Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Each week our Kent Patch Moms Council members tackle a different chat topic
Kent, like most of Ohio, is under an excessive heat watch today from the National Weather Service. With high temperatures forecast to reach 93 degrees today and 96 Thursday, the heat watch will stay in effect through Thursday afternoon. So of course, the thought on most people's minds today is "How do I stay cool?" For young ones, the answers can be simple: water balloon fights; squirt gun fights; swimming; eating ice cream; or simply running through the hose in the front yard. We want to hear your ideas. How do you stay cool when the heat seems unbearable?
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Each week the Kent Patch Moms Council members tackle a different chat topic
This week, the Kent Junior Mothers are sponsoring their annual Safety School for youngsters at Walls Elementary School. Safety School tackles all those topics that we as adults take for granted as information etched in our minds: stop at stop signs; look both ways before crossing the street; don't talk to strangers; police officers are your friend... The list of practices to keep in mind that can keep you safe is endless. And it seems taking just one week of a child's lifetime to try and learn so many safety tips is an insurmountable task. All the ways you try to keep your family safe can range on such a vast scope, from being stocked up on bandaids and Neosporin to practicing home fire drills and having an emergency plan. How do you keep …
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
This week our Moms Council members tackle freedom versus safety for young children
When is it OK for your child to cross the street alone? Walk to a friend's house? Bike to a neighboring community? Every parent wants to keep their child safe. But most parents also want their child to enjoy a rich life full of experiences. Yet many parents struggle with finding a balance between these two ideals. At what age should you let your child wander far from home without mom or dad watching over them? It's a tough debate, and one blogger Lenore Skenazy tackles here. At what age do you let your child's "bubble" expand beyond the yard — or beyond your sight? What are some safe boundaries to set? Do you have rules or guidelines your child must follow if they venture out alone? Join our Kent Patch Moms Council members for this week's …
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Each Wednesday our Kent Patch Moms Council members tackle a different chat topic
Social media skills seem to be a requirement before young children can obtain teenager status these days. Parents may only think of Twitter and Facebook when it comes to social media, but there are hundreds of social media websites online for almost any topic you can think of. From instant chats to texting, email, foursquare and other outlets, today's teenagers can interact virtually whenever and wherever behind the veil of digital separation. How young is too young for a child to have accounts on Facebook and Twitter? Such media make it easy for celebrities and others to post inappropriate content (pictures of a scantily clad Kim Kardashian come to mind) for all to see — including young children. Do you limit your child's "on" time, …
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Each Wednesday our Kent Patch Moms Council members tackle a different chat topic
Summer time is supposed to be about freedom for grade-school students. For student athletes, summer time means training time. Sports training is already under way for many fall sports in Kent. According to the Ohio High School Athletic Association, practice sessions during the early summer months are supposed to be voluntary for young athletes. But many parents feel their child must attend the early summer practices. The fear is that if their child does not attend, they might not be considered a serious athlete in the eyes of their coaches. Will they miss some crucial aspect of the game by not attending practice all summer long? Will their competition be stronger for having done so? And there's also the question of whether free time in the…
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Our Kent Patch Moms Council members offer up suggestions for summer activities
Ah, summer. It's that time of year when children have few worldly responsibilities and are free to enjoy the fresh air and sunshine. That doesn't mean you have nothing to keep the young ones occupied. There are so many options to choose from, including youth sports, one of many vacation bible schools, swimming (or canoe or kayak) lessons, music lessons, hiking and biking, (gasp) summer course work at Kent State or just visiting a park. Alas, some times children can run out of things to do — even in Kent. And you know the old saying: idle hands are the devil's playthings. So if you think none of those aforementioned options would pique your child's curiosity, pay attention. Our Kent Patch Moms Council members have some suggestions for …
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Our Kent Patch Moms Council members tackle manners in this week's chat
Manners. They can be easy to forget during the summer months, when children are no longer at school, barbecues encourage messy fingers and lips and everyone tries to relax a little bit. Manners are for more than just grade-school children. College students, adults and seniors all could use a refresher. So while the ages of people may change, manners themselves stay the same lessons for the ages. But they're most often taught to us first when we're young. How do you talk to your children about manners? What manners do you emphasize the most? Are there tough ones you just can't get your child to observe? Do you have a tip for helping your kids learn manners?
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Our Kent Patch Moms Council members talk about the importance of membership in parent teacher organizations
Parent teacher organizations are about as American as apple pie and baseball — they raise funds for children's events, school supplies and other necessary elements of a young child's education. These groups often become a dedicated core of a few individuals working to enhance the education for all young students. In Kent, the parent teacher organizations and preschool parent organizations are responsible for a number of important fundraising and enrichment events for both students and teachers. But membership in some of the organizations is dwindling as students advance and more parents don't step forward to volunteer. Is your school's PTO or PPO experiencing the same effect? Is it important to you to volunteer and help with your child's …
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Members of the Kent Patch Moms Council tackle water safety in today's discussion
Every day, about 10 people die from unintentional drowning, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Thankfully, a 9-year-old Kent girl did not become one of those people on Sunday thanks to the quick thinking of a Kent State University student, who pulled her from the Cuyahoga River after she fell in. Of those 10 victims, two are children aged 14 or younger, according to the CDC. Drowning is the second leading cause of death for children ages 1 to 14 years. Unfortunately, these accidents can become all too common when the weather gets warmer. How do you teach your children water safety? Do you encourage them to learn to swim? Have you enrolled them in swimming lessons? Join our Kent Patch Moms Council Members and share…
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Each week Kent Patch Moms Council members chat with you
The recession may officially be over, but that doesn't mean finding a job is any easier — especially for new college graduates trying to start a career, or a high school student looking for summer cash. Has your new graduate found a job yet? What tips or tricks did they use to land their new gig? Share your tips, thoughts or overall concerns about the job market for younger generations here on Kent Patch.
Barbara A. Barkley
4:47 pm on Thursday, July 21, 2011
I didn't live here when the pool went up for vote, but that's too bad! Even one of those fountains the kids can play in would be great, like the one they have at Riverfront Park in Cuyahoga Falls. more ›