Helping Kids Overcome a Fear of Dentistry

January 27, 2012 by 2 Comments

Most parents don’t worry about how their kids will react to a dental visit until it’s too late (and a
phobia has already formed). Or perhaps they consider the possibility, but feel that there’s no reason
to raise the issue until there is actually a problem. However, this is a rather shortsighted position
considering how many children (and even adults) seem to harbor a fear of dentistry. So it behooves you
to approach the situation proactively by finding ways to prepare your kids for impending dental visits so
that they aren’t alarmed when they arrive and the poking and prodding starts. Here are just a few steps
that every parent can take to lessen the possibility of dentophobia.

1. Find a pediatric dentist. The first step is really to find a fantastic dentist that has experience
working with kids. Children may be especially afraid of the dentist for a number of reasons that
their parents don’t understand. Think about it; they’re forced to lie in a chair while someone
in a mask and creepy specs forces their mouth open and pokes around with pointy, metal
instruments. Add in the sounds of the drill (or other upset patients), the smell of disinfectant,
and the awful taste of various cleansers and rinses and it’s no wonder kids freak out. A pediatric
dentist understands these concerns and compensates in a variety of ways so that your kids will
[Read more…]

Filed Under: family, health, kids

Valentine’s Day Activities for the Whole Family

January 26, 2012 by 7 Comments

Although Valentine’s Day is traditionally geared towards couples in love, if that love lasts beyond
the dating stage you are pretty sure to find yourself in the family way at some point. And since
the sentiments of this romantic holiday helped to get you there, you’ll certainly want to continue
celebrating each year. However, having kids can change the situation somewhat. It’s not that you and
your honey shouldn’t have some time to yourselves (hey, that’s what keeps the flame alive), but the
hassles involved in making plans for this holiday could easily hold you back. You have to find a sitter
(good luck), book a restaurant (if you haven’t done it yet you’re already late), and spend a ton of dough
on a meal that would normally cost you half as much just so you can quickly be ushered out by the wait
staff to make room for the next booking. If this doesn’t sound like much fun, why not look for ways to
involve the whole family in the love-fest (and save your alone time for later)?

There are actually tons of ways that you can translate this holiday from a theme of romantic love
into one of familial bonding. One great way is to plan a special meal at home. Start ahead of time by
putting together a fancy menu of dishes, including starters, an entrée, and of course, dessert. You can
get everyone involved by allowing them to choose dishes they love, and if the kids are crafty they can
set the stage by decorating the dining room, arranging place [Read more…]

Filed Under: family, holidays

@COSI – #1 Science Center in the Country- and it’s closer then you think! @DiscoverOhio

January 25, 2012 by 22 Comments

CoSI is the Center of Science and Industry, and it’s almost within walking distance of the center of Columbus. Voted #1 Science Center in the country by Parents Magazine, CoSI is a wonderful science learning center where children of all ages (even ones over 18) can learn and interact with science in new ways.
Their exhibits are ever expanding and changing. At the time of our visit, we saw a new exhibit being built called Race, which is about diversity through the eyes of history and science. Sounds pretty interesting, and I am excited to see what they do with this topic. I wish we were able to see it, and am hoping to be able to get back to CoSI during the events duration (January 28-May 6, 2012).

The exhibits which we were most interested in were Ocean, Space and Gadgets. All of the exhibits are fun and engaging, but our favorites were these 3. Ocean has visitors walk through an ‘underwater cavern’, which is actually just a dimly lit cavern to an underwater exploration deck. On this deck there is a submarine you can get into, as well as a one man partially submerged submarine. Also, there is a classroom with lots of ocean critters and educational experiences to partake in. I liked how it felt like we were transported under the sea, while still being open enough for those of us who are a touch claustrophobic to feel comfortable. The kids really liked the submarines and getting to have a hands on experience with them. That was very unusual and super fun for both of them- and I did see a few older kids (and their fathers) go into it as well.

Next we explored Space. Space is all about space exploration and science. Including space shuttles, planetary rovers and even a space toilet to sit on. We had a ‘gas’ trying that out. There is an exhibit all about Niel Armstrong, who was born in Ohio, you can drive a radio controlled Mars Rover over martian terrain, and land a space shuttle. All right there in the safety of CoSI!

“Enter COSI’s Space exhibit through a dizzying black hole, then ride in a space capsule, test your skills as an “armchair” astronaut, or maneuver a rover through a Martian landscape. Explore the effects of gravity on different planets. Learn about life in orbit inside a mockup of the International Space Station or watch NASA TV live in the Galaxy Lounge.”

Last but not least [Read more…]

Filed Under: education, family, travel

Kings Island- Now With Dinosaurs Alive!

January 21, 2012 by 25 Comments

Where else can you go on one of ten roller coasters while your kids play on one of eighteen Peanuts themed attractions (ok, while mom takes the kids and dad rides the coasters, in our case)? King’s Island is one of those places that make you realize what an amusement park should be. It is clean, family friendly, the lines are manageable, and they have a waterpark that is included in the price of the theme park- what??? Yep- that is what makes Kings Island my favorite theme park of all time. Mark it down. I have been all over the world, to 29 countries, and all up and down the coast and to about half the 50 states- and if you have only 1 theme park to go to- I’d make it Kings Island, for sure. And it just got even better!

Right now there is also a really neat exhibit called Dinosaurs Alive!, only $5 with park admission, which is a recreation of a half dozen dinosaur scenes. These scenes vary from carnivores setting up a mud pit trap to long necked sauropods. These scenes are astoundingly accurate and kind of surreal when you get down to it. They are on motion sensors, so they move and roar as you walk by. Eerily, you can pass by a recreation flash flood scene from a dinosaur era. Then a second scene showing the deceased dinos and a third showing the fossilized remains of said dinos- sort of strange- not scary, though. Very interesting and mesmerizing. Not only for adults but also for kids. The dinosaurs are realistic but not overly scary for kids.

“Dinosaurs Alive! at Kings Island features more than 60 life-sized dinosaurs in a 12.5 acre Jurassic forest setting, including 56 animatronic models.
Highlights of Dinosaurs Alive! include the vicious-looking Irritator and its cousins the Baryonyx and the Spinosaurus, the lizard-like Stegosaurus, the meat-eating Tyrannosaurus Rex, the three-horned Triceratops and the flying Pteranodon.

Four [Read more…]

Filed Under: family, kids, travel Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Family Health Resolutions for 2012

January 21, 2012 by 5 Comments

Though New Year’s has come and gone, it isn’t too late to make resolutions that have to do with
the health of you and your family. In fact, the best way to include your children is to make healthy
resolutions seem fun. Here is a list of a few ways you can increase the overall health of your family this
year and have a good time doing it.

Wish list. Begin by sitting down with your family and coming up with a list of healthy, interactive
activities you can all do. Involving your kids in the process gives them some authority about the
direction these healthy resolutions are going to take, which means they are more likely to actually care
about keeping them.

Organization. It’s easy to fall back on old (and often bad) habits when you come home and find that
your pantry and/or freezer are totally disorganized, and so you whip up a frozen pizza or something
quick and easy out of a box. You’ll make healthier choices if you plan a menu in advance. This also
gives you the advantage of stocking your fridge and pantry with healthy alternatives. If your kids are
old enough, give them the opportunity to help out with dinner or allowing them to cook it themselves
(just keep an eye on the ingredients they plan to use!) Reorganizing your pantry allows you to remove
temptations like unhealthy snack foods that may be lurking on the shelves.

Sack lunch. Everyone in the house can be in on this plan, which is cost effective and healthier than
eating in the school cafeteria [Read more…]

Filed Under: family, health

How to Fund Your Child’s Education

January 20, 2012 by 5 Comments

Even if your child is still a toddler that just means there is plenty of time to start thinking about their
college education! Okay, so this might be scary for you to consider – you don’t want them all grown
up just yet – but, especially if you are paying back your own student loans, thinking about your child’s
future now instead of later means that your additional planning time will help them out in the long
run … and may give them an extra boost for success. Besides starting up the college fund most people
wish their parents had put away for them, here are a few other sources to help fund your child’s future
educational experiences.

Scholarships and fellowships. Scholarships and fellowships are the best option because they’re totally
free! Scholarships can be found almost anywhere you look (your child’s future guidance counselor will
prove invaluable when the time comes to hunt them up), and are usually tailored to a particular area of
your child’s expertise (if they’re musically inclined, for instance, you would look into music scholarships).
Outstanding scholars are usually subject to a fantastic array of scholarships and fellowships as well.

Grants (or more free money!) You can look into applying for a federal Pell Grant, which are offered to
undergraduate students whose families make under $20,000 annually. Another grant that may prove
helpful is the Federal Supplement Educational Opportunity Grant, designed for needy undergrads. If
your child maintains a 3.0 GPA during high school, during their first year in college [Read more…]

Filed Under: education, family, kids

The Rules of Borrowing Money from Family

January 20, 2012 by 5 Comments

There are a lot of reasons you might turn to your family members for loans. Perhaps credit problems
in the past have left you ineligible for other types of loans. Or maybe the terms you are being offered
aren’t very favorable (in terms of limits on funds, high interest rates, or repayment schedules that are
too stringent). And borrowing from a family member could combat all of these (at the very least, family
members may be more lenient with repayment and interest). But there are also some major drawbacks
to borrowing from your family, the worst of which could be ruined relationships or even lawsuits with
family members. So if you’re going to borrow from your family, there are a few rules that you should
implement in order to protect the interests of all so that a simple loan doesn’t end up ruining your
personal relationships.

1. Write up a loan agreement. Even if all you do is write out an IOU with the amount and sign
it, it serves as proof that you borrowed the money and you intend to pay it back. You should
probably write a more specific agreement that includes any interest to be paid, a repayment
schedule, and penalties for failure to pay, as this will protect all parties involved from false
claims down the road (who knows what people will do when they get angry over loans gone
wrong). But terms aside, making such a promise to repay in writing will help to put you in the
right mindset to treat this financial obligation like any other, despite the fact that it stems from a
personal relationship.

2. Set an interest rate. Since you will have to document [Read more…]

Filed Under: family

How to Find Low-Cost Dental Care for Your Family

January 16, 2012 by 12 Comments

Even with insurance, the expense of medical and dental care for a family can be high. First there is the
cost of insurance to contend with, and while you will certainly pay a lower premium if your employer
offers benefits, you will either pay more for the best policy or opt for lower monthly costs and likely find
yourself paying out-of-pocket down the road (thanks to restrictions and deductibles). And if you don’t
have access to work-related health benefits, you’re probably going to find yourself on the hook for a lot
more, either for insurance, care, or both. So if you’re one of the many adults looking for a way to get
your family the dental care they need for less, here are a few options you may want to consider.

1. Clinical trials. By simply searching on ClinicalTrials.gov you may be able to volunteer to
participate in professionally run studies dealing with certain oral issues. You may even receive
treatment free (or at least at a drastically reduced cost). Of course, you won’t likely be able to
go for your annual cleaning in this way, but if you have some kind of serious dental problem that
is going to cost you some major dough, this could be a way to get the lion’s share covered while
receiving cutting-edge treatment.

2. Dental schools. This is a safer bet for your average dental issues. There are likely several in your
area and they are always looking for volunteers to help students get their practice hours and
take practical exams. So whether you need a cleaning, a filling, a root canal, or a tooth removed
(or replaced), this is a good way to get it done for a lot less. And don’t feel like you’re going to
get stuck with a second-rate [Read more…]

Filed Under: family, health