on each month for a full menu of all the posts. (I haven't figured out a way to have all the topics showing, If someone out there knows a secret please share it!)
The ten most popular posts will be up on top.
(It cracks me up that my head lice post is by FAR the most popular)

 You can also do a search up in the upper left corner, for instance if you put in lice, up will pop the head lice post. Of course, some words will show up in multiple posts.
At the bottom here I have a list of posts which I update every once in a while


I also hold classes for parents...more info on those can be found at www.nursejudy.com

If you would like to be added to my weekly email list, just send me an email to nursejudysf@gmail.com and I will be happy to add you.

I hope you find these posts helpful.

~Nurse Judy

March 2013
Tylenol Dosing Chart
Keep a journal
Tummy bugs 101
Teething
Rashes
Milk/calcium guide
Sleep Habits
Sunscreen

April 2013
Colic
Lead
Car seats
Iron
Baby poop

May 2013
Poop #2 along comes solid foods
toilet training
constipation
Tick bites

June 2013
Head Lice
Bath time
Blocked tear ducts
tips for giving medications
Hand Foot Mouth virus
How much sugar is too much ( Nurse Jen)
Dentist guide

July 2013
Crib safety
Vitamin D
How loud is too loud?
Hepatitis B vaccine

August 2013
Tylenol before vaccines?

Basic butt care/ diaper rash
Dealing with colds and congestion  ( Update 9/14)

September 2013
Medicine cabinet guide
Poisonous plants
Croup

October 2013
Nurse Jen book review
Slap Cheek
Nurse Charity on biting
Halloween safety

November 2013
RSV (updated 12/14)
dealing with fevers
Food safety

December 2013
Vick vaporub on your feet?
Creative and inexpensive activities to do with your child
Vaporizers

January 2014
Strep throat
Skin fold irritations
Empower your child
head injuries
Pin worms

February 2014
When is your child contagious? (update 3/15)
Pet safety
Impetigo
Measles (update 2/15)

March 2014
Pertussis (please see the April 2015 post)
siblings
tick bite update
Charity on warm weather nursing

April 2014
your child's hearing update
Roseola
Conjunctivitis ( please see the March 2015 post)
Cutting your baby's nails

May 2014
Your baby's weight/growth chart
Pie Theory/ finding balance (updated Feb 2015)
spitting up
Things that get stuck in orifices
Nurse Jen blogs on how words matter

June 2014
Things that get put in the mouth (not food)
Is it a Urinary Tract infection?
Sunscreen (update)
Bullies

July 2014
Motion sickness
Travel tips
Car seats
Thrush (Nurse Charity)

August 2014
dental Care (Nurse Jen)
infant acne
West Nile virus
2014/15 Flu update
Hep B/your first vaccination opportunity

September 2014
Colds/congestion review
Pacifiers: Friend or foe
Tech time: how much is too much
Keeping play dates safe (Nurse Jen)

October 2014
 Picky eating
what's in your medicine cabinet and getting rid of expired meds
Enterovirus D68
Halloween Safety tips

November 2014
Poisonous plant guide
Temper Tantrums
RSV
Food Safety Guidelines

December 2014
Holiday Safety tips
Alternative Allergy treatments
When can you take your infant out into the germy world
Updated Dosage chart

 January  2015
Keeping a journal
Febrile seizures
Measles outbreak 2015
Is your child contagious ( updated)
Ear infections ( cell scope promo code)

February 2015
More on Measles
Charity blogs about nipple wounds
Pie theory

March 2015
pink eye
eczema
Breast pumps (Nurse Charity)

April 2015
Healthy weight (Kurbo ap promo code)
Pertussis/ Whooping cough updated
Tick bites (updated)
Swimming with your baby

May 2015
Rashes
Sleep tidbits part 1 infant
Sleep tidbits toddler/ shifting naps
Sleep tidbits  leaving the crib behind

June 2015
Fevers (updated)
Head aches
chickenpox/shingles exposure guide
travel tips (updated)

July 2015

4th of July safety tips
Car seat guide (updated)
Calcium/milk (updated)
Bedtime book
Cord care

August 2015
School immunization requirements
Constipation ( update)
Flu vaccine 2015/16 season
Bullies (update)

September 2015
speech milestones
tummy bugs (update)
Vitamind D (update)
Dentist list (update)

October 2015

Colic (update)
West Nile virus ( update)
Hepatitis A
Anaphylaxis
Halloween safety tips (update)

November 2015
 parapertussis
RSV (update)
Food safety tips (update)
The power of story telling

December 2015
Holiday safety tips (update)
Essential equipment
The best present is your presence ( update)

January 2016
Slap cheek ( update)
cleaning up
altitude
cradle cap

February 2016
Head injury (update)
talking to your kids about sex
Vicks vaporub on the feet (update)
The back to work transition

March 2016
Super Lice (update)
Lead (update)
Organizing tips
Hand/Foot/Mouth (update)

April 2016
Tick bites (update)
Siblings (update)
Probiotics (Nurse Jen)
Urgent Care options

May 2016
Night Terrors (update)
Bed wetting
kids and pets (update)
swimming (update)

June 2016
Ear infections (update)
motion sickness (update)
Fathers Day post ( Mr Nurse Judy)
Talking to your kids about horrible headlines

July 2016
July 4th safety (update)
Travel tips (update)
Eye health/vision
car seats (updated)

August 2016
School vaccination requirements 2016
They put what in their mouth? (update)
Flu vaccine for the 2016/17 season
pinworms ( update)

September 2016
Cutting your baby's nails (update)
Achieving a healthy weight (update)
Carbon Monoxide
Anaphylaxis (update)
Colic (update)

October 2016
Teething ( update)
Managing stress
Dealing with habits
Halloween safety ( update)

November 2016
RSV (update)
Antibiotic considerations
taking your baby out into this germy world ( update)
story telling ( update)

December 2016
Essential equipment (update)
When is your child contagious? (update)
Holiday safety checklist (update)
What is in your medicine cabinet? (update)

January 2017
Keep a journal (update)
The Dentist issue (update)
Speech milestones/speech therapy resources (update)
alternative allergy solutions (update)

February 2017
Tips for giving Medicine
Iron (update)
Zika (update)
Coughs and colds ( update)

March 2017
Dealing with loss ( update)
Finding balance ( update)
Flat heads/PT options
Poison Oak
Vitamin D ( update)

April 2017
Urgent Care Options ( update)
Siblings ( update)
Poop chapter one ( update)
Poop/starting solids (update)

May 2017
Toilet training tips ( update)
Mothers Day musings
Tick bites ( update)
Measles ( update)

June 2017
Sunscreen (update)
Slap Cheek (update)
Father's Day
Water safety/ Dry Drowning

July 2017
Swimming ( update)
Sippy cups
How Loud is too loud? (update)
Back to school vaccination requirements ( update)
Car Seat safety ( update)

August 2017
Food Heros and Villians
Problem solving skills ( update)
First aid kit
Flu vaccine 2017

September 2017
Bullies ( update)
Fever (update)
Organizing your stuff ( update)
Rashes ( update)
Lice (update)

October 2017
Lead (update)
Smoke and air quality
Eczema (update)
Halloween safety 2017

November 2017
RSV 2017
Carbon Monoxide 2017
The Impact of a single sentence
Inhaler tips/Reactive airway

December 2017
The best Present is your presence 2017
Essential equipment 2017
Will the real Santa please stand up 2017
They put What in their mouths/ 2017

January 2018
Tummy bugs 101 (2018)
Building and protecting your immune system
Old letters and pictures
They stuck what where? 2018

February 2018
Dentist issue 2018
When is your child contagious? 2018
The Misadventure of Nurse Judy/Managing stress 2018
We could all use a little bit more Mr Rogers


March 2018
The Back to work transition 2018
Dealing with Altitude 2018
Travel 2018
Attitude
Vision Health 2018

April 2018
Urgent care options 2018
Constipation 2018
TemperTantrums 2018
Warts and Molluscum

May 2018
Diaper changing tips
Lessons from my Mom
Mosquito bite prevention
Teething (update 2018)

June 2018
Talking to your kids about homelessness
Picky eaters (2018)
The Partners Job
My Fathers Influence

July 2018
July 4th safety tips (2018)
Speech milestones ( 2018)
Milk/Calcium guids (2018)
Drowning/appoint a water guardian

August 2018
Car Seat update ( 2018)
Back to school adjustment tips
Motion sickness ( 2018)
Flu season 18/19
Epipen/anaphylaxis ( 2018)

September 2018
Measles./ travelers guide 2018
Mental illness
Attention
Time outs

October 2018
Coughs and colds 2018
Strep throat 2018
Halloween Safety 2018

November 2018
Acute Flaccid Myelitis
Honesty
Pie Theory/Finding balance 2018
Air Quality
Food safety 2018
Impact of the recent smoke/radical acceptance 2018

December 2018
Holiday safety 2018
Keep a journal 2018

January 2019
Vaporizers/humidifiers 2019
Pertussis 2019
Four month sleep regression
Gun safety

February 2019
Head injury 2019
Hepatitis A 2019
Talking to your kids about sex 2019
Tech time/how much is too much 2019

March 2019
Urgent care options 2019
New School Vaccination requirements
Colic 2019
Cleaning up made simple 2019
Chicken Pox/Shingles exposure guide 2019


April 2019
ear infections 2019
There is no such thing as a silly question
Poisonous plants 2019
Tick Bites 2019

May 2019
The amazing Nanya/Mother in Law
Nurse Judy the mom
Sun screen 2019
Tylenol/Motrin dosages 2019
Bath time 2019

June 2019
Melatonin
Measles by the numbers
Fathers day Post
Travel safety

July 2019
Allergy alternative 2019
Siblings 2019
Lead exposure 2019
kids and pets 2019

August 2019
Flu season 2019
When kids play favorites
Sleep tips/ insomnia


October 2019
Branching out from English only

November 2019
The Power of story telling 2019
Food Safety update 2019
Car seat safety update 2019
Election time

December 2019
The Best Present is your presence 2019
Holiday safety 2019
The World can use more Mr Rogers 2019

January 2020
Habits update 2020
Flat head/ tummy time update 2020
Building and protecting your immune system

February 2020
Novel Corona Virus
Selling the family home/the end of an era
Covid-19 update
Adverse Childhood experiences

March 2020
social networking
Updated Medicine Cabinet
Quarantine tips
Assessing Priorities

April 2020
Too much togetherness
It is okay not to be right all of the time
Poison Oak ( update)
Finding Humor in the time of Quarantine

May 2020
The science of hair loss
The impact of a single sentence ( update)
Vitamin D (update)
Rashes/when to worry ( Update)
Talking to your child about sex ( update)

June 2020
In Memory of Uncle Landshark
Stop feeling guilty for finding moments of joy 
 Decisions about the quarantine
 Drowning

 July 2020 
 Dealing and managing emotion
 Blink my baby is turning 30 
Dietary guidelines 2020 
 Talking to your kids about germs 

 August 2020 
 Ergonomics 
 Happy Birthday Lauren 
 Flu Vaccine 2020 
 How trivial choices can make a huge impact

 September 2020 
 Mosquito bites 
 A story of the mysterious socks 
 Talking to your child about Loss
 Family tree info

October 2020
Teething (update)
Happy birthday to Frida the lamp
Dealing with the time change
Halloween safety (update)

November 2020
Teach your child how to be a good winner or loser
Thanksgiving/food safety ( update)
Holiday safety checklist 2020 (update)

December 2020
Talking Barbie takes a bath
Dental checkups ( Update)
Santa and Covid (update)
The christmas Cactus

January 2021
Give your kids the gift of music
I am a Grandma!
Car Seat Guide 2021 ( update)
Having a baby is HARD
Basic Butt Care (update)

February 2021
Covid one year later
Heavy metal in Baby Food
Do you know your love language?
Carbone Monoxide ( update)

March 2021
Passover musings
Cleaning up made simple (update)
Eczema management (update)
The Milk transition (Update)
April 2021
Lessons from my mom(update)
Poisonous plants (Update)
Astrological shenanigans

May 2021
Talking to your children about Homelessness ( update)
 
June 2021
Making sense of the changing Covid Guidelines
Air safety in your classrooms and homes
Ghosts and Radios
Sun Protection (update)

July 2021
July 4th safety guide (update)
Things we take for granted
The Magic and importance of play
Motion sickness ( update)

August 2021
Back to school adjustment tips ( update)
Iron ( update)
RSV ( update)

September 2021 
A story about strange coincidences
Flu vaccine info ( update)
Forgiveness and atonement
When is your child contagious (update)

October 2021
Fever (update)
Earthquake preparedness
Halloween safety tips (update)
Dealing with Time shift (update)

November 2021
Lead poisoning/prevention (update)
Adverse childhood experience (update)
Covid vaccine children 5-11

December 2021
The best Present is your presence (update)
Travel safety tips ( update)
Travel tips part two (update)
Holliday angst and Joy

January 2022
Keep a journal (update)
Croup ( update)
Pain and Fever reducers with dosage charts ( update)

February 2022
Healthy fish as part of your diet
Head injuries (update)
Talking to your child about differences

March 2022
Horrible headlines (update)
Tick bites (update)
Febrile seizures (update)

April 2022
April Tuesday
Tips for giving medicine (update)
No such thing as a silly question (update)
Slap cheek (update)

No posts in May 2022 Nurse Judy was off gallivanting
June 2022
Hepatitis A (update)
Stories about my dad
Covid Shots for the little ones

July 2022
Sids/crib safety (update)
Melatonin (update)
Swimming guide (update)
Intentional communication (read this if you are bickering with your partner!)
colds and Congestion (update)

August 2022
dealing with excess heat
spotlight on Polio
insect and Mosquito bites (update)
When your child is holding the keys and you are locked out

September 2022
Dealing with stress (semi update)
Flu vaccine 2022/23
hitting/biting/kicking
Grandparents and boundaries

October 2022
conjunctivitis (update)
Skinfold irritations (update)
Halloween safety tips (update)

November 2022
sippy cups (update)
RSV (update)
pinworms (update)
Thanksgiving/food safety tips (update)

December 2022
Nothing as fun as a big box
Ear infections (update)
Holiday Safety tips (update)
talking to your child about Santa (update)
Managing tylenol shortage

January 2023
Tummy bugs (update)
Homage to Uncle Bert
Gun safety (update)

February 2023
Potty training (update)
Those wacky parental moments
Milestones/shmilestones
How loud is too loud? (update)

March 2023
The milk transition/calcium (update)
Good Dental habits (update)
Poisoning
Organizing your stuff (update)
Adenovirus

April 2023
Travel stories

May 2023
sunscreen (Update)
speech and language milestones (update)
Mothers Day 2023
Managing seasonal allergies

June 2023
Identify and mange your emotions
Chinese medicine and the summer season
Father's Day 2023
Head Lice (Update)

July 2023
Probiotics
Parent GPT
Measles 2023/global travel info

August 2023
Poop and solid foods (update)
The Pie Theory of life (update)
The enormous impact of seemingly trivial decisions (update)

September 2023
What would you do if?/problem solving pearl ( update)
Understanding medical terminology/How is your Greek and Latin?
Making the most of your doctor's appointment
Flu shot info for the 23/24 season
Forgiveness and Atonement (update)

October 2023
RSV (update)
Earthquakes and natural disasters ( update)
Dealing with Bullies (update)
My favorite piece of advice

November 2023
Strep Throat (update)
Creating healthy Sleep routine
When is your child contagious? (update)

December 2023
Gratitude
They put What in their mouth? (update)
Dealing with the long dark days of winter
Personal musings/end of a start up
What is in your medicine cabinet? (update)

January 2024
Happy Birthday Elliot
Colic and fussiness (update)